Indholdsfortegnelse for August 1958 i Hot Rod

One year ago Orville Mueller, 22, of Millstadt, Illinois, had a hundred dollars in his pocket and a red-hot desire to drive in drag competition. His transition from desire to reality involved the purchase of a 1934 three-window Ford coupe (cost, an even $100) and a year’s hard work; total investment to date, $1800. The frame and suspension were beefed up. Orville retained the transverse leaf springs front and rear but made a special front axle from 4130 tubing. The stock ’34 steering was retained, front brakes were removed and Buick brakes installed at the rear. To get down out of the wind, the body was channeled ten inches, but stock window dimensions were retained. Trunk and top were closed and the fenders were removed. In the rear, the body…

San Anselmo, California…

Two years ago local aficionados said adios to the yo-yo. Now a real bang-up Mexican goodbye is a very sad, sentimental and definitely “schmaltzy” bit replete with a string rendition of a tearjerker called Las Golondrinas. But there was no pelting with flowers on February 22, 1956 in the city of Puebla when an idea known as Mecanica Nacional was brought into being. Any knocking that day was not due to low test gasoline—-it was the howling expression of hostility to the birth of the Republic’s first authentic hot rod movement. In the heyday of the fabulous Panamerican Road Race many a Mexican Walter Mitty saw himself make the leap from behind the wheel of the tame family sedan to the cockpit of a snarling Lancia. After these imaginative citizens…

Officials of the National Hot Rod Association have just announced that the Top Eliminator at the National Championship Drags in Oklahoma City over Labor Day weekend will be aptly rewarded for his championship performance. The luck fellow who wins this year’s Big Go will not only receive the applause of the world’s auto racing fans, but can tow his car home with a brand new 1958 Chevrolet Fleetside ½ ton pickup. WOW! As at the other great racing spectacles of the world, this award is given in recognition of the mechanical skill and driving ability of a true champion among champions. AND, the truck is just one of the many outstanding merchandise awards and beautiful championship trophies to be presented to this year’s winners and competitors. A myriad of…

If you were to take Ford’s new engine for ’58,made in three displacements tear it apart piece by piece, analyze these pieces and then put them all back together in their proper order, you would feel sure that this engine should produce lots of horsepower and do it effortlessly. The engine seems to be very well designed and is made in three displacements, 332 and 352 inches for Ford and 361 inches for the small Edsel. Advertised horsepower ratings range from 240 to 300 for the Ford cars and 303 for the Edsel. We have just participated in a series of dynamometer tests which indicate that actual horsepower for these engines is only about two-thirds of the advertised rating. Two-thirds of a 300 horsepower rating is 200 horsepower and this…

It wasn’t too long ago that Robert Rimmel of St. Louis, Mo., purchased a much-used 1935 Ford pickup for $35. Combining a year’s effort with $1000, Bob has produced this eye-catching bright green street rod. Rimmel decided to retain the fine original lines, therefore the major portion of restoration time was spent putting the body and bed in perfect shape. The grille was reconstructed by Bob from 3/16-inch rod, then chrome plated. The front and rear nerf bars are also Rimmel’s handiwork. Joining the march for more inches, Rimmel replaced the vintage Ford flathead engine with an ohv ’54 Oldsmobile powerplant. The latter package has been left stock in most departments, with the exception of milled heads, Mallory ignition and ¾-grind cam. A few treks to the local drag strip…

Hollywood, California…

Thirty-three cars started this year’s annual 500-mile classic at Indianapolis. Indiana, but only thirteen were still running at the end of 200 laps around the famed 2½-mile track. The third corner of the always dangerous first lap claimed eight cars out of the starting field and also took the life of personable Pat O’Connor, veteran of four previous “500” races. Although eight cars were completely eliminated in a few wild seconds on the northeast turn, even more cars suffered damages which cost valuable time in the pits for repairs or eventually caused their withdrawal altogether. Two of the thirteen cars to complete the entire grind bore scars of the skidding and crashing that took place on the tragic first lap. Five of the 35 starters were eliminated during the race…

THE HONOR IS MUTUAL Dear Sirs: I am a constant reader of Hot Rod and believe it is one of the finest in its field. I would be highly honored to see a picture of my car in your magazine. My car is a ’54 Ford to which I have added ’56 Fairlane stripes, a ’57 Ford Gu i Metal Gray and black paint job, with black, silver and white with Vermilion Red trim. The interior is also Vermilion Red, with black, silver and white upholstery. The car is nosed and decked, with station wagon bumpers in the rear. High point of the car is one of which I think is a very original idea: the installation of a ’58 Chevrolet grille. The engine has not been modified as yet,…

As long as early Fords remain the rodder’s favorite, the problem of finding a good, clean shell to rebuild will be a major one. Twenty years of random use is bound to leave its mark on any car in the form of crumpled fenders, butchered deck lids and rusted-out panels. New steel body parts are almost non-existent, especially for the ’28-’32 series Fords, and nearly so for the ’33-’34 models. Patching with solder, putty and plastic is never entirely satisfactory if the car is to see much use. New parts are the only answer in such cases. But, where to get them? The answer to that one is provided by Dee Wescott of Boring, Oregon. When Dee, a body shop owner, couldn’t find the parts needed to repair the coupes,…

San Diego, California…

must be MECHANICAL CHEMICAL ELECTRICAL Good performance and long life in any storage battery is possible only when it is well balanced mechanically, chemically, and electrically. Consequently when servicing your battery or even thinking of it, always consider its mechanical, chemical, and electrical needs. Inability to get started some morning may be what you notice. But the chain of events leading up to this failure could easily be mechanical trouble in the form of a cracked battery case due to overtightening; chemical loss—the electrolyte draining out of the cracked case; and finally, electrical failure. You have doubtless seen many batteries both inside and out. As a quickie refresher, however, glance at Fig. 1 and, from the mechanical standpoint, note the sectioned battery case. Note in the end cell the four…

PROBLEM: To move from a standstill to the highest possible speed in the shortest possible time in one-quarter of a mile. SOLUTION: Build the lightest car possible, place most of the weight toward the rear of the car and power the whole thing with a re-worked gasoline engine delivering almost fantastic horsepower. This type of reasoning has allowed hot rodders to reach phenomenal speeds in quarter-mile drag racing. Speeds upwards of 160 mph in less than 10 seconds have become somewhat commonplace. For the most part, all drag racing cars are the same. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. Some feel that a narrow rear end is the answer for arrow-straight acceleration, while others contend that narrow front ends with small tires are the only thing. Some feel that…