Indholdsfortegnelse for August 1960 i Hot Rod

On February 2, 1958, Cal Rice blazed up and down March AFB’s 13.300-foot straightaway in the Hot Rod Magazine Special to make rodding and racing history. With just 343 cubic inches of Doug Hartelt-built, GMC-blown Chrysler, Rice blasted the supposedly unbeatable records that had been set by a German Auto Union 21 years before. USAC timing made Rice’s performance recognized throughout the world. Motor racing’s international governing body, the FIA of Paris, has its own special way of handling acceleration records: Elapsed time is all-important and top speed means nothing. The German elapsed time for the kilometer—the shortest record distance recognized by the FIA—was 19.08 seconds, which equals an average speed from standstill to the end of the %>-mile trap of 117.3 mph. Rice pruned these figures for fair with…

Next to being the Top Eliminator at the annual National Championship Drags, it is probable the most coveted honor is being recognized as a National record holder in some particular drag racing class. For the past several years, the only way to achieve this result was to attend the National Drags and attain the record laurels under certain specified conditions. The National Hot Rod Association has long desired to provide some foolproof method wherein hot rodders capable of gaining a record, but incapable of attending the Nationals, might compete on a local level for class distinction. The NHRA record Regionals are among the final results. Kicking the lid off the new system was a bang-up bonus points Regional drag held during May at the durable Inyokern, California, drag strip. Within…

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The many advantages of multiple carburetion are well known to hot rodders. With Detroit’s acceptance of the rodproven system on several of their early automobiles and the present Pontiac Bonneville, it would appear that multiple carbs are here to stay. It is unnecessary to go into the advantages of this system, as most rod enthusiasts are well acquainted with the pertinent “whys and wherefores.” We shall instead concern ourselves with a few of the disadvantages and problems encountered when an attempt is made to supply any number of carbs with sufficient fuel to get the job done. Not to mention the added problems of trying to maintain proper air fuel ratios while pumping the required amount of fuel. One of the major problems encountered is maintaining sufficient fuel line pressures…

IT WORKED FOR ME We drove the heavy, late model automatic transmission car loaded with gear as far into the swamp as the road went. After three days of good hunting, we prepared to strike camp. One of those cold snaps had arrived, and as the car had not been started for three days, it was discovered that a dead cell in the 12-volt battery had us in a pickle, far from help. We simply took a short piece of copper tubing off the vacuum booster pump, bent it in the shape of a “U,” jumped the dead cell; the car promptly started on 10 volts and got us out of a bad jam. Roy D. McAlilly Bruce, Mississippi…

There’s some exciting new rubber rolling your way if you are performance-minded—but you’ll never hear it coming. For the hushed tread of Tidewater Oil Company’s new “Dynapol” tire must pass unheard to be appreciated. At a recent demonstration in the Mojave Desert HRM reps sat in on roo-mph test runs in new sedans over a 2-mile oval, swung violently from side-to-side down rough macadam side roads and watched panic stops on mirror-finished cement test slabs to bear witness to Flying A’s new Safti-Ride tires. The results, when compared to tires of identical tread pattern but of old formula rubber, were definite enough to be termed a major advancement in rubber chemistry. Riding at over the century mark the Dynapol tires were exceptionally quiet while providing very good cushion; much better…

* 138.767 mph—new record race average * Three times runnerup, Jim Rathmann breaks jinx * Rookie Jim Hurtubise sets hottest Indy laps ever Racing enthusiasts are familiar with the term “Trophy Dash.” it stands for that part of a racing program where the three or four fastest qualifiers for the day compete in a special short race. This is a “flat out” event with each driver trying everything in the book to outmaneuver his competition for a win. Except for the part about a “short” race and three or four drivers, this description just offered is a pretty good summation of how the 1960 Indy ’500’ was run. A 500-mile trophy dash sounds a little far-fetched but that is exactly how this race has turned out in recent years and…

There are three ways to increase the displacement of an engine; bore the cylinders bigger, make the stroke longer or add cylinders. Obviously the last method mentioned is impractical since you just don’t casually tack a couple of more holes someplace on the block, so that leaves us with the first two methods. The reason behind the thirst for cubic inches that this nation’s hot rodders are trying to satisfy is that the more space within the cylinders of an engine, the more air-fuel mixture the engine can inhale. When this larger volume is ignited, the extra BTU’s do a more forceful job of pushing the piston and connecting rod down to the bottom of the cylinder and this creates more foot-pounds of torque in the rotating crankshaft. More torque…

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While Jim Rathmann was eking out a narrow victory over Roger Ward at Indianapolis on Memorial Day, an equally thrilling automotive duel was being staged down in the Panhandle country of Texas. The Grand Opening of Amarillo’s permanent home-town drag strip had served to attract the best drag racing equipment from throughout the South, Central, and Southwestern portions of the United States. Texas hospitality was out in full force at the newly opened Amarillo Dragway and competitors at the three-day dragfest responded by cracking the NHRA record books with nineteen new National drag records. Some of the records had been set only days before at the initial record Regional at Inyokern. California. Probably the most spectacular performance of the meet was turned in by little Eddie Hill of Wichita Falls,…

The birth of a hot rod club is usually a well planned and organized movement. This was not true in the case of the Motor Masters of Magnolia, New Jersey. After sporadic consideration, the club was formed in February, 1959. The club was to be an informal group; just fellows getting together to discuss cars and hot rodding. Soon, however, the club found itself charging dues to meet expenses incurred from renting a club garage. By the end of April, the foundling group felt it necessary to have officers and follow parliamentary procedure. The first elections produced a president and secretary-treasurer. Members then considered and chose the club’s name, after having been together several months. Many weeks were devoted to working on members’ cars, resulting in the establishment of a…

RED … BLUB … PINK … YELLOW … ? Dear Don: I understand some of the Chrysler hemisphere engines have special hardened crankshafts. I am now building a standard stroke 392 engine and would like to make certain I have the hard crank. Which engines had these special cranks and how can I tell whether mine is? Raymond DeLasandro Great Neck. Long Island New York The 300 series as well as Chrysler industrial engines had Toco (induction) hardened crankshafts. These cranks are normally identified by green paint on the front counterweight. Three-hundred engines may be identified by the first four serial numbers:N E57 or NE58. Industrial engines have no heat riser ports in the cylinder heads and are equipped with adjustable rockers. DOWN BOY … Dear Don: My Falcon is…

The idea of a drag strip race is simple. It’s to see how quickly a car can go from a standing start to a line exactly a quarter of a mile away. Rapid acceleration is far more important than final top speed. Preparing a car to win a drag race is anything but simple. It demands mechanical skill, imaginative engineering, money, and hundreds of hours of work. Winning takes a smart, skillful driver, too. A drag race is no place for a driver who loves a squealing, slipping start that leaves rubber on the road. That can waste half a second —and victory is usually measured in hundredths of a second. It’s neither a “rich man’s sport” nor a “poor man’s sport.” It’s a sport for all who have the…

We were tooling along the narrow, winding mountain road discussing the racing event we were scheduled to cover at our destination. Tecate, Baja California. As with any group of rod enthusiasts, the conversation skipped from dragsters to Bonneville machines to boats to karts. Someone had just mentioned the tremendous handling qualities of these bantam bombs when our guest, a long-time resident of Montana and devout owner of a wild ’32 street roadster, interjected his disrespect for karts. In no uncertain terms we were given to understand that he considered karts for kids, and he didn’t see why in the world they were receiving so much coverage in auto-motive magazines. No amount of persuasion could convince our friend of the thrilling aspects of karting, so we all quietly decided to wait.…

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• IT’S NATIONALS TIME • NATIONAL CUSTOM SHOW • WORLD CHAMP STANDINGS It’s almost time!!!!! Time for the great National Championships at Detroit, Michigan. As always, this display supreme of hot rodding talent will take place over the Labor Day holidays, starting September 1st, ending September 5th. These five days will contain the greatest assortment of hot rods and rod events ever assembled in one place. If you have never attended one of the Nationals before, this is the year to be there. And if you’re a regular at the gala affair, you are already making plans well in advance so you won’t chance missing out. The Nationals offer rod action for everyone. A fantastic custom car show; drag racing that draws the nation’s finest competition machinery (with stock cars…