Indholdsfortegnelse for June 1961 i Hot Rod

Records: Cotati Drag Strip: 138.00 mph—E.T. 10.80 sec. Vacaville Drag Strip: 139.66 mph—E.T. 10.44 sec. Half Moon Bay Drag Strip: 138.79 mph—E.T. 10.60 sec. Top speed on one run—143 mph Owner: John Batto, Vineburg, Calif. Running Class: A-Altered Body: ’39 Crosley sedan; Pontiac rear Horsepower Rating: 450 HP Engine: Buick, 410 cu. in. with G.M.C. 671 Supercharger, special owner-designed blower drive, Hilborn Fuel Injection. Chrome-stroked crankshaft, Vertex magneto, magnesium wheels, and security parachute for braking. Like many other top drivers, triple record holder John Batto depends on Pennzoil Z-7 for full-time lubrication protection in his record-breaking dragster. “The time and money spent in building up these engines makes me more careful of the oil I put into them,” says John. “That’s why I always use Pennzoil, because I know it…

The new Super Sports All-Traction tire is engineered to combine an aggressive tread with brand-new stability—to give you plenty of forward bite without sacrificing a steady stance. Its Lo-Wide silhouette puts more gripping pattern on the track, lets more of its driving elements bite down deep. You get fantastic acceleration, plenty of hold on turns, too. And, thanks to the unique tread design, you stay on course in drifts and hold it when you hit the straightaway! This new tire stands up longer, too, because of tread-cooling shoulder grooves, track-tailored Firestone Rubber-X and a Safety-Fortified nylon cord body. Any wonder it’s clawing its way to the head of the pack? See the Super Sports All-Traction tire today at your Firestone Dealer or Store!…

The second year of the “Compact Age” is in full swing now and at least two of the engines in the latest crop show qualities which should make them extremely popular among those with an outlook for performance. The two engines referred to are the new aluminum V8’s used in the F-85 Oldsmobile and the Buick Special. Pontiac Tempest also offers an optional V8 but it is purchased from Buick and is identical in all ways to the Special engine. So, everything that applies to the Special engine in our story is ditto for the Tempest V8. Our first look at the aluminum V8’s came when the small Olds and Buick cars were introduced last fall but our observations were restricted to what we could see by lifting the hoods…

To keep pace with stock car racing’s extreme suspension requirements, Gabriel has developed a line of “Racing Shox,” based on the heavy-duty Silver E and fitted with the three-position adjustment. As these Racing Shox are available in three different ranges of stiffness, wide variations are possible in fitting the ride. Though an extremely popular item with the stock car racing fraternity, these shocks were not sold to the general public for several reasons. Settings are generally much higher than those shock absorbers used on the street. Prices are higher, mostly because of limited production. There also is an installation problem, for the units are longer than stock ones, requiring special brackets and having tie rod end fittings. Though valid for the average buyer, these reasons certainly would not hold back…

Back in the early 1950’s when drag racing had not yet caught on as an every-community pastime and about the only place where a rodder could go to compete in a national rod meet was Bonneville, the frontier state of Montana was well represented by competitors on the long white salt flats. For the most part, these competitors were from scattered parts of the big mountain state and organized clubs didn’t get a good foothold in the area until 1955. But once car clubs started, they took the cattle country by storm. What has proved to be one of the best hot rod clubs in Montana was formed in March of 1957 in the city of Great Falls. There were 9 people present at the initial meeting of the…

Two sharp new coupes join the Tempest sedan and station wagon. Shorter roof lines. Longer rear decks. The custom coupe has a town car rear window, full carpeting, sports-type bucket seats. Both have independent suspension at all four wheels. Swing axles. Engine in front—transmission in rear. Big 15-inch wheels on a Wide-Track. You can cut a hairpin curve flat and steady. Call the shot on performance. A gas-saving, 4-cylinder, inclined engine with a horsepower range from 110 to 155. Drive the new Tempest coupe. It’s priced with the compacts.…

Drag racing is a new sport within a new sport. Automotive competition has been with us since the first car was assembled in the late 1800’s, and it has grown and developed almost faster than the mind can conceive. But compared to the youthful energy of quarter-mile acceleration contests, car racing in general can cometimes become as stodgy as a Victorian parlor party. Drag racing changes overnight. What is acceptable today is passé tomorrow. What is considered fantastic today is old-hat tomorrow. But in dragging, as in other auto racing, the human element remains relatively constant. It becomes smarter, gains new hard-won experience, begins to exude confidence. In recognition of the skill and courage of the sportsmen of the automotive racing game, Hot Rod’s companion Motor Life Magazine recently inaugurated…

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No other piston rings—and few products of any kind—are made with greater care and precision than Perfect Circles. Each ring set is custom engineered to the engine. Radial pressures are held within exacting limits to assure compression seal and positive oil control. Special alloys are chosen for their ability to resist heat, corrosion, wear and fatigue. The extra-thick, solid chrome plating is finished with watchmaking precision to assure truest fit and eliminate tedious break-in. As a result, Perfect Circle rings deliver the long life and superior performance that engine *’pros” recognize and demand. If only the best is good enough for your engine, insist on Perfect Circles—the rings preferred by so many leading vehicle and engine manufacturers, race drivers, fleet operators and mechanics the world over. PISTON RINGS • PRECISION…

AUSTINS ARE GOOD ROD MATERIAL Dear Sirs: Enclosed please find a photograph of my pride and joy, which I should very much like to see in your great magazine. It started life in 1933 as an “Austin 7” which I bought two years ago, when I was sixteen. I knocked the old body off and built my own out of aluminum. The engine is, at present, almost stock except for an S.U. carb. I think your magazine is the most, keep up the good work. R. J. Gattey Somerset, England THANK YOU, SIR Dear Sirs: This is to inform you that I will not renew my subscription to Hot Rod for the coming year. Please do not feel that I do not enjoy your magazine. My subscription was placed as…

Most powerful kart engine per cu. inch in America It’s unbeatable! It tops even the famous McCulloch MC-10 that has won every important karting event for years I It’s the ultimate refinement of America’s championship line of karting engines for every class—from McCulloch, the company that has led the field since karting began. MC-20. A name you’ll never forget once you see it in action. Completely new with these unbeatable features: Weight—10 pounds • RPM—12-15,000 • Bore—2.125 • Compression Ratio—9.1:1 • Displacement—5.8 cu. in. • Stroke— 1.635. It’s packaged dynamite! EASIER STARTING due to new “optimum timing” ignition. New high-pressure magneto flywheel. McCulloch moisture-proof coil. COOLER RUNNING thanks to new controlled airturbulence created by scientifically-designed engine shroud. MORE “DIG” AT LOW RPM’s with new multi-speed full-bore carburetion coupled to new…

Reports Johnny Mantz: “This machine really got a workout … across the desert from Needles to Nogales and down the pike from Boise to Broken Knee. It was smashed over hot desert sand…into water traps at high speed… and crawled through city streets. Afterwards, they brought it back here to Kingman, where I drove it at 2 miles a minute. Then they dumped the oil and checked it. No sludge in this crankcase I Ford’s new full-flow filtering rig really works. 4, 000 miles between oil changes. Easy with this one !” THE ’61 FORD ! BEAUTIFULLY BUILT TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF ! FORD DIVISION, FORD MOTOR COMPANY…

For the past several years, we have included in our June issue a rundown on the cars that have taken shape during the previous winter months in preparation for the world’s richest race, the Indianapolis 500. We thumbed through our collection of old Hot Rods just recently to see how the Indy cars have changed and discovered a couple of interesting items. Since 1956, when we used pictures of a new car A. J. Watson built for Pat Flaherty to drive, we have always had a picture of the winning car in our annual pre-Indy roundup. Also, since 1958 when we started picking five drivers whom we predicted would decide the race among them, we have never missed having the winner. Here’s the rundown on what we have uncovered at…

The conversion of production automobile engines to high-performance powerplants for all sorts of hot rod uses has, through the years, become a science based on definite procedures. Among these is the installation of oversize valves. Oversize valves make sense because valves are an important link in the chain that forms an engine’s breathing system. Valves that aren’t large enough to allow fresh mixture and exhaust gases to flow in and out of an engine’s cylinders as freely as they should will limit power output. Oversize valves have always been important to hot rodders but in these days when big GMC blowers are the rule rather than the exception they have become more important than ever. We all know the purpose of a blower is to enable an engine to develop…

Unbridled enthusiasm is difficult to conceal, but lest it be taken strictly in jest let us who work closely with author Dale Naef assure you that the light vein of the included report is a natural reaction to one of the better modern day karts. We “dig” ‘em too. — Ed. Now if any of you cool one’s happen to dig different types of karting frolics such as a nice Sunday afternoon drive through the streets of Tecate, Mexico, or that quaint little game which is made up of one half bumper tag and the other half following the leader (sometimes better known as sprint racing), then come along with me. Where are we going? Driversville, man; that’s the best way of expressing my deep inner feelings for that lovely…

Outstanding features make the Sears Model 300 Racing Kart a winner any way you look at it. For example, exclusive Sears high-capacity twin flow replaceable element air cleaner effectively protects engine from dirt without power loss . . . reinforced stress-proof steel live axle mounted in high speed Timken bearings adds more rigidity to rear of Kart. Remote high-speed-jet control allows fine tuning without reaching around back . . . exceptionally high quality imported English drive chain, built to close machine tolerances, adds speed, virtually eliminates breaking or jumping. Drag link and tie rod steering, proven best for racing karts. Finest twin shoe automotive-type internal expanding brake gives smooth, progressive braking action ... rugged, notched and fitted l⅛ in. heli-arc welded tubular steel frame and l¼ in. chrome-moly front axle…