Indholdsfortegnelse for August 1965 i Hot Rod

The Volkswagen owner has traditionally tended to be a person capable of seeing humor in almost every aspect of life, including, most importantly, his mode of transportation. This phenomenon has in no small measure been created by the VW’s general character of being all things to all people, providing that a great deal of perspective is maintained. One thing the car has seldom been, however, is real drag strip material. True, certain individuals did sneak various pieces into the engine compartment, most notably small displacement blowers or outright Porsche engines to frustrate those of the big cubic inch school, but these generally, when fitted into a racing classification scheme, had to run, against such big iron that the “Bug” was usually humbled to dead last except on rare occasions. All…

“A sport is only as good as the facilities representing it,” said Hal Hamrick, chief of operations at the new Bristol International Dragway, in response to a barrage of compliments on the just-completed multi-thousand-dollar drag racing installation, site of the first annual National Hot Rod Association Springnationals Championship. Hal’s observation, combined with that of NHRA President Wally Parks, who related, “Bristol is a monumental tribute to the drag racing sport,” substantiates any and all claims of Bristol Dragway’s being the finest anywhere, bar none, and best explains to those who weren’t able to attend the premiere event the reason for so much talk about this super-great drag strip. Peculiar as it may seem, many bench-racing sessions after a day’s activities at the strip during the four-day race were focused on…

Hermiston and Helix, Oregon…

Chula Vista, California…

Culver City, California…

Ahah! We thought a picture of the “little cutie" in the accompanying photo with her portable radio would get your attention, in addition to serving as an attractive introduction for a little time on boat safety. Above all else, the very first item that should be included on any voyage is the fire extinguisher; passengers can usually walk away from an automobile fire, but when such a misfortune strikes a boat, it can be a matter of life or death for the occupants, particularly if the boat isn’t equipped with life preservers. Another item many boaters overlook is a compass, even an inexpensive auto-dash type. It has been proven with fatal frequency that a person lost in the desert will tend to wander in circles, and the same holds true…

Duffy Livingston, veteran barter, hot rodder and sporty car handler, towers above his latest creation. Sleek, 2-piece ’glass body was designed for competition in karting’s FKE class; will fit over most regular enduro karts. Built expressly for enduro racing, where streamlining really counts, high-speed tests at Riverside Raceway revealed complete stability at more than 100 mph. Body is distributed by Horstman Mfg., 1301 So. Shamrock, Monrovia, Calif. A complete streamliner version of this body, running a front-mounted Yamaha 250cc cycle engine, rolling on special Goodyear tires and wheels, will carry the Hot Rod Magazine banner this fall on the famed Bonneville Salt in search of SCTA ‘I’ class Streamliner record.…

ADVERTISING AGE Dear Sirs: I have been a steady reader of HRM since ’way back in 1960. As far as I am concerned, you have the best coverage of drag events I have ever seen, the most informative “how-to” articles, and the best color photos of any magazine going. I could bestow my blessings on your great magazine all day, but I do have one gripe. Regarding your May ’65 issue, I noticed you had quite a number of pages filled, or almost filled, with advertisements. Adding them up it comes to 78 pages! Over half of the magazine was advertisements. Out of 130 pages, there were only 52 pages completely filled with articles on cars. Now I know that any magazine or publication needs to have a certain amount…

Akron, Ohio Otis Smith is a quiet fellow, but he’s been a mainstay in midwestern hot rodding since the first official drags were held on a side road at the Akron airport back in 1951. A founder of the Cam Jammers, a still active club, ‘Otie’ spurred activities in the Ohio region to continue the crusade for acceptance of the sport. At the time he was running a ’36 Ford 3-window coupe with a ⅜ x ⅜, 296-inch flathead, subsequently traded straight across for a ’40 Ford 2-door to suit his growing family. It was then that Otie settled down — to do some serious hot rodding. He went through a series of ’32 street/drag roadsters and then five all-out drag roadsters before getting into a regular dragster. Back along…

There’s a story that’s been around awhile to the effect that if you cross a parrot with a tiger there is apt to be some doubt about just exactly what you’ll get. .. but when it talks, you’d better listen! This is somewhat the position that Carroll Shelby finds himself in after crossing a Cobra with a Mustang; the Cobra venom has given Ford’s sporty little workhorse considerably more authority, enough to call it a race car. To have a car “homologated” (accepted and classified) by FIA, the international governing body of automobile racing, certain rules must be observed. To establish a car as a production model, a hundred or more must be built and sold. Once the car has been homologated, changes are permitted in the engine and drive…

Ithaca, Michigan…

San Diego, California…

Roadster-Phaeton enthusiasts are often confronted with the challenge of their career when faced with the problem of re-creating a set of top bows for one of those beloved early Ford fresh-air models. Jim Mason of Pacoima, California, once had the same problem, and surmounted it so artfully that subsequent demands by those who saw his work encouraged him to specialize in the fabrication of top bows for practically all of Henry’s models, ‘T’ through ’thirty-six, roadster and touring. Whether you become one of Mason’s patrons or not, he has generously allowed us to follow his duplicating procedure step by step. If no bows are available, the included plans should see you through. Framework on the Model T’s and 1928-’29 Model A’s is of the rolled tubing type and difficult to…

MARYLAND MELEE NATIONAL RECORDS…

Are all of these exotic how-to-do-it stories nowadays about ten feet over your head? Then come with me out to the back shop and I’ll show you a couple of little numbers guaranteed to work for the rankest novice — I know; I did ’em. The first trick solves the problem of straightening out that last altercation you had with the curb or cross-country boulder by punching a dent out of that ornery bend in the exhaust pipe. The price of a new pipe being what it is, the effort is well worth the while. Here’s how it goes: On the back side of the pipe (where it won’t show), drill three ⅜- to ¼-inch holes directly opposite and in line with the dent. With a drift punch and small…

’65 CORVAIR DUALS Dual exhaust system sets for the ’65 Corvair, including the Corsa 140, are now available from Cyclone Exhaust Systems. Sets complete with tail pipes, mufflers, and resonators; are pre-welded assemblies for easy installation. Sets for 1960 through ’64 model Corvairs also available. For information: Cyclone Exhaust Systems, 2801 San Fernando Rd., Dept. HR, Los Angeles, Calif. DUAL-QUAD INTAKES Edelbrock introduces two new dual-quad ram log manifolds; model X-C8 for 283 and 327 Chevy V8’s, and model X-F8 for the 289 Ford V8. Both feature advanced precision design for ultimate performance of ram induction for both street or drags. Will accept AFB or Holley carbs. Write for specs: Edelbrock Equipment Co., Dept. HR, 4921 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. CATALOG AND TECH MANUAL All new ’65 combination…

Jimmy Clark, of Duns, Scotland, administered the coup de grace to the slowly dying Offenhauser dinosaur at this year’s Indianapolis 500 and in doing so he underlined the old and oft-heard Madison Avenue slogan, “Watch the Fords go by.” When Pat Vidan dropped the checkered flag, there were eight Fords and three Offys left. The mighty dinosaur didn’t go out without a good last-ditch stand, but it was a losing battle from the start as Ford had the deck loaded with 17 of 33 starters. The fact that only one-third of the field managed to survive begins to give a clue that things were a bit hectic this year in Gasoline Alley, and this may go down as the understatement of the year. Because USAC didn’t finalize their rules until…

There’s a car club in Lansing, Michigan, that has taken a total of 17 entries to the last four NHRA National Championship drag events — and come home with 13 class trophies! Certainly very few, if any, other groups in the country have a record to approach that. Lansing’s "Chevairs" is a unique club in several ways. For one thing they concentrate their efforts on one brand of car: Chevrolet. (Only a couple of members run other makes.) They feel there are enough specific Chevrolet-built models in all the five lines (Chevy, Corvair, Chevy II, Chevelle, Corvette) that are potential Stock class winners under present NHRA rules to warrant their full attention. They find new combinations almost every week. Another thing, there are no elected officers in the club, no…

Alloway, New Jersey…

Alexandria, Virginia…

In this day of exotic—and too often quite expensive—engine swaps, the ensuing combination of a strong, easy-on-the-purse engine matched with a very popular body style is a natural from many perspectives: performance, 93 in the quarter with a 14.62 e.t.; economy, 14-16 mpg town mileage; weight differential, up a mere 50 pounds; and reliability, a natural for the wife to drive. The engine in this instance, a ‘59 Buick mated to a ‘63 Dynaflow, is rated at 300 hp with 400 pounds/foot of torque, displaces 401 cubic inches and is carbureted with a Rochester four-barrel from an Olds of ‘58 vintage. With the exception of a slight change in ignition advance-rate, oil pump pressure and tube exhausts, it is completely stock. The counter bore in the oil pump relief spring…

The evolution of present-day dragster design started in the prehistoric era of drag racing, the early 1950’s. The cars of that time were termed “rails,” as they were usually built on or around a modified set of production-type channel frame members, usually of the early Model A and T Fords. As the sport progressed, the driver position was established as behind the rear end, sitting so as to straddle the axles. At present we are experiencing the era of 200 mph breakthrough in the sport, as the double century barrier has not only been broken, but shattered, by a number of fuel dragsters that are now edging 210. The modern dragster is composed of yards of chrome-moly tubing, heli-arced together into a long wheelbase frame housing a 1500-horsepower engine. Numerous…

Among the early major prizes posted for NHRA’s 11th annual National Championship Drag Races, scheduled for September 2-6 at Indianapolis, is one of Ford’s powerful 427 cubic inch, single overhead camshaft engines, to be awarded by the Ford Division of Ford Motor Company to the event’s Top Fuel Eliminator. Using a supercharged version of the Ford OHC 427, Connie Kalitta stunned the competition and spectators at NHRA’s first annual Springnationals in June with a thundering run of 209.78 mph, Top Speed of the meet. After a very successful debut at the Springnationals, held at the Bristol International Dragway super-strip, the Pure Oil Company has also announced plans for participation at the Nationals. Pure will have available at Indianapolis Raceway Park a participant’s service center featuring their racing oriented “Firebird” gasoline.…

HOT ROD MART Requirements: 25 word limit per ad, not including name and address. We reserve right to edit copy or refuse ads. While not responsible for accuracy of description, we will reject misleading statements. No ads from commercial firms. Only one car may be listed in any one ad; this limitation not to apply to parts or equipment, however. $10 per ad must accompany each insertion. When photo is included, the rate is increased to $15 per insertion. Due to normal publication schedule, allow at least two months from time ad is received until it is printed. SELL or TRADE — ’29 Willys overland Whippet, 96 A cpe. w/rumble seat. Can restore. Trade for Model A rdstr. or Willys jeep. R. Barger, Box 7, White Pine, Mich. SELL —…