Indholdsfortegnelse for February 1968 i Hot Rod

We’re excited and pleased because when Pontiac engineers were designing the high-performance GTO engine, they chose AC Fire-Ring Spark Plugs to power it. They wanted a spark plug that could deliver full time firepower at all driving speeds—under all driving conditions. Their answer: AC Fire-Ring Spark Plugs with the exclusive self-cleaning, hot-tip insulator. This same spark plug is available for installation in your car. Try a set of AC Fire-Ring Spark Plugs and see if you don't get all fired up over the Full Time Firepower you get.…

Sergeant Warren H. Hutchings offers high school graduates a choice of more than 300 jobs. Interesting, highly skilled jobs like weatherman, data processing specialist, mapmaker, dental technician. As an Army recruiter, he’s trained to help you pick the job that best fits your interests and ability. If you qualify, he’ll guarantee the job of your choice in writing before you enlist. Enlisting makes good sense. You can be doing something you like. In an outfit you can be proud of. There's no better way to become highly skilled. No better way to fulfill your military obligation. Write to Sergeant Hutchings for our booklet. You might end up recruiting yourself. Your future, your decision … choose ARMY.…

FRAM visited Bill (“Grumpy”) Jenkins, super-stock driver and engine preparation expert at his shop outside of Philadelphia. Jenkins is one of the best stock tuners and drivers on the scene. His specially tuned car (“Grumpy's Toy”) is a consistent winner all over the circuit. FRAM: Bill, you're one of the hottest super-stock drivers around. But we know your first love is engine preparation. Why is this? JENKINS: Engine preparation is the most challenging thing about racing. It's a matter of taking a complex piece of machinery and coming up with a combination that lives. FRAM: Just how do you go about hitting that combination? JENKINS: Whenever I build an engine, I start from the ground up. Everything—including ignition, carburetion, and exhaust—must be in perfect balance and complement the work I've…

So you're a traditional roadster man, and your car is complete with original rails and body? But you say that overhead mill has proven too much for that “original” rear end. Well, you can always change rear ends — like to a modern, up-to-date, open-driveline type. Oh, you still want to use the “original” rear spring, though. That's no problem. You can buy one of many rear suspension kits that allow use of early Ford transverse leaf springs with any open-driveline rear end. Antique Auto Parts in Rosemead, California, offers a complete line of kits for swaps such as these, but if you like to fabricate your own parts, then here is one way to do it. The swap illustrated here involves a Model A rear spring being mounted behind…

Will the real Bill Jenkins please light up a cigar, let four more pounds of air out of his wrinkle-walls and trim the National Record by another .04-second … again? If you don't think you'll recognize him at first glance, just be on the alert for a relatively short individual who wears sunglasses, Bermuda shorts, tennis shoes, chews vigorously on the stub of a 350 cigar and doles out misery to his competitors who comprise a list that reads like the “who's who” of stocker drag racing. You can call him “Grumpy” if you like, but if the truth were known…. “How come people call you 'Grumpy'?” ” 'Cause I am.” (You know, every once in a while, even the best of presumptions gets kicked right in the seat of…

Early last spring we devoted this editorial space to a new theme on drag racing which had been announced by the Chrysler Corporation: The Performance Clinic. Two teams of cars were to campaign throughout the country, one with a Plymouth name tag in the hands of the Sox and Martin team, and the other one, a Dodge, with Dick Landy in charge. In addition to weekly drag racing, these teams would be stopping at dealerships throughout the country to relay their knowledge to drag enthusiasts. Hopefully, many of you readers have had the opportunity to see one or the other of the teams put on their clinic at a Plymouth or Dodge dealer's showroom in your locale. Between the two teams a lot of territory was covered and more than…

Dark Query. This may seem like a simple question, but I've wondered for a long time just what makes oil turn dark after a few hundred miles? Is it heat, dirt or what? S.N., St. Louis, Mo. Oil darkening is caused by the suspension of solids, made up of fuel soot and resins from unburned fuel. When allowed to accumulate, these solids will cause engine trouble. An oil with excellent dispersant action, such as Pennzoil Z-7, holds these solids harmlessly in suspension until they can be drained at normal oil change periods. Ring Wrong? I just have one question, but it's an important one as far as I'm concerned! Since I'm burning a quart of oil every 300 miles or so, does this mean I have a cracked ring? T.W.,…

“What?” says this guy from Pontiac. “Are you trying to put me on? Buick doesn't have any good drag strip cars — everybody knows that.” Here, the rest of the non-racing GM divisions — yea, the rest of the industry — went blithely along, believing that the super-car pie was being sliced up in '68 about the way it had been in '67. But no. Buick, who has really been in the competition game for more years in their sixty-four-year history than most people suspect (in 1909 they won a fantastic 90 percent of everything they entered), slid the magic parts numbers into the book and weird things started happening. Last month, in our Buick GS 400 road test, we gave you all the dope on the optional listings but…

Temperature: 45 degrees. Altitude: 4000 feet. Engine speed: 5000 rpm and crisp. The road: a corkscrew. On the horizon ahead, a lonely X-K Jag, trying to get away. Open both 34mm Mikunis full choke … 6500 R's … confirm one Jaguar… how sweet it is. And others will fall prey to the bold Suzuki 500 before it's over, including many a twowheeled “sport” that happens to be caught on a twisting mountain road by this hungry predator. Although only a single phase of HRM's test on Suzuki's brand-new 500 two-stroke, the mountain run is probably the most decisive of all criteria by reason of its full range of demands on all segments of engine and chassis operation. Seventy-two miles of it told the tale, backed by several hundred in town,…

Well, you finally completed that engine swap. The new bigger-displacement engine is in, backed up by a four-speed (those custom engine mounts worked like a jewel) and the wiring gave you no problems at all. Only one more step to go, and then the hood can be closed until the next time you have the oil and water checked when it's gas-up time. Speaking of water, what did you do about those extra necks on the radiator, or in your case was it a problem of the necks not lining up with inlet and outlet necks on that new mill? These things do crop up every now and then when an engine swap is performed, but don't fret; the problem isn't that serious. We located a young guy confronted with…

Atransaxle from a '65 or newer VW or Karmann Ghia will drop right into a '60 or earlier bug if you've got the right combination — which is this: First remove the engine from the car, then the transaxle. Obtain selector housing number 211301211C, and grind a deep notch into the breather hole as per the pictures. Clean out all the chips and slide in shift selector number 113311541A. This will be a curved selector, or should be, so compare the new unit with the item it is to replace. Bolt the selector housing to the new transaxle with the shift selector in place. Then bolt the transaxle to the frame. All that remains is putting the engine back where it belongs. What have you gained in the operation? Quite…

The Chevrolet parts catalog lists a high-performance oil pump for the big-block engine, which is usually referred to as the Daytona pump. The part drops into place in any of the big-blocks and, with some modification to the pickup assembly, may also be used in the smaller V8. A couple of recent changes in the cataloging of the item may help you and the parts man get the right pieces in your hot little hands if you decide you need the pump. In the first place, the old number on the pump was 3879643. This was for the complete pump and pickup tube which Was welded to the pump. Now the pump comes in two pieces. Part number 3904838 refers to the pump, and number 3879644 takes care of the…

What's happening Sunday? Nothing unreal on the “tube” until the wee hours, Pop's glommed onto the family wheels like he owned it, and steady date is down with the measles — the perfect weekend, wow! They said there would be days like this … chin up, I'm going to show you how to get some trash together and have a ball. That's right, t-r-a-s-h. Some old coke bottles, half a dozen bald tires, a roll of string, a handful of Mom's clothespins, a wooden plank, a few ripped golf balls, and we'll even throw in the trash can itself just for good measure. The site of this big weekend can be any vacant lot in town. The cost is all of twenty-five cents; that ought to buy enough gas to…

FOUL — To leave the starting line before the green light signal. FOUR-BANGER — Four-cylinder engine. FOUR ON THE FLOOR — Manually-operated four-speed transmission. FUELIE, FUELER — Car that burns special racing fuels rather than gasoline. FULL BORE — Throttle wide open. FULL HOUSE — Highly-modified racing engine. FUNNY CAR — Altered wheelbase competition car not officially approved by racing sanctioners. FX CAR — Factory experimental class car. GASSER — Racing car that burns gas. GETTING OUT OF IT — Lifting foot off accelerator. GLASS — Fiberglass. GLASS-WRAPPED — Chassis with fiberglass body. GOODIES — Extra engine equipment. HANDLER — Driver. HAULER — Exceptionally fast car. HAULING THE MAIL — Running at top speed. HEADERS — Part of exhaust system that expels burnt gases from engine. HEMI — Engine equipped…

Odds and ends month, that's what it is for our effort this February. But oddly enough, we may end up pointing out a few items beamed at a sizeable collection of automotive enthusiasts: our readers. Safety. In drag racing, there has been a late and spreading movement among the single-gear car proponents to alter static and kinetic clutch pressures to provide slippage at low vehicle speeds, and high pressure at or near terminal velocities. The trouble is, there have been some terminal situations involving cars and drivers engaged in this practice, so there have been some steps taken to alleviate the situation. One of these steps has been the trial of a new method for determining a drag race winner. To wit, a pair of fuel rails charge toward the…

SPLIT EXHAUST SYSTEM A new split exhaust system for VW's and Porsches is now on the market from Intac, Inc. It is engineered to conduct exhaust gas impulses quickly and smoothly in high-speed sequence through low-resistance, glass-packed mufflers. Manufacturer claims the system will boost power in a tuned stock engine by as much as 27.8%. For information write Intac, Inc., Dept. HR, 11655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, California 91604. CHEVY HEADERS These 4-tube Hedman Hedders will provide a real power outlet for 396 and 427 cubic inch Chevy engines, including the Chevelle and Camaro. They can be easily installed without alterations to the chassis or body of your car and they carry an unconditional 2-year warranty. At present, they are not available for cars equipped with air conditioning or power…

OK, you big-block Ford lovers, here's the “straight skinny” from Ford and Bill Stroppe's engine shop on getting more ponies from the 427. Nothing is held back. Parts numbers, clearances and critical torque limits are all here. The rest is up to you. Just don't “drop the bananas” on your way to the starting line. As a bit of background, it seems Stroppe's engine shop down at Signal Hill, California, had built a super le gerra 427 to be used at last year's NHRA World Finals. The engine was never uncrated and wound up getting a round trip plane ride to Tulsa and back to California. Wally Cartwright (a member of Stroppe's shop crew) consented to spend the day unbuckling the engine for us and giving us all the “speed…

Introducing the very latest in quality Mag wheels: the wheel so great we call it E-T Super! It's the lightest, most beautifully finished precision-made Mag wheel available. In fact, there's really never been a Mag wheel quite like it before. Notice the rich gold-tone spokes. The one-piece die cast construction. Plus E-T Super has the new Posi-Lock(Uni-Lug) for safety. To put it bluntly, E-T Super is a masterpiece in manufacturing excellence, built to add status to your machine. And that's a good reason to rush down to see it today. Your dealer has it now. The list price is $306 a set in aluminum or $376 in real magnesium. For catalog of all E-T products, send 50 cents for handling to Wheel Centre Company, Inc., 199 Mayhew Way, Walnut Creek,…

Hawaii — the land of pineapples, coconuts, hula girls and '55 Chevys. Pineapples by the jillions fill the fields outside of Honolulu; coconuts fill the palm trees along the beaches; and hula girls fill the stages of the numerous nightclubs in the Waikiki area. For '55 Chevys, most turning nine grand with a Sig Erson cam, all you have to do is drive out beyond Barbers Point Naval Air Station to Hawaii Raceway Park. Actually, the Chevys are '55-'51 models, not just the one year, but there sure are a lot of them in Hawaii. They all performed at the fourth annual South Pacific Championship Drag Races held December 3 at Jimmy Pflueger's modern Oahu strip. The race was the finale of a week of activity in the sport of…

Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin enter their second season as the Plymouth end of the MoPar Performance Clinics with two new sets of wheels. Later on, a third car may be added and maybe even a fourth. It is early and plans are still being set. Already set is the past season of performance — the Super Stock title at the NHRA Springnationals in Bristol, Tennessee, and runner-up for the Super Stock win at the Super Stock Magazine meet. Couple this with scores of match races and several dozen Performance Clinics and one begins to get a fair idea what these two personable young men do with their time. It was the same as far back as they can remember, although in the beginning they were running against each other…

To the contemporary hot rodder, usage of gasoline generally falls into two categories: a common fuel for the equally common internal combustion engine and something with which to clean internal combustion engine pieces. Frankly, we would advise against 7 the latter use and suggest that knowledge of why the first is true remains a mystery to many car enthusiasts. Essentially, we'd like to bust the material into four major categories and discuss them accordingly: gasoline and its place among hydrocarbon fuels, gasoline terminology and its meanings, gasoline combustion processes, and the problems of and cures for normal gasoline use. Buried in the earth thousands of years before the first crankshaft spun its initial revolution, organic material (animals, plants, etc.) was subjected to tremendous heat and pressure, being involved in a…

If you happen to own a Camaro, Mustang, Firebird or one of the other wild new machines featuring tuck-under body styling, you'll appreciate this little goody. Designed to protect the rear portion of your fender panels, “Body Guard” could be considered a must. A lot of car owners have been making their own panels, due to the damage caused by road tar and rocks (especially where big rubber is being used at the rear), but now you can buy a set ready made. Offered by 21 Company in Sherman Oaks, California, “Body Guard” panels are fabricated from aluminum, are available in highly polished, buffed or satin finish, and black or gold anodized. Metal screws are provided for ease of installation, and the panels are predrilled. They are reasonably priced at…

A couple of early Ford coupes and a '55 Chevy preceded John Burk's jump into the dragster classes in 1961 when he began campaigning a 283-inch powered B/Gas rail on the Eastern circuits. Running a Dragmaster chassis, Burk ran this car four years, switched to a 427 Chevy mill for a while, then got the bug to build “a car completely by myself. I decided I would try to depart as much as possible from the normal route.” Well he sure did! A close check on the front end reveals a lack of radius rods and “standard” torsion setup. This is because the axle attaches to the frame rails at two points on its bottom side, allowing the axle to twist. Would you believe a 10-inch long socket extension beneath…

Ever try to change a head gasket between rounds? About the third head bolt and you begin wondering if this was such a hot idea, about the fourth bolt and you begin thinking how nice it would be to have an air wrench to do all the hard work for you; the rest of the job you don't think — just work. Why not look into picking up a military surplus pressure tank, rigging it with fittings and a hose, and then you can use that air wrench anywhere you take the car. The sedan racers put that air pressure to work changing tires and cutting away fenders. Notice how the fittings “tree” on this tank carries a pressure gauge on one end and a filler fitting on the other.…

JUST FIND THEM Dear Jim: Has Chrysler ever offered a heavyduty type set of valve springs and pushrods for the 225-inch slant six? I have my eye on a reground cam for this particular engine, and I'd sure like to capture any factory parts that might be available for performance usage. Steve Weddell Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada They certainly have. You might have a little trouble locating the pieces, but here are the parts numbers we have: valve springs, parts number 1944554; spring retainers, parts number 2202546. Chrysler didn't list a tough-duty pushrod for this particular application, so you'll probably be “home free” with the inclusion of the parts just mentioned. SIMPLE 'RITHMETIC Dear Jim: I've been trying to find blueprint specifications for the 383-inch Plymouth I have. In order to…

Due to normal publication schedule, allow at least two months from time ad is received until it is printed. SELL OR TRADE — '34 Ford show car. 37 Midwest trophies. Hardly d riven. Sell for $1200 or trade for altered 3-window coupe of equal value. Harry R. Arrington, P.O. Box 133, Stephens, Ark. 71764. SELL — Allison 1710-135 V12, supercharged, impeller ratio 9.6:1. New, in crate and factory sealed. $800 or best offer. V. Jer.en, 1711-22 St., S.E.. Rochester, Minn. 55901. SELL — '57 Chevy 2-dr. hardtop. 427” with 332° Crane, Mallory, line bored, headers, less than 500 miles. $800 or $400 and trade. Jim Balmer, 614 Forest Oaks, Houston, Texas 77017, (713) 643-7187. SELL — '34 Ford. 426” '64 Dodge Wedge. Torque-Flite, 4.56 Posi., leather inter. Set for show…