Indholdsfortegnelse for December 1988 i Hot Rod

Year-end or year-beginning columns usually fall into one of two categories: “Looking forward to a fantastic next year” or “What a good year we’ve had this year.” This column falls under the latter category. If you’ve noticed an improvement in HOT ROD’S editorial quality and direction, you’re probably not alone, because we’ve witnessed a tremendous increase in popularity this year. While I could point to any number of significant factors, I believe much of the credit for our dramatic success has to go to the HOT ROD staff. Anyone who has ever worked on a monthly publication will tell you that editorial vitality is what produces a successful magazine, and that vitality comes from a great staff. Gray Baskerville, “Dad,” is easily our most colorful personality. The salt flats, hot…

PRO SONIC Hot rodding has a Pro category for everything else, so why not airplanes? Bill Montagne’s Mach Buster 1 is one of several propeller-driven aircraft currently being built to challenge the sound barrier. Shaped somewhat like a sleek F-5 fighter jet, the Mach Buster 1 is only 34 feet long with a 14-foot wingspan. Weighing only 2500 pounds (less than one third the weight of a P51 Mustang), Montagne estimates the aircraft’s ultimate top speed at 950 mph. Power comes from a blown, injected 2000-horsepower DRCE Olds Pro Stock engine running on methanol. A V8 automotive piston engine is being used to meet piston engine requirements for unlimited air racing and the world record for this class of aircraft. An ex-sprint car and engine shop man, Montagne is confident…

Every form of motorsports or type of vehicle has its kick-butt epitome. The problem is that we don’t have the editorial space to mention each and every bootie-busting example. So the staff at HRM spent the better part of a Friday afternoon suggesting this or arguing over that before coming up with our selection for this year’s shag-nasty a-haulers. Where to start was a lot easier. You see, we’ve got three of the fastest stock-bodied cars in the world on this spread, so we’ll begin our 10 Baddest with this trio of bun-bashing door-slammers. As of October 1988, no current slammer can match the Banks/Stringfellow’s ’88 Pontiac Trans Am for sheer, top-end speed. At Bonneville one has five miles to play around with, so driver Don Stringfellow used all five…

Engines are the raw material of hot rodding, and those that make incredible horsepower are always considered special. In 1988 we saw the introduction or rise to prominence of new engines that qualify as some of the most awesome powerplants ever, including the 2.65L Chevrolet/Ilmore Indy engine that powered the entire front row of the Indy 500 and established a stranglehold on CART racing; the 3.2L Nissan VG-30 turbocharged V6, rumored to be pushing nearly 1000 hp and fast enough to completely dominate the Jaguars and Porsches in IMSA GTP racing; Chevrolet’s 5.7L all-aluminum, 32-valve, four-cam LT5 engine for the ’89 Corvette; and Jack Bliss’ 860-hp blown big-block Chevy street engine that actually broke John Lingenfelter’s dyno.…

We’re sure you’ll agree that when involved in any activity, it’s much more fun to be “with it” by keeping up with new developments and trends than being an outcast and burying your head in the sand, ignoring the evolution of hot rodding. We’ve compiled a list of the hottest (and most sensible) styling and technological tricks that have already made their way onto many a hot rod—and should become even more popular on future rods. Logically, we also assembled a reciprocal list of some uncool mechanical and cosmetic “rodderies” produced over the years that are already either totally out or bound to disappear in the next 30 seconds. Our intention is not so much to “purify” hot rodding by publishing a code for everyone to follow but rather to…

I don’t know if Eddie Hill—the first drag racer to enter the digs’ magical 4-second zone—considers himself an actor. But there had to be some of that show-biz thrill when he saw the computerized Motorplex sign light up the night with the message that flashingly said: “Eddie ’The Texan’ Hill; World Record 4.99, 288 mph; World’s Fastest On Land And Water.” But then again, Fast Eddie has always been in a hurry…be it on land or on a lake. According to the silverhaired devil, it all started with a scooter. Then, after receiving a B.S. in industrial technology from Texas A&M in 1957, followed by a three-year stint practicing his trade, Hill chucked the white-collar corporate life to go “greezie” drag racing. Thanks to the NHRA’s notorious fuel ban, the…

“Geez, Otter, this is ridiculous!” “What’re we gonna do?” “ROAD TRIP!" —National Lampoon’s “Animal House.” Saturday: Dayton, Ohio “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this!” Scott fires the 496-inch Rat motor and idles gently out of the sparsely outfitted garage located behind his father’s house. It’s overcast and cool and the ’55 sounds healthy, burbling at an easy 800 rpm. The cam sounds downright radical. We pull out of the driveway after littie more preparation than loading Scott’s plastic Rubbermaid pan full of tools, a jack, a gas jug, and our suitcases into what’s left of the trunk. Wheel tubs for the massive 21.5x33-inch Mickey Thompsons leave little room in the trunk, even in a ’55 Chevy. So why were two perfectly sane individuals about to tempt fate by driving…

Second only to the Escort in sales, the aerodynamic Ford Taurus has become a crucial element in Ford’s ongoing success story. Consumers were more than pleased with its soft contemporary look; but for many, it lacked a performance version to give it the best in class status that automakers covet so dearly. Ford’s response was not long in coming, and the new ’89 SHO (Super High Output) Taurus version delivers all the musclecar performance you could ask for in a front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan. The key player in this remarkable upgrade is a 3.0L aluminum-head V6with dual-overhead cams, 24 valves, sequential multiport electronic fuel-injection, and dual exhaust coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. The new powerplant is a 60-degree V6 jointly designed and developed by Ford and Yamaha and manufactured for…

The throttle is wide open. As the tach needle nudges 6500 rpm, the engine is screaming defiantly against the load imposed by the dyno’s power-absorption unit. Suddenly, the screaming ends. The last data point has been recorded and the engine is throttled back to an idle. Testing, it would seem, is over. But any dyno testing sequence is never really over until the “What if?” questions are asked. “What if this cam had been run with that manifold? What if this carb was used with those cylinder heads? What if… ?” Of course, those questions are never asked until it’s too late to fire up the engine again to find the answers. It seems that no matter how well planned and executed a dyno test sequence may be, there is…

Direct-port electronic fuel-injection may be the ultimate fuel metering system, but unfortunately it is also by far the most expensive. Presently available systems are based on factory electronic fuel-injection designs that really don’t lend themselves to the usual performance modifications or nonstock applications. The aftermarket, electronic port-injection systems currently under development will initially be tailored for a small-block Chevy with specified modifications—and they’ll cost upward of $1000. Is there a reasonably priced alternative that can deliver many of port fuel-injection’s benefits on any engine make with varying degrees of modification without the big price tag or hard-to-adjust factory computer? The answer is at last “yes,” thanks to Holley’s new “Pro-jection” system, the centerpiece of which is a throttle-body injection (TBI) unit designed and built by Holley. Unlike a costly closed-loop,…

Alternative hot rods can be found almost anywhere, and Jim Moseley is one hot rodder who’s mastered the art of tracking them down. After spending some time with a blown ’82 Dodge Aries K-car, he began looking for a more driveable and somewhat zoomier combination. He found the answer in a wrecked ’87 Plymouth Sundance that needed a new home. The crunched front sheetmetal was removed and a custom, mild steel front subframe was constructed and outfitted with ’78 Chevelle spindles, Carrera springs, Pro Shocks, Stock Car Products control arms, and a Sweet rack-and-pinion steering unit—all readily available pieces that were easily adapted to the home-built chassis. A 9-inch Ford rearend with ’69 Torino brakes, 15x15 Weld wheels, and 15x19.5 Mickey Thompsons bring up the rear. The most notable modification,…

FULL-BLOODED INDIAN Q I am currently in the planning stages of modifying my ’83 Firebird V6 into a “true” Pontiac. I plan to replace the V6 and 5-speed trans with a Pontiac 455 engine and TH400 trans. What parts will be needed to make this swap a success? Gary MartinPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania A New York drag racer Greg Marino put a real Pontiac in his late Firebird using 77-79 Pontiac Firebird 400/455 mounts and brackets. As with your current F-car mounting system, the encapsulated rubber mounts bolt to the front crossmember, and the all-metal brackets hook them to the engine. Naturally, new holes may need to be drilled in the late crossmember. The oil pan must be notched to clear the crossmember. An electric fan is required for clearance—this swap used…

Gasser Goodies Part of the rotund revolution has been the incredible resurgence of interest in messing around with ’33 to ’41 Willys. Mike Nordahl’s Willys Replacement Parts offers such hard-to-find gasser goodies as grilles, headlight lenses, script emblems, and hardware. So if you’re contemplating building a Willys and are looking for some of the glitter parts, contact Willys Replacement Parts, Dept. HR-12, 5575 Crooked Creek Dr., Alta Loma, CA 91701, (714) 980-3022. Four Links for Old Fords As Deuce Roy said, “Getting horsepower is easy; getting it on the ground isn’t.” So he’s developed a modern four-link rear suspension for ’48 and earlier street rods that has 6-inch side rails. This kit is a must for any rodder who plans to run his rod at the nostalgia drags. For further…

McGee Whiz! After running in excess of 80 gallons of methanol through the McGee Quad Cam, 32-valve V8 on Ron Hammel’s dyno in August, Kenny Bernstein’s crewchief, Dale Armstrong, was satisfied enough to decide on some in-car testing after the September 1-5 U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The results were encouraging, and the engine could debut in NHRA action as early as the ’89 Winternationals. Stay tuned for Gray Baskerville’s detailed story next month….…

No sooner had we reached the deadline for our “Best Wild Rides” feature than we received these incredible photos of TV star turned Coors race truck driver Jason Bateman in a rather awkward situation. It seems that Jason was only minding his own 100-mph business on the banks of Pocono’s International Raceway on sunny August 20 when the No. 12 Nissan spun in front of the pack, then skidded backward toward the outside, smashing the unfortunate “Hogan Family” hero against the retaining wall. Bateman’s Mitsubishi flipped and skidded forever on its roof before coming to a metal-grinding halt. Although his truck was totally demolished, the star was uninjured in what reportedly was his last-ever automobile race….…

WINDBLOWN I have a problem. I drive an ’82 Plymouth Champ four-door. When I drive on the freeway, I get poor handling. When a gust of wind hits the car, it veers. Please help. Do I need ground effects? Ron IsaacsMoreno Valley, California Don’t drive on the freeway, Ron. Seriously. CLEARING THE AIR Just a short note to say how much I appreciated the tone of the article and the tech sidebars in your August ’88 special section, “Outlawed.” It was certainly a constructive way to show hot rodders how to get what they want without compromising what the law requires. Needless to say, using examples from the ARB’s list of approved parts was certainly appreciated, too. In fact, it even highlighted one system that I didn’t realize we had…

Immediately following the U.S. Nationals at Indy, Bob Glidden was out testing his new Ford Probe Pro Stocker, which he hopes to debut before the end of this season. Bob’s early shakedown runs indicate that the car is just as quick as his current Thunderbird, but he may have more performance than meets the eye. The Probe was running 7.40s, but only 175 mph, as he was apparently clicking it off early, perhaps to avoid giving away any indication of its aerodynamic superiority. You can be sure, however, that when the car does show up to race it will be ready to fly.…

In a year that witnessed the introduction of a number of new, innovative products, World Products’ aftermarket cast-iron Dart II small-block Chevy cylinder head stands out. At last it is possible to purchase an aftermarket head that is competitive in both price and quality with Chevrolet’s factory offerings. Due to the overinflated prices of new iron castings and the scarcity of good (nonlightweight) junkyard castings, the market was ripe for a cost-effective, aftermarket, cast-iron head—but the cost of cast-iron tooling and foundry time had always prevented its introduction. In 1988, Bill Mitchell Products and Dart Heads finally stepped up and formed the World Products consortium to produce the Dart II cast-iron head, an affordable yet high-tech iron casting equally at home on the street, strip, or oval track. Featuring a…

Every year the wonderful world of motorsports invariably produces a large amount of wild and wooly action, spectacular crashes, and near misses. Fortunately, and thanks to the much-improved safety features of today’s racing machinery, most drivers rarely sustain more than a large ego bruise in the process. None of the wild rides depicted here involved any driver injury. The most amazing ride was produced by Gloria Mills when she bicycled her pink ’34 Ford roadster at an NDRA Nostalgia drag race in Bakersfield, California, and wrestled it back to the ground, causing no damage to herself or the car! Richard Petty’s ’88 Daytona 500 crash was by far the most horrific. Petty’s Pontiac Grand Prix was hit from behind by Phil Barkdoll on the 106th lap, spun around, and was…

Hot rodders are a fickle bunch. They’re always looking for the hottest performing car on the market at the least expensive price. While many cars can deliver on the performance promise, there is really only one car on the market today that offers performance at a truly affordable price—the ’88 Mustang LX. While some manufacturers may question our conclusion, the facts are indisputable: 225 horsepower and 300 Ibs.-ft. of torque from a 5.0-liter engine and a world-class 5-speed, all packaged in a lightweight, 3000-pound chassis that handles and stops with the best of ’em. But the best part of this story is the bottom line: The base-price ’88 LX hatchback with the 5.0L H.O. drivetrain is $11,722, excluding tax and license! But wait, you say, there aren’t any more new…

Oops, as defined by our shag-nasty dictionary, is “an expression of mild dismay at one’s own mistake or social blunder.” Any oops is audio, visual, mental or physical proof of the existence of Murphy’s law—that is, if anything bad can happen, it will. And Murphy was known to be an optimist. Car-related oopses, better known as coupses, occur with outstanding regularity. So we thought it would be fun to string together a page full of “oopses” as our way of paying homage to the folly of our automotive endeavors. HOW AM I DRIVING?: One usually sees this question on bumper stickers attached to smoking cabs or double-parked delivery trucks. But a salt-flat veteran used a piece of masking tape to carry the same inquiry after qualifying for a record. Unfortunately,…

Remember now, what makes hot rodding so fun is that anything goes … including replacing a Mopar with a Mouse. But that’s what John Noble’s ’35 Dodge pickup is all about—swapping parts. For instance, the machinist from Mantua, Ohio, spent five years totally reconstructing the old hauler, starting with boxing the original side rails and adding a new X-member. He continued by swapping in a ’69 Corvair front end, Mustang rack, Chevy 10-bolt rearend, and ’79 Monte Carlo brakes. The peekup’s running gear—14x6 and 15x81/2 Americans supporting P175 and KP235 Goodyears—and drivetrain—a ’74 350/350 Turbo package—also reflects its owner’s conventional tastes. But when it came to bodywork, painting, and interior, John stepped up. First he lowered its lid four inches, then frenched in the taillights, built his own pickup bed,…

Doug McCoy has a good feel for what a righteous Pro Street ride should look like, and his Florida-based ’84 Monte Carlo is rolling proof that he’s got the right idea. Powered by a 468-cubic-inch, supercharged Rat motor, this radical SS is packed with innovative features that clearly show Doug’s concern for having a driveable, trouble-free street machine. To this end, Doug and friend Jay Michael McKay devoted considerable time and effort to making sure the car had adequate cooling capacity, air conditioning, power brakes, and power steering—all the elements that make a car livable, and even comfortable, on the street. The car uses an ’82 Monte Carlo diesel power-steering pump and a variety of modified brackets to mount the factory air-conditioning hardware. Four electric fans are coupled with a…

Have you ever had that empty-acidy feeling in the pit of your stomach when you’ve discovered that your car’s been broken into or stolen? If so, we don’t have to tell you about protecting your car with a security system. Even if you’ve been lucky enough to avoid the rip-off artists so far, you might want to take a look at this collection of security devices for your street machine or rod. Car alarms, steering wheel locks, and wheel locks are some examples of the devices featured here. After all, a strong deterrent is your best defense against crime. McGARD, INC. TIRE & WHEEL SECURITY The expense and inconvenience of tire and wheel theft can be avoided by the simple installation of McGard wheel locks. By replacing one lug nut…

As the antipollution laws become more stringent and hit the automotive world harder, we hot rodders should explore the possibilities of building fun, fast, and legal hot rods. Stephen Pierce, a 41-year-old upholsterer and overall hot rod wizard from Gilford, New Hampshire, whose fantastic “Lotech” F-100 Ford was featured in our June ’88 issue (see “Gray Matter”), has jumped ahead of the pack with his cleverly designed ’87 Mazda pickup. Heading into the project in June ’87 with no electronics savoir faire at all, Stephen dropped an ’85 181-cid Nissan 300ZX Turbo V6 and automatic transmission into his Mazda B-2200. The 40-hour swap required only custom engine mounts and a new 21/4-inch exhaust system that incorporates a catalytic converter and Sonic muffler. A Mazda automatic trans mount was used. Stephen…

If the name Gary Case sounds familiar, it should. He’s the one responsible for conceiving and constructing Mario Olgiati’s (HRM October ’88) incredible ’40 coupe. More important, he also found the time to build this smoothy red Deuce. Placed above its much-modified frame—which has been fitted with a buggy-sprung front end (4-inch dropped Super Bell axle, Posie spring, TCI shocks, Vega steering, and Mustang disc brakes), in addition to a Winters “quickie” (TCI coil-over shocks, Mustang drums)—is what’s left of a ’32 Tudor sedan: the smoothy part of the act. The top has been chopped three inches, the top insert and cowl vent filled, the beads removed, the hinges and headlights hidden, the rear fenders sectioned, while the three-piece aluminum hood and color-keyed modular wheels were put in place. The…

HOT STUFF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS: $ 225.00 for 25 words. $ 6.50 for each additional word, $ 1.00 extra per word in bold. Company name and address are FREE! Count phone number as one word. $ 100 for 1” photo, logo or illustration. 5% discount for signing up and prepaying for 6 or more issues. 1” DISPLAY prepaid rates for each insertion: 1X: $ 340, 3X $ 315, 6X $ 305, 12X $ 270. Advertisers using a P.O. Box are required to supply a permanent street address and telephone number. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY ALL ORDERS! VISA/MasterCard accepted. All ads must be received by the 14th of the 3rd month preceding issue date, (e.g., Jan. issue deadline is Oct. 14th.) Orders received after the 14th will automatically run in the next…

Dale Smart and Gary Southern made the right move when they purchased a PSI compressor from Norm Drazy prior to the NHRA U.S. Nationals! After qualifying their ancient digger (a former Top Fuel car built in ’71 and driven successfully by Kelly Brown in ’79 under the Over The Hill Gang colors) on top of the Top Alcohol Dragster ladder with a stunning 6.18/226.24, veteran journeyman Gary Southern (as in Southern California) proceeded to eliminate every one of his opponents, using the extra apparent power produced by his PSI-blown Arias powerplant to his advantage, twice, when Mike Troxel in the semis and John Speelman in the final cut better reaction times. Gary Southern eventually won the U.S. Nationals TA/D Oscar (his third national title) with a mindboggling and engine-straining 6.122/227.96…

Need A Lift? AmPro’s 1500-pound-capacity engine hoist features AmPro’s exclusive Low Rider wheel mounting that allows the hoist to be rolled under low-slung cars with a minimum of four inches of ground clearance. Made of MIG-welded, heavy-gauge steel tubing, AmPro’s sturdy model 1500 features a two-position boom and heavy-duty hydraulic ram. For more information, contact AmiPro, Dept. HR-12, 417 S. Buncombe Rd., Greer, SC 29651, (800) 553-6409. NASCAR Video “The History of NASCAR and the Winston Cup’’ is a 90-minute video tracing the history of the sport since 1947, with action from the old Daytona Beach course, dirt tracks of the ’50s, and the inaugural Daytona 500. Interviews with current superstars highlight this video. To order, send $19.95 (check or money order payable to NASCAR, add $2.25 for postage, Florida…

While the low-buck hot rod is the backbone of our sport, we’re still moving upscale all the time. Some of the forthcoming future-tech hot rods are starting to take advantage of all the latest technology, such as carbon-fiber material and four-valve EFI engines. Bill Matthews’ latest creation grew out of his love for traditional hot rodding and his appreciation for the advances that technology has brought us. His ’32 roadster is being built on a carbon-fiber tub with integral aerodynamic underbody tunnels, a rear-mounted B&M Turbo 350 trans, and a Halibrand independent quick-change rearend. He’s combining the original look of Halibrand wheels with futuristic styling to achieve the look that pleases him the most. Power will come from a 16-valve Super Duty Pontiac 4-cylinder with Pontiac/Kinsler electronic fuel-injection. As this…

At last there’s a new drag-race supercharger that is not /\only vastly more efficient than the GMC Roots descendants that presently dominate drag racing’s blown classes but also virtually eliminates any chance of a blower explosion: the revolutionary PSI “screw-compressor” supercharger. As developers Norm Drazy and Pat Alexander see it, the old-fashioned, Roots-type, lobe-style compressors leak too much at high output pressures; they increase the boost pressure by backflow, not internal compression, and thus are less efficient as manifold pressure increases. Hot air can backflow into the blower cavity, plus separate pressure pulsations lead to uneven mixture distribution, leaning out the cylinders. In all, racers achieve no more than 30percent efficiency with current Roots blowers. Drazy’s screw-compressor supercharger is up to 70percent efficient. Air leak-back is minimized, and any air…

When the time came to nominate the Best Participant Motorsport, our vote was unanimous; except there were two nominees: bracket drag racing AND solo (slalom) racing. When all the numbers were tallied up, they both scored equally in such critical areas as low participation cost, level of competition, the “fun” factor, and most of all, accessibility to the budget-stricken amateurs who constitute the backbone of hot rodding. Here is why. The Sports Car Club Of America (303/694-SCCA) has a lot to offer to the amateur in search of cheap but big thrills. Its Solo series is open to anyone with a valid driver’s license and to virtually any car suited for one of 13 classes within its Stock, Street Prepared, Prepared, or Modified divisions. A mere $40 will get one…

In the last couple of years hot rodding has experienced several moves toward different breeds of cars and new “dress codes” that first caught the crowds off guard but are now becoming the standard of hot-rod hipness. These wave-making new trends—namely the incredible 7-second “Prostalgia” drag racing shoeboxes, the hot, fun, and colorful mini-trucks, and the now-widespread use of such wild (and hot rod taboos since the ’50s) colors as hot pink and turquoise to cover the bodies of hot rods driven by adults—all originate from a need. The shoebox craze finds its origins in the boredom expressed by racers and spectators alike before the fast but uneventful spectacle offered by today’s Pro Stock drag racing. The impressive performances turned by the Pro Stockers don’t make up for their “cookie-cutter”…

By definition, a hot rod is a vehicle that has been modified by its owner for better looks and/or performance. HOT ROD Magazine, by adhering to that definition, has become a 40-year-old mirror reflecting what hot rodding was, is, and where it’s going. This year, our Top Ten winners serve to amplify the fact that hot rodding has become a multifaceted movement—and HRM a potpourri of performance. Unlike years past, when we all sat down in Editor Jeff Smith’s office for the battle of the ballots, we soon realized that even though our tastes are as diverse as the magazine’s editorial reach is wide, there was an amazing unanimity of choice. Scott Sullivan, by taking all five votes, won hands down. But Eddie Hill’s 4.99-second Fueler, Mario Olgiati’s ’40, Robby…

You might say that Bob Stahl, a garage owner from Altoona, Pennsylvania, did it his way. Instead of taking the safe way, he chopped (21/2 inches), filled (roof, cowl vent, and grille), and trenched (taillights) his “Uncle Daniel” ’35 five-window coupe. Then, to the chagrin of his fellow rodders, he “painted it yuk yellow and slime green.” Obviously Bob has a sense of humor, too. But he and his wife, Dee, also like their creature comforts. So Bob “pussy-footed” the coupe’s front suspension by swapping in a ’77 Mustang II front suspension (complete with rack-and-pinion steering and power disc brakes) backed up by a solid ’77 Maverick rearend. He then added a wheel/tire combo that includes 15x5 and 15x8 rims supporting P165/75R15 and P235/75R15 skins. When one considers that both…

What Warren, Ohio, resident Tim Funtjar had in mind when he first purchased his $2000 basket-case ’40 Willys coupe was to build himself a stylish little blown gasser, in the purest Ohio tradition, for less than $8000—his affixed budget for the project. He succeeded by performing most of the work himself over a period of two and a half years and by keeping the car mechanically simple. J&L Welding boxed the stock chassis and added a new K-member, then Tim hung a ’57 Pontiac rearend and the stock Willys front axle, respectively, over and under the stock parallel leaf springs. Although the original steering was retained, Tim updated the brakes via Chrysler front and Pontiac rear drum brakes activated by a Monte Carlo power-assisted master cylinder. Rolling stock combines 7x15…

Take a Suzuki GSXR1100, generally considered to be right at the top of production motorcycle performance. Its oil-cooled, four-valve engine is very light, and very strong—it’ll run 10.60 quarter-miles all day long without so much as lubing the chain. And its chassis is fully ready for hot laps of road-race courses as is—it has the brakes, frame rigidity, and cornering clearance to outrun the quickest street sports cars on almost any circuit. Now add a huge dose of extra performance from Vance and Hines, the guys who have dominated the Pro Stock motorcycle drag racing world for years. Terry Vance, on his Byron Hinestuned Suzukis, has won lots of Pro Stock races. And when he loses, he generally loses to another machine heavy with Vance and Hines technology. In fact,…

CARS & TRUCKS ’70 AMC REBEL MACHINE. 390. two 4-barrel Holleys. Crane, Superlites, Goodyear Eagles, 4.56 gears. Featured in May ’85 Car Craft, super condition, ISCA Comp. Stock. $8900. Joe Davis, R.D. 1, Box 494, Adams, NY 13605, (315) 232-4374. ’52 AUSTIN. Stored inside 30 years! Never rusted or damaged. Great potential for restoration or street rod. Drive it home. $3900. George Giese, P.O. Box 4371, Salem, OR 97302, (503) 581-5166. ’55 BEL AIR TWO-DOOR. Totally rust-free, 41,000 actual miles, 6-71 blown 350, Doug Nash 5-speed, front-wheel disc brakes, Center Lines. Candy royal blue/pearl white, R/P ’Hyde. $15,500 with trailer, o.b.o. Mike Clarke, 1115 26th N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713, (813) 323-5058, evenings. ’57 BEL AIR. 283, restored, awesome. $3300 o.b.o. Chris, Box 116, Alexandria, NE 68303, (402) 749-3100. ’71…

Who said that Unlimited Hydroplanes only run fast for a couple of laps, then break down? They also get airborne, as illustrated by this unique photo sequence shot by Diana Cline at the September 18th Miller High Life Thunder-boat Regatta at California’s Mission Bay in San Diego. Coming out of a turn, John Prevost, pilot of the No. U-00 Miss Circus Circus and Ron Snyder, driver of the No. U-6 Holset/Miss Madison, were caught by surprise by a gust of wind while accelerating in the straight at 165 mph. Both boats flipped simultaneously—a first in URC history, with Miss Madison crashing up-side down while Miss Circus Circus made contact with the water upright. Neither pilot was hurt in the terrifying mishap. Coincidentally, the same boats were involved in a collision…

In the early days, Stock Car racing rules were simple. You showed up at the (dirt) track with a stock, new-for-the-year roadster sans fenders, streamlined with a low-profile, two-piece windshield, painted huge race numbers on the hood, made sure you and your riding mechanic would wear a fresh, white, short-sleeve shirt and a flat tweed cap or a small helmet for the race. The tracks were dirt or woodplank ovals, or bumpy and dusty dirt road courses. In this particular April 15, 1934 road race held at the Los Angeles 2.5-mile Legion ASCOT circuit located at the corner of Valley Boulevard and Soto Street in Alhambra (it was closed in ’36 because it claimed too many drivers’ lives), the great Louie Meyer demonstrated his immense talent and courage at the…