Indholdsfortegnelse for May 1989 i Hot Rod

The Thunderbird SC is the newest and most advanced Ford Division product, but it shares elements of its design, technology and performance philosophy with every other car in the Ford lineup. These family traits set Ford vehicles apart from all the rest. The most apparent Ford distinction is the aero look. It is design with a purpose. By creating and sculpting shapes that are scientifically refined in the wind tunnel, Ford designers combined beauty with function. Compared to conventional designs, an aerodynamically contoured car is quieter on the road, because the air slips around it with less turbulence, and it’s more economical because it offers lower wind resistance. Advanced powerplant engineering is drawing a lot of attention to Ford this year. First, there’s the Thunderbird SC’s 210-horsepower supercharged and intercooled…

When Motor Trend named the Ford Taurus its Car of the Year in 1986, the magazine called it “the most significant car introduced by Ford in decades.” That was high praise indeed, but Ford didn’t rest on its laurels. This year, it took the Taurus to new heights with the remarkable SHO. The SHO is a world-class sports sedan powered by a 3.0-liter, DOHC, 24-valve Super High Output (SHO) V-6, matched by the kind of agile-handling suspension that puts it in the same league as many of Europe’s sports sedans. That handling is made possible by the use of larger stabilizer bars, higher rate springs and bushings, revised shock valving and low-profile, speed-rated P215/65R-15 Goodyear tires. It takes more than power and handling to make a world-class performance sedan. You…

To call the Mustang GT and LX quick doesn’t do them justice. In fact, they’re among the quickest cars on the road. That’s no idle boast. With 225 horsepower at 4200 rpm and 300 ft.-lb. of torque peaking at 3200 rpm, the Mustang GT’s or LX’s 5.0-liter V-8 engine has the power to prove it. These Mustangs are no slouch around corners, either. Their taut handling is provided by precise power-assisted rack-and-pinion power steering, with a quick 14.7:1 ratio and a suspension with gas-pressurized struts in front and Ford’s Quadra-shock system in the rear. Couple these with a Traction-Lok rear axle, Goodyear Eagle P225/60VR 15-inch performance radials—mounted on cast-aluminum wheels—and you’ve got all-around performance. The Mustang GT or LX makes it so easy. All you need to do is get…

Making Ford the winner of the Car of the Year award in 1989 wasn’t the only record-setting performance for the new Thunderbird SC. Even before it was introduced, a special race track-prepared Thunderbird SC had set 21 new national, international and world speed records. Lyn St. James—businesswoman, author and professional race driver-set a national women’s closed course speed record of 212.577 mph at the high-banked Alabama International Motor Speedway at Talladega. In the process, she added three other women’s national speed records, a women’s 10-mile closed course world record and 16 national and international records open to both men and women. “When you are driving that fast on an oval, you have to be very precise,” she said, adding, “I’m just happy that the Thunderbird gave me the handling and…

MISUNDERSTOOD ARTISTS When tired and retired old hippie-type artists/hot rodders get what’s left of their brain cells together, this is what can happen. Although we’re natives, the East Coast does not understand us. My wife and I own a custom art shop for cars: Cruisin’ Art. Catchy, huh? It seems to be a success. We’re located in Smyrna, Georgia, a very small but growing town in north Georgia. You can probably imagine how truly radical our ’82 Berlinetta must seem to the local townfolk. It’s lowered 2½ inches all around, and we began with a straight black-lacquer paint job and added 8½-inch Progressive wheels and a Trans Am spoiler. Later we had a two-day water-sanding party, complete with pizzas, and then shot the rest of the graphics. Special thanks to…

There aren’t too many things more dear to the heart of a hot rodder than popping the hood and watching your buddies salivate with envy and nod with approval over your engine. A well-detailed and organized engine compartment is a sign that you really care about your machine. Detailing your engine is the final effort that finishes a project and separates your machine from the crowd, but it’s not just a cosmetic exercise. Sure the parts look trick on a clean engine, but they have a functionality that goes beyond the stock parts they replace. Braided line, for example, has an extremely long life. The steel braid protects the hose from heat and expansion. It’s these conditions that subject the rubber hose to failure. Two-piece valve covers control oil splash…

A set of premium shocks helps make driving an absorbing experience. Installation is simple and can be done with a set of basic hand tools. Here, H-0 Racing Enterprises installs a set of Koni adjustable shocks on a ’69 Olds Cutlass. While specific part numbers differ per year and model, the installation is similar for all ’64-’88 GM rear-drive intermediates, as well as most other makes with independent upper and lower A-arm front and four-link, coil-sprung rear suspensions. SOURCES H-O Racing Specialties Dept. HR 4708 W. Compton Lawndale, CA 90260 (213) 973-7078 Koni America, Inc. Dept. HR 8085 Production Ave. Florence, KY 41042 (606) 727-5000…

The one time-honored hot rodder approach that never seems to go out of style is to buy an abused street machine and spend a few bucks in the right places to create a sweet-heart out of a slug. While performance is always important, appearance is a big part of the game plan as well. Typically, a well-used street car also sports a well-abused dash. If you’re going to stare at something for hours on end, it might as well be as nice as you can make it. Ideally, it would be best to apply the air compressor and spray gun technique, but this can oftentimes be out of reach for the bucks-down rodder. Instead we decided to look into how you can generate professional-looking dashboard results with some sandpaper, a…

Stampeding onto the street scene virtually unchallenged in mid-’64, Ford’s Mustang instantly established the pace of Detroit’s ponycar power parade. Facing only minimal competition from Chrysler’s Plymouth Barracuda (which was regarded, at that time, as little more than a fastback Valiant), the Mustang quickly racked up more than 100,000 sales in its first four months on the market. Across town, meanwhile, Chevrolet had decided that since its group already had the sports/specialty car market covered with the fuel-injected Corvette and the turbocharged Corvair, the Mustang-style ponycar was not an immediate concern. After all, the company reasoned, the Bow-Tie division’s ’65 muscle model lineup already boasted both big-block and small-block Chevelles and Corvettes, Rat-motored Impalas, blown Corvair Monzas, and small-block Chevy Ils. What more could musclecar fans ask for? But the…

I’d only been driving the thing for half an hour, but I was starting to get the hang of it. I had set out a little road-race course in the sand dunes and was racing around, braking later and later, pitching the wild, knobby-tired red machine into the corners with more and more speed and enthusiasm. The Honda Pilot is a cross between a four-wheeler ATV and a full-fledged dune buggy, and on the first ride, it seems to combine the best of both worlds. It’s small, responsive, and maneuverable, like a full-race ATV. But it has the protection and feeling of security of a fully equipped race buggy, with a full roll cage, four-point padded belts, and wrist straps to keep your hands from tangling with the ground if…

CARS & TRUCKS CIRCLE TRACK CAMARO. Less engine, $17,500 o.b.o. Trade for rod, custom, or pickup. Dennis Frings, 4324 Republic Dr., Concord, NC 28025, (704) 788-8225. 65 CHEW C-10 STEPSIDE SHORTBED, Custom paint, “flames.” ’74 Z/28 350, 4-speed, clean, fast. $5500 o.b.o. Skip Martin, 2650 S.R. 183, Atwater, OH 44201, (216) 947-2080. ’69 DODGE CHARGER RT/SE. 440,4-speed, Dana 60, all original. Completely stock, black vinyl over red. Perfect black interior. Debbie Kane, 5074 Mount Durban Dr., San Diego, CA 92117, (619) 576-8008. 66 FAIRLANE 500. Two-door hardtop, immaculate, owner ordered new from factory. Candy-apple red, beige interior. 88,000 original miles, mint condition. $4000 firm. Clarence W. Aeschliman, 211 Miami, Hiawatha, KS 66434, (913) 742-3726. ’30 FORD TUDOR. Professionally rebuilt. Needs interior. $6000. Bob Paugh, 1211 Honey Run Rd., Chico, CA…

Going into this year’s running of the 24 Hours of Daytona, Roush Racing was sporting a four-year winning streak in the GTO category. Using Mustangs, Capris, and XR4Ti’s in the past, Jack Roush and a team of 13 drivers have dominated the Daytona endurance race decisively. This year was no different. With brand-new Cougar XR7 bodywork, powerful Roush-built Ford V8s, and several new drivers, the team once again captured the prestigious season opener. Veteran Roush driver Pete Halsmer teamed with former Firebird GTP driver Bob Earl and NASCAR’s Mark Martin to bring their Cougar home with a 20-lap margin of victory over their sister car, driven by Wally Dallenbach, Jr. and Dorsey Schroder. Martin alternated between both Cougars, as required, during the 24-hour race. In third place, four laps behind…

Roland Leong’s new, very-aero Dodge Daytona Funny Car caused the veteran car owner and crewchief sleepless nights before the NHRA tech crew finally okayed the swoopy configuration. The problem was in the shape and size of the “greenhouse,” the part of the body that covers the driver. The rule of thumb is that the top can only be 10 inches narrower than the body, for a total of 65 inches measured from painted window opening to window opening, if the body is 75 inches across at its widest point. It’s when guys such as Roland or team Paul Candies/Leonard Hughes start to round off the top at the drip rails that the powers-that-be get nervous and provide old racers such as me a photo opportunity to visually compare a showroom…

What does it take to earn Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award three of the past four years? Great cars, certainly. And with the Taurus in 1986, the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in 1987 and now the Thunderbird SC in 1989, can there be any doubt that Ford builds such cars? These automobiles don’t just happen; it takes a great company to create and build them. If greatness is measured by outstanding achievements—such as being the number one car and number one truck sales division in the country,1 achieving total truck leadership for the third year in a row,2 having the best-selling car in the world for six consecutive years,3 having three of the top 10 best-selling cars in America4 and having the best-selling compact pickup in America for the…

Performance doesn’t have to be expensive. The Ford Escort GT is proof of that. While it has all of the practical attributes—value, comfort and versatility—that have made Escort the best-selling car in the world for six straight years*, the GT also has a sporty look and personality all its own. There’s no mistaking this car. Whether black, red or white, monochromatic or two-tone, its color theme is contemporary and eye-catching. The GT has a purposeful and aggressive look that’s set off by a blackout grille and body-colored bumper. A wraparound air dam blends into flared rocker panels that give the GT a strong visual identity. The finishing touch is a set of 15-inch, eight-spoke alloy wheels and wider-than-standard P195/60HR15 tires. The Escort GT backs up its tough looks with the…

The Ranger is America’s bestselling compact pickup truck for the second straight year* and Ford aims to keep it that way. That’s why there’s a lot that’s new about the 1989 Ranger. For starters, there’s a new contemporary front end that’s more aerodynamic, an instrument panel and gauges that are redesigned for easier viewing by the driver and a redesigned interior that’s more contemporary and includes ergonomically designed seats. Sophisticated standard rear anti-lock braking and suspension improvements for an excellent balance of ride quality and handling agility also enhance the ’89 Ranger. Add special paint and trim, a specially engineered handling package, big P215/75R 14SL performance tires on two-wheel-drive models (four-wheel drives have P215/75R 15SL all-terrain tires) and a hard-charging 2.9-liter V-6 with electronic fuel injection, and you’ve got the…

Number one on the list of Ford’s Guiding Principles is the statement: “Quality comes first—to achieve customer satisfaction, the quality of our products and services must be our number-one priority.” Ford’s goal is to build the highest quality cars and trucks in the world, and that’s just for starters. Ford dealers are also dedicated to delivering the highest quality in the services they provide for their customers. To Ford dealers, the motto “Quality is Job 1” means putting the customer first and doing a better job of meeting the customer’s needs than the competition. The drive for quality is a team effort that begins when a Ford product is only an idea and continues long after the final product leaves the showroom.…

There once was a time when the National Hot Rod Association took its slogan of “Ingenuity In Action” seriously. How-ever, the look has changed over the years, and hot rods have become scarce in the National Hot Rod Association of late. But not entirely. We still have the bottled or blown door-slammers, better known as “shoeboxes.” And because shoeboxes are the epitome of a hot rod, they will always find a home in HOT ROD Magazine. FAST AND FOUST Gordy Foust, Douglasville, Georgia Shoeboxes are really “Imagination In Action,” and we offer Gordy Foust’s 181-mph, ’66 ’glassic Chevelle SS as proof positive. Oh, it isn’t a true reproduction. Gordy admits to sectioning and tapering the body, but in the interest of authenticity he left the top alone—and the Chevelle does…

Installing a high-perf intake and 4-barrel carb is more difficult than some other bolt-ons, but the power gains are well worth the trouble. Glenn Sands’ installation of an Induction Specialists Unlimited Rochester Quadrajet and Edelbrock Performer 2101 intake on his brother Brian’s ’71 350 2-barrel Chevelle is typical of emission-controlled, small-block Chevy installations. SOURCES…

One of the more rewarding projects when building your car is revitalizing the interior. And with the wide aftermarket support for this endeavor there’s bound to be a carpet kit, headliner, trick steering wheel, dash, and the various trim pieces you’ll need to make the project affordable and fun. But as with anything else, installing these items can be tricky unless you know what you’re doing. That’s where Ron “The Stitcher” Mangus, owner of Custom Auto Interiors in Bloomington, California, comes in. He’s gained quite a following in the street rod market for coming up with unique and tasteful rod interiors. He definitely knows what he’s doing, so we asked if he’d be willing to share a few “inside” tips that help with interior restoration. “You bet,” he replied. “As…

It doesn’t take a fortune to build an exceptional Streeter—just ask Tony Bindus. He and his father, Tony, Sr., and his uncle Jack built his sleek red driver for approximately $10,000, and they did it from the ground up. “To begin with,” said Tony, “the car was rolled on its side, and we sandblasted, primed, and painted the bottom in the body color. We also took the subframe out and sandblasted it, then primed and painted it black. After that,” he went on, “all the sheetmetal was replaced, except for the roof and the trunk lid. The body and chrome trim pieces were shot in Porsche Guard Red. Then we installed all new tinted glass, new weatherstripping, a new interior, new engine, swapped the front drum brakes for ’74 Nova…

Although the first-generation Z/28 Camaros remained very similar throughout their three-year production run, on-going evolutionary alterations constantly improved the combination. While some of the perpetual changes were purely cosmetic in nature, others were outright mechanical necessities. Bob and Rosie Wellbaum’s “his and hers” Z/28s from Dayton, Ohio, illustrate just some of the subtle differences visible on their ’67 and ’68 models. Following its first year in production, the ’68 Camaro came out with ventless side glass, side marker lamps, new parking lights and taillights, 302 badges on the front fenders (Z/28 emblems on the front fenders appeared later in the model year), and the “Camaro” emblems on the left corner of the front panel and on the deck lid were slightly revised. All ’68 models also had their VIN tags…

Tired of plain-vanilla hot rods? Are you looking for a little splash of color to light up your life? Then take a look at our full-color tour of some of the slickest paint tricks we’ve come across in our cross-country travels. According to our pals in the paint biz, some of the hottest ideas are merely updated tricks from 10 to 15 years ago! High-tech, “perspective,” parallel-line backgrounds, dry-brush techniques, and splatter paint are still in vogue, and the variations on these themes tend to be the choice for those who are wild. For those less ostentatious, subdued multihued effects on a smaller scale are also “too hip,” along with graphics tricks under the hood and on the undercarriage. Whatever your taste, take a look at our collection of raspberry…

The trickiest part of putting a Tuned Port Injection (TPI) engine into late-model vehicles not designed to accept this special motor is interfacing the unique computer and ECM harness with the remainder of the vehicle’s electrical system. Scott Leon started with the ’86 Camaro 305 VIN F harness (part No. 12048634), which he says is the simplest 15-pin design to adapt to nonstock applications. Using the pickup truck and Camaro service manuals, Scott figured out how to integrate the dissimilar harnesses. He then devised a “harness translator"—actually an intermediate adapter wiring harness—that mates the Camaro computer’s male connector terminals to the truck’s female connectors. This was less hassle than removing each individual wire and pin terminal from the pickup connector and reinstalling them in the correct order to mate with…

What has generally separated HOT ROD Magazine from its clones has been its staff’s personal involvement with the subject matter. R.E. “Pete” Petersen’s idea of what constituted an HRM editor was a guy with dirt under his nails, a garage full of seemingly unrelated car parts, and a zest for stab and steer. Oh, he had to know how to string a few sentences together, but the magazine’s production staff could dot the “crossed eyes” and fix the transposed “teez.” It was during the late ’50s that the staff’s hands-on approach to direct magazine involvement was most apparent. HRM was personally behind more building projects than the Corps of Engineers. We were involved with ’liners, T-bodied tea-baggers, USAC Stockers, and FIA “kilo” killers. You name it and Wally, Brock, Racer,…

In both 1987 and 1989, Motor Trend named a Ford Thunderbird as its Car of the Year. In 1987, the Turbo Coupe was chosen for its innovative design and engineering. This year, the magazine picked the all-new Thunderbird SC for the honor, citing it as “an exercise in world-class design and engineering.” Motor Trend went on to say that the Thunderbird SC is “one of the most balanced and controllable cars we’ve ever driven.” Balance is certainly a fitting word to describe this extraordinary automobile: Motor Trend praised the Thunderbird SC for its style, performance, handling, comfort and luxury. Its aerodynamic looks are sensual and sensational. Its 3.8-liter, 210-horsepower V-6 is the most powerful regular-production supercharged engine in America. Its four-wheel independent suspension has a sophisticated Automatic Ride Control, which…

The most striking thing about the Probe GT is its design—aerodynamic, sleek, unmistakable and beautiful. With a low drag coefficient of 0.309, the Probe is a dramatic example of form following function. And there’s plenty of function. With four-passenger room inside, the Probe GT is a practical coupe. With computer-controlled speed-sensitive power steering, available Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and an adjustable instrument cluster, it’s easy and enjoyable to drive. And with its high-output engine and sport-tuned suspension, the Probe GT translates function into fun. The Probe GT’s intercooled and turbocharged 145-horsepower, 2.2-liter, 12-valve, four-cylinder engine moves it off the mark and down the highway with authority. Its Automatic Adjusting Suspension lets the driver select from three modes to adjust the Probe GT’s handling to changing situations with split-second precision. Agile,…

The Bronco II is built tough and engineered for rough going, and these are but its basic attributes. Like other Fords, the Bronco II has a contemporary style, ergonomically designed interior and exceptional performance. Redesigned for 1989, the Bronco II incorporates new aerodynamic styling, with a sloping hood that blends into flush, integrated headlamp and turn signal units. New fenders and a wraparound front bumper complete the Bronco Il’s stylish front end. The Bronco Il’s performance matches its looks. Whether cruising along the interstate or trailblazing through the bush, its high-torque, 2.9-liter V-6 engine has power in reserve. This gutsy motor uses a computer-controlled multi-port electronic fuel injection system. Bronco II has Ford’s unique Twin-I-Beam (on 4x2 models) or Twin-Traction Beam (on 4x4s) independent front suspension and rear anti-lock brakes…

WHAT IS A HOT RODDER? A hot rodder is someone who: • Envisions a down-in-the-weeds Pro Fat car where a rusty lump of iron sits in a junkyard.• Always ends a sentence about a car with “but it could use a little more horsepower.” • Has trouble remembering his wife’s or girlfriend’s birthday but can recite reams of part numbers and obscure automotive trivia for hours on end. • Will show you albums of photos of cars he’s owned, but will only show you pictures of his children if requested. • Tries to convince his wife that she doesn’t need a new vacuum cleaner because the Shop Vac should do just fine! • Cringes at the thought of “potential restoration projects” going to the crusher. • Thinks a real hot…

Pontiac Stinger At recent auto shows, Pontiac displayed a new multipurpose concept sport vehicle called the Stinger. An all-season, all-wheel-drive vehicle, the Stinger incorporates the aggressive, aerodynamic styling characteristic of all Pontiac concept cars. It also carries active suspension and ABS braking for optimum performance in demanding all-terrain driving, and a 3.0L, 16-valve, 170-hp Super Duty-based engine with an automatic transmission. The removable body panels are all carbon fiber and the distinctive body can be quickly transformed from two-door enclosed transportation to open-air fun for a variety of activities. With pneumatic suspension, the car can rise four inches for off-road fun. They could probably sell a million of them in Southern California alone. ZZ Hauler Pascal Meslet, a French illustrator whose work often graces the pages of French automotive magazines,…

May is modification mania month. Now is the time to put all those ideas you’ve been incubating over the winter into action. That trick set of wheels you’ve had your eyes on would really accent the paint scheme you’ve dreamed up. And there’s that slick induction system you’ve been lusting after all winter. Would that look great between your valve covers, or what? Speaking of valve covers, some chromed two-piece units will spark up any engine bay. While you’re at it, why not do a little plumbing? After all, you’ve got the hood open. The point of all this is that the summer driving months are coming up fast, and we want you to be ready to take full advantage of them. To entice you back into your garage or…

I remember hounding my folks to death, when I was but a hairless youth, to buy Billy Pearson’s ’49 Ford convertible. It was neither the brand nor its body style that wowed me. What turned me on was the mellow tones of its “pipes"—26-inch, steel-packed “Smittys” that sounded better than a girl saying yes … well, almost as good. I understood that “duals” reduced power-robbing backpressure and those twin-pipes added a certain amount of symmetry to the back of a car, but it was those sounds that yinged my yang. I suppose all of the above holds true today. A good set of pipes still mellows me out. Backpressure still robs a portion of what little power those low-compression fours, sixes, and eights make, and symmetry is visually important. So…

Nothing will alter your car’s appearance faster than adding a set of custom wheels and tires. Rodders have been swapping aftermarket rollers since the ’20s, but during the last 10 years, a literal avalanche of mag-type wheels and wide weenies has inundated us. Back in the ’50s, when I first started messing around with rods, the combo of the day was 15-inch Ford steelies surrounded by 5x15 littles on the front (these were usually Harley-Davidson motorcycle or ribbed farm-implement tires) mixed with Lincoln-type rims (also 15 inch) shod with 8.20x15 ’’ambulance” biggies on the rear. Other than an easy way to achieve a low-cost rubber rake, the small front tires gave us lots of inner fender clearance when used in conjunction with a 4-inch dropped axle. However, the 8.20 meat…

Even with all things considered, it’s still ironic that for the second time in drag racing history, the National Hot Rod Association would try to turn back one of its two performance clocks at Pomona, the surviving birth place of the sport of Sprint. Pomona’s ancient asphalt has clocked and timed everything since Chet Herbert’s 127-mph fuel-burning Harley—and now Connie Kalitta’s 291-plus-mph back-motor bullet. Yet speed, that measure of real horsepower and the culmination of all those time-tested technologies that began the very day when the members of the Pomona Valley Timing Association first opened the pit gates to the city-sponsored “proving grounds,” has been relegated to a curious byproduct of elapsed time, with its Winston points-producing potential reduced to nil. When the NHRA moved its year-old Winternationals from Daytona…

The next-generation Camaros and IROC-Zs may look very much like this “California Camaro,” which is the latest concept Camaro developed at the General Motors Advanced Design Concept Center in Santa Barbara, California. According to John Schinella, director of the GM Concept Center, the California Camaro has a smooth, rounded yet aggressive body shape with lots of glass to take in the California sunshine. Similar in form to the Pontiac Banshee concept Firebird featured in our January HOT ROD, the concept Camaro theme strongly supports the long-standing duality of the Camaro/Firebird relationship. The California Camaro also begins to suggest a more producible vehicle than the pure concept look we saw in the Banshee. This striking machine took just six months to go from a scale model to a running machine, thanks…

Well, our old pal “glitter” Gale Banks—along with partners Ray Leslie and Ron McLaughlin—has done it again. Rumor had it that the Duke of Duggan Avenue had retired his Top Fueler program in favor of a turbocharged, alky-ingesting Top Alcohol Funny Car. Glow and behold, the rumors proved to be true. There it sat in Pomona’s pits, plumbed to the gills, tubed to the max, with fittings, sensors, and gizmos galore, but shining like a decorative plater’s good dream, and ready to do battle. Unfortunately, oil pressure problems experienced by the 557-inch, twin Garrett (TEO-691), Holley-carbureted (1050-cfm annular discharge), allalloy Poncho wedge motor kept driver Keith Leslie from improving on Made In The USA’s initial 6.90-second, 197-mph half-pass. Meanwhile, Gale says, “We are working out the bugs… slowly.”…

Darrell Waltrip ended a 17-year drought at Daytona, leading a Bow-Tie sweep at the 1989 Daytona 500. Waltrip’s win was a lesson in fuel economy. While the front runners were burning gas, the veteran stock car driver chose to play the drafting game. And when both polessitter Ken Schrader and Dale Earnhardt had to pit for that last splash of gas waltripped on by “pit-free” and coasted home an 8-second winner. Waltrip’s win brought back down just before the end to memories of Fred Lorenzen, who specialized in vulture type racing during the mid-’60s. With classic “walk-down-and-get-email” move, ready Freddie would let the front runners make all the mistake, then swoop down just before the end to take the checkered flag.…

Once upon a time, Chet Herbert, the cam grinder who introduced hot rodding to roller cams, was one of drag racing’s most creative practitioners. It was his fuel-burning, 127mph Harley that “beasted” the best at Pomona when drag racing was nothing more than a strip of fresh asphalt placed next to the fence on the west side of the Los Angeles County Fair’s huge parking lot. It was his series of multi-engine dragsters that wowed ’em in the ’60s and ’70s. And now “Chester,” or better yet, Chet’s son, is picking up where the ol’ man left off. The trouble is that the Herbert Cams Special Top Alcohol Dragster happens to be powered by an Arias Hemi, which happens to be blown by a centrifugal supercharger (which once served time…