Indholdsfortegnelse for July 1989 i Hot Rod

Bob Dylan said it best: “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” And it doesn’t take an overly perceptive hot rodder to tell that something exciting is happening in our sport/hobby. The cues are there, the intensity is everywhere, and the time is right for some major changes. I believe that hot rodding is about to take its next giant leap forward. While it may be overly simplistic, there are times when one particular car serves as a milestone. The CadZZilla car certainly is among this elite group of Most Significant in that it signals a change in our outlook toward alternative body styles. The combination of performance with style will be the next great trend of the ’90s. Since old habits die hard, we…

Quick-Release Cover These trick valve covers from R&M Specialties feature cam-locking billet-machined hinges. The cover has ample clearance to accommodate most combinations of rockers and stud girdles. A heat-resistant O-ring provides an oil-tight seal. Contact R&M Specialties, Dept. HR-07, P.O. Box 53, Wendell, ID 83355, (208) 536-2002. Soff Ware Soff-seal has reproduced hood side bumpers for ’59-'61 Chevys. The Soff-Seal parts are faithful reproductions of original parts and can be ordered individually or in kits. In addition, Soff-Seal has weather-stripping and rubber detailing for most of your restoration and hot rodding needs. Contact SoffSeal, Inc., Dept. HR-07, 104 May Dr., Harrison, OH 45030, (513) 367-0028. Make A Circuit With Centech The new PDP-2 fuse panel from Centech incorporates a headlight switch, horn relay, turn-signal flasher, hazard flasher, and 13 fused…

Life is a study in contrasts. Take, for example, our recent trip—at Chevro-let’s invitation—to drive the new ZR-1 Corvette. We stayed as guests of Chevrolet and Goodyear in an exotic 13th century fortress called Carcassonne, in southern France, to drive what is undoubtedly the most powerful and well-balanced production car Chevrolet has ever built. Envision “‘Cro-Magnon man meets Arnold Schwarzenegger” and you begin to get the idea. But in case you hard-core performance fans don’t want to wade through HOT ROD’s version of a AAA French travelog, we'll cut right to the performance figures. We tested the ZR-1 at the GM Proving Grounds in Arizona a few weeks before our tour de France—on an 80-degree day—and generated a 13.05/112-mph pass with 0-to 60-mph times in the 4.52-second area, and 0-to…

In the last few years the fine of street (go some ‘serious Dee and good old-fashioned ingenuity has given way to a more serious, scientific approach. Many of you may remember Paul Sheridan’s ’82 Mercury Capri (“Doctor Detroit,” Car Craft, February ’86). This well-thought-out 351 Windsor combination became very comfortable making the 30-mile journey from Detroit to Milan Dragway, and it clicked off mid-12s at more than 109 mph while retaining street-ability and fully operative “creature comfort” power options. The Doctor knew that lower e.t.’s would require a good chassis as well as more power, and began modifications for both while enhancing the car’s reliability. With increased torque the medicine of the day, Sheridan wanted to stiffen the chassis without cutting the car apart, so the little Merc was delivered…

DISASSEMBLY. Loosen the pinion shaft nut. Use a hydraulic press to remove the pinion shaft from the bearing retainer and yoke. The rear bearing will remain on the pinion shaft and must be pressed off separately. Remove the front bearing and seal from the bearing retainer with a drift applied to the backside of the front bearing. Take care not to damage the mounting surfaces. New U.S.-made bearings are preferred for high-performance work. ASSEMBLY. Factory stock setups use a crush sleeve (spacer) between the front and rear bearings, which Tom feels decreases pinion bearing life. "You don't need to crush bearings, just seat them." Additionally, "normal" people don't have the tools to torque the lock nut to the factory-specified 170 (minimum) lbs.-ft. Tom discards the crush sleeve and polishes the…

The sculpted, swoopy, and sensuous look of the ’50s and early '60s cars have a cool factor all their own and make excellent candidates for alternative-body-style hot rods. As a nation, we were feeling our power. We were breaking the sound barrier in flight, pushing into outer space, and well on our way to landing on the moon. The automotive stylists of the era worked to capture those feelings in sheetmetal, chrome, and glass: Powerful cars for a powerful people. And if you look deep enough into the chrome of a lot of cars from that period, chances are you’ll find a hot rod staring back at you. The several cars we have illustrated here by artists Thom Taylor and Duane Kuchar are offered as a reference point. Some images…

When the shoebox bug strikes, the only cure is to build one yourself. The doctor can’t help. Staying in bed only makes it worse. What you gotta do is “git” in the garage, spin your wrenches, and sand the sheetmetal. When Gary got the fever he found himself cutting and boxing the frame for tire clearance, installing a 12-bolt rearend, cutting the front coils for a 2-inch drop, and swapping the stock front and rear drums for disc binders (70 Chevelle front; 74 Chevy 3/4-ton calipers on Corvette rotors). Then he sat the chassis down on a combination of Mickey Thompson/Weld “bigs” and BFGoodrich/Weld “littles.” The 70 Chevy 402 engine got the rebop with Competition Cams bumping stock lifters to time the flow through a Holley 650 perched on an…

Mopar Returns To Oval Track Racing For the first time in almost a decade a Mopar stock car will compete head to head against GM and Ford racers on the oval tracks of America. Owner/driver Jerry Churchill will campaign this ’89 Chrysler LeBaron on the 1989 ARCA circuit. The chassis was built by Norm Negre, with wind tunnel and aerodynamics assistance from Louis Duncan of Automotive Aerodynamics in Norman, Oklahoma. Bill Hancock of Arrow Racing engines in Rochester Hill, Michigan, built the small-block Mopar V8. A Chrysler stock car has not run competitively in oval track racing since Buddy Arrington last tried it in 1980. With some success, it might pave the way for Chrysler's return to Winston Cup racing. Carroll Shelby's V8-Powered Dodge Dakota Carroll Shelby's unique new '89…

The 9-inch Ford differential is the standard against which all other rearends are measured. In production from 1957 through 1987, there are more 9-inch Fords in existence than any other performance-style diff. While all variations possess decent strength by virtue of their large 9-inch ring gear diameter, special heavy-duty versions have been offered with four-pinion differentials, 31-spline axles, and even nodular iron third-members. The removable third-member (carrier) also helps this rearend earn its well-deserved rep as “the poor man’s quick-change.” Service parts for the 9-inch are plentiful and widely available. Most competitive rearends require a differential case change when going to “steep gear ratios,” but on the Ford, “one size case fits all.” There is a greater selection of ring-and-pinions—ranging from 2.47 through 6.50:1—offered for the 9-inch Ford than any…

Begin final setup assembly by oiling the rear pinion support bearing, side bearings and races, bearing cap holes, spanners, and all case threads. For initial setup, use a .019-inch-thick pinion shim, install the drive pinion into the carrier without the O-ring, and torque the bolts to 30 Ibs.-ft. Next place the differential case assembly into the carrier (third-member). Add the adjusting nuts (spanners) and bearing caps, installing each “matched set” on the same side from which it was originally removed. When setting up the ring-and-pinion, the tooth contact pattern, gear backlash, and bearing preload must all be checked. First establish that you have a minimal amount of backlash by snugging the bearing cap bolts and seeing if you can ‘rattle’ the ring gear slightly by hand. Back off the bearing…

One of the secrets of completing a rod project is to buy a half-finished car from a burned-out rodder… such as Barberton, Ohio’s Tim Nemeth did. “My dad and I bought the ’67 Camaro from a guy and it took us four years to complete the car.” And another secret to a successful conclusion is to detail it to the max. “Dad and I went to a lot of trouble with detail. We wanted to make it super clean, clean enough to get your attention without having to resort to a blower.” The father and son team started by building a custom frame using 2x4-inch mild steel tubing. They then added a narrowed 9-inch Ford rearend, coil-over shocks (one coil was cut from the front springs), both Chevelle and Ford…

The ’89 Thunderbird Super Coupe and the ’89 Pontiac Turbo Grand Prix have emerged as premier examples of the great new American performance sedan. Hot rodders who yearn for the utility and convenience of an intermediate or full-size performance sedan have had precious little to choose from in recent years. Those who can recall the days when 427 Galaxies and Impalas stalked the boulevard have found most current models grossly inadequate from a total-performance standpoint. While those early behemoths were ill equipped to handle the curves, they more than made up for their shortcomings with comfort, utility, and awesome acceleration. The big, dumb horsepower boosters of the ’60s literally spoiled us with their smooth ride, cavernous interiors, and incredible power. In contrast, the ’70s and ’80s became a lifeless void…

CARS & TRICKS 66 CHEVELLE PRO STREET MACHINE. Red, white, and blue, 396 hi-po, 4-speed, straight axle, 4.88s, beautiful interior, much more. $11,000. Jeffery Walker, 8036 N. Watterson Tri., Louisville, KY 40291, (502) 491-4862. '67 CHEVELLE SS 396. Street or show, white Metalflake with "Eye”-catching side paint. Tunnel-ram, engine balanced with all the goodies! Muncie 4-speed, new gears, 11-inch Zoom clutch, 12-bolt Posi, many extras. $8200. Dan Fulscher, 416 Holly Dr., Lincoln, IL 62656, (217) 735-3080. 48 CHEVY SEDAN DELIVERY. 350/350, power disc/drum, B&M blower, cruise, new radials, velour interior, excellent N.O.S. chrome. Great for business advertising, excellent driver. $16,500. Jim Hansen, 56 Ave. B, Kings Park, NY 11754, (516) 544-9178. '69 CHEVROLET. 427/385 hp, 83,000 miles. James Gallaway, (405) 364-1381. '67 CORONET BODY. Needs engine, body good, restorable. $600.…

This 60-ton monster is made up of more than 35,000 highly specialized parts—from its giant 1500 horsepower engine to — Rangefinder laser circuits no bigger than an eyelash. It takes a special kind of mechanic to master a machine like this. But if you qualify, we'll train you to learn the M1 inside out. So before long, you could be working on tanks like a pro. And with the Montgom ery GI Bill Plus Army College Fund, you could be earning up to $25,200 for college or vo-tech school with just a four-year enlistment. Most important, while you’re developing your technical skills in the Army, you'll also be developing the discipline and self-confidence that can give you an edge. In your career. And in life. To find out more, contact…

Doug Mosch of Marshall, Minnesota, has a real weakness for ’39 to 34 Fords. He also has a similar weakness for the color red…and the proof is his newly completed, red-riding Deuce three-window. But when Doug picked up this three-window coupe body in ’81, “It was a badly stripped shell, and it took me three years just to find a good deck lid.” However, Mosch managed to locate many of the other parts by phone. For instance, he called Chuck Lombardo at California Street Rods and ordered one of ‘“‘Lombago’s” specialties: an aftermarket chassis employing a set of Deuce Frame Co. side rails, tube cross-members, a Super Bell axle (laced with JFZ calipers and rotors), both Pete & Jake (front) and Carrera (rear) adjustable shocks, Vega cross-steering, and a 9-inch…

Ford has used “‘open” diffs, Detroit Lockers, and several types of clutch-type limited-slip (‘posi’) units. Tom favors a properly prepared posi for most street/strip applications. The best Ford limited-slip unit is the late style with no large crack-promoting case holes and good clutches; it is the version currently sold by Ford under the Traction-Lok moniker. Both two- and four-pinion versions are available, with the latter being twice as strong. The side gears used must match the axle spline count (28 or 31 splines). DISASSEMBLY. Remove the ring-gear attaching bolts. Tap the gear off the case with a soft-faced hammer. Remove the two Allen or Phillips screws that hold the case halves together, then with the cover facing down, tap the case halves apart with a small hammer. Remove the preload…

If you don't happen to have one of the five Gran Sport Corvettes in existence, what're ya gonna do? Clone it, of course. Starting with a Mid-America Corvette tube frame, Mark hung '82 'Vette rear gear and an '85 'Vette front suspension fitted with Halibrand/Goodyear rolling stock. Next came 355 cubic inches of Crane-cammed, solid-littered, TRW-slugged, Hooker header-exhausted Mouse motor-fed through a Z/28 aluminum high-rise/650 Holley combo and coupled to a Doug Nash 5-speed with a Hurst shifter and Hays clutch. After the fiberglass body was draped on the chassis by Classic Coach in Hartville, Ohio, Mark dropped it off at Bob Pinkerton's in Alliance, Ohio, for the '86 'Benz Signet Red paint. Then it was back to Hartville and Rayco Upholstery for '68 'Vette seats in leather. Ron Francis…

Automotive replacement parts retailers and performance shops are generally considered to be separate by most hot rodders. You go to the parts store for the basic elements of your project, and you stop by your local gofast shop for the fun performance equipment. So far so good. But what if you don’t have a performance shop in your area? Sure, you can mail order your parts, which is a great way to go. You can save megabucks on parts, but you have to wait for them. Enter the folks at Performance Corner. They want to change all that by bringing a performance shop into the corner of your local replacement parts retailer. (Hence, the name Performance Corner. Get it?) To help get the word out on the store-within-a-store, they’ve commissioned…

If Scott Udell, a dental technician from Mound, Minnesota, has an outstanding character trait, it’s perseverance. He’s been involved with his dad’s old basket-case beater Mustang since 1976, when he was a mere lad of 23 years. Now, 13 years later—after a thorough restoration in 1980 followed by a “Pro-Streeterizing,” which began in ’83—it’s finally Scott’s rod. “Deah, my wife, let me have enough time to do it; Dad helped with the wiring; Mother cleaned it for the various car shows I attended, and my brother chipped in with miscellaneous building.” So what is “it?” Nothing less than a ’67 Mustang convertible with its 22-year-old body featuring filled seams, an all-steel tilt front end, steel belly pans, painted—including its front and rear bumpers in Guards Red (both acrylic enamel and…

Goodguys Go-tost Trophy As we’ve said before, salt flat racers get precious little recognition for going fast on their own cash. Well, Gary “Goodguy” Meadors, the promotional force behind more than a dozen rod-’n’-custom-type events held this year, hasn't forgotten his time at the salt. So he’s presenting four “Gobdguy Go-Fast,” three-dimensional trophies featuring Meadors’ own chopped Deuce Tudor, which, too, is an old Bonneville race car, to the four fastest pre-’48-type bodied rods at the '89 Speed Trials. Those with the fastest Fuel and Gas roadsters, as well as Fuel coupes and gas-altered coupes, can expect a little bit more than a hearty handshake. P.S. All you B’Ville racers are invited to attend and display your crusty cars at Goodguy’s Pleasanton Nationals—held from August 25 to the 27—on the…