Indholdsfortegnelse for December 1994 i Hot Rod

Well, I’ve done it. After reading about these events since before I started with the magazine earlier this year, I finally attended my first Fastest Street Car race—the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) event at Norwalk Raceway Park in Norwalk, Ohio. I was there to do homework. With the NMCA finals in Memphis and our Top Ten Fastest Street Car Shootout scant weeks away, I wanted to get acquainted with this kind of racing and its participants without the intensity and the pressure of the finals. Not that this race wasn’t intense. These folks are out to compete, and there was serious racing going on in every one of the NMCA’s classes. While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the mountain motors, trick suspensions, drivetrain mods and other engineering…

DARE TO BE OSTRACIZED We may be sent to automotive writers’ hell, but some of us think Edsels can be cool. Sure, they’re double-ugly, but that’s the charm of owning one. And, it’s a pretty safe bet that you won’t see another one at any street-machine events! Mike Spitz of Chino Valley, Arizona, is one of those daring souls who shrugs off the criticisms hurled by Camaro drivers when he cruises his daily-driver ’58 Edsel Ranger. And with a 460 behind the puckered grille, he can probably even whip a few of those bellybutton cars. Now, when is someone going to Pro Street one of these things? BEGINNER’S BLOWN BRUISER Rich Solecki of Highland, Indiana, is new to the world of hot rodding, and he started off by buying this…

If you have learned anything about building engines through the past few years of reading HOT ROD magazine, it’s that making one horse-power per cubic inch is harder than most think and requires plenty of money. It seems that if you want a real low-buck, simple 350-cid Chevy buildup, then you shouldn’t expect more than 320 horsepower. After considering this rather depressing thought for a few moments, we decided it was bogus. If we can’t build a 350 that makes 350 horses or better, well, then we don’t deserve the HOT ROD tattoos across our chests. THE RULES This engine is to be relatively low-buck with no trick parts. No roller cam, no aftermarket cylinder heads and no die grinders required for assembly—just ordinary parts you can get from anywhere…

The essence of hot rodding is taking an old worn-out piece of junk that nobody wants and turning it into a powerful performance piece that’s more fuel efficient and just flat fun to drive. Rebuilding an engine is an essential part of that process and besides that, it’s fun. While it may seem that this process is fairly simple, there are dozens of ways to go about it. The most basic rebuild involves just replacing the rings, bearings, seals and gaskets. Escalating from there are literally hundreds of options concerning pistons, rings, bearings, cranks, rods, cams, timing chains, heads, valves and a few dozen more we won’t go into. Given this tremendous selection, we thought it would be educational and fun to take a look at some of these variables.…

For over 40 years, Chevrolet’s small-block V8 engine has led the way as the classic internal-combustion engine for passenger cars. When Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole supervised the design of this engine in the early ’50s, even he had no idea how utterly dominant and powerful this engine would become. From the humble beginnings of an engine originally designed without a dedicated oil filter and with funny-looking rocker arms, the small-block Chevy has evolved into 10 distinctly different bore and stroke combinations. But not all have been successful. Those conceived out of the fuel crisis of the early ’70s were virtually stillborn. Others, like the 327 and 350, are so enmeshed in the hot rodders’ landscape that performance history revolves around their inception. Like historians do with the years before…

If you were with us last month, you saw Project Super ’Stang on the strip, with its newly built 5.0 hazing the rear tires. You also got a preview of what we’re covering this month—the subtle bodywork and interior mods we’ve made to the car. Super ’Stang started life as an ordinary ’89 LX hatch-back. The scope of this project is to transform the car from mundane to monstrous with engine, chassis and appearance mods. Our goal is to turn the Mustang into an awesome street car that will accelerate—and corner—at maximum grin level. Once it’s done, Super ’Stang will be given away to some lucky reader in a sweepstakes we’re holding in conjunction with Super Shops. Actually, the appearance modifications we’ve made to the Mustang began a few installments…

True race fans hate people who go to races only for the crashes. These sadistic ghouls get their macabre jollies out watching cars get catapulted over the fence or rolled down the straight-away. Real race fans enjoy and respect the skill involved in hanging a car out on the ragged edge of traction and the cajones it takes to be one of the really fast few. We don’t like to see a wreck, but if the driver gets out of the car unhurt, we all kinda look at the replays and think, “Man, that was wicked!” Knowing that nobody got seriously hurt makes it kinda entertaining, in a sick and twisted way. With this in mind, we present some of the better crashes and fireballs of 1994 that didn’t break…

Try to imagine nearly 14,000 tricked-out, pre-’49 rods all parked in one facility. Now try to imagine seeing all 14,000 cars in one jam-packed weekend. If you were lucky enough to be at the NSRA’s Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, you know what we’re talking about—literally acres of outstanding cars, all on hand this year to celebrate the Nats’ silver anniversary. The Nationals is much more than a huge car park. It has exhibitor buildings full of parts vendors. (We’re sure you could build an entire street rod, and a bitchin’ one, too, from the parts for sale in those buildings.) It has cruising. It has burnout contests. It has banquets, brunches, picnics, music and dancing. But the Nationals is even more than that. It’s a celebration of the…

After a casual perusal of Tom and June Winchell’s ’75 FX Custom, the expression “clean but mean” comes to mind. The clean part is easy to discern: a “see” of chrome and candy purple with ghost flames (by Todd Long) that is part and parcel of the Winchell’s low-profile, low-tech package. Candy Dandy’s sparkling exterior is the result of 10 months of work and a series of additions that includes a slightly altered front end (five-degree rake), smoothy tanks and fenders, drilled brake rotors, Knucklers handlebars, Sam Designs gauges and a Drag Specialties seat. On the other hand, the mean part is contained inside the bike’s 88-inch V-twin. The ’75 Shovel is now a mean motor thanks to S&S big-bore cylinders, lots of cylinder-filling cam timing, high-flowing heads, S&S carburetion…

Mike Endicott of Dayton, Ohio, recently bought this Harley, but it was Scott Sullivan who transformed the 79 Lowrider from a mild custom into the flame-licked beauty you see here. Body mods are what have made Scott famous, so it’s no surprise that this Harley has a, few. An FLH front fender was narrowed to fit between the narrower spread of the FX forks, and the rear fender was custom-built out of steel to match the front. Scott made a few pieces to smooth out the ’30s vintage Cateye dash, and the seat is a Corbin Gunfighter that’s been cut down and reshaped, then upholstered by Dennis Gamble. The final detail was the black-with-flames paint job, which was the idea of the bike’s original owner, the late John Spritzer. The…

BOG! How can this be happening? You just spent a decent amount of money building an engine that makes good horsepower, and now you can’t get off the line to save your life. What’s wrong with this picture? More than likely, it’s not the engine. It’s probably a stock torque converter stalling or locking at an rpm at which your engine is not making adequate power, resulting in a bog. Of course, if you have 2.78:1 differential gears, a higherstall torque converter won’t help much. But if the gear is of a more aggressive ratio, your starting-line bog blues are simple to fix. To show you just how easy a torque-converter swap can be, we rolled a car into Auto-Rite Transmissions to replace the stock converter with a 2200-stall converter…

Quality, low-buck cars can capture the hot rod spirit just as well as high-dollar efforts, so we felt it was important to feature a few of the cool street sleepers and rusto rides that we’ve come across recently. We are constantly looking for hot rod drivers that might not be perfect but look bitchin’ and are driven hard on the road whenever possible. Because as much as we all like to look at cars, driving ’em is what it’s all about. The nice thing about rusto rods is that you can drive them anywhere and not worry about chipping the paint or having to detail the engine compartment when you get where you’re going—and people still give you thumbs up! Basically, bombers are cool fun and everyone should own one.…

It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when Chevrolet was almost a nonentity in the world of high-performance cars. From hot rodding’s infancy in the ’teens through the early ’50s, Ford products dominated at the racetracks, the dry lakes and on the street. Chevrolet was losing share in the young-buyer segment of the market, and it faced a fleet of V8s coming from Ford, Chrysler, Oldsmobile and Cadillac. There was nothing in Chevy’s power arsenal to offset these new V8s except the venerable Stovebolt Six. Luckily, there were people within Chevrolet who not only recognized the trouble they were facing but saw solutions to the problems. In 1952, a man by the name of Ed Cole became Chevrolet’s chief engineer and was put in charge of…

Probably the single biggest reason for the Chevy small-block’s popularity is its versatility. Even in its infancy, it proved a viable candidate for performance upgrades, and the innovations just keep on coming. There isn’t another engine on the planet that can be built up in so many ways, and done so inexpensively, to boot. While a comprehensive collection of Chevy small-block performance parts would require a book many times the size of this magazine, we’ve collected a variety of parts here to illustrate just what can be done with the ill-named Mouse motor. STREET RAM ACCEL has developed a Street Ram fuel-injection system for small-block V8s. Available as either a complete unit or as a series of bolt-on upgrade components, the Street Ram is designed to increase horsepower and torque…

It’s rare that the entire HOT ROD staff agrees on anything. Just like you, we all have different ideas about what’s cool, hot, in, out, used up and just plain tacky. So you can imagine what picking our Top Ten is like. Once a year we have an opportunity to express what we think are the 10 best cars that have appeared in the last 12 issues of our magazine. There are no points for perfect paint or quick e.t.’s—the selection is just a simple matter of whether we think a car is extra bitchin’ or not. To make things worse, nearly every car that is seen in this magazine is really cool for one reason or another. There is no lack of discussion or, shall we say, sharing of…

If the innocuous little ’67 Camaro seen here looks familiar, it should. Introduced to HOT ROD readers back in February of this year, the Camaro was rescued from Chevron’s car-crushing-for-emissions-credits program. “Accelerated Retirement” is how the oil companies term the programs. We hold that “a misguided, uninformed demolition of classic cars” is more like it, and apparently so do all of you. The response we’ve gotten from readers and industry people alike has been phenomenal, and the car has progressed beyond the typical project car/sweep-stakes giveaway machine into a sounding board against ridiculous legislation and wanton destruction of cool cars—cars that can be used not only for hot rod or restoration projects but also for spare parts to keep the daily driver running. To recap, we found the car as…

Those that are following the Mr. Gasket Street Challenge Series probably suspect that your name has to be Billy Glidden to win an event. But Glidden ran into transmission problems at the Morocco, Indiana, segment of the Street Challenge Series that knocked him out of competition for that race and the next. His 347ci-powered late-model Mustang had depended on a Jerico racing transmission to transmit the power until the gears grenaded midqualifying. Without Glidden, the field consisted of four other late-model Mustangs, including the eventual winner of the Morocco event Craig Pai, three late-model Corvettes, a ’70 Olds Cutlass and class runner-up Norman Roll and his ’72 Nova. The next Mr. Gasket Challenge was held in conjunction with the National Muscle Car Association’s Maple Grove, Pennsylvania, event, and there was…

Since the mid-’60s, the core of street rodticulation has been predicated on a pre-’49 formula. No rod based on post-’49 offerings flew. However, that’s no longer true. During the past few years, the once-sacrosanct ’48-and-earlier rule has been relaxed, a change of heart that has had a profound and positive effect on street rodding. Passenger cars and trucks built and sold during the decade of the ’50s are hot and have given a whole new meaning to Nifty Fifties. Street rodding’s rule relaxation has created a wide array of streeters that combines the voluptuous styling of the 50s with today’s nearly unlimited choice of powerplants, running gear, rolling stock, coatings and creature features. We offer Ralph Weaver’s ’50 Olds Rocket 88 to prove our point. Ralph’s dream started three years…

Harleys look good lowered. But just as improperly lowering a car adversely affects the ability of the suspension to do its job, improperly lowering a Harley can make the bike unsafe or uncomfortable to ride. Luckily, there are many quality kits on the market to achieve that badboy look without making your ride a stiff, spark-throwing bronco. Follow along as a White Brothers lowering kit is installed on a Softail chassis to achieve that in-the-weeds look. This kit bolts on but requires some specialized tools and at least a good owner’s manual (rebuilding front forks for the first time can be confusing). So you might want to take this information to your dealer and have it installed there, SOURCE White Brothers Dept. HR1224845 Corbit Pl.Yorba Linda, CA 92687714/692-3404…

DEEP BREATHING VORTECH SHOOTOUT Vortech is expanding its induction products line with a new Shootout Series intake manifold for the 5.0L Ford engine. The intake is equipped with eight additional injectors that allow the user to pump the manifold with some serious manifold density from a Vortech supercharger and be ’ able to fuel this additional air with the extra injectors. The manifold is intended for shootout-type drag-race competitions or for any max-power 5.0L engine. For more information, contact Vortech Engineering, Dept. HR12, 5351 Bonsai Ave., Moorpark, CA 93201,805/529-9330. ROCKER ON ROLLIN’ AND A ROCKIN’ Lunati now offers a high-strength alloy extrusion roller rocker arm for all popular applications at an affordable price. A tough 4130 chrome-moly tip, special internal oiling and amaxduty trunion make the Lunati rocker exceptionally durable.…

HIS OWN FLASHBACK I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Son Of Green Machine in my latest HOT ROD (“Son Of Green Machine Project,’’ July-November ’94). It was as though 1 had stepped back the 10 years since the original Flashback ’57 provided the spark I needed to build my own version of that famous ’57.1 still drive the car as often as I can, and it’s been the most satisfying project I’ve ever done. I followed the steps in your articles for a frame-up build, doing all the work myself (except for the upholstery and chrome). I keep a computer data base on your articles; I can’t tell you how many times they helped during this five-year project. The car has a mild 454 with a 750 Holley,…

Ahhh, the wonderful sound of a big-block Chevy rumbling along—it’s almost intoxicating. Combined with its unmistakable look, the big Chevy stands alone in the impression department. That’s why so many hot rod enthusiasts want one under the hoods of their machines. Mike Petralia of Montrose, California, is a member of this group and has built a big-block Camaro to fulfill his urge for Rat power. Mike’s ’70 1/2 Camaro RS was an unfinished project car when he bought it and required only $3000 more in funds on top of the $4000 purchase price to finish. He has rebuilt the engine, had the fiberglass hood and some road rash repainted (in matching Corvette Metallic Blue by Sam’s Auto Body in Montrose), has installed different wheels and tires and has done a…

This one’s for all of you out there who are either “sick and tired of nothing but Chevys” or “want more low-buck tricks to go fast!” We present Son Of Junkyard Dog, Cheap Thrills Jr. or, simply, El Camadillac. We understand that most readers (us included) don’t have the cash to go out and have Uncle Sam Gianino whip them up a 540ci big-block and then build a car that can handle it. Our more modest means relegates us to searching the classifieds, salvage yards, swap meets and open fields for project cars and the parts to make them cool and fast. From hot rodding’s day-one, the cheapest way to go fast was to get the biggest possible motor, yank it out of the luxo-barge it was in and drop…

There is little dispute that the small-block Chevy is the most popular subject of engine modifications on the planet. The VW guys can talk all they want, but no engine has a more devoted and rabid fan club. Later, we’ll look at the 10 hottest production small-blocks, so we thought an investigation into a few of the more impressive high-performance street and race small-blocks would be fun. While there are engines that make more horsepower and engines that make more torque, few can do both so well in so many different motorsports applications. The small-block has virtually universal appeal and makes great power at almost any spending level. Let’s look at a few different ways to make outstanding power with the ubiquitous small-block Chevy. HENNINGER’S HEAVYWEIGHT 1000 HP, 406 Cl…

Looking for the Mecca of the small-block Chevy race engine? You won’t find it in Detroit. The temple’s not in Indianapolis, either. Keep moving south toward Charlotte, North Carolina, and a small town called Welcome. This is where horsepower comes alive at Richard Childress Racing (RCR), the home of the black No. 3 car driven by Dale Earnhardt. And this is where you can hear a flat-tappet, 358ci Mouse motor scream to 8500 rpm on the dyno and then spend 500 miles on the track leading the pack. In unrestricted trim, these engines make in excess of 700 horsepower while pushed to their absolute limit in over 30 races a season. Perhaps no one knows the NASCAR race engine better than RCR’s Eddie Lanier. For 28 years, Lanier has spent…

Pro Street legends Mike Adams, Rick Dobbertin, Mark Grimes, Scott Sullivan and now Dave VerSchave share one thing in common. They all built award-winning, trendsetting, slammed-and-tubbed, mid-’60s Novas. But none displayed the minute attention to detail or the rich collection of colors that Dave’s ’66 displays. In essence, you have to see it to get the real message. Dave, a Redi-Mix driver from New Lenox, Illinois, isn’t exactly a newcomer to hot rodding. He’s owned over 75 cars, but none were as adventurous as his just-completed Chevy II. Let’s face it, when one lavishes three and a half years, 40 big ones and the help of Ed Kirk, Rich Kozik plus brothers Bob and Bill on a 28-year-old compact, chances are the end product will be totally mind-blowing bitchin’. Dave’s…

Anyone wanting to stage a true event—not just a show, a gathering or a happening, but a capital-E Event—should take notes from the Chrysler Corporation. These folks know how to a throw a party. Late in July, Chrysler used the final IROC race of the ’94 season at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) as the cornerstone of an entire weekend of Mopar Madness in Motown. In and around the greater Detroit area, Chrysler hosted two new-car introductions for the press, a public unveiling of the new Dodge Avenger coupe, a gathering of hundreds of Viper owners and a musclecar show on the MIS infield—all culminating with the sights and sounds of a dozen Avenger IROC cars duking it out (literally) for the series championship. As we left town exhausted on Sunday,…

On your mark! Get set! Go! There’s a new trend in rodding, and it’s called “Nifty Fifties.” Nifty Fifties—our term for passenger cars and light trucks that Detroit built and sold from 1949 to 1963—has become rodding’s newest and richest source of original material. Nifty Fifties represents a number of pluses, such as availability, low cost, models galore, character, modern construction techniques, ample size and lots of shape. Those who have already gotten the message include such luminaries as Boyd Coddington, Jerry Kugel, the Lombardos, Troy Trepanier, Don Thelan, Billy Belmont, Mark Grimes and one of the first to bring the Pro Street look to ’80s body styles, Rocky Robertson. Last year, Rocky—whose ’86 Buick Somerset and ’88 LeSabre were prominently covered in HOT ROD—had a change of heart. The…

Any Harley owner worth his or her leathers is already planning to chuck the stock exhaust system long before taking ownership of the bike. Swapping the stock exhaust is usually a simple task and can give your bike good looks and cool sounds. Here, we’ll show you how a SuperTrapp two-into-one exhaust system is bolted onto a Harley. SOURCE SuperTrapp Industries, Inc. Dept. HR123910 Seaport Blvd.West Sacramento, CA 95691-3450916/372-5000…

HEAD SHOP Q I recently purchased an ’84 Monte Carlo SS. I also picked up a ’70 400-cid small-block. I was wondering if I could bolt the 305 heads from the Monte engine onto the 400? Wes TuckerFort Drum, New York A While the late 305 cylinder heads are not as prone to cracking as the late 350 castings, Dennis Woolsey at Cylinder Head Exchange (Dept. HR12, 12677 San Fernando Rd., Sylmar, CA 91342, 818/364-2371) reminds us that these 305 heads have small valves (1.84 intake/1.50 exhaust), small intake and exhaust ports, and the most common casting-number heads (601) have 58cc chambers. Since the ports and valve sizes are adequate for a stock 305 and would probably be insufficient on a mild 350, they are not recommended for a 400-cid…