Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2009 i Hot Rod

BAD INFLUENCE Here I am being a bad influence again. I am a mentor to several young people who live around me. I have no children of my own, so I influence those of others, thus leaving me free of the eventual outcomes. I’ve introduced the HOT ROD mentality to all, much to the chagrin of their parents. I recently took one of these young people to the NHRA Division VI championships in Acton, Montana, and this young man is now hooked permanently on the drag racing scene. His brain went into overdrive as we walked among the race cars in the pit area. He fell in love several dozen times that day, sometimes even with females of our species and not the race cars. Here’s one of the many…

FIRST BUILD ’68 Chevrolet El Camino Greg Nuibe Simi Valley, CA There’s no better way to learn than by doing, and that’s how Greg Nuibe got his first muscle car project into the 11s at 117 mph with a 1.57 60-foot time. Believe it or not, that’s with the first engine and trans he’s ever built. The standard-bore 350 runs a Chevy 400 crank with 5.7-inch shot-peened rods, 11.21:1 TRW forged racing pistons, Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, and a Comp Cams solid cam with 242/250 at 0.050-inch duration and 0.507/0.532 lift. A CNC-ported Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake and a Holley 750-cfm double-pumper carb with a Proform main body top it off. To make the Elky launch, the TH350 uses an ATI 8-inch Treemaster converter to spin a 12-bolt rear with…

SEMA ACTION NETWORK MEMBERS STOP HARMFUL LEGISLATION The closing days of a legislative session could be best described as controlled chaos. While most legislators use this opportunity to finish the people’s business, others have taken advantage of this confusing time to avoid scrutiny that would have otherwise prevented a bill from being approved. SAN members in California recently experienced such an occurrence and rose to the occasion. Their vigilance and quick response ensured that such actions would not go unnoticed. A lawmaker introduced a bill regarding court procedures i n divorce cases. The bill went through the legislative process, was passed by the California Assembly, and moved on to the Senate floor, where it was days from final approval. In the closing moments of the session, the lawmaker changed the…

I’m still not sure this place really exists. And if it does, I’m not sure I should be telling you about it. Rob Kinnan was in Salem, Oregon, on a rainy weekend to buy a ’70s van (which is a time warp in itself) and somehow found himself in this old speed shop where time seemed to stop somewhere between 1952 and 1962. There were old Isky cams, Hurst shifters, and vintage manifolds on the shelves and a fresh-looking, taped-up Ardun engine in the corner. The place was run by an 80-year-old guy who could barely hear. Rob didn’t get much information, but he took a few hurried snapshots, which he showed to me, suggesting I go and investigate further. There’s nothing I’d love better. But I had my doubts.…

The late Al Eckstrand once told me the after-midnight final of the August 7, 1965, Super Stock Nationals at York, Pennsylvania, was the best race he ever won. The Lawman was driving for the Golden Commandos that year, and with nitro fumes hanging heavily in the air and tens of thousands of cranked fans right on the apron of the airport-turned-dragstrip called York US 30, he wheelstood on a holeshot to shut down perhaps the most popular car in the nation, Dick Landy’s Dodge, running a 9.67 to a quicker 9.58 for the Unlimited Class crown. “I don’t think he ever forgave me for that,” says the lawyer with a grin. Al would never drive in competition again. Longtime collector Mike Guffey deserves the credit for what you see here.…

Ronnie Sox and Joe King are now gone, and Buddy Martin was unable to attend the event. However, what ensued in Salem was the largest amassment of Sox & Martin drag cars ever assembled in one place. Eric Lindberg completed the Todd Werner-owned ’65 Sox & Martin sedan just days before the event. Clark Rand had the ’67 GTX, the World Championship-winning ’68 ’Cuda, and a tribute Dodge transporter to carry them on. Don Snyder, the only collector who was from Ohio in this group, came 30 miles with the ’68 Hemi Road Runner. Todd Werner also had another ’68 ’Cuda, the ’70 GT1 car [the only real Hemi ’Cuda Sox & Martin ever raced), plus the new Herb McCandless S&M Demon. Phil Painter brought in a ’68 match race…

VINTAGE RECLAIMED WOOD Diederick Kraaijeveld www.oudhout.com It looks like a painted canvas, but Diederick Kraaijeveld never applies a stroke of fresh paint—all his works are crafted from salvaged antique wood found all over the world. Old mansions and buildings undergoing renovations are some of his favorite sources, but even local trash bins can be gold mines. The ’34 was commissioned by a hot rod lover in Holland and the GT40 is hanging in a private collection in Texas. Though he usually works from his own inspiration, Diederick does occasionally work on commission as well. Price: Depends upon complexity and availability of materials TRAILBLAZER SS SUPERCHARGER House of Boost 913/788-3900 www.houseofboost.com With 6 to 7 psi of boost flowing through a front-mounted air-to-air intercooler, House of Boost’s supercharger systems for the…

1977 INSPIRATION Our cover story this month is 101 Tech Tips, 16 pages of time-saving, budget-conscious (most of them anyway) tips and tricks to keep hot rod projects going in these tough times. The inspiration for the idea was a series of stories HOT ROD has done since day one, but with mostly all new tips. Illustrating that for the cover was inspired by, among others, this Pat Brollier-shot outtake of the May ’77 cover showing Greg Simons working on Sundancer, his ’70 340 Duster. That looks like a GM alternator, though, doesn’t it? Dubbed a Street Freak for its wild Jeff Scozzaro paint job, sky-high stance, and U.S. Mags with white-letter tires, this was the in look for the time. What you can’t see is the groovy orange shag…

TUBULAR CHALLENGER Bruning Auto Design in Vancouver, Washington, (www.bruningautodesign.com) is currently engrossed in the construction of a radical ’70 Challenger. Well, at least the outer sheetmetal is Challenger. Beneath the vintage skin will be an elaborate tube chassis designed to make the most out of the C5 Corvette front and rear suspension and six-speed transaxle. Power will stay Pentastar throughout with a 6.1 Hemi under the R/T hood force-fed all it can handle by twin turbos. Body mods will be subtle but plentiful, like the front wheelwell that has been moved forward 2 inches and up 1 inch to accommodate the stretched wheelbase and extremely low stance. —CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL PROJECT AMERICAN HEROES II Last year, our sister magazine Super Chevy ran a story on the Project American Heroes ’57 Chevy…

Your humble reporter could be sent straight to hot rodder’s hell just for suggesting this, but maybe the great muscle cars of the ’60s weren’t all that great. Sure, they were pretty stout in a straight line—for their time, anyway. But with their primitive chassis and dinky drum brakes, they weren’t good for much else, like turning or stopping, for instance. And as long as we have set aside the rose-colored glasses, we can admit that their creature comforts were often weak as well: slab-like seats of cheap, slippery vinyl and cheesy instruments and controls. And then there’s the iffy ’60s build quality—far below Detroit’s current-day standards for fit and finish. Muscle cars are indeed special, but after all, they were manufactured 40 years ago. The bar has been raised…

The ’08 All-Hemi Reunion was actually a follow-up to an event held 15 years ago at Carlisle Events in Pennsylvania. Jim Kramer, Dick Towers, and Mike Guffey, together with former Carlisle go-to girl Lisa Leatherly, had put together a solid assembly of ’68 machinery for the 25th anniversary in 1993. At that time, Sox, Landy, Flynn, and others were still with us. In the ensuing decade and a half, a large number of these vehicles were excellently restored to their pre-Pro Stock-era paint schemes. A true highlight was seeing so many of them in one place.…

I’ve always been ashamed to say I’d never been to The Salt. The holy land of hot rodding had been pulling at me even before Baskerville tried, but when Freiburger showed up (and I was off playing with sport trucks and Mustangs), he took the reins and made Bonneville his own. Loyal readers are aware of his and the Turks’ efforts with the (former) HOT ROD magazine Spl., but your humble editor had never put foot to Salt until this year. And what a year to go, seeing as it was coincidentally the 60 th anniversary of hot rodders going stupid-fast on the Bonneville Salt Flats for no prize other than glory and maybe, just maybe, their name on the HOT ROD magazine Top Time trophy. That honor, for the…

While performing EFI dyno testing on our ’67 Ranchero with the Powerjection system from Professional Products (Nov. ’08), we noted that the little $2,000 351W made respectable power with good torque numbers despite being composed mainly of stock Ford parts from various generations. However, it began to run out of steam earlier than we had anticipated. The dyno chart showed that it pulled strong until about 4,400 rpm before peaking at 4,600 and running out of breath. Considering our Crane roller conversion cam featured 0.525/0.542 valve lift with 212/220 duration at 0.050, we were expecting numbers to peak somewhere in the 5,000- to 5,500-rpm range. With an easy 7,000 miles on the long-block, we knew wear wasn’t to blame. Our gut reaction was to lay fault on the tiny valves…

Street rod or street machine, race car or show car, we’re here to help solve your technical problems, answer questions, and give advice. We’ll answer as many of your questions as we have room to print. Digital photos of the car, engine, or part you’re having trouble with are welcome—provided they’re properly exposed, focused, and no smaller than 1,600 by 1,200 pixels in size (but the larger the better). When emailing, don’t forget to include your real first and last name and hometown or military unit, base, or ship in the message. —MARLAN DAVIS SMALL-BLOCK CHEVY CRANK INTERCHANGE I recently purchased a 283 Chevy and have most everything I need except for the crankshaft. Can I use a crankshaft from a larger small-block like a 302, 327, 350, and so…

Last August, Harley-Davidson invited anyone with a Harley to make the trek to Milwaukee for the 105th anniversary of the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. About 100,000 riders did. The celebration, dubbed The Ride Home, started from 105 different locations around the country, with all of them ending in Milwaukee. For four days and nights, the city of Milwaukee rumbled, and Harleys were stacked up on every corner and sometimes covered entire streets. Riders were allowed to park for free on underpasses, in yards, and on the property of a few downtown corporate citizens. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance in downtown Milwaukee even placed signs on the sidewalks in front of its office to let riders know they were welcome to park on the property without pai|ing, but all the parking lots were…

It’s in the quietest moments that I feel closest to the readers of HOT ROD. The sun having set hours before, the cleaning crew having come and gone, and with no sound except our 20-story building creaking on its earthquake-proof foundation, it’s quiet contemplation time—the best opportunity to pour over all those emails that the insanity of the day has kept unread. Story ideas flow freely into an open mind. Insults and praise are given equal consideration. And occasionally, if I’m lucky, someone makes me laugh as hard as I did while watching Tommy Boy, Diet Coke spurting out of my nose and onto the keyboard. Keep ’em coming, cause I’m not the only one listening. —ROB KINNAN BLEEDING AND SCREAMING I’ve been a loyal reader for more than 10…

In the Nov. ’08 issue’s Bench Racing section, we ran a photo of an uncommon engine and promised a free HOT ROD hat to the first person who could correctly identify it. About three days after the issue hit the stands, our email box exploded with more than 500 guesses, and the first one to get it right was Jon Stupar of Bath, Ohio, who ID’d it as an Australian Chrysler 265ci Hemi straight-six. Congrats, Jon—your hat is on the way. There were a bunch of readers who knew what it was, and some even gave us a history of the engine. We’ve included the better explanations, plus a handful of the erroneous (and hilariously confident, yet wrong) answers. —ROB KINNAN VERY INTERESTING STORY The engine is a Chrysler 265ci…

ORBITRON, PART III Less than a year ago, in the Mar. ’08 issue, we told you the amazing saga of how Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s elusive Orbitron was discovered sitting on a sidewalk in front of a sex shop in Juarez, Mexico, by Michael “The West Texas Scout” Lightbourn after having been lost for four decades. Then, in Part II (HRM Aug. ’08), we showed how the surprisingly well-kept remains were quickly being disassembled for a full and exact restoration by new owner Beau Boeckmann at his Galpin Auto Sports shop at the renowned Galpin Ford dealership in Van Nuys, California. If you missed these stories, go to HOTROD.com and check them out. We were frankly quite surprised when we were invited to the unveiling of the finished piece last…

In the end, like everything else, it was all about the money—the investments that it took to go racing, win, and sell new cars to enthusiastic buyers on Monday. Those hard-core factory racing efforts of the early ’60s would give birth to more efficient technologies, better durability, and over-the-top performance. Chrysler’s ace in the hole was an engineering department that was not afraid to push the envelope. The engineering guys did it in 1963 by adopting a new hemispherical racing head design to the existing 426ci wedge. They did it in 1964 by rearranging the wheels beneath the company’s drag cars for better weight transfer, following that effort with even more radical machinery in 1965, whose appearance birthed the moniker Funny Car. For 1966, they detuned that race engine and…

For Herb McCandless, the event had very special meaning. Collector Todd Werner had located and authorized the restoration of the Sox & Martin Demon that Herb had dominated the summer of 1972 with. This car was noteworthy as the first to receive a 14x32 tire, something even Todd did not know until Herb recounted it at the car’s emotional unveiling on Friday. It was also the only Dodge ever run to any effect by Sox & Martin, who typically campaigned Plymouths. “We had been traveling and ended up having lunch at the Firestone Country Club one Wednesday,” recalled the likeable North Carolinian. “(The late) Bill Alexander said he had something for me and gave me the very first set of those tires. We then raced on them all week—Wednesday, Thursday,…

101 TECH TIPS PG.68 It’s back! Sixteen pages of handy tips, tricks, and tools. to make building your hot rod just a little bit easier. Gotsome of your own? Send ’em to us and we’ll make you a hero. 351W BOLT-ONS PG.92 There’s a lot of power to be found in most mild UL. street machines, and without spending huge money on superchargers and such. See how we added 50 hp to a budget 351W Ford. RUST REMOVAL PG.98 There are various ways to turn a rust bucket into a. canvas ready for an artist’s touch. We take a true pile of a Cougar and test out the different ways to derust its hideous sheetmetal. TESTANDTUNE PG.110 Check out the awesome wood sculptures and radical bike hauler. PITSTOP PG.116 Everything…

Typically when we go out hunting for a project car, we look for ones with a minimal amount of corrosion—but not this time. We actually sought out the rustiest, crustiest, most-weathered muscle car we could find that hadn’t yet developed large holes or structural issues. Why on earth? Because rust is a reality for most decades-old project cars, especially budget-friendly ones. And for rodders up north and Back East, we’d like to prove that it’s not necessarily something to fear. It also doesn’t have to mean hours of sanding till your fingers bleed or using noxious and harsh chemicals to convert or strip the rust away. There are plenty of options and in some cases it’s cheaper and easier to get back to shiny steel than you may realize. Tucked…