MotorTrend April 1950

GRAND CANYON—Competing in the world’s greatest stock car test, 31 American automobiles, driven by non-professionals, set a high average miles per gallon of 22.074 and scored individual performance and economy records. Maximum legal speeds were observed in the 751-mile 18½-hour grind. Sweepstakes winner was Mercury, with a ton miles per gallon of 61.27, a miles per gallon figure of 26.524. The 10 class winners were: Class A, Willys Jeepster, 26.099 miles per gallon; Class B, Ford Deluxe, 23.326 miles per gallon; Class C, Kaiser Special, 23.946 miles per gallon; Class D, Mercury, 26.524 miles per gallon; Class E, Studebaker Land Cruiser, 24.887 miles per gallon; Class F, Frazer Manhattan, 23.907 miles per gallon; Class G, Cadillac 61, 22.972 miles per gallon; Class H, Cadillac 62, 22.525 miles per gallon; Class…

CUSTOM INTERIOR KIT Here is the most beautiful matched set obtainable. Each unit is of glistening jeweler’s chrome and carries our unconditional guarantee. Designed for use with custom interiors, padded door panels and reupholstered seats. Dash knobs are identical in shape to the door handle knobs. The solid chrome will set off and match any color interior. Set consists of five knobs plus handles and cranks for a coupe. Chrome escutcheon plates and pins included. Fits Ford and Mercury 1935 to 1950. Complete set, $5.55. WHEEL SPACERS ANTI-SWAY BAR CHROME KNOBS CUSTOM CATALOG 25% Deposit Required with All OrdersMinimum order, $1.50 CHROME SHIELDS CHROME DASH PANELS Throw away that old, worn-out plastic and replace with these beautiful chrome-plated, metal panels. Your restyling dollar really pays off with these gems. EASTERN…

ALL ITALMECCANICA superchargers are low-pressure, Rootes-type blowers, V-belt driven at engine speed from the front crankshaft pulley. Generally speaking, the boost from these superchargers varies between 6 and 12 lbs. according to their capacity (displacement volume) and the type of engine (cubic capacity, whether L-head or overhead valve, and stock compression ratio.) ALL ITALMECCANICA superchargers are self-lubricated and require no special feed lines from the engine oil pump. The two rear bearings of the supercharger are lubricated from grease nipples using hub grease, while the two front bearings derive lubrication from a small, leak-proof oil-bath containing SAE 90 oil. Inspection once every 1,000 miles is all that is required. Self-lubricating provisions on ITALMECCANICA superchargers greatly simplify installation and save time and expense while affording complete dependability. Engine modifications (raising the…

OF LATE, we have received numerous letters and listened to many discussions on the pros and cons of road racing. How and where they should be conducted, and how they should be promoted. It is not for us to decide—one way or the other—but we, like everyone, have our opinions. First of all, it is our belief that it is an absolute necessity to have a unity of effort… a cooperation among all groups and members of the racing sport. How to obtain such co-operation? Why not have everyone put aside their petty jealousies and meet in an effort to consolidate into one national organization? The AAA has proved the necessity of this for the survival of track racing and it can be no less true for road racing. Where…

IN BUYING a car, Mr. Motorist can be shown many things—styling, comfort, riding qualities, acceleration—but the most difficult thing to graphically portray is fuel economy. And yet this feature is one that determines, to a large extent, the advisability of buying a particular model car. Automobile engines have been constantly improving since the first internal combustion engine was invented. To gauge their improvement in terms of fuel economy, and to test the efficiency of present-day gasolines, the General Petroleum Corporation designated the AAA to represent Mr. Motorist in a comprehensive test of engines and fuels, known as the Mobilgas Grand Canyon Economy Run. The route for this field test encompassed road and temperature conditions in a two-day period that the average motorist would only see in a year of driving.…

THE TWO foremost questions in most sports car enthusiasts’ minds are: why doesn’t the United States have a production-line built sports car—and is there a possibility of such a car in the near future? Since each individual owner and each sports car group seem to have a different definition as to what constitutes a sports car, for this discussion we will arbitrarily define a sports car as one that gives a sporting performance in a stock condition. The word sporting will be considered to include better than average pick-up through gears, higher than average top speed for cubic-inch displacement involved and better than average roadability under varying road conditions. (Note: for a complete definition of a sports car, see “A Sports Car—Defined,” February 1950 Motor Trend.—Editor.). An immediate answer can…