Indholdsfortegnelse for June 1964 i MotorTrend

CORVAIR IS DUE FOR ITS FIRST ALL-NEW BODY IN 1965. They’ve gone five years with this basic body, without extensive sheet metal changes. At first, Corvair’s lack of planned obsolescence was a hot sales feature. But ’64 sales are off, and Chevy officials feel it’s time for a brand-new body. The ’65 Corvair will be about the same size, but it’s said to have more rounded lines and less sculpturing. Engine and chassis will stay about as they are. ALSO LOOK FOR MORE DRASTIC ANNUAL STYLING changes from American Motors. They’ve been playing it cool in the past, with body shell changes every five years or so, major sheet metal changes every 2-3 years, and only trim changes for some model years. From now on you can look for fairly…

Special equipment recommendations for trailertowing with the Jeep Wagoneer and Jeep Gladiator trucks have been published in a new pamphlet by Kaiser Jeep Corporation. Trailer weights up to 3500 pounds can be handled by these two cars with the recommended equipment. For occasional towing, trailer weights up to 5000 pounds are permissible. The bulletin includes axle ratios and accessory equipment suggestions. After long delay, Chevrolet announced towing equipment for their Corvair, Chevelle, Chevy II, and big Chevrolet lines. Specific recommendations cover optional engines, special axles, accessory equipment, plus general advice. Booklets are available through local Chevy dealers. Dodge and Dart towing recommendations in a special bulletin now list heavy-duty packages of special equipment. One unusual factor is that the trailer-towing package is not available on Darts with V-8s. This oversight…

SUNBEAM ALPINE has not only added an automatic transmission in their 1964½ four-cylinder cars, but they’ve made the Fairlane V-8 optional as well. The V-8equipped model’s called the Tiger (as opposed to a Series IV designation on the Fours). The 260-inch V-8 puts out 164 hp, giving a top speed of 150 mph. Zero-to-100-to-standstill is reportedly less than 20 seconds. Tiger prices start at $3500 in this country. The BorgWarner automatic in the Four adds $199 to the basic p.o.e. price of $2595. Both the Series IV and the Tiger are slightly restyled. VOLVO has a new automatic transmission, too. It’ll be available only in the 122-S four-door sedan. Again, it’s the Borg-Warner three-speed. A Volvo fourdoor with automatic will sell for $2855 at its East Coast p.o.e. MERCEDES-BENZ and…

LEGENDARY GIANTS of sports car history were still unknown when Edgar and Elmer Apperson began grooming a potent performer to dazzle the horse-and-buggy age. In 1904, seven years before Stutz Bearcats or Mercer Race-abouts were heard of, the Appersons were building a sport roadster that soon carved out a fabulous reputation in road races, track events, and hillclimbs—the fleet Apperson Jack Rabbit. Even today, its name symbolizes that colorful era when great American sports cars were built and raced, because the old Jack Rabbit was the very first of those rugged power-sliders to make motor-sport history. After winning their first race in 1904, the Appersons built an entry for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race and linked their advertising closely to their racing activities. These sports-minded brothers put out a 1907…

IMPROVEMENTS in tires may make it possible to run the entire ’64 Indy race without changing rubber. Goodyear claims a potential of 735 miles at competitive speeds. But fuel stops would negate some of the advantages of an all-the-way tire, even though all the cars are now designed for only one pit stop. Thus, Mobilgas engineers have been working hard on a fuel that improves gas mileage. They started their research in May, 1963, and as this is written, Ray McMahan, a Mobil staff engineer, reports perfecting a blended fuel that can raise miles per gallon by 20-30 per cent—within certain limits. So an Offy that previously got four mpg could now reach five mpg easily, and since the average roadster carries 50-60 gallons of fuel, this would mean only…

LATE LAST YEAR, a team of six 1964 Comet hardtops racked up an impressive durability record by covering 100,000 miles at over 105 mph on Daytona’s high-banked, tri-oval track. Easter saw another team of six Comets challenge the world’s best drivers in the world’s toughest rally, the East African Safari. In all, 100 cars started the rugged, 3100-mile grind. It covered a giant figure 8 through Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika, with Nairobi the start and finish at the crossroads. Twenty-one cars finished the rally—two of them 1964 Comets. Just finishing is considered a big achievement, because the course combines the hazards of jungle, bush country, and mountain roads—all through the wildest sort of wilderness. Then, too, the natives can usually be counted on for a warm and jubilant welcome of…

LET’S TAKE A RIDE down Memory = Lane. The true classic era encompassed the years 1928 through ’37. By the early ’40s, the behemoths of the classic years were plentiful, unwanted, and a dime a dozen. Blue Books valued many models in the $10-15 price range. The country was emerging from a depression, frugality was the keynote, and it simply wasn’t stylish to be seen in a 16cylinder juggernaut. Consequently, if anyone was interested, he could have his pick of the field from anywhere from $10 to $125, depending on model and condition. Those were the good old days. Good Model Ts were bought and sold for a $5 bill. They were often given away, and this was especially true if any minor repairs were necessary. After all, a new…

DISAPPOINTING CLICK Sometimes when i turn the starter on my ’60 Chevy “348,” I get only a very disappointing click. This may happen two or three times in a row, after which the starter takes hold and the engine fires up. What’s causing this and what can I do about it? GERALD EVANS Mexico, D.F. First check your starter-motor mounting bolts to make sure they’re tight. Then check all electrical connections in the starting circuit to see that they’re tight, too. One simple thing you may have overlooked: Your battery terminals could be dirty or corroded. RENIGGING IGNITION I bought my ’61 Falcon 144-inch Six second-hand, and when I got it, it’d just had new points, plugs, and condenser installed. About 700 miles later, the car started missing. After I…

PART I SPARK PLUGS are such an important part of today’s high-performance engines that anyone interested in cars should have a good understanding of what they do and how they work. This series on spark plugs will be presented in three parts, and this month we’ll talk about their history and basic theory. Spark plugs got their start about 30 years before automobiles came along. In 1860, a man named Lenoir developed an engine designed to run on natural gas. He used a candle pushed through an access port to ignite the gas. Because this technique singed his eyebrows and mustache, Lenoir designed an electric ignitor with two electrodes—these were insulated from each other and were separated by an air gap. Sound familiar? Early plugs are now generally called detachable…

THIS ROAD TEST is in answer to several letters we’ve received lately taking us to task for testing some of the cars we do. These readers feel that the average MT reader and car buyer isn’t interested in top-of-the-line models or those close to them. Neither are they interested in power accessories or performance engines. What they’re interested in, they say, are good, low-cost economy cars that offer only basic transportation. In other words, these readers feel we should limit our tests to only the basic models offered by each manufacturer. This reasoning sounds valid enough on the surface, but in going a little deeper, we see some very good reasons for not limiting our tests. First and most important are the results of several reader surveys that told us…

GENERAL MOTORS’ overseas Opel Division is making a strong bid for a bigger share of Europe’s luxury-sedan market with three newly introduced models: the Kapitan, Admiral, and top-line Diplomat. All three share the same 112-inch wheelbase and 194.8-inch, integral, steel, four-door body. Suspension, braking systems, and running gear are also identical, except for the differences we’ll mention. Opel’s Kadett, recently offered by Buick dealers in this country and road tested in our April issue, is giving Volkswagen a good run for their money in the economy class. With the announcement of the three bigger models, Opel and GM are taking aim at Mercedes. Time will tell if they make good their bid, and since prices aren’t available at this writing, we can only say that Opel has lots of ammunition…

IT NOW APPEARS that there may come a time when automotive historians will look back and list prominently (among the great battles of the Western Hemisphere) the War of Detroit, 1964. At this writing, the prime combatants are Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation, although looming ominously in the background is a third power, General Motors, who’ve answered the call to arms in years gone by and who seem inevitably destined to be caught up in open conflict again. We speak, of course, of the struggle for American stock car racing supremacy. Thus far, with only Ford and Chrysler involved, it packs every aspect of raw warfare: espionage, intelligence, tight supply lines, and good, old-fashioned, toe-to-toe combat. Ironically enough, almost no one expected this sort of uproar. Judging by the…

REQUIREMENTS: Copy limit of 25 words (not including name and address); first come, first served. We reserve the right to edit where necessary. We’re not responsible for accuracy of descriptions, but we’ll reject any misleading statements. Only one car may be listed in any Sell ‘n’ Swap ad; this limitation doesn’t apply to parts, catalogues, etc. The charge is $5 per insertion; no ad will be accepted unless payment is made in advance. Sell ‘n’ Swap is NOT open to commercial advertisers. If your car is unusual and you have a photo of it suitable for publication, you may submit it with your ad. If we print it, there’s no extra charge—but we decide which photos to use. Sorry, no photos can be returned. SELL ’50 CADILLAC Fleetwood. Dark metallic…