Innehållsförteckning för December 2015 från Hot Rod

It’s difficult to imagine a hot rod world without Chevy’s smalland big-block engines. But there was a time neither played a part. Fords dominated hot rodding in the 1950s, and the fathead was the V8 of choice for everyone looking for cheap speed. How did Chevy reverse all of that? It began with a three-page letter dated December 16, 1953, and sent to Maurice Olley, Chevrolet Motor Division’s director of research and development. Te letter was written by a recently hired assistant staff engineer—a Belgian-born and German-educated man named Zora Arkus-Duntov. At 43, Duntov was new to Chevy, but not to hot rodding. In his 1953 memo “Toughts Pertaining to Youth, Hot Rodders, and Chevrolet,” the “Duntov Letter,” as it’s better known, leveraged the power of hot rodding (he used…

The Dodge Viper was once an unruly beast, tamed only by the most dedicated of drivers. There were complaints: “It’s too hard to drive!” cried the masses, and the engineers went in and widened the front and rear track-width and tires, wrapped the interiors in leather and faux-suede, and offered the tamed snake in all the colors of the rainbow. “It’s lost its edge!” the people said. Frustrated, the SRT engineers went into the parts room and pulled out the wings deemed too high, the splitters too low, the diffusers too complex. “We shall put it all on, and then they can tune it themselves,” SRT said, and thus was born the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR (American Club Racer). At least, that’s how we imagine it happened. Whatever the backstory,…

The Speed Demon streamliner holds the title of the world’s fastest piston-powered, wheel-driven car, taking the HOT ROD trophy for the fastest flying mile for five consecutive years at Bonneville’s Speed Week with current records in the SCTA’s Blown Fuel Streamliner class as fast as 437 mph. Even more impressive is that it accomplished that speed with a single, twin-turbocharged small-block V8 displacing 368 ci. After a crash in September 2014, the team decided it was time for a new chassis and a whole new build that would benefit from their years of experience and 30 passes at more than 400 mph. Speed Demon Racing Team members Steve Watt, Aron Cranford, Danny Drinan, Dave Main, James Diviak, Scott Lacy, Tommy Horn, Joe Galati, and driver George Poteet allowed us to…

When Chevrolet’s all-new, 427ci Mk II engine showed up out of nowhere at Daytona in 1963, the press called it the “Mystery Motor,” and with no other designation disclosed, the name stuck. The publicity and information blackout around these first Rat motors was Chevrolet General Manager Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen’s response to a GM corporate mandate to cease all racing. As a result, there were no press releases, spec sheets, or any other published information about the new race engine. Mechanics had to rope off their garages at Daytona to hold back crowds of the curious who were hoping for a look, and anyone from Chevrolet who was recognized by journalists had to tactfully avoid their questions. After the realization that these questions weren’t going to just go away, it was…

Like all really good ideas, this one started while we were drinking beer on a summer day. My friend, Laura, was complaining that she wanted to learn more about auto mechanics, but didn’t know where to start. “If you really want to learn how cars work,” my boyfriend, Tom, said, “you should build a minibike. It’s only got one cylinder, so you have to get it running right.” He was pretty surprised when I came home with a 4.5hp, Clinton-powered 1968 Torpedo and Laura asked him, “When do we start?” Do you remember your first introduction to mechanical activity? Probably not—most gearheads start young—but as Laura showed us during the course of our Saturday, it’s never too late to learn “righty tighty, lefty loosey.” We laid out the…

It’s been said that wheels and tires are the ultimate statement of self-expression, but they’re also an extension of your style— and sometimes your pocketbook. It’s not to say that the most expensive wheels are best, because we all know money can’t buy class. But if there’s one thing to remember, then remember this: Your wheels will say more about you than your ex, so choose wisely. There’s a certain camaraderie when it comes to wheels. If you see someone with the same manufacturer or same caliber of wheel, it creates an instant bond. But get caught riding dirty on a brand of wheels they don’t approve of, and you’ll soon become the butt of every joke. So if you’re in the scene to be seen, you already know what…

In the early 1960s, Pontiac was smoking the competition in drag racing with its Super Duty 421 Pontiacs. For 1963, it built 12 lightweight Super Duty Tempests, six station wagons, and six LeMans coupes to assault the strips—which they all did, with the exception of one coupe. It was plucked for the first ever NASCAR Challenge Cup in February 1963, scheduled two weeks before the Daytona 500. This was to be a 250-mile race at the Daytona oval for GT race cars with engines smaller than 427.2 ci displacement. The purse was $20,000 for the winner. HOT ROD’s feature story on the Mickey Thompson Z06 Corvette running the firstever Mark II big-block Mystery Motor was built for this race, which you can read about starting on page 54. Pontiac contracted…

It’s rare for a magazine to be the impetus for someone to take a priceless racing engine and slide it into a million-dollar car, and honestly, when this idea came about in 2014 we were a little reluctant to even ask. It’s rarer still for a project of this magnitude to come together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a production engine as storied as the big-block Chevy. But perhaps the greatest part of this tale is that every Chevy guy swears he knows how the big-block Mystery Motor first raced in an Impala at the Daytona 500 on February 24, 1963—and it turns out that’s totally wrong. As you read on the proceeding pages, the true story is the Mystery Motor actually made its racing debut a week earlier—in…

Refurbish the Carb Lokar, Inc. // 877.469.7440 // Lokar.com Renovate your carburetor with one easy replacement kit. Lokar’s throttle-cable mounting bracket and spring-return kit is now available for 4150 Series carburetors. The kit is composed of provisions for the throttle cable and transmission kickdown cable, stainless steel return springs with dual wound ends, and adjustable spring tension. Suitable for most drop-base air cleaners and produced to work well with single- or dual-plane intake manifolds. Installation requires four mounting bolts or studs not included in the kit. Made available in a black or brushed finish. Price: Starting at $163.99 Stiffen Your Pony’s Unibody Hotchkis Performance 877.466.7655 // Hotchkis.net Hotchkis Sport Suspension has created new subframe connectors that will eliminate the undesired flexibility caused by the degradation of the original dainty chassis.…

savinowheels.com In the past decade, we’ve seen it all. Spinners, clear wheels, custom finishes, floating wheels, and the list goes on. Yet as wheel companies battle to build the hype, we wait each year to feature the wild and the zany, and this year it’s looking like Savini Wheels may have just lit up the competition. The introduction of the company’s new finish is sure to have you gleaming with envy. And while it’s not for everyone, it will certainly be big news for those looking to stand out and make a statement. Savini Wheels’ latest finish appears docile and standard during the day, but at night is when it comes to life. In association with Lumilor Lab, Savini Wheels teamed up to introduce an exclusive paint that illuminates when…

In the past few years, gas prices may have spiked, but the one thing that’s trailed right be-hind it is the return of lifted trucks. It’s kind of ironic when you consider that these fuel-guzzling trucks work against your pocketbook, but then again, it’s just a cost to be the boss. Since the popularity of lifted trucks has returned, it comes as no surprise that other wheel companies are now scrambling to introduce their own lineup of off-road wheels—but it seems as if RBP has the game on lock. Because of its keen foresight and belief in the market, RBP started this line years back and has since become the goto brand when it comes to stylish off-road wheels. With a reputation for style and performance, RBP has created a…

Tnce you read the title and see the rides that grace this page, there’s really not much more to say. From the menacing looks of these vehicles, you can only tell that American Vintage Steel is this wheel maker’s passion, which is why it should come as no surprise that the company behind it all is called Mob Steel. The one-time hobby turned automotive lifestyle— and now business—was all executed by Adam Genoi; and now he and his team of artisans have become front-runners when it comes to designing and crafting the worlds’ most menacing and tricked-out vehicles. We met this team of artisans years ago and since then, they’ve continually pumped out some of the most awe-inspiring project builds we’ve seen in that time. It comes as no surprise…

As car guys, we drool when we encounter alluring paint schemes, fancy interiors, and bitchin wheels, but it’s always what’s hiding under the hood that evokes our deepest emotions. As hot rodders, we’re impressed by all engines and particularly fascinated by V8s in innovative builds. But what about a big-block-propelled aircraft? Well, that takes engine swaps to a whole new level—literally. For more than a century, aerospace engineers have been designing and fabricating machines revolutionizing the way hot rodders utilize parts and equipment. Since the first successful aircraft in 1903 (by two brothers working in a bicycle shop), to the first flight of a turbine engine in 1939, aviation engineering has sought highpowered yet reliable engines— goals that coincide with what gearheads attempt to accomplish with hot rod projects every…

The racing bloodlines running through the Champion Speed Shop are long and complex, going back through 60 years of tradition, innovation, and racing dominance—Northern California style. HOT ROD is honored to be able to present it as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the small-block Chevy engine, which is integral to this story, leading up to the 60th anniversary of Champion Speed Shop in 2017. The Champion Speed Shop Special dragster is powered by the quickest Chevy small-block ever conceived, with a best e.t. of 5.67 seconds in the quarter-mile, and it has stayed competitive in the nostalgia ranks of Top Fuel off and on for years, including winning the championship in 2012. CHAMPION SPEED SHOP AND THE NORCAL RACING SCENE Jim McLennan in many ways is Northern California…

Zora Arkus-Duntov’s high-performance engineering group was responsible for Corvette engineering and Chevrolet’s highperformance V8 development when the 348ci W-engine debuted for the 1958 model year. The solid-lifter version with triple two-barrel Rochesters was rated at 315 hp (and was Chevrolet’s most powerful engine) while the Corvette’s fuel-injected, 283ci small-block was only rated at 290 hp. Duntov resisted putting the 348 into the Corvette, arguing its additional 100 pounds would compromise handling. By the time the Sting Ray came out for 1963, the W-engine had 409 ci and produced 425 hp with solid lifters and dual four-barrel Carters, but again, it wasn’t on the new Vette’s option list. Duntov didn’t feel the “fat block” 409 could pull its own weight. But there was a 427ci V8 on the horizon he would…

Is an intake manifold an important part of a performance LS build? The answer is, obviously, yes. One need only realize that the peak power difference between the least and most powerful intakes in this shootout was more than 60 hp. Imagine that, an intake swap that yielded 60 extra horsepower, but that isn’t the whole story. While peak power gains offer enticing Internet banter, changes in the entire power curve are the real story. That is why we are also including average power production from 3,000 to 7,000 rpm, torque production at 4,000 rpm, cost, throttle opening, runner length, composition, and even what we liked and might change on each design. In short, this was the most extensive LS intake manifold test ever devised. Though we know you have…

For typical street/strip cars, every 20 pounds of weight reduction is like adding 10 hp, so on bone-stockers, lightening the car (at least initially) is a cheap way to make it quicker. Here’s a baker’s dozen of weight-saving tips, from relatively simple and cheap to more complex and costly: 1. Remove the spare tire and jack. 2. Remove the rear seat. 3. Remove the entire air-conditioning system (not just the compressor). 4. Remove the radio and speakers. 5. Remove the windshield wipers and wiper motor. 6. Relocate the battery to the trunk just above the right rear tire. This doesn’t actually cut total weight, but will Improve e.t.’s by aiding weight distribution and traction. (The right rear tire tends to unload before the left tire.) 7. Gut the interior: Remove…

I was recently asked to name the first car I drove. Freaky, but I can’t remember. I suspect that’s pretty odd for a car guy, especially one who waited by the minute to get his driver’s license at 16. I don’t recall my dad ever putting me on his lap and letting me steer, as I’ve done with my son since he was four. When I was 13 or 14, I had a few friends of driving age and, of course, mooched them for turns at the wheel. We drove around the dirt roads and empty lots in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park—ones that are now either gated or occupied with buildings. I think my first chance was in a 1979 Mustang coupe, one of comparatively few powered by an inline-six…

Lexani has long been known for introducing radical new wheels, and this time around the company just released a new wheel called the Invictus-Z. This new wheel employs an array of trendsetting stand-alone characteristics that take personalized customization, extreme big brake clearance, and deep lip allure on a jaw-dropping journey. It’s skillfully designed and engineered to achieve massive brake caliper and rotor clearance yet still perfectly fit today’s extraordinarily high offset sport and luxury vehicles as only Lexani can do. Formulated from lightweight aluminum alloy, these length, tipped, concave, spoked stunners act as eye magnets perched in front of cavernous 5-inch-deep outer rim lips. Traditionally, Lexani innovation has always been on the forefront when it comes to custom wheel design and styling. Leading the way once again, Lexani launches its…

To better understand the essential components of a tire we’ve put together this diagram to give you a brief study of the structure, location, and purpose of each specific component on a tire. 1 SHOULDER The shoulder on each side of the tread is designed to protect the belt and carcass of the tire and to dissipate heat generated during running to the atmosphere. There are two basic kinds of shoulder shapes: rounded and square. 2 SIDEWALL The sidewall on each side of the tire is the section that deflects most during use. The rubber coating serves to protect the carcass and is the area where all of the notations of tire size, brand name, manufacturer, and so on, are located. 3 BEAD The bead area supports the extremities of…