Innehållsförteckning för April 1949 från Hot Rod

Roadster pilots from around the country gathered at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, (about twenty miles north of Miami) on February 27 to compete in the 100-mile NASCAR - sanctioned Grand Prix. The entry list included drivers and cars from Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, California, Georgia, Florida and other states. QUALIFYING Entries qualified over the two-mile course in record times. Jim Rathman, West Coast racing favorite from Alhambra, California, qualified with the fastest lap at: 57.11, averaging over 120 mph for the circuit. Rathman piloted one of the Granatelli entries, the mount formerly driven by Yam Oka of the CHR and CRA. Second fastest time (:57.76) was set by Willie Stern-quist of Evanston, Illinois. THE WINNER Winner of the long grind was Bob Flock of Atlanta, Georgia. Flock…

Fran Hernandez is the type of fellow who practices what he preaches, or in other words, uses what he makes for others. Not only does Fran help design and build speed equipment for hot rods, but he uses this equipment on his own black ’32 V-8 coupe, a combination street and lakes hot rod. Hernandez was born in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, on Feb. 8, 1922. When Fran was only a few days old, his parents moved to Los Angeles, where he has lived ever since. He attended John Adams Jr. High School and then went to Polytechnic High, where he took an industrial course in machine shop training. Fran first started attending lakes meets back in ’39 when they were running at Muroc, Harper’s and Rosamond. VETERAN BUILDER…

Oregon (Roadster Racing Association of Oregon) BY RICHARD K. MARTIN The R.R.A.O. started off its 1949 year with a presentation dinner on February 16. Trophies were presented and the new officers were introduced. New officers are: President: Norm Snodgrass. Vice President: Rolla Vollstedt. Secretary-Treasurer: Jack Gillis. Timing Division President: Al Reamer. Secretary: Bob Winters. Trophies were presented to Len Sutton, 1948 high-point driver, and to Rolla Vollstedt, owner of the championship car (No. 27), which Sutton drove. Better late than never, trophies were presented to the 1946 and 1947 championship car owners, “Pops” Koch and Dick Martin. After the dinner, several hours of movies of roadster, big car and Indianapolis racing were shown by Howard Budlong and Bob Miller. Points for the 1948 season were given out and the 1949…

ONE ’36 FORD Columbia 2-speed rear axle complete with torque tube, radius rods, spring, and Monroe shocks and brackets. Axle just overhauled, is in excellent condition. Will trade for one Kurten model II flat type dual coil ignition and one aluminum flywheel with starter gear to fit the big V8, or one magneto and drive, any type—must be in running condition, to fit Ford big V8. LeRoy Daester, 6330 S. Marshfield, Chicago 36, Illinois. SAFEGUARD YOUR ROADSTER against theft with new interlocking device. A new and original idea. No special parts needed. For complete information, send $1.00. Roy Johnson, 457 Oliner St., San Pedro, California. FOR SALE—Model J Duesenberg, Beverly Murphy, price, $1750.00. Box 76, So. Lancaster, Mass. WANTED—CUSTOM AUTOMOBILE. Send picture, if available. Bob Rubenstein, 608 W. 63rd, Kansas…

Car Builder George D. Keller, working with a staff of aero-auto engineers, has brought forth what he describes as a “low cost car with a big car feel.” The low cost, under one thousand dollars, combines favorably with the slightly under standard auto size. First production efforts are directed to the 49 H.P., 2100 pound Super Chief Station Wagon. The metal and wooden job is slanted towards the needs and wants of the hunter, rancher or business man. Rear and front engine convertible coupes are also on the way. Coupes will come in two models, the 25 H.P. Chief and the 49 H.P. Super Chief. All models have the same dimensions: overall length—171”, overall width—65”, inside width—55”, overall height —57”, and a wheelbase of 92”. Most radical feature of the…

The major problems presented with an increase in the compression ratio of any engine are those of cooling and good engine breathing. An increase in compression pressure, although raising the temperature of the combustion gases, will not necessarily raise the power output of the engine if the temperature of the incoming charge is allowed to rise out of proportion to that of the exhaust gases; nor will an increase in compression pressure effect greater power output if the incoming charge is either diluted with the exhaust gases or is allowed to heat up. An “L” head design is limited in the number of possible combustion chamber configurations and thereby prevents the compression ratio from being extremely high; for, when the combustion chamber volume is reduced to obtain the extremely high…