Innehållsförteckning för September 1966 från Hot Rod

With a load of family, Jack Cayer glides by in his ski/drag rig. Change required from “quarter-miling” to ski-pullin’ is slight. Bedecked in glitter equipment, 409 Chevy is the ski boat property of Craig Pease. Note the “wet” exhaust manifolding, water transfer tubing and pump equipment. Boat’s electrical system is charged by the alternator you see hung on the front of the engine. At right, Joe Graffio gives you a look at the proper “at speed” hull attitude. Typical of a correctly-set drag boat hull, cavitation plate assists in “glueing in” of the rig’s rear section. Robert Fulton gets the kudos for having been the father of power boating. Steam engines of his time having been huge unwieldy things, he had to begin with a pretty fair size ship to…

Van Nuys, California…

The “trick stuff.” That’s what you’ve got to have to run good with a fueler these days — everybody knows that. And you can’t reasonably expect a powerplant to enjoy a long life or cut those banzai 7.50-200 mph shots without a good five grand in the engine. There’s no other way. But suppose, like most of us, you’re bucks down, without bread, minus the coin of the realm — or just plain poor. Then, old buddy, you might as well resign your activities in Top Fuel to reports in HRM because the only other course leads to frustration. Or does it? Could you put together a relatively inexpensive 392 Chrysler, go racing with the big boys and pull some of the Horatio Alger action? We didn’t think so before…

For many years the very pinnacle of racing engine technology has been in the grand prix road racing motorcycles. In the past few years the Japanese factories have taken most of the trophies as well as the technical lead from the traditional European supremacy. An examination of these fabulous Oriental speedsters is an interesting study for the serious student of mechanical engineering. And not only has Japan taken the lead on the world’s great racing courses, as evidenced by their new 450cc double overhead camshaft Honda, they take a back seat to no one in the standard roadster field. Today the Honda factory must certainly be considered as the world leader for gasoline-burning, unsupercharged, four-stroke engines, and they are living proof that racing can and does improve the breed. The…

Where were you last Memorial Day? Out for a drive, maybe? So was Graham Hill. He won the Indianapolis 500 at 144.317 mph! His tires? Firestones. It figures. Just look at the record: this year’s win was Firestone’s 43rd victory in a row at the 500. Only four cars ran the full 500 miles—the first three on Firestones went all the way without a tire change. A great day for Graham Hill … and for Firestone. But the real winner was you. And the millions of other people who drive on Firestone tires. Take our golden ring Firestone “500” tire. It’s a passenger car tire. But many of its features—nylon cord, Sup-R-Tuf rubber, wrap-around tread and body construction—come directly from our racing research. Next time you need tires, get the…

IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE-CAN IT? Gentlemen: Less than a year ago, if someone had asked me what a “nerf bar” was, I would have guessed that it was a tavern which catered to members of the “swish set.” Since then I have been introduced to the intriguing world of high engine performance. In the process I have met a wide variety of new friends and learned a whole new set of engineering words. More than that. I have observed that hot rodding with its many facets is an all-consuming sport and an instructive hobby. It is a safety valve for the explosive energies of young people. It doesn’t require much intelligence to conclude that a kid can’t get into trouble working on an engine. Almost anyone will agree that a…

Fifty years ago, a Colorado Springs philanthropist, Spencer Penrose, donated a trophy to be engraved with the name of the fastest driver in a special commemorative race over the brandnew road to the summit of Pikes Peak. It is doubtful if Penrose or any of the other early day organizers of the race knew that they were initiating what has since become one of the best-known racing events in the world. The 1916 winner was a fellow named Lentz and he drove a Romano Special from Crystal Springs at the 9,402-foot elevation to the 14,110-foot summit in 20 minutes, 55.6 seconds. On the golden anniversary of Lentz’s win, and some 40 races later (no races during World Wars I and II), the event is still run over the same 12.42-mile…

After taking years of bemoaning and bad mouthing about their general ineptitude in the styling salons, the motor-city bunch sneaked up on the customizers and ran ’em down with a flock of classy carriages that ended an era. Like restyling ain’t what it used to be baby. Considering this, it would be a real compliment if an enthusiast took one of those same svelte buggies, waved the wand of creativity over it and served up a finished product that gave viewers the impression that that’s the way the thing should have looked to begin with. Right? Right. So when you get ready to throw some bouquets, throw one down Charlotte, North Carolina, way to Ed Skelton, an electrical contractor, who wanted a ’66 Falcon Ranchero but didn't entirely buy the…

TONY NANCY OF SHERMAN OAKS, CALIFORNIA, SAYS… Tony Nancy (shown here with his Nancy Wedge) is Mr. Versatility of the custom, show, and drag circuit. In addition to operating his own custom interior shop and restoring classic and antique cars, Tony competes in major U. S. and British drag meets. With his Wedge, a departure from the time-tested slingshot rail, and his 22 Jr., he has captured 12 U. S. strip records in addition to the national “1320” gas record (191.78, 8.34 e.t.). Strip action like this is tough on custom paint jobs, so Tony keeps his dragsters in top shape with Simoniz Wax. Every car needs wax protection. Why? Because there are tiny microscopic “pores” in every car finish and in the chrome. These pores must be filled with…

You like cars. You like working with interesting people doing interesting things. So what better place to be than right here — at a new car dealership. Here’s where a young man can become successful in one of the nation’s most important industries — the retail automobile industry. Here is where you’ll find the right kind of man to work for — a fine employer who’s also an important member of his community. If you’d like to get into the retail automobile picture, too, write for the free booklet, “Careers in the Retail Automobile Industry.” Send a card with your name and address to “Booklet,” N.A.D.A., 2000 “K” Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. The National Automobile Dealers Association Official Organization of America’s Franchised New-Car and Truck Dealers…

First came the Daytona Continental—the only round-the-clock race in the United States. Then, victory at Sebring's 12 Hours of Endurance. And now, one, two, three at Le Mans—the original 24-hours of tire torture. All three races won on Goodyear Blue Streak Racing Tires. Although it was the second year in a row that Goodyear took the first-place honors at Le Mans, it was a race that still made history. First win for an American car. A new lap record of 143.5 miles an hour. The longest distance ever run —3,020 miles worth of acceleration, braking, twists and turns—at a record average speed of 125.5 miles an hour. And although first position was a see-saw battle throughout the entire 24 hours, a car on Goodyear tires was always in the lead.…

You could sense the excitement of what was happening. This was the third annual HOT ROD Magazine Championship Drags and everyone was expecting something special. It was supposed to be Riverside in June, but it was unfolding like Bakersfield in March. The fuel dragster boys were having a record-smashing field day. No doubt about it. The frantic world of drag racing would have another event to remember. The cars, the conditions, the records, the ending … somehow you knew that this June 17th, 18th, and 19th would not be easily forgotten. Entries poured in for weeks and weeks. The word was out among California’s ever-warring fueler ranks. A showdown was in the offing. For six months the world’s most powerful single-engined, wheel-driven machines had been reaching an unprecedented stage of…

Are you ready for this? At long last our Ultimate Gasser is finished, or nearly so, save for a very few minor details. Although the journey from conception to completion bridges a fairly wide span in time, it has been a rewarding journey and now, as if to underscore the soundness of the concept, Don Long has been contracted to get two duplicates underway: one for a guy in Vietnam who read the article and sent a check and the other for none other than Big John Mazmanian. Hardly had the machine gotten to the stage where it resembled an automobile than a great storm of excitement arose over its potential, imagined and real. And in fact, on its fifth run (not even shifting through the gears of the B&M…

A highlight of the 1966 television season will be the Petersen color spectacular, “The Wonderful World of Wheels,” sponsored by DuPont and scheduled for CBS Network showing September 8. Unlike the run of autorama-type motion pictures leaning on a side theme for a crutch, this exciting adventure into the automotive wonderland of today is produced by the specialist in the field of modern mobility, enthusiast-publisher Robert Petersen, who insists that the car be the star, with all due respect to featured Hollywood celebrities Lloyd Bridges, Fabian, James Drury, Bob Fuller, John Derek, and James Bond Agent 007, Sean Connery. Dollying in from an altitude of several thousand feet, Director Gene McCabe springs the first of his many surprise-punch cinema techniques for openers, zooming in with helicopter camera on fast-moving target…

ALPHABET SOUP-UP Dear Jim: After much time and many inquiries, I have yet to solve a problem which I think might possibly be a universal enigma among Chevy users. Through the years, Chevy has manufactured many assorted types of heads for the 265, 283 and 327 engines. Among the various means of identification (serial numbers, parts numbers, etc.), there has been included markings cast onto the ends of heads. Although I have consulted numerous Chevrolet dealers, I still have not arrived at any consistency among the lists I have compiled. Since I (and I expect many others) do not carry a parts book around in my back pocket, I thought it would be much easier to memorize the meanings for the symbols on the heads. Pete Pratte Kansas City, Kansas…