Innehållsförteckning för April 1987 från Hot Rod

There’s a letter in this month’s “Reaction Time” that says Ed Roth’s Beatnik Bandit shouldn’t be one of the All Time Top Ten hot rods because it isn’t serious enough. We got the same response from some readers to the all-wood roadster pickup we featured a few months ago. People often tell us this or that vehicle doesn’t belong in HOT ROD Magazine, as if there were rules or criteria for this sort of thing. Anyone who thinks this way is surely going to have a hard time understanding this issue of HOT ROD. Even our own publisher, “Hand Grenade” Hibler, wanted to pull the cover at the last minute (we seriously recropped it instead) because he thought it looked demeaning and tacky. The studio props were supposed to look…

Team Shelby, the winner of back-to-back SCCA SSA class championships with race-prepared Dodge Chargers, has announced a new game plan for ’87. Their new endeavor is an IMSA GTU Daytona Z entry which will act as a test bed for future Chrysler engine and chassis development. Under the direction of team manager Pete Gladysz, drivers Jack Broomall, Tim Evans, Neil Hannemann, and Garth Ullom will be helping to stress-test some of the latest performance innovations from Chrysler’s engineering labs. The engine proposed is a 2.0L turbo-intercooled powerplant derived from a de-stroked production 2.2L engine. Improvements include extensive cylinder head development, a special exhaust header, new intake manifold, high-efficiency Garrett turbocharger, a redesigned camshaft, and a better intercooler. Dyno tests have shown that their preliminary combination is worth 260 hp—up 86…

The very first issue of HOT ROD Magazine, January 1948, featured a four-page love story, a cartoon of a girl in a skimpy two-piece bathing suit talking on the telephone (“You say we’re going to the lakes? That’s swell. Then I won’t have to change my clothes.”), and the debut of a famous, popular, (hilarious?) early HOT ROD staple called “Parts With Appeal.” The first installment featured a model in a swimsuit holding a fuel pump. A later version (July ’53) is shown at right, with actress Merry Anders displaying a Thomas magnesium piston and rod. A few months later, Mamie Van Doren posed with an exhaust tip. It’s been going on ever since. From the days of “Somewhere West of Laramie” and well before, we have been intrigued with…

In the halls at HOT ROD, aircraft are nearly as common discussion topic as automobiles. More than once the talk has centered on the hypothetical debate of which could accelerate quicker from a standing start: a Top Fuel dragster, or a fighter jet being launched by carrier-type catapult. The state of the art in aircraft launch speed By Harry Hibler as told to Jon Asher is the Navy’s new F/A-18 twin-engine Hornet Strike fighter on a steam-powered catapult. The state of the art in Top Fuel right now is Don Garlits’ Super Shops streamliner. Given Garlits’ long-standing close relationship with the Navy, we thought the time might be ripe to finally lay this debate on the line. After many phone calls, and some fancy footwork by Tom Hall of Navy…

We were skeptical at first. After all, how could Renault possibly refine what has to be one of the most mundane commuter cars into a machine of interest to performance enthusiasts? Little did we know that the Alliance, with the help of a GTA tuning package, could be so easily transformed. Introduced last November, the Alliance GTA is Renault’s new road rocket for ’87, which features incredible agility at an unbelievably low price. Probably the most outstanding quality of the GTA is its ultra-responsive chassis. The cornering ability of this front-wheel-drive car is incredible. In fact, it’s capable of maneuvering far better than any other compact car we’ve driven. This attribute is based on a number of chassis upgrades. Improvements over the base Alliance include higher-rate front springs, a larger…

Power shot TM The best nitrous kit available for stock engines-producing the biggest horsepower increase for the money of any kit available. The Power Shot delivers up to 125 horsepower and fits all Holley 4 barrel and Q-jet carburetors. Fuel Injection System TM The true high-performance hop-up of the future. The Fuel Injection System is for all late model electronic fuel injection cars, domestic and foreign. All fuel Injection nitrous systems are adjustable and capable of a range of horsepower increase. Tap shot TM The new “simple” nitrous system. The Top Shot is for stock/street type performance cars. It is very easy to install and completely adjustable with horsepower increases of up to 150. The Top Shot is the ideal entry level nitrous system. Super Power Shot…

Throttle Control System TCI’s Throttle Control System works with standard Holley Carb or Holley Dominator. Over-Ride System is designed to run “further” to compensate for track or weather conditions, or a poor launch. Available for Powerglide and Turbo-400 transmissions. Street Fighter Torque Converter TCI has a converter designed for your aftermarket carburetor, performance camshaft, and high-compression engine—the parts matched with the Street Fighter that’ll make you a winner. For quick reaction time, fast e.t.’s, and more mph, call today, (610) 224-8972. Street Fighter Lock-Up Converter TCI has beefed up the weakest link in the OEM convertor with their 10-inch Street Fighter Lock-Up Converter. Fully street-able with a bolt-in, no-modification application, it gives better response under acceleration. Fits Turbo 200-C, 2004R, and 700-R4 transmissions. Do-It-Yourself! TCI’s Trans Scat Super 11 Valve…

Last June, during an American Drag Racing Association (ADRA) race in Springfield, Missouri, Bill Farr challenged team partner John Weisser, driver of their Super Comp dragster, to a man vs. machine bracket race. Farr started running while Weisser was still doing his burnout routine—a 59-second head start, and he was heading towards a historic victory when Weisser smoked his tires off the line and got crossed up. Unfortunately, tremendous body shake loosened the cap of the track bite bottle Farr was carrying, spilling some under his left shoe. Farr slipped in his own stuff at the 1315-foot mark, handing Weisser an easy win aboard the single carb, 10,000-rpm nitrous-injected, small-block-powered dragster. Yes, this is a joke. Seriously now, John Weisser won the Springfield event, turning low 8.20’s at 150-plus-mph all…

Who would have guessed that the land of pasta, Chianti, and Ferrari also contained hot rodding tiffossi (fans)? Aldo Canina is such a die-hard Italian rodder, and has been since the early ’60s. In 1966 he founded a club called the Drag-ons Clan, and designed and built a rear-engine dragster. Aldo admits that his inspiration came from reading HOT ROD and Rod & Custom Magazine, as well as witnessing the pair of passes Tony Nancy made in his “Wedge” dragster on the Monza road course in ’66. The Drag-ons Special consisted of a basic ladder-type tube frame with an independent, coil-over front suspension, light truck rearend, direct drive, and a stock Hemi engine topped by four 45 DCOE Webers which cranked out a reported 600 cavalinos (cavalini?). The interesting part…

RELATIVE TO WHAT? My name is Judd Breaux and I’m a high school student from Gueydon, Louisiana. I bought this 1966 Chevy II Nova about a year ago, stripped it inside and out, then started from scratch. My dad and I did all the bodywork and paint (yellow with orange/red/tan stripes). We had to paint it outside, and our compressor would only let us paint an area about the size of a door before stopping to let the air pressure build back up. It has Cragar mags and new upholstery. Next I will replace the six—with a 350 with Edelbrock intake, 650 Holley, and Corvette headers. I’ll leave the 3-speed for now, but I’ve got a 4.11 rear to install. The girl in the picture is a relative. Judd BreauxGueydon,…

Have pings got you down? Has driving your car become a pain in the gas? Are your exhaust valves being “lead” astray? Well, as promised in last month’s “Living With Unleaded,” article, have we got some answers for you … and your favorite pet dinosaur. When it comes to the care and feeding of your old-fashioned high-compression musclecar, modern science has come up with a plethora of solutions to ensure it receives a healthy, high-octane diet. There are also products available to keep your exhaust valves from “sliding into recession.’’ Many commercially available additives are designed to do both; some claim to do everything but walk on water. Unfortunately, nothing will ever replace good old tetra-ethyl lead’s octane boosting and exhaust valve seat protection one-two punch. When researching this article,…

Let’s talk tape. Tape striping, used for automotive visual enhancement, has come a long way from the days when striping material was nothing more than colored masking tape. Now with breakthroughs in vinyl manufacturing techniques and adhesive design, tape stripes have earned a totally new reputation. While it still doesn’t have the purist look of paint graphics, tape equals the liquid stuff in most every other category. There are many advantages to using tape stripes. First and foremost is the cost. According to Jay Lansburg of Auto-Graph Designs, our demonstrator for this tips section, tape striping performed by a professional runs approximately half the price of comparable painting. The average pinstripe job is priced in the $20 to $50 range, while a more intricate graphics presentation might run $125 to…

Keith Black, the Hemi lover’s Arkus-Duntov, has an “image” problem. Hot rodders think he only builds and sells “Mopar” parts, when in reality, Black offers the aftermarket a wide variety of high-performance goodies including billet cranks, forged aluminum pistons, gear drives and, of course, Chrysler, Olds, and Chevrolet aluminum big-blocks. So to help Uncle Keith with his identity crisis, two guys by the names of Mike Burroughs and Dan Borre talked the low-profile KB in-to building a high-profile ’86 Camaro. KB’s idea of what a high-profile ’86 Camaro should be was both simple and to the point. First, the car had to be built with aftermarket parts, because that’s what Keith sells. Second, the Camaro had to perform … like 10-second quarters, 1g on the skidpad, and low 1.40 laps…

Street Roller Cams Power and reliability mean the same thing to any engine builder. Competition Cams’ Street Roller Cams provide power without sacrificing reliability. Qualified at the “24 Hours of Las Vegas” and finished with NO valvetrain breakage … need we say more? Wearables Join the Competition Cams Winning Team! Jackets, T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Lapel Pins, and Caps featuring the distinctive Comp Cams logo will make you stand out in a crowd. SK-Kit The Problem: Change the cam in any engine and you’ll need new lifters, a timing chain set, and gaskets. The Answer: The SK-Kit from Competition Cams which includes all of the above at a price you can afford. Overhead Cams High Energy Cams’ design and knowledge goes one step further to the Overhead Cam from Competition Cams. Now…

Oldsmobile’s Quad-4 engine is a brand-new powerplant based on proven design concepts that characterize many of the finest powerplants in the world. It’s the first 4-cylinder, inline Olds engine since the 1920s and it features chain-driven dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. Rated at 150 hp (@ 5200 prm), the 2.3-liter engine produces almost 1.1 horsepower-per-cubic-inch, and we all know what a milestone that represents for a production engine. With 160 ft.-Ibs. of torque at 4000 rpm, the Quad-4 is a performer that lets you know you’ve put your foot into something serious. General design features of the Quad-4 include a lightweight, low friction, cast-iron cylinder block, single-plane serpentine accessory belt drive, cam-driven power steering pump, water heated throttle body, front-mounted fuel-injection system, die cast-aluminum oil pan, and…

As noted in our recent “unleaded gas” series, one way to lower compression and make your motor compatible with today’s gasolines is via a swap to later-model heads. From time to time as space permits in this column, I’ll be getting down to specifics for various popular American engines. We’ll start with (naturally) the ubiquitous small-block Chevy. Most 1970-and-earlier 327, 350, and 400 heads displaced 62 to 64cc’s. The 71-up 350 heads have 76cc chambers (except for ’86-’87 Corvette production aluminum cylinder heads). The 76cc heads will lower compression on these earlier engines by about one point. Small-block heads are commonly identified by the last three digits of their casting Nos., as shown in the following list of 76cc heads. Heads marked with a (*) sometimes have large 2.02 intake/1.60…

CARS & TRUCKS ’64 CORVETTE. Black, red interior, 4-link, narrowed Olds rearend, Strange axles and spool, 4-speed, 454, 6-71. Everything chromed and pinstriped. First and 2nd place 1985 and 1986 show. Serious inquiries only. Tony, (404) 945-3464, or (404) 945-1366, or write: M-3 Rolling Oaks, Buford, GA 30518. ’69 442 CONVERTIBLE. All original. A-1 shape. 400, 4-speed, 82,000 miles, engine rebuilt at 78,000 miles. $4600 o.b.o. Maureen Roden, 1384 Oak Ln., Becker, MN 55308, (612) 261-4030. ’28 MODEL A ROADSTER PICKUP. 289 with A/T. Steel body with new upholstery. Sacrifice, $9000. Robert Baker, P.O. Box 914, Klamath Falls, OR 97601, (503) 884-2817. ’46 FORD PICKUP. All steel, 327 Chevy, A/T, P/S, power disc brakes, 12-bolt. Red oak bed, lots of chrome, cloth interior, much detail work. Show winner. $12,000 o.b.o.…

Deep And Throaty Walker’s new Dynomax line of products features the Super Turbo, a muffler designed to lessen exhaust gas backpressure-thanks to a flow director—therefore increasing the car’s horsepower. The Super Turbo’s aluminized materials ensure its durability, while its construction provides increased power and a deep, throaty sound. For more info, contact Walker Mfg., Dept. HR-04, 1201 Michigan Blvd., Racine, Wl 53402, (414) 632-8871. Auto Meter News The 1987 Auto Meter High Performance catalog features 36 color pages with actual-size photos of instruments to help you select the right product for your application. Send $2 for your copy to Auto Meter Products, Inc., Dept. HR-04, 413 W. Elm St., Sycamore, IL 60178, (815) 895-8141. Tire Repair Kit No need to dismount the tire to fix a flat if you use…

In May, 1984, HOT ROD featured Gary Conley’s outrageous miniature aluminum V8 engine, a running quarter-scale version of the small-block Chevy that proved very popular with readers. Since then Conley has built and sold variations that include a V2, V4, V6, and V12, and he has optimized his commercial V8 kit with aluminum castings for the cylinder block, heads, valve covers, oil pan, and intake manifold. These kits are furnished with rough castings that require careful machining, yet customers are lining up to get their hands on these radical little engines. With the phone already ringing off the hook from prospective customers, Gary didn’t really need to promote the engine, but he still set out to build the best possible quarter-scale model street rod as a showcase for it. He…

’82-’87 Camaro Weatherboots Weatherboots from Classic Camaro are form-fitting, ABS plastic foot wells guaranteed to protect your carpet. They simply drop into place to provide 100percent protection from water, snow, and salt. Available in black only. Lined with carpet inserts ($99.95/pr.). ’82-’86 Chrome Exhaust Extensions Customize your Camaro or Z28 with Classic Camaro exhaust tips. Add the finishing touch to your Camaro for a “finished” appearance. All hardware for installation included ($69.95/set). Camaro & Firebird Molded Carpet The finest-quality carpet available from Classic Camaro! All original colors available for ’67-’75. 80 to 20-percent Rayon and Nylon loop carpet. ’76-’81 Cut Pile carpet. Includes correct type heel pad. Specify color when ordering. Sale item, from $99.a Camaro Fender Covers Made of extra heavyweight vinyl, these fender covers from Classic Camaro feature…

Mallory Pro Sidewinder Wire Pro Sidewinder from Mallory offers the conductivity of a metal-core and the radio suppression of carbon core wire. Because of the special termination required, Pro Sidewinder comes in custom sets or universal sets with special tool. Mallory Pro Wire Mallory Black Pro Series Wire was developed through years of research and testing, including the Indy 500. The 8mm silicone jacket provides maximum electrical insulation with heat protection to over 500°F. Available for most engine applications. Mallory Sprint Mag Mallory Sprint Mag is designed for applications with injected, turbocharged, or normally aspirated engines. The Sprint Mag generates higher voltage, produces longer spark duration, and is available for most 4 and 8-cylinder engines. Hyfire Mallory’s new generation of performance high-energy electronic ignition control devices, Hyfire, utilizes state-of-the-art technology…

In the Superbike Wars of ’86, Honda was notably absent. The VF1000R, the V-four road-rocket that was supposed to beat back the Kawasaki Ninjas, Yamaha FJ1200’s, and Suzuki GSX-R1100’s, found itself a few lengths behind in the magazine tests, on the streets and racetracks, and in the hearts and pocketbooks of its prospective owners. The big DOHC V was tall, heavy, and relatively uncomfortable. It seemed that the sheer size and shape of the engine was keeping the Honda chassis engineers from doing their best work—and nobody wants an open-class sport-oriented motorcycle with a killer engine and a marginal chassis. For ’87, Honda has essentially given up on the big V-four. The all-new Hurricanes, in both 1000 and 600 sizes, use conventional inline fours, stretched across the chassis just like…

THE AUTOMATIC WINNER When Chevy decided not to sell the ’86 Camaro IROC 350, Bill Mitchell, who had g been developing the prototype with his crew at Special Vehicle Development in Cheshire, Connecticut, got stuck with a brand-new car he had no use for. They decided to drop the original 305 tuned port-injected motor back in and I take it road racing to see how it would perform with the stock 700 R-4 automatic transmission. A first test at Road Atlanta proved they would have easily kept up with the Nissan ZX turbos, Porsche 944’s, BMW 328’s, and Pontiac Firebirds. Mitchell entered the car in the June ’86 IMSA Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship race in Watkins Glen, where it ran a trouble-free 24-hour race to a 7th place—due to several…

In addition to their heavy involvement in oval, roundyround, and straight-line auto racing, Pontiac Motorsports also has a foot in hydroplane competition, and they’re doing much better than just keeping their heads above water. Thanks to the “Hot Shot” catamaran of Doug “the shoe” Felster and Mike “the wrench” Naber, Pontiac holds the new closed-course world speed record for the 2.5-liter Modified class with an incredible clocking of 102.087 miles per hour. Propelling the 1100-pound water rocket is a midmounted, Kinsler-injected, Super Duty Pontiac Fiero-based 4-cylinder engine that cranks out over 300 seahorses—just enough to enable the Felster/Naber duo to hold the record and ricochet across the waters on their way to a third consecutive American Power Boat Association national title in ’86. These guys can really hold their water,…