Innehållsförteckning för September 1961 från MotorTrend

Amid this season’s rumors of changes and additions for the coming year, one very important piece of technical speculation centers about the demise of the Chevrolet Turboglide transmission. Authoritative reports indicate that a new beefed-up version of the older Powerglide automatic will be offered as a replacement for the unit. Reason given for the withdrawal is the very high cost of Turboglide production. The smoke screen around Ford’s subcompact, the Cardinal, gets thicker every day. Latest conflicting rumors: The car has already begun production in Europe; production has been delayed until the fall of next year; nearly all parts will be made abroad; foreign contracts have been canceled and dies returned to the States. The best estimate at this time would peg the little car for U.S. debut in the…

TOP AUTOMOTIVE IDEAS from both sides of the Atlantic are combined in the Jaguar 3.8 sedan. A compact package only 180.8 inches long, it contains a potent six-cylinder engine basically similar to that used in Jaguar sports cars, together with a superbly roadable chassis highlighted by such features as disc brakes. To these exotic components from European racing machines, the 3.8 adds American concepts of convenience in the form of an optional automatic transmission and power assists for both the steering and brakes. At first glance, the specifications of the 3.8 engine read very much like those of a big U.S. Six. Displacement is 230.6 cubic inches, or, to explain the car’s designation, 3.8 liters, while the compression ratio is a modest 8-to-1 and the two carburetors are of the…

A good ten years ago MOTOR TREND had established: itself as the automotive consumer magazine of the postwar era. A small but vocal and dynamic segment of its loyal following was won by my early series, “Cars of Character” Among the staunchest supporters of, and most valuable sources for, those somewhat pioneering features were two devout aficionados and collectors, Jim Talmadge and Elliott Wiener. Jim (son of Buster Keaton and Natalie Talmadge) and Elliott (a businessman possessed of great artistic taste) were neighbors who loved and owned great cars and whose knowledge of them was encyclopedic. In 1950 Jim and I used to visit Elliott’s Monoxide Manor in Pacific Palisades to abandon ourselves to enjoyment of his magnificent machines and their meticulous restoration, for which Elliott was entirely responsible. We…

IT’S NO SECRET a stock car can’t drag successfully the way it comes from the showroom. A patient detour through the hands of a skilled mechanic is necessary before a machine is ready for the strip. That’s always been true of Super Stocks. Today, though, it applies just as strongly to “A,” “B” and “C” classes. Under current NHRA rules, these are grouped tightly and provide some of the hottest action going. And the winners are usually cars taking advantage of every loophole in the definition of “stock.” A choice example is a “C” Stock Dart sponsored by Southwest Auto Company, a Dodge agency in Trenton, Michigan. Built by Don Dickinson, Southwest’s service manager, to be driven by Bill Shirey, sales manager for the firm, the car is almost an…

Requirements are: copy limit of 25 words (not including name and address); 1st come, 1st served; we reserve the right to edit where necessary; we are not responsible for accuracy of description, although we will reject any misleading statements. This service is not open to commercial advertisers. No ads will be accepted if payment is not made in advance. Only one CAR may be listed in any single Sell ‘N’ Swap insertion. This limitation will not apply to parts, catalogs, etc. The charge is $4 per insertion. If your car is unusual and you have a photo of it suitable for publication, you may submit it with your ad. If we decide to print it there’s no cost to you for the cut, but we’ll have to decide which photos…

TOO MUCH – OO SOON! For the past several years, I have read with interest the numerous letters written to the various automotive magazines concerning our domestic cars. Practically every facet of the American automobile has been condemned or criticized. In fact, I have seen only three letters defending Detroit’s products. In the midst of all this clamor, I think people have forgotten something — that American cars are not designed merely as a means of transportation from one point to another. A good number of the people in this country spend more of their waking hours in their cars than in their homes or offices. These people, either purposely or subconsciously, buy cars which are comfortable, well-powered, well-appointed, and easy to drive. The 1960 crop of cars suited these…

THE 1961 BONNEVILLE racing season is due to begin on August 7th, when Dr. Nathan Ostich is scheduled to launch another five-day attack on the title of Fastest Man on Wheels. His jet-propelled Flying Caduceus is not eligible as an FIA-recognized Land Speed Record contender since it is not driven through at least two of its four wheels. From the 13th to 17th Mickey Thompson will have the Salt to himself again and will renew his efforts to improve upon John Cobb’s two-way Land Speed Record of 394.2 mph. Last year Thompson hit the combination that enabled him to turn a magnificent 406.6 mph and become the world’s fastest motorist. Drive line failure prevented Challenger I from repeating this performance in the opposite direction and establishing a new absolute FIA…

WITH AN OUTPUT of 48,999 cars in its first three years, the Austin-Healey Sprite has swiftly become the world’s fastest-selling sports car, and the Mark II version has many features which will broaden its appeal. Gone is the bug-eyed look. Headlights are now conventionally mounted in the fenders, and there is a new, wider grille. A new tail continues the cleaner line and houses a bigger trunk with external access through a lockable lid. Front fenders are now bolted on, and access to the engine is by a conventional hood hinged at the rear. On safety grounds it would have been better hinged at the front, but engine and accessories are easily reached — more easily than on the original design, where you had to lift a heavy steel structure…

WHATEVER CHEVROLET HAS in store for us this fall, it’s safe to assume that none of its 1962 cars will bear even a remote resemblance to the CERV I (Chevrolet Experimental Research Vehicle, number one) shown on these pages, yet this sophisticated machine may hold innumerable keys to engineering developments which will be of enormous benefit to everyone in years to come. Experimental machines are an integral part of every automobile manufacturer’s long-range planning. These products of constant research are frequently dubbed “Cars of Tomorrow” by enthusiastic press agents, though more realistic and cautious souls might prefer to think of them as “Cars of the Day After Tomorrow.” Publicity alone, though, is a minor value compared to the practical opportunities these cars provide for the testing of new materials, advanced…

All figures listed are for four-door sedans. If that body type is not offered, data for four-door hardtops is listed. Obvious exceptions are such cars as the Thunderbird and Corvette. All specifications are the latest as announced by the manufacturers. Additions and corrections will be made each month in order that readers may have the most complete and authoritative figures on Detroit’s new cars. Entries marked “NA” contain information not available at the time of publication. Optional engines involving special parts installed by dealers are not included.…

How is your knowledge of cars and the terms of the automotive world? Here is a unique way to test it. This exclusive MOTOR TREND automotive crossword puzzle has been created with the interests of our readers in mind. Naturally, not all of the words used will apply directly to cars, but a good acquaintance with the field should be the key to a quick solution of the puzzle. Correct answers will appear in next month’s MT. ACROSS 1. - -d, built third American car 4. Horsepower brake 9. Man’s name with car in it 14. Goes with honest 15. Embankment 16. Trucker’s warning signal 17. - - -ine brakes 18. Poison oak 19. Well known 20. Fender body joint (2 words) 22. Driving hazard 24. Antique car, Michigan city…

A COMBINATION tissue dispenser and litter container is now available through dealers for all Chevrolet passenger cars. It is easily installed on the transmission tunnel by two adhesive strips. Raising the lid reveals the litter container. RE-SETTING distributor points is simple operation with new Cam-Dwell Indicator. Battery operated, unit has a calibrated and illustrated dial for portable use. Write The Arnold Manufacturing Co., 610 E. North Ave., Westfield, N. J. “SUPER TACH” features a manually-set speedshift indicator. Setting indicates correct rpm at which to shift for optimum high-speed performance. Price, $23.95 complete and ready to install, from Almquist Engineering Co., Milford, Pa. STARLITE ELECTRONIC CO. has developed a portable brilliant flashing light for use during an emergency. Sold as a tri-pak, with two flashing and one steady-burning work light. Write…

Revolution has been the key design factor during Detroit’s past few seasons. 1961 was a year of all-new cars and radical engineering. Can it be topped in ’62? If you’re looking for wild new styling, the answer is no, but if you are hoping for a continuing trend to important new design concepts the answer is a definite yes. 1962 will mark the introduction of a whole new class of cars, the senior compacts of Ford (the Fairlane) and Chevrolet (the Nova). There will be new engines and important developments in the design of brakes, lighting and safety systems. On the following pages are our final speculative reports. They are based upon a year’s study of the Detroit scene and, as in the past, we are convinced that their accuracy…

One of the most important contenders on the Bonneville Flats this season is a member of the MOTOR TREND staff, Advertising Manager Bill Burke. A speed veteran of many years, Burke last year set a new record in class D by pushing his little rear-engined streamliner with a Falcon engine to 205.94 mph. This year Burke and Mickey Thompson have converted the car to house four different versions of the Pontiac Tempest engine in an effort to crack most of the existing under-300-cubic-inch streamliner records. Presented below are his own thoughts on what it means to challenge the speed barriers. Each year after running a car on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, friends, relatives, business associates and everyday acquaintances ask me the same questions. Why do you build cars…

The car driven for this test was, as are all Futuras, no different mechanically or in basic body construction from a conventional Falcon. It had the optional engine, a 170-cubic-inch version of the Falcon’s original ohv Six. This powerplant turns out 101 hp at 4400 rpm, with a compression ratio of 8.7-to-1 and a single-barrel carburetor. The two-speed automatic transmission was coupled to a rear axle ratio of 3.5-to-1. A logical comparison for the test car is with a standard Falcon with an identical power team that was tested by MOTOR TREND earlier this year. During the performance runs, the Futura’s elapsed time at 60 mph was 15.2 seconds, the same as the previous Falcon test. The Futura recorded 4.9 seconds at 30 mph and 8.9 seconds at 45—both figures…

A SMALL CAR with a luxurious interior is the most simple description of Buick’s new Skylark. Yet it offers the prospective buyer more than just rich upholstery and deep, plush carpeting. It also offers several mechanical and style changes from the compact Special, although both share the same chassis and dimensions. First and foremost is the gutty 185-hp engine, an upgraded version of the Special’s 215-cubic-inch aluminum 155-hp V-8. The Skylark’s extra punch comes primarily from a four-barrel carburetor and in boosting the compression ratio to 10.25 from 8.8. Maximum horsepower is developed at 4800 rpm and 230 lbs.-ft. of torque at 3200. This compares to the smaller engine’s 155 hp at 4600 and 220 lbs.-ft. at 2400. The Skylark’s 185 is a smooth, quiet and efficient powerplant and its…

FOR THE PAST MONTH I have driven a Willys CJ-5 Jeep Universal. This car was not a run-of-the-production-line car — but was, in my opinion, the best all-around Jeep for the average back-country driver. There were three major optional items, and each will be discussed later with the reasons why I think it improves the stock Jeep. These options were: in front, a Koenig winch; in the center, a four-speed transmission; and in the rear, a 4.27-to-1 axle ratio. For those who are not familiar with the mechanical components, here is a brief rundown: The Jeep is powered by an F-head, four-cylinder engine displacing 134 cubic inches and producing 72 hp at 4,000 rpm. The carburetor is a singlebarrel, and the compression ratio is 6.9-to-1, which gives the car excellent…

TAILLIGHTS are one of the stylist’s favorite components, because they allow him a flamboyance that adds a finishing touch to the overall design of a car. That has been especially true with the high-finned cars of recent years, though even many of the classics had very distinctive lighting treatments. Here are close-ups of nine taillights that the observant auto enthusiast should recognize.…