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MARLAN DAVIS: 40 YEARSOF TECH

THE 2017 RACE OF GENTLEMEN

DECEMBER 2017 DROP-TOP TORINO

GASSERS AT THE STRIP

DIY SEAT BRACKETS

FOUR-DOOR ’CUDA

TWIN-TURBO ’STANG

26 ON THE COVER: “Big Red,” the world’s most famous Camaro, rises from the ashes of its 2016 burn-down and tackles the legendary Pikes Peak Hillclimb. Photography by Larry Chen.

Contents

06] Evan Perkins Signs Off 08] First Manufacturers Funny Car Championship 10] Dave Wallace Looks Back 20, 40, and 60 Years Ago 12] Take 5 With Kenny Duttweiler 14] Ryan Brutt Finds a 1970 Dodge Super Bee 18] “Big Red” Returns to Pikes Peak 26] Racing Pikes Peak in a Twin-Turbo Mustang 32] Period-Correct Gassers Hit the Dragstrip 38] The Race of Gentlemen 2017 48] Jeff Lilly Crafted His Dream Blue Oval 58] Four-Door E-Body ’Cuda

58 66] Power Tour’s Sun-Powered Hot Rod 68] Marlan Davis: 40 Years at HOT ROD 76] Inside a Fuel Car’s 3,700-Degree Slider Clutch 84] Fabricate Custom Seat Mounts For Any Vehicle 91] Elana Scherr’s Daily Driver Diaries 92] Thom Taylor: What Became of Customizing? 94] Effects of Header Primary-Tube Diameter 96] We Finally Fixed J.B. Bracken’s Rat Rod 104] Tech Q&A With Marlan Davis 108] Go-Fast Parts For Your Ride 114] In the Words of Freiburger…

FloorLiner™

EDITORIAL Network Content Director Douglas R. Glad Editor-in-Chief Evan Perkins Managing Editor Phil McRae Senior Technical Editor Marlan Davis Senior Editor Thom Taylor Feature Editor Brandan Gillogly Staff Editor Phillip Thomas Video Host & Producer Mike Finnegan HOT ROD Garage Hosts Tony Angelo Lucky Costa Tech Center Manager Calin Head Contributors Wes Allison, Anu Athanikar, Rupert Berrington, Norm Brandes, Ryan Brutt, Jefferson Bryant, Tommy Lee Byrd, Tom Donchez, Pat Ganahl, John Pearley Huffman, Roger C. Johnson, Scotty Lachenauer, Jeff Lilly, Elana Scherr, Stephanie Urso, Tina Vervoorn, Dave Wallace ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Art Director Ryan Lugo

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ON THE WEB CarCraft.com CircleTrack.com ClassicTrucks.com HOTROD.com MoparMuscleMagazine.com MuscleCarReview.com StreetRodderWeb.com SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Email hotrodmagazine@emailcustomerservice.com, call 800/800-4681 (386.447.6385 international), or write to Hot Rod, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Please include name, address, and phone number on any inquiries. For change of address, six weeks’ notice required. Send old as well as new address to HOT ROD, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Occasionally our subscriber list is made available to reputable firms offering goods and services we believe would be of interest to our readers. If you prefer to be excluded, please send your current address label and a note requesting to be excluded from these promotions to TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, Attn: Privacy Coordinator. Canada Post: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to IMEX Global Solutions, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Please call HOT ROD Advertising Department at 310/531-9183. Related publications include Car Craft, Circle Track, Classic Trucks, Hot Rod Deluxe, Mopar Muscle, Muscle Car Review, and Street Rodder. Reprints: For high-quality custom reprints and eprints, please contact The YGS Group at 800.290.5460 or TENreprints@theygsgroup.com. Back issues: To order back issues, visit TENbackissues.com. Any submissions or contributions from readers shall be subject to and governed by TEN: The Enthusiast Network’s User Content Submission Terms and Conditions, which are posted at http://enthusiastnetwork.com/submissions/. Copyright 2017 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

ADVERTISING Associate General Manager Brian Cox Advertising Operations Manager Monica Hernandez Advertising Coordinator Patty Ludi General Manager’s Assistant Mimi Hirata To advertise on this magazine’s website, or any of TEN: The Enthusiast Network’s other enthusiast sites, please contact us at AM-advertising@enthusiastnetwork.com WEST Los Angeles: 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245; Mark Dewey & Scott Timberlake, 310.531.9900 Irvine: 1821 E. Dyer Rd., Suite 150, Santa Ana, CA 92705; Patrick Walsh & Nathan Sutton, 949.705.3100 EAST New York: 261 Madison Ave., 6th floor, New York, NY 10016; Jim Keplesky, 212.915.4000 NORTH Detroit: 4327 Delemere Court, Royal Oak, MI 48073; Joe Didato, 248.594.2542 MIDWEST Chicago: Jen Wittman, 310.531.9896 SOUTHEAST Brit White, 813.675.3479 SOUTHWEST Glenda R. Elam, 626.695.5950 TEN: THE ENTHUSIAST NETWORK, LLC Chairman Peter Englehart Chief Executive Officer Scott P. Dickey Chief Financial Officer Bill Sutman President, Automotive Scott Bailey EVP/GM, Sports & Entertainment Norb Garrett Chief Commercial Officer Eric Schwab General Manager, Video Programming Bobby Akin Managing Director, Studio TEN Jerry Solomon EVP, Operations Kevin Mullan SVP, Editorial & Advertising Operations Amy Diamond SVP/GM, Performance Aftermarket Matthew Boice VP, Financial Planning Mike Cummings SVP, Business Development SVP, Business Intelligence SVP, Automotive Digital SVP, Aftermarket Automotive Content SVP, In-Market Automotive Content SVP, Digital Advertising Operations SVP, Marketing VP, Human Resources

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STARTING LINE

Until Next Time I thought it’d be longer. I really did. But life’s funny that way, and here I sit, writing my last Starting Line column. I’m not burnt out. I’m not overwhelmed. I’m not in the least bit tired of doing something I’ve dreamt of as far back as I can remember. But I was presented with a choice, and albeit the hardest I have ever made, it was one in which the answer was clear. Family first. Always. I won’t dwell on the negative. That’s not who I am or how I’ve survived in this fast-paced world. I’ve treasured my time here and hope I’ve done my

hHOTROD.COM/Brandan-Gillogly

part to advance the magazine. While I am stepping down as editor-in-chief, I will continue to write for HOT ROD and it will always have a special place in my heart. It was ex-Publisher Jim Adolf who told me, “You never run HOT ROD, you ride it.” And Scott Timberlake, a long-term sales manager and friend who said, “You never leave.” I think they’re right. I’ve made so many great memories at HOT ROD, but below are a few of my absolute favorites.

Bonneville Speed Week is a strange event. The environment, racers, and tradition are like nothing else. By the end of the week, things wind down, you’re sunbaked, tired, and ready to go home, but you’re already looking forward to next year’s race.

hHOTROD.COM/Evan-Perkins

hHOTROD.COM/Thom-Taylor

[Handing Danny Thompson a copy of the Jan. 2017 Issue after he beat his father’s record in Challenger II (406.769). It was the best cover that no one bought.

[Being one of the first magazines to break the news about the wheelstanding Dodge Demon. Larry Chen made this badass cover shot possible, and Art Director Ryan Lugo added the finishing touches.

Hopefully, you’ve seen the newest show on Motor Trend OnDemand, Junkyard Gold. Former HOT ROD staffer Steve Magnante and I go junkyard crawling, then we show you what we’d do with the car we pick. You can only see it if you subscribe— then tell us what you think.

hHOTROD.COM/Phillip Thomas

[Seeing Japan. Pioneer Electronics flew some fellow editors and me to the island country to show off its products. I left with a newfound respect for the culture and a serious need to upgrade the audio in my Ranchero.

[Knocking out two HOT ROD Power Tours. Truly some of the kindest people in the world attend this event, and I was so fortunate to be able to tell their uplifting, heart-wrenching, and triumphant stories.

[Seeing Burt Munro’s actual motorcycle. I have daydreamed about this machine and what it would have been like to ride it since my youth. It’s every bit as sketchy in person.

[Staring at this every day, remembering what Robert E. Peterson’s dream was and being thankful I got to play a small role in moving it forward.

CONNECT WITH US: HOTROD@HOTROD.COM 6 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

Keep your friends close and your racing buddies closer. We’re winding up for Drag Week™, which will have already happened when this issue is in your hands. A week of fast cars, bad ideas, and relentless perseverance—if you haven’t entered before, give it a shot. It’ll change you.

*OK, readers, let’s give Selena Gomez and her 125,000,000 ’Grammers a run for their money— go follow Art Director Ryan Lugo’s revamped HOT ROD Instagram feed (@hotrodmagazine)!

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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

First Manufacturers Funny Car Championship Just a hazy 1967 Thanksgiving holiday evening of Funny Cars at the packed, million-dollar Orange County International Raceway (OCIR) in Irvine, California, for the first- ever Manufacturers Funny Car Championship. Known as the “Supertrack,” OCIR was just a few months old. With its magnificent, three-story tower and actual landscaping, it seemed like civilization would never encroach way out in south Orange County, guaranteeing a beautiful racing venue forever—or so everyone thought. Gaining popularity by the day, Funny Cars still had no class of their own in the NHRA hierarchy, but that would soon change with events like this. Forty-five Funny Cars showed up for a

8 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

round-robin with a guaranteed $22,000 cash purse. Staging just shy of the Chrondek “eyes” are the Samson Dodge Dart out of San Jose and the SoCal Keaton’s Komet. Rick Abate’s Dart ran an injected Hemi and was driven by “Jungle” Jim Liberman for a time, though not here. Keaton’s Komet was the former Jack Chrisman door car before he switched to the flip-top Logghe archetype. Now raced by Dee Keaton and still running a 427 SOHC, it was a familiar sight at Southern California tracks throughout 1967. Chevy scored the most points for this premiere event that beyond Fords, Chevys, and Dodges saw Pontiacs, Plymouths, and Mercurys. hHOTROD.COM/Thom-Taylor

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 9

RODDIN’ @ RANDOM

The HOT ROD Archives

20 YEARS AGO

December 1997 (140 pages, $3.50): While appreciating the first “double cover,” we question the decision to repeat both the ’57 and the V10 on the extra real estate, instead of teasing newsstand browsers with the 1968 Hemi ’Cuda or four-valve Chevy street heads lurking inside. Nor was mention made here of fine writing by Gray Baskerville, who revisited HRM project and race cars since 1950, or Jeff Koch, whose hilarious coverage of Pebble Beach’s first hot rod class ripped “graying men with slinky little minkies half their age on their arms” who paid scant attention to some of history’s most famous roadsters.

40 YEARS AGO

December 1977 (108 pages, $1.25): Alternative horsepower earned two references this month—literal horsepower in Post Entry’s retelling of a 1939 street race that Ak Miller staged, on a bet, between a hot 1932 roadster and a quarter horse. The animal dropped a close decision. Its shocked owner dropped $200 (about $3,500 now). Staffers John Dianna and Marlan Davis did not get shocked cruising Van Nuys in Sears Diehard’s Fiat-bodied electric car, except by jeering “teen-agers [who] have no appreciation for developmental vehicles that they find odd-looking.”

1997

60 YEARS AGO

December 1957 (84 pages, 35¢): We numbered this first 22 Jr. cover car as Tony Nancy’s 18th roadster, without mentioning that the other 17 were mostly cannon fodder for fellow San Fernando Valley rodders. It’s powered by the blown flathead from the legendary Sparks & Bonney Willys (winner of 55 trophies in one year, said the cover story).

HOT ROD Archives

hDave Wallace

1977

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1957

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RODDIN’ @ RANDOM

Take 5 With

KENNY

DUTTWEILER

hJohn Pearley Huffman

HRM] Are the challenges today different than they were when you started? KD] I don’t think they’re necessarily different, but they’ve grown more

12 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

intense. Things were so simple when I was 30. You had carburetors and electronic ignition (if you were really into it). And today we have all these late-breaking innovations and electronics and stuff of that nature. Plus, there’s the ability to build stuff that never existed. Today you can just say, ‘I’m going to build’ and someone will make it for you. You have to think further into everything you’re doing. It’s more challenging today than it’s ever been.

HRM] How many of your customers still want Buick stuff? KD] It’s really weird. In the ’90s, I wanted to get away from that Clark Kent syndrome (people get typecast—like George Reeves, the original TV Superman). It’s just a family of things that you do, and they don’t seem to just go away. There are like four or five Buicks out here. You don’t want to make that your mainstay, but it just keeps going. HRM] Is there anything you’d like to do that you haven’t already done? KD] The only thing I don’t get to do that I’d like to do is hit the dragstrip more often. That’s my personal, little fun thing. Other than that—I’m not a guy who takes tours, I don’t like airplanes, and I hate boats. So I’m pretty easy to please. And I haven’t set lofty goals that I need to go someplace or do something. But keeping me away from that dragstrip mentality is tough. HRM] How much longer do you think you can do this? KD] Right now, I’m in the same position mentally and physically I was 10 or 15 years ago. You hate to look at the hourglass because people like to project. It’s tough for me to project, because I treat this as business as

Brandan Gillogly

Saticoy, California, is a small town that sits just east of Ventura, which is a bit northwest of Los Angeles. In the last census, there were 1,029 people living there. It’s the sort of place you can drive through without ever realizing you’ve been any place at all. There, in a ramshackle building off an alleyway where his shop has been since 1970, Kenny Duttweiler is building some of the best engines on Earth—engines like all-billet V6s turbocharged to the tune of 2,000 hp. Engines like those that have found a home in the Speed Demon streamliner that seems to set a new record every year at Bonneville. Duttweiler’s fantastically powerful engines have spread his renown across the planet. If there’s anyone who has become a legend in his own dyno room, it’s Duttweiler. He’s close to finishing his eighth decade, but hasn’t cut himself any slack. As you read this, he’s likely bolting his latest ridiculous concoction up to his dyno and is getting ready to run a few hundred pulls to get the fuel delivery exactly right. Duttweiler is still as sharp as ever, and now he’s armed with even more experience. In 2015, Jeff Smith did a Take 5 with him, so here’s another one—actually, this is more like a Take 67, because 5 minutes isn’t enough. If you’re with Kenny Duttweiler, the best thing to do is shut up and let him talk.

usual. The amazing thing is people don’t realize how old I am, or don’t care how old I am. They just keep requesting to get stuff done. If I took them all on right now, we couldn’t even walk through the shop. I have to space them out. Luckily, my reputation is out there for not getting them done immediately. So people are willing to wait. And I’m willing to go as long as it takes. I could not be retired. No way in hell I can. Sitting around and watch TV. The only way retirement could work for me is to have so much goddamn money that I couldn’t figure out how to spend it all. HRM] You have one daughter and three grandkids. Do any of them want to come in and run all this? KD] The oldest grandkid, when he was real, real young, he lived at the dragstrip with us. So I kind of figured he’d get the hook in him real good. In fact, the middle one was more interested in that. So he works at ARP. And his dad works at ARP. That older one, he works for an auction company. He’s got that computergeneration mentality. He loves that stuff. So, the girl, she’s smart and goes to college. All three turned out good and all three are smarter than hell. If you want to make a good living with a good retirement and all that, businesses like mine really aren’t the way to go. The billable hours you come up with are usually way, way less than the amount of time you put into it. You might spend 4 hours making a bracket to hold a crank sensor, and then turn around and figure you can’t charge 4 hours for a piece of aluminum with a hole in it. HRM] You’ve been in this alley forever. Haven’t you ever thought of moving someplace else? KD] Always. But you get more involved in what you’re doing, the convenience of it. I’d love to have a Taj Mahal, I think everybody aspires to that. But what I’ve got going here is pretty darn good. At the end of the driveway, we have a little coffee shop thing up there, so you don’t have to walk more than a couple hundred feet to go eat lunch. We’ve got ARP, which we rely upon for a lot of what we do, and they’re right here in the area. And it turns out that Turbonetics and the Vortech supercharger guys, they all kind of moved this way. So instead of me moving toward

them, they moved toward me. It’s cheap enough to stay here. The rent isn’t that high. Location might mean something if you’ve got your name on the building and you’re soliciting people. One time I went down to Milodon’s in the San Fernando Valley. I had some Chrysler Hemi heads and they were going to put those little O-rings so you could pull the plugs out. So I’m driving around and driving around, and finally I spotted a building and a little side door was open. So I stuck my head inside and, sure enough, that was Milodon. It impressed me that a guy with that stature—and he was a big name in the ’60s—and no name on the building. You couldn’t even hardly find the number on the building. And I thought that was pretty cool. So I just never put a name on anything. Now you can just put the name into the smartphone and it takes you here. I’ve noticed in the last 10 years or so that people say that they’ll come by, and they show up. And prior to that, you had to give them directions—get off the 101 to Central Avenue to Vineyard.

HRM] You’ve never had a line of Duttweiler products. No catalog or mail-order business. KD] That may be the one thing that should have been attended to much better. We’ve had a few parts. At one time, we had intercoolers that we sold. Then when competition came in, it was easy to back off on that. The most enduring thing we’ve had is the neck for the intercooler on the Buick Grand National. We sold so many of those I can’t even count them all. HRM] So the major product you sell at Duttweiler Performance is Kenny Duttweiler. KD] Yeah, it’s just me. And as long as I’m around, it’s around. When I’m gone, there’s no one to sell it to. HRM] So who is working at the shop now? KD] It’s just me, Margie, and Nick. HRM] How far can you push yourself? When do you have to cry uncle? KD] The thing I run into, it’s not anything mechanical, it’s when I have to deal with electronics and stuff like

that. Wading through some software that’s going to do the control valves on the dyno back there. I have no background in it, and all I know is that you’ve got the software to look at it, and I have no clue what this stuff means. So I start hunting around and then I have a friend of mine who’s wired up like an electronics board. I don’t see that stuff. I see mechanical stuff. HRM] Are there any cars out there you’d like to own? KD] There are two or three new ones out there. The new GT500 Mustang that will be out shortly. Or maybe the ZL1 Camaro. I like the looks of the Corvette, but I can’t put myself in the driver seat of a Corvette because that’s not me. But I can be in the ZL1 because that’s a Corvette with a Camaro body. I’m so picky, I can find a fault with every car. There’s not one that I haven’t found four or five things I could fix to make it more like me. HRM] So you’re haunted by your own expertise. KD] Yeah, sometimes it gets in the way of my own fun. HRM] You’ve never been an old-car guy. When you started futzing with the Buicks, they were brand new. KD] When I flip that page in a book, I’m not going back to that page. We’ve already been through that and we can’t change it. But if we’re working on something for tomorrow, we might be able to change that.

The only way retirement could work for me is to have so much goddamn money that I couldn’t figure out how to spend it all.” HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 13

RODDIN’ @ RANDOM

Automotive Archaeology

The Bee in the Garage

Ryan Brutt

I recently came across a 1970 Dodge Super Bee that the owner rescued from a junkyard, where it had been sitting since the original engine blew decades earlier. Even back then, the Super Bee was rare—1 of 599 V-Code cars—which meant it had a 440ci V8 with the three 2-barrel Holley carburetors and a 727 three-speed automatic transmission. Instead of putting the car back together, the current owner tucked it away in his garage for 40 years. It was stunning to imagine such a rare and desirable car sitting for so long. Even so, it was something special and was saved from a very rusty fate. hRyan Brutt

S O R R Y. N O T S O R R Y.

OFFICIALLY BANNED BY THE NHRA Dodge is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

them o r F nix Red a e o h P a h it’s on’t Call Big g u o h T Even hes story, D bird As Fire

18 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

hIt was during HOT ROD Power Tour®

2016 that we got the call: “Big Red” had caught fire, but thankfully, RJ Gottlieb was OK. It was less than a week before the team had to be in Colorado Springs for last year’s 2016 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, when a fuel-system failure torched the baddest Camaro ever during testing at Buttonwillow Raceway. The team was devastated, but also counted their blessings on RJ’s good health. Racing is all about redemption. Whether you’re too late to the finish line, rebuilding after a wreck, or repairing mechanical maladies, the attitude of “never give up, never surrender” is probably the most important tool you can carry. You pick up the pieces, find a solution, and return—failure is not in what happened in the moment, but in doing nothing about it to find a path back to success. That’s why RJ’s core team, which consists of crew chief Dave Ward, engineer Tim Fleenor, lead mechanic Mark Ewing, and engine builder Larry Mollicone, who along with mechanic Cliff Whetstone, began work immediately on the Big Red Camaro to diagnose the cause of the fire and start the rebuild. The road to Pikes Peak began after RJ and Big Red set a new personal land-speed best—253.7 mph—at the Mojave Mile in April 2017. From there, the team returned to Hesperia, California, with a breath of fresh air behind them. Nine months of work had started to pay off, and while the road-race conversion took just a few weeks, they were eager to begin testing for Pikes Peak. Teams arrive at the gate to Pikes Peak Highway as early as 2 am. Depending on which third of the mountain they’re running in practice, teams set up at one of three pits, and RJ was required to make all four days of practice as a Pikes rookie.

Phillip Thomas

Rupert Berrington, Stephanie Urso, and Phillip Thomas

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 19

BIG RED REDEMPTION

[Pikes Peak mornings start early—teams are usually fully operational before the sun rises.

[Engine builder Larry Mollicone looks over the 555ci big-block while preparing it for the initial cold start.

The mission for Big Red was conservative but confident runs to eke out every bit of seat time RJ could while maintaining the car for Sunday’s run. The catch-22 of Pikes Peak is that while the 12.56mile course is split into three sections for practice, the risks are all the same: dropping a tire, locking up the brakes, or any number of minor mistakes that can escalate very quickly, and gravity doesn’t care what day of the week it is. Under the broken clouds and starry skies of a Pikes Peak Mountain morning, the team hit the hill with a force. Being the famous “new guys” in town, there’s always a little skepticism from some of the hard-knock racers, but many drivers, teams, and spectators routinely saw themselves staring into the deep-red paint of Big Red with awe and respect. Not only does Big Red Camaro look meaty on its gold BBS wheels (no doubt setting the look for decades of Pro Touring ’69s), but the team ran like a well-oiled machine. Within minutes of arrival, Big Red would be up on stands as Mark, Tim, and Cliff began preparing the car for the task at hand.

20 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

Meanwhile, Larry, along with Westech Performance’s Eric Rhee (who joined to tune Big Red’s new Holley Dominator EFI system), would focus on the tight-tolerance, 555ci engine that required warm oil to be fed from a heated dry-sump reservoir before the initial fireup. Once warmed up, it’s a short game of “hurry up and wait” until the Pikes Peak safety team finishes their sweeps of the road to look for wet patches, shoo away any wildlife, and double-check weather conditions. The massive side-exit pipes echo with popcorn thunder through the hill like none other. Pikes is unique in its mechanical symphony: the field is a mixture of production-based Time Attack cars, miniaturized liter-bike-powered prototypes, belligerent tube-chassis silhouette cars, space-age EV race cars, and a mixture of open-wheel machines from the banks of Indy to the earlier dirt days of Pikes. The myriad of mechanical soundtracks that escape into the ridges is unmatched, and Big Red’s stood out among them as one of the angriest. Practice was delightfully uneventful for RJ and the Big Red team.

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BIG RED REDEMPTION

[Mark Ewing and Dave Ward give RJ Gottlieb his debrief after the fog-fueled run.

The only mechanical drama was an afternoon ratio change and clutch swap on Thursday, otherwise Big Red ran like greased lightning. With a solid week behind them, Big Red and RJ just needed to make a clean pass from Devil’s Playground to the Peak to lock in to Sunday’s race. The idea was that the sun would be just a little farther in the sky than in the twilight hours if the team waited until the second run, but the reality was that a storm front had moved into the area, and more than half the mountain was engulfed in clouds by 7 am. “Part of a day like today is how variable the mountain is,” RJ said. “The only thing typical is that you don’t know exactly what you’re going to do for the day. It’s just the reality of Pikes Peak—everything can change in a heartbeat.” While it’s not unusual to be above the cloud line at Devil’s Playground—some 10,000 feet in elevation—it’s rare to have it climb back up the mountain, chasing racers uphill in a losing battle of visibility. Even stranger was the sheer amount of moisture that began

22 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

collecting on everything (and everyone). In no time, despite no rain, the road had become slick, as everyone’s jackets, gloves, and facial hair became sopping wet; it wasn’t long before Pikes Peak ended the practice session, as Big Red and the rest of the second-run group carefully beelined back down the mountain But even through the fog, you could see RJ’s excitement—and the team’s relief. A year’s worth of thrashing, preparation, and hard work had nearly paid off. While, yes, the race was still the ultimate victory, you could see the tension release a hair as RJ climbed out of Big Red, encircled by his racing family. Race day’s sunrise was greeted with the slow crawl of spectators heading up the hill while crew members fought for every last ounce of sleep before the light invaded their compounds of rental cars, tow rigs, and race trailers; of course, Big Red was ready and waiting as others rubbed their bleary eyes.

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BIG RED REDEMPTION

[RJ triple-checks the quick-release lock on his steering wheel.

BIG RED’S MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES The front sway bar is relocated lower in the chassis to clear the land-speed 598ci’s Pro Charger F3 or sit higher in the chassis for optimal suspension geometry when using the triple-nickel, 555ci, road-race big-block. For land speed, the chassis uses a parallel four-link for high-speed, straight-line stability; in road racing configuration, the team can quickly swap center chunks in the 9-inch and swap the upper links for a beefy three-link configuration. Inside, the transmission is swapped from a Rossler 4L80E in land-speed configuration to a four-speed manual for road racing. With more than 2,000 hp on tap in the blown 598ci, compared with about 1,000 in the naturally aspirated 555ci, two different exhaust systems are also ready—and the road-race pipes used at Pikes were avalanche-inducing (even in June), side-exit boomtubes. There are hundreds of small changes to make all those big puzzle pieces fit, but you get the idea—modularity, ease of maintenance, and better performance in a wider variety of racing was the name of the game.

Hours later, Pikes Peak’s Dan Skoken gave the heads up: It was time to stage, and the team immediately shifted into action. The engine was fired, the jackstands were pulled, and RJ rechecked his quick-release steering wheel. The Big Red crew, the massive support team of friends and family, and the gaggle of film crew gave RJ a cloud of support as he inched toward the line. With the skies clear and the peak in sight, RJ thrusted Big Red into the heart of Pikes Peak, and within a few turns, he was out of sight as the belligerent music of that triple-nickel big-block blared out into the ridges. While Big Red could be sporadically found on the live broadcast, it’s the timing board that draws teams during their driver’s run. Each section time tells a vague story until the driver sees the peak and can radio down; it’s a game of speculation that’s often more stressful than the whole week leading to that point. Tim, maybe not one for the suspense, simply waited by the official board of times in a folding chair, calm and collected (and maybe taking a nap).

24 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

Finally, the number hit: 11:08.357—placing fourth in Pikes Peak Open class. The crew was elated—they had finally accomplished what they set out to do 376 days earlier: conquer the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. To RJ, it was not only that but also Big Red Camaro has been a part of his life for more than three decades now. That sort of legacy, especially in a competition vehicle, is rare, but it’s one that’s transcended generations. The more you observe the operation, the more you realize how that generational reach is an extension of the people who carry Big Red through this world, as even fathers and sons hand off eras in the construction and maintenance. “You really had to be there to understand what I’m saying, but it’s why I chose this group. This team was there for me every day on, as they say, ‘the hill.’ It really was a ballet of motion,” RJ explained. “If you were there at Devils Playground at 13,000 feet, you really saw a ballet of people behind what’s just a car, an effort, and it’s only become something because of this group here. The car doesn’t become something on its own.”

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hIt’s more than the mountain’s altitude,

the week’s sleeplessness, or the mechanical heartbreak that’ll change you at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb—it’s the people. Racing families are the friends who’ll even turn down beer money to see you through to the end; the satisfaction of finishing (or at least being a few paces ahead of two-steps back) is payment enough. We first met Kash Singh in 2013 while diagnosing a banging noise from the back of his Time Attack 2–class 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The Fiji-born gentleman racer—a product planner in Dearborn, Michigan—was known for a wealth of antics on the mountain (such as bringing KFC up to the peak so fellow drivers could eat something a little different than donuts while waiting the race out), and this introduction was no different. The banging sound coming from the rear-right corner of the car was caused when the intercooler pump began leaking on the factory subwoofer, shorting it on and off. Take a moment to think about this: a Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Time Attack race car bumping dancefloor beats. Kash is also known for road-tripping his Pikes Peak race car thousands of miles to and from the race, and he’s one of the only racers to still do it. In previous years, he used a near-stock Time Attack 2–class GT500 to drive from Michigan to Colorado before unloading the trunk at the hotel and driving right to tech inspection. In 2016, he entered an EcoBoost Mustang, but some greater power told him via three red-flagged runs (due to weather or crashes ahead) the turbo-four was not meant to be. For 2017, he decided to step up a class by

entering the less-restrictive Time Attack 1 field with a newly built, twin-turbo 2017 Ford Mustang GT. Built by Revolutions Speed Shop (RSS) and supported by Amsoil and Tire Rack, the S550 received a pair of 60mm turbos to feed the factory-fresh, DOHC, 5.0L V8—which was still wearing its warranty before entering RSS and the hands of Scott Jensen, Jerad Veitch, and Brett Flores. H&R coilovers brought the chassis closer to the ground while providing the necessary adjustments, DBA USA rotors with the stock Brembo calipers hauled things down, and the widebody housed the massive 19x11-inch Forgestars. With the high-altitude, low-density air at Pikes Peak (with a start line sitting 9,400 feet above sea level), cooling was a large concern. Mishimoto answered with an aluminum radiator and intercooler combo, and the stock hood was ducted to evacuate all the underhood heat possible. Parts delays meant no track time before the race, and he’d have to learn everything about this new combination during practice—a trial by hillclimb. The new car made substantially more power, had more grip, and built boost in an entirely different manner from the factory-blown Shelby. “I knew it was going to be fast, and I knew it was going to be different,” Kash explained. “So I needed to figure out what gear I had to be in and how the turbocharged powerband felt.” Practice began on Pikes Peak’s leastaggressive portion, the lower section from the start line to Glen Cove. The initial 2,000foot climb is mostly comprised of sweepers, though corners like Engineers and Sump catch unsuspecting drivers with regularity. With preservation and reliability in mind,

UNDER PRESSURE the stock 5.0 was tuned for low boost, with the twin turbos providing altitude compensation more than anything else with only 8 psi. Each practice morning began by driving the race car straight from the hotel to the pit spot, throwing on some safety gear, and then cruising up to the start. “Number 78 is off, Cog Cut,” our race radio screeched through the static. Kash had a hard “off” during mid-section practice. Three days of progressive speed in each practice session, and he had pushed just an inch too hard on one of the road’s rough patches. With no further radio calls for EMT or rescue personnel, we got the impression Kash was OK, but the Cog was a dramatic spot to go off. While entering the braking zone, the car hit a washboard section of road, causing it to skitter across the high points under heavy braking, blowing through the turn. Kash managed to keep it on the mountain, but he cleared a 2-foot drainage ditch in the process, stuffing the plywood splitter, aluminum coolers, and fiberglass nose into the rocks. “At first, walking through my head about how expensive it was going to be to tow it back home, how expensive flights were going to be this last-minute,” he recalled. “And what I’d have to tell my mom! I thought it was going to be done.” After the practice sessions ended, the flatbed hauled Kash and the Mustang downhill where they met with Devon Dobson, his crew chief, and Mario Tomlin, another member of the Pikes family. Mario worked for a local Colorado Springs shop run by Loren Southard, European Performance Specialists. Through sheer luck, there was no visible chassis damage, but dozens of wires had been ripped from the relocated fuse block. While the Blue Oval’s ponycar was built in Dearborn, its complex CANBUS networked electrical system was first adopted by BMW—right up Loren’s alley. Fending off a horde of concerned callers, Randy settled family fears and began sourcing parts, while Mario and Loren started work on the Mustang. The wreck had not only damaged the fuse block but had crushed the intercooler, radiator, and A/C condenser—and the hood was stuck! The shop quickly shuffled cars around to clear a bay and get the Mustang in the air. Kash, being a Blue Oval employee, was able to quickly get ahold of the exact wiring diagrams, and Loren began his work. While the crew at European Performance Specialists started to work their magic, Kash ran the bumper over to the shop of a fellow Pikes racer, Jimmy Keeny. Universally known as one of the nicest guys on the mountain, Jimmy offered to patch up the fiberglass front bumper and shoot some

28 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

01 02

03 04

01] While most racers were doing their final shakedowns at a local track, Kash Singh was hitting the highway from Washington. There may have been some run-ins with the local law and a picnic at the Bonneville Salt Flats, but the newly built hillclimber made it 1,400 miles without a hitch. 02] The crew over at European Performance Specialists had to first dismantle the hood latch through the grille before they could begin inspecting the damage. 03] Pikes veteran Jimmy Keeny repaired the shattered fiberglass lip and color-matched the paint in just a few hours. 04] Kash, Devon Dobson, Loren Southard, Andy Kingsley, and Katie Lyons worked into the night to button up the Mustang.

[The fog on Pikes Peak is otherworldly, with rock faces and bottomless pits hiding behind the haze.

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UNDER PRESSURE paint, while Kash ran to a local hardware store for more plywood for the front splitter. Loren managed to re-pin the Mustang’s fuse block, even sourcing the obscure connectors and terminals needed. With a little back and forth on the pin-outs, and only a few sparks, the Mustang fired to life. They later returned to Loren’s shop with a freshly painted bumper, sheets of plywood, and a stack of pizzas. It was going to be a long night—practice was still on for the next morning—but with the help of Loren’s crew, fellow Pikes Peak racer Andy Kingsley, and Devon, Kash drove the car out of the shop just in time for a nap. Trepidation set in, but Kash couldn’t show it. The first run was slow, but served as a safety check of the prior day’s work. With the Mustang running as expected, Kash began dropping chunks of time to a final 5:17.303 qualifying time with the third run. Friday’s practice was a conservative midsection run to Devil’s Playground. The car continued to pick up speed over Kash’s previous GT500, but ultimately the day would end early as a nearby storm rolled over the mountain’s winding ridges. As the fanfare roweled up in the morning—race day—Kash gave his street car a once-over, topping off the motor with a shot of Amsoil and double-checking tire pressures. Belts strapped, helmet on, and HANS hooked, Kash rolled up to the line, guided by Pikes’ official starter, Dave Jordan. Weather reports from the peak came in steadily: clear conditions, despite the low clouds rolling in during the afternoon. With a press of a button and a flash of green, Kash was off. The twin turbos quickly spooled into a highpitched song as he cleared the official timed start, winding through the top of Second. Around the timing screens, something of a family reunion occurred, with fellow racers and friends anxiously watching for another red-flag nightmare—2017 would prove to be a full-pull. Other than dodging some goats at nearly 11,000 feet, Kash was able to push the Mustang comfortably to a personal best of 13:22.636. Some races are about pure survival more than ultimate victory—our Drag Week™ race is one of them. More than climbing to the top of the podium, seeing the peak of the mountain is worth more weight in respect and satisfaction than just about anything else. Winning is what you make of it. For Kash, this year’s win was a new personal best in a car that challenges his comfort zones as a driver in ways that only Pikes Peak can.

Tommy Lee Byrd

The Southeast Gassers Association Brings 60 Period-Correct Gassers to Knoxville Dragstrip

[One of the closest races of the day came between Tony Turner in his “Quick N Dirty” 1939 Dodge and legendary A/Gas racer Gene Cromer in his “Moonlighter” Willys coupe. Tony’s Hemi-powered Dodge barely squeaked out an emotional round 1 victory, as he simultaneously sprayed for mosquitoes.

32 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

hThe Southeast Gassers Association is sweeping the nation—part

of it, at least—with cars that are built to 1967 NHRA Gas class rules. These cars are insane, with high-winding, naturally aspirated horsepower disguised as a 1960s powerplant and backed by four-speed manual transmissions. Of course, modern tires and safety equipment are allowed in the series, but the rules package is extremely strict to preserve the true definition of a gasser and put on an awesome show. With 10 races in 7 states for the 2017 season, the series is drawing huge crowds and showing why the 1960s were the heyday of drag racing. The most recent clash came at Knoxville Dragstrip in Maynardville, Tennessee, and it drew 60 period-correct gassers and thousands

of spectators to watch the action. The racing is split up into three classes—A/Gas, C/Gas, and D/Gas—and divided the way NHRA Gas coupes and sedans were separated in 1967: the car’s cubic-inch–to–weight ratio. A/Gas must weigh 6 pounds per cubic inch, C/Gas must weigh 8 pounds per cubic inch, and D/Gas must weigh 10 pounds per cubic inch. So far, this has been a foolproof way to split up the Southeast Gassers series, and it makes for awesome side-by-side racing. The elapsed times are not shown, in an effort to give it an old-school vibe and keep everyone guessing. The no-time tactic worked, as the crowds stayed glued to the stands until the final round of eliminations were complete.

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 33

DROP THE HAMMER

01] The stands were packed all day, thanks to a constant stream of action from the gear-banging Southeast Gassers. Shown here is Lance Yoakem in his newly painted “Bad Juju” 1955 Chevy getting the green light, while Moonshiners TV star Josh Owens red-lights in the far lane. 02] Barry Lynn’s 1965 Chevelle station wagon is a crowd pleaser, with awesome wheels-up launches. A 427ci big-block Chevy powers the wheelstanding wagon. 03] Wheels-up launches are commonplace at a Southeast Gassers race. In fact, Quain Stott has a rule that if your car goes quicker than 6.50 in the eighth-mile, the front tires must be at least 1 foot off the ground on the launch. Justin Moses never has a problem clearing the 1-foot rule, and that’s Stott himself in the far lane.

[When Danny Byrd isn’t racing his E/Stock Chevy II on the NHRA circuit, he’s racing this C/Gas Chevy II in the Southeast Gassers series. The Missouri racer rides on the old-school wheelie bars and carried the front wheels about 100 feet out on this first-round pass, but couldn’t return for round 2, due to a valvetrain breakage.

Todd Oden took the D/Gas victory in his 1958 Chevy called “Double XX” and traveled back to Leeds, Alabama, with a big smile on his face after beating Doug Capps’ Mustang. As the crowd cheered for the heavy Chevy’s D/Gas victory, the C/Gas cars were warming the tires [Doug Dobbins has one of the slickest and cleanest gassers on the planet, and it’s always in the running for a C/Gas victory. The 1966 Chevy II suffered a tough loss to the Bad Banana in the quarterfinals.

34 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

right behind them. Jared Bailey won the C/Gas category in a deadly consistent 1941 Studebaker coupe called “Hit Man,” while Michigannative Rusty Sampsel in the “Bad Banana” 1955 Chevy gave it his best effort. Finally, the A/Gas cars rolled into the beams, with an intense

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01] The Chevrolet-powered Barracuda of Mark Newton is one of the hardest-launching cars on the Southeast Gassers circuit. It is a great-handling car, but it just wasn’t enough for the “Boogie Man” Chevy II in the semifinals. 02] Justin Moses is nearly dragging the back bumper in Third gear, as Stott’s car briefly noses over on the gear change. By the time these two made it through the traps, the roar of the crowd drowned out the noise from the small-block versus big-block battle. 03] The Blue Oval crowd stands at attention any time the “Southern Flyer” Falcon comes to the line. Gabriel Burrell’s A/Gas-prepared Ford packs a punch with Jimmy Huff horsepower under the fiberglass front end.

crowd waiting for the drivers to bring up the rpm and drop the clutch for a side-by-side, Ford-versus-Chevy battle. Jimmy Finley in the “Snake Bite” Mustang used all 427 ci of Ford horsepower to outrun Chris Dunn in the small-block-powered “Boogie Man” Chevy II. The

36 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

sights and sounds of the Southeast Gassers race at Knoxville Dragstrip will be a lasting memory for thousands of spectators, and you can bet they’ll be dreaming of 10,000-rpm launches, dry hops, and back-up girls for years to come.

Scotty Lachenauer

[Joe Conforth, in his flathead-motivated speedster, holds a nose lead on Jeremy Baye and his wild, rear-engine racer. Joe won the V8 class last year at TROG and was in competition all weekend to retain his title.

38 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

Wes Allison

Wildwood 2017 Will Go Down as TROG’s Finest Hour In its brief half decade of existence on the beach, The Race of h

Gentlemen (TROG) has kicked up a sandstorm of press and media attention, which has helped revitalize the vintage hot rod and bike hobby. It’s been less than five years since that fateful autumn day when a hardy pack of diehard hot rod enthusiasts and biker brethren stormed the beach in Allenhurst, New Jersey, for the first time. Since then, TROG has flourished and has also jumpstarted a movement dating back to an era where you modified your favorite ride, stripping it of useless weight and parts, and then hopped it up to perform better and go faster. It’s the definition of pure hot rodding—on two or four wheels. And at the helm of this perfect plethora of coordinated chaos is Meldon Van Riper Stultz. He’s the mind behind the machine, along with his trusty Oiler MC/CC crew, keeping the good times rollin’ and the race machines haulin’.

BASICS The rules of TROG haven’t changed much over the years. Cars must be 1934 or earlier and motors and speed parts must not be newer than 1953—the last year of the Ford flathead. All bikes are pre-1947, usually of the Harley or Indian ilk. You’ll see a good smattering of early brands like Chevrolet, Hudson, Chrysler, and even Essex, along with the multitude of Fords. Variety is good—it kills off monotony. TROG doesn’t come together overnight. It takes a full 11 months

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 39

SHREDDING ON THE SANDS OF TIME of work to bring the show back each year. And it is a show. Its circuslike atmosphere and carny touches are what sets you back in time, pulling you into the 1940s glory years of hot rod racing.

RACE WEEK

Mel and his Oiler crew spend weeks in Wildwood, New Jersey, prepping for the race. This kitschy beach town has become the permanent home to TROG since the second event—and for good reason. Great sand, extra room to sprawl out, and a picturesque atmosphere make this South Jersey beach community the place to be. “It’s our home away from home, and it’s the town’s spectacle outside the race that impresses all who travel from outside the area and abroad,” Mel says. No doubt, Wildwood’s retro styling multiplies TROG’s vintage vibe tenfold and puts a period-perfect exclamation point on the entire race. By Wednesday of race week, last-minute preps take place while drivers and spectators start funneling into town. By Thursday, there’s a presence—things are getting louder on the streets and there’s a buzz about town. More bikes and jalopies are rolling in. By Friday,

[On flag girl Sara Francello’s signal, Bob Factor and his bangerpowered 1929 roadster take off.

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SHREDDING ON THE SANDS OF TIME TROG is fully on—racers are gathering outside the StarLux Hotel & Suites and the party is in full swing. Locked and loaded, the event is about to blow. The final shot across the bow is the “Night of the Trogdolytes” party at the Bonita Hotel. Lots of hot bikes and enough cool music to spare. The weekend is off and running.

RACE DAYS

By 7 am, Wildwood is abuzz with the trumpeting sounds of open headers. Bikes and jalopies run the gridded streets of town, readying their rides for the meet-up just outside the boardwalk on Ocean Ave. By 8 am, the drivers are led through the “gazing tunnel,” the entranceway to the beach. It’s like the hot rodding equivalent of the Ancient Roman chariot races, with the participants entering

[TROG originator Meldon Stultz catches a ride with Max Herman and his H&H Special. Max’s ride is a 1925 Model T body on a narrowed 1930 Model A frame. The engine is a 1932 model B engine with a Riley four-port cylinder-head conversion. Max and his potent ride went on to win the banger class.

the “arena of play” with their metallic steeds to the cheers of packed spectators clamoring for an eyeful. Out on the sand, drivers park in the pits and ready their rides for the race. A noticeable change this year is the inclusion of sandrails to the event. “The rail class was also my answer to tons of young guys and gals saying, ‘I want to, but I can’t afford…’ Oh, yes you can! It’s doable on a shoestring budget,” Mel says. Besides the rails, there is the typical cross-section of all things hot rod: coupes, roadsters, and speedsters of all styles made up the majority of the 100 rides on hand, mingled alongside 50 bike entries. This year’s race field was the biggest one yet. Once the tide goes out, racing begins. (This race is the only one that depends on the tidal charts and lunar movements to dictate race time.) Saturday is the day you test and tune and get used to the slippery starts and shaky traction on the sand. It’s similar to driving on snow, but with a bit more bite, some racers say. The racing is infectious. “TROG has ruined me,” says Eli English, veteran of several

42 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[Flying past the amusements on their way to the finish line are a pair of flatheadpowered racers. Mike Farace of Forest Hill, Maryland, in his 1929 roadster and Jodi Lovette of Marmora, New Jersey, in his 1926 Essex are evenly matched mid-run.

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SHREDDING ON THE SANDS OF TIME TROG events and owner of Traditional Speed and Custom in New Hampshire. “I have no desire to attend any ‘regular’ car shows anymore after being a participant here. Why would anyone want to sit in a parking lot when you can be on the beach kicking up sand and driving your car for all it is worth.” After a complete day of test and tune, rides are parked and, once again, the StarLux draws a crowd. But tonight, the beach will be alive: more music, more libations, more hot rod mischief. The bonfire draws participants into the light like flies, and the party continues on. On Sunday morning, the field heads back to the beach for round 2. Today, things get serious—as serious as they get at TROG. The emphasis is always on the fun part of hot rodding, though many come to race hard and compete. No doubt there are quite a few eager to take home the prize in their bracket. Drivers pair up and race based on engine size. Both bikes and hot

[The Jersey Shore gave up a beautiful weekend of sun, sand, and workable tides, which made for great racing all weekend. Jeff Bloedorn and his 1932 roadster from Stillwater, Minnesota, take on the 1928 roadster of Joe Lockwood from Binghamton, New York. Both rides sported flathead power.

rods have their own classes, broken down by engine displacement. It’s a gentlemen’s race, as drivers run the eighth-mile and declare a winner. The action was fast and furious down the stretch, with heated matchups and fast times.

FINAL RUN

As festivities come to an end, Mel knew he had just seen hot rod history unfold. It was the major success The Race of Gentlemen needed after some rough weather the last two years. And for Mel, it was a vindication of sorts—and a nagging burden removed. “It was the best year yet, hands down. It just works better and better,” he says. “We learned how the beach and tide work, and we prepared

[Lisa English flies down the sand strip in her flathead-powered AV8 1929 roadster. It was built at her husband Eli’s Traditional Speed and Custom shop in Pittsfield, New Hampshire.

44 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

BOX! A N I R E IT’S POW er Package Guide

” Pow 1980’s. uesswork e the late c in s s s Our “No g e t cc et the righ a huge su you can g has been r, ie s a a e n e in eve our engin To make it parts for y wer Package f o n o ti a combin f our Po with one o single box its. e Top End K e an intak kits includ shaft, te le p m o c These eads, cam re. cylinder h d hardwa manifold, askets an an Edelbrock g , in a h c ® timing off with ries AVS be topped They can ® ries or Thunder Se r Se P from you Performer 15 to 460 H 3 r fo m your r to 611 HP fro carbure d n a y v e available ck Ch s are also small-blo it K . tiac. y v e h ck C s and Pon 502 big-blo Ford, Chryslers, Old ck for big-blo

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SHREDDING ON THE SANDS OF TIME

accordingly. Every year, it’s a crapshoot. Thanks, Momma Nature, we needed a break.” Even the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, showed up on Sunday, snapping photos at the starting line. He knew where the action was at the Jersey Shore this weekend. “The Race of Gentlemen” exhibit ran all summer at the HarleyDavidson museum in Milwaukee. Says Mel, “It’s a dream come true that I hadn’t fathomed; Harley-Davidson treats me like family. And in 2018, we are getting close to a Texas race and a Bonneville run.” Of course, look for The Race of Gentlemen at the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, June 8–10 in 2018.

46 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

1966 Ford GT-40 Mark II

50th Anniversary Die-Cast Tribute Superior interior & exterior detail in 1:18 scale • Car boasts ofﬁcial race graphics of the 1966 GT-40

Engineered to

1:18 Scale! Measures an impressive 9" long SEND NO MONEY NOW!

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Fastest way to order: HamiltonCollection.com/1966Ford

Opening doors and trunk, genuine race graphics and opening hood are a few of the fine details of the GT-40!

Honor Ford’s legendary domination with a superior GT-40 die-cast replica! Fifty years ago, the strikingly modern 1966 Ford GT-40 beat out Ferrari at the prestigious 24-hour Grand Prix d’Endurance at Le Mans. The GT-40 not only took the checkered flag, but swept the race — finishing 1-2-3! Now celebrate the historic 50th anniversary of this epic victory with the “1:18-Scale 1966 Ford GT-40 MK II #2,” a superior die-cast replica showcasing the innovative engineering of the sleek GT-40 endurance racer! Precise 1:18-scale die-cast engineering! Crafted to the highest quality by Shelby Collectibles, this 1:18-scale die cast boasts opening doors that reveal an articulated interior; fine dashboard instrumentation; opening trunk with a detailed engine compartment; chromecolored accessories; and more. LIKE US ON

Rubber Goodyear tires and working steering give this car a smooth ride, plus race-day graphics perfectly mirror the GT-40 two-door coupe that finished first at Le Mans! Satisfaction 100% assured. Our 365-Day Guarantee assures your satisfaction or your money back. Own this 50th anniversary tribute to the famous 1966 GT-40 that proved Ford had achieved the pinnacle of engineering excellence! Demand will be strong; Reply today! The finely engineered “1:18-Scale 1966 Ford GT-40 MK II #2” die cast can be yours for just three monthly payments of $33.33*; with only the first payment due prior to shipment. Send no money now; just mail the coupon to reserve in your name today! Produced by Shelby Collectibles, Inc. under license with Ford Motor Company. Presented by The Hamilton Collection.

MAIL TO:

09-06536-001-BI2

Presented By

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YES! Please reserve the “1:18-Scale 1966 Ford GT-40 MK II #2” for me as described in this announcement. Name______________________________________________ (Please print clearly.)

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*Add a total of $21.00 for shipping and service, see HamiltonCollection.com. Deliveries to FL and IL will be billed appropriate sales tax. For information on sales tax you may owe to your state, go to HamiltonCollection.com/use-tax. All orders are subject to product availability and credit approval. Allow 6 to 8 weeks after initial payment for shipment.

al v eO u l B Jeff Lilly m gly a lo il G n e a d r n Bra is D H d e t Custom-Car Builder Jeff Lilly Craf

48 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[Jeff Lilly Restorationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; latest creation, a booming 1970 Torino convertible, belongs to company owner Jeff Lilly.

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 49

TWEAKED TORINO

[Jeff chose a healthy, roller-cam, 429ci Ford big-block for the Torino. It’s topped by Ford Performance heads and pumps out 550 hp. On top is a one-off air cleaner built by Jeff Lilly Restorations that houses an ample air filter. Exhaust is routed through custom 2.5-inch stainless tubing and Magnaflow mufflers. hDespite its great styling in the 1960s and

[Above: A custom center console houses Auto Meter gauges, a Hurst shifter, and controls for the Vintage Air A/C system. [Below: This shot highlights the extent of the bodywork and paint prep. The reflection is perfect! Nat Ramirez gets credit for the final cut and buff, Bob Ives aligned the panels and sprayed the custom-mixed Orange-Appetite paint, and both men block-sanded the panels mirror-straight.

50 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

into the early 1970s, Ford’s midsize muscle car never seemed to get the respect it deserved among the classic Chevelles, flashy GTOs, and expertly marketed Mopars like the Road Runner and Charger. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before the next generation of classic-car fans realize their potential, because constant engine updates and multiple coupe and fastback body styles mean there’s a Torino to fit just about every flavor of muscle-car fan. It just so happens that Jeff Lilly’s 1970 convertible is one of our favorites. Lilly, of Jeff Lilly Restorations in San Antonio, has Ford muscle in his family tree, as his father raced a lightweight 1963 Galaxie, so when it came to selecting his personal car, he didn’t go for a run-of-the-mill Mustang. Setting out to combine the best body styles of the 1970 Torino line, Jeff Lilly Restorations started with an original 429-powered convertible and got to work cutting into the sheetmetal. The door handles and mirrors were shaved, and the quarter-panel extensions were significantly reworked to incorporate the rear spoiler from a Torino Sportsroof. Jeff took on the task of slicing, dicing, and melding the Sportsroof spoiler and the integration is seamless. From there, it was a matter of correcting all of the Torino’s blemishes, as the tedious bodywork and welding of the panel gaps finally led to the custom-mixed paint that was sprayed by Bob Ives and buffed to its final sheen by Nat Ramirez. Under the sheetmetal is a modernized chassis with a Total Control Products front coilover system that ties into the factory shock towers and a Currie 9-inch rear with 31-spline axles and 3.55:1 gears, perfect for

[Above: Jeff is an audiophile, so the trunk is dedicated to sound. You’ll find six 10-inch JL Audio W6 subwoofers in a symmetrical enclosure molded in fiberglass and wrapped in leather. They’re powered by twin 1,000-watt JL Audio amps.

[Below: The customized seats have integral three-point seatbelts, increasing the safety while keeping it easy to access the rear seats.

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TWEAKED TORINO

highway cruising with the C6 transmission. The brakes got a major upgrade by way of an ABS power-brake system that uses 13-inch, two-piece rotors and six-piston calipers front and rear from Baer Brakes. Capping off the suspension are custom billet wheels finished

52 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

in gloss platinum to match the Torino’s trim wearing Michelin Primacy HP tires, 255/50/17 front and 275/45/18 in the rear. Dropping the top reveals a custom rollbar fabricated by Louie Carrillo and Bob Ives painted it to match the Bohemian Brown leather on the custom seats.

The high-back bucket seats have integral three-point belts for easier access to the rear seats and were upholstered by JLR’s Eric Orishak, who also completed the car’s final assembly. Leather was also used to wrap new door panels and the dash, which retains the factory sweep speedometer.

What truly sets the Torino apart from the crowd might not be noticed at first glance. As if the custom orange drop-top wasn’t enough of an attention-grabber, a top-notch audio system was a priority for Jeff. An Alpine head unit feeds the audio signals to a pair of IDX-24 crossovers,

where the midrange and high-frequency signals are routed to a 450-watt JL Audio amplifier and on to a 6-inch Dynaudio component mounted low in the center of the floorboards as well as a pair of Image Dynamics horns mounted just below the dash. The bass signals are sent to

twin JL Audio 1,000-watt amps and then to a six-pack of 10-inch JL Audio W6 subwoofers mounted in a custom-built enclosure in the trunk. No matter where you’re seated, and whether the top is up or down, the audio system will be able to keep up.

[Never offered on the convertible, the Tornio Sportsroof’s small spoiler adds a lot of character to the convertible’s trim lines.

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 53

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This Four-Door E-Body Begs the Question: What If? Roger C. Johnson

ECS Automotive Concepts

[The 1970 Barracuda was arguably the sleekest and newest-looking ponycar of its era. It was a brand-new interpretation of what these machines should look like and made its competitors seem so “last decade” in the process. Clean, smooth, and curvy body panels put this car’s best foot forward in every direction. Even in its customized four-door configuration, Dave Walden was able to maintain the car’s nice proportions and modern good looks. Despite the 118-inch wheelbase of the four-door Barracuda, almost all other dimensions are similar to an original 1970 Barracuda. At 3,500 pounds, the car weighs in at about the same—or less—than modern-day V8 Mustangs and Camaros.

58 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

hThe Chrysler Corporation never offered a four-door Barracuda,

but this brand-new 1970 model would have the average onlooker convinced they did. Dave Walden, owner of ECS Automotive Concepts near St. Louis, has completed a number of OEstyle restorations from 2005 through 2010 and was pondering another build that would be equally challenging, but different—way different. He decided to build a car the factory never made in the first place and make it look like it just rolled off the assembly line. Years back, Walden viewed a rendering of a 1970 four-door Barracuda that was swimming around the internet, and it struck a chord with him. At first, he and his associate, Steve Been, thought to build the very car in the drawing. Then they decided a Lemon Twist Yellow version with a Rally hood and a 383 would be the way to go. Right about that time, they read another account of a fourdoor, hardtop Barracuda seen by a former Chrysler employee in fall 1969. The car was spotted in the center of Chrysler’s Highland Park, Michigan, headquarters. It was reported to be a red 1970 model and evidently a styling exercise. So Dave and Steve regrouped and decided this would be the car they’d replicate and bring to life. “After discussing the engineering requirements and possibilities, we concluded it would have to be built from an existing 1971–1974 four-door Coronet or Satellite roof structure. I called a friend and Mopar-parts source who told me he had a candidate sitting in his salvage yard that very moment. So the first piece we collected for this project was a cut-up and stripped four-door roof and pillars from a 1972 four-door Dodge. Now it was time to invent something we could attach it to,” Walden said. “This approach allowed us to incorporate our accumulated OE experience into a one-ofa-kind custom car. We became the factory in the engineering and building of this unique automobile.”

HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/ 59

EXTRA FINS FOR THIS FISH

[Many enthusiasts proclaimed that the 340 was the ideal engine for the new 1970 Barracuda. Light weight and a reasonably small size combine for plenty of horsepower and a willingness to rev. This car won’t be raced, but the desire for an engine that represents performance was irresistible to Walden. Everything you see here replicates an original 340-motivated Barracuda, except that the entire engine bay was crafted piece by piece.

Since there was no donor vehicle or even frame to start with, the four-door roof and post components became the single element that set the stage for the project. The entire unibody structure had to be crafted using available restoration parts, in addition to custom pieces Walden and his team produced as they went along. “The B-pillars were cut apart and hand-formed to fit the configuration of the custom doors,” Walden said. “The roof was cut, then sectioned and welded back together. The A-pillars were cut and modified to create the opening for the new windshield. The Barracuda’s rear doors were also developed from scratch and shaped by Been, who did much of the car’s fabrication.” B-body inner-door structures were used after being cut apart, reshaped, and re-welded to fit custom doorskins. The rear doors are made from stock E-body front doorskins and stock Barracuda rear quarter-panels. The front part of the rear door is made from the rear section of an E-body door, and the rear part of the door was made from the front section of an E-body quarter-panel. A project that required this much fabrication forced Walden to look at spare hoods and fenders as raw materials that could be repurposed for the next unforeseeable obstacle. Many of the body panels were available through restoration-parts companies, as well as new/old stock sources. Of course, none of those parts was designed for this car. Consequently, each was hand-formed to fit its portion of the puzzle; the car is an inch wider than a stock two-door. To make the OEM-style hood fit, it also had to be widened. The original Dodge Coronet roof was lowered about an inch. The attached B-body sections were removed, and appropriate E-body pieces were welded back in place. The sail panels are the product of much English-wheel work, and the top portion of the roof was also split to change its angle. About 10 inches had to be removed from the stock replacement rear quarter-panels, and they were redesigned at their leading edge to match the back portion of the rear doors. The Barracuda’s windshield and rear glass are originals designed for a 1970 model. They didn’t fit, either. The windshield had to be trimmed with a belt sander about an inch on the topside to adapt it to its new framework. Walden’s company is licensed to do dot etchings on the glass, so the Chrysler logos and correct dates on each piece were custom-etched. 60 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[This never-before custom trunk provides the usual volume for an E-body, which is to say, lacking. Nevertheless, there’s still more than enough room for a fullsize spare tire and wheel, along with a properly mounted bumper jack. When asked about the limited trunk space, most Barracuda owners said if they cared about a trunk, they would have bought a pickup truck.

[From the driver seat, it’s 1970 all over again, thanks to the aroma of fresh paint and other new-car smells. The interior is as inviting as ever. It feels the same as any E-body you ever sat in. And since so much of the car’s construction took place behind the driver, the forward and sideways views remain business as usual for an E-body Barracuda.

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EXTRA FINS FOR THIS FISH

[ECS Automotive is a licensed source to recreate a number of Chrysler items from exhaust systems to production decals, so Walden put that capability to good use during this build. You’ll notice all the correct decals right where they should be—if the factory had built this car, that is.

[This is the piece that started it all: an early 1970s Dodge four-door post. It was a good place to start cutting and welding. A legitimate unibody structure grew from this.

The side glass began life in a 1971 B-body. The original etchings were removed and replaced with new logos etched into the glass an inch below the stock location. This was necessary since this Barracuda’s beltline was also lowered an inch during the early part of the build. All of window-crank mechanisms had to be re-engineered to operate in their new environment. The Barracuda’s engine bay is another sight to behold. The fresh 340ci engine looks like it came right from the factory. All of the wire routing mimics the production-line setup. It’s proper to say this is the four-door’s “original” engine, since it has never been in any other car. This OEM powerplant was disassembled, and all reciprocating internals were balanced by a professional machine shop in the area. The engine was hand-assembled by Been. That three-speed TorqueFlite transmission is a new service item, but was still inspected and brought up to spec as Been saw fit. A correct 8.75-inch rear-end assembly was sourced and filled with a 3.55 gearset. Custom rear leaf springs suspend the back end. Up front, a stock Barracuda torsion-bar arrangement helps complete the factory look and ride. Standard Barracuda power brakes with stock discs up front continue the OEM theme. This Barracuda’s wheelbase is 10 inches longer than that on an original 1970 model, placing it at 118 inches. It weighs about 3,500 pounds, which puts it right on the money for an early E-body. Underneath, the car was built to further display its proper Chrysler lineage. The floorboards are exacting, as are all connecting

62 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[The car’s bottom side retains absolute correctness, especially for a car that never existed. A complete custom dual-exhaust system spanning from the high-flow factory manifolds to the classic “turn-down” exhaust tips add an additional look of authenticity to the Barracuda’s form and function. Walden admits it took 20 attempts to create the meandering twists and bends required to thread it around the new and longer undercarriage. Once this was accomplished, the final version of the exhaust system was produced from a special stainless steel that is finished in a “bare metal” coating, which is visually identical to what the factory used on its Barracudas—but of a much higher quality.

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EXTRA FINS FOR THIS FISH

[The car’s front bench seat adds even more character to this build, as does the column-shifted TorqueFlite transmission. ACC supplied the perfect custom black carpet for the job, while Legendary made sure the seat covers and interior panels were right on target.

64 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

components. A Chrysler engineer or designer from back in that day would have a hard time distinguishing this car from a genuine production Barracuda. “Every nut, washer, fastener, body component, bracket, and interior piece had to be collected, fabricated, and assembled from scratch,” Walden said. A time span of six years and thousands of man-hours were required from start to finish. All factory systems operate on the four-door Barracuda, and it’s perfectly driveable. Although it probably won’t be taken on too many road trips because Dave’s having too much fun showing this brand-new Barracuda at events around the country, including the 2017 SEMA Show. This truly is the car that never was, yet it stands front and center, here and now. It represents another dimension of sight, sound, and mind—a true hot rod builder’s creed.

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Fabrication and Racing at the Speed of (Sun)light Phillip Thomas

hThe Illinois State University’s solar-car team is made up of hot

rodders. Sure, they’re only pushing road-legal speeds, but building and “ray-cing” a sun-powered machine from scratch is no easy task. A tube chassis supports the carbon- and Kevlar-fiber body, and the whole car weighs 544 pounds (minus the driver). The choice of Kevlar under the film-like solar cells is needed on the body, as carbon fiber is conductive and capable of causing accidental shorts. The ISU team competes in the American Solar Car Challenge, Formula Sun Grand Prix, and Abu Dhabi Solar Car Challenge,

03 04 where they compete in both long-distance road rallies over thousands of miles and in on-track endurance races. As a show of force, the team came out to Power Tour® with their Mercury 5S and ran the route with HOT ROD to Bowling Green, Kentucky. The ISU solar-car crew is comprised of Nicholas Dorsett, Waffa Yakhlif, Bailey McNulty, Alex Moy, Brian Warner, Richard Pelphrey, Andrew Reed, Dan Eggena, Andrew Wodziak, Santiago Pinto, Nick Reichman, and advisor Jim Dunham and helper Lincoln Knight.

01] The hub-mounted motors provide about 6.5 hp apiece and are powered by 420 individual 26650-type lithium-ion cells for 5 kilowatt/hour of capacity. 02] Reducing drag is the name of the game in increasing efficiency, and the Jetsons-like shape of the Mercury 5S reflects the substantial engineering and composite-fabrication time. The cockpit is cozy but lacks air conditioning, and the space-age bubble canopy doesn’t help comfort in the sun. 03] While ISU doesn’t have a tailored engineering school, the Solar Car program is made up of a collective of departments to bring the right minds together on this project. 04] There’s almost nothing off-the-shelf in ISU’s solar car, including these CNC-aluminum uprights that were designed in-house. 66 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

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AT HOT ROD T H E

M A R L A N Thom Taylor

D A V I S Pat Ganahl and the HOT ROD Archives

hForty years at one company is crazy, but that’s the landmark we’re

celebrating for HOT ROD’s very unique, devoted, and walking GM part-number catalog, Marlan Davis. Forty years! You know him as HOT ROD’s Tech Editor par excellence—and he’s that, for sure. But Marlan is somewhat of a mystery, even to the staff, as his desert residence in Neenach, California, isolates him from city hustle and bustle, making commutes into Los Angeles a long haul and sightings of him at the HOT ROD mothership rare. His longevity at HOT ROD is serendipitous, as he came here when Jim McCraw was editor. Says Jim, “I was the editor of HOT ROD when Marlan was hired in the spring of 1977. He was the son of Petersen Vice President Dick Day’s next-door neighbor, who asked Dick to please give him a job. At the time, Marlan was driving a 1970 SS Chevelle LS7, so Day must have known he was some kind of gearhead. He started out as a gopher and car schlepper all those years ago, but after a while he started to show some interest in engines, and 40 years later he’s one of the most savvy guys in the building.”

68 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

S A G A

[HOT ROD Tech Editor Marlan Davis in the midst of project parts in his original office at the Petersen Building on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. For years, he wrote about cars, events, and projects, as well as doing the bulk of technical articles, but over the last couple of decades, he’s concentrated on technical info exclusively.

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40 YEARS AT HOT ROD

HOT ROD needed a car wrangler to shuffle cars and projects around from shops to scenic backdrops to press fleets, and once he was offered a job at HOT ROD, Marlan grabbed the opportunity. David Freiburger, former HOT ROD editor and current Motor Trend OnDemand star says, “I doubt Day knew that Marlan could write tech, it was just sort of a fluke.” But soon, Marlan was not only writing tech stories but also doing features and anything else the staff position required. Marlan’s thing is automotive technical knowledge, and with his intellectual capacity, he has this incredible ability to dive deep into other people’s automotive maladies—probably much deeper than anyone would’ve considered. Not only that, but he challenges himself to reexamine both the mundane and complex, even when past results seem non-refutable, smashing the old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Says former HOT ROD Editor David Kennedy, “He was always willing to reevaluate things he knew about just to challenge himself.” So it might surprise you that Marlan’s degree is in political science. Marlan also has a thing for numbers. Says another former editor, Pat Ganahl, “He can spout GM parts numbers, aftermarket cam specs, and all of the gear ratios used in Muncie four-speeds

70 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[A five-year anniversary shot of Marlan from 1982. Lenny Emanuelson was editor during this period, and Marlan had already jumped from associate editor to tech editor.

40 YEARS AT HOT ROD

[Marlan’s shop-worn 1969 Corvette in its current state in his home shop in the desert. Factory flares, red respray, and vintage Jongbloed racing wheels all give the impression this canyon-carver is close to being finished.

from memory.” Numbers and details are just some of his gifts, but that’s not all. Says Ganahl, “Marlan is so into Snap-on tools that after his father retired, Marlan talked him into getting a job with Snap-on so he could take advantage of the employee discounts.” It sounds like a joke, but he’s serious. He was quite proud of this connection and would take orders from the staff and pass along the discount, too. Marlan could be called an extremist, because anything he really gets into, he takes to extremes—like aircraft fittings and braided hoses. He refuses to use anything in his projects that isn’t aircraftspec. Says Kennedy, “I think he loves anything with a mil-spec because it has a paper trail and not only tells you what it will do but why it does it, so to Marlan, its purpose has been studied and results backed up.” All whom we spoke with say Marlan is also a research fanatic, which you probably figured from reading his many articles over the decades. Ganahl says he researches to a fault. “With deadlines

looming, I would have to tell him to stop researching and write the article. Sometimes he’d want to give six alternatives for solutions when two were plenty.” Says current Editor Evan Perkins, “Marlan is the most detailoriented writer I have ever worked with, but it comes from a deepseated and selfless desire to help people. He is the Robin Hood of tech writing, cramming hours and hours of painstakingly compiled research and part numbers into elegantly complex tables and charts just to make sure readers have every gram of information to do the job right.” That pursuit for perfection and attention to detail has posed a problem with the car he’s owned since 1974, his 1969 L-89 Corvette. Originally a Tri-Power four-speed big-block car, that engine was soon plucked for an L-88 427 crate motor that Marlan couldn’t leave alone. Numerous changes to the mill have kept the Corvette a garage queen forever. These recent Ganahl shots are the first images seen of the car in decades. Marlan picks at it from

[The original hood has been mocked up for the added height necessary for the dual-plane intake/four-barrel setup. Marlan’s perfectionism is evident, but maybe seeing it here will provide him the necessary push to complete it.

72 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

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40 YEARS AT HOT ROD

[An L-88 427 crate motor currently resides in Marlan’s Corvette, which has had a substantial amount of mods. Originally a Tri-Power fourspeed big-block car, you can see his attention to detail and obsession with AN fittings and hard lines. [Caught recently in the HOT ROD offices, Marlan’s hair may have gotten a bit grayer, but his mind is still sharp, as he intends to continue in the technical editor’s chair for the foreseeable future.

74 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

time to time, at his generous home garage that shares its space with his GMC Syclone pickup he bought new, and his current daily driver, a two-wheel-drive, 6.0L Trailblazer SS, which is kept in pristine condition. Marlan’s cars of choice are a predictable pattern of big horsepower and unique production orders. We often wonder if Marlan is aware of the amount of information he has provided over these 40 years and how it may have affected gearheads young and old. Says Kennedy, “When I was HOT ROD editor and Marlan would come into my office, he always called me ‘Mr. Kennedy,’ even though he started working at HOT ROD before I was born. And he finally told me he was always puzzled that he and I thought so much alike about mechanical things. I had to remind him that he taught me a lot of what I know today through the pages of HOT ROD.” With so many years at HOT ROD, we asked Freiburger what he thought Marlan would be doing if not writing: “Marlan thinks in black and white flowchart terms, he’s super analytical. I think he’d be a great computer programmer.” For all of us, we’re glad he’s not, and we’re happy after these last four decades to still be looking forward to the next technical Easter egg from the incredible Marlan Davis.

Inside a Fuel Car’s 3,700-Degree Slider Clutch What It Takes to Get 11,000 HP to the Ground Phillip Thomas

hNitromethane-powered

NHRA Top Fuelers and Funny Cars (fuel cars, for short) still use a manual clutch, despite the directdrive transmission, but they’re more complex than what you see in any conventional clutch, even with today’s multi-disc clutch setups. These 3,700-degree Fahrenheit carousels of steel and sintered iron are foot-clutched and centrifugally activated with a computer-controlled release, get rebuilt between every run, and act as the sole control over power delivery after the 11,000hp Hemi engine does its job. We hung out with Corey Lee, Del Worsham’s clutch guy, and McLeod Clutch’s Paul Lee (no relation) to find out how they’re tuned and rebuilt between rounds during the

76 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

2017 Winternationals at Pomona. In a typical car, a clutch is a fairly simple mechanism. The clutch disc, attached to the input shaft of the transmission, is clamped between the crankshaft-mounted flywheel and pressure plate, which encases the disc. Think of it like a brake caliper and rotor, but the “brake pads” (the flywheel and pressure plate) are full-faced and the clutch disc is like the rotor. When the clutch is released, the pressure plate clamps the disc against the flywheel, coupling the engine to the transmission. This simple design has seen few changes over the decades, although disc count and actuation methods have evolved over the years.

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SLIDER CLUTCH

[Here you can see the input shaft and cannon. [The two-piece pressure plate is the first part removed.

[For reference, there’s a typical five-speed input shaft on the right.

Fuel-car clutches are complex in that they operate in two modes: with the driver’s foot pedal and with a combination of weighted levers and an air cylinder, known as the cannon, that effectively acts as a tunable slave cylinder. The driver’s pedal is what ultimately engages or disengages the clutch, but it does not modulate it during the run. Once the pedal is released, it will begin to drag the clutch and load the drivetrain, but the timing-based cannon, centrifugally actuated levers, sintered iron discs, and steel floater plates are responsible for how and when the clutch ultimately locks up under power (all 11,000 hp of it). Too soon and you might smoke the tires,

78 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

too late and you might lose the weekend on a soft hit—this is why clutch tuners often get the special mention for hard-fought wins. The pressure plate is two main parts: the friction surface—actuated by the levers and tension springs—rides on spring-loaded, titanium “stands” that bolt into the other half of the pressure plate. There are three main ways clutch tuners can adjust the pressure plate to control its release: by changing out levers of different weights to adjust how they respond to rpm, by controlling the maximum travel of the levers with carbide “rubbers” that act as adjustable travel stops, and by adjusting the tension springs on the

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SLIDER CLUTCH

HOW TO LAUNCH A TOP FUEL DRAGSTER

[Logging clutch wear helps tell a tuner how much the clutch slips during a run. Everything is measured and matched to the desired clutch behavior.

Before the engine is cranked, your left foot is on the clutch pedal. The moment it fires up, you keep holding the pedal as rpm comes up, around 2,500 rpm, hopefully not running over the crew guy in front of you. To move the dragster into the burnout box, you release the clutch and roll forward—with rpm low. The clutch will begin to engage and drag, but still needs rpm to fully engage. For the burnout, it’s not far off your typical street burnout, but now the centrifugally actuated levers inside the pressure plate are responsible for grabbing the clutch and spinning the tires. After releasing the throttle, drivers come to a stop and depress the pedal to fully disengage the clutch for the reverser. A quick bump of the clutch and it’s all momentum back to the line to save clutch wear. Pre-staged, you grab all the brake you can and release the clutch pedal for the last time. The staging bulbs are lit after caressing the brake enough to slip the nose of your fuel car into the beams. When the lights drop, it’s all throttle from here: As rpm comes up from 2,500 to 8,500 rpm, a group of weighted levers inside the clutch swing outward and begin depressing the pressure plate, with a second round of levers releasing on a timer-controlled air cylinder, replacing the golden clutch foot’s job (think Dyno Don, Grumpy Jenkins, and Ronnie Sox) of feeding clutch slip during the run. The clutch pack quickly spikes to 3,700 degrees during the first few tenths of the run and only begins cooling below 1,000 degrees once the car is back in the pits.

[The flywheel is titanium, and uses 17⁄8 studs to locate the clutch pack and bolt the pressure plate on, which takes 180 to 200 lb-ft of torque to tighten.

friction surface’s stands to set the air gap between the clutch’s plates and steels. Unlike a traditional clutch, which uses spring-steel arms to ultimately create the plate load needed to hold the clutch disc, a fuel clutch uses centrifugal force to compress the clutch discs and floaters together via a set of weighted levers on the two-piece pressure plate. The weight and geometry (lever ratio and shape) of the levers affects how quickly the clutch responds to rpm, with the primary levers floating freely and secondary levers riding on the cannon’s sleeve. While the primary levers react to engine rpm from centrifu-

80 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

gal force, the cannon acts on a timed release curve set by the tuner to dial in the slip during the run until full lock-up at the top end— think of it as a controlled release bearing in a conventional clutch. Carbide rubbers are shimmed to limit the levers’ travel to control the ultimate plate load. The friction surface locates into the pressure plate with thread-in stands, which use springs to set preload on the entire two-piece pressure-plate assembly, setting the air gap between the friction plates and steel floaters, and also controlling the rate of release in conjunction with the levers. A clutch tuner will use different spring rates and preload to tune the stand springs.

SLIDER CLUTCH

[Chamfering the access holes for the lever rubbers prevents damage to the sintered iron clutch disc.

[Then the height of the lever rubbers is micrometered. The carbide rubbers are the contact points for the levers and use shims to set their height, setting lever travel. [During break-in, Del Worsham works the brake on his Lucas Oil Funny Car to load up the clutches, while Corey checks the air gap periodically with a foot-long 0.050 feeler gauge.

[Corey measures the final stack height to confirm the final measurements after restacking the pack.

In most fuel cars, there are six clutch discs and five floaters. The Rockwell hardness of the discs, which batch date they were produced in, the friction coefficient of the discs, and the thicknesses of each component are also variables in the clutch’s tune-up. A clutch pack typically reuses half of the discs from a previous run, with the new ones matched in thickness to the others, but the steel floaters are thrown out as they become incredibly brittle during the run and lose their integrity. This helps extend the service life of the discs and ensures better consistency as new parts wear in during the run.

82 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

Each disc and steel floater is measured during assembly and double-checked after a run to monitor wear. Tuners look for anywhere from 0.100 to 0.180 of an inch of wear across the entire clutch pack after every run, depending on how much slip they want to dial in. If a tuner expected 130 thou, but the pack wears 165 thou, they know there’s too much slip in the tune-up and can make adjustments accordingly for the next round. More than tuning the clutch for the available grip, a clutch pack that slips too much even risks damaging the nitro-fed Hemi by allowing too much rpm and dropping cylinders—or worse.

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Step by Step: Solid Foundations How to Fabricate Custom Seat Mounts For Any Vehicle Jefferson Bryant

hThere are a lot of reasons you may want to swap out the seats in your ride. Maybe the stocker has a giant bench and you want buckets, or like so many 1970s-and-earlier models, they don’t recline. Regardless of the reason, there’s an entire subsection of the automotive aftermarket dedicated to vehicular seating. While the most common muscle cars have direct bolt-in options, most cars fall into the universal-fit category. Take this 1969 Road Runner: The factory buckets were in good shape, but they weren’t comfortable and certainly didn’t match our updated design. The interior design calls for four bucket seats, which means we need four matching seats. We selected the Elite style from Procar by Scat, which come with sliders that bolt directly to the seat. Procar offers a universal seat bracket, but they work best with flat floors, commonly found in full-frame vehicles. Unibody cars like the Mopar B-body have uneven floors with corrugations that eliminate the uni-

01] The original brackets are stamped steel with a built-in slider. Aside from not matching up to the new Procar seats, they’re not exactly good-looking. The outers (shown) have a taper that runs front to rear, which gives the seat a semi-reclined position. Each section was measured and the new plates were cut to match the design. 02] The 2-inchwide lower mount was clamped to the table, while the vertical plate was positioned at an approximately

84 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED Materials

versal brackets. We could elevate using universal • 11-gauge, coldbrackets off the floor with spacers, but that can lead rolled steel to other issues (and they don’t exactly look cool). • 5⁄16 -inch We need to make our own brackets. Grade 8 bolts, nuts, and washUnder heavy acceleration/braking—and to a ers (4 per seat) slightly lesser extent, cornering—your seat mounts see heavy stress. The brackets have to support your • Matching bolts for your weight that’s being transferred to four small bolts in seats (Procar the floorpan. The reason you don’t see seat brackets seats use metric bolts) that run side to side without any connecting points front to rear is because the main stressor is the Tools front-to-rear plane. Instead, your brackets need to • Welder run front to rear along the seat. We could modify the original seat brackets, but • Grinder the sliders were built into the brackets and there • Drill and bits was enough rust damage to make them unstable, so we opted to design new brackets based on the • Clamps original. This means the new brackets will match • Tap and the floorpan and have the right angle, because they die set need to run downward front to rear. This Road Runner is a show-and-go, so we need to dress them • Optional tools include dimple up as well. To accomplish that, we added some dies, press, dimple-die holes on the sides. drill press, and bandsaw The original seat brackets were stamped from 14-gauge steel with engineered corrugations to make them strong. We don’t have the ability to form steel that way, so we upgraded the metal to 11-gauge, which is nearly 1⁄8-inch thick. Once fully welded, the new brackets will be very sturdy and the dimple-died holes add rigidity to the long, wide vertical sections. The entire process took about two days to complete. Once the brackets were built and test-fit, we powdercoated them to match the car’s remaining components. Building new seat brackets is not difficult—you just need to focus on building them strong so they’re safe and functional. The last thing you want is for a seat mount to fail while you’re driving. 65-degree angle. We can’t run the vertical plate straight up due to the floorpan shape and the offset of the seat mount to the lower reinforced mounts on the floor.

03–04] After the lower section was tacked together, the upper mount was positioned using welding magnets.

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06] With everything set and in the correct position, the brackets were welded up. We welded the inside joints with a 1-inch bead every 2 inches, and the outside joints were fully welded. 07] There are two different seat brackets: outside and inside. The inside floorpan sits higher than the outside, about an inch, so the inside brackets have to be shorter to match. This is all based on the original seat brackets, so the math is easy.

09] We used a set of Blair Holecutters to make quick work of the holes. A drill press makes this task easier, but it can be done by hand.

05] Using a square, the upper mount was checked for square with the lower mount. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that this relationship be parallel.

08] To add some strength and style to the mounts, we used a set of dimple dies from Hornet Machine. Four sizes were used to make a line of decreasingly smaller holes in each bracket. We marked the centerline and split that into four points for the holes. Once marked, each hole was drilled for a pilot hole.

09 10] The dimple dies can be used with a press, hydraulic knockout tool, or a large Grade 8 bolt. The dies press the metal between each half to create a dimple.

10 11] We used a press, which is the fastest method. If this had been done before the brackets were welded, the plate would warp and have to be flattened again.

11 12] Here you can see the difference between the dimpled and nondimpled holes. The dimples add cross-section width to resist bending, plus a lot of character.

12 86 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

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13] For the slider to fit (the slider mounts are recessed slightly) and to add some thickness for the threads, we needed to weld in some more plate.

17] We bolted the slider to the mount and operated the slider to make sure the bolt head doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t interfere with the action of the slider.

17 14

14] The Procar sliders have riveted L-brackets that were designed to allow vertical adjustment. These have to go. We drilled the rivets to remove them.

15] You can see the recess here. The holes left by the rivets will be used to mount the sliders to the seats.

18] At this point, the sliders were bolted to the seat and checked for smooth action (again).

16] The holes were marked, drilled, and tapped for a Âź-20 Grade 8 bolt.

16 19

19] The seats were set into the car, and we used the existing bolt holes in the floorpan to mark the new brackets for the bolts. They were drilled and the seat was bolted down. All that was left was to powdercoat the brackets.

Sources

HORNET MACHINE; 903.348.4727; HornetCS.com PROCAR BY SCAT; 310.370.5501; ProcarByScat.com RED DIRT RODZ; 405.880.5343; RedDirtRodz.com

88 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

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When you’ve had a car for many years, some repairs become second nature. You just know that the car isn’t starting because of that wonky neutral safety switch wire with the broken tab or the paperclip wrapped in tinfoil you used instead of a fuse. Sometimes, there isn’t even anything shadetree about it—it’s just a weak point in your system, like you were too lazy to make heat shields that fit with your new aluminum heads on a 440 so you always burn the same wire. Yeah, that last one is why, when the Polara’s 440 started running a bit more V7 than 8, we knew just where to look. “It’ll be the No. 7 spark-plug wire,” Tom said as he rooted around between the master cylinder and the steering linkage. He snipped the zip-ties that held a ragged piece of fiberglass insulation around the firewall-adjacent plug wire and I snaked a telescoping mirror under the exhaust manifold for a look. For a big car, the Dodge engine bay sure is tight. From my perch on the fender, examining the wire in an upside-down mirror, everything looked fine. Even Tom had a moment of doubt when we pulled the wire off and both plug and shielding looked normal. How could this be? It’s always that wire. Must I question my entire worldview? We started to reinstall the heat shielding when a small, white smudge on the wire boot caught our attention. Tom flexed it and had an aha moment. It wasn’t the wire that had burned through, it was the boot. A wayward spark had wormed its way through the rubber and was intermittently arcing against the manifold instead of doing its job inside the cylinder. A razorblade and a new boot, and we were on all eight again. At least until next time. hHOTROD.COM/Elana-Scherr

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Thom On Design Whatever happened to customizing newer cars? How did such a popular trend in car building come to a screeching halt? In the 1940s through 1950s, turning a car into a “mystery car”—one that contained body mods, shaved emblems and door handles, and grille changes so that it was not identifiable—was part of our hot rod lexicon. HOT ROD, and especially sister publications Motor Trend and Car Craft, were founded on featuring customized cars and showing you how to sling lead to do it in your own garage. In the late1950s, newer cars customized with wild Larry Watson and Dean Jeffries paint jobs helped eliminate the need for major body changes, partially due to Detroit’s flamboyant styling matching or exceeding anything customizers could conjure. Panel painting and wild, scalloped designs helped to hide a car’s styling, which was always part of the basis for customizing. But then in the early 1960s, the art of customizing just stopped. Maybe it was because of Detroit’s newfound cleaner designs? It would be hard to improve on a 1961 T-bird or 1963 Riviera, right? Or maybe

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the big-block Fords, fuel-injected Chevys and cross-ram Mopars shifted the focus from low-and-slow to quarter-mile madness? This snapshot of Larry Watson’s 1972 Ranchero in front of his Hollywood paint shop shows his attempt at reviving customizing on new cars in the 1970s. The front end was extensively modified, the taillights were changed to Ford station-wagon units, Candy Red paint was beyond anything that came on stock Fords, and it was severely lowered—all classic 1940s-type customizing tricks. When was the last time you remember seeing a customized car from the 1960s to 1970s? hHOTROD.COM/Thom-Taylor

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[Engineers consider 300 ft/sec to be the ideal exhaust-gas velocity. Establish it by varying the primary-tube diameter as a function of rpm and engine displacement, as shown here. Note the graph size recommendation uses the tube’s inside diameter (ID), so you would need to subtract twice the tube’s wall thickness from the typical outer diameter (od) measurement: Pipe od – (Wall Thickness × 2) = ID.

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0 8,0

As discussed last month, exhaustheader primary-tube length is the main determinant for establishing the engine speed at which the header system tunes. But what about header primary-tube diameter? Basically, tube diameter establishes the velocity of the exhaust-gas slug as it travels down the pipe. Too small a diameter and backpressure becomes a problem; too large a diameter and the inertia of the outgoing gas will be insufficient to scavenge the cylinder of exhaust gas. Gas velocity within a tube is inversely proportional to the tube’s cross-sectional area. In other words, gas velocity is high through a small tube and low through a large tube. Taking this into account, most applications use the smallestdiameter tube that flows enough air to handle the engine’s displacement

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HOT ROD TO THE RESCUE

[J.B. Bracken’s rat rod tows this LSR Indian Scout motorcycle as well as a Harley V-Rod that runs 191 mph with a turbo on nitrous oxide.

[The rat rod is based on a 1935 Ford truck cab set on a custom frame. Motive force is now via an 8-71-huffed, 401ci, small-block Chevy.

[The latest issue: A head gasket blew at the rear of the No. 8 cylinder across to the water jacket (circle). The cause was a lazy thermostat.

We Finally Fixed It! J.B. Bracken’s Blown Rat Rod Now Burns Out, But It Took Ignition and Cooling Fixes to Perfect. Marlan Davis

Norm Brandes

When Norm Brandes at Westech Automotive received J.B Bracken’s 1935 Ford Rat Rod truck (HRM, July 2017), it couldn’t do a burnout and had poor driveabilty—despite an 8-71-blown 383 small-block Chevy engine. The 4,000pound truck’s huge Dana 70 dualie rearend didn’t have enough low-end inertia to spin the tires. Initial fixes included a cam change, overdriving the blower, and proper tuning— only to suffer a broken piston and Brand-X head-stud failure. Gluttons for punishment, we came back in the Aug. 2017 issue with a 4.125-inch bore Dart block, turning the 383 into a 401. Brandes stuffed it with stout 2618 aluminum-alloy JE blower pistons, bolted its aluminum heads on with real ARP head studs, and did some additional tuning to seemingly bulletproof the combo. But after Bracken drove the truck for 1,500 flawless miles with no issues, he blew a head gasket

NEED JUNK FIXED? 96 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

If your car has a gremlin that just won’t quit, you could be chosen for HOT ROD to the Rescue. Email us at PITSTOP@HotRod.com and put “Rescue” in the subject line. Include a description of your problem, a photo, your location, and a daytime phone number.

James Gustin/figMEDIA

THE RESCUE SO FAR

[Advance Engine Concepts’ Dan Timm evaluated the engine’s cooling system, fuel curve, and ignition timing and efficiency on his dyno.

while performing a massive burnout at 20 psi.

[A Stewart-modded Robertshaw-type thermostat replaced the cheapie. One other big upgrade: MSD’s programmable 6AL-2 ignition.

[“I’m very happy!” reports Bracken. “Everything that needed to be done, is done.” Look out for the rat rod towing Bracken’s bikes at Bonneville.

THE DIAGNOSIS The blowout occurred at the rear of the No. 8 cylinder across to the water jacket. The main suspect: a lazy thermostat. In spring 2017, Bracken brought the truck out of winter hibernation and changed the thermostat and coolant. Sudden thermal shock load and temperature spike: “goodbye, head gasket.” The third time around, we weren’t taking any chances, delivering the engine to Dan Timm’s Advanced Engine Concepts (AEC) to evaluate coolant circulation, plus some enginedyno torture. To the extent possible, the engine was set up on the dyno just as it would be in the rat rod.

THE FIX: THERMOSTAT The bad thermostat was a cheapie, generic 180-degreeFahrenheit part. On the dyno, a thermal heat gun confirmed it didn’t open until 200 to 210 degrees—way too slow for a suddenly stressed, cool engine. (It didn’t help that Dart’s race block lacks an internal coolant-bypass passage.) The solution: a balanced-flow, Robertshaw-type, high-flow thermostat that’s less restric[August 2017’s North American full solar eclipse came early for J.B. Bracken, as his finally perfected 1935 Ford rat rod truck totally blocks out the Sun. Mission accomplished!

01–03] Was there an issue with Bracken’s “off-shore” aluminum heads? In consultation with retired Fel-Pro Performance gasket engineer Greg West, the aluminum heads were sent out to Letsch Manufacturing for Rockwell hardness (01) and surface flatness and profile checks. All were in spec. Gasket crush height using BB-shot (02) was per blueprint for Fel-Pro’s MLS head gasket, using both ARP’s specified installation torque as well as with an alternative method where the engine sits overnight, then each head stud nut is loosened and retorqued individually. The white paint shows the added nut rotation after the second retorque (03).

tive compared with pellet-type designs. Stewart Components’ iteration goes one step further, adding three 3/16-inch holes in the unit’s body for a quick, functional, bypass that equalizes temperatures on both sides of the thermo, minimizing thermal shock, as well as steam-pocket formation during initial coolant fill. On the dyno, Stewart’s 180-degree thermostat opened consistently at 182 degrees. Coolant temperatures and pressures were more uniform throughout the motor as a whole—critical, as the head’s rear corner where the gasket blew is the farthest area in the coolant-circulation chain.

04] Premium MSD ignition parts resolved the ignition issues. Clockwise, from upper left: 6AL-2 programmable controller, Blaster HVC II coil, Pro-Billet small-diameter distributor with adjustable slip-collar, small distributor cap, two-piece adjustable rotor, 3-Bar MAP sensor for enabling boost retard, and (not shown) a universal set of 8.5mm Super Conductor, spiral-core, spark-plug wires.

HOTROD.COM/2017/MARCH/ 97

HOT ROD TO THE RESCUE

THE FIX: TUNE-UP The engine experienced ignition break-up on the dyno. To maintain an outwardly oldschool appearance, Bracken had been running a standalone (no separate ignition box) MSD medium-cap (“points-style”) distributor with a generic round coil. It wasn’t up to the job under high boost, plus the large distributor couldn’t be rotated more than 10 to 15 degrees when adjusting the timing without hitting the blower’s rear cover. Pulling the distributor entirely required removing the supercharger rear cover to obtain sufficient clearance. Brandes replaced the standalone unit with a posse of new MSD parts, including a smalldiameter Pro-Billet distributor, a programmable MSD 6AL-2 digital ignition, a high-output HVC II Blaster coil, and 8.5mm Super Conductor spark-plug wires. He also tightened up the plug gap

05–07] At 3⁄8-inch narrower and almost 1-inch shorter than a standard Chevy “points-style” distributor, MSD’s Pro-Billet Small Diameter design (PN 8570) solves clearance issues caused by firewall interference, tunnel-rams, or (as on the rat rod) a big blower (05). An adjustable slip collar (arrow) permits compensating for a machined block, heads, or intake. When using with the programmable 6AL-2, lock out the distributor’s centrifugal advance. Verify real-time phasing under boost retard by drilling a hole in the distributor cap in line with the No. 1 terminal and checking with a timing light (06). Use the adjustable two-piece rotor (PN 84211) to optimize rotor phasing; also be sure to check rotor tang-height with MSD’s supplied gauge (07).

08] The Programmable 6AL-2 multispark digital ignition (PN 6530) puts out 535 primary volts and 135 mJ of spark energy, and incorporates a two-step rev limiter. It’s mounted in the driver compartment to preserve the rod’s old-school engine-bay ambience. Use a PC to program custom advance curves. Boost-retard, timing delays, or other switched functions can easily be incorporated.

08 CURVE 10 40 IGNITION ADVANCE TOTAL ADVANCE

35 30

8° BOOST RETARD @ 16 PSI

WOT 16-PSI THRESHOLD

CRANKSHAFT DEGREES

20 15 10 5

0 00 6,

00 4,

00 3,

00 2,

from 0.040 inch to 0.020 to make it easier to ionize the rich, highboost air/fuel mixture. With the ignition sorted, under boost the engine was relatively insensitive to timing changes, producing nearly the same power with 25 to 28 degrees of lead as it did with 34. The timing was “locked” on the dyno between those numbers, with the higher number tested with 110-octane Rockett leaded racing gas; the lower number was with 91-octane pump gas. Later, in the truck, Brandes found the engine was happy at 37 degrees total advance (unboosted), retarding 8 degrees whenever the blower hit 16 psi. Charge-air temp is a problem on 8-71 blowers running on gas; with an otherwise decent tune-up, it becomes a major detonation-sensitivity wild card. To help Bracken keep a lid on the motor, Brandes installed Auto Meter vacuum/pressure and chargeair temperature gauges. The

ENGINE SPEED (RPM) 09] MSD’s most powerful coil designed for sustained use with a 6AL-2 ignition, the potted Blaster HVC II (PN 8253) features a U-Core design and 85:1 windings ratio for highoutput, quick-rise time, and longer spark duration. Originally mounted in the driver compartment, its 44,000-volt output generated so much EMI it interfered with programming the 6AL-2. Also note the tall NAPA PCV valve grommet (arrow, and see photos 17 through 19 on page 102 for more detail).

10] The 6AL-2 was programmed for 37 degrees total advance (at the crank), retarding 8 degrees at 16 psi of boost (rpm-independent, but around 3,300 rpm at full throttle). This delivers more part-throttle cruise response, but provides a safety margin for high-boost banzai runs. The 6AL-2 sees boost via the same MAP sensor Auto Meter supplies with its boost/vacuum gauge.

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HOT ROD TO THE RESCUE

11–12] No more “oops!” Bright, high-contrast Auto Meter 21⁄16-inch Phantom gauges (11) help Bracken to monitor critical under-blower charge-air temperatures (PN 5758, left) and (through a packaged 3-Bar MAP sensor) vacuum or boost levels (PN 5777, right). The air-temp gauge sensors install in the lower blower manifold (12, arrows) and can be optionally wired through a relay to the programmable 6AL-2 so it can retard timing if air temps get too high. At present, that function isn’t enabled—but it’s nice to know it’s available if ever needed.

13–14] The rat rod’s 401ci smallblock was set up on the dyno to emulate as closely as possible its in-truck configuration. The rat rod’s old-time headers with their restrictive right-angle turns into the exhaust pipes and mufflers (13) cost power, but may have helped low-end torque. AEC’s pet set of stepped, short oval-track headers (14), still hooked to the restrictive exhaust, yielded about a 5-percent power and torquenumber improvement—around 525 hp and 540 lb-ft, according to Timm.

RAT ROD DYNO RESULTS

525 500 475 450 425

pressure gauge gets its readings from a manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor boxed with the gauge. It’s identical to MSD’s MAP needed to enable boost retard on the 6AL-2, but you’d have to buy the MSD part separately. In this case, Auto Meter’s MAP just does double duty. Brandes’ existing tune-up proved pretty close, with the twin Quick Fuel carbs needing only slightly richer secondary jets on the dyno. Later, back in the truck, Brandes ended up leaning the primary jets three numbers, which slightly lowered the under-blower charge-air temperature and improved partthrottle cruise response. “When we leaned out the engine at partthrottle cruise, 60-mph chargeair temps at cruise dropped from 230 to 240 degrees to 215 to 200 degrees.”

THE DYNO RESULTS The engine was set up on the dyno with Bracken’s restrictive headers. The exhaust pipes and mufflers closely emulated the on-truck setup’s restrictive right-angle turns. On 91-octane unleaded pump gas with around 21.5-psi peak boost, the dyno recorded 475 hp at 5,500 rpm, with (critical for tire-spinnin’ Bracken) 499.5 lb-ft of torque at 3,200. Average numbers over

400 375 350

91-OCTANE PUMP UNLEADED, 25-DEG., TORQUE (LB-FT) 91-OCTANE PUMP UNLEADED, 25-DEG., POWER (HP) 100-OCTANE ROCKETT UNLEADED, 26-DEG., TORQUE (LB-FT) 100-OCTANE ROCKETT UNLEADED, 26-DEG., POWER (HP) 110-OCTANE ROCKETT LEADED, 28-DEG., TORQUE (LB-FT) 110-OCTANE ROCKETT LEADED, 28-DEG., POWER (HP)

325 300

O 4, 4O O 4, 6O O 4, 8O O 5, OO O 5, 2O O 5, 4O O 5, 6O O

4, 2O

4, OO

3, 8O

3, 6O

3, 4O

2O O

3, OO

275

ENGINE SPEED (RPM) 15] At 21.5-psi of peak boost on 91-octane pump gas, the 8-71-blown 401 made 499.5 lb-ft of torque and 475.2 hp. The numbers improved slightly with Rockett 100-octane unleaded: 511.3 lb-ft and 498 hp. On Rockett 110-octane leaded race gas, the engine made 519.2 lb-ft of torque and 491.6 hp. However, running on 110-octane offers the most area under the curve. Dyno-locked timing varied from 25 to 28 degrees on these tests.

100 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

16] Rockett Brand Racing Fuel supplied the 100-octane unleaded and 110-octane leaded racing fuel. The 91-octane unleaded fuel was from a local gas station. On the street, Bracken runs a 50/50 mix of 91-octane and leaded racing gas.

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HOT ROD TO THE RESCUE

17–19] Final fix: The PCV valve grommet smoked slightly. Bracken had already installed a baffle inside the vintage Mickey Thompson covers. Brandes reworked the baffle and grommet hole to accept a larger, taller NAPA baffle that raised the existing right-angle valve higher (photo 9, page 99, arrow), then stuffed PowerHouse household copper-mesh dish-scrubber inside the baffle to serve as a filter (17). Claying Comp Cams Pro Magnum rockers (18) shows ample clearance (19).

the full curve were 477 lb-ft and 384.5 hp. AEC also tested with Rockett 100-octane unleaded and 110-octane leaded race gas. 100-octane made the most peak power (498 hp); 110 made the most peak torque (519 lb-ft). Overall, 110 octane produced the fattest curve, with an average 23.3 hp and 29 lb-ft gain over 91 octane. Bracken is totally satisfied with the results. He wanted the

engine to make massive, lowend torque and that’s just what it does.

LESSONS LEARNED

As hot rodders, we would’ve liked better top-end numbers. At the macro level, cam size matters. There’s probably 50+ hp in there if Bracken went to real tuned-length headers and a hotter (but still blower-centric) cam

in the high-230s/low-240s with about a 114-degree LSA. Timm says a water/alcohol injection system’s cooling effects would permit more ignition advance under boost. “I’ve seen 50 hp from alcohol injection on an engine like this one.” At the micro level, thermostats matter. “I’ve never seen a thermostat as accurate as the Stewartmodified Robertshaw high-flow,” Brandes contends. “Spending a little more on this premium unit

RAT ROD PARTS AND PRICES, PHASE 3 Does not include shipping fees, miscellaneous small hardware, sealants, dyno time, labor, or sales taxes. New duplicate parts needed for the latest series of repairs that were already priced in a previous phase are not included—hopefully you’ll only have to implement the latest, perfected fix once! Priced 08/11/17 and subject to change. All dimensions in linear inches, except as noted.

BRAND

PART DESCRIPTION

GAUGE, boost/vacuum, w/ peak & warning, Phantom series, 30 in-Hg to 30 psi range, 21⁄16 od, electric stepper motor, analog readout, includes MAP sensor, universal T-fitting, 8ft wire harness² AUTO GAUGE, dual air temperature, Phantom series, 0–300° F, 21⁄16 od, electric stepper motor, digital readout, includes METER (2) 3⁄8-NPT senders & 8ft wire harness PANEL, gauge, universal, aluminum, black, (2) 21⁄16 holes CAP, distributor, extra duty, Pro-Billet V8, small-od, screw-down, HEI-style male terminals, red³ COIL, ignition, Blaster HVC II, iron U-Core w/ segmented bobbin, Rynite material, epoxy-potted housing, 44,000 V CONTROLLER, ignition, CD multispark, programmable 6AL-2 w/ 2-step rpm limiter, 535V primary, 135mJ spark energy MSD PERFOR- DISTRIBUTOR, ignition, Pro-Billet Small-Diameter, adjustable collar, Chevrolet big/small V8 MANCE ROTOR, distributor, racing, 2-piece, adjustable phasing, brass contact WIRE KIT, spark plug, 8.5mm Super Conductor, spiral-core, 2-in-1 V8 universal fit, 90° spark plug boots, includes both male HEI & female socket distributor cap terminals, red silicone insulation, includes crimping tool NAPA GROMMET, engine valve rocker cover, PCV, 0.7 id × 1.501 od × 0.705 thk, extended height (1986 Ford Taurus/Aerostar) PERSONAL SCRUBBER, dish, PowerHouse brand copper mesh, for expedient rocker-cover PCV valve baffle-plate oil screen (4/pkg., 1 used) CARE QUICK JET, carburetor main metering, brass, ¼-32 thread, No. 73 (0.79 orifice), used on primaries (2/pkg., 4 required) FUEL JET, carburetor main metering, brass, ¼-32 thread, No. 79 (0.91 orifice), used on secondaries (2/pkg., 4 required) STEWART THERMOSTAT, engine coolant temperature, balanced high-flow, 180° F, Stewart-modified w/ (3) 3⁄16 bypass holes

PRICE PART AMT. NO. FROM¹ COST 5777

$240.95

5758

$285.21

2237 8431 8253 6530 8570 84211

1 1 1 1 1 1

AZ SR AZ AZ4 AZ AZ

$19.95 $37.40 $215.95 $379.60 $296.95 $35.65

31239

$101.95

6301075

$3.99

92601-1

AZ5

$6.02

22-73QFT 2 SR $11.56 22-79QFT 2 SR $11.56 301 1 SC $24.95 NOTES: ¹Retailer code: AZ = Amazon.com, NA = NAPA (priced online for NAPA/Antioch Auto Parts, TOTAL PHASE 3 PARTS $1,671.69 Antioch, IL), SC = Stewart Components, SR = Summit Racing. ²The MAP sensor included with this gauge ADJUSTED TOTAL, END OF PHASE 2 (08/17 ISSUE) $6,487.57 is functionally equivalent to MSD PN 2313, so it can also be used to enable the ignition controller’s MINUS PARTS NO LONGER NEEDED6 –$45.67 boost-retard function. ³Extra cap modified by Westech with drilled hole to verify correct rotor phasing. 4Direct Performance Products via Amazon.com marketplace. 5Gatzies via Amazon.com marketplace. GRAND TOTAL EXCLUDING PARTS NO LONGER NEEDED $8,113.59

6Includes Phase 1 carburetor jets and distributor centrifugal advance springs (07/17 issue), and Phase 2 conventional thermostat (08/17 issue).

102 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

can save your engine! “A blown engine really does like more timing if you want to maximize low-end torque, but be sure to add a boost retard to avoid top-end detonation. If you can afford it, race gas is good insurance. Besides, it smells good, too!”

Contacts ADVANCED ENGINE CONCEPTS (AEC); Green Lake, WI; 920.294.0474 AMAZON.COM INC.; Seattle, WA; 866.216.1072; Amazon.com AUTO METER PRODUCTS; Sycamore, IL; 866.248.6357 (tech support), 866.248.6356 (customer service), or 815.895.8141 (international); Autometer.com LETSCH MANUFACTURING; Racine WI; 262.554.6900 MSD PERFORMANCE; El Paso, TX; 888.258.3835 (toll-free), 915.857.5200 (general); or 915.855.7123 (tech); MSDperformance.com NAPA/ANTIOCH AUTO PARTS; Antioch, IL; 847.395.3660; NAPAonline.com/en/IL/ Antioch/store/26721 NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION (NAPA); Atlanta, GA; 800.LET.NAPA; NAPAonline.com PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS INC.; Troy, MI; 248.971.7600; PersonalCareProducts.org QUICK FUEL TECHNOLOGY; Bowling Green, KY; 270.793.0900; QuickFuelTechnology.com ROCKETT BRAND RACING FUEL; Mt. Prospect, IL; 800.345.0076 (tech) or 847.795.8400 (sales); Rockettbrand.com STEWART COMPONENTS; Escanaba, MI; 906.789.2816; StewartComponents.com SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT; Akron, OH; 800.230.3030 (orders) or 330.630.0240 (tech); SummitRacing.com WESTECH AUTOMOTIVE; Silver Lake, WI; 262.889.4346; WestechAuto.com

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PIT STOP

Mike Davis AsksÉ

What Distributor Gear, Break-In Procedure, and Lifter-Adjustment Method Works on a Small-Block Chevy Hydraulic-Roller Cam? Marlan Davis

I would like to install a 1988 small-block Chevy motor in my old 1953 Chevrolet truck, but I need good information so as not to make costly mistakes. The engine was equipped with a hydraulic-roller cam from the factory. I purchased the engine already remanufactured. I did not receive any paperwork from the engine builder about break-in. I presently plan to use a carburetor as a fuel-delivery system, but have considered aftermarket fuel injection in the future. I do not have a distributor at the present time and need to know what to look for. Should I use a brass gear or the melonized gear sold through GM? I was told to locate an HEI distributor with the small cap. When setting the valve lash, should you remove endplay from the pushrods with the engine at room temperature, or do you allow the engine to come to operating temperature and adjust the rocker arm nut to remove lash, then tighten one additional turn? For camshaft break-in, should I start the engine and run at 2,200–2,500 rpm until the engine reaches operating temperature, or is any break-in necessary with a roller cam motor? Roller cam–compatible distributor gears: Because roller cams are made from different materials than flat-tappet cams, they require a compatible distributor gear to prevent excess gear wear. As a general principle, it’s better to wear out the distributor gear before the cam gear because the distributor gear is a lot easier to inspect and replace! But on a daily driver, you don’t want to replace anything if you don’t have to. That’s why, in my opinion, a street car should only use a soft brass gear as a last resort. It requires periodic inspection and you shouldn’t expect to get more

ACDelco

Marlan Davis [Current Chevrolet Performance Parts complete crate engines use this noncomputer big-cap HEI unit that comes with a roller-camcompatible melonized gear. Buy the complete distributor assembly from your GM or ACDelco dealer under PN 93440806; just the gear alone, under PN 10456413. This gear also works on Chevy OE points-style distributors with a 0.491-inch shaft.

than 10,000 miles or so out of one. Instead, for a high-perf hydraulic-roller cam used primarily on the street, the best solution is a melonized gear if one is available. Melonized gears were originally introduced by GM around 1985 for compatibility with factory roller cams. But you’re not necessarily limited to a 1985-or-later distributor. Interchange is a little complex, so listen up! Broadly speaking, there have been three distinct generations of classic Chevrolet V8 rear-mount distributors: the early, classic small-cap points distributor used from the 1950s through late-1974 (some were available on high-perf Corvettes with a magnetic pickup in lieu of points); the big-cap HEI distributor used from late 1974 into the mid1980s; and the small-cap computer/EFI-style

distributor that was phased in starting in the mid1980s and continuing in use with slight variations through at least the mid-1990s. Unless you are going right to a full electronic engine-management system that controls both fuel and spark, scratch the late small-cap computer/EFI-style distributor (what you refer to as a “small-cap HEI”) off your list. Lacking vacuum- or centrifugal-advance provisions, it needs a computer to work. These late small-cap distributors did have a melonized gear, but the gear is unique to that distributor design and won’t properly retrofit to earlier models. That leaves the big-cap HEI and the early small-cap points distributor as possibilities. Both models as produced by GM have a 0.491-inch shaft

ASK MARLAN A TECH QUESTION:PITSTOP@HotRod.com 104 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

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Hydraulic-roller cam valve-lash adjustment: One would hope the engine remanufacturer has already set the valve lash, but better safe than sorry. It’s a lot easier (and a lot less messy) to check hydraulic-lifter preload on a nonrunning engine. Hydraulic lifters can compensate for the engine’s thermal expansion, so it’s perfectly OK to perform a cold adjustment. The easiest way to set lash on a nonrunning engine is to use the “EOIC” (exhaust opening, intake closing) method. Working with one pair of valves from a single combustion chamber at a time, turn the engine over by hand or use a bump starter. When the exhaust valve starts to open (the rocker arm begins pushing the valve stem down), adjust the corresponding intake valve, which will be fully closed with the lifter on the cam lobe’s base circle. Continue rotating the engine until the intake valve moves past its fully open (max lift) position and just starts to close, then check the corresponding exhaust valve. Repeat the process with each pair of valves on the engine. As for the actual adjustment process itself, once the individual valve you want to adjust is properly

106 HOTROD.COM/2017/DECEMBER/

[Above: With Chevy hydraulic cams, turn the adjusting nut ¾ to 1 turn past the zero-lash point on lifters with standard “paper-clip” plunger retainers. For racing, high-end lifters with plungers retained by an internal Truarc snap ring can be set up looser at just ¼ to ½ turn. Less preload garners more top-end rpm before valve float, at the possible cost of a nosier valvetrain.

positioned on the cam lobe’s base circle (see above), back off the rocker-arm adjusting nut to remove any tension from the pushrod. While freely spinning the pushrod back and forth with your fingers, slowly tighten the rocker-arm adjusting nut until you feel a slight resistance. This is the zerolash point. Continue to tighten the adjusting nut an additional ¾ to 1 full turn. Lock any additional set screw into position and go on to the next valve. Roller-cam break-in: All brand-new engines should be preprimed to minimize the chance of wearing or scuffing “dry” parts. Priming tools are available from a number of aftermarket sources. However, unlike a flat tappet, roller lifters don’t need a lengthy initial run-in at rpm. Likewise, highZDDP oils aren’t mandatory for roller-lifter survival like they are for hydraulic or solid flat lifters, but for extra insurance on a nonemissions application it sure can’t hurt to use them during the engine break-in period prior to the first 500-mile oil change—then switch to your preferred conventional or synthetic oil.

[Right: Numerous available aftermarket oil-pump preprimers include this Moroso Chevy big- and small-block V8 and 90-degree V6 tool (PN 62205). Use it with a 3⁄8-inch-chuck electric drill. The tool features a locating collar and a bushing for pressurizing the lifter oil galleries. Summit Racing sells it for $29.97.

Contacts ACDELCO; Detroit, MI; 800.ACDelco; ACDelco.com CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE PARTS (CPP); Detroit, MI; 800.577.6888 (nearest dealer); Chevrolet.com/performance GM CUSTOMER CARE AND AFTERSALES; Grand Blanc, MI; 810.606.2001; GenuineGMparts.com MOROSO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS; Guilford, CT; 203.453.6571 (sales) or 203.458.0542 (tech); Moroso.com MSD PERFORMANCE (A HOLLEY BRAND); El Paso, TX; 888.258.3835 (toll-free), 915.857.5200 (general); or 915.855.7123 (tech); MSDperformance.com

Summit Racing

diameter and originally used the same conventional (nonmelonized) distributor gear (GM PN 1958599, discontinued). In the big-cap HEI distributor line, there are two major variations: computer or noncomputer. First introduced in late 1974, the original, precomputer version had a conventional vacuum-advance can, a centrifugal advance mechanism, and a five-pin internal module. Starting in 1980, fullcomputer HEI big-cap distributors were phased in. They have no vacuum canister or centrifugal advance mechanism and use a seven-pin module that only works with a computer. There is overlap between when the two designs were used because not all vehicles got “the computer” at the same time. The seven-pin “computer-style” HEI big-cap computer distributor began receiving melonized gears as early as 1985 in those engines factorydelivered with hydraulic-roller cams. Since the stock GM 0.491-inch shaft diameter and dimensions never changed, this melonized gear can retrofit to earlier big-cap HEIs and even to small-cap points-style distributors. The melonized gear is still available from GM and ACDelco. Many sources claim it’s easier to “put a curve” in the small-cap points-style distributor compared with the smog-era HEI, and of course, with a smaller cap the early unit also offers more firewall and air-cleaner clearance. There are lots of aftermarket kits to convert a point-style, small-cap distributor to electronic triggering; PerTronix is one popular choice. Finally, many aftermarket performance Chevy V8 distributors, including MSD’s widely popular units, have a 0.500-inch-od shaft instead of the stock 0.491 diameter used by GM. Fortunately, MSD now sells a melonized gear for 0.500-inch shaft Chevy distributors (MSD PN 8531).

Marlan Davis

PIT STOP

PERTRONIX, INC.; San Dimas; CA 909.547.9058; PerTronix.com SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT; Akron, OH; 800.230.3030 (orders) or 330.630.0240 (tech); SummitRacing.com

How To: Repair Your Body In a year when several health discoveries have already made headlines, this one may be the biggest yet.

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Instead, the method involves one simple thing: A drink. He has all the clinical Dr. Rand McClain, the Los trials, the data, he’s conAngeles based “Doctor to ducted the test groups... the Stars,” released his it not only works, it works new technique for what really well. McClain feels some are calling the Body the technique — which has Restore formula. been shown in clinical trials — works best for people His science is based on over 40, particularly those technology that was acwho may be experiencing tually partially banned by excessive fatigue, weaker a U.S. Establishment in bodies, and even foggy 2001. However, Dr. Mcthinking. Clain and his partners have found a way that allows And when Dr. McClain them to go and take their dropped the final bombdiscovery straight to the shell — video footage of American people. the results he experienced after using the method on Dr. McClain revealed he’s himself — it became clear already offering to his that the discovery is nothcelebrity and pro-athlete ing short of groundbreakclients with incredible reing, of course your indivitusults. al results will vary, as with any new method. In the video presentation, he details how some While surgery is the benchvery big name athletes mark and Dr. McClain are achieving increased charges $20,000 and up, strength, healthier bodies, he feels he can offer Amerand even more energy. icans a new method which provides outstanding reBut what’s really turning sults. heads is that McClain isn’t offering this as an injection, But the latest development surgery, or medical proce- in this story came when the video version of the dure — which is what his

presentation was made available to the public online. As of this writing, the video has over 3 Million views and is quickly becoming a social media phenomenon. This is the video that many might not want people to see. But if the link is working, that means the video is still viewable…for now. Watch the shocking presentation at www.LCR62.com Dr. McClain calls out both the medical industry and certain agencies. One viewer commented: “Why did I not know this before? Rand is telling it like it is... we need more doctors like this!” See his presentation here www.LCR62.com

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I’m finally driving my 1971 Road Runner nearly every day I’m in town, but I’m ashamed it’s been 18 years since an old car was my daily. I drive vintage junk for 12 to 20 weeks a year for my video gig, but using a muscle car for chores is a different program. It’s made me realize how peoples’ reactions to old cars have changed, while making me nostalgic for the days when driving 1960s and 1970s cars was what everyone did out of normalcy—like when there was a Tuneup Masters down the street and it was still owned by Andy Granatelli. Imagine a business today trying to survive by changing spark plugs, points, and condensers. Now I carry all that stuff in my glovebox along with a spare ballast resistor. In a flashback to my 20s, I’m hauling a toolbox everywhere I go, too, and I also tote a fire extinguisher; muscle cars have gotten too hard to replace to let ’em burn. Cruising the Road Runner helps me feel superior to the lemmings driving blob cars in various shades of silver, though I may finally admit it’s me who’s in the torture chamber. One reason: lack of air conditioning. I’ve been ruined by that particular amenity and now have to carry spare T-shirts

to blunt the embarrassment [My 1971 Road Runner is nearly stock with a carb and intake on an origiof a soaked nal 383 long-block, a 727 auto on the column, and 2.76 rear gears killing back in our some oomph, but letting me cruise 75 at 2,500 rpm. the tiresome, “Is it a Hemi?” Just right 100-plusto the bucks. I was raised to consider it degree weather. I think of the 1950s rude to ask people what they paid for when everyone wore a suit or a dress something or how much money they and few cars offered chilled air. Did have in a project. I just tell people it’s people just go into public drenched in not for sale, so it’s not worth anything. sweat all the time? That’s me now. Fair On the other hand, guys don’t ask if exchange for driving something withthe car is for sale as often as they used out a touchscreen and being blissfully to. I guess the auctions have convinced incapable of conducting a mobilethem that they could never afford a phone call from the driver seat. muscle car. When you stare out the windshield I live in Southern California, which of a car that was familiar to you 30 explains this next one: twice I’ve been years back, you expect to see things told by strangers that I’m irresponsible that aren’t there any more. Service for driving such a gas guzzler. I reply stations. Neon signs. Big hair. Autothat the manufacturing of their hybrid parts stores that knew what they were alone did more damage to the envidoing, seedy neighborhoods before ronment than my car will in 10 years “regentrification” was a thing, and on the road. Whether they hate my cops who profiled you as a punk hot carbon footprint or not, more people rodder instead of seeing a Barrettthan ever are just surprised that a Jackson car driven by a guy with a 46-year-old car could be in regular midlife crisis. use. My answer is, “People did it when Speaking of auctions, TV has made they were new, so why not now?” people obsessed with old-car values. Maybe because air conditioning. That I’m shocked how often peoples’ first global warming thing is killing me. question about the car is, “What’s it worth?” Not “What year is it?” or even hHOTROD.COM/David-Freiburger

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HOT ROD (ISSN 0018-6031), December 2017; Vol. 70, No. 12. Copyright 2017 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Published monthly by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC, 261 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates for 1 year (12 issues): U.S., APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $20.00. Canada $32.00. All other countries $44.00 (for surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. *Trademark registered. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to HOT ROD, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

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