Hemmings Muscle Machines October 2016

“ I got out of the hole with no real wheel spin to speak of — a welcome surprise —and let the car do the rest. ” As I rolled up to the staging beams, I found the setting pleasantly familiar. It had been far too long since I’d lined up on a proper quarter-mile strip, and I was almost relieved to discover that it still felt somewhat routine when I finally did. Light the first bulbs to pre-stage, then hold it for a second — take a breath — now ease into the second set. I staged as shallow as I could, trying to leave some margin for error, since I thought it likely I’d jump the gun. But, on the last yellow, I hit it and the red…

AFTER 25 YEARS, DODGE PULLS THE PLUG (A SECOND TIME) ON VIPER It began as a design exercise by Chrys- ler’s Advance Design Studios in 1988, and would have ended there if not for Bob Lutz’s crazy idea to build a Shelby Cobra for the modern age. Put into production for the 1992 model year, the Dodge (and later SRT) Viper soldiered on, gaining a coupe and adding horsepower, until its first execution in July of 2010. Reborn for the 2013 model year, the much-improved Viper failed to charm consumers, and a quarter-century after its debut, Dodge has once again announced the end of Viper production, this time in 2017. The Viper has long been proof that “because you can” is sometimes sufficient justification for building a halo sports car.…

1954 CARRERA PANAMERICANA WINNER COMES TO LINCOLN MOTOR CAR HERITAGE MUSEUM Intended to publicize the completion of the Pan-American Highway through Mexico, the Carrera Panamericana was a grueling multi-day race that stretched for 2,000-plus miles across all types of terrain. Ferrari ultimately dominated the sports car class, but American manufacturer Lincoln ruled the stock car class, winning the event from 1952-1954. Today, just one of the original “road race Lincolns,” owned by the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada, is known to exist, and it will be making a special appearance at the Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum, on the Gilmore Car Museum campus in Hickory Corners, Michigan, through September 15. To prepare Lincoln Capri number 149 for the rigors of competition, the 317.5-cu.in. V-8 was blueprinted, while dual shocks…

1968 DODGE CHARGER R/T American Muscle • www.autoworldstore.com • $94.99 Limited-edition models from big die-cast providers are anything but the norm. This one, in large 1/18th scale, replicates the Bronze Poly car that appeared on the cover of HMM in September 2005. Its production run is limited to 1,002 examples. We obviously loved the real article enough to put it out front in the magazine, and we’re exceedingly happy with Auto World’s work to include the cover car in its American Muscle collection. The doors latch positively with, lo, believable hidden hinges. Under the hood, there’s a quality replica of the real honcho’s 426 Hemi, but moreover, there’s a lot of detail that pops up at you, including full latching hardware for the hood and realistic scissors hinges, not…

Once upon a time, it was just a car. Outside the Muscle Machines bubble, where power and performance today compete with rarity and auction sales values in some sort of game of one-upmanship, there was a time when cars were just cars — a way to get from point A to point B. The style and the speed that dictated the impact of your arrival was something else altogether, but it was all too common to move on to something new — and often at least perceived as better — after a couple of years of seat time. Trading up was no big deal. Craig Fackler bought his car, this car, his first new car, before he even had need of a car: He was in…

Originally, I was wanting a 429 Cobra Jet Torino, but the 429 engine was extra-cost in ’71. I was always a Mustang lover, though, so the choice was made easier. It was my wife, Georgianna, who told me not to sell the car to begin with, the one who made me talk to the guy with the sign around his neck saying, “Boss 351 For Sale…” She is a car girl! If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have my boss back. Today, I drive it 1,500 miles a year to car shows around Arizona in the winter and spring.…