Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

“ …he’d become friendly with the mechanics, who helped him when they were around and let him use the bays when they were not.” A recent online posting from Hemmings Daily contributor and long-time auto journalist Michael Lamm about his youthful experiences working in a filling station in his small Texas hometown during the 1950s got me thinking about my own pump jockey days. My version took place in the ’80s in New York, but the parallels were interesting — we both fondly recall a cast of characters that would orbit around those stations, and each of us accrued anecdotes as well as wisdom gleaned from what are now known as “teachable moments.” As I’ve recounted numerous times in this space, the gearhead bug infected me nearly from birth,…

1967 CAMARO Z/28 JOIE CHITWOOD CHARGIN’ CHEROKEE ACME Trading Company • 888-209-2263 • www.acmediecast.com  • $134.95 ACME Trading will soon offer a limited number—a production run estimated at 150 units—of 1:18-scale replicas of the red 1967 Chevrolet Camaro “#71” that Joie Chitwood campaigned in the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. They feature opening panels and detailed undercarriages, and each example will come with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Joie Chitwood Jr. Questions raised during the inspection of our sample model caused us to do some digging to learn the backstory of this Camaro. Our initial assumption was this was just another stunt car used by the “Hell Drivers” of the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show, provided by Chitwood’s longtime sponsor, Chevrolet, but there were too many racing cues in the…

1970 MERCURY CYCLONE ENGINE Block type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ford 385-series cast-iron OHV V-8 Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ford cast-iron; 2.24/1.72-inch valves, 1.73 rocker arms Displacement . . . . . . . . . . . 429 cubic inches Bore x stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . 4.36 x 3.59 inches Compression ratio . . . . . . . . 10.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm . . . . . . . 370 @ 5,600 Torque @ rpm . . . . . . . . . . . 450 lb-ft @ 3,400 Camshaft type . . .…

ENGINE Block type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ford 385-series aluminum Boss 429 “Can-Am” OHV V-8 Cylinder heads . . . . . . . . . . Boss 429, aluminum; 2.40/2.00-inch valves Displacement . . . . . . . . . . . 494 cubic inches Bore x stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . 4.52 x 3.85 inches Compression ratio . . . . . . . . 12.9:1 Induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dual Holley 735-cfm four-barrels on Ford NASCAR “torque box” intake manifold (currently single Holley 1150-cfm Dominator) Camshaft type . . . . . . . . . .…

I was very fortunate to have grown up the son of a car dealer. While in college, I was able to drive GTOs for three years in a row. It started in 1967 with a ’64 convertible, four-speed, four-barrel. Next was a beautiful ’65 hardtop, yellow with white interior, four-speed, Tri-Power — Very fast! It had been raced at the local drag strip often by the original owner. Next was a ’66, yellow with a black vinyl top, automatic with A/C. I traded that one in on a ’70 MGB. Twenty years of family life later, in 1996, I was able to buy another ’66 that needed a lot of work. With the help of friends, we built a motor for it and completed the bodywork and paintwork to make…

The dawning of the Seventies signi- fied a turning point for muscle cars. Though some models at GM reached their performance peak in 1970 due to the parent company finally permitting engines exceeding 400 cubic inches, many other factors were in play that would quell enthusiasm and sales in the coming years. Insurance-rate hikes, pressure from safety groups, and tightening federal emissions and crash standards were just a few. Not even the originator of the species—the GTO—or its upmarket Judge were immune to the forces that conspired against muscle cars. There were 72,287 GTOs built for 1969, including 6,833 Judges. Granted, production was higher for the 1966 to 1968 Goats, but the 1969 numbers were still strong considering the onslaught of competition. For 1970, however, GTO sales plummeted to 40,149…

MAKING TRACKS Q: I have an ABS and skid-marks question. When reading an article about a vehicle accident, you often see where the police say there were no skid marks. But with ABS, there shouldn’t be any, right? As always, your column is one I enjoy. Jeffrey Bancroft Jamison, Pennsylvania A: Remember that the brakes stop the wheel, but the tire stops the car. The shortest stopping distance is achieved when the wheel can be decelerated at the highest rate without breaking traction. A skid occurs when the tire breaks traction, and results in the corresponding skid marks. You can think of it as the inverse of wheel-spin during hard acceleration. A drag car accelerates the hardest when the tire can take all of the power the engine has while…

RM AND MECUM MOP UP IN MAY AUCTIONS Mecum rolled some 1,900 or so vehicles across the block in Indianapolis from May 15 to 20. Among that massive trove were plenty of interesting muscle cars that garnered lots of collector interest. Topping Mecum’s list from Indy was a 2017 Ford GT, number 48 of 250 produced for 2017, that pulled in $1,815,000, including a 10-percent buyer’s commission. The sale was somewhat controversial in that Ford Motor Company, which approved only certain buyers for the new GT following an application process, required them to sign an agreement at purchase not to sell the car for two years. Mecum sold off a unique selection of Corvette pace cars from the private collection of Fort Wayne, Indiana, businessman Keith Busse. It included 16…

AACA MUSEUM EXHIBIT FEATURES “MUSTANGS: SIX GENERATIONS OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE PONY CAR” As the AACA Museum celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, this Hershey, Pennsylvania, institution continues to make classic-car fans feel the party is in their honor. Mustang enthusiasts will thrill to the latest exhibit, running through October 14, that celebrates every iteration of Ford’s bestselling performance sensation. Mustang: Six Generations of America’s Favorite Pony Car will include an impressive array of vehicles that represent every era of this car’s 54-year life, and the list of vehicles scheduled to be exhibited comprises some truly exclusive examples—factory-built and aftermarket—including the two-seat 1963 Mustang III Concept Show Car that graced the cover of Hemmings Classic Car magazine in May 2018. Running concurrently with this Mustang exhibit is another one sure to…

The instant something becomes successful is the instant that it starts to morph into something else. Evolution of the species is inevitable. The original idea for the “supercar” may have remained intact as the ’70s dawned, but in Detroit’s hungry pursuit of buyers and market share, it also strayed from its initial intent. The military refers to this phenomenon as “mission creep,” and ’twas always thus with cars. Early on, muscle cars were little more than cheap power for the plebes. Finesse? Comfort? That’s for your old man. Options carried weight, which hurt acceleration. But as muscle blew up big, manufacturers discovered that a little finesse could go a long way. The “gentleman’s hot rod” saw performance and comfort in equal measure: power-assisted everything, nicer trim, more compliant suspension, and…

When Dodge first introduced the Dart GTS for 1967, its 383 high-performance four-barrel didn’t quite live up to the hype. Down about 50 horsepower from a similar engine in the bigger B-body models, the GTS made do. For 1969, Dodge rectified that situation, with the 383 found in the Dart pumping out 330 horsepower, down just five on the hottest version found in the B-body cars that year. With the big rumble it made from its dual exhaust, the GTS 383 called plenty of attention to itself. Ron Mailho, home on leave from his training as a naval aviator in the summer of 1969, heard the siren call of that 383. Desperate for wheels as his ’59 Ford Skyliner likely wouldn’t have made the trip from his Bay Area, California,…

Chick Renn, of York, Pennsylvania, thought he’d made the score of a lifetime one Sunday afternoon back in the summer of ’83. He’d just plunked down a $100 deposit on a complete, though disassembled, 1968 Camaro Z/28 and couldn’t wait to finalize the deal. But, before the ink was dry on the check, his wife, Karen, was doubting that the sale would ever go through. Call it woman’s intuition. “On the way home, I was feeling pretty darn good about picking up a ’68 Z when out of the blue my wife said: ‘You’re not going to get that car.’” Huh? Chick was baffled, but apparently the seller’s wife had been sending some nonverbal messages that Karen picked up on, expressing her disapproval with the transaction. “Didn’t you notice his…

“ I fully understand that the world has changed, the sport has changed, and what was accepted in the 1970s would never fly today .” Over the past 30 years or so, drag racing has evolved into a motorsport that is more visible than ever before. Of course, every sport has benefitted from the avalanche of media opportunities that exist today, thanks to cable television, social media, and the internet. Almost every nook and cranny of our current culture has been thrown open to the average person, revealing many of the behind-the-scenes activities and occurrences which, in the past, were inaccessible to the fans. And drag racing is no exception. What a difference between the days when I was competing as a professional racer and now, when the men and…

Last month, we introduced you to our Chevelle repower project and laid out the goals and stipulations we set for this venture. The basic gist comes down to this: We’re pretty fond of the ’69 SS 396 convertible Hemmings has held for the past 20 years or so, but the more we drove it, the more we felt like its 350-hp big-block wasn’t all that exciting. So, we set out to do what lots of enthusiasts were doing with 396 Chevelles back in the day when they started getting beat, or bored, or both: We picked up a 427 from Chevy to swap in. Today, instead of ordering a production engine over the counter at the local dealer, we have Chevrolet Performance (CP), a GM division dedicated to high-performance hardware…

HMM PRODUCT TEST: CHEMICAL GUYS MR. PINK SUPER SUDS SHAMPOO When you think revolutionary new technology, street-legal 840-hp production cars come to mind — automotive soap typically does not. Chemical Guys offers a high-tech line of superior car-care chemicals and accessories suitable for any professional shop or driveway setting. As soon as you crack the lid, Mr. Pink’s sweet aroma will trigger the sensation of stepping into a candy store. Fragrance aside, Mr. Pink’s advanced formula is a super-concentrated pH-balanced shampoo (safe for wax and sealant coatings) that’s designed to remove grime buildup and dirt while leaving your paint glossy, smooth, and scratch-free. We’ve used Mr. Pink for several years on our daily drivers, trucks, and weekend warriors, employing the two-bucket wash method with amazing results. We were impressed initially,…

AUGUST 2018 2-4 Mecum Auctions Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 262-275-5050 • www.mecum.com 9-11 Motorsport Auction Group Reno, Nevada • 775-997-8885 www.motorsportauctiongroup.com 15-18 New England Auto Auction Owls Head, Maine • 207-594-4418 www.owlshead.org 23 Worldwide Auctioneers Pacific Grove, California • 800-990-6789 www.worldwide-auctioneers.com 23-25 Mecum Auctions Monterey, California • 262-275-5050 www.mecum.com 23-25 Russo and Steele Monterey, California • 602-252-2697 www.russoandsteele.com 24 Bonhams Carmel, California • 415-391-4000 www.bonhams.com 24-25 Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California • 310-899-1960 www.goodingco.com 24-25 RM Sotheby’s Monterey, California • 519-352-4575 www.rmsothebys.com 24-25 Vicari Auction Company New Orleans, Louisana • 504-264-2277 vicariauction.com 25 VanDerBrink Auctions Vicksburg, Michigan • 507-673-2517 www.vanderbrinkauctions.com 30-September 2 RM Auctions Auburn, Indiana • 519-352-4575 www.rmsothebys.com Check dates with auction houses before traveling.…

“ ...I must admit that Corvette attracted the opposite sex a lot more than my Pontiac ever did .” I usually read all the letters in each issue of HMM, as this gives me an idea of what the general readership enjoys. And as could be expected, the quantity of letters from Vietnam veterans is increasing. Most times the theme is the same, or at least similar, about purchasing a muscle car upon returning home from service. I was drafted in July of ’66 during the initial big troop buildup for that war. I went through basic infantry training, then endured Military Police school, and luckily was sent to Germany in December of ’66 for an 18-month tour. I believe the military made sure we didn’t get a lot of…

DEAD: FORD CARS IN USA ONLY MUSTANG WILL SURVIVE THE BLUE OVAL’S ALL-SUV FUTURE Ford has taken the axe to its automotive lineup in America; within two years, only the Mustang and a Chinese-built crossover variant of the upcoming new Focus will remain as Ford’s entries into the world of car sales. That means no more Fiesta ST, which is probably the most fun you can have with a new car for under $25,000. The new Fiesta, just launched worldwide, was never set to come Stateside anyway. That means no more sporting Focus ST and no more Focus RS, the 345-hp, turbocharged, all-wheel-drive hoon-about hatchback. That means no more Fusion, which has sold 200,000 units per year for nearly the past decade (topping 300,000 units in 2014 and ’15), although…

I’ve always liked Cyclones, and I owned two others some years ago. I like my Cyclone Spoiler because it’s not just another belly-button car — it’s not something that everyone else has. The looks, the performance, and having such a unique car are what I like most about it, although I dig the NASCAR connection, too. This car was restored around 2001 or so, and I bought it knowing that it only needed some freshening up. It needs wheel-arch moldings, and I’m still looking for a set. —Ken Berger My original intention when I bought this Road Runner was to do massive burnouts and generally act immature. What’s not to like here for a Mopar guy? It’s quintessential Mopar muscle — multiple carbs, a four-speed, Dana rear, a Hi-Impact color,…

I’ve been fortunate to own a number of unique Ford race cars from the 1960s, and each has its own special appeal and story. However, owning the Tasca Street Boss really is a dream come true for me. Its whereabouts were unknown for so long, and its reputation so legendary, to come across it and piece together the history has been a highlight of my lifetime of collecting. I want to thank Glen Tinsley, Bill Blair, Randy Roberts, the Tasca family, and the many others who helped me connect and resurrect this long-lost piece of Ford history. Bob Tasca and his crew built this thing to run hard, so to hit the track again for some full-bore passes is really something special.…

Well, the first thing is, it’s a Mopar. It’s a nice driver. I’ve probably got 30-plus Mopars, and I grew up with my family always driving the big Plymouth Furys or the Chryslers. My first car was a ’66 Plymouth Belvedere followed by a ’69 Road Runner, that I had in high school, both of them. This one came about, kind of by chance. I purchased a 2002 Dodge Viper from Todd Hoffman, out of Oregon. The ’02 was well kept, and he’s a definite Mopar guy. As I was working with him on this, he mentioned that he also had a ’69 GTS. I looked at it, looked at pictures, looked at everything and thought, “This would be a nice numbers-matching car to restore.” Once I got it here…

ZED 28? Greetings from Ontario, Canada. I am a fan of your magazine and have been a subscriber for a number of years. I am one of those ‘Camaro Guys’ and it was great to see the “Z for Three” article in the June 2018 issue. It is nice to see that the younger generation has the interest in the these second gen cars, as illustrated by Gabriel Margarin and his ’73 RS Z. I was born in 1960 and have owned my ’73 Z for 15 years. A good friend of mine found this car for sale in the Auto Trader (pre-internet days) in the Hamilton area, which is approximately three hours away. We went for a look and I was sold on the car the minute I saw…

Back during the first week of January 2017, I was watching the Mecum auto auction on TV when they said the next car up was Bill Ireland’s 1968 Ford Cobra Jet factory lightweight Mustang. I almost dropped my plate. That was my car! They listed three subsequent owners after Ireland. Boy, did they get it wrong. I bought that car directly from Bill after we put a deal together at the Winternationals in 1968. Bill was involved with the Ford Drag Team, and he’d gotten one of the first Cobra Jet lightweight Mustangs to race. But, since those cars were introduced mid-year, six months later Bill got a ’69 Mustang to race. I bought the ’68 from him, and from there we built a great friendship, and he continued to…

MONTE CARLO COOLING FAN? Q: My 1972 Monte Carlo with automatic transmission has received a new crate motor and I have been having issues with engine temperature since the new install. The radiator was flushed, and I also removed the air-conditioning compressor, condenser, filter/drier, and hoses. When this first happened, it was recommended to me that I install a thermostatic engine oil cooler in front of the radiator to gain some additional cooling capacity. This produced little in the way of cooler temperatures, so I am now considering removing the fan clutch and changing to a direct-drive flex fan with a spacer, or adding an electric aftermarket “pusher” fan to the front of the radiator and engine oil cooler to get some additional fresh breeze under the hood. Is one…