Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

ALBUQUERQUE LOWRIDERS CONVINCE CITY TO SCRAP ITS ANTI-CRUISING ORDINANCE Where Route 66 passes through downtown Albuquerque, the neon signs create almost the perfect glow for a windows-down cruise, one now enjoyed by drivers of more classics, hot rods, and lowriders than any time in recent memory thanks to the repeal of the city’s anti-cruising ordinance. Over the last 12 years, such a turnout would have been nearly impossible. Under the city’s Cruising on Public Streets Ordinance, enacted in May 2005 after reports of street racing, fights, and clogged streets, the Albuquerque Police Department set up checkpoints to ensure that cars didn’t repeatedly pass through the city’s downtown area in a given amount of time. Then, starting last year as a response to reports of engine revving, burnouts, and stunt shows…

When you look at the Gen-Six Camaro, you see the heritage of the first-generation model. We intentionally remained cognizant of its great proportion and beautiful sculpture, while interpreting it in a fresh, modern way and infusing it with modern technology. For those reasons, I believe the Gen-Six — and Gen-Five — Camaro’s design will stand the test of time for decades to come. Our team did an outstanding job of creating a modern expression that holds true to the Camaro’s timeless spirit. And I’m undoubtedly biased, but look at the fifth-generation cars. They’ve been on the road since 2009 and still look great.…

ENGINE Only two engines came in the GTX in 1967. A 375-hp Super Commando 440-cu.in. V-8, exclusive to the GTX among the B-bodies, was included in the base price. The 440 received a single four-barrel and the Hemi got dual quads. Due to their rarity and their legendary performance at the drags, Hemi cars have the edge with collectors, but the less high-strung 440 was the engine intended for street use and is arguably the better choice for anyone planning to drive his or her GTX. TRANSMISSION The Hemi and the Super Commando 440 could both be had backed with Chrysler’s beloved 727 TorqueFlite, a stout three-speed automatic. Unless the console was ordered, the Torque-Flite would be controlled via a column shifter. The TorqueFlite was standard equipment in the GTX…

EACH JANUARY, THE DESERT SOUTHWEST BECKONS CAR COLLECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE country when Scottsdale, Arizona, becomes the worldwide epicenter of automotive auctions. In a little over 10 days, several hundred-million dollars will change hands as thousands of vintage, sports, muscle, and special-interest automobiles find new homes at some of the most anticipated sales of the year. Though the overall dollar figure compares with similar events in and around Monterey, California, each August, the action in Arizona is almost entirely devoted to buying and selling cars. The auction is the show in Arizona! For those of you who only take in auctions via TV, you already know that the anchor for the week’s activities is Barrett-Jackson, but if that’s all you know, then you will miss out on at least…

My H/O proposal car has proven to be a great driver with good acceleration and a smooth ride. I’ve put about 3,000 miles on it since 2012, and I frequently display it at car shows. A highlight of owning this Olds came at Beaver Springs Dragway in Pennsylvania in June 2012 when it was reunited with Linda Vaughn after 36 years. The ’76 has been a great addition to my collection that includes a 1986 H/O Aero Commemorative Coupe, a 1963 Oldsmobile F85 Cutlass [featured in Hemmings Special Interest Autos, June 2002, #189] and 1932 Oldsmobile five-window coupe street rod.…

3M BONDO METAL REINFORCED FILLER 3M BONDO • WWW.3M.COM • 888-364-3577 $25 (O’REILLY AUTO PARTS) The plan was to spend an hour one Sunday scuffing, priming, and painting a pair of stamped steel door interior panels for a 1970 Chevrolet pickup. In the process the color would be changed from an eye-searing shade of reddish orange to a more soothing dark saddle. There was some porosity in a corner of the driver’s side panel that needed to be ground out, filled, and sanded before painting and, since 3M had sent Hemmings a can of its Bondo-brand Metal Reinforced Filler, as well as some plastic spreaders and a couple packets of its automotive sandpaper, we figured we’d give it a try. The project also called for materials including: • SEM High-Build…

MECUM AGAIN EXCELLED at delivering the goods to the California peninsula. The Wisconsin-based auction company brought 687 vehicles to its 10th-annual three-day affair, located on the Del Monte Golf Course adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa from August 23-25. There were Art Deco Classics from Detroit; Europe’s best saloons from a bygone era; iconic sports cars from across the globe; and, of course, domestic street-n-strip brawlers with tire-shredding capabilities. Whether your budget could afford a seven-figure hammer price, an under-$10K bargain, or anything in between, it was here. With NBC Sports Network cameras rolling, the gavel action was hot and heavy, and it was an American icon that settled in at the top of the sales results: a 1933 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe Disappearing Top Roadster,…

PRICE Base price.....................................................................................................................$2,545 Options on car profiled...................................................................Heavy-duty suspension ENGINE Type.................................... Ford FE-series OHV V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads Displacement.........................................................................................................390-cu.in. Bore x stroke..................................................................................................4.05 x 3.785 in Compression ratio..........................................................................................................10.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm...........................................................................................320 @ 4,600 Torque @ rpm............................................................................................427 lb-ft @ 3,200 Camshaft..........................................................................................................Stock 390 GT Valvetrain.....................................................................................................Hydraulic lifters Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Ignition...........................................Autolite single-point mechanical-advance distributor Lubrication..................................................................................Pressure; gear-type pump Electrical........................................................................................................................12-volt Exhaust...........................................................................Cast-iron manifolds, dual exhaust TRANSMISSION Type....................................................................................Ford C-6 three-speed automatic Ratios ................................................ 1st/2.46:1 … 2nd/1.46:1 … 3rd/1.00:1 … Reverse/2.18:1 DIFFERENTIAL Type.................................................................................................................Ford 9-in, open Ratio................................................................................................................................3.25:1 STEERING Type........................................................................................Recirculating ball, unassisted Turns, lock-to-lock.............................................................................................................Six Turning circle.................................................................................................................41.4 ft BRAKES Type.......................................... Hydraulic; dual-circuit master cylinder and power assist Front.....................................................................................11-in discs; four-piston calipers Rear.................................................................................................................10 x 2-in drums SUSPENSION Front..........................................Independent, unequal-length control arms; coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, anti-sway bar Rear.......................................................................Solid axle on asymmetrical semi-elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic shock absorbers WHEELS & TIRES Wheels.......................................................................................Stamped steel,…

TIME SEEMS TO HAVE STOOD STILL for decades in Wellsville, New York, from its sleepy village downtown and quiet neighborhoods of older homes to the rolling hills, and farmland on the outskirts. More than 140 years ago, Wellsville was transformed by the 19th century oil and natural gas drilling boom that began just over the border in Titus-ville, Pennsylvania, and spread like wildfire over the Appalachian Basin. Later, Wellsville became home base for a refinery owned by petroleum giant Sinclair. Sinclair’s operation was the region’s largest refiner of Pennsylvania sweet crude and it brought prosperity to the community producing oil, grease, naptha, gasoline, and more. A massive fire shuttered the refinery for good in the late 1950s and by the 1980s, a landfill on the 100-acre compound was targeted for…

WHEN TRAVELING, it’s always a better time at the destination if you check in with the locals, and as your Hemmings West Coast editor and area resident, that’s me. I’ve compiled a list of additional automotive to-dos so that when you want a change of pace from Scottsdale’s auctions, you can strike out on your own with this as your potted tourist’s guide for Other Car Stuff to Do in Greater Phoenix. And, if you or your travel partner want something totally un-car related, check out the next article for tips to things like architecture and the ample natural splendor of the desert Southwest. Before you get started, though, here’s the lay of the land… Scottsdale is Phoenix’s Beverly Hills, a well-to-do suburb just outside the big city. It’s picture-postcard…

ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED and under appreciated items on many muscle cars is the reverse (or backup) lamp system. Maybe we’re just picking nits, but it bugs us a bit every time we see a “perfectly” restored and otherwise functional muscle machine being backed out of its enclosed cocoon without reverse illumination. Designed to operate any time your transmission is engaged in reverse gear, these systems used varying methods, depending on the make and model, to light your way while backing up. In our case, the ’67 Malibu we’re working on was factory-fitted with a Muncie gearbox, but like so many muscle-era four-speed cars today, it was missing most of the crucial hardware required to get the job done. The transmission-mounted switch and associated wiring had gone AWOL at…

PRICE Base price ..........................................................................................................................N/A Options on car profiled .................................. 350 engine, Custom Sport steering wheel, A/C, swivel bucket seats, Tilt-Away wheel, AM/FM stereo/CB radio, sports styled outside rearview mirrors, cruise control (not installed) ENGINE Type........................................................................................Oldsmobile “small-block” V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads Displacement.........................................................................................................350-cu.in. Bore x stroke................................................................................................4.057 x 3.385 in Compression ratio...........................................................................................................8.5:1 Horsepower @ rpm ................. 170 net @ 3,800 stock; currently N/A due to cam change Torque @ rpm .................275 lb-ft net @ 2,400 stock; currently N/A due to cam change Camshaft ............................................................... Believed to be an Olds 403 marine cam Valvetrain.....................................................................Hydraulic lifters; pushrods; valves; valve springs; 1.60:1-ratio rocker arms Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Fuel.......................................................................Quadrajet four-barrel; mechanical pump (currently aluminum intake manifold) Ignition...................................................................................................High Energy Ignition Lubrication...........................................................................Full pressure; gear-type pump Electrical........................................................................................................................12-volt Exhaust.........................Cast-iron manifolds, single with crossover, catalytic converter, muffler, and tailpipe (currently dual…

MOPAR OR NO CAR JIM GERDOM • 913-268-9933 WWW.DESIGNFACTORYART.COM$40 (12 X 24-INCH PRINT, EITHER DESIGN) It’s always fun to see what the talented and prolific veteran designer, Jim Gerdom, has coming off his easel. Among the latest pieces in his ever-expanding portfolio are these Mopar masterpieces, 1967 Plymouth GTX and 1970 Plymouth AAR ’Cuda. As Jim explains, the GTX was inspired by one belonging to an Art Center classmate, while he chose to render the racing homologation ’Cuda in period-perfect “Plum Crazy.” As with all his automotive artworks, Jim created these illustrations by hand, using markers and pastels, with no computer intervention. Each piece will be available in a limited-edition run — 1,967 prints of the GTX (item DF-9524), 1,970 prints of the AAR ’Cuda (item DF-8124) — and can…

Scottsdale grabs all the headlines this time of year, but plenty of news was made elsewhere in the final months of 2018. September finished with a big sale in Sin City and October closed out with a big sale in Chicago, but November offered action all over the country. Barrett-Jackson finished its 2018 season with an impressive 100-percent sell-through rate at its September 27-29 Las Vegas sale, reporting a volume of $32.9 million on 733 vehicles sold. Including $760,000 in automobilia and an additional $1,094,500 in charity sales, the total sales figure for the auction reached $34.7 million. Though the top-two sales were low-production, modern European sports cars, muscle cars were strongly represented on the top-10 list, taking eight of 11 spots (number 10 was a tie). A 1999 Shelby…

PLASTIC-SURGERY DISASTERS: EMERGENCY RHINOPLASTY FOR CAMARO SS IN 2020? Last spring, photos of the 2019 Camaro SS facelift turned up in our inboxes, and the collective enthusiasts of America scratched their heads wondering what Chevy had done to the face of the sixth-generation pony car. (Even the press photos, featuring a ’19 SS in dark colors with moody lighting as seen here, seem to acknowledge that there’s something amiss.) And sales have tanked: down 28 percent this year, with Camaro trailing Ford Mustang and even Dodge Challenger in the sales race. Part of that sales dip may be down to GM failing to push lower-level Camaro models, and concentrating on burnishing the nameplate’s high-performance image. (Cool for us gearheads, but less so for those who may cross-shop a four-cylinder Camaro…

FORD’STOTALPERFORMANCEINITIATIVE in the 1960s meant that not only did Ford compete at the top level in nearly every motorsport discipline the world over, it also did the same in the showroom. From the GT40 to Mustang GT to Falcon Sprint to the 427 Galaxie, Ford had lots of go-fast options for fans of the Blue Oval. By 1966, Ford finally jumped on the muscle car bandwagon with the Fairlane GT. In the past (HMM #60, September 2008, 1966-’67 Ford Fairlane GT/GTA Buyer’s Guide), we’ve compared the Fairlane GT and GT/A models to the contemporary Chevelle 396, the Chevrolet counterpart that combined big cubes and high compression with a relatively lightweight midsize chassis. In price, power, and displacement, it matched up smartly with the Chevelle, which might have been a skosh…

IT’S ALWAYS DISAPPOINTING to learn that your heroes don’t live up to your expectations. And in today’s 24-hour news grinder, it’s not the least bit shocking when politicians and other public figures are exposed for contradicting the very positions and core beliefs they fervently espoused. Refreshingly, that’s not the case with Tom Peters, Chevrolet’s design director for Corvette and Camaro exteriors, who not only talks the talk when it comes to design, but walks the walk as a true enthusiast. Among the more recent entries on his resume are fifth- and sixth-generation Camaros, while his influence on other Bowtie-badged cars stretches back 35 years. It’s an enviable job, and Tom doesn’t take a bit of it for granted, particularly when it comes to balancing Chevrolet’s design legacy with next-generation vehicles.…

SIMPLY PUT, THE PURE STOCK MUSCLE CAR Drags continues to be the fastest car show on the planet. More than 115 racers took advantage of the new racing surface at Mid-Michigan Motorsports Park, in Stanton, Michigan, to put on a show for the record number of fans in attendance for Saturday’s shootouts. September 14-15 brought favorable weather and great track prep, and many drivers reported personal bests. Owen Simpson set the small-block record this year with a 12.20 at 112.95 mph in his 1970 Yenko Deuce Nova. Menzo Dodge broke into the 11s with his 1970 Buick Stage 1 and never looked back, posting a best of 11.82 at 114.51. Tim Clary drove his 1969 Chevelle SS 396 to a new low of 11.72 at 116.76. To most drivers, getting…

FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY, Scottsdale, Arizona, has been the epicenter of the American car-auction calendar. Scottsdale in January is a perfect storm of enthusiastic car culture, temperate winter climate, rugged old-West vibe, and luxurious image that all converge on a single spot in the Southwest desert. Scottsdale has been a resort town for decades, a quiet getaway for those in the region and elsewhere. For many years, surface streets were the only way in and out, which was fine most of the time. But with larger events, traffic would choke the life out of local roads. Once the 101 Loop opened at the turn of the millennium, connecting greater Phoenix to Scottsdale via a four-lane freeway, expansion in both North Phoenix and Scottsdale skyrocketed. This extended to car auctions,…

WHILE CARS ARE THE PRIMARY reason people from around the globe flock to the upscale Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale in mid-January, this area offers so much more to experience than the auctions. Delightfully moderate daytime temperatures—especially welcomed by people traveling from more wintery parts of the world—make outdoors activities very agreeable, whether you stay in town or venture  beyond its borders. And on the rare occasion of rain, there are plenty of indoor attractions to educate and entertain. When it comes to dining and libations, Scottsdale has plenty of options to suit every taste, and as with activities, if you’re willing to cast a wider net over the greater Phoenix area, your selection expands exponentially. The following is just a fraction of the vast array of non-automotive things for you…

IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE TODAY, given the performance legacy and collectability generally associated with the limited-production specialty vehicles from Hurst Performance, yet when the company developed a black-and-gold H/O proposal and this white-and-gold one for Oldsmobile to consider for 1976, the division’s executives passed on the program. The story of this proposal car is based on information the current owners, Rick and Sharon Tice of Cleona, Pennsylvania, have been able to glean from various sources over the years. Rick reports that he was able to confirm via the VIN that his is the white H/O proposal car. Aside from that and a few vintage photos, unfortunately no paper trail from Hurst, magazine articles about the car, or additional printed information from its early days has yet surfaced. Rick also learned that…

UPGRADES ARE OFTEN PART of classic-car buildups, whether you’re working on a restoration or a full-blown restomod. Technological improvements are continually forthcoming, so there are plenty of reasons to apply that new technology to our old iron. Disc brakes, hotter electronic ignition, more-efficient exhaust, and modern interior creature comforts are all welcome additions. But for all the planning and re-engineering we do to improve the safety, performance, and appearance of our classic machines, many times we overlook our own safety. In fact, one of the shortcomings of owning a classic car is the lack of adequate driver/passenger retention in the event of a collision. Although a handful of states passed seatbelt legislation sometime in the early 60s, it wasn’t until March 1967 that seat belts became a federal mandate. And…