Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

FIFTY YEARS AGO, A WAR WAS BEING WAGED upon the high banks of NASCAR’s fastest tracks. “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” was the mantra of the day, but something much larger was at stake: pure manufacturer dominance. Chrysler Corporation and Ford Motor Company squared off in what would become known as the Aero Wars. It was Ford that fired the first salvo, with the introduction of the 1968 Torino fastback. Dodge countered with the redesigned Charger, which it believed would be slippery enough through the air to battle the Torino, but refinement was needed to make the Mopar competitive. In June 1968, Dodge debuted the Charger 500, which featured a flush grille and a fastback-style rear window instead of the standard Charger’s flying buttresses. By the end of the…

IT’S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE COME FACE-TO-FACE with a movie star, half a world away. Familiar yet foreign by dint of its surroundings (in this case, urban Yokohama, Japan), we were on hand to photograph something else entirely when this little monster came roaring up. We weren’t expecting it, but there it was, in all of its slammed, primered, lived-in glory. So what? To a generation of muscle car nuts, the Maverick was a weak suck. It was an economy car that never really rose above its station: It launched in 1969 as a ’70 model with a $1,995 base price as its main selling feature. The strongest version (in 1971!) had a 210-hp two-barrel 302 V-8 under the hood. The Grabber appearance package, which seemed to aspire to…

FROM THE COMPANY’S earliest days, Chrysler’s cars were known for the advanced engineering that set them apart from the competitive offerings of Ford and General Motors. When Highland Park executives decided to field economical compacts for the early 1960s to tussle with the small imports, Rambler, Studebaker’s Lark, and the anticipated like-sized Ford and Chevrolet, the results were unique: The Valiant and related Lancer were efficient, spacious unit-body sedans with above-average dynamic capabilities. Buyers embraced these conventional-layout compacts, and would welcome the added power they would offer in the form of the Hyper-Pak tuning kit-equipped Slant Six. The body redesigns of 1963 would be followed by 1964’s availability of a Hurst linkage-equipped A-833 four-speed manual and 273-cu.in. V-8 in the Valiant, Dart, and forthcoming Barracuda, setting the stage for the…

ELEMENTAL YEAR ONE MUSCLE CAR PARTS • 800-932-7663 • WWW.YEARONE.COM • $124.93 New orange or black oval “Six Pack”-style air filter elements are now available for various engines. Each filter features perforated steel bands, just like the originals, with orange- or black-colored rubber sidings. These are a great way to dress up and draw attention to your detailed engine bays. Available for 1969 Hemi B-body Air Grabber or Ramcharger, 1969 Plymouth B-body with Air Grabber and four-barrel, 1969-’70 Dodge B-body with Ramcharger and four-barrel, 1969-’71 Six Pack/ Six Barrel-equipped cars and 1970-’71 Hemi (all bodies). SPEAKER STUFF CUSTOM AUTOSOUND MANUFACTURING, INC. 714-773-1423 • WWW.CUSTOMAUTOSOUNDMFG.COM • INQUIRE Stock replacement kickpanels are available with or without speakers from Custom Autosound. Each panel features a 4 x 6-inch opening and is…

December through early January traditionally reflects a calm before the Scottsdale storm, and few auctions take place during the holiday season. Mecum, however, fired some impressive shots this past winter with two sales taking place before the frenzy in Arizona. Its annual Kansas City show took place December 5-7, and saw sales eclipse $9 million, with a sell-through of 70 percent. Looking further into the numbers, muscle cars from 1964-’72 took up a sizeable chunk, with nearly 140 cars crossing the block for a 53-percent sell-through. When the final hammer dropped, American muscle cars accounted for over $2.6 million in total sales. The high sale of this bunch was this 1969 Mustang Boss 429, KK number 1857. It was said to have 18,000 miles, carried the original, matching-numbers 820-T Boss…

CHEVROLET GS-IIB TO JOIN MID-ENGINE CORVETTE CLASS AT AMELIA ISLAND No story of the Chevrolet Corvette’s evolution would be complete without mention of the GS-IIb, a prototype that will make its concours debut at Amelia Island amid a special class dedicated to the mid-engine Corvette throughout the years. GM destroyed the first version of the mid-engine GS-II show car after a brief testing session, then built an updated version, the GS-IIb, which featured a riveted and bonded monocoque chassis made from aluminum. GM then sent the GS-IIb down to racer and Chaparral founder Jim Hall’s Rattlesnake Raceway in Midland, Texas, for more testing; according to author and historian Karl Ludvigsen, the 1,450-pound car hit 198 mph in its test session. “It was an excellent presentation, and they have done some…

DON YENKO was a successful businessman, car builder, racer, and, by all accounts, a decent piano player. The man was also something of a fashionista. In photos taken throughout his life, Yenko was always dressed for the occasion: sharp suits with the correct-width tie and pocket square; turtlenecks under patterned blazers; and in the pits at races, crisp driving suits with sunglasses. It’s no wonder that the cars Yenko built from the 1960s to the ’80s were also styled for maximum appeal. His shop’s most prolific year came in 1969, and he made sure those modified Chevrolets stood out by limiting the color palette to a few distinctive hues, complemented by signature Yenko graphics and emblems. Something else made those ’69 cars stand out: They were factory-built with 427 engines,…

ENGINE The 101-hp 170-cu.in. Slant Six was dropped from the Barracuda for 1965 but the 145-hp 225-cu.in. Slant Six and the 180-hp 273-cu.in. two-barrel V-8 with 260 lb-ft of torque returned. A 235-hp 273 with 280 lb-ft of torque was a new option and, along with its many other upgrades over the 180-hp version, it also employed more-aggressive cam specs with 248/248-degrees advertised duration and .415/.425-inch lift, compared to 240/240-degrees duration and .395/.405-inch lift. The Slant Six and the 273s have proven to be durable and are easily serviced. TRANSMISSION & AXLE A column-shifted three-speed manual was standard, using a 9.25-inch clutch with the Slant Six and 9.50-inch assembly with the V-8s. An A-833 four-speed manual with Hurst shift linkage and the three-speed A-904 TorqueFlite automatic were optional. It was…

CHRYSLER’S ORIGINAL “FirePower” Hemi engine family elevated factory horsepower thresholds in the Fifties and did so with dramatic style, but Hemis were costly to manufacture and their big cylinder heads ate up a lot of underhood real estate. With the realization that building Hemi engines in the volume required to keep pace with new overhead-valve V-8 engines from General Motors and Ford would be prohibitively expensive, Chrysler got to work on a new V-8 design that would rely on a more straightforward wedge-style cylinder head. The new engine family was dubbed the B series and was introduced in 1958, with a raised-deck version, designated the RB series, debuting a year later in a 413-cubic-inch displacement. The B and RB engines made strong power that was generally comparable to their more…

I’VE OWNED THREE DIFFERENT ’69 Camaros over the years, the first purchased in 1979. It was maroon with a white vinyl top, a 307, and a Powerglide. I bought the second in 1983, a blue coupe with white stripes that had a 327 backed by a four-speed and a 12-bolt. Originally, this was a “granny” car, with a three-on-the-tree and drum brakes, but it was made to resemble a Z/28. Each Camaro was better than the one before, so the third time around, I managed to land an early Z/28 RS in Daytona Yellow, with black stripes, a black vinyl top, and an Endura bumper. A friend I grew up with in Stone Bank, Wisconsin, sold me this car. Brad Bares worked at a Chevy dealer and acquired the Z/28…

PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSION GEARSTAR • 330-434-5216 • WWW.GEARSTAR.COM$5,495 (TRANSMISSION AND CONVERTER) The 200-4R Pro Series transmission and converter package is said to be the most compact overdrive transmission available and is rated up to 800 horsepower. The input shaft, forward drum and shaft assembly, ring gear, overdrive planetary set, and output shaft are all made from 300M billet steel. All other parts are rollerized, stress relieved, and heat treated. The package includes a custom stalled 258-mm YANK Performance multi-disc 300M billet converter with speed actuated lock-up system. These non-electronic overdrive transmissions are custom built and dyno tested before being shipped and backed with a 36-month warranty. HANDLE BARS HELLWIG SUSPENSION PRODUCTS • 800-435-5944 • WWW.HELLWIGPRODUCTS.COM • $268.36 Tubular rear anti-sway bars are now available for the 2016-’18 Chevrolet Camaro SS.…

Barrett-Jackson follows up its Scottsdale show with a trip to the Southeast. Its annual Palm Beach, Florida, sale — now in its 18th year — will take place April 16-18. The show has grown immensely, and last year, the largely no-reserve auction, saw a 99-percent sell-through rate. In 2019, 632 cars found new owners and total sales eclipsed $30.1 million. Vicari Auction Company announced two upcoming sales, including its first ever spring event in Biloxi, Mississippi. Vicari has established a presence in Biloxi with its fall sales, but this inaugural early-year auction will take place April 17-18 in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center.The sale will run as a part of the annual Crawfish Music Festival and more than 400 cars are expected to cross the block during the…

THE FIRST 2020 GT500 A year ago, the first 2020 Shelby GT500, serial number CS0001, was sold for $1.1 million at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, with all proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The car that appeared on stage was just a prototype; the winner would be able to pick his preferred color. The winner? None other than Craig Jackson himself. Mr. Jackson has taken delivery of his GT500, at long last. He traveled to Flat Rock, Michigan, to watch it being built. But he had a special request: Instead of choosing a color from Ford’s palatte, he wanted it to match his other Shelby — ”Green Hornet,”the EXP500 prototype that we featured back in September 2006 (HMM #36). In some ways, the new GT500 had more…

PRICE Base price...............................................................................................................$3,547.69 ENGINE Type.............Chevrolet Mark IV OHV big-block V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads Cylinder heads.............................................Cast-iron, rectangle port; 2.19/1.72-in valves Displacement.........................................................................................................427-cu.in. Bore x stroke.....................................................................................................4.25 x 3.76 in Compression ratio...............................................................................................................11:1 Horsepower @ rpm...........................................................................................425 @ 5,600 Torque @ rpm............................................................................................460 lb-ft @ 4,000 Camshaft type......................................................................................................Mechanical Duration.........................................................................336/336-degrees, intake/exhaust Lift............................................................................................520/.520-in, intake/exhaust Valvetrain ................................ Solid lifters, pushrods, stamped-steel 1.70:1 rocker arms Main bearings...................................................................................................................Five Fuel system .................Holley 4150 four-barrel carburetor; 780-cfm, mechanical pump Lubrication system..............................................................Full pressure, gear-type pump Electrical system..............................................................................................................12-V Exhaust system............................................ Dual exhaust with dual mufflers, extensions TRANSMISSION Type.....................................................................................Muncie M21 four-speed manual Ratios................................1st/2.20:1 … 2nd/1.64:1 … 3rd/1.28:1 … 4th/1:1 … Reverse/2.27:1 DIFFERENTIAL Type..................................................................Chevrolet 12-bolt; Positraction limited-slip Ratio.................................................................................................................................4.10:1 STEERING Type...............................................................................Saginaw recirculating ball, manual Ratio...................................................................................................................................24:1 Turns, lock-to-lock.............................................................................................................5.2 Turning circle...................................................................................................................42 ft BRAKES Type..........................................................................................Hydraulic, with power assist Front.......................................................................................................11-in ventilated discs Rear...........................................................................................................9.5 x 2.0-in drums SUSPENSION Front.................................... Independent with ball…

“MOPAR OR NO CAR,” GOES the rallying cry of Chrysler’s true believers, a nod to their passion for the Pentastar’s wares. For the bulk of its existence as an automaker, Chrysler (encompassing its namesake brand, along with Dodge and Plymouth) has been focused on performance, as well as engineering excellence. Iconic (and now, blue chip) Mopar muscle cars stand in testament to this. A Hemi-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T convertible sold at auction for $1.43 million in January 2019, and prime specimens of Hemi-powered winged warriors (the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona and 1970 Plymouth Superbird) routinely trade hands in the mid-six-figure range. Remarkably, none of these were particularly desirable when new, adding to their rarity and value today. Chrysler’s performance heritage goes much farther back than the 1970s, however. Introduced…

Introduced in 1969, the special triple-carb version of the 440—dubbed 440 Six Pack in Dodge models and 440 Six Barrel in Plymouths—offered performance capability nearly on par with the vaunted Street Hemi, but for roughly half the price. It was produced for only three model years, but its legacy was far-reaching. Here are 10 things every enthusiast should know about the 440+6. 1. The engine debuted in the 1969 mid-year introduction of the “A12” option package on the Road Runner and Super Bee, both of which also included a lift-off fiberglass hood. 2. Edelbrock supplied the unique intake manifold for the first year and early into 1970, but the company apparently couldn’t produce them fast enough, so Chrysler took over in 1970 and had them cast in iron. 3. Holley…

THERE’S A QUOTE ABOUT BEST-LAID plans that essentially means a simple twist of fate will drop your carefully constructed agenda right out of the cargo hold, while you’re flying at 30,000 feet and nibbling on a bag of airline pretzels. Metaphorically speaking, Andy Kabarowski had his pretzels and his luggage stowed securely in the overhead all the way to south Florida in late 2000, on his way to inspect a 1969½ Dodge A12 Super Bee. For those who don’t speak fluent Mopar, that would be the track-intended, half-year release of the model that introduced the 440 Six Pack engine, in a lightweight package that also included a fiberglass lift-off hood and black, unadorned steel wheels. The package was also offered with the Super Bee’s B-body cousin, the Plymouth Road Runner.…

THIS MONTH, WE CONCLUDE our auction coverage from Monterey, California’s mid-August collector-car extravaganza, with domestic performance car highlights from both Bonhams and Gooding & Company. Each sale offered several exemplary steeds from the traditional muscle car era, along with contemporary equivalents and an infusion of purpose-built racers, that helped the two companies record a collective total exceeding $108 million (all sale prices include a buyer’s premium). Bonhams’ one-day auction took place on August 14, at its long-traditional location at Carmel’s Quail Lodge & Golf Course. Its catalog featured 220 lots, of which 167 sold (76 percent) for a total of $31.2 million. The top-selling vehicle was unsurprising: a 1951 Ferrari 340 America Coupe Speciale realized $3,635,000, followed by a 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic that sold for $1,625,000. Third on the…