Hemmings Muscle Machines September 2020

“...for many of us, working on our classics has a lot to do with the appeal of owning them.” If nothing else, the initial COVID-19 pandemic days of sheltering in place did provide an excuse to get my ’67 Camaro out of hibernation a little early this year, to participate in our local version of the car parade phenomenon. If you’ve read this column for any length of time, you’ve heard my frequent laments about not driving this car enough. It was in fairly regular use when I acquired it, back while I was living in southern California some years ago, but after coming back east, and then leaving the car in “paint jail” for a few years, I’d become a bit gun shy when it came to venturing out…

When the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was canceled in April 2020, other Car Week events on California’s Monterey Peninsula quickly followed suit. One of the few holdouts that remained on the schedule was the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, slated to take place August 13-16. On June 12, however, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca announced the cancelation of the long-running historic racing spectacular for 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press release, John Narigi, the track’s president and general manager, stated, “As was our plan, we waited until June after weighing all the options and different scenarios before making a final decision. No matter how much we hoped, no one can fully anticipate what state mandates will be in place that will affect public events and social gatherings.” In its…

Racer, restorer, and hot rod revivalist Don Orosco died on May 28, after losing his long-term battle with multiple myeloma. Starting in the 1990s, Orosco was at the forefront of reinvigorating popular interest in “traditional hot rods,” meaning those built in the style of the 1960s and earlier, before factory muscle stole the performance crown. An international racer of sports cars, Orosco was beloved by fans of traditional rods, thanks to his backing of the restoration of iconic cars like the Dick Flint roadster, seen here, which won its class at Pebble Beach in 2001. He was also involved in various efforts to reproduce sought-after vintage speed parts. Orosco’s most widely known effort was likely a run of new Ardun heads — a hemi OHV conversion, designed by Zora Arkus-Duntov…

MACH 1 RETURNS FOR 2021 Ford is bringing back a big name from the Mustang’s history books. For the 2021 model year, the Mach 1 will return to Blue Oval showrooms (and lend some contextual relevance to the Mustang Mach E crossover electric vehicle). In a press release, Dave Pericak, Ford Icons director, said the Mach 1 will be “the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang ever.” According to Ford’s projections, the 2021 Mustang Mach 1 will make 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. If those numbers sound familiar, it’s because they’re identical to the output ratings of the 2020 Bullitt edition, a fact sure to disappoint those who expected more grunt based on Pericak’s claim of track supremacy. If that’s the bad news, here’s the good: The Mach 1 dips…

DON’T DO IT! Regarding the letter in HMM #204, “No Offense,” I wanted to address the writer: Dave, for some months, I gave up my subscription to HMM after 10-plus years. I seemed overwhelmed with my chores. But something was missing: My reading of HMM. I saw your letter about dropping HMM due to the “malaise era car” comments and your 1973 Dart Sport 340. Don’t do it. You will miss it. I did immensely. Your car is beautiful—I love the styling. Your Dart’s lines are so similar to my 1972 Nova and thus, my appreciation of your car. I love the sail panels that give it a sleek look. My 1972 Nova has 1970 taillights and amber parking lights from a 1972. People ask me, “Is this a 1970…

“Great magazine! I have been getting HMM for over 10 years and look forward to each new issue. Recently, I was trying to improve my 1970 Chevelle SS. It had a 1968 high-rise intake, which I assume someone put on when they installed LS6 heads on the L34 396 engine to get more power. I didn’t like the way the heater hose came into the front of the intake instead of the top right side, as from the factory (I prefer the stock look of cars). So, I found a low-rise GM LS6 intake and decided to swap them out. In the process of doing this, I apparently left a rag in the lifter valley, under the new intake manifold. I didn’t discover this until I started getting a little…