Hemmings Muscle Machines October 2020

It was a big deal back in the early ’80s when Ford reintroduced the Mustang GT, proclaiming, “The Boss is Back!” Today, that sounds like a typical marketing ploy, playing on a storied nameplate from the past to draw interest in a new model — fairly standard practice in current-day Detroit. But in the early ’80s, it was almost as if the muscle cars from the ’60s and early ’70s were taboo — as if the automakers had gone on a bender and did some crazy things they weren’t too proud of, once the oil embargo sobered them up. Safety and economy were the favored topics after that, and it became quite unusual to find any of the Big Three acknowledging their high-performance pasts. So, dropping the Boss name out…

“SNAKE SKINNER II” CORVETTE ENGINEERING MULE DONATED TO NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM The C4-generation Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, introduced for the 1990 model year, was supposed to be king of the hill for American performance cars. Dodge didn’t get that memo, as it countered with the production-bound, V-10-powered Viper RT/10 concept at the 1989 New York Auto Show. In response, Chevrolet prepared for battle, creating a ZR-1 Corvette engineering mule intended to “skin the snake.” The first “Snake Skinner” Corvette, built from a preproduction car used for media previews, was initially put on a crash diet that cut 250 pounds of weight. Later, this mule was given a specially modified LT5 engine, rated at 475 hp, and further nips and tucks that dropped another 100 pounds. By the time the final modifications…

Dodge has given us three good reasons to see 2020 go away and never return. An 807-horsepower Challenger, a Redeye Charger, and a one-year-only Hellcat-powered Durango make up the core of Dodge’s SRT lineup for 2021 — and make Dodge the only domestic car company to offer three 700-plus-horsepower vehicles. The new Challenger SRT Super Stock is based on the Red-eye and puts out 807 horsepower on pump gas, running 10.50s at 131 mph, and reaching 60 in 3.3 seconds. Physical changes include 18-inch Nitto drag radials on lightweight alloy wheels, and 3.09:1 final-drive gearing with limited-slip. Taller tires allow a little give in the sidewall under launch. Traction control and steering are reprogrammed for high-speed stability, and the adaptive Bilstein shocks firm up in the rear and allow soft…

Send your letters, photos and opinions to tmcgean@hemmings.com MENTAL SPEED SHOP Ah, Terry, you had me smiling to myself as I read “Fantasy Sports, Gearhead Style” ( HMM #204). I must have spent close to $1 million (U.S.) rebuilding my brother’s 1969 Ford Fairlane 302, my sister’s 1968 Slant Six Valiant, and my old man’s 1967 Pontiac Strato Chief 283 (which he eventually gave to me). The best part is it didn’t cost my real wallet a dime! I hope you guys are all staying safe. I still don’t know what to make of all this corona-virus stuff. At least drag racing is back in a few days! Take care! Len Gilbert Kitchener, Ontario, Canada DIALING THE MIXTURE I read your response to Dave Campbell’s letter regarding his interpretation of…

After receiving HMM #204 and reading Terry McGean’s article, “Fantasy Sports, Gearhead Style,” I thought I would share my story of a “never was” factory-produced car that I built for my wife. When we purchased our ’79 Firebird Formula in June 2016, the car had been parked on a pad since 1988. It was originally a four-barrel 301 with an automatic transmission and a 2.73 open rear end, and over the last couple of years, I have swapped out a few things. In went a 455 from a ’76 Pontiac Safari wagon; I added Pontiac 6X heads, a factory “068” cam, and H.O. exhaust manifolds, and topped it off with an air cleaner assembly from a Trans Am, sans the shaker scoop. The TH350 was rebuilt and a 3.23 Positraction…

THE COMPARISONS between Carroll Shelby and Steve Saleen are natural. Both were race drivers of note, both used their racing experience to produce better road cars, and both made deals to build and distribute specialty Mustangs. The Texan’s story is well-known to the car cognoscenti, particularly after last year’s Ford v Ferrari Hollywood extravaganza, but Saleen’s history is not quite as legendary, at least not yet. Saleen grew up in Southern California during its golden age of car culture and was influenced at an early age by his father’s Porsche 356. He would later race that car, though a quest for something with more power led him to a Shelby G.T. 350, which he raced successfully for several years. Saleen drove in the Formula Atlantic open-wheel series; in 1982, he…