Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

A few years before the muscle car era officially kicked off, the Big Three auto manufacturers in Detroit were already competing in the horsepower wars. The full-size cars of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s brought along large-displacement engines that rocked the automotive world with stout compression ratios, solid-lift camshafts and multiple carburetors. The example shown here is a 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air, which is actually one of Chevy’s lower trim models, compared to the highly-optioned Impala. These stripped-down cars were often equipped with six-cylinder engines, but a select few left the factory with Chevrolet’s top-performing engine, the illustrious 409. This beautifully restored 1962 Bel Air bubbletop features a set of 14-inch OE steel wheels, which are painted body color and equipped with original dog dish caps. The tires come…

I had an idea of what I wanted in my mind, I found someone artistically inclined with wrenches, and I’m not sorry about it one bit. Since the shop got it dialed in, it’s been awesome to drive. It used to be, for cold starts, I’d have to take the air cleaner off, pour half a thimble of gas into the carb, and turn it over. With EFI, it starts right up. That’s what I want in a car: turn the key and it turns over. It’s definitely quicker, and it has better throttle response, too. I’m also getting maybe a 10-15-percent improvement in fuel economy, although that’s not saying much, going from 8 mpg to 9.5.…

The Cobra R came out after the end of regular Cobra production, just before the changeover to the 1994 model year. It was intended for racing in IMSA’s Firestone Grand Sport Series and the SCCA’s World Challenge Series. They are most recognizable by their 17-inch five-lug wheels, intended as an option on 1994 GTs. On the R, those wheels were blacked out, but with a polished rim. Behind those wheels in front were upgraded twin-piston PBR brake calipers and larger 13-inch rotors.The Cobra suspension was stiffened up with Koni shocks, Eibach springs, and thicker sway bars. To save weight, SVT chucked out the air conditioning, fog lamps, inner fenders, power-window lifts, some sound deadener, and a few other things to trim off about 150 pounds.The R sold for $25,692 (compare…

The delay of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance pushes back the Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s sales to May 20 and May 22, respectively. It is possible Gooding & Company will move its online auction back to May to coincide with the Florida show, but there has been no announcement as of press time. Mecum will continue with its annual Indianapolis Auction on May 14-22, and it’s expected that 2,500 cars will cross the block. Last year’s event was pushed pack to July, but it still raked in more than $74 million in total sales, with a 78-percent sell-through rate.The top sale from that show was the 1965 G.T. 350R prototype, the first Shelby R-model competition car built and the first to win a race. It set a record with a…

“All of these elements came together to yield something really interesting…” I’ve been spending some of my winter evenings watching online videos of people working on their car projects, and lately I seem to have homed in on a particular trend with some of these builds: creating functional cars from hulks that were well on their way to being scrap. On the surface, that might sound like the typical muscle car restoration story — battered and weathered specimen gets renewed into a shiny example of its former self. But these are different. These efforts tend to begin with subjects normally dismissed as the ones that are “too far gone,” and often wind up with something that deviates substantially from the form it held back when it rolled off an assembly…

FUELING A FURY Q: I love your column and read it each issue to see what problems people are having with their cars. I have an interesting one for you. Pre-pandemic, my wife and I bought a “forever” home with a two-car garage. My plan was to get something to cruise in and take out for weekend bagel runs. I bought a 1973 Plymouth Fury Gran Sedan from the original owner. The car has 75,000 miles and has original paint, vinyl top, and interior, all in F8 green (a “triple pickle”). I had to replace a few things like the gas tank, tank sending unit, alternator, and air conditioning compressor with an R-134 upgrade. My issue is filling the fuel tank. I remember when they came out with unleaded fuel…

MODERN SUPER BEE STEEL SIGN SUMMIT RACING • 800-230-3030 • SUMMITRACING.COM • $16.99 The Super Bee is one of Dodge’s most iconic models from the original muscle era, and Mopar fans have loved seeing the nameplate return on high-performance variants of modern Challengers and Chargers. The famous “Scat Pack” cartoon logo character returned too, in modernized form, and that racy bee, with its helmet, slicks, and stinger, is celebrated on this decorative 28-gauge steel sign. Sized 13 x 12 inches, the Modern Super Bee (item 90145094) is printed with durable, bright colors, and features pre-drilled holes for easy hanging; it promises to look great in any setting. You can order this for home delivery, or save on shipping and pick it up in a Summit Racing store in Georgia,…

RESERVE: Minimum price owner will accept SELLING PRICE*: What the vehicle sold for, inclusive of buyer’s 5-percent fee (*sold as a Premium Classified following the live auction) RECENT MARKET RANGE: The low-to-high value range for the vehicle based on published results of similar vehicles sold at auction over the previous 18 months Hemmings Auctions is a live, online-only collector-car auction staffed by live customer service professionals ready to help bidders and sellers with any questions. See more at hemmingsauctions.com. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, email Auctions Editor Terry Shea: terryshea@hemmings.com.…

FERRARI HAS A WORD FOR IT: MODIFICATA. Basically, it’s a car that’s been tweaked for additional performance, often to the detriment of refinement and streetability in exchange for some benefit on the track. More power, grippier but less-forgiving suspension, a roll cage for both stiffness and safety, some updated technology, and voila! A few Ferraris have had the big M thrown into their alphanumeric nomenclature over the years, and they’ve always been degrees hairier than the standard-issue versions. But this isn’t a Ferrari. It’s a Mustang — built by Ford, a company that had the temerity to take on Ferrari at its own game on-track and win. And almost before you clamp eyes on the Shelby-ized body, before you can soak in the mildest of drops atop 17-inch rubber with…

Words can’t describe what it’s like picking up exactly where I left off on my Cross Boss 302 from 33 years ago. This car represents the genesis of my hobby in high-performance Mustangs of over 40 years. The cars are one thing, but the people I’ve met because of the cars are even more important to me. To the people who were there 40 years ago - the Gil-lens and Glenn Holberg, to Robert and Vicky Elston who sold me the Boss in 1980, to Kathy Lou Kane and everyone else who helped with the rebirth, thank you all! I’ve put 3,000 miles on the car since 2015, and every road trip is an adventure, every drive is a memory.…

Accelerator cable ..................$64 Air filter ................................$20 Alternator...........................$260 Brake rotor............................$50 Fender.................................$290 Floorpan (one piece)...........$375 Fuel pump .............................$61 Fuel sending unit..................$35 Fuel tank .............................$150 Hood....................................$400 Power steering pump..........$130 Quarter panel skin..............$416 Radiator..............................$250 Speedometer cable................$20 Starter...................................$25 Taillamp lens.........................$91 Water pump ..........................$90 Windshield ..........................$120…

Most of us can relate to keeping our cool during difficult times, and for engines, that mandate is mutual. Nobody wants to be stuck on the side of the road with the temperature gauge pegged and a geyser of steam erupting from the radiator. Not only is it an inconvenience, but hauling your ride home on the end of a hook is downright embarrassing. Sidestepping that issue is easily accomplished by choosing components that will stand the test of time… and temperature. We chose a Frostbite radiator and SPAL fan setup for reasons stated earlier, plus an Earl’s trans cooler to complete our system of heat exchangers.…

STARFIRE MASTER CYLINDER FOLLOW UP  Several readers, including Ken Farley of Sandwich, Illinois, and Pat L. from Toms River, New Jersey, pointed out that we were partially correct in mentioning the Corvette master cylinder as a dual-reservoir alternative for a brake system upgrade (HMM #211). We indicated the part was used in 1965-’66 Corvettes, but it was actually used in 1967-’76 models. The aftermarket reference number for Cardone is M1922, and the 1-inch bore size is used on the manual brake systems. The power brake unit looks almost identical, but has a 11/8-inch bore (Cardone #M1974). You will find that numerous aftermarket power-brake conversions use this style of master cylinder, and the bore size is determined by the overall weight of the vehicle. Jeff Cook also questions whether a proportioning…

4/30-5/2 Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia • 877-935-0426 1-2 Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance Seabrook, Texas • 713-521-0105 1-2 Rhinebeck Antique Car Show & Swap Meet Rhinebeck, New York • 845-876-4000 2 Sumter Swap Meet Bushnell, Florida • 727-848-7171 6-8 Chickasha Spring Swap Meet Chickasha, Oklahoma • 405-224-6552 14-22 Mecum Auctions Indianapolis, Indiana • 262-275-5050 20 BonhamsAuction Amelia Island, Florida • 323-850-7500 20-23 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Amelia Island, Florida • 904-636-0027 22 RM Sotheby’s Auction Amelia Island, Florida • 519-352-4575 22 Spring Classic Swap Meet Columbus, Ohio • 614-268-1181 28-30 Springfield Swap Meet & Car Show Springfield, Ohio • 937-376-0111 Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend you verify the status before making plans to…

"If you have a natural disaster in your area, is your muscle car covered?" I’ve been following several of the larger collector car auctions since late last year, and I’m amazed at how well our favorite muscle cars have been doing, in spite of the pandemic. I’m pleasantly surprised at how our beloved rides have held their value. Sure, the plain-Jane, run-of-the-mill cars have not fared as well, but the nicely restored, well-optioned examples are bringing very strong prices at most of these national events. The strongest, as usual, are the convertibles and low-production-run vehicles. This supports my theory that the basic muscle machine hobby still remains healthy and will survive this worldwide struggle in the long run. Several of my local car clubs used to put on a yearly…