Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2022 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

"… I’d just missed something. Like the good stuff had just been taken away." While we were preparing this issue, I had the opportunity to visit with Mustang collector Dave W. (he’d prefer we didn’t list his full name), where I got the tour of his gathering of Fox and other later-model Mustangs. As you’ll learn in that story, Dave was inspired to focus his collecting on the Mustangs of the Fox era, rather than earlier models, because those are the ones to which he feels the strongest connection — they were new when he was young. It turned out that Dave and I were born during the same year, so I was fully able to appreciate his perspective on the performance cars of the ’80s. Not everyone feels the…

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE IROC CAMAROS of the F-body’s third-generation are now considered classics, and qualify for collector plates and insurance policies. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that the market is rising for them as many of the potential owners have now slipped past the half-century mark, possess more disposable income, and are empty nesters… or close to it. As did older enthusiasts, many potential IROC owners are now succumbing to the nostalgia of their youth and the cars they either owned or lusted after during those times. Third-generation Camaros were produced from 1982-’92 in prodigious quantities and myriad configurations, from base models to Rally Sports and Z28s to IROCs. Production numbers notwithstanding, finding a good one these days can be a daunting challenge as many of them…

2023 HEMMINGS MUSCLE MACHINES CALENDAR HEMMINGS • 800-227-4373 X79550 • HEMMINGS.COM/STORE • $14.95 Some of your favorite vintage and neo-classic muscle cars have been handpicked out of the pages of your favorite automotive periodical to star in the 2023 Hemmings Muscle Machines calendar (item CM23). The 12 x 12-inch glossy color-image pages, suitable for framing, include main beauty and three detail photos highlighting performance heroes from AMC, Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and Pontiac. The calendar pages offer plenty of room to write notes and include handy information like holiday reminders, more than 75 car-show listings and automotive events, and important dates in automotive history. These calendars sell out fast, so you’ll want to place your order before the holiday shopping rush. QUARTER-MILE MUSTANGS CARTECH PUBLISHING • 800-551-4754 • CARTECHBOOKS.COM/CT680…

STOCKSPOTLIGHT: ’80s / ’90s Muscle PONTIAC WAS in one of its “we secretly kinda want to be European” moods when it was working on the new third-generation ’82 Firebird Trans Am. The division often cast its gaze across the Atlantic for inspiration, whether in name (GTO, Grand Prix, 2+2) or in style. John DeLorean wanted radial tires for the 6.5-Litre GTO but couldn’t get it okayed by the bean counters; the late-’60s OHC-6 engine had a decidedly continental vibe; the ’73 Grand Am was pushed hard as a European-type sports sedan despite an available 455 under the hood (though billed as a Euro-esque 7.4 Litre) and a two-ton curb weight. This tendency could be seen even after the ’70s, when a badge-engineered Chevette was called the T1000 because alphanumeric naming…

THE GOOD OLD DAYS! Q: I was reading your column in the June issue regarding the temperature gauge problem. Interesting to hear about the quality control issues with current overseas suppliers. Thanks for the heads-up. Being an old-school Mopar guy, the ballast resistor failures and the person being towed home many times made me think of a quick and easy fix to get home without a wrecker towing you. A length of wire from the positive side of the coil to the positive of the battery will eliminate the ballast resistor from the equation, so the engine will start and run and run to get you home. Just remember to disconnect the wire when you turn off the ignition switch. Always enjoy your column, Ray. Are you old enough to…

DIGITAL DASH AUTOMETER • 866-248-6356 • AUTOMETER.COM • $1,457.99 MSRP Upgrade your classic Mopar A-body to a digital dash with these new direct-fit kits for 1972-’76 model years. The InVision dash features a 12.3-inch LCD display with a panel-mounted joystick to configure readouts for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature, and voltage. They are available in four different styles that can be customized for visible or audible alarms for low oil pressure, fuel level, voltage, and high water temperature. Other features include an odometer with two trip meters, adjustable brightness for day and night viewing, and high beam/turn signal indicators. Each speedometer easily calibrates to OEM or aftermarket speed sensors. Ask about p/n 7009 for more details. PROTECTIVE POTION USA FLUID PRODUCTS • 641-745-9360 • USAFLUID.COM •…

BUYER’S GUIDESPOTLIGHT: ’80s / ’90s Muscle ENGINE The base engine in these years, the LT1, is a great unit, making 300 hp and shared, in whole or in part, with numerous other GM vehicles. The LT4 is the hot-rod version of that engine, found only in six-speed-equipped cars in 1996. Those ’Vettes bring a premium, but if you’re willing to educate yourself and visit the aftermarket vendors, an LT1 can easily exceed the LT4’s 330-hp rating. Watch out for the original Optispark ignition units in 1992-’93 cars. If they haven’t been replaced with a later part, they’re vulnerable to moisture. TRANSMISSION Automatic-equipped cars came either with the tried-and-tested TH-700-R4 four-speed (1992-’93) or its 4L60E descendant. Maintenance and repair are both easy thanks to commonality with many other General Motors vehicles…

GM 10.5 LIMITED-SLIP PARTS Q: I have been trying my best to remember a part out of a 10-bolt GM rear end. This part sits between the spider gears and helps hold the shims in place at the end of the axles. Gregory Tindol Via hemmings.com A: You are probably referring to the cross-shaft and/or side gears, which are included in most spider gear repair kits along with the spider gears, pinion bolt, and shims. The kits for the 8.5-inch-diameter ring gear differential cover a wide range of rears with 28-spline axles from 1971-2008. Yukon’s part number is YPKGM8.5-S-28. The kit for 30-spline axles is YPKGM8.5-S-30. Both are offered at Summit Racing and Yukon Gear and Axle, as are just about anything else within the pumpkin or axle tubes you…

"Still, for all practical purposes, the outdoor car show season is over for this year." I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but even here, where I live in sunny southern California, it’s downright cold. I know that I’ve been spoiled, but it takes a lot for me to actually admit I’m cold while outdoors in Los Angeles. Growing up on Long Island, I became used to the cold and snowy winters, so when I moved to Los Angeles in 1965, that first winter was a shock. It wasn’t at all cold in November, at least not like I remember it being back east. I guess having a mild climate change really has some merits after all, particularly for car enthusiasts; we’re fortunate that we don’t have to…