Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i Hemmings Muscle Machines

“West Coast car mags would feature modified muscle cars that were referred to as ‘canyon carvers’” In much the same way I can still remember the first time I felt the brutal acceleration of a hotrodded muscle car (it was the neighbor’s ’70 Duster 340 when I was about 8 years old), I can also recall the first time I felt the lateral force of a hard-cornering car being pushed through a turn. In that second instance, the car was an MGB, which makes sense as sports cars were the vehicles expected to handle twisty roads with aplomb; muscle cars were built to go fast in a straight line. But that blast as a 12-year-old passenger through a sweeping turn in the not-so-powerful MG was almost as exhilarating as the…

MODIFIEDSPOTLIGHT: Muscle That Turns HIGH-PERFORMANCE cars from the muscle car era are sometimes restored well beyond the scope of practicality. Cars that carry a nameplate like Z28 are even more likely to be placed on a pedestal, and no longer used for their intended purpose of going fast. For muscle cars, going fast usually meant in a straight line, but back in the 1990s, there were some enthusiastic gearheads who equipped their muscle cars with road-race-style suspension and kept them street legal for a new mixture of extreme handling capability and highway manners. This build style got the name Pro Touring, and it has been inspiring creative muscle car builds ever since. The Pro Touring segment of the hobby is certainly the most active, as the cars are built to…

SINGLE-MASS VS. DUAL-MASS Q: My 1976 Ford F-350 pickup has the 7.3-liter IDI engine and the ZF five-speed transmission that uses a dual-mass flywheel, and the clutch disc needs to be replaced. Is there any benefit to converting to the single-mass clutch setup over what I have in the truck now? I do use the truck for my landscaping business as well as hauling off-road quad and mule vehicles on weekends. Does the dual-mass system put less load on the transmission or extend the life of the clutch? I have heard that the single-mass flywheel setups are straightforward in their installation but tend to be noisier and that owners experience “gear rollover” in some cases. Can you recommend a supplier who has a conversion kit that is complete and relatively…

“I never really had any problems finding the required time, but the money is another story!” Hang on just a little bit longer, spring is on the way. We’ll be able to start living like human beings again, instead of moles. The other day I had a phone call from an old friend who is also a dyed-in-the-wool car guy. He lives in the next town over from me, and we’ve stayed in touch for many years. We worked together in the car magazine business, and now, like me, he’s retired. His collector car is a restored ’69 Buick Skylark convertible, which he drives regularly in good weather. We’ve attended many shows together and competed against each other in those events from time to time. It was fun, and thankfully…

SPOTLIGHT: Muscle That Turns MUSCLE CARS HAVE COME a long way since the 1960s, when performance was defined strictly by how quickly the car accelerated in a straight line. Today, the definition is far more encompassing, covering all aspects of driving, including ride, handling, and braking. But taking one of those cars of the ’60s or ’70s and making it more capable in the corners, while also improving its braking performance and its ride quality, can compromise some collector-car norms. We thought the best way to address this challenge would be to break it down into systems. The process outlined here is certainly not chiseled in stone. We’ll present the various facets of this approach and let you decide on the actual sequence. So, for example, if better shocks are…

*Prices shown are presumed accurate at the time of printing. Please confirm with seller prior to purchase. 1969 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX ROYAL BOBCAT HEMMINGS • 800-227-4373 x 79550 • HEMMINGS.COM/STORE • $114.99 The high-performance custom builds by Ace Wilson’s Royal Pontiac dealership in Royal Oak, Michigan, were legendary by 1969, when the Royal Bobcat version of the exciting new-generation Grand Prix luxury sports coupe was unveiled. This dealer’s signature trick — heavily breathing on the 428 H.O. V-8 underhood — made the six manual- and six automatic-transmission examples built into seriously impressive performance cars. This 1:18-scale die-cast model of a white-trimmed Matador Red Royal Bobcat Grand Prix (item AMM1273) celebrates the bold Pontiac performer with appealing detail. Crafted by the experts at AutoWorld, the collectible sports an opening hood, doors,…

Letter of the Month: Mach Speed I saw my first Mach 1 in 1969 and asked my dad what it was. He told me it was a Mustang and I fell in love. In 1977, I bought my first Mach 1 for $1,200 —I worked three jobs and paid my own high school tuition while making $2.15 an hour. I trashed that Mach at 104 mph. Luckily, my mother had the priest bless the car when I bought it — I was drinking whisky and smoking pot. Gas was 78 cents a gallon when I was a kid, and you could still get 104 leaded octane. I had my last Mach 1 restored. She’s a beauty — Raven Black with red stripes. Dave CullenVia email T/A TIDBITS The column “Tales…

REENGINEERING A CHEVY Q: First off thank you for all the mechanical knowledge you share with the readers. I recently purchased a Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 with the 6.2-liter direct-injected motor. My question is, what are your thoughts on adding an oil separator in the PCV system? If you were to do so, is there a brand you might recommend? Thank you in advance for your response. David D.Via email A: I will need to apply a caveat or two to my response, so please stick with me. Regardless of the make of vehicle or engine, much to the chagrin of those who want to chastise the car companies, these products are tested to a level most of us would not believe. No company wants the consumer to experience a…

*Prices shown are presumed accurate at the time of printing. Please confirm with seller prior to purchase. TIRE MATTERS COKER TIRE • 800-533-5932 • COKERTIRE.COM • $11.00 Keep those tires looking their best with this new cleaning combo package developed expressly for whitewall tires. Wide White will bring out the brightest white possible from your whitewalls, though it’s safe to use on both black and white rubber. The ingredients are also environmentally friendly and won’t damage your shop floor or driveway. To complement Wide White, Big Classic will give your tires a beautiful shiny, black finish without excess gloss. The non-silicone-based dressing also features UV protection to help your tires endure the sun. Purchasing these items in kit form will also save you some bucks instead of purchasing separately. Inquire…