Why the eternal flame keeps burning......

A Prius driving grad student asked me the other day why anyone "needs" a musclecar. I had to give him the answer that Harley riders have been giving for years-"If I have to explain, then you won't understand." "No, I want to understand,I have to understand, I'm writing an article for a psychology magazine."  He replied. "I'll do my best to help." I said. We sat down, and I talked and he took notes. "The first misconception is gender." I said. Stephen King said cars were all girls in his classic Horror novel "Christine" about a possesed '58 Plymouth Fury, and you see old farmers calling their truck "Betsy" and such." Cars being female may be cute for some people, but musclecars are all male. It's all about testosterone. And their not male in the good father-know-best kind of way, or the John Wayne, truth justice and the american way, no, their Jules from "Pulp Fiction". My I.D. says "Bad Mofo" on it, "I'm sorry Ringo, but this isn't the first time, some fool has challenged me to a fight." "I will strike down with great vengenance and furious anger anyone who threatens the righteous man who happens to be my driver." "Though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I fear no evil, for I am the meanest mother in the valley!" That's what a musclecar says. You can't drive one slow. The rumble of the exhaust, the Hurst shifter in your hand, feeling the power like a Rotweiler tugging on his leash, eager to run. Come on, you candy ass. It taunts. There's no men in blue around, open me up. Like the kid in "Christmas Story" it "Triple-Dog Dares" you. God help you if there's a pretender near-a BMW or Mercedes or Jap car that tries to pass you or looks at you disdainfully at a light. Like Denis Leary on cocaine-your subconcious taunts you-"You gonna take that shit?"  "You gonna let this arrogant yuppie scum disrespect us like that?" "Please trade me in for a Honda Civic, you pussy."  You have to put your right foot down, and then it's on. As the rest of society succumbs to political correctness and frontal lobe massaging and the ever-expanding limits of freedom of the nanny state, at the last stop before oblivion stands the archaic, throwback American Musclecar. The Camaro SS, the Boss 302 Mustang, the Hemi Challenger-and their brethren from the past that simply won't go away-stand Janus-faced, giving the finger to tweed-cap wearing,pipe-smoking, journalists and engineers that deride solid axles and pushrod V8s while singing the praise of front-and all-wheel drive, overhead cam technological wonders that can't touch the performance of an american musclecar at two or three times the price. And now their selling in record numbers. How did this happen? It happened back in the 1990's when every 40 or 50 year old stockbroker or dot.com rich guy decided that the one thing missing from his life was a badass American Musclecar. Didn't matter if he already had a Porsche or a Ferarri. He was up late one night watching Kowalski's last Ride in "Vanishing Point", or the chases in "Bullitt" or "Smokey and the Bandit" or "Two-Lane Blacktop" and decided then and there that he HAD to have a Challenger, or a Charger, or a Trans-Am, or a GTO or whatever, and he didn't care how much it cost. And his competitive buddies got in on it, and remembered their big brother's 'Cuda or Camaro or Mustang from high school, and decided if Bob so and so, could spend 40 grand on the 30 year old car of his dreams, then by God, so could they. And the renaissance caught on. And the automakers thought hey-"If horsepower makes that much money, let's rock and roll and bring back the '60s." "WE can promote Hybrids, and saving the planet, but these cars will sell themselves." Brock Yates said it about Harleys a few years ago, but it applies to musclecars as well-"If that rumble, that roar, that ultimate symbol of freedom and American brashness, that death threat to collectivism and political correctness ever goes away, then it will truly be time to turn out the lights in America." That's why the eternal flame of the Musclecar keeps burning. Mastermind        

If you want to drive it like you stole it....Crate it!!....or get a "Junkyard Jewel"

I speak to a lot of people that want to race their musclecars but are afraid of blowing a rod out the side of a rare, numbers-matching block. If that's the case, I offer two viable solutions. # 1. Get a Crate engine. GM Performance, Mopar Performance, and Ford Racing all offer awesome high-performance crate engines at reasonable prices, as do companies like Edelbrock, Smeding, and Blueprint engines. If you have say an SS396 Chevelle-GMPP's 454HO may be just the ticket. At 425 hp and 500 lbs ft of torque, that's way more power than even the vaunted solid-lifter L78 396 had ( They were rated at 375hp ). With the right style air cleaner and valve covers it would look stock, and with forged crank, rods and pistons, could even withstand a big shot of nitrous. Want to be King Kong? How about 572 inches of Chevrolet and 720 hp?!!  Don't want to risk the 440 in your Charger or Road Runner? Mopar performance offers a 505 inch ( 440 based ) wedge engine with 500 hp. Ford racing offers 351W crate motors with 385 hp-a big step up from the 290 hp that a stock '69 Mustang carries. 429 SCJ Torino? They offer a 460 based 514 stroker with 600 hp. These hi-po crate engines often come with a 3 year 50,000 mile warranty!!  # 2. The other solution is to find a similar engine in a junkyard. I wouldn't want to risk grenading a for-real Ram Air III or Ram Air IV Pontiac in my Judge or Trans-Am if I had one. However, since the 400 was used in practically every Pontiac model made from 1967-78, finding a rebuildable core shouldn't be like finding a moon rock. Take this junkyard motor from a '74 Bonneville or whatever and put a stroker crank in it to make it a 455, add some Edelbrock heads, a hot cam and some headers, and you'll have even more power than your stock engine, and you won't have an anxiety attack every time you run it over 5,000 rpm!!  If you've got an AMX you may not be able to find a 390 or 401 AMC engine to play with, but their are millions of 360s in junkyards in Jeep Grand Waggoneers.  You might not find a 327 for your '60s Corvette or Impala, but 350s are a dime a dozen, you could stroke it to 383, and really have a rockin' small-block. Having a 2nd engine isn't cheap, but if you want to race your car without the fear of grenading an irreplaceable block, it's really the only solution. And you can "downgrade" and still have racing fun. If you've got a Hemi 'Cuda, you might not want to spend another $15,000 on a Mopar Performance Crate Hemi to play at the drags, but you could build a pretty strong 360 or 383 / 400 for a couple grand that would be big fun at the track, and you wouldn't care if you missed a shift and blew it all to hell!! Ditto for a Boss 302 Mustang. You can buy or build a 302 based 347 stroker with 400 hp pretty cheap,go faster than you would have with the original engine, and keep the "Moon Rock" in a plastic bag in your garage to re-install for concours shows or when you sell it. The 455 out of my Hurst /Olds is on an engine stand right now, while I abuse the hell out of the GMPP ZZ4 crate 350 Chevy that's in the car. Changing it back to Olds power would only take about 8 hours. So stop lamenting that you can't race, and go buy or build a second motor that you don't care about blowing up!!  Mastermind      

The history of the Charger....

Since Car and Driver said the 2011 Hemi Charger R/T was one of the best performance buys out there, I thought I'd go over the car's heritage. The Charger was introduced in 1966. It had wild fastback styling, hidden headlights, and a unique 4-bucket seat interior. The standard engine was the "Old" 318 which has nothing in common with the later "LA" or "Magnum" engines. The 383 and the 426 Hemi were optional with a 4-speed or the excellent Torqueflite 3-speed automatic. 1967 models were the same. Although these years have a bit of "Cult" following now, they didn't sell very good when they were new. 1968 brought an all-new bodystyle-and Dodge engineers hit it out of the park. We all know what a hit this bodystyle was. Charger sales increased something like 300% that year, and that was before "Bullitt" was released with the epic chase through the streets of San Francisco with Steve McQueen driving a Mustang and stuntman Bill Hickman driving an ominous black Charger. The standard engine was the "LA" 318, but options included the 383 and 440 4bbl V8s and the vaunted 426 Hemi. The new Charger, especially the R/T, was, to paraphrase George Thorogood- "Bad to the Bone". It looked mean as hell just sitting still, and it had the power to back up the image. A big 440 inch Charger had little to fear from a 396 Chevelle or a 400 GTO. 1969 brought minot changes-a split front grille, and two elongated taillights instead of four round ones, but otherwise the sexy body remained unchanged. Engine choices were the same except for a big midyear introduction-the 440 Six-Pack. Engineers simply took the 440 Magnum, added a bigger cam, and an Edelbrock aluminum manifold with 3 2bbl; Holleys. This was one of the great street engines of all time; driveability was excellent and even with the automatic, the car launched cleanly on the center 2bbl. When the end carbs kicked in, look out! The buff magazines raved, and the Six-Pack actually outran the vaunted Hemi in drag testing, with the stock 3.23 or 3.54 gearing.. However, we all know running a Hemi with a slushbox and 3.23 gears is like running with one flat tire; give the Hemi a stall converter or a 4-speed and some 4.30 gears, and it's a different story. People don't realize the Hemi was designed to win NASCAR races on long tracks like Daytona and Talledega. The "Wedge" style 383 and 440s made much better STREET engines. Which, coupled with the high price, is why not many Hemis were built. ( A 440 Magnum was like a $200 option, the Hemi was like a $1300 option ). This year NASCAR also influenced two rare special editions the Charger "500" had a flush grille, exposed headlamps, and a flush rear window. The Charger Daytona had an Aero nose and a tall rear wing. Chrysler had to sell 500 of them to race them, which they did, but survivors are rare, and often bring six figures. 1970 saw no changes to the engine line-up, but they went back to an unsplit grille and put a chrome bumper around it. In my opinion, Chrysler really blew it in 1971 when they changed the bodystyle. Why? Chargers had been selling in record numbers since the body debuted in '68, so why mess with success? GM didn't- the 2nd generation Camaro / Firebird lasted 11 years-1970-81, and the C3 Corvette-which was based on the 1965 Mako Shark show car lasted from 1968-1982. The Porsche 911 was basically the same from it's 1963 introduction to well into the 1990's. After a string of hits-besides the Charger, Chrysler also had the Road Runner-which outsold the Pontiac GTO in 1969, the Super Bee, the Duster and the Challenger / Cuda line, they stepped on their dick big-time changing the Charger after just 3 years. It wasn't that the car was ugly-far from it-in fact-the new body was so aerodynamic that Richard Petty won races with it clear up until 1979 when it was outlawed for the 1980 season. ( NASCAR rules stated that bodystyles could be no more than 5 years old, and the last Charger of this style was built in 1974. ) It's just that people couldn't beleive they'd changed from the beloved 68-70 style so quickly. The 383, 440 4bbl, 440 six-pack and 426 Hemi were still available, and to combat high insurance rates on big-inch musclecars, for the first time the high-winding 340 V8 that was previously onlu available in the Dart and the Challenger was optional in the Charger. For this one-year only, the Super Bee package was offered on the Charger instead of the Coronet. It was basically a graphics package, but the 383 Magnum was still standard, with both 440s and the Hemi optional. 1972 was when things really took a dive. Compression ratios were lowered and emissions standards tightened, and this was the year that the SAE switched from gross to net horsepower ratings, so it looked like power had dropped off more than it actually had. The Hemi and 440 Six-Pack were gone, leaving a 440 4bbl with 280 net hp the top engine option. 1973 and 1974 were basically the same, although the 340 was dropped after 1973 and replaced with the 360 for 1974. In 1975, Chrysler really shot their foot off as far as the Charger nameplate went. The racy 71-74 style was gone, you couldn't get a manual transmission anymore, and the body was a re-badged Chrysler Cordoba!! Yuk!!  Further, the advent of catylitc converters really took a bite out of performance, and the 400 V8 wheezed out about 175 hp, the 440 barely 200. Chryslers "Lean Burn" electronically controlled ignition / carburator setup caused the emasculated engines to run even worse. In comparing "Personal Luxury Coupes" Motor Trend wisecracked that a 400 Pontiac Gran Prix could tow a 400 Charger faster than it would run. From 1979 through the mid-1980's Chrysler really added insult to injury by putting the legendary name on various front-wheel drive, 4-cylinder Omni versions. Mercifully, they dropped it until 2005 when it returned with a vengenance. Some purists griped that it was a 4-door with no coupe option, but with 340 snarling Hemi horses under the hood and a Mercedes E-class chassis-( Courtesy of the merger with Daimler-Benz) enthusiasts had car that not only kicked butt in a striaght line-5 second 0-60 and low 14 second 1/4 mile times, they also handled good enough that drivers didn't have to take crap from BMW owners on twisty roads either. Soon the SRT8 option was introduced that included a 425 hp Hemi, Brembo brakes, and a more upgraded suspension. Mopar Muscle was no longer something spoke of in the past tense. The buff magazines raved-touting BMW 5 series performance for half the price. A Super Bee graphics package that copied the '60's style was revived. They remained basically unchanged through 2010. For 2011 the body was made swoopier, the base Hemi pumped up to 370 hp, and the SRT8 to a whopping 465!!.  Long live the Charger!! Let's hope Chrysler doesn't kill it again or do something stupid like make it a front-wheel drive or a diesel or a hybrid.  Mastermind          

The E-rod '55 Chevy.....Why?

I just got a GM Performance Parts Catalog that has a '55 Chevy on the cover and a big article inside about the new "E-Rod" perfoirmance package. It's basically a complete 2011 Camaro SS powertrain. The article went on and on about how you could have high performance and be emissions-legal. In a "55 Chevy?!!  Hello?!!  In most of the 50 states only vehicles 30 years old or newer-1981 and later-are required to have smog tests prior to registration. Some states still require it for vehicles 1978 and newer, and California, the strictest, requires it for 1975 and newer. So nowhere in the country would you have to "Smog" a '55 Chevy!! If you want to run a 327 with a 6-71 Blower and Nitrous, or a 12.5:1 compression 454 with a Tunnel Ram and dual 660 Holleys, you could. Even in smog-Nazi California you could put a 528 Hemi in your 74 Charger or an SVT 514 stroker in your 71 Mustang with impunity. The reason it offended me so much is three-fold. # 1. They should have used an '80's IROC-Z, or Monte Carlo SS, or C4 'Vette as a test mule. These are the vehicles that drivers have trouble registering if their modified at all, and would most benefit from this package. # 2. Why would anyone spend the time and money installing Catalytic Converters, Oxygen sensors,throttle position sensors, crankshaft position sensors, etc, etc, on a vehicle that didn't require it?  # 3. Spare me the rap about cold-weather starting, fuel economy and driveability. It's a documented fact that a restored musclecar is usually the fourth or fifth car in a household. No one is driving these cars to school or work on a daily basis, or even in the rain, much less freezing weather. Let's face it-90% of the cars that show up at "Hot August Nights" or go on the "Hot Rod Power Tour" do it on a trailer so the driveability argument doesn't hold water. Don't get me wrong-I love the new GM LS motors-if I can financially swing it, I'm going to be one of the first people in line for a ZL1 Camaro when they come out. But, if I want a 1965 GTO, like the song says-I want 3 deuces and a 4-speed and a 389, not an LS3 and a 4L80E!!!. You buy an old car because it's different from what's new. I've said it before-If you were a gun collector would you buy a WWII vintage Colt .45 and put Laser Sights on it?  If you were a motorcycle enthusiast would you buy a 1957 Harley Davidson and install the fuel-injected Twin-Cam engine out of a 2010 Softail?  Probably not!!  I just thought it was stupid that since even 45 years ago in 1966 when the California Air Resources Board started inplementing emission controls, a '55 Chevy was exempt!!  There's enough people out there with more money than brains that have to have the newest, and biggest, and best of everything, so I'm sure the package will sell well, but that doesn't mean it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.  That's all I'm saying. Mastermind   

Other awesome cars that were killed before they were born......

General Motors wasn't the only automaker that killed cool stuff because the bean counters said they wouldn't sell, or that building them wouldn't be cost-effective. Here's a few that would have been way cool, if  Ford , AMC and Mopar hadn't killed them.  # 1. 1971 "Boss 429" Mustang. The larger and wider 1971 Mustang offered the "regular" 429 as an option, so dropping in the Boss-9 wouldn't have been too hard. Further, the cars could have been built at Ford plants, reducing costs. ( The 1969-70 Boss 429s were 428 CJ models that were farmed out to Kar Kraft for the conversion, and Ford lost money on every one.)  The engineers felt this one could turn a profit, and upstage the big-block ponycars from GM.  Chevrolet was still considering offering the LS6 454 in the Camaro as well as the Chevelle, and Pontiac had the 455HO as the Trans-Am's standard engine. Sadly, the brass caved in to pressure from insurance companies, and safety advocates and the project was scrapped.  # 2. 1971 Charger Daytona / Plymouth Superbird. Chrysler considered putting the bullet front end and huge wings on the restyled '71 models, but ultimately decided it wasn't cost effective.  Too bad, they would have been cool.  # 3. 1972 429 / 460 Cougar. Since you could get a 455 in a Pontiac Gran Prix, and a 454 in a Monte Carlo, Ford thought they should offer a big-block in the personal luxury Cougar. ( A 351C was the largest engine available). The bean counters decided that the GP and Monte were competitiors of the T-Bird not the Cougar. Hello? The '72 and later T-Bird was based on the Lincoln MKIV platform, and in a drag race or "Stoplight Gran Prix" would only see the taillights of  a 455 engined mid-size "A" body GP or 454 Monte Carlo!!  The big-block Cougar might have sold quite a few units if it had been offered.  # 4. 1975 AMC Javelin / AMX.  Since the Challenger and Cuda were no more, and the '74 Mustang was basically a Pinto / Capri hybrid, and the Z/28 was on hiatus,  AMC brass thought that with less ponycar competition out there, Javelin sales might massively rebound like the Pontiac Trans-Am had in 1973-74. ( Up 400%  over 71-72 )  Instead, they killed the Javelin and introduced the re-designed Matador and the Pacer. Bad Move.  # 5.  1977 AMX. Even before "Smokey and the Bandit" came out Pontiac was selling T/A's in record numbers-almost 50,000 in 1976 alone-this caused Chevy to hastily re-introduce the Z/28 option on the Camaro-and every other automaker was scrambling to build a Trans-Am fighter. AMC engineers had an idea that might have changed history. They came up with a handling and graphics package for the compact Hornet, and since AMC V8's are all externally identical, suggested using the 360 or 401 V8s out of the big car/ truck line. The T/A had 400 cubes, but weighed about 3,800 lbs. At just over 3,000 lbs, a 401 powered Hornet based AMX might not have been sexy, but it would have ate the T/A's lunch in a drag race, and like the 1968 Road Runner, would have a bare-bones, badass, street fighter image. The brass thought the public was stupid, and didn't care about performance anymore, only looks. They ok'd the graphics and suspension options, but nixed the engine swap. ( Which would have been a bolt-in ) as too costly. The only engines available were a 258 inch six-cylinder, or a 304 V8 with a two-barrel that wheezed out about 120 hp. The bean counters were shocked when they didn't sell.  Decisions like this are why AMC went bankrupt.  Mastermind                   

Badass rides that GM killed for no good reason...

There are a lot of "Cars that never were" but here's a few that I think the public would have loved and bought if they'd ever made production. # 1. 1970 LS6 Nova and Camaro. Originally, the mighty LS6 454 was going to be offered in the Camaro SS and the Nova SS as well as the Chevelle line. It wouldn't have been hard to do-the 396 was already an option so the 454 would have been a bolt-in. Cheverolet was so serious about it, that the intake manifold design lost 15 hp over the 1969 427 design because the carb pad was lowered to clear the low hoodlines of the Nova and Camaro. For whatever reason, the GM brass killed them at the last minute. # 2. 1974 GTO. Originally, Pontiac was going to keep the GTO nameplate on the LeMans platform and offer the SD-455 that had only been available in Firebirds in 1973 because of emissions certification problems. That would have given sales a shot in the arm. The other plan, after the decision to downsize it to the X body Nova / Ventura platform was to offer it with a 400 and revive the "Judge" nameplate. How cool would that have been? Pontiac engines are externally identical from a 326 to a 455, so it would have been a drop-in. However, since the X body Ventura was about 600 lbs lighter than a Trans-Am, a 400 Ventura / GTO would have blown the doors off even the SD-455 Trans-Am which was now the flagship. The brass didn't think that would be good, so the downsized Goat got a 350 with 7.6:1 compression that wheezed out 200 hp. # 3. 1977 Hurst / Olds. Hurst built a prototype with a 403 V8, a W31 cam and intake,a TH350 with a 2,400 rpm converter and a shift kit, and a 3.42 posi rear end. It was black and silver and featured a special suspension with a fast-ratio Trans-Am steering box, and T/A sway bars. In early testing it was faster than both the L82 Corvette and a WS6 Trans-Am. The buff magazines raved and public interest was high, but it never made production. Once again, the bean counters over-ruled the gearheads, and enthusiasts and the public lost out. Mastermind 

Advice on building a Bonneville Salt-Flats musclecar.....

I had a client ask my advice on building a musclecar for all out top-speed runs like at Bonneville or in the Silver State Classic. There was a couple guys featured in Hot Rod a few years ago who were attempting to go 200 mph in a 440 powered 1968 Charger. They failed, going "only" 185.  They vowed to return the following year with a Hemi powered '69 Road Runner and break the 200 mph barrier. While this is an admirable pursuit, we have to face the facts: a heavy, square, '60's Mopar B-body is not very aerodynamic, they don't handle very good, and "Dukes of Hazzard" fantasies aside, I wouldn't want to try to control one at 200 mph.  What these Mopar fanatics were missing is the secret to blazing top-end speed isn't just about horsepower. The guy I was talking to was a GM guy, and although he knew it would be a sizable investment, he wanted to know what car to buy, and which engine to build that would offer the most "bang for the buck" i.e. go the fastest, for the least amount of money. I told him the best choice would be a 1982-90 Pontiac Trans Am for the body, and the only engine choice is a big-block Chevy. He said if he was going to do a T/A he'd want to do a '70's model, and use a 455 Pontiac engine, or use a late '90s F-body with an LS motor. I told him he was being sentimental and dreaming, and setting himself up for failure and disappoinment just like the guys with the B-body Mopars. When I laid out the facts, he came around to my way of thinking. Here's why: # 1. Aerodynamics is a huge part of high speed. Ask any Nascar or Formula 1 racer. A 1970's T/A  has a drag co-efficient of .048. While that's way better than a '60s B-body Mopar and really good considering the design is over 40 years old, it's not good enough to make a run at the mythical 200 mph barrier. The 3rd generation T/A when it was introduced in 1982 had a drag co-efficient of .032. That's substantially lower than the old T/A, and better than many modern sports cars including some Porsches and Audis. In 1984 when the "Aero" package was introduced, this reduced the already spectacularly low drag co-effiecint to .028!!  What this means in plain english, is the newer car requires less power to move it through the air. Thus it will go much faster with the same amount of power. And even in a car as slippery as a 3rd gen T/A-your going to need at least 600 hp to make a run at 200 mph.  # 2. Horsepower per dollar. Like it or not, nothing makes more power for less money than a Big-Block Chevy. Yes there are Fords, Pontiacs, Mopars, and Oldsmobiles with 600+ horsepower in magazines all the time. But they often cost twice as much to build as the hated Chevys. Again, it's not about sentiment, it's about horsepower per dollar. The 4th gen Camaros and Firebirds are just as aerodynamic as the 3rd gen, and the modern LS motors can certainly generate tons of power, but again-at a much higher price and a lot more work.. It's a lot easier and cheaper to build a 700 hp 454 with a distributor and a carburator than it is to do it with an electronically controlled fuelie LS engine. Remember- this is an all-out race car-it doesn't have to pass smog or be emissions-legal, we don't care about idle quality, and we don't care about fuel economy. I'm not going to spend a lot of time arguing this-the 638hp ZR1 'Vette engine is available as a crate motor from GMPP-at a price of $22,000!!!  And then you'd have to buy and hook up all the electronics to make it run, which puts the tab at more like 25 large. If we go Apples to apples and compare crate engines the 620 hp 572 sells for $13,000 through Scoggin-Dickey, and you can buy an Edelbrock/Musi built 555 inc Rat with 650 hp and 650 lbs of torque for $15,000. Either of these will bolt in a car with virtually no wiring hassles.  A savings of anywhere from 10-12 grand!! And that's if your a guy that just writes checks. If you can build it your self-you can build a KILLER Rat Motor for less than 10 grand. Now that we agree on the bodystyle and powerplant, let's get down to what's really needed to go 200 mph cheaply, and safely. # 1. Body prep. First off, you need a car without t-tops. They have much more structural integrity than the T-top models. Your going to need an 8 or 10 point roll cage, which is no problem, Summit Racing sells thse kits for a few hundred bucks, and even if your not a mechanic, it's not a big job for most shops. I'd also install subframe connectors. Again, Summit racing sells the bolt-on and weld-on type. The stock rear axle will be ok-you don't need to spend 4 grand on a custom 9 inch Ford housing. Here's why-were not drag racing-your not going to be launching at 5 grand on wrinklewall slicks, so you won't be putting undue strain on the driveline, even though your passing a lot of power through it. It's not power that breaks things, it's the sudden jolt of massive amounts of torque coupled with too much traction. Some of these races start from a rolling 50 mph, so you wan't have that problem. If you do start from a dead stop, again, your not running slicks, or a stall converter with a trans-brake, so you won't have a brutal launch that would break anything. I would  however definitely get a c-clip eliminator kit. What this does is prevents the wheel from coming off if you do break an axle. You'll also need a driveshaft safety loop. This way if, you do break a u-joint, the driveshaft doesn't stick in the ground and flip the car at 150+ mph!!.  Many of these races have a "Spec" tire that they make everybody run, so I won't make a recommendation on tires. On wheels you'll need wheel studs that protrude through the lug nuts. Again Summit can help you with these. I would run 15 inch 1982-84 T/A "Aero" wheels ( Often called "Bowling Balls") because their the right offset and their cheap and very aerodynamic. Or I would run Center Line Auto/Drags, or steel Nascar type wheels with Moon Disc hubcaps. # 2. Engine and transmission. If you've got the money-by all means the 650 hp Edelbrock / Musi 555 or the 720 hp GMPP 572 Rat motors would be an easy way to get the needed power. If your a do it yourself kind of guy or need to build the motor for say $7,500 instead of 15 grand- then I'd invest in a GMPP 454HO short block. You can buy these often for less than 3 grand, and they have 4-bolt mains, a forged crank, forged heavy-duty rods, and forged pistons. Bulletproof. For Heads I would use aluminum Edelbrocks either the oval-port Performer RPMs or the rectangular-port Victors with 110cc chambers. This will give you about 9.7:1 compression, which with aluminum heads will allow you to run all the timing you want even if the gas isn't the highest quality. Compression over 10:1 with iron heads may show more power on the dyno, with 114 octane racing gas, but in the real world Iron doesn't dissipate heat nearly as well as aluminum, and if your running flat-out for an extended period-five miles-you don't need your motor pinging itself to death or losing power under load when you need it most. Plus, these heads will accomodate cams up to .700 lift, and the weight savings will make the car handle better. For cam selection, I'd consult Competition Cams or Lunati-they can give you advice on the specs you need for what your trying to achieve. For an intake I'd run an Edelbrock or Dart single-plane with a Dominator flange, and an 1150 cfm Dominator style-carb. I'd run an MSD distributor and a 6A-L or even a 7a or 8a box to make sure you had proper spark. Hooker sells motor mount kits and headers to put Rat motors in 1982-92 F-bodys. I'd use at least 3 inch exhaust pipes with an x-pipe. For a tranny the T-5 stick or 700R4 won't stand up to this kind of power. I'd use either a T10 4-speed or a TH400 automatic. Summit sells crossmembers to install these trannys in these F-bodys. I'd use a Centerforce clutch with a stick, and I'd use a tight,  lock-up type converter with the automatic-you don't want slippage at high-speed. I'd use a Gear vendors overdrive behind either of these trannys, which would allow you to play with axle ratios to suit the track length. ( People use them in 1,500 hp Top Fuel dragsters, they won't break). With this setup you should break 200 mph easily. Gale Banks did it about 20 years ago in a Rat-motored 1982 T/A, so I know it can be done. Good luck to our friend who is attempting this, and we'll do this on other combos for drag racing, auto crossing, street, etc. Mastermind                          

A "Moldy" 'Doba or a Magnum might make a great sleeper.....

In the mid to late '70's musclecar sales were declining, but the sales of "Personal Luxury" cars were skyrocketing. GM was making a mint off the Pontiac Gran Prix, Olds Cutlass Salon and Chevy Monte Carlo. Ford responded by making the Cougar biggger and more luxurious, and introducing the Torino "Elite".Mother Mopar responded with the Chrysler Cordoba. ( "Rich Corinthian Leather"). Up until 1978 you could get a 400 or 440 in them. They were nice cars, but they ran like crap. The 400 wheezed out 175 hp, and the 440 barely topped 200!. A 400 powered Pontiac Gran Prix would tow a Cordoba faster than they'd run. The problem was the "Lean Burn" emissions systems and Thermoquad carburators. The sluggish performance and poor reliability doomed sales. Dodge dropped the Charger nameplate off their version in 1978 and re-named it the "Magnum" and gave it a swoopy front end. This body actually had moderate success in Nascar races. However the largest engine available was a 360. In 1979 Chrysler put the "300" nameplate on the Cordoba and gave it a special white paint job, trick wheels, and a 360 V8. The 1980-83 models were downsized, and not as nice. What makes them cool now, is they are cheaper than dirt, and that engine bay will swallow a 440 or even a crate Hemi like it grew there. With a powerful engine, they'd make a great sleeper. Mastermind   

GM's "Other" El Camino

We all know that the El Camino line got all the cool Chevelle options-SS packages, cowl induction hoods, etc, etc. Maybe Pontiac / GMC dealers thought they were losing sales-whatever the reason-in 1971 GMC introduced a re-badged El Camino named the "Sprint". All engine options including the mighty 454 were available. It was a moderate hit-although I think most of the sales were to people who wanted an Elky anyway and maybe got a better price on one than at the Chevy dealer, or just liked the "GMC" badging and trim. It was the same in 1972, with most being 350 powered, but the 402 and 454 Rats were optional. When the "A" bodies were restyled for 1973, so were the El Camino / Sprint. The 402 was dropped, and the 454 lost 25 hp ( Down to 245 from 270 net ) but they got cool options like swivel bucket seats. Styling remained the same through 1977 although the 454 wasn't available after 1975. For a few years-1974-77 you could get a 400 small-block as an upgrade over the 350. In 1978 they were downsized and re-styled again, and the name was changed from "Sprint" to "Caballero". The standard engine was now a 3.8 liter V6.  About 400 lbs lighter than the 73-77 models that preceded them, these were pretty good performers if you ordered the 350 V8. After 1981, the largest engine you could get was a 305. The line soldiered on until 1987, and although Chevy El Camino models got the sales boost of offereing the Monte Carlo SS front end and trim on 84 and later models, no one seemed to care about the GMC cousins. When the Malibu, Cutlass, etc went front drive in 1988, the car / truck hybrid that had been a favorite of hot rodders since 1964 died an uneventful death.  The GMC models aren't really worth anything other than the fact that you might find a deal on a low-mileage "Sprint / Caballero" simply because not many people know they even made a GMC model, and the GMC models seemed to have been sold to older people who kept really good care of them, rather than the "Real" Elkys that have been butchered with Grand /Auto sunroofs, drag raced, and generally abused by their mullet-wearing owners and trailer-park Barbie girlfriends that couldn't afford a screaming-chicken Firebird or Z/28 Camaro!.  Mastermind    

The "Other" Nomad!

The 1955-57 2 dr "Nomad" wagons are already classics among collectors and hot-rodders, and are priced in the stratosphere, if you can find one for sale at all. However, if your a Chevy fan and want to build something unique, from 1964-70 there was a 2 dr Chevelle wagon. A neighbor had a 1970 model back in the early '70's. He used it to deliver newspapers. Their pretty rare, but their not worth anything because they never had any special options, and most were sold to commercial delivery servicess that did'nt' need or want trucks. However, because of their long wheelbase and excellent weight distribution a wagon actually makes a good drag racer-they get surprisingly good traction. Further-any suspension or brake upgrades that fit other GM "A" bodies fit these, and that engine bay will swallow anything from a 283 small-block to a 572 Rat. With the help of Year One and other restoration companies you could build a one-off  "SS454 " Nomad-Cowl Induction hood, bucket front seats, etc, etc. Even if it was wrecked in the front-you could make it a "GTO" or "442" Nomad by using a Pontiac or Olds front clip and powertrain. Might be fun for some people, and definitely something something you don't see every day. Mastermind  

Thunderbirds with actual Thunder!!!

While the '60's and '70's Pontiac Gran Prix's have always been considered  great luxury / performance cars, one that's largely overlooked is the Ford Thunderbird. Here's the best ones in my opinion. # 1. 1961-63 models-often called the "Bullet Bird" because of the shape of the rear fenders and taillights. The ultimate in early '60s cool. I can see Elvis or Frank Sinatra driving one. With 390 cubes under the hood, they move pretty good too. And there is a ton of aftermarket equipment available for the "FE" engine. The 1964-66 "Thelma and Louise" model has the 390 V8, but I think their ugly. However, if you like them, there's nothing wrong with them other than the quirky styling.  # 2. 1967-69 models have the cool hidden headlight styling and either 390,428 or 429 cubes under the hood. I personally prefer the 2 dr models, but a lot of people like the 4 dr models with the "Suicide" doors. In addition to the big motors, these models also usually have cool options like factory Air, front disc brakes, power windows, etc.  # 3. 1970-71 models are my personal favorites. They have racy, NASCAR-inspired styling that makes them look badass sitting still. They also have 429 cubes under that long hood, and the early '70's was when american automakers started to care about handling, so these also ride and handle a lot better than earlier models. If the factory's 375 hp isn't enough for you, I see one of these Jet-Black with a Ford Racing 514 stroker stuffed in it. ( The 514 is based on the "385" series-i.e.-429 / 460-so the accessories should all bolt up and the bellhousing bolt-pattern is the same. 1972-76 models have lower compression ratios and more smog gear, so even though their 460 cubes, they are really down on power compared to the earlier models, and to add insult to injury, they are based on the much heavier, and uglier Lincoln MKIV platform. This is a lot cheaper way to get Ford Muscle than fighting with machetes for a same-year Torino or Mustang. Mastermind

My Ride for sale....

After 17 years of fun,I am selling my 1973 Hurst / Olds 442. It's Cameo white with gold stripes and black interior.  It has swivel bucket seats, A/c, the Hurst Dual / Gate shifter,and the rare digital tach. It's one of 1,097 made. Right now it has a 355 hp ZZ4 GMPP Chevy crate engine in it backed by a Turbo 400. The car was featured in the August 2009 issue of Popular Hot Rodding. I also have the original numbers-matching 455 Olds engine ( with a spun main bearing, but complete from carb to oil pan) and the BOP bolt pattern TH400. It has 4.10:1 gears in the 10 bolt rear end and Center-Line style wheels. I have the original owner's manual. I'm asking $12,000 for it with both powertrains, or $8,000 without the crate motor. Interested parties can contact me through the comment function on this site, and if you leave an email address or a phone number I will get back to you.  Mastermind  

Going on Vacation!

I'm taking a Christmas vacation this year. I'll try to post once or twice a week with relevant subjects. But don't worry, I'm not quitting just taking some time off. After my mini-vacation I'll be back to posting daily or every other day.  Happy Holidays to everyone!  Mastermind

What's cool and what isn't!!

I hate to be like Mr. Blackwell on Oscar night, but just like millionaire movie stars make major fashion gaffes in what they wear, enthusiasts do this with how they build their cars. Here's some guidelines on what works in the car-guy world and what doesn't.  # 1. A '55 Chevy with a snarling 327, a 4-speed, a straight axle and radiused fenderwells and big slicks is just as cool now as it was in 1965.  # 2. A '55 Chevy with a TPI 350, a 700R4 automatic, air ride suspension and 20 inch wheels and 30 series tires is not cool, and never will be.  # 3. A 1967 Mustang with a solid-lifter 289 and a 4-speed, done up like a Trans-Am racer is way cool.  # 4.  A '67 Mustang with a fuel-injected "5.0" and a T5 out of a late '80's or early '90's Mustang is so passe' that I want to vomit day-glo. # 5. A '69 Corvette with a solid-lifter, snarling 427, headers and un-muffled chrome sidepipes and Rock-crusher is a death threat to collectivism and political correctness, and the nanny state, a glorious celebration of rugged indivualism and macho american power overkill at it's finest.  # 6. A '69 'Vette with a supercharged LS9,an electronic six-speed auto and all the electronics to make it work is a microcosm of what's wrong with our society- Too damn many people with more money than brains. # 7 A '70's Camaro that's been "Pro Streeted" -a homage to Pro Stock drag cars-i.e.- narrowed rear end, monster meats, and a snarling 454 with a tunnel-ram and dual 660 Holleys says what Jule's wallet in "Pulp Fiction" said.  # 8. A '70's Camaro with a modern LS3 and a six-speed is like an opinion or other body part-everybody has one.  See the difference?  Mastermind   

Stuff "Experts" and "Researchers" will never know....

I get tired of self-proclaimed experts being belligerent and belittling anyone who disagrees with them. Just because you read it in a book or on the internet doesn't necessarily mean it's true. Legendary shootist Elmer Keith-who helped Smith&Wesson develop the .44 Magnum-said it best with the title of his autobiography. "Hell, I was There!"  Well I was for the majority of the muscle car era. My dad was a gearhead, and I could swap valvesprings in a small-block Chevy cylinder head before I could ride a two-wheel bike. My dad worked for GM, Ford and Chrysler, and I spent my life in car dealerships, speed shops and race tracks. So it really irritates me when some "Know it all" tells me that somkething wasn't available on a certain car, or that I'm lying. A couple examples- I was talking fondly about the "Rock Crusher" in one of the 77-78 Trans-Ams my dad and I owned. This idiot tells me I'm wrong because after 1974 all T/A's had BW T10 4-speeds. He continued to argue even after I said that I went to to the dealer with my dad to order it, and watched the salesman put "M21" in the transmission box, and that when we got the car six weeks later we put it up on the rack, and it did in fact have a Muncie M21! Other customers of ours had same-year T/A's. Some of them had T10s, and some had Muncies. Car and Driver even wrote it in one of their  1977 road test articles about how the T/A was the last "Real Man's car" and that the "blonde in the Corvette" "Couldn't handle the Rock-Crusher" and wouldn't dream of blowing chickens out of barnyards on country roads. He also argued that the T10 was the only four-speed used in Camaros of that vintage. Again-Wrong! The T10 was the only 4-speed used in the Z/28 from 1977-82. However 1970-74 Z/28s had Muncies. Further, from 1970-79 you could get a base-model Camaro or a Rally Sport Camaro with a 350 and a 4-speed. These cars used a Saginaw 4-speed. I know because my best friend bought one brand-new when we were in high-school, and my wife's sister did the same-I saw both of these cars when they had less than 10 miles on them , saw the window stickers and build sheets, and serviced them! NO one swapped the trannys on these cars!. Guess what? what some researcher puts in a book 30 or 40 years after the fact isn't always accurate!  Another fool argued with me when I said a guy I knew put a brand-new LS6 454 in his 1980 Camaro as soon as he got it. This jerk went on and on about how only 4 thousand LS6 Chevelles were built, and there was no way he could have a brand-new LS6 in 1980. When I commented that the LS6 was sold by GM as a crate engine until 1991, he called me a liar. When I produced an old, 1989 GM Performance Parts catalog that clearly listed the LS6 engine assembly-he said they weren't "the same thing" and refused to admit defeat. The all-time best was the Olds "Expert" that argued with me that Oldsmobile never had a Tri-Power option on the 442. When a friend showed up with his rare, pristine, Tri-power L69, 1966 442, this genius said my friend had used a 1950s J-2 setup off a Rocket 88. When we said that 1965 and later Olds 400 and 425 engines have different heads and a different bank angle than the old 394 engines and that the intakes don't interchange he said we had "Adapted" a Pontiac setup! When we pointed out that Pontiac and Olds intakes do not interchange now way no how, he says-"I don't know what you did-but that car's not original!!." Talk about not giving up in the face of irrefutable facts!  So do some checking before you start arguing with someone about what their own car did or didn't have!!  Mastermind             

You could build a Muscle "Sport Wagon"!

I talked to someone the other day who wanted to argue about whether or not there was ever a GTO wagon. ( There wasn't. See the post on "Area 51" cars that don't exist and why.)  However if you wanted to build a hot-rod wagon that looked cool and went wicked fast, you could do it relatievlely cheap. Since almost every manufacturer had intermediate-based wagons, finding raw material is easier than you think.   # 1. GM Intermediate Wagons.  Obviously, the most popular ones are the 1968-72 models. Your best bets are going to be the Pontiac and Olds models. The reason is the most of the LeMans wagons had 400 or 455 cubes under the hood, Turbo 400 trannys, front disc brakes, and heavy-duty radiators and suspensions. Ditto for the Olds models. The Cutlass "Vista Cruiser" models were usually loaded as well-which again, meant the 400 or 455 big-blocks, TH400, etc. There are a lot of Chevy Malibu wagons made in this period, but most of them are small-block models. If you find one with a 396 or 454, great, but they are not as plentiful as the big-block Olds and Pontiac versions.  However if you decide to build one, with the help of Year One, and other companies, you could make a "Judge" wagon, or an "SS396"  or "442" or "Hurst /Olds" wagon. And because of their long wheelbase and excellent weight distribution, a wagon actually makes a good drag racer. There's not a lot of them, but if you find one, a 455 Buick Skylark wagon could be a cool "GS455" or "GSX" wagon.  # 2. Mopar Wagons. For some reason Chrysler didn't sell nearly as many wagons in the '60s and '70's as GM and Ford did. However, most of them did have 383 or 440 power under the hood, and it wouldn't be hard to make a "Super Bee" wagon out of a Coronet, or a "Road Runner" or GTX wagon out of a Satellite.  # 3. 1969-76 Ford Wagons. A Torino or Fairlane wagon could be cool. A lot may have 351 / 400C engines, which can be hopped up easily, and there are enough 429 /460 models out there. This also includes Mercury Montego wagons as well. How cool would a NASCAR themed- "Wood Brothers" wagon be?  # 4. 1963-69 GM Full-size wagons. Again, it would be easy to build an "Impala SS" wagon or a Pontiac "2+2" wagon out of one of these. The Pontiacs would all have 389,400 or 428 cubes under their long hoods, and a lot of the Chevys would have 396's. How cool would a Tri-Power, 4-speed Catalina wagon be? Chevy built some 427 wagons, but most of these were kept by collectors, or are junk and have had the engine pilfered by Corvette restorers. Still, that engine bay will swallow anything up to a GMPP 572, so your only limited by your imagination and your wallet. If you have kids, or need to pull a trailer, wouldn't one of  these be more fun than a modern SUV?  Mastermind       

More advice on "Weirdos!"

I want to clarify what I meant in the last post. I talked about cars with weird options and maybe gave the impression that you shouldn't buy them. What I meant was don't pay top dollar for something weird-i.e.-a 442 "Turnpike Special" with a 265 hp 2bbl 400 Olds engine, an automatic and 2.93 rear end is not worth anywhere near what a W30, 4-speed 3.91 geared model is, even though they may be equally rare! In 1980-81 because of smog laws there were actually a few Corvettes built with 305s instead of 350s. Just because there's fewer of them than there are L88 427 models, doesn't make them worth anywhere near what an L88 is worth!!  Get the picture? That aside, if you run across one of these "Factory Freaks" and the price is reasonable-then by all means buy it. I know two people who found happiness doing this. One guy found a 1967 GTO with the two-barrel step down engine. For some reason this car also had factory air, and the optional Hurst Dual / Gate shifter and console for the TH400. ( Why do you need a ratchet shifter with a 2bbl engine?)  He put a 4bbl carb and intake on it as well as headers and a cam, and he's happy. The other guy ran across a 1970 Monte Carlo with a 350 and a factory 4-speed. ( This was an option, not many were sold). He replaced the balky Muncie shifter with a Hurst Competition Plus, and built a stout 350, and painted it like Junior Johnson's Nascar racer. "But it's rare and you ruined it!" Some people wail. I have to agree with the guy-He said-"If it was an SS454 with a 4-speed, I'd have restored it dead-stock concours style because it might be worth a lot if I ever wanted to sell it."  "But 350 Montes are the proverbial dime a dozen, and very few people care if it has a 4-speed, and not enough to pay any real money for it." "I only bought it because it was a steal."  That's the attitude to have. I know a guy who bought a six-cylinder, 3-speed 1969 Camaro at an auction for $900. A mild 350 and a saginaw 4-speed and some paint later, everyone "Oohs" and "Aahs" over his "Z/28".  Total cost-$3,500!!  Yeah it's a fake, but try to touch even an engineless,basket-case "Real" '69 Z/28 for $3,500!!  See what I'm saying?  A "Freak" may be a decent buy, but be careful. Mastermind         

Don't pay a premium price for a "Weirdo"......

You have to realize that back in the 1960s and 70s the car business was very similar to what it is now. Dealers stocked what they thought they could sell the easiest. This is why there are more base engine models than premium ones. Right now a Base model Corvette has 430 hp ( more than enough) and the ZR1 has 638. A base model 'Vette stickers for about 50K. A ZR1 is 100K. Guess what? Although 50 grand isn't chump change, when you consider that a loaded Honda Accord or Toyota Camry is over 30 large, that's a deal for a vehicle that offers the 'Vette's performance. Unless you double the price-911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, the Base 'Vette is MC Hammer- "Can't Touch This". And not many people can afford 100 grand for a car. Their going to sell a lot more base models than they are ZR1s. 30 years from now ZR1s are going to be rare and pricey! Back in the day, when a 383 Road Runner started at $2,800-not many people spent an additional $1800 on a Hemi, which required a 4-speed or a Torqueflite, a Dana 60 rear, and other "mandatory" options that drove the price up to nearly $5,000. Think about it-a 2011 412 hp Mustang GT starts about 29 grand. Are you going to go buy one of those and then spend 50K for a Shelby with the 540 hp blower motor? Probably not.  That's why there's way more 383 Road Runners and Chargers than there are Hemis!  And just like now when they show "Price Leaders" -A 2011 Camaro for 23 grand for instance-is a V6 model not an LS3. Don't fall into the trap of paying big dollars for something just because it's rare. A friend of mine who restored British cars told me once-"A rare Turd is still a Turd."  Applying this to musclecars means two-speed automatics and 3-speed sticks, two-barrel or step-down engines,radio or heater-delete cars, bucket seat, column shifted automatics, or 4-speed bench seat cars etc, aren't collectible, their just weird and no one but the guy selling it thinks it's cool.  A GTO with a 3 speed stick and drum brakes or a 442 with a two-barrel carbed 400 isn't worth anything other than the fact that it may be a decent GTO or 442 body. Certainly it wouldn't be worth what a 4-speed, disc-braked, more common car would. Especially avoid step-down engines. A loaded SS Chevelle with a 350 is not worth as much as a strippy SS396 or SS454. A Formula Firebird with a 301 and a 4-speed isn't worth as much as a 400 / automatic model. No matter how pristine a 318 Charger is, it's still a 318.  You'll have to swap engines to get any real performance out of it.  I mean do you want a badass-looking car that can't outrun a new Honda Accord from a light?  Unless the price is really low and you plan on hot-rodding it, avoid "Old-People" survivors. You know what I'm talking about-grandma bought a 1968 Chevelle brand-new, only drove it to church and after she died her kids or grandkids are selling it.  Yes, it's never been wrecked, and it's original and rust-free, but who cares about a bench-seat, two-door post, drum-braked, 307 / Powerglide Malibu?  Other than the fact that it's a clean 2dr Chevelle body, what is it really worth? If they were close to the same price, whether I wanted a driver or to hot rod it-  I'd rather find a nice '71 hardtop with a 350 / TH350 powertrain, front disc brakes, and maybe factory air, that wasn't "One-owner" original!  See what I mean?  And weird special orders are just weird. I've seen people that are proud of a Yellow Firebird with Red interior that they can prove is original. Or the Monte Carlo with a six-cylinder and a 3-on the tree stick. Another thing to avoid is 4-door models. It's not like today-where Cadillac offers the 556 hp motor in a CTS sedan as well as the coupe, or BMW offering a 4-door M3.  Even if it has a 455, no one wants a 4-door Pontiac LeMans. Ditto for 4-door Malibus with a Rat, or 4-door Mopars with a 440. The only thing their good for is they make good parts cars for people restoring the 2 door models!  I mean are you going to paint a 4-door Coronet like a Super Bee or a 4-door LeMans like a Judge?  I don't think so!  Finally beware of crap that shysters have cobbled up to try and make a quick buck. For example-a 1973 Challenger with a 383-the only engines available that year were the 318 and 340. Pontiac never built a LeMans based GTO with a 350. They were all 389 cubes or more.  If you don't know, ask someone who does before you spend your money.  Mastermind                  

More "Rodney Dangerfields" that are good buys!

A few days ago we touched on cars that were treated like Rodney Dangerfield ("No Respect") but were still good buys for the bargain-hunting musclecar buyer. Here's a few more. # 1. 1971-73 Mercury Cougar. People will fight with machetes for a clean 1967-70 Cougar, but these are overlooked, bringing way less money. Even a 71-73 Mustang will bring way more money than these, yet their basically the same car. The Cougar has always been to the Mustang what the Firebird is to the Camaro; the better buy of the two. While the base engine in a Mustang these years was a 200 or 250 inch six, the standard engine in a Cougar was a 302 V8, with the mighty 351C optional, and most of them were optioned this way. Cougars also usually have upgraded interiors, full guages,factory air, front disc brakes, etc. If you can't afford a Mustang, or just want something unique these last of the muscle cougars (1974-76 models are based on the heavier and uglier Lincoln MKIV platform ) might be the way to go. # 2. 1973-77 Pontiac "A" body. This includes the Gran Prix, LeMans, LeMans Sport, and Grand Am models. While 454 Malibus and Monte Carlos, and 455 Cutlasses and Regals of this vintage are scarce and overpriced-95% of these have 350 inchers under the hood- the Pontiacs are a steal. Most have the mighty 400 as standard equipment,and a lot of 455 models are out there. The Pontiacs also had wrist-thick front and rear sway bars ( "Radial Tuned Suspension" ) and upgraded interiors. Any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Monte Carlo also fit these cars. # 3. 1975-79 GM "X" Body. This includes Novas, Venturas, Omegas, and Apollos. For some reason people will pay way more for a 1968-74 model than they will for these. I guess it's the "Classic" bodystyle. From a car-builder standpoint I find that funny because the older models were often strippy, six-cylinders models with 4-wheel drum brakes and no power steering. The later ones had front disc brakes and power steering standard, and most of them were V8 models. Regardless of nameplate, because of smog laws and GM playing musical engines in the late '70's a lot these will have small-block Chevys under the hood; which if anything, is a plus factor. Many suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Camaro also fit these cars so you could build a drag-racer or a Porsche-hunting G-machine if you wanted. # 4. 1979, 1982-86 Mercury Capri. That's not a typo; I said Capri. In these years a Capri was a Mustang clone, and you could get a 302 V8. 1979 and 82 models have a 2bbl carb ( an easy fix ) and either a 4-speed stick or three-speed auto. 1983-86 models have a 4bbl and a 5-speed, or a 4-speed automatic. Anything that fits a Fox Mustang fits these cars, so your performance potential is virtually unlimited, yet they are way cheaper than a same-year Mustang, which are reasonable to begin with!  # 5. 1982 Z/28 Camaro / Firebird Trans-Am. This was the first year of the new bodystyle-( The previous ran from 1970-81 ) that lasted until 1992. The only engines were a carburated 305, or a Cross-Fire injected 305, and the only transmissions were a 4-speed stick or three-speed automatic, and the Cross-Fire injection wasn't available with a stick. These cars are snubbed by enthusiasts in favor of the 1983 and later 5-speed stick and 4-speed automatic versions with the carburated L69 "H.O." 305 or 1985 and later LB9 Tuned Port Injected models. However, they came standard with the good suspension, posi rear ends, 4-wheel disc brakes were optional, and there are a million ways to build power into a small-block Chevy. # 6. 1984 Corvette. The first year of the C4 bodystyle and the only year of the Cross-fire injected 350 in this body. Most were 4-speed automatics, but there are a few with the "4+3" stick shift with overdrive in the top 3 gears. These cars are snubbed by 'Vette collectors in favor of the 1985 and later TPI L98 and LT1 models, which makes these a screaming bargain. I have seen these on used car lots as low as $2995! And again, there is a myriad of aftermarket equipment. Mastermind         

Simple tips to get maximum performance....even if the car is bone stock!

A lot of people tell me that their happy with their musclecar, and they don't want to modify it, but they wish it would run better.  Here's the solution to this problem.  # 1. Do a compression test or a cylinder leakdown test. The compression should be close to the same on all cylinders. Even an 8:1 "smog" motor will have at least 120-130 lbs per cylinder. Higher compression engines will register 150 lbs or more, but they should be pretty even-within 5-10 lbs of each other. If one cylinder registers 80-90 lbs, you've got a problem-possibly bad rings or a blown head gasket. You'd be surprised how many musclecars are running around on 7 cylinders.  # 2. No high rpm power. I'm not talking 7 grand; many cars don't have the valvetrain or bottom end for that. But even a 318 Dodge with a two-barrel will rev to 5,000 rpm or so.    If your musclecar starts popping above 3,500 rpm, or won't rev over 4,000 or 4,500 rpm, then you could have a flat cam, or bad valvesprings or a lot of timing chain slop. You'd be amazed at the number of cars I see with $5,000 paint jobs, that can't pull 5,000 rpm in low gear.  # 3. Even if the engine is in good shape, the most common problem is bad tuning. Even on a bone stock engine, bad tuning can cost you as much as 50 hp. I see it everyday-the timing is way too slow or way advanced, the vacuum advance is unplugged or inoperable, the plug wires are bad, the points are closing up, the carburator is way too rich or way too lean, or the throttle doesn't open all the way. Make sure the car is tuned right-you'd be amazed what a new set of points and condenser ( set to the proper gap) distributor cap, rotor and plugs and wires will do, along with the timing set properly. Make sure the throttle is opening fully and that the linkage isn't sticking, If the float is sinking, or the carb isn't working properly put it in a box if it's numbers-matching, otherwise trash it and buy a new one. Don't be "Bo Duke" and tune it "By ear". Find a shop that has a distributor machine and an infrared exhaust analyzer and pay them to do it right. You'll be amazed at the power increase of your own car, when all they did was set it up right. # 4. Exhaust. You'be amazed at the cars running around with smashed up, or restrictive exhaust systems. Even if your running stock iron exhaust manifolds, a good flowing dual exhaust system can add as much as 30 or 40 hp. Further if your car was built after 1975 and has one or two catalytic converters and the car has more than 100,000 miles on it, the converter(s) could be stopped up.  Unless the converter starts glowing red, or the car won't run at all, you won't know this. But you could be losing a substantial amount of power and not realize it. A simple test- disconnect the converter and drive the car. If the car runs way smoother and faster-then the converter is stopped up and needs to be replaced. If all you notice is more exhaust noise, but the car doesn't run any different, then the converter is working ok.  # 5. Transmission. If you have an automatic you could be losing a lot of performance from slippage or sloppy shifting. Change the fluid at least every two years or 25,000 miles. And I mean have it flushed at a shop-dropping the pan and adding 4 qts of clean fluid to 8 qts of dirty fluid means you have 12 qts of dirty fluid as soon as you start the engine. Even if your not a mechanic most shops will install a B&M or TranGo shift kit for a reasonable fee, and make sure the vacuum modulator and the kickdown cable is hooked up and working properly.  If you have a stick, make sure the clutch isn't slipping or chattering, and that the shift linkage isn't binding up.  You'd be amazed at the cars that are losing tons of performance from one or more of these problems!!  Mastermind          

Some "Rodney Dangerfields" that are good bargains

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield always griped about how he got "No Respect" from his wife and kids, employers and the world in general. There are musclecars that are treated like Rodney, and sometimes for weird reasons. These are often great buys, because people snub them for other cars, or even another model year of the same car. # 1. 1970 Dodge Super Bee. These cars still had a 383 Magnum, a 3 or 4-speed stick or a Torqueflite, with the 440 Six-pack and Hemi optional. However Mopar collectors will pay more for a 68-69 model, or a Charger based 71 model. It's not any power difference, because unlike GM, that did it in '71, Chrysler didn't lower compression ratios until 1972. Maybe it's the one-year only large chrome bumper in the front. Whatever the reason, obviously Hemi and Six Pack versions are pricey, but 383 models are an absolute steal compared to a Charger or Road Runner or even another model year Bee. # 2. 1971-72 Pontiac GTO. These cars are a steal if you want a Goat. They have the ultra-popular 68-72 GM "A" body styling, and the 400 was still standard with the 455HO optional. Yet although only 10,000 were built in '71 and only 5,807 in '72, Pontiac enthusiasts will pay way more for a 1970 model-( 40,149 built) or a 1968-69 model ( 87,000 and 72,229 built respectively ). Honestly- the power difference of the lower-compression engines isn't that much-not enough to justify the price difference. But lucky for you, the potential buyer. # 3. 1973-74 Plymouth Road Runner. A lot of people seem to like the 1968-70 and 1971-72 model's styling better, but these cars are still good-looking, and largely overlooked even by Mopar fans. Even Chargers of these years bring more money-maybe because of Richard Petty's Nascar success in one. Whatever the reason-you can save many thousands by considering one of these. The ones to look for are the 340,360, 400 and 440 versions. The 318 models make nice drivers, but are a little underpowered. # 4. 1979 Pontiac Trans-Am. Of the 117,000 plus T/A's sold in 1979, only 10,000 were 400 Pontiac / 4-speed models. There were a few 301 models built with a 4-speed or an automatic. The majority of the rest had a 403 Olds engine and a TH350. For this reason they are snubbed by Pontiac collectors who want a "Real" 400 Pontiac-which most 1978 and earlier models had. However the 403 had the same amount of torque as the 400 Pontiacs and with an automatic and the standard salts-flat gearing,there really wasn't a noticeable performance difference. They were, and are great drivers. And, anything that fits a 350 Olds will fit these engines-Edelbrock intakes,cams,headers, etc. If you have a WS6 model with 3.23 gears they run pretty damn good. The others with a 2.41 or 2.56 ratio will benefit from changing to a 3.23 or 3.42. If your on a tight budget and want a "Bandit" style T/A this might be the way to go. # 5. 1983 Z/28 Camaro / Pontiac Trans-Am with "Cross-Fire" injection. This was the only year that Cross-Fire Injection and a 4-speed automatic was offered. ( 1982 models had a 3-speed TH250 ). These cars are snubbed in favor of the 5-speed stick / L69 carburated models or the 1985 and later Tuned Port Injected / automatic models. In stock trim these run pretty damn good for only being a 305. However, for a mechanically inclined guy-these could be fun. By using a Hypertech Corvette PROM chip, and using larger Remanufactured 454 truck throttle bodies this cool looking, awesome sounding "Cross-Ram" system can feed a healthy 350 or 383 stroker, which would literally bolt in place of the 305. # 6. 1982 "5.0" Mustang GT. These cars have a 302 with a 2bbl carb and a 4-speed stick. For this reason they are snubbed by Ford guys in favor of the 1983 and later 4bbl / 5-speed models. However, a carb and intake is an easy swap, and you can buy these dirt-cheap.  Mastermind              

Chevy's flagship muscle car

In the late '50's and early '60's performance cars were all full size. The 389 inch Pontiacs, 413 Mopars, and 406 Fords had more power than the 348 Chevys. The 409 was introduced to defend Chevrolet's honor. The Impala was the top of the line, and the "SS" package included an upgraded bucket seat interior heavy-duty suspension and special "SS" badging and hubcaps. Mainly because of NASCAR racing, but also because of stock class drag racing, the horsepower race was on. The fire-breathing 421 Pontiacs of Smokey Yunick and Fireball Roberts dominated. This caused Chevy and Ford to retaliate. The "Daytona Mystery Motor" that Chevy ran at the 1963 Daytona 500 became the Mark IV-i.e. modern Rat motor. Ford introduced the 427. Then in late 1963 the famous GM ban on racing came down. We all know the story of the GTO, and the competitors it spawned. However a lot of people still wanted full-size muscle. The 409 was discontinued in early 1965, replaced by the 396. The 396's much more modern "Porcupine" head design breathed way better than the old 348/409 "W" motors. While a 4-speed was a popular option, in 1965 the Turbo 400 debuted which was a 3 speed automatic that was light-years ahead of the old two-speed Powerglide in terms of performance. Many people consider the 1965 Impala one of the best-looking cars ever made. In 1966 they didn't change much, except the besides the 396, you could also get a 427 inch engine! Zora-Arkus Duntov, Chief Corvette engineer, deadpanned when the press asked if the 'Vette really needed more power-"More power? Heavens no!" "Boring out the block achieves a useful weight savings." In 1967 the Impala got an all-new fastback body, and disc brakes were optional, and more luxury options than ever. 75,600 "SS" models were sold, but only a couple thousand had the vaunted 427. The body was carried over for 1968, but sales dropped to 38,200-a 50% drop. Clearly, performance buyers were flocking to the intermediates-The GTO, SS Chevelle, Plymouth Road Runner, etc-all of which outsold the Impala SS by a wide margin. Pontiac had killed the Catalina 2+2-which the SS package had been invented to compete with-in 1967. The SS package soldiered on for one more year, but 1969 sales were even more dismal-only around 2,000 SS427s were sold. Hot Rodders bought Chevelles and Camaros, and luxury buyers bought Caprices ( a more luxurious Impala trim option). It was clearly a car without a market, and the option wasn't offered in 1970. However, from 1963-69 over 300,000 units were sold and they were one of the coolest "Big" cars ever made. They made a mini-comeback in 1994 when the name was resurrected and an LT1 'Vette motor was stuffed in a cop car Impala. They were popular with the buff magazines and buyers, but were discontinued when Chevy changed the bodystyle in 1998. These bring a King's Ransom today, but in my mind they just don't have the charm of the 1960's models. 409 and 427 models are pricey, but you can still get a good buy on a 327 powered model. Mastermind 

Another Junkyard Dog Idea......

A friend suggested I look at an 1980-81 "Turbo" Trans-Am or Formula Firebird. Obviously were not going to try to build a 301 Turbo; if GM couldn't make it work, I'm not going to try to. However, my friend pointed out that crappy, underpowered engine nothwithstanding, these cars had WS6 suspension, a Posi rear end,4-wheel disc brakes, and the "Turbo" hood bulge would allow more induction system clearance than the traditional "Shaker".  And their cheap because everyone wants the '79 and earlier 400 or 455 inch versions. There are three ways to go with this-one the obvious-swap the 301 for a larger Pontiac engine. ( I have a 428 ) This would be pretty easy.  Two-find a Supercharged 231 V6 out of a wrecked Bonneville SSEI or Buick Riviera. These were under-rated at 240 hp, and changing the pulleys to up the boost could easily net another 100-150 hp. Add a 150 hp shot of nitrous, and we've have some serious speed for low bucks. The third would be swap in a small-block Chevy. ( I have a roller-cammed Vortec 350 out of a 1997 Van, and I have a 355hp ZZ4 crate engine.) I'd have to get a Chevy bolt-pattern TH350, but that's not hard. Now the question remains-'70's Ventura, 50s gasser, or Disco-era T/A?  Mastermind   

Project Junkyard dog redux?

I haven't been able to locate a decent Pontiac Ventura for a reasonable price yet. I did come across a '57 Pontiac Starcheif for sale for $500 the other day. I went to look at it, and the body was in good shape, but the guy had sold it to someone about 15 minutes before I got there!!  I bring this up because I thought this might be a good project. Build a '60s style-gasser like you used to see in magazines-radiused fenderwells, straight front axle,-complete badass like the '55 Chevy in "Two-Lane Blacktop". Except instead of using a '55-57 Chevy-( People want 8 grand for engineless rustbuckets ) I'd use a '55-58 Pontiac or Olds. I have a 428 Pontiac engine, and a 455 Olds engine, and a BOP bolt-pattern Turbo 400 in my garage. I have an Offenhauser Dual Quad intake for a Pontiac, and I know a guy that has a Tri-Power setup for a Big-block Olds. This might be cool and unique. I'm still pitching the "Junkyard Dog"  idea to a couple magazines. If you think its a good idea then write or e-mail John Hunkins at Popular Hot Rodding, or David Freiburger at Hot Rod and let them know. If I get enough interest, they'll serialize the build in a couple issues and maybe do a drag test when it's done. (The Ventura was everyone's overwhelming favorite, unless the '50s Gasser beats it out.) So start writing and make this project a reality!  Mastermind     

It's Ok to "Run what you Brung!"

I've had a few people voice confusion over my advice on which engines to use in their musclecar projects, so I thought I'd clear things up. # 1. Obviously, unless your Camaro, Firebird, Mustang, Challenger, etc is a six-cylinder model that you bought with an engine swap in mind, the easiest and least expensive way is to use the engine that came in the car. For example, there's nothing wrong with a 350 Pontiac; They run as good or better than a 350 Chevy in stock trim, and respond well to the old hot-rod tricks-intake,exhaust,cam etc. However, if the car is missing the original engine, or needs to be replaced anyway-i.e.-a cracked block,or other damage- a 400 costs no more to buy or build, and either stock or modified makes substantially more power with the same equipment. Ditto for a 318 Chrysler-their bulletproof-in fact the 318 is Chrysler's lowest-warranty claim engine in history. In a light car-Duster, Dart etc-they can really run. But in a heavier car like a Charger or Road Runner or again-if the engine needs to replaced, be it a junkyard engine or a "Remanufactured" parts-house long block, the 360 costs no more to buy or build but makes substantially more power and torque with the same equipment. That's all I was saying. # 2. I said the 454 Chevy offered the most bang for the buck of all the big-block Chevys. This is true. If you buy a new GM crate motor the 454HO has 425 hp and 500 lbs ft of torque and retails for $5995. The 500 hp, 502 Deluxe retails for $8995. 3 grand for 75 hp??!!  Hello? You can get 75 extra hp out of a Rat motor for a lot less than 3 grand!!!  And yes, a 454 will make more power than a 396, all other things being equal. And because they were used in trucks until the late '90's they are a lot easier to find in junkyards and usually cheaper to buy than a 396/402/427 which is only sought after by people restoring a pre-1972 SS Chevelle, Impala, Camaro,Nova or Corvette and are usually overpriced, if you can find one for sale at all. That's what I meant.  However-that aside-If you buy a Chevy and it has a 396/402/427 under the hood, by all means use it!!  # 3. Remember "Biggest Motor you can Afford?"  By afford I mean again-the most bang for the buck. Here's a few examples. Let's say you have a 1970 Olds Cutlass with a 350 V8. You have $2,000 to spend on getting some extra power. Adding an Edelbrock Performer intake and matching cam, a set of headers and dual exhausts, a slightly higher than stock stall speed converter and swapping the 2.73 gears for 3.55s will make the car run a lot faster than buying a stock, maybe in need of a rebuild, used 455 for the same 2k. The same goes if you have a 1969 Mustang with a 302. Adding a performance Intake, exhaust, cam, gears, etc will give a great performance increase and cost less and be a lot less hassle than trying to buy, build and install a 351W or 351C.  On the other hand, if you buy a Camaro with a 305,unless your stone broke, the first thing I would do is start looking for a 350. The reason is 350's are the proverbial dime a dozen, and a stock 350 will run away from an identical vehicle with a 305. Modified, the gap really widens. You can build a 450 hp 350 Chevy so cheap and easy it's not funny. No matter how much money you have, you'd be very hard pressed to get 450 hp out of a 305, and it still wouldn't have the torque and drivability of the 350. That's what I was saying. # 4. "Bang for the Buck" on every part. People were confused on whether or not they should buy aftermarket heads. It depends on the situation. Here's two good examples. # 1. Your rebuilding a small-block Chevy. The short block is in excellent shape and your just freshening it with rings and bearings and an oil pump, but the valve guides are shot and you have a blown head gasket. You can buy a complete brand-new set of Vortec heads from GMPP for $650 that will add 40 hp. Most machine shops would charge $500-600 to redo your old heads, and they won't offer the power boost of the Vortecs. You'll need a Vortec-style intake, but Edelbrock and Weiand sell them for about $200, and chances are you were going to put an aftermarket intake on the engine anyway! In this case, the aftermarket heads are a screaming deal, and you'd be stupid to do anything else. # 2. You have a late-'70's Trans-Am with an L78 400 Pontiac engine. Edelbrock aluminum heads are great, but they cost $1995 per pair for Pontiacs. For 2 grand you could get a carb and intake, a cam, headers and dual exhaust and swap the 2.56:1 gear for some 3.23s or 3.42s. That's going to make the car go a lot faster than just bolting the Edelbrock heads on the otherwise stock engine. See what I'm saying?  It's all about horsepower per dollar investment. Hope that cleared thing up. Mastermind                     

One trim level up from base that are bargains!

I've talked before about the bargains of the one-less than the top of the line model-i.e.-Firebird Formula instead of Trans-Am, LeMans Sport instead of a GTO, Rally Sport Camaro instead of Z/28, 5.0 LX Mustang instead of GT, etc. However, there are also cars out there that are one-step up from the "plain jane" base models that are great buys for the bargain-hunting musclecar buyer. # 1. 1970-78 Pontiac Firebird "Esprit". The Esprit was the luxury trim package that included an upgraded interior,Rally ( Read T/A / Formula ) guages, Rally II wheels, and usually factory a/c, stereos, power windows, etc. Further, while the base engine in a base-model Firebird was a 250 inch 6 cylinder, the standard engine in the Esprit was a 350 V8 with the 400 optional from 1970-76. Most 1977 models had 350 Pontiac or 350 Chevy engines. However, I have seen a few '77 "High-Altitude" models with 350 Olds engines.  ( This was when GM was playing musical engines due to smog laws.) 1978 models had either 301 Pontiacs, or 305 or 350 Chevys depending on whether you had California, Federal, or High-Altitude emissions. Obviously, the 350 and 400 Pontiac versions are the most desirable, but there's nothing wrong with the Chevy powered models-you basically have a Camaro. If your looking to build a Trans-Am clone, Esprits make a great base. # 2. 1973-1980 Chevrolet Camaro LT / Berlinetta. Chevy's version of the Firebird Esprit. Upgraded interiors, guages, Rally Wheels, and usually a 350 V8. For some unexplainable reason-the name of the option was changed in 1978 from "LT" ( which meant "Luxury Trim") to "Berlinetta". Some 1977-80 models might have 229 V6s or 305s. These are ok if their cheap and if your planning on an engine swap anyway. # 3. 1969-73 Ford Mustang "Grande". Same deal-the base model had a 200 or 250 inch six standard, the Grande had a 302 standard and either a 351W ( 1969 only) or 351C ( 1970-73 ) optional. Further you could get the "Sportsroof" i.e.-fastback body on a Grande, without spending the big bucks for a Mach 1. # 4. 1970-72 "Luxury" LeMans. Upgraded interior, more chrome trim, and sometimes rear fender skirts ( Those have to go ). 350 V8 standard with the 400 optional. Also available with the "Endura" ( read GTO ) front end and scooped hood. # 5. 1970-74 Olds Cutlass "S". Most had 350 motivation, but you could get a 455 without stepping up for a 442. # 6. 1969-74 Plymouth Sport Satellite. You could get a 2 dr model with a 383 or 400 without paying for the Road Runner nameplate. Good bargains to consider. Mastermind        

More One-hit wonders

Continuing from the last post that had cool '70's one or two year musclecar bargains, here's a list of  later model muscle that are great buys. # 1. 1984-86 Ford Mustang SVO. These had Recaro style seats, 16 inch wheels and low-profile tires, upgraded suspension and a Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. 1984 models had 175 hp; 85-86 models had 205. They were great performers at the time; the only problem was the 5.0 V8 models were both faster and cheaper. However today they are great bargains. I have seen rough but running examples as low as $1,500.  # 2. 1989 Anniversary Edition Pontiac Trans-Am. You'll have to pay a King's Ransom for this one, but their worth it. Take a WS6 Trans-Am, and swap in the vaunted Turbocharged, Intercooled V6 from the Buick Grand National. These were not only faster than the 305 and 350 powered versions, they handled better because the engine was lighter. # 3. 1990-93 Chevrolet SS 454. This was a half-ton, short-bed 2wd pickup with a 454, a Turbo 400 and 3.73 gears. Some 92 and 93 models have 700R4's and 4.10 gears.  # 4. 1993-95 Ford Lightning. Another hot-rod pickup. This one had a hotted-up 351 V8, lowered suspension, 17 inch wheels and a cool monchromatic paint job.  # 5. 1994-95 Ford Mustang GT. For these 2 years you could get the new-for-94 bodystyle with the revered "5.0" V8.  1996 and later models had the 4.6 mod motor that although rated at the same hp, didn't run as good.  # 6. 1994-97 Chevrolet Impala SS. Take a cop-car Impala, stuff an LT1 'Vette motor in it, give it a sinister black paint job and trick wheels, and you've got a cult classic. This one brings a king's ransom too, but if you want one, that's the breaks.  #7. 1998-2003 Dodge Dakota R/T. Another Hot Rod pickup. 360 V8, 3.92 gears, 17 inch wheels and cool graphics. 0-60 times in the 6 second range back up the image. #8 1998-2003 Ford Lightning. Still another hot-rod pickup, but "King Kong" of the bunch. A supercharged 380 hp 5.4 liter V8 pushed these to 13 second quarters and a 139 mph top speed.  # 9. 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder. Based on the Crown Vic Police package-these had a 302 hp V8 pirated from the Mustang Cobra, a 4-speed automatic and high-stall converter, Auto Meter guages, and fat 18 inch tires and wheels. For some reason, Ford never promoted these cars, and then wondered why they didn't sell.  Any of these is a cool driver and something you don't see everyday.  Mastermind 

One-hit wonders that might be a bargain

VH1 has a show called "One-Hit Wonders" where they talk about rock bands that exploded on the scene and then faded into obscurity after one or two records. Think the "Knack" and "My Sharona" or MC Hammer and "Can't touch this." There are some musclecars that for whatever reason-usually poor sales were only made for one or two years. However,they are good performers and can be great buys for the discerning buyer. # 1. 1970 Olds Cutlass Rallye 350. This package included a super loud Sebring Yellow paint job, body colored urethane coated bumpers, a "Judge" style rear spoiler and Super Stock wheels. The only engine was a 350 4bbl backed by a 4-speed or a TH350. Other than the paint job there's really nothing special about them; I certainly wouldn't pass up a great condition base model Cutlass for a ratty one of these; but if you can find one in good condition they are a cool ride.  # 2. 1970-71 Pontiac Tempest T-37. Buff magazines of the day called them the "Poor man's GTO." They were a strippy Tempest with a 350 V8 and a three-speed manual. However,the 400 and 455 V8s were optional, as were a 4-speed stick or 3-speed automatic. The same deal was offered in 1972, but the option was re-named "LeMans GT".  # 3. 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee. This was the only year the Super Bee package was offered on the Charger instead of the Coronet. Engine choices included the standard 383, the 340 small-block, the 440 4bbl, the 440 Six-Pack and the 426 Hemi. Hemi and 440 models are priced in the stratosphere, but you can still find a good deal on 340 and 383 versions. # 4. 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. Touted to have the "Performance of a Trans Am, and the Luxury of a Gran Prix" these cars didn't sell well, because perfromance buyers bought T/A's and luxury buyers bought GP's. However, if you find one, they are a great car. 400 power standard all years with the 455 optional. Wrist-thick front and rear sway bars and front disc brakes gave them the handling to match. And the interiors are sumptuous. # 5. 1974 Pontiac GTO. Often called the "Best Nova Ever Built". This was the year that the GTO nameplate switched from the "A" body LeMans platform to the "X" body Ventura. Enthusiasts and magazine writers howled to the high heavens and derided the car. However-they actually stuck true to the original GTO concept-a powerful engine in a light car. The only engine was a 350 backed by a 4-speed or a TH350, they had T/A style front and rear sway bars, front disc brakes and a limited slip rear end. They also had a Trans-Am style "Shaker" hood scoop. Over 7,000 were built so if you find one they make a nice driver, or swapping in a 400 or 455 would make a killer sleeper as they only weigh about 3,200 lbs. # 6. 1977 Pontiac Can-Am. Hoping to cash in on the Trans-Am's popularity-this package was based on the LeMans. Special features included a T/A style "Shaker" hood, a "Ducktail" rear spoiler, a Gran Prix dash, and a white paint job with special stripes. Powertrain was a 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds backed by a TH400. Radial Tuned Suspension and Rally II wheels completed the package. The car was well-recieved by buyers and the automotive press; however a shortage of GP dashes and the mold for the rear spoiler breaking delayed production. Then the GM middies were downsized for 1978 which killed the package. # 7 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck. This was a 2-wheel drive short bed pickup with a trick Red and gold paint job, vertical Semi-style Exhaust stacks, a hotted up 360 V8 and Chrome wheels and Fat tires. Except for a WS6 Trans-Am or L82 Corvette, this was the fastest production American made vehicle those two years. They have kind of a "Cult" following so they might be a little pricey, but enough were made that you might find a deal. # 8. 1982 Chevrolet Corvette. This was the last year of the C3 body and the first year you could get a 4-speed automatic and "Cross-Fire" injection. They were ok performers-0-60 in the 7 second range; they'd make a nice cruiser and they are unique, and could be hopped up with a little work. However in stock trim the earlier carburated L82 and the later TPI L98 models will blow their doors off. This is why their snubbed by 'Vette collectors, but there's nothing wrong with them otherwise if you want a nice C3 'Vette. There's other "One-Hit Wonders" through the '80's and '90's, but that's another story. Mastermind       

Engines to absolutely NOT use in your musclecar!

In the last 2 posts I advised readers on the various engines that offered the most "Bang for the Buck" when restoring / modifying a musclecar project. Here's a list of engines that I absolutely would not use even if they were free!!  Every manufacturer has at least one; some have several. The reason for me vehemently advising against these is that virtually no parts interchange with the "traditional" V8 engines, and they made very little power to begin with, and aftermarket support is virtually non-existant. It's a fairly short list, but I would avoid these like the plague.  # 1. 262 or 267 inch Chevy V8. These were made from 1975-83, but they are a lightweight "economy" motor and practically nothing interchanges with a traditional small-block Chevy. It's not the small size; -a 23 T-bucket or '62-67 Nova could really rock with a properly built 283 or even a 305. I'll say it again: The problem is virtually nothing from a "regular" small-block will interchange.  # 2. 265 or 301 Pontiac V8. These were only built from 1977-82, they are again a downsized, lightweight "economy" motor and practically nothing interchanges with the traditional 326-455 engines. If you have a late '70's or early '80's Firebird or LeMans with one of these engines, the upside is the bellhousing bolt-pattern and motor mount location is the same as the 350-400-455 engines so swapping these in is easy. # 3. 260 and 307 Olds V8. Same story-lightweight "economy" smog motors that wheezed out maybe 150 hp. Some 307s will accept 455 heads and custom port-matched Edelbrock Performer RPM intakes, but why would you want to? The 350 or 403 are both way more plentiful and way more powerful either stock or modified, and the bellhousing bolt pattern and motor mount location will interchange. # 4. 255 Ford V8. These have practically nothing in common with the traditonal 289 / 302. They made maybe 130 hp stock, and no speed equipment interchanges. They were used in 1980-82 Mustangs, Capris, T-Birds, Cougars and Fairmonts. Trash it, and find a 302. # 5. 368 Cadillac V8. These were the horrible 4-6-8 engine-an early attempt at cylinder de-activation for fuel economy. Nothing interchanges with 390-425-472-500 engines from 1963-79. I mention this because the 472 /500 into a GM "G" body was a popular swap a few years ago. I have even seen some Camaros and Firebirds with this conversion, as well as guys restoring Studebaker Starliners and making "Studillacs". The 368 is useless. # 6. In closing, All of these "downsized" engines are useless for serious performance work, or even for mild cruising. Stay away from them unless you need a doorstop. Mastermind  

Engines to use in your musclecar part 2.

In the last post I made recommendations on the most plentiful engines that offered the most bang for the buck for Chevy,Pontiac,Mopar and Oldsmobile. Today I'll focus on Ford, AMC and Buick.  #1. Small-block Ford. Unless your restoring an early 1963 AC Cobra model ( some had 260s before Shelby started using 289s) I can't think of a single reason to use a 260 V8. If you have a 289 in your 64-68 Mustang then go ahead and use it unless your swapping in something bigger. There's a lot performance parts out there-anything that fits a 302 will usually fit a 289. The 302 was introduced in 1968 and is still in use today-(Ford Racing crate motors). Ford Racing, Edelbrock, Trick Flow and Holley all offer heads, cams, intakes, even fuel-injection hop up parts. There are stroker cranks to make a 302 into a 347. These are a great engine for a light car-a '23 T-bucket, Cobra replica, or a Mustang. Like a small-block Chevy the power potential of these engines is almost unlimited. However in a heavier car like a Torino or Fairlane or Cougar or Montego that you want to drive on the street you'll want something bigger. The 351Windsor was used from 1969 to the present day. There's a myriad of performance parts for these engines. Ford Racing offers stroker kits and complete engines up to 427 cubes based on this platform. The 351 Cleveland was only used from 1970-74. If you have one in a Mustang or Cougar by all means use it; there's still good aftermarket support. But I wouldn't kill myself trying to find one. As for the 351 / 400M used from 1975-82, I wouldn't use them unless it was already in the car, and I didn't have much money. In stock trim, they have like 7.9:1 compression, and their 2bbl carb,lazy cam and huge "Cleveland" style heads kill whatever performance they might have had. They can be made to run with the usual hot rod tricks-compression, cam, intake and exhaust-but their so big and heavy and would cost so much to build that you'd be better off with a 429 or 460 which shares the same bellhousing bolt-pattern. # 2. Big-Block Ford. Unless your restoring a '55-'57 T-Bird I would forget the 292 and 312 "Y-Block". They are obsolete, big, heavy, and don't make any real power. I also wouldn't mess with a 352 "FE" engine. Their only 352 cubes, but their as big and heavy as a 390,427 or 428. You won't find a 427 anywhere, and unless your an NBA star restoring a Cobra you can't afford it, and it's not worth it. If you have one in the car already or can buy a 428 cheap theat's great, but their pretty scarce. However the 390 was used in millions of cars from 1963-71 and trucks until 1976. Edelbrock makes aluminum heads for them, and there are stroker cranks out there to turn a 390 into a 415, 428 or 447. The downside of these engines is their really heavy. The 429 / 460 are a much more modern design than the "FE" series. In fact, unless your restoring a 390 GT Mustang or Fairlane, I'd use a 429 or 460. There's a ton of speed equipment for these engines and Ford racing offers a 514 inch 460-based stroker. # 3. AMC. American Motors V8s range anywhere from 290 to 401 cubic inches. Forget the 290, their rare and don't have enough cubes to make any power. If you have a 304 in a really light car like a Gremlin or Hornet they can really run with a little hopping up. In a heavier car your going to want a bigger motor however. Unless your restoring a 68-70 Javelin to the nth degree, then I'd forget about a 343 or a 390. There's nothing wrong with them, if your car has one, by all means use it. I wouldn't actively search for one because their pretty rare, and usually overpriced; and a 360 or 401 is going to be cheaper and make more power. A 401 is great if you can find one. Besides Javelins, Ambassadors and Matadors, they were used in Jeep pickups, Cherokees and Wagoneers until 1978. The 360 is your best bet. They were used in Jeep Waggoneers up until 1992 so their plentiful in junkyards. Edelbrock make performance heads and intakes for these engines, and there is a fair amount of cams, headers, etc available.  # 4. Buick. Forget the 300 and 340 inch small-blocks from the early to mid-'60's. Their rare, there's hardly any parts available and they don't make any power. Your much better off with the 350 that was used from 1968-77. Kenne-Bell and T/A performance specialize in Buick performance parts. They make cams, intakes, etc. Unless your restoring a '63-65 Riviera forget the 401. Don't get me wrong, anything 400 cubes is going to run pretty good; but these are the old "Nailhead" design that dates back to 1949. The later 400, 430 and 455 engines are a modern design and make way more power. If your car has a 400 or 430 then use it. But I wouldn't kill myself searching for one, as there aren't many left-they've been out of production for 42 years. The 455 used from 1970-76 is pretty plentiful. Again, T/A performance and Kenne-Bell can help you hop these up, and Edelbrock does make intakes for them. Hope these tips save you from throwing good money away on an obsolete engine that will cost more and make less power than the recommended ones! Mastermind          

The best engines to buy and or build for your musclecar....

People ask me all the time "What engine should I use in my car?" The answer is not a simple one. Are they building a daily driver, a show car, a race car or some combination of the three? I decided to give everyone a list of what I think offer the best bang for the buck and why for each car line. # 1. Small-block Chevy. Unless your restoring a '55 Chevy or '57 Corvette to the nth degree, why would anyone even want a 265 or a 283? The 327 was and is a great engine,but since they've been out of production for over 40 years their pretty scarce. The ubiquitous 350 is your best choice. There's more aftermarket and factory equipment for this engine than anything else on the planet. The 400 was built from 1970-1980, and properly built make awesome power; however their siamesed bores can't be bored out much, and they have a history of overheating, and hot-rodders have been pilfering the cranks for 30 years to stroke 350s. Your better off putting a 383 kit in a 350, or if you must have a 400, Dart offers a complete short block that can be safely bored to 4.165 inches. Stick with a 350, and save time and money. # 2. Big-block Chevy. The 396,402,427 and 454 are all viable horsepower makers. However the the 427 has been out of production since 1969. (Although GMPP re-introduced a 480 hp 427 crate motor a couple years ago ). The 396 / 402 has been out of production since 1972. There's plenty of speed equipment available-but where are you going to find the block? On the other hand the 454 has been in use from 1970 to the present day. The 502 and 572 strokers offered by GMPP are awesome, but expensive. If you want a Rat motor, the 454 offers the most bang for the buck. # 3. Pontiac. While Pontiac engines were built from 1955-1979 and ranged anywhere from 287 to 455 cubes, there are only two that you should concern yourself with. The 287,317,347, and 370 inch V8s made from 1955-58 are useless unless your restoring a '57 Bonneville for concours. I don't know why anyone would want a 1963-67 326 when they are externally identical to the 389/400/421/428/455. Ditto for the 350 made from 1968-77. The 389 made from 1959-66 is a good engine if you have one already in the car; or if your restoring a '64 GTO to the nth degree. However their getting pretty hard to find. The same goes for the 421 made from 1962-66. If you have one, by all means use it; otherwise good luck trying to find one at any price. The 428 was only built from 1967-69 in "Big" cars. If you have one, or can buy one cheap, great. But don't search the galaxy for one. This leaves the 400 used from 1967-79 and the 455 used from 1970-76. The 400 is the best choice since there are more of them around-they were the standard engine in just about every model. And there are kits to stroke a 400 to 467 inches if you want. # 4. Small-block Mopar. Forget a 273. The 1967-91 318s are ok in a Duster or other light car; but in a heavy Charger? The 340 built from 1968-73 is a great performance engine, but try to find one. This leaves the 360 made from 1971-91 as the best buy for an "Old school" small block. Their are kits to stroke these out to 410 inches. 1992 and later "Magnum" heads will give a nice power boost and will bolt up to older blocks, but you'll need a Magnum style intake as well. The 1992 and later 318 and 360 Magnum engines are plentiful in junkyards in trucks and Jeep Cherokees. Again, the 360 makes more grunt. # 5. Big-block Mopar. Forget the early '60s 361, 413 and 426 wedge engines. They are moon rocks. This leaves you the 383 made from 1963-71, the 400 made from 1972-78 and the 440 made from 1967-78. There is a ton of speed equipment available for these engines, and kits to stroke a 400 to 451 inches or a 440 to 505. # 6. Oldsmobile. Unless your restoring a 1964 442 for concours, forget the 330 V8, their scarce and overpriced. The 350 used from 1968-1980 is a much better choice and a lot more plentiful. The 403 used from 1977-79 is a bored-out 350. This was GM's "Corporate" big-block and was used in 88s,98s,wagons,Buick Rivieras and station wagons, as well as some Pontiac Firebirds, so there fairly plentiful even though they were only made for 3 years. They will bolt right in place of a 350 or the useless 260 and 307 "smog" motors of the '80's. Might make for a good sleeper in a Cutlass or Omega. The 400 used from 1965-69 is fine if you have one; but I wouldn't go looking for one. If your restoring a '66 Toronado or if you have one in the car already, the 425 is ok, and like the 400, a lot of parts interchange with a 455, but I wouldn't waste time trying to find one; the 455 used from 1968-76 is a much better and more plentiful choice. Since their is a ton of Ford offerings I'll touch on them in the next post, as well as Buick and AMC offerings. Mastermind