What's the best "Other" 350?

I've had a lot of people ask me this question lately. By the "other" 350s- I'm referring to the 350 cube engines built by Buick, Olds and Pontiac. The answer to this is not super-simple. Buick guys, sorry. The 350 Buick just doesn't have that much potential. The oiling system is weak for a stock engine, much less a "built" one, and there are no free-breathing factory or aftermarket heads for them, and even Edelbrock doesn't offer intakes for them. ( They do for the 400-425-455 ). If your building a Buick and want to go real fast, outside of an '80's Grand National, your stuck with big-blocks. This leaves the Olds and Pontiac versions. The upside of the Pontiacs is that they are all externally identical from a 326 to a 455. That means if you buy a 350 LeMans or Firebird, the vaunted 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap. The further good news is that the heads, intakes, exhausts, and all the tin-oil pan,timing cover, valve covers etc. interchange. This means you could buy a 455 short block, put all the rest of the 350 components on it, and have a running engine-which would save you a ton of time and money not chasing parts. The down side is they have a small-bore and a long stroke. This gives them great low-end torque, but limits revability, and the big-valve 400 and 455 heads won't clear the cylinder bores. If you have or want to buy one of these cars, they respond well to basic hot-rod tricks-intake, exhaust, cam, etc. They can easily make 290-340 hp and 400 lbs of torque with the right combination of parts. However, a 400 or 455 doesn't cost any more to build and will make 450-500 hp with the same basic parts. I would use the 350 as a "driver" until you could buy or build a 400 / 455. This leaves the 350 Olds V8. The Olds is the best of the "other" 350s, as they are an oversquare design like a SBC-( large bore, small stroke) and their was a factory high-performance version-the Famous "W31". There are two ways to build a rockin' 350 Olds. The bottom ends are strong. 1968-72 heads will raise the compression on later models one full point, from 8.5:1 to about 9.5:1-perfect for an iron head engine on pump gas. You'll have to re-tap the bolt holes on 75 and later blocks, but that's not a big deal. Edelbrock offers intakes and Comp Cams, Lunati, Crane, etc, make cams, hooker makes headers, etc. Or you could put factory or aftermarket Edelbrock 455 heads on the 350 block, although you'll need custom pistons to make any kind of compression. The Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold will work on a 350 with 455 heads with minor port-matching. This combo can easily make 450+ horsepower with the right heads, cam, intake, etc. The downside is the cost would be just about as much to build a 425 or 455 big-block. So, my advice is what I gave in an earlier post-if you have a car with one of these engines, give it a good intake and exhaust, maybe a shift kit in the trans to get more oomph, while you spend the real money on a big-block that will give you the most "bang for the buck". Hope this clears some things up. Mastermind

Can't find the Chevelle or Camaro of your dreams? Try a Nova!

"Supernova" is the scientific term for a "White-hot star".  I wouldn't go quite that far, but the Chevy Nova undoubtedly has it's place in Musclecar history and has a "Cult" following of it's own even today. There are even magazines devoted soley to them. That notwithstanding, you can still buy a Nova for a lot less than a same-year Camaro or Chevelle. Here's the history of the Nova. It was introduced in 1962 as an economy car to compete with the low-priced compact Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Dart. Originally 194 or 230 inch six-cylinders were the only engines available. The cars were good-looking, and because of their light weight and short wheelbase they caught on as drag racers who shoehorned in 283 and 327 V8s. My cousin had a 1963 Nova with a 283 bored out to 301 that just screamed. The car would be going about 90 before the speed of the tires matched the road. The 62-65 Novas are sought after today by hot-rodders. In 1966 the factory upped the ante by making the car slightly bigger and sleeker, and taking the L79 350 hp 327 Corvette motor and stuffing it in the Nova SS. These cars had incredible power to weight ratio-( An SS396 or GTO or 442 was rated at 350 hp, but weighed 500-600 lbs more ). Many an unsuspecting musclecar owner got their doors blown off by an L79 Nova. In 1968 Chevrolet really heated things up. The new for 68 bodystyle shared the same subframe as a Camaro, which meant that the big-block 396 could be installed. These cars were wicked fast, and the only difference between them and a small-block Nova SS were the small "396" emblems on the front fender. Many arrogant 440 Road Runner and Charger owners saw taillights when they mistakenly picked on what they thought was a 327 or 350 powered Nova. Nickey Chevrolet, Baldwin-Motion Performance, and Don Yenko also swapped in 427s for people. One of the few races I lost in my RAIII, 4-speed, 4.33 geared Judge was to a 396 Nova. The 396 option continued until 1970. In fact, Chevrolet wanted to offer the "King Kong" 450 hp LS6 454 in the Nova and Camaro. That's why the intake manifold is so flat, and loses 15-20 hp over the previous 427 manifold, even though Chevelles had the famous domed "Cowl Induction" hood.-engineers had designed the manifold to clear the flat hood of the Camaros and Novas. Ultimately, the brass wanted to cut down on model proliferation, and the LS6 was only offered in the Chevelle. It wasn't offered in Corvettes, because Zora-Arkus Duntov-( Head Corvette engineer ) fully expected the more radical LS7 to make production as the Vette's top engine option, but it was killed by the brass at the last minute. After 1970 however, the L48 350 was the largest engine available in a Nova. The bodystyle remained the same ( except for minor trim changes ) through 1974. In 1973 a "Hatchback" version was introduced, and this option continued until the models demise. The body was updated again in 1975. The "SS" package was continued until 1976, but not many buyers specified this option. The Nova soldiered on until 1979, and a 350 V8 was still available, but by then GM performance buyers were buying Pontiac Trans-Ams and the re-introduced ( in 1977 ) Z/28 Camaro. In 1980 the "X" body platform became the (Ugh!) Front-drive Citation,Omega, Phownix, etc. However, their were millions built, and the 68-79 models share subframes with the Camaro / Firebird line, so any factory or aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit the F-bodys will work on a Nova, which means you can really tailor the suspension-drag racer, hard cornering "g" machine, whatever you want. And you can drop in any engine from a 350 to a 572 pretty easily. After driving a hot Nova, you may forget all about a Chevelle or Camaro!  Mastermind        

Consider Full-size muscle!

About 15 years ago Car Craft had a car called "Project Heavy Metal". It was a 1965 Impala that they hot-rodded with a 500 inch Rat, aftermarket suspension and disc brake upgrades, trick paint, etc. It was quite popular with readers, but sadly the car was stolen and never recovered. The reason they did it was even then it was hard to find a "Traditional" (-i.e. GTO, Road Runner, SS Chevelle ) musclecar to play with that wasn't priced in the stratosphere. If you have a little imagination and ingenuity, a full-size car can make a great driver / hot rod. The reason they make nice drivers is what made them attractive to buyers when they were new. Roomy, luxurious interiors, a huge trunk, and a glass-smooth ride. Since these cars were usually the top of the line, they had cool options. It's a lot easier to find say a Pontiac Bonneville or Chevy Impala with factory A/C, power windows, and cruise control, than it is to find the same options on a Chevelle or LeMans. They make good hot rods because they usually had the largest engines offered in the line, or the engine bay will swallow them with ease, and since a lot of people pulled trailers with full-size cars in the '60's ( No SUV craze then ) they usually have heavy duty transmissions and rear ends standard. Here's a list of "Best Buys" in my opinion. # 1 1960-68 Pontiacs. While most Impalas, Bel Airs, and Biscaynes of this period have 283 or 327 small-blocks under the hood, every Pontiac built in this period, be it a Gran Prix, Catalina or Bonneville had the venerable 389 as standard equipment. Some have 421s. 1967-68 models will have 400s or 428s. Any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit an Impala will fit these cars, and there are a million ways to build power into a Pontiac V8. The only weak link is the "Slim-Jim" automatic tranny used from 1960-64. They will not upshift above about half-throttle. The solution is simple however-simply get a Turbo 400 out of a later-model BOP car. You'll have to change the rear trans mount and driveshaft yoke, and shorten the driveshaft, but that's not a big deal. You can even use the stock shifter, as it has the same number of detents. You just have remember that reverse is now low. 1962 and earlier blocks had the starter on the bellhousing. You'll have to have the block tapped for a later-model starter ( Unless your using a 1965 and later block ). 1963-64 blocks should already be tapped. 1965-68 models will have Turbo 400s and block-mounted starters stock. # 2 1963-72 Ford Full-size. Galaxies, LTDs, and T-Birds of this vintage are great. Most have 390 cubes under the hood, and the bulletproof C6 automatic for trannys. Some 1968 and later models may have 428s or 429s. Gorgeous interiors, cool styling, and big power. Some 71-72 models may have 351 or 400C power, but they can be hopped up, or you could drop in a 460, as they share the same bellhousing bolt-pattern. # 3 1963-71 Full-size Chrysler. Whether it's a Monaco, or a Fury, or an Imperial or Newport, these all had at least 383 cubes under the hood and a lot had 440s, backed up by the excellent and bulletproof 727 Torqueflite. # 4 1963-70 Full-size Oldsmobile. 88s and 98s have Cadillac-like luxury and Pontiac-like performance. 394,425, or 455 cubes provide the grunt. Like the Pontiacs, 65 and later models will have TH400s, 64 and earlier, you'll have to do the same swap as I detailed for the Pontiacs. # 5 1961-69 Full-size Chevys. I already gave the reason why these are at the bottom of the list. 396,409 and 427 models bring a King's Ransom already, the millions of others have six-cylinder or small-block power, while the Pontiac,Olds, Ford and Chryslers all have big-blocks as standard equipment. That aside- these still make great drivers. There's more speed equipment for the SBC than anything else on the planet, or you could swap in a Rat if you want pretty easily. I don't like the two-speed Powerglide automatics, but on the upside, a Turbo 350 is a bolt-in. They are the exact same length, and the trans mount and driveshaft yoke is the same. If you use the stock shifter, you won't be able to manually engage low gear. ( With a good shift kit you won't need to ). Build your own "Project Heavy Metal" and save some money in the process!  Mastermind         

Don't spout letters and numbers unless your right!!

I get sick of idiots trying to sound knowledgable who spout off option codes, and are wrong 99% of the time. Not only are they wrong, they usually sound really stupid to people who do know. For the common good, I'm going to clear the air on a lot stuff these idiots are wrong on.  GM stuff- # 1 "Rock Crusher" 4-speed. Every moron there is with a 4-speed GM car says his car has a "Rock Crusher."  The reality is from 1963-1983, GM used Borg-Warner, Saginaw, and Muncie 4-speeds. If the car in question has a Saginaw or BW T10, it's not a Rock Crusher. And if it's a Muncie, chances are still good it's not. Here's why-GM Used three different "Muncie" 4-speeds. The M20 has a 2.52 1st gear, is called a "wide-ratio" and is the most widely used-in SS Chevelles, Camaros, Novas, Firebirds, GTOs, 442s, etc.  The M21 is the upgrade with a 2.20 1st gear and is considered a "Close-Ratio".  These were typically used in upgraded engine options-solid-lifter 396s, RAIII Pontiacs, most Corvettes.  The M22 is the "Ultimate"-the one called "The Rock Crusher". These were about 30% stronger than the M20s and M21s, because they had straight-cut gears instead of helical-so they didn't break under extreme hard use-i.e.-drag racing. They were used in Ultra-premium applications only- Z/28s, LS6 Chevelles, 427 Corvettes, RAIV and 455HO GTOs and T/A's, W30 442s, and a few others I may have missed. Because of the straight-cut gears they were noisier than the others making a grinding sound when driving-like a kid's rock polisher. Hence the nickname "Rock Crusher". # 2 Engine codes-This really drives me up the wall. Here's a few that really send my blood pressure soaring.  # 1- "W30" Olds. GM is at fault here. They shamelessly put the "W30" moniker on a variety of Cutlass / 442 models with everything from 200 hp 455s to 160 hp 350s, to 140 hp 307s to quad 4!s from 1975-1990.  The "Real" "W30's" were only built from 1968-1972. 1968-69 models were 400 cubes rated at 360 hp, and had special heads, a hot cam with 328 duration, an aluminum intake and a trick Ram Air system. 1970 only models were 455 cubes with the same heads, cam and intake, with a 4-speed, rated at 370 hp. Automatics used a slightly less radical 308 degree cam. 1971 models were still 455 cubes and rated at 365 hp. 1972 models were rated at 300 hp because of the change from gross to net ratings. The top 455 in 1973 was called the "L77".  It had the 308 degree cam, but had an iron intake. Any 1974 or later "W30" is just a decal package. # 2 "L88" Chevy. Every moron with a big-block Chevy in anything has an "L88".  In reality-the "L88" was an ultra-premium 12:1 compression, solid-lifter 427 with rectangular-port heads, an aluminum intake and an 830 cfm Holley carb, that was produced in very limited numbers-less than 200 a year in Corvettes from 1967-69. Most other Corvettes or Impalas with 427s had the L72-which had 10:1 compression, an iron manifold with a quadrajet, and a mild hydraulic cam. These were rated at 385 or 390 hp. Even almost all of the famous, ultra-rare, "COPO" or "Yenko" Camaros and Chevelles were 396 models that had L72 427s swapped in. Real L88s are extremely rare. # 3 "Ram Air IV / 455 HO Pontiac.  Like the L88, Ram Air IV's are exceptionally rare. They were all 400 cubes, they were only built in 1969 and 1970, and they were only available in GTOs, Trans-Ams, and a very few Formulas. They differed from standard 400s in that they had forged pistons instead of cast, freer-breathing round-port heads, with 1.65:1 rockers instead of 1.5, an aluminum intake, and a cam with 308 / 320 duration and .520 lift. They were only available with 3.90 or 4.33 gears in a GTO or 3.73s in a Trans-Am. The confusion comes from the fact that the Ram Air III engine code was "L74" for both 1969 and 1970. The RAIV was coded L67 for 1969 only. In 1970, the standard GTO / T/A engine was called the "L78".  The RAIV was changed to "LS1" for 1970. A lot of people mistakenly thought the L74 was the big dog.  Only 88 RAIV T/A's were built in 1970.  The waters were further muddled in 1971. The RAIII and RAIV 400s were dropped from the GTO and Firebird line. The standard engine in a GTO or Formula 400 was the L78.  The standard engine in a Judge or Trans-Am was the 455 HO. These engines had RAIV heads and intake manifolds, but used the much milder 288 /302 duration "O68" cam. They are often mistakenly called 455 Ram Air IVs.  They were an awesome motor-produced 480 lbs of torque at 2,700 rpm. But their were only 371 installed in Judges and 2116 in T/A's in 1971. In 1972 only 1,286 were put in T/As and although 5,807 GTOs were built in that strike-shortened year, only about 500 had 455 HOs. A few were put in "Formula 455" Firebirds. However, in those years you could also get a "station wagon" 455 in a GTO or Firebird, but they had standard D-port heads and iron intakes. # 4 "LT-1" Small-Block Chevy. Every Tom, Dick, or Harry selling any Chevy hot rod or race car has an "LT-1" Wrong again. The LT-1 is a 350 with "202" heads, a solid-lifter cam and a 780 Holley on an aluminum intake. They were built in very limited numbers in Corvettes from 1969-72, and in Z/28 Camaros from 1970-72. The 11:1 compression 69-70 models were rated at 370 hp. The 9:1 71 and later models were rated at 330 gross in 71 ( 275 net) and 255 net in 1972. Here's where the confusion comes in. Up until 1968 in a Corvette, Nova or Chevelle you could get a 327 rated at 350 hp. These had the big heads and holley induction but had a hydraulic cam. They were coded "L79".  GMPP to this day sells this "350 hp" cam. In 1969-70 in Corvettes only, they also made a 350 hp 350, which was an LT-1 with an updated hydraulic cam profile that had the same duration and lift as the L79, but less overlap to make them idle better and smog easier. These were coded L46. In 1973 because of emissions, the aluminum intake and 780 Holley and long-duration solid-lifter cam of the LT-1 couldn't be smog certified. The Lt-1 was dropped from the Corvette and Z/28 and replaced with the hydraulic-cammed L46, except now they had an iron intake and a quadrajet and were coded L82.  Confused?  So is everyone else that swears they have an LT-1. Unless it's a 69-72 Vette or 70-72 Z/28 with the original numbers-matching motor it's not!!!!  Hope this clears things up a bit. Mastermind              

More Modern "Rat Rods"

Yesterdays post got some good responses and suggestions of a few cars I missed that should have made the list.  Here they are, in no particular order. # 1 1975-79 2 door Plymouth Volare / Dodge Aspen. Not quite as light as a Duster / Dart-about 3,200 lbs,-these cars still have great potential and are dirt cheap. Power front disc brakes standard all years. Forget six-cylinder versions, there are enough 318 and 360 versions out there.  # 2 1980-83 Dodge Mirada / Chrysler Cordoba. Untill the Challenger returned in 2008, these were the last V8, rear-wheel drive 2 doors built by Chrysler. Their fairly light-about 3,400 lbs, and most have 318 or 360 power. Like all late '70's early '80's stuff-they were slugs because of 2 bbl carburation and salts-flat gearing. A 4bbl and 3.55 gears really wake up these cars. As would a 408 stroker!  # 3 1978-80 Chevy Malibu / Monte Carlo / El Camino. The downsized "G" bodies were about 500 lbs lighter than the "A" bodies they replaced. However, for the 1st three years a lot of them had 350 4bbls under the hood! The 1981-87 models all had 305s. Some 1978-80 Olds Cutlasses with "California" or "High Altitude" emissions had Chevy V8s as well. Some "49 State" Cutlasses had 350 Olds engines.  #4 1977-80 Chevy Caprice / Impala 2 door, 1977-79 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door.  The Full-size GM cars were all downsized for 1977, and were about 800 lbs lighter than the behemoths they replaced. The 2 door- Chevys are exceptionally good-looking even today, with huge trunks and luxurious interiors and most had the venerable 350 4bbl under the hood. Or that engine bay will swallow a 454 or 502 like it grew there. The Pontiacs had the mighty 400 under the hood, which can be stroked to a 455!. Some "California" and "High Altitude" models had 403 Olds engines. Who said full-size muscle was gone?  Mastermind          

Modern Day "Rat Rods!"

Back in the '50's and '60's a lot of guys that wanted to go fast but didn't have a lot of money bought old cars like '23 T-buckets, '32 Fords or 34 Pontiacs, or chryslers and took the fenders off, and swapped in hopped up flathead Ford V8's, Small-block Chevys, Cadillac V8s, and even 392 Chrysler Hemis. A lot of them were just primered, didn't even have paint jobs. They were loud, ugly and fast. People called them "Rat Rods."  I guess that was short for "Ratty Hot Rod."  Their kind of making a comeback now, but as you know buying and building a '32 Ford or whatever these days can be very expensive. You can still have a modern "Rat Rod". Just do what the guys did 50 years ago-get a 20 or 30+ year old car that no one cares about and make it real quick for very few bucks.  Here's a list of great potential "Rat Rods".  In the '32 tradition, I'll start with Fords.  # 1 1971-77 Ford Maverick / Mercury Comet. Forget the six-cylinder versions, the 302 V8 models are cheaper than dirt. They only weigh about 3,000 lbs, the C4 trannys and 8 inch rear ends are practically bulletproof and their are a million ways to build power into a small-block Ford. A buddy of mine with a 440 Road Runner got his doors blown off one night by a ratty-ass but wicked fast 302 Maverick.  #2 1975-79 Ford Granada / Mercury Monarch. These cars were supposed to replace the Maverick / Comet, and they make good hot rods too. Again, forget the six-cylinder versions; look for ones with a 302 or a 351W. These also have power front disc brakes, 9 inch rearends, and some even have rear disc brakes. They were dogs because of two-barrel carburation, and salt-flats gearing. Just a 4bbl carb and intake and an axle-ratio change would make one of these a hell of a "sleeper".  # 3 1975-78 Ford Mustang II. Go ahead laugh. But these cars are as light as a Pinto-about 2,700 lbs. Forget the 4 bangers and V6's, the 302 versions are plentiful enough. Again, 2V carburation, single exhaust and 2.80:1 gears made them slugs. Give one dual exhaust, a 4bbl, and some 3.55 gears, and you can make those smug "5.0" owners eat a lot of crow.  # 4. 1975-80 Chevy Monza. Often called "The Factory V8 Vega". The ones to look for are 75-76 "California" models-some of these had 350s!!  The 2nd best ones are the 77 and later 305 models. Again, a curb weight of  2800 lbs, and a small-block Chevy under the hood? If that's not a hot rod, I don't know what is. Like the Fords, two barrel induction and high gearing is the problem. Get a 4bbl carb and intake and some 3.42 or 3.73 gears and go hunting for 5.0 Mustangs and little boys in rice-rockets. The sister-cars- Buick Skyhawk, Pontiac Sunbirds, and Olds Starfire models were also built with Chevy V8s.  # 5 1975-79 GM "X" body.  This includes Novas, Venturas, Omegas, and Apollos. Weighing in about 3,200 lbs, with standard front disc brakes and sharing suspension components with Camaros and Firebirds, these cars have a lot of potential. A lot of these had 305 or 350 Chevy engines regardless of nameplate. Also viable are Venturas with 350 Pontiacs and Omegas with 350 Olds engines. Stay away from V6, or 301 Pontiac or 260 V8 Olds versions unless your planning an engine swap anyway. # 6 1970-76 Plymouth Duster / Dodge Dart. We can't forget these, can we?  Original 340 versions are rising in value, but 318 versions are still cheaper than dirt.  Or change the crossmember and swap in a 383 or 440!  None of these cars will win a beauty contest, but they can be kick-ass fast for very few bucks. The days of the "Cheap" hot rod are not gone!!  Mastermind                

Want to save money? Don't "Overbuild" your car!!

I see a lot of Classic Musclecar projects in magazines and I'm amazed at the overkill on some of the parts used. You have to realize the magazines have to test and try to sell the parts of their advertisers to stay in business. But I think they go too far sometimes. For example-every single one always has a Wildwood, Baer, or Brembo 4-wheel disc brake system worthy of a Nascar Nextel cup or Formula 1 car. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for safety. However, the magazines go overboard here. For example-"Project Talledega" Popular Hot Rodding's Nascar-themed 1975 Chevelle Laguna has a Wildwood 4-wheel disc setup. Why?  1975 Chevelles had power front disc brakes with 11 inch rotors  standard. This excellent factory system isn't adequate to stop the car safely on a daily basis or on a weekend trip to the drags? Come on.  Another one, Project Olds- a 1965 Cutlass has-the same 4-wheel disc setup as the Laguna.  I understand wanting to upgrade the 65 models 4-wheel drum system, even if the car is  just a weekend cruiser. However, it would be a lot cheaper to go to a junkyard and get 70-81 Firebird or Camaro spindles, calipers, rotors, and master cylinder and power booster. This system will bolt on, lower the front end and inch and make the car stop at least as well as a '70's GM A or F body with factory front disc brakes. Or 69-72 A body-( Which includes Monte Carlos and Gran Prix's ) setups will bolt on, as will 69-74 Nova disc brake setups. Any of these systems will work on any 64-72 GM A body, and be way cheaper than a 4 wheel Brembo or Baer setup. Now if your autocrossing or hot-lapping at Laguna Seca, the stock system will get overheated, and fade, but how many of us are doing that with our musclecars?  If I want to go autocrossing or slalom, I think I'd buy a Mazda Miata, or a Nissan 350Z , or a '90's Trans-Am or Corvette instead of a 4,000 lb 1960's GM A body!!  # 2 A lot of these magazine project cars, regardless of make or model have Currie 9 inch Ford rear ends. Again, overkill. If you have a 600 hp big block with a stick and your dropping the clutch at 5,000 rpm, on wrinklewall slicks bolted to the rims, yes, there's a chance of driveline breakage. But since most of these cars have automatic transmissions and street tires, it's a waste. The tires will spin before anything breaks. Honestly-I have never seen someone without slicks and a MONSTER motor break a GM 10 bolt or Chrysler 8 3/4, of Ford 8.8 rear ( which will fit in '60's Mustangs and Cougars ).  # 3 A lot of them have aftermarket subframes and rack and pinion steering.  Again-why?  70-81 Camaros and Firebirds had excellent recirculating-ball power steering systems. The 14:1 and 12.7:1 Z/28 and WS6 Trans-Am steering boxes were raved about for awesome road feel and response by magazine writers of the day, and these boxes will also literally bolt into any GM A or G body from 1964-87. Summitt Racing sells new or rebuilt replacements very reasonably. Car and Driver had late '70's T/A's pulling .85g on the skidpad, on 225/70SR15 Goodyear Polysteel Radials. For comparison, that's what Road and Track said both the 2010 Camaro SS and the 2010 Challenger SRT8 recorded, with 245/45ZR20 tires!  Imagine what the 70's car could do with modern tires?  So the argument of improving handling, is debatable. However the cost of parts and labor is huge, for a negligible gain in performance. # 4 Overbuilding engines. Reagrdless of Marque- these "experts" give you a list of "Gotta Haves." You "gotta have" a 4-bolt main block, a steel crank, screw in studs in the heads, roller rockers, etc, etc. If your building a Nascar engine that has to turn 7800 rpm for 500 miles at Daytona, yes, you need all the beef you can get. But for a STREET engine that will never see the high side of 6,000 rpm, and then only at a monthly trip to the drags, forget it. As long as rpms don't go over 6,500 two-bolt main blocks are fine. Cast cranks are fine, and in 30+ years of circle-track "street stock" and "Hobby Stock" racing, I have NEVER seen a stud pull out of a head, and these engines are far more abused than the one in your "pride and joy" will be. Even under these ultra stressful racing conditions, 90% of bottom end failure occurs at the rod bolt.  So chrome-moly rod bolts and a high-volume oil pump are good insurance. But instead of a bunch of un-needed machine work and beefy parts, spend your money on heads, cams, carbs and intakes, exhaust, and other ugrades that give you a lot of "bang for the buck".  "4-bolt mains" doesn't make the car go faster. # 5 Overdrive transmissions. Whether stick or automatic, all these magazine cars have overdrive transmissions. Yes, they help gas mileage by reducing freeway cruising rpm, and their ultra-low 1st gears help off-the-line performance. But their outrageously expensive. One Mopar automatic overdrive conversion cost $5,500!! Even the simplest one-a Tremec 5 or six-speed manual for GM applications starts at $2,700!  That's a lot of money for not a lot of gain, especially if your car already had a 4-speed, or a Turbo 350 or 400, or a Torqueflite.  These magazine cars option lists sound impressive, but they drive the build cost way up, and don't always deliver performance gains commesurate with the dollar outlay. Think carefully before you spring for a magazine car's "Gotta Have."  Mastermind

Just buy a late-model musclecar!! Please!!

I've said it before, but it seems the onslaught never stops. Every enthusiast mag on the market, month after month after month has vintage musclecars with modern fuel-injected powertrains. I'm sick of it. Like I said once before if you were a gun collector you wouldn't buy a WWII vintage Colt .45 and put Laser sights on it, and if you were a motorcycle enthusiast you wouldn't buy a 1965 Harley Davidson Sportster and put a Fuel-Injected Twin-Cam out of a 2009 Softail in it. I understand the appeal of the modern fuelie motors-easy cold starting, great fuel economy, reliability and awesome bang for the buck. However, just run the cars they came in!! I see 1987-93 5.0 Mustangs in great condition every day for sale with prices anywhere from $1,500 to $3500!! I see 1993-2002 LT1 and LS1 Camaros and Firebirds for less than $5000 in any state in the union.  I see 2005-up Hemi Chargers and Chrysler 300s for less than $10,000 every day. I see 1997-2004 Corvettes for 15-20K all day long. Buy one of these and play with it to your heart's content. Put a blower on it, Nitrous, whatever you want. I'm considering buying a "5.0" to play with, and I'm not a Ford guy! But the cars and parts are so damn cheap, and my teenage son wants to run a car at our local strip. Great father / son project! But please guys, stop with the Fuelie swaps into Numbers-matching Judges, SS Chevelles, and Chargers and Road Runners. You want something old because it's different from what's new. I swear on a stack of bibles that if I hit the lottery and have 100 grand to spend on a Vette, I will not buy a ZR1 or Z06 new one, it's going to be a restored L88 427 model!!  Yes, I know the new ones are faster in the 1/4 and the twisties. But they don't sound like a 12:1 compression, solid lifter rat, and they don't feel like a balls out, badass. Their too refined, and have too many electronic nannies. Let me kill myself! I don't need traction control! I've driven New Challengers and I've driven Old ones. The new ones make me feel like I'm driving a BMW 5 series, not Like Kowalski on his last ride through the Nevada desert!! Let's start a magazine and call it Modern Fuelie Swap Monthly. Then Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Popular Hot Rodding can go back to covering everything else! Just had to vent that. Mastermind    

A rare turd is still a turd!!

 Years ago I worked in an import / specialty / performance store. We sold stuff like Weber carbs and intakes for MGs and Triumphs, headers and cams for Datsun 510s and Z-cars, as well as VW and Porsche parts. The owner was a great guy and he and I remained friends long after he closed the shop and retired. However he had no patience for people who wanted to restore stuff that wasn't worth restoring, and were miffed if we couldn't find obscure parts for obscure cars. I remember him telling an offended Morris Minor owner "A rare turd is still a turd."  This applies to the musclecar era as well. As I've said before, their are a lot of cars out there that aren't collectible, their just weird, and you shouldn't waste your time and money on them. I talked to a guy the other day who was angry because the rural junkyard near his town was crushing a 1973 four-door Grand-Am. He was inscensed because according to his checking with Pontiac historical services, it was one of 187 400, 4-speed, 4-doors made that year. "Can you believe he sold the engine and trans and clutch linkage to someone restoring a 73 GTO?!"  He said, outraged. "Hello?" I said- "It may not be as valuable as a Ram Air IV Judge, but 73 was the last year of the LeMans based GTO, only 4,806 were built, and if he's going concours the 73 Grand Am engine and tranny are going to have the right date codes and vin codes, because Grand Am's were considered LeMans based- A-bodies too." "The GTO owner got lucky." "Good for him." "But why didn't someone want to restore the Grand Am?"  "Why didn't the junkyard owner try to sell the whole car to someone who'd appreciate it?" he whined. "Get a clue." I said. "Whether it's Grand Am, or a Malibu or a Cutlass, or a Regal, no one is fighting with machetes for 4-door 73-77 GM A-bodies." "And the junkyard owner is in business to make money." "The car was rusted and trashed anyway." "It's not like he's crushing a diamond."  "He probably charged the GTO guy ten times what he paid for the car for just the engine, tranny, bellhousing, and clutch linkage." "The GTO guy's happy, and the junkyard owner is happy." "Get over it." Another guy was pissed because the guy was crushing a 1986 Pontiac Gran Prix "2+2" that had a totalled front end. Back in the mid-80's Chevrolet had great sales and NASCAR racing success with the aero-nosed Monte Carlo SS. They experimented with a fastback rear window to make the cars more aerodynamic. Back then, automakers had to sell at least 500 of any bodystyle to the public if they wanted to race them. Chevy came out with the "big window" SS Monte, and Pontiac jumped on the bandwagon building a big window Gran Prix, and shamelessly putting the legendary 2+2 moniker on it. However, it was powered by a 305 Chevy, and it was ugly, as were the Big window Monte Carlos. The Nascar teams figured out the cars weren't any faster than the notchback models, and GM quit making them. They aren't worth anything, in fact collectors pay way more for the "Standard" Monte Carlo SS, and the Pontiac rip-offs are worth even less. But this idiot was offended that no one wanted to "save" this basket case from the crusher. "Hey, it's not like it's a Boss 302 Mustang body or Hemi Cuda body going to the crusher." I said. "Just because something's rare doesn't automatically make it cool." When he started talking about his 360 2bbl, 3-speed stick, 1972 AMC Hornet, I just walked away, my old friend's words ringing in my ears. "A rare turd is still a turd."  Mastermind             

Think of the total package....And the total cost of restoration!

When searching for bargains, people often get excited when they think they've found one, and make a snap decision that turns out to bite them in the butt later, or cost them extra money they hadn't planned for.  Here's some tips to avoid buying yourself a ton of grief down the road. # 1 Get a clear title. This sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be amazed at the people that buy cars with no title, or an iffy one. "But it's a Hemi Car" or whatever, they'll protest when I tell them to let it be someone elses problem. Do you want to invest 10,20 or 30 thousand dollars restoring a car to find out you can't legally register it, or sell it?  I don't.  # 2 Think ahead about what you really want. If your buying a base-model Camaro or Nova to turn into a Z/28 or SS396 clone, or a Challenger / Cuda you want to make into a T/A or AAR Clone, or you want to go "Pro Touring" or "Nascar Tribute" or whatever, and you absolutely have to have a four or five speed stick, a six-cylinder, three-speed stick model is a better buy than a V8 automatic one, assuming the price and condition is the same. Why? The stick model already has the clutch and brake pedals, the clutch linkage, and bellhousing. This saves you a ton of money, saves you time not chasing down stuff like the clutch fork, or crossbar either new or used, and saves you a ton of time not having to measure and cut up the floorboards for the shifter, wirng up a new neutral safety switch etc, etc. The same goes for other drivetrain components. If your really are building a clone Hemi Road Runner, a 383 Satellite is a better buy than a 318 one, even though your changing the engine either way, and even if the 383 models price is a little higher for a rougher car. Here's why- The 383 model will have the big-block K-member, springs, and torsion bars, a 727 Torqueflite, and an 8 3/4 rear end with big-block leaf springs. This will save you a ton of money and fabrication time, as the Slant six / 318 K- member, springs and torsion bars won't bolt up to, or be able to handle the extra weight of the Hemi, and the car will handle like crap, and may not be safe to drive. The 904 Torqueflite won't work, and the 8 1/4 rear end and six/ small-block springs will cause axle windup and parts breakage, while the 8 3/4 is practically bulletproof.  # 3 Think about the cars final use. If it's a race car, then the only limit is class rules. If it's a Concours show car, obviously documentable originality is important.  If your going to drive the car at all, then certain options might make a "lesser" model more desirable than a "premium" one. For example, I'd much rather have a loaded 350 Malibu with factory power front disc brakes, bucket seats and console and factory A/C than a strippy SS396 Chevelle with bench seats, four-wheel drum brakes, and no A/C.  Or I'd rather have a 400 Pontiac, 4-speed 1978 Firebird Formula, than a 403 Olds / automatic 1978 Trans-Am.  See what I'm saying?  # 4 Consider resale value. Very few people keep a car more than 5 years, even if it's a "toy" and a second or third car. If you think you might want to sell the car in the next few years, I'd stay away from weird stuff like step-down engines-( Who wants a 301 T/A instead of a 400 or a 307 Camaro instead of a 350? )  and two-speed automatics, three-speed sticks, column-shifted bucket seat cars, radio or heater delete cars, etc.etc.  Their not collectible, their just weird, and no one but you and the slime who sold it to you thinks it's cool.  And base models are cheap for a reason. You may have the most awesome base-model Mustang or Firebird ever, just don't expect Boss 302 or Trans-Am money when you sell it.  Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind                 

Used car factory part 3- Interchangeability

It appears I opened a can of worms with the last couple posts. I encouraged people to ask questions and I've had a few good ones. Here's the answer to some for everyone's benefit. #1 Engine / Transmission Compatibility. GM guys have a huge advantage here. A Turbo 350 is the exact same size as a Powerglide / Super Turbine 300. The trans mount and the driveshaft yoke is the same. This means swapping the crappy two-speed 'Glide for the excellent 3-speed Turbo 350 is literally a bolt-in. Also, Turbo 350's are incredibly tough in stock or modified trim. They will stand up to any small-block and all but the most radical big-blocks. This saves the engine-swapper a substantial amount of time and money as he doesn't have to change the transmission, crossmember, or shorten or lengthen the driveshaft. A Turbo 400 is virtually indestructible which is why they are used in drag racing to this day. A short-shaft 400 will bolt-in where a 350 was if you desire, but you'll have to change the driveshaft yoke. Further making it easier for GM guys is the bellhousing bolt-pattern. Chevys are by themselves, but Buick,Olds and Pontiac share the same bolt pattern. This means if you had a 403 Olds Trans-Am and wanted to swap in a 455 Pontiac, you wouldn't have to change the tranny-you could use the one already in the car.  Fords and Mopars are not so co-operative. The 289/302 share the same bellhousing bolt pattern, but a 351C is different. This means if you wanted to swap a 351C into your Mustang that originally had a 302, you'd have to get a different tranny. The 351C / 400C / 351 /400M share the same bellhousing pattern as a 429 / 460, but their different from a 352 / 390 / 428. Mopars aren't quite as bad, as the 727 Torqueflite was used behind 340s and 360s as well as the "B" and "RB" engines, but if you have a 318 car that you want to put a 440 in, it's not just a matter of strength, the 904 trans won't bolt up. Not like the Chevy guy who can yank his 350 for a 454 and bolt it right up to the TH350. Sticks are an even bigger nightmare for Ford guys. GM used Saginaw, Muncie, and Borg-Warner 4-speeds over the years, and they all will work behind most Chevy, Pontiac, or Olds engines, depending on whether you have a 10-spline or 26 spline clutch. But buying a different clutch disc is nothing. And most GM cars use the same rear trans mount and crossmember style. Fords are different. Crossmembers and tranny mounts are different for most cars. Mopars are only slightly better. The three or four-speed stick behind a 318 won't hold up behind a 440 or a Hemi. Since the 340 was a high-performance package, they usually have the 833-i.e.-big-block tranny anyway, so that makes swapping easier, but do you really want to Modify an original 340 / 4-speed car?  # 2 Bracket and accessory interchangeability.  Again, GM guys have it easy. Pontiacs are externally identical from a 326 to a 455. Ditto for Olds engines from a 330-455. This means stuff like alternator brackets, Power steering brackets, A/C compressor brackets, fuel pumps, water pumps, oil pans, valve covers, etc all interchange. Small-block Chevys are the same from 1955-86, and from 86-99. Big-blocks are the same from 1965-1990, and from 1991-up. That makes your life a lot easier because your not chasing a thousand different parts to make it run once it's in the car. Not so with Fords. If you swap a 289 for a 351C everything is different. If you swap a 390 for a 460 everything is different. Worse yet, unlike taking a 350 out of an Impala and just dropping it in a Camaro, if you take a 351C out of an LTD and want to drop it in a Mustang, the brackets, water pump, and oil pan are all chassis-specific. In other words, if you don't have Mustang-specific accessorires, your in trouble.  Mopars are like Chevys in this respect. You can swap a 340 or 360 for a 318 easily, and a 440 will bolt in place of a 383 and you might not even have to change the hoses. However, going small-block to big-block means big changes-again brackets, tin, accessories are all different.  I'm not trying to discourage anyone from building their dream car, but I want you to be aware of some of the problems you may encounter that you might not have thought of. Mastermind    

"Used car factory" Part 2 More good advice!

In the last post I offered ways to build cars that would be unattainable for most of us. And that was good advice. 99.95%  of us won't ever have an extra 300 grand to spend on an original Hemi Cuda or Shelby Cobra or whatever, so buying say a nice 383 Road Runner for 25K and then spending another 15 on a Crate Hemi makes a lot of sense. Now you've got a Hemi Road Runner for 40 grand, which is about 1/5 the price of any "Original" one. Factory Five Racing makes an excellent Cobra Kit car/chassis that comes with everything but the engine and trans for about $13,000.  There are several other companies offering similar kits for similar prices. Even if you didn't want to go with the typical "5.0" Mustang powertrain, you could spend a little extra and get really retro. You probably won't find a 427 Ford, but you can find a 390 pretty easily, and they are the same "FE" engine family. Edelbrock makes aluminum heads for them, and Eagle and other companies make crank kits to turn a 390 into a 428. Most people have about 25 or 35k in these Cobra projects, depending on their mechanical ability, or you could buy one that someone else built-usually for around 20-25K. That's not peanuts, but thats your only shot at owning and driving a Cobra unless you win the lottery, as originals bring up to 500K at auctions depending on condition and mileage. However, some people may take this advice and take on more than they can handle. For example- let's say you decide to buy a 318 Challenger and make it a 440 Six-Pack. It can be done, but not easily, or cheaply. First off- the crossmember is different on small-block and big-block cars. So you'd have to buy a new or used big-block K-member, and then install it-which means basically the whole front end and suspension of the car. Then you have to find a 440 engine. You might think-a buddy has a 440 block he said he'd sell me for 300 bucks. Great. And yes, I know you can buy cranks, rods, pistons, cams, heads etc, from Summit Racing. But what about the valve covers, oil pan, timing cover,distributor hold-down, fuel pump concentric, alternator brackets, power steering brackets, and the starter, alternator, water pump,power steering pump, throttle linkage, etc, etc. Yeah you can buy it, but that stuff adds up quick, and can put you over budget. Also, if the Challenger in question is a slant-six or 318 model chances are it's going to have a 904 Torqueflite, which won't stand up to a stompin' 440. That means buying a 727 Torqueflite, and changing the driveshaft yoke, and having the driveshaft rebalanced. That also means it probably has an 8 1/4 inch rearend, which will break under hard use. Now you have to find a Dana 60 or at the very least an 8 3/4 rear end. The six/small V8 leaf springs will windup and cause wheel hop and maybe driveline breakage under hard acceleration, so you'll need big-block rear springs, and maybe a pinion snubber. Now that you've put all that power to the ground, your going to want to stop safely. The stock 4-wheel drums aren't going to cut it, so now at the very least you have to get a factory or aftermarket front disc brake setup which means spindles, rotors, calipers,hoses, master cylinder and power booster.  See what I'm saying?  I just don't want you to bite off more than you can chew either mechanically or financially.  Anyone considering this kind of project, feel free to email me and ask questions about the feasibility of your dream project, and I'll tell you what it entails, and maybe save you a ton of money and frustration. If your not a mechanic or bodyman by trade, sometimes your better off just spending more money and buying a car that's already restored. That aside, go build your dream ride! Mastermind      

There is no used car factory.....But that shouldn't stop you!

I often tell people "There's no used car factory."  I say that because the musclecars we love so much and lust after are all between 32 ( If you consider the 1979 Trans-Am ) and  ( Including '55 Chevys ) 56 years old.  The chance of you finding your dream car with the exact engine, transmission, axle-ratio, interior and exterior color, etc. is almost nil. However, you can build the car of your dreams. If you have to have everything numbers-matching, then your pretty limited. If your mildly flexible-i.e. you'll add options that were AVAILABLE that year on that car, whether yours had it originally or not opens up quite a bit of possibilities.  A couple examples-through Mopar Performance or Summit Racing you can buy a complete "Six-Pack" setup-the manifold, carbs, air cleaner, linkage, etc, for small-blocks or big blocks. That's a lot easier than trying to find an original Six-Pack Road Runner, or Challenger T/A.  You want the "Pony" interior for your 1965 Mustang? Buy it and put it in. Want "Snowflake" wheels instead of Rally II's for your '70's Trans-Am?  Year One has them.  Honestly, if you buy a Pontiac Tri-Power setup off  Ebay and put it on your originally 4bbl equipped '66 GTO you've probably increased the resale value, even though it's not totally original. See what I'm saying?  Now, if you don't give a hoot about serial numbers the sky's the limit on what you can have. Here's a few great examples-Buy a 2 dr 1970 Plymouth Satellite. Call Mopar Performance and buy a 426 Crate Hemi. There are a couple different companies that sell reproduction Superbird / Charger Daytona fiberglass front ends and wing spoilers. It might cost you 40 grand to build it, but thats way better and a lot more attainable than the $250,000 on up that "Real" Hemi Superbirds are bringing.  Buy a  base-model 1969 Camaro. Call GMPP and get a new "Turn-Key" 427. Get the trim pieces from Year One, and you've got a "Yenko" Camaro for about 1/10th of the $300,000 "Real" Yenkos are bringing.  Buy a 1969-70 LeMans or Firebird. Dozens of restoration companies sell the body parts and trim to make these base models into a GTO or Trans-Am. If it doesn't already have a 400 under the hood, find one. They were used in every Pontiac ever made from 1967-78.  Edelbrock sells aluminum RAIV heads, and the "Performer RPM" cam has the same lift and duration as the legendary RAIV cam. You'll have to buy round-port headers, but Hooker and other companies make them. Again, that would be a lot easier than trying to find a Ram Air IV GTO or Trans-Am for sale at any price, in any condition. Ford fan?  Edelbrock and Trick Flow offer performance cylinder heads and intakes to make "Boss" 302 and 351 engines, that would make any 1969-72 Mustang fastback way cool.  I could go on, but you get the point. When your smoking the tires or banging through the gears, or stopping work in the drive-thru, you won't be worrying about serial numbers.  Mastermind               

More cars for "Project NASCAR"

In the last post I mentioned cars that would be a great base for a Nascar-themed street machine in the vein of Popular Hot Rodding's "Project Talledega" 1975 Chevelle Laguna. Here's some others that may not be the screamin' deals of the ones previously mentioned ( Parts availability is a huge factor ) but can still be bought and built far cheaper than a "Mainstream Musclecar"-i.e. SS Chevelle, Road Runner, GTO, etc.  #1 1969-76 Mercury Cyclone / Montego / Cougar. Any hardcore Nascar fan can tell you about the Wood Brother's Mercurys that had great success in '70's Nascar racing. The bodystyles would look mean with radiused or flared fenders,fat tires, and Nascar-style graphics. Since most of these had 351C's under the hood, they could back up the image without too much work. If you wanted to get really radical,351C's have the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the 429/460, so swapping in one of those would be relatively easy. # 2 1973-77 Olds Cutlass. The Cutlass was the best-selling car in America in the late '70's, so they should be easy to find. After his 74 Charger was outlawed, Richard Petty switched to GM and won several races in a Cutlass. Most will have 350 Olds motivation, and there is plenty of aftermarket parts available-Edelbrock Intakes, cams, headers, etc. Or-this is the great thing about GM cars-parts interchangeability-you could get Monte Carlo motor mounts and install any Chevy engine you wanted from a 350 to a fire-breathing 572 Rat. Any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle or Monte Carlo also fit these cars. # 3 1973-79 GM X-body. This includes Chevy Novas, Pontiac Venturas, Olds Omegas, and Buick Apollos. These cars are cheap and plentiful, and a lot of suspension parts that fit the Camaro / Firebird interchange, so making them handle is easy. Ditto for factory or aftermarket brake upgrades. A lot of these cars had 305 or 350 Chevy engines from the factory, so that's no problem. Some of the Pontiacs did have 350 Pontiacs, which is fine, and also makes a 400 or 455 a bolt-in. Some Omegas may have 350 Olds engines. Forget the Buick V6 models unless the price is just nothing, and your planning an engine swap anyway. # 4 1974-76 AMC Matador. These rounded, fastback 2 drs actually had modest success in Nascar in the mid-'70's. Most had 360 or 401 cubes under the hood with the bulletproof Torqueflite behind them. If you need a replacement engine, the 360 was used in Jeep Grand Wagoneers until 1992. There's good aftermarket support-Edelbrock even makes aluminum heads for these engines. #5 1975-78 Plymouth Sport Fury. As Elwood Blues said-"It's got a cop motor, cop tires, cop shocks... Seriously, most of these had 360 cubes under the hood, but a fair number had 400s and 440s. I think the 2 drs are especially racy. And that engine bay will swallow anything Mopar ever made including a 528 inch crate Hemi.  Something to think about. Mastermind       

Project NASCAR? Hell, yeah!

Popular Hot Rodding has a car called "Project Talladega". It's a 1975 Chevelle Laguna S3 with a 408 inch solid-roller small-block, a beefed up 700R4, and the bodywork, paint, graphics, and wheels are all done to make it look like Neil Bonnet's Laguna that he campaigned in The Winston Cup series in the late '70's. It runs as fast as it looks. I think this type of build would be a great project for someone who can't afford a mainstream musclecar, or just wants something unique. Here's a list of candidates that would be great starting points. # 1. This is a no-brainer. 1973-87 Chevy Monte Carlo. These cars were the scourge of NASCAR in the '70's and '80's. Most of these had small-block Chevys under the hood to begin with, so you've got a great base. Hotchkiss, Edelbrock and other companies offer suspension and brake upgrades if you so desire. # 2. 1969-77 Pontiac Gran Prix. 400 power standard all years, and a fair number of 70-76 models have 455s! Any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle or Monte Carlo fit these cars. # 3. 1978-87 GM "G" body. This includes The downsized Olds Cutlass, Pontiac Gran Prix,and Buick Regal models that were also raced in Nascar in the '80's. Some may have 305 Chevys, which is a good thing, as a 350 or 383 would be a bolt-in. Others may have 307 inch Olds V8s. These are an anemic "economy" motor and have virtually nothing in common with traditional Olds engines. On the upside, the motor mounts are the same, so a 350 or 403 Olds would be practically a bolt-in swap. If you wanted to go with Chevy power you may have to change transmissions. ( BOP engines have a different bellhousing bolt-pattern than Chevys.) However, some 200R4 and 700R4s may have the dual-bolt pattern (Chevy and BOP) bellhousing. Forget V6 models unless their just dirt-cheap, as the V8 models are plentiful. # 4. 1975-79 Chrysler Cordoba, 1978-79 Dodge Magnum. These cars are dirt-cheap, and most have 318 or 360 power. Or you could swap in a 440 pretty easy. # 5 1983-88 Ford Thunderbird/Mercury Cougar. Bill Elliot won the championship in one of these cars in the mid-80's. Forget the 4-banger and V6 models, the 302 versions are cheap enough, and just about anything that fits a Fox-bodied Mustang will fit these cars.  Let's get some Nascar-themed cars rumbling around! Mastermind

A list of the last of the finest......

Got a call from a friend the other day asking me if a 1978 Road Runner was worth anything.  "The guy only wants $500 for it."  "It's not even worth that, even if it's nice." I replied. "Why?" my friend asked. "Because it's a Plymouth Volare with a decal package that's why." "When they came out, the magazines lamented the passing of the Duster." "Their Junk"  "If you want a $500 318 or 360 Volare for your kid or something I guess it'd be okay, but their not worth restoring." "Thanks." my pal said, and didn't buy the car. He asked me how someone who wasn't a gearhead would know what not to buy when looking at potential musclecar projects.  Here's a list that may stop you from buying or way overpaying for a car that's not the real deal. # 1 The last "Real" Chargers and Road Runners were built in 1974. This was the last year on the "B" body platform. The 400 and 440 V8s were still available. 1975-77 "Chargers" were ( Yuk! ) re-badged Chrysler Cordobas. The "Road Runner" name was shamelessly put on a very few Plymouth Furys in 1975-76, and then even sadder-the Volare in 77-78.  # 2 The last "Real" Olds 442 was built in 1977. This was the last year they were built on the A body Cutlass platform and the last year you could get a V8 over 400 cubes. The 455 was available until 1975, and in 76-77 the 403 was the top engine option. Worse than what Chrysler did with the Road Runner badge, Olds shamelessly put the legendary 442 moniker on a bunch of anemic G-body's in the '80's, and hit an all-time low when they put it on a front-drive, Quad 4 Calais. # 3 The last "Real"-i.e.- Javelin based AMX was made in 1974. They still had the swoopy body that Mark Donohue won the Trans-Am championship with in 1971, and the 360 and 401 V8s were still available. The 1977-80 AMX's were based on the econobox Hornet/Spirit platform, and had 258 inch six-cylinder or 304 2bbl V8s with about 120 hp!  # 4 The last "Real" Mach 1 Mustang was built in 1973. The 351CJ was the top engine. From 1974-78 the awful Mustang II was Pinto-based, and the "Mach 1" 302 2bbl put out about 135 hp.  It wasn't until 1983 that the Ford factory again produced a Mustang with a 4-bbl carburated V8 and more than 150 hp. But you know the history of the "5.0".  Were talking the "Original" Mustang here. # 5 The last "Real" Pontiac GTO was built in 1973. This was the last year it was based on the A body LeMans platform, and the last ones with a 400 or 455 V8. In 1974 the GTO name was put on the smaller X body ( read Nova ) chassis, and the largest engine was a 350. In 1975 the nameplate was dropped altogether until it was resurrected in 2004 on the Holden Monaro chassis with- Gasp! a Chevy engine. Hope this clears things up for potential buyers. Mastermind                

Still more one or two year wonders

I did some more thinking, and came up with more one or two year models that might be fun to play with, and would cost less than a more popular-( i.e.-GTO, Road Runner, etc ) musclecar. #1 1967-68 "Turnpike" edition Pontiac GTO and Olds 442. For some insane reason, in these two years you could get a "Step-down" option on a GTO or 442. Instead of the standard 350hp Pontiac or Olds 400 cube V8 with a 4-speed or THM400 and 3.36 or 3.55 gears, you got a few hundred bucks credit on the sticker and got a two-barrel carbed 400 rated at 265 hp, a TH400 and 2.93 "Economy" rear axle. Yeah-they got like 16 mpg instead of 11!  These aren't really worth anything today other than the fact that it may be a clean GTO or 442 body, and changing the gears and adding a 4bbl carb and intake is pretty easy.  # 2 1977 Pontiac Can-Am. Based on the LeMans platform, these cars had a T/A style "Shaker" hood scoop, a white paint job with orange and silver stripes, a "Ducktail" style rear spoiler, and body-colored RallyII wheels. Power was a 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds V8 backed up by a TH400 and a 2.56 or 3.23 limited slip rear end. All the GM intermediates were downsized for '78, so this one year is it.  # 3 1982-83 Cross-Fire Injected Z/28 Camaro and Pontiac Trans-Am. Enthusiasts like the later Tuned Port Injected models better, so these are dirt-cheap. However, swapping the 305 for a 350 or 383 stroker would be easy, and the trick for induction is to port match the manifold to the heads, and use two 454 truck throttle-bodies, and use a Corvette or Hypertech PROM chip in the ignition. # 4 1984-86 Mustang SVO. These had a swoopy body, Recaro seats,upgraded suspension, 16 inch wheels and tires and a Turbocharged 4-banger rated at 205 hp.  The cheaper and faster "5.0" was more popular, so these are kind of rare, yet don't bring a ton of money. Turn up the boost, and have some great fun.  # 5 1984 Corvette. This was the only year of Cross-Fire Injection and the 4+3 manual transmission. 1985 and later TPI models are more popular, but these make nice drivers, and can be hopped up easily.  Mastermind        

Muscle Wagons? Why Not!

The 1955-57 Chevy Nomad has long had a "Cult" following in hot rodiing. However, a lot of people are tricking up wagons these days. A wagon actually makes a good drag racer because of their excellent weight distribution. But it has to be something cool. A wood-sided 75 Country Squire doesn't cut it. A 65 LeMans wagon, yeah. Anyway here's a list of some wagons that would make cool projects. # 1 1964-72 GM A body wagons. Any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle, will also fit the BOP offerings. Most Chevelle wagons will have small-block motivation, but that's not a bad thing. The deals to look for are the 1968-72 Pontiac LeMans wagons and Olds Cutlass Cruiser wagons. A lot of these had 400 or 455 cubes under the hood, Turbo 400 trannys, front disc brakes, and 12 bolt rearends, stock. Some of the Buick Century/Skylark wagons had 455s as well, but they are not as prevalent as the Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. You could play with trim pieces and make a "Judge" or "Hurst /Olds" or "SS454" wagon that would be pretty cool. Jim Hand has a 1971 455 LeMans Sport Wagon that runs 11.80s with 3.55 gears, shifting ar 5,500 rpm, with Iron intake and exhaust manifolds. He is a Pontiac genius, like Nunzi Romano, or Jim Butler.  # 2 1967-72 Chrysler "B" body wagons. A lot of these had 383,400 or 440 cubes under the hood to start with, along with the 727 Torqueflite and an 83/4 or Dana 60 rear axle. Bulletproof. And again, Take a '70 Coronet wagon, and make it a "Super Bee" wagon. # 3 1970-76 Ford Torino Wagons. Some of these may have 351C or 400M engines, which is okay, but a fair number will have 429s and 460s. You could definitely take your kids to soccer practice in style!  Mastermind 

More one or two year wonders!

People responded favorably to my last post and asked about other cars that fit in this genre. So here's some more.  #1 1971-72 Dodge "Demon".  Basically a 340 Duster clone, the Demon was based on the Dart platform and had the fire-breathing 340 V8, a 4-speed or 727 Torqueflite, and an 8 3/4 inch rearend with 3.23, 3.55 or 3.91 gears. They also had cool options like a hood tach, Go-wing spoiler, and pistol-grip shifter on sticks. Even in the '70's we were so politically correct, that the "Demon" name had to be dropped in favor of "Dart Sport" for 1973. Maybe the "Exorcist" scared everybody too much. # 2 1971-72 "Rally Nova". This package included a black stripe down the side, and a 350 as standard equipment. # 3 1977-78 Pontiac "Skybird". In the late '70's as the T/A's popularity soared, so did the sales of lesser model Firebirds. An option on the Esprit, the "Skybirds" had a light blue paint job with cool pinstriping, body-colored "Snowflake" wheels and a blue velour interior. Most had 350 Pontiacs, or 350 Chevys for power, which shouldn't be a problem for any gearhead.  # 4 1979 Chrysler 300. Based on the Cordoba these cars had a nice white and red pinstripe paintjob, red leather interior and a 360 V8 under the hood. # 5 1979 Hurst/Olds. Based on the downsized "G" body Cutlass, this was the first Hurst/Olds that was built by Oldsmobile instead of Hurst performance. It had an anemic 180 hp 350 Olds V8, a Turbo 350, and 3.08 gears. The "W30" decals on the fenders were a sad, shameless attempt to capitalize on past glory. On the upside, a 403 would drop-in, and a 455 wouldn't be much more trouble. # 6 1980-81 Turbo Trans-Am and Formula Firebird.  The engines are worthless, but the cars have cool options like 4-wheel disc brakes, T-Tops, Recaro seats, and WS6 suspension. A 400 or 455 Pontiac or a 350 or 383 small-block Chevy would be an instant power infusion, without too much work.  Mastermind 

One or Two year wonders that make fun drivers...and may be collectible!

VH1 has a show called "One-hit Wonders" obviously about musicians who had mega-popular singles and then never did anything else. As it relates to musclecars there are many models that the big three ( GM, Ford and Chrysler ) introduced to try to increase sales that only lasted a year or two and were discontinued because of a platform change, or poor sales, or whatever. However, these somewhat rare cars did have cool features, and then as now, offer tremendous "Bang for the Buck". I'll list them in no particular order. # 1 1971-72 "Heavy Chevy". This was a base-model Malibu with a blacked-out grille, domed SS-style hood, "Heavy Chevy" decals and slotted Rally Wheels. Engines ranged from a 307 to a 402. Oddly, the 454 wasn't offered. 6,727 were built in 1971 alone, and a few thousand more in '72, so you should be able to find one. Just don't expect SS396 money if you try to sell it. # 2 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee. The Charger got a new body for '71, one that would last until 1974, and give Richard Petty a slew of NASCAR victories. However, for this one year only Mopar decided to put the Super Bee package on the Charger instead of the Coronet. The standard engine was a 383, with the 340,440, and 426 Hemi optional. Obviously Hemi and 440 /Six-Pack versions are priced in the stratosphere, but 340 and 383 versions are quite reasonable. # 3 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. Touted to have "The performance of a Trans-Am and the Luxury of a Grand Prix" this model never caught on. Luxury buyers bought GPs in record numbers, and performance buyers bought T/A's. Low sales numbers aside, these are awesome cars if you can find one. 400 cubes standard all years with the 455 optional. Wrist-thick front and rear sway bars, and front disc brakes make them great handlers too. Any aftermarket suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle or Monte Carlo also fit these cars. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a 400 /4-speed 73 model before I bought my H/O. # 4 1974 Pontiac GTO. Enthusiasts and magazine writers alike both howled to the high heavens and derided the car when Pontiac switched the GTO name from the A body LeMans platform to the X body ( Nova ) Ventura. However, I call them "The best Nova ever built." Power front disc brakes were standard, as were Firebird style front and rear sway bars, so they were great handlers. They also had a T/A style "shaker" hood. The only engine was a 350 Pontiac backed up by a 4-speed or a Turbo 350 automatic. A 400 or 455 would make one of these an awesome sleeper. 7,058 were built, so their rare, but not "moon rocks". And their snubbed by Pontiac enthusiasts, ( NOt a "real" GTO ) so prices are surprisingly low.  #5 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck. Except for the  L82 Corvette and WS6 Trans-Am, these were the fastest production vehicles in the dark days of disco. A two-wheel-drive, short-bed, stepside pickup, with Chrome wheels,Semi-style vertical exhaust stacks, and a warmed-over 360 V8 comprised this package. And of course, the loud red paint job. 78 models are more sought after, since this was the last year that 1/2 ton trucks had catalyst-free exhaust. 79 had greater production numbers, so they might be easier to find. Then, as now, they make cool drivers and do awesome burnouts. #6 1974-76 "Starsky and Hutch" Torino. About 2,000 or so of these were sold nationwide, and probably a few hundred more "Dealer" specials. There actually just a 2 dr Gran Torino with the red and white stripe paint job and slot mags. Most had 351C's or 351M's under the hood, although there are a few 460 versions out there. If your not a fanatic, just buy a plain Torino coupe and paint it that way. # 7 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder Based on the Crown Vic platform, these cars had a 302 hp 4.6 liter V8 pirated out of the Mustang Cobra, a 4-speed automatic with a high-stall converter, 18 inch wheels and sport suspension and Auto Meter guages in the dash. For some reason, Ford never promoted this car, which is why it didn't sell. But they are way cool, like a '90's Impala SS.  Mastermind     

Think about a "Little Brother!"

If your searching for the musclecar of your dreams, you may be experiencing quite a bit of frustration, especially if your on a tight budget and don't have an unlimited bakroll. I know the feeling. It seems like there's no "drivers" or running "fixer-uppers". Everything is either a complete restoration that someone wants 40 grand for, or a complete basket case that would take at least 25 grand to make it right. There are still cars out there for low or at least reasonable prices, you just have to know what to look for. I'll give you some good examples and tell you why their screaming bargains. # 1 1970-79 Pontiac Firebird. Even Disco-era Trans-Ams are commanding a king's ransom these days, and early ( 1970-73 ) Formula 400s are rising in value. However, if you can't find a deal on a '70's Firebird, you aren't looking past the end of your nose. There are hundreds of thousands of base-model, Esprit, and Formula Firebirds out there that everyone overlooks in "T/A Fever". Most have 350 Pontiacs under the hood until 1977. These engines respond well to simple modifications-i.e.-dual exhaust, 4bbl carb and intake, or mild cams. Or, since Pontiac engines are externally identical from a 326 to a 455,the vaunted 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap. Some Esprit and Formula models will have 400s stock. If you want to convert one of these into a T/A clone, the body and suspension pieces are readily available in the aftermarket. Because of smog laws, GM played musical engines in the late '70's. Some 1977 and later models may have 305 or 350 Chevys in them. Then you basically have a Camaro. Others may have 350 or 403 Olds engines in them. These can be hopped up easily, but changing these cars back to "Real" Pontiac power can be expensive and a pain in the ass-all the tin and accessories are different. Stay away from 301 Pontiac versions ( There an "economy" motor and virtually nothing interchanges with "traditional" Pontiac engines ) unless it's just dirt-cheap, and you plan to swap in a 400 anyway. #2 1964-72 GM A body. While people fight with machetes for SS Chevelles, GTOs and 442s, there are still millions of base-model Malibus, Tempest/LeMans, Cutlass/F85, and Buick Century/Skylark 2 drs out there that can be bought reasonably. We all know about the small-block Chevys potential. While overshadowed by their big-block brothers, the 350 inch BOP engines can be made to run quite strong, and there is good aftermarket availability of cams, headers, Edelbrock intakes, etc. # 3 1971-74 "LA" engined Chrysler "B" and "E" bodies. Everybody and his brother wants a 383 or 440 Road Runner, Challenger, Charger or Barracuda, especially the 1970 models. If your willing to consider a 318,340 or 360 version, you can find some real bargains. If your really short on cash, 318s respond well to the typical "hot rod" stuff-4bbl carb and intake, mild cam, headers and dual exhaust, etc. However the real performers are the 340s and 360s, with a little work. Blueprint Engines even sells a 408 inch crate motor that's based on a 360. These engines have great potential. For example-the hot setup in NASCAR for small-block Chevys is 6 inch rods and angle-plug heads, with a rocker-arm stud girdle for valvetrain stability. Chrysler "LA" engines have 6.123 inch connecting rods and angle plug heads with shaft-mounted rockers from the factory. Or in any of these vehicles, you could "clone" the big-block car of your dreams. Mastermind       

Want a deal? Buy a car that some Idiot passed up!

I'm amazed at the number of people I talk to that complain they can't find a car they want, and then watch them pass up all kinds of cool stuff. I'm not talking Hemi Cudas here, but stuff that you don't see every day that a lot of other people would like. A few examples-I know a guy that wanted a GTO that didn't buy a 350 / 4-speed 1970 LeMans convertible. To me this was a cool ride. He passed on it, and now says- "I should have bought that" whenever we see the happy new owner tooling around.  Another idiot that has lusted after my 1973 Hurst / Olds for years didn't buy a white and gold 455 powered, 1972 Hurst / SSJ Pontiac Gran Prix!.  And the GP was reasonably priced and in good shape!  A guy I know that owns a used car lot that dabbles in musclecars occasionally said he actually had trouble selling a pristine 1969 Pontiac Firebird, because it was a 350 instead of a 400, and had the same problem with a 1972 Chevelle SS 350. Everyone that looked at it turned up their nose because it wasn't a big-block. Finally someone with a clue bought it for a great price. Great enough, that they could swap in a Rat if they wanted to! He took a 1974 400 / 4-speed, LeMans GT to an auction because it didn't sell on the lot!!  Another fool didn't buy a clean "California Special" 1968 Mustang Coupe because the 390 had a two-barrel on it!!  What is wrong with people?  If your looking for a musclecar bargain, grab one of these rides that people pass up stupidly.  Mastermind