How about some base or full-size models done in retro-racing style?....

Popular Hot Rodding built a 1975 Chevelle Laguna like Darrell Waltrip's '70's NASCAR racer. It was wildly popular with readers, and PHR and other mags featured other cars done in NASCAR style. Here's some ideas I think would be really cool for low bucks.  #1. '60's style "Gasser" Drag Racing tribute cars. The obvious candidates here would be '64-72 Chevelles, LeMans,Tempest and Cutlass models. NOT GTO's,442s, or SS396 / 454s-anyone who thinks of cutting up one of those-should have his entrails cut out and burned-but there are tons of base models out there-Chevrolet sold something like 400,000 Malibus in 1968 alone. A Tempest with a snarling 428 or 455 Pontiac under the hood with dual-quads, a straight front axle,radiused rear wheelwells with huge meats,and not even a paint job-just primer would be totally badass. Ditto for a Malibu with a Tunnel-Rammed Rat, or a Cutlass with a stompin' 425 or 455 Olds. Or-what the hell-their base-models that your modifying anyway-put a 572 inch Rat in one and get a vanity liscence plate that reads "KNG KONG".  I think that would be a lot cooler and way more fun to drive than doing the cookie-cutter GTO / SS / 442 clone job. You could also do a Dodge Coronet with a 440 or a Ford Fairlane with a 390. There's tons of possiblities.  # 2. Trans-Am Racing tribute cars. People have already done the obvious-Camaros, Firebirds and Mustangs-but what I think would be cool is alternative bodystyles. A 1967-70 Cougar looks evil in the old Trans-Am racing photos. Radiused wheelwells, Minilite wheels, side exit exhaust, a snarling 302 or 347 stroker under the hood,like Austin Powers would say-"Yeah Baby!!"  Or a '71-74 Pontiac Ventura with radiused and flared fenders,a Trans-Am style "Shaker" hood scoop, WS6 T/A sway bars front and rear and a thumpin' 400 under the hood would rock. You could do a '68-74 Nova the same way-I think Hot Rod featured one-that the guy built for less than 20 grand. A '67-69 Dart or Barracuda with a hot 360 crate motor would be cool in this vein. And there's plenty of '70-74 318 Challengers and Barracudas and Dusters and Darts that could use this style. # 3. Full-size '60's NASCAR tribute cars. High-Perfomance Pontiac featured a replica of Fireball Roberts' 1962 Catalina Daytona 500 car and it was way cool. Pontiacs would be the obvious choice because they all have at least 389 cubes under the hood. My next choice would be Fords-most of them have 390 cubes under the hood. I saw a '65 Galaxie NASCAR racer at the Monterey Historics one year and it was evil looking. Chevy Impalas are an obvious choice but most of them are small-block powered. Not that that's a bad-thing-but '60s NASCAR racers all had big-blocks-but again-it's a fake anyway so who cares?  Plymouth Belvederes and Furys and Dodge Monacos in this era usually had at least 383 cubes, so their players too.  All of these would be unique and cool. Mastermind      

Again it's a copy of a movie car.....It doesn't have to be right to the nth degree...

Had someone lamenting the other day that they wanted to build a car like Burt Reynolds' whiskey runner in "White Lightning", but they couldn't find the parts. I told him-it COULD be done-but it would be major league expensive. The reason being-the car-depending on the shot of the film-is a 4-door 1971-72 Ford Galaxie Custom or LTD that supposedly had a 429 with a 4-speed. The 1st problem is-as far as I know-Galaxies and LTDs had no manual transmission option in those years. So to convert one from automatic to stick would be problematic. You'd either have to adapt mid-size Mustang / Cougar / Torino pedals and linkage, or maybe use F100 or F150 truck linkage. Or fabricate an aftermarket hydraulic setup. None of these three choices is either easy or cost-effective. The other is the engine. A 429 was available both as a civilian option and a "Police Interceptor" package-but try to find one 43 years later. Most of these cars had 351 or 400C motivation under the hood. You could buy a high-performance 460 crate motor from Blueprint Engines or Ford SVT or Jon Kaase Racing-but that's 15 grand on up. My advice was to buy a 71-72 Galaxie / LTD, put black wheels with chrome lug nuts and white-letter tires on it and put an Edelbrock Performer intake and 4bbl carb ( the 351-400C's were all 2bbls ). on the engine and some loud exhaust with glasspack mufflers on it, paint it Chesterfield Brown, and call it good. I even suggested a old-style Hurst or Mr Gasket "Indy" floor shifter. It looks like a 4-speed stick but is actually an automatic shifter. At least you'd have the LOOK for low bucks, and if you powerbraked it a 400C has enough low-end torque to do smoky burnouts. People would get the drift and think it was cool. "But it wouldn't be RIGHT."  The guy said. "How do you try to restore a car that never really existed to it's exact condition 40+ years later?" I asked. "There's speculation that the shots of Burt shifting the Hurst 4-speed were cut into the film from a stuntman's Mustang." "Scenes in the film where he puts a column shifter in park in front of his mother's house, and where Jenneifer Billingsley slams a column shifter into drive when their escaping Big Bear and his henchman, lend weight to this claim." "So the stunt cars may have been all automatics anyway." "There may have NEVER been a 429 / 4-speed model!!"  "In the Fast&Furious movies-Vin Diesel's Charger has a small-block Chevy and a TH400 for power. The Blower is a fake." "There was never a blown Hemi version-until the 4th movie-and that was built for car shows and premieres." "The stunt cars were all Small-Block Chevy powered with fake blowers bolted onto the hood." "It pisses Mopar fans off-but it was published in Popular Hot Rodding and verified by the stunt coordinator of the film."  "The GTO that Diesel had in  "XXX" was Chevy Powered." "Strictly for parts availability and ease of repairs while filiming."  "Hollywood does that crap all the time."  "I wouldn't obsess over it."  The guy was crushed by the realization that if he wanted to build a 429 /4-speed '71 LTD that it would probably cost him 40 or 50 grand. He wouldn't take my advice and build a decent replica for probably 10 grand.  I had a similar conversation with another guy who wanted to do a "Bullitt" Mustang copy. He was mortally offended when I suggested that he buy a clean '67-68 289 fastback for like 10 grand and paint it Dark Highland Green and put American Racing Torq-Thrust Mags on it. He'd done research on the movie. "But the Bullitt cars were 390 / 4-speeds!" he wailed. "And a clean 390/'4-speed '67-68 Mustang fastback will cost you 25K easy, maybe more."  I said. "How bad do you want it to be "exactly" like the movie car?" "If I wanted a badass "Bullitt" replica I'd buy a 289 model and swap in a 347 stroker and a T5." "It would at least handle good then." I said. He looked at me like I was crazy and said-"But that's totally different from the movie." Here's your sign. Anyhow-the point I'm trying to make-if you want a "Vanishing Point" Challenger-as long as it's Alpine White with Rally wheels-even it's a '74 model with a 360-people will get the drift. It doesn't have to be a 440 / 4-speed 1970 R / T!!!!.  Your black 1982-83 Trans-Am doesn't have to have a talking computer-people will get the "Knight Rider" tie-in!!  And answer me this-"Mr Majestyk" had a badass chase in it. The footage was used in the "Built Ford Tough" ads for years. How come no one wants a Yellow '68-72 Ford Pickup with "Majestyk Brand Melons" stenciled on the doors?  Why doesn't anyone care if it was a stick or an automatic, or a 302,360 or 390??  Charles Bronson's Vince Majestyk had as much or more BAMF style and kicked more ass than Burt Reynold's Gator McLusky-so why does Burt's '72 Ford get demi-god status and Charlie's doesn't?  Michael Douglas was cool in "Basic Instinct" why aren't people obsessing over '91 "5.0" Mustang Convertibles?  Any ideas? Mastermind                    

"The Last of the Mohicans".....Are they worth anything?....

Someone asked a viable question of me the other day-the first of anything is usually worth a lot-i.e.-a '55 T-Bird, a '64 Mustang, a '64 GTO, a '67 Z/28-etc. However-is the last model of these cars worth anything? Sometimes, yes, sometimes no. He asked me for some examples-and I thought everyone might be interested. # 1. 1973 Ford Mustang. This was the last year of "Real" Mustangs. Engine choices ranged from a 250 inch six, to a 302 2bbl, a 351C 2bbl and a 351C 4bbl. It was also the last year you could get a convertible Mustang until the mid-'80's. In 1974 the Ill-fated "Mustang II" debuted. It was based on the Pinto chassis, and the only engines were an anemic 2.3 liter 4-banger and the slightly less anemic 2.8 liter V6 out of the German-made Mercury Capri. Like with "New Coke" the public was not amused. In 1975-they offered a 302 V8-but it had a 2bbl carb and wheezed out about 135 hp. The model lasted until 1978-while GM was selling Camaros and Firebirds in record numbers. I think the Mustang II's finest moment was when a barefoot Farrah Fawcett-Majors posed on the hood of one in a promo for "Charlie's Angels". They were turds-they had no power, got crappy gas mileage, and were unreliable. The Fox body debuted in '79-but didn't get a real powertrain until-'83 when they finally put a 4bbl carb and dual exhausts on the 302 and a 5-speed behind it. All of the '71-73 Mustangs make nice drivers and the 351C has a lot of potential and parts are readily available-but there not really worth any more than any other Mustang.  # 2. 1971 Dodge Super Bee. For some reason in 1971-Mopar engineers decided to put the "Super Bee" moniker on the Charger instead of the Coronet. Engine choices are a 383 4bbl, a 440 4bbl, the 440 "Six-Pack" and the vaunted 426 Hemi. Obviously 6-pack and Hemi models are priced in the stratosphere, and 440 4bbls are getting there. 383 models can still be bought reasonably. This has nothing to do with this being the "Last" Super Bee-'71 was the last year of the high-compression mega-hp Mopars-in '72 the 10.25:1 425 hp Hemi and 10.3:1 385 hp 440 Six Pack were dropped and the biggest engine you could get in a Charger or Road Runner was an 8.2:1 compression 440 4bbl that wheezed out 280 hp. How the mighty had fallen in one year. Anyway-6,500 or so were built-and they do command a King's Ransom-but because of the engines not the name.       # 3. 1973 Pontiac GTO. I know the GTO soldiered on through 1974-but those 7,058 units were based on the "X" body ( read Nova ) Ventura platform. The engineers wanted to go back to the Goat's roots-a big motor in a stripped-down, light car. Since a 350 was optional in the Ventura and Pontiac engines are externally identical-a 400 would have been a bolt-in. The engineers wanted to put the 400 in the Ventura GTO.  And since the Ventura weighed 600 lbs less than a Firebird-it would have been a rocket. But the GM bean counters-killed it. A 400 powered 3,200 lb Ventura would have blown the doors off the 3,830 lb Trans-Am that was now the flagship-even with an SD-455, and it would have eaten the lunch of the 275 hp LS4 454 Corvette. Pontiac and Chevy brass couldn't allow that. So the GTO died a horrible death with a 7.6:1 350 V8 as it's only engine. Anyhow-the last "Real" GTO-i.e.-LeMans based and with an engine 400 cubes or more was built in 1973. 4,806 were built. Here's how bleak it was. T/A sales-quadrupled in '73 compared to '72, '74 doubled '73's sales,75 doubled '74's, and '76 doubled '75's!!  The Grand Am-which was touted to have the performance of a Trans-Am and the Luxury of a Gran Prix-sold 34,000 units-in 1973 alone. Anyhow-their not worth anything-the '68-72 models bring all the money-as with Chevelles. But if you find one at a reasonable price they have potential-there are a million ways to build power into a Pontiac V8 and any suspension or brake upgrades thar fit a Chevelle fit these cars.  # 4. 1977 Olds 442. Olds shamelessly put the "Cutlass" and "442" monikers on a variety of pieces of shit in the '80's-the low point being a front-drive, 4-cylinder Calais actually having 442 emblems on them-that's why Olds is no more. Anyhow-the last "Real" 442-based on the "A" body Cutlass platform and with an engine over 400 cubes-was sold in 1977. 12,000 or so were sold. The sad thing is no manual transmission was offered, and with 2.41:1 gears they were slugs. If Olds had put maybe 3.23:1 gears in them and or offered a 4-speed like Pontiac still did in the record-selling T/A-Pontiac sold 50,000 T/A's in 1976-and "Smokey and the Bandit" wan't released until April 1977-they might have had a real performer. Again-speed eqquipment for the 350 / 403 Olds is readily available and any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle fit these cars.  # 5. 1974 Road Runner / Charger. '74 was the last year that you could get a 440 with a 4-speed. In '75 the Charger was a re-badged Chrysler Cordoba with no manual transmission option, and the Road Runner badge was put on a Sport Fury with a 318, 360 or 400 V8, but again-no manual trans option. The Chargers bring money-because the body is unchanged from '71-and Richard Petty ran one in NASCAR until '79. For some insane reason-in '73 Plymouth engineers took the gorgeous '71-72 Road Runner and made it ugly. The '73-74 models nobody wants. Their ugly. You can buy them cheap, but their ugly.  # 6. 1974 AMC Javelin AMX. It'a funny-AMC, Ford, Chrysler, even Chevrolet killed the Z/28 for 2 years-everybody gave up in 1974. Musclecar buyers didn't go away-the Automakers stopped making cars that they wanted to buy. That's why Pontiac Trans-Am sales soared in the late '70's-if you wanted a musclecar with a big V8-you had one choice-a Trans-Am. Anyhow-in '74 you could still get a 360 or a 401 with a 4-speed or an automatic. Ironically-even though these are nicer cars-better interiors, standard front disc brakes, etc-the '68-70 Javelins still bring blood and a 1st born child. People don't care too much about these. Mastermind            

Some "Rodney Dangerfields" that might be a bargain.....

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield always joked that he got "No Respect". Here's some cars that could claim the same thing but can be bought dirt-cheap and would make a dynamite sleeper / hot rod with very little work. # 1. 1980-81 Pontiac Trans-Am. When Pontiac discontinued the 400 cube engines after '79 enthusiasts howled to the heavens, with good reason. Now the 3,800 lb Firebirds had 3 choices a 301 Pontiac that wheezed out 150 hp, a 305 Chevy that wheezed out 145, or the 301 Turbo that was rated at 210 hp-supposedly only 10 hp down from the W72 400. Except Hot Rod's 1979 400, 4-speed test car ran a 14.61 in the 1/4 and their 1980 Turbo T/A test car ran a 16.30. With only a 10 hp loss? Riigght. The upside for buyers now is Pontiac collectors snub these cars like the plague, so prices are fairly low, and if you buy a 301 model-a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap-the motor mounts and external accessories will bolt right up. If you have a 305 Chevy model-a 350 or 383 is a bolt-in swap. I wouldn't mess with the 301 Turbos. They were dogs then, their dogs now,and there's no parts availability,and the bottom end of the lightweight, "economy" 301 can't take massive amounts of boost. If you must have forced induction-I'd look for a wrecked Buick Grand National and salvage the motor and 200R4 trans, or put a Weiand or B&M under hood blower on a small-block Chevy.  # 2. 1982 "5.0" Mustang. These had a 302 V8 ( with a 2bbl carb oddly enough ) and 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic. Mustang enthusiasts snub these cars in favor of the '83 and later models which had a Holley 4bbl, a 5-speed stick or 4-speed auto and after '86-fuel injection. However, they can be bought cheap, and a 4bbl carb and intake,headers,cam etc are easy bolt-ons to make them really run. # 3. 1982-83 Z/28 Camaro / Firebird Trans-Am with "Cross-Fire Injection". These 305 V8's were only rated at 165 hp and were only available with a 3-speed automatic in '82 and a 4-speed automatic in '83. However-the upside is a 350 or 383 is a bolt-in swap, and if you use 454 truck throttle bodies and an '84 Corvette PROM chip ( Hypertech and others still sell them ) this fuel system can feed up to a 450 hp engine easily. And if you have an '82 model-a 200R4 is an easy swap-they use the same rear trans mount and driveshaft yoke as the TH250 / 350. You might have to shorten the drive shaft. Or with 400+ hp just live with the TH350. # 4. 1983-87 Olds Cutlass "442". These had cool graphics,a great handling suspension,a luxurious interior, and a 307 inch Olds V8 that wheezed out 140 hp. Fortunately-a 350 or 403 Olds V8 is a bolt-in swap. Edelbrock claims 397 hp and 400 lbs of torque from their "Performer RPM" package-and that's on a 350-a 403 would put you well over 400 ponies. 400+hp in a 3,400 lb "G" body would be an absolute rocket. # 5. 1983-87 Buick Regal 2 dr Coupe. While some of these had anemic 2bbl 231 V6's, quite a few were built with the 307 Olds V8 under the hood. See # 4 to give those smug Grand National owners a run they won't forget.  # 6. 1987-92 Lincoln MKVII LSC. Often called a "5.0" Mustang in a Tuxedo"-these cars had Recaro seats, a trick suspension,16" wheels and performance tires, a cool monochromatic paint job, and the 225 hp "5.0" V8 out of the Mustang GT backed by a 4-speed automatic. Any speed equipment that fits a Fox Mustang will fit these cars, so they have a ton of potential. Any of these would make a great sleeper with the right combination of parts, and for relatively low bucks. Mastermind                

More one or two year wonders that might be cool.....

Here's some more one or two year models that many people overlook, but are still cool. # 1. 1975 Plymouth Road Runner. These were based on the Sport Fury platform and had special badging, the trademark "beep-beep" horn and rally wheels. 318 versions are dogs, but the 360 and 400 V8 models can be made to really run. Rougly 6,500 were built so their not a moon rock.  # 2. 1977 Pontiac Can-Am. Hoping to cash in on the Trans-Am's immense popularity this performance package for the LeMans included a Gran Prix instrument panel,a T/A style "shaker" hood scoop, a ducktail rear spolier and "Judge" style striping. Mechanics included a 400 4bbl V8 ( a 403 Olds in California ) a TH400 with a shift kit, front and rear sway bars ( basically the Police package ) and a limited-slip rear end. They only lasted one season because the "A" bodies were downsized for 1978, but they are a cool ride if you can find one. # 3. 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Pickup. These were a 1/2 ton 2wd stepside pickup with a special red and gold paint job, fat tires on chrome slotted wheels, vertical semi-style exhaust stacks and a 360 V8 backed by a Torqueflite and a 3.55:1 posi rear end. Except for the L82 Corvette and WS6 Trans-Am, this was the fastest American vehicle built in those years. They have kind of a "cult" following among Mopar fans, but if you look hard enough you can find them at a decent price. # 4. 1982 Corvette. These had the C3 body that had been around since 1968, coupled with a Cross-Fire Injected 350 and the new 4-speed automatic. They were decent performers for the time- 7-second 0-60 and 15 second 1/4 mile times. However their are a million ways to build power into a small-block Chevy, and since 'Vette collectors snub these cars like the plague, you can actually buy them at reasonable prices. # 5. 1984 Corvette. There was no '83 model-these debuted in April 1983 as an '84 model. These were the 1st of the C4 body that would last until 1996. They had a Cross-Fire injected 350 backed by a 4-speed automatic or the BW "4+3"-a 4-speed manual with an electric overdrive that could be engaged in the top 3 gears, effectively giving you 7 speeds. 'Vette enthusiasts snub these cars in favor of the 1985-91 "Tuned Port Injected" models, but that's why I have seen these cars on used car lots for as low as $2995!! You don't normally hear the words "Corvette" and "cheap" in the same sentence, but it applies here. # 6. 1984-86 Ford Mustang SVO. These had Recaro seats, 16" wheels and a Tubocharged 4-cylinder engine that put out between 175 and 205 hp depending on year. They didn't sell well because the "5.0" V8 models were both faster and several thousand dollars cheaper. However you can buy them fairly cheap now, and the 2.3 liter 4-banger is tough-you could turn the boost way up and it will withstand it.  #7. 1989 20th Anniversary Trans-Am. These had Recaro seats, a special white and blue paint job, and instead of the LB9 and L98 TPI Chevy V8s-had the vaunted Turbocharged,Intercooled V6 out of the Buick Grand National. Since the V6 was a few hundred pounds lighter than the V8's, the car was not only faster, but handled better as well. Pontiac collectors have driven the prices up, but they are dynamite if you can find one.  Mastermind        

One or two year wonders that might be cool to have.....

For whatever reason-bodystyle changes,sales or just the bean-counters deciding something isn't worth keeping-the automakers often built cool stuff that only lasted one or two years. Here's some of my personal favorites that would make cool drivers and or / hot rods. # 1. 1967-68 Ford Mustang "California Special". These were available in either coupe or fastback bodies. They were sold by Duh-California dealers-and had Shelby-style taillights and side scoops and special striping and styled steel wheels. Most had 289 V8s for motivation but a few were built with 390s. I wouldn't pay Shelby money for one, but a clean one should be worth a few grand more than a garden-variety 'Stang of the same years. # 2. 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Rallye 350. These cars had a super loud Sebring Yellow monochromatic paint job, a "Judge" type spoiler, Rally wheels and a 350 V8 backed by a 4-speed or a TH350 automatic. 3,527 were built, so their not a moon rock. Again-I wouldn't pay 442 or Hurst / Olds money for one, but they are definitely worth more than a base-model Cutlass. # 3. 1970-71 Pontiac Tempest T-37 / 1972 LeMans GT. The buff magazines called these the "Poor Man's GTO". Standard equipment was a 350 V8 and a 3-speed stick, but you could get a 400 or a 455 with a 4-speed or an automatic as well. For some reason in 1972 the "T37" moniker was dropped and the name changed to "LeMans GT" but the basic package was the same. # 4. 1971-72 "Heavy Chevy". This was a 2 dr Malibu coupe with an SS-style domed hood, hood pins, a blacked-out grille, 14" inch slotted steel wheels and special "Heavy Chevy" badging. Most had 350s for power, but the 396 was optional. 6,727 were built in '71 and another 3,000 or so in the strike-shortened year of '72.  # 5. 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. Based on the LeMans chassis these great sleepers have 400 or 455 cubes under the hood,wrist-thick front and rear sway bars,and power front disc brakes. Their huge wheelwells will accomodate 275/60R15 tires on 8-inch wheels without modification, and any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle fit these cars. Dynamite if you can find one.  Any one of these would be a fun ride. Mastermind  

More cars that don't exist....

After the last post I had several people ask me about other cars that friends and co-workers claimed to have owned or seen, but weren't sure if they were for real and wanted me to verify or de-bunk the existence of these cars. I'm happy to please, so here's the list.  #1. 428 powered 1968 Mustangs. When GM introduced the Camaro / Firebird in 1967 it stole quite a bit of the Mustangs thunder-and sales. You could get a Camaro with a 396 inch Rat motor and a Firebird with 400 V8 out of the GTO. Needless to say all a 289 inch Mustang would see of those would be the taillights. Ford quickly stuffed the 390 into the Mustang as an option-but it was a truck / station wagon engine not a high-performance one, and in road tests the 396 Camaro and 400 Firebird blew its doors off. Carroll Shelby had stuffed the 428 Police Interceptor into the GT500 in 1967 and was offereing it again for '68, but those were ultra-rare high-dollar conversions. Bob Tasca-owner of Tasca Ford on the east coast and one of the most successful and influential Ford dealers in the country-stuffed a 428 into a Mustang and had great success drag racing it. Like Royal Pontiac-Tasca Ford would do special conversions if customers paid enough and I know he built several 428CJ '68 Mustangs for customers. They'd take a 390 model-"FE" engines are externally identical-and order the solid-lifter Police Interceptor 428 through the parts department and have the service department swap the engines. However I have never seen a factory built version or the build sheet or window sticker on one, and Musclecar Review, Hot Rod, and Hemmings has never verified one. If someone can produce paperwork authenticating one, I'll take their word for it, but I don't think Ford ever built any. However, because of Tasca's efforts, the 428 became a factory option when the Mustang was redesigned for 1969. # 2. 4-speed 1969 Hurst / Olds. In 1968 George Hurst stuffed the 390 hp 455 out of the Toronado into a 442, gave it a special silver and black paint job, a special shift kit and high-stall converter in the TH400 and a Hurst / Dual gate shifter. It was a rocket, and the buff magazines loved it. Only 515 were built, but it did a lot for the 442's street cred. In 1969 906 were built and these were even more radical-they were white and gold and had huge hood scoops and a GTO "Judge" type spoiler on the back. For some reason they lost 10 hp and were rated at 380. All the H / O's were automatics. The buff magazines called them "The Gentlemans" Hot Rod". Rumor has it that the son of the owner of a big Olds dealer in Michigan wanted one, and he wanted a 4-speed in it. Hurst and Oldsmobile wouldn't do a special order-so they got a "Regular" TH400 H / O and had the service department put a Muncie M21 4-speed and clutch assembly in it. If that's true then their may be one of 906 running around with a 4-speed-but again this car has never turned up at Hot August Nights, Barret-Jackson or the Pure Stock Drags and no magazine has ever verified it, so it may be just a rumor. All Hurst / Olds models were automatics, through all the years the package was offered.  # 3. 1969-70 Ram Air V GTO. In 1967-68 Herb Adams and crew were working on a Tunnel-Port 303 inch Pontiac engine to compete in the Trans-Am series. They knew Ford was building a Tunnel-Port 302-( The term "Boss" ring a bell? ) and they wanted to be competitive. They found out that the little 303 actually ran better and made more power with the smaller production RAIV heads. However-when Adams and drag racers Doug Nash and Arnie Beswick put the big heads on the 400 and 428 engines with a hot General Kinetics solid-lifter cam and special valvetrain they were amazed. They were making power levels equal to or better than a 426 Chrysler Hemi and a 427 Chevy Rat Motor. Naturally the engineers wanted to put it into production. John DeLorean-who was president of Pontiac at the time and the GM Brass wouldn't warranty a solid-lifter Pontiac engine. Adams and crew argued that Chevrolet had numerous solid-lifter engines that they warrantied, and that Chrysler was selling Hemi Darts with no warranty at all. To no avail. Except they had enough parts to build about 600 engines and they didn't want to just scrap them. Adams suggested they sell them over the counter to racers. Royal Pontiac swapped an RA V into a Carousel Red Judge that was featured in Hot Rod and other magazines, and Arnie Beswick had great success drag racing an RA V Judge. Doug Nash built 4bbl and dual-quad intakes for the RA V, and Royal Pontiac mechanic Milt Schornak had great success drag racing a 1970 GTO with an RA V, and other influeintial Pontiac tuners like Mickey Thompson and Nunzi Romano could build RA V's for people, and as late as 1972 it was rumored that Pontiac engineers had built a 455 inch RA V GTO and raced it against a 455 inch Stage 2 Buick Skylark trying to force it into production to revive flagging sales, but there was never a factory built version. # 4. Boss 429 Cougar. Ford wanted to homogolate the Boss 429 for Nascar racing to compete with the 426 Chrysler Hemi that was dominating. The rules said you had to build at least 500 cars and sell them to the public before you could race them. Since the Wood Brothers, and Cale Yarborough and A.J. Foyt were racing Torinos and Mercury Cyclones in Nascar I have no Idea why Ford decided to sell the Boss Nine in the Mustang, and I have no Idea why Nascar allowed them to race the engines, because they weren't selling Boss Nine Torinos and Cyclones to the public! Maybe the rule just said the engine had to be sold in any production vehicle, and it didn't have to be a specific model. I don't know. Anyhow that's how the Boss 429 Mustang came into being. But they werent' factory built. Ford would take 428 Mustangs, and ship them to Kar Kraft for the Boss Nine conversion. Even at the high price they were selling them at, Ford lost money on every one. I know a couple of Boss Nine Cougars were built by Kar Kraft for drag racer "Dyno" Don Nicholson, but none were ever sold to the public, and again-I have never seen one, or the build sheet or a window sticker for one, and no magazine or Ford engineer or executive has ever verified one. # 5. 1972 Boss 351 Mustang. The Boss 351 was a one-year only option. 1,806 were built in 1971. They had 11.3:1 compression, a hot solid-lifter cam, and an aluminum high-rise intake with a special 750 cfm Autolite carb. They were only available with a 4-speed and 3.91 or 4.30 gears. They were grossly under-rated at 330 hp. In 1972 the Majority of Mach 1 Mustangs had a 351 CJ that had 7.9:1 compression, a hydraulic cam, and was rated at 266 hp and was available with a 4-speed or an automatic. There was an option called 351HO that had 8.8:1 compression, a solid-lifter cam,was only available with a 4-speed, and was rated at 285 hp. People argue that this was just a de-tuned Boss 351-and their right-but Ford called the package "351 HO" not "Boss" so that's the way it is. Chrysler took the cute little devils with the pitchfork off the Demons because of pressure from christian groups in 1973 and changed the name to "Dart Sport". They still had the 340 V8 and all the other pieces-but they weren't "Demons" anymore. And the '72 "HO" 'Stangs weren't Bosses anymore. Hope that clears things up. Mastermind    

Cars that don't exist.....Trust me.....They really don't....

Had some people ask me about some weird cars or what some magazines call "Factory Freaks"-and they wanted me to prove or disprove their existence. Here's the list that one guy sent me and what I know about them. # 1. 4-door or Station wagon 1964 Olds 442. Scrambling to combat the phenomenal success of the GTO Oldsmobile introduced the 442 option on the Cutlass / F85 line. It stood for 4 barrel carb, 4-speed trans and dual exhaust. 4-4-2. Except with only 330 cubic inches,all it would see of a 389 GTO is the taillights. Anyhow-in early 1964 sales literature and the option book-it says you could get the 442 package on any F85 model including 4-door sedans and wagons. However-I have never seen one, or seen the build sheet or window sticker for one, Musclecar Review and Hemmings Motors News has never verified one, and no Olds engineer or executive has ever verified one. This happened a lot in the '60's and '70's. Many things were listed as optional in initial sales literature and then dropped, or nobody ever ordered the option.  # 2. Tri-Power 1967 GTO. Caving in to pressure from insurance companies and safety Nazis-GM said no more multi-carb options after 1966. Zora-Arkus Duntov and crew defied the order and kept the 3-2bbl option on the 427 Corvette until 1969, but the other divisions toed the line. The 3-2bbl option had been a Pontiac Performance staple since 1959 on various models. In 1967 the GTO engine was upped to 400 cubic inches and the cylinder heads completely redesigned with much larger ports and valves than the '59-66 "Bathtub" heads and breathed much better. The Quadrajet 4bbl carb and new manifold also flowed better than the old tri-power setup. The car actually had more, not less power. However-enthusiasts and the buff magazines howled to the high heavens. The 1965-66 setup would bolt onto the new engine, and the parts were available through dealership parts departments. Some dealers like Royal Pontiac would even have the Service Department install it for you at extra cost. So someone who says their dad or older brother bought a 1967 GTO off the lot with tri-power on it may not be lying-they may very well have-but the parts were dealer-installed-there was never a factory built version. # 3. 1970 LS6 Corvette. Initially the LS6 454 was slated to be optional in the Camaro and the Nova as well as the Chevelle, but was finally offered only in the Chevelle line. Zora-Arkus Duntov-chief Corvette engineer- fully expected the much more radical 12.25:1 compression LS7 to make production as the 'Vette's top engine option-so the LS6 wasn't offered. At the last minute the brass nixed production on the LS7-leaving the 370 hhp LT1 small-block as the most powerful engine. You could get a 454 in a 1970 Corvette but it was the hydralic-cammed, iron intake, Q-jet carbed 360 hp LS5 "Station Wagon" engine. The LS6 was optional in 1971 Corvettes with 9:1 compression and a hp rating of 425 instead of 450. About 1,100 were built in 1971. But there was no factory LS6 1970 model. # 4. 440 / Six-Pack 1972 Charger / Road Runner. The 440+6 option was listed in early 1972 sales literature with 9:1 compression and a hp rating of 330-down substantially from the 10.3:1 and 385 hp of the '71 model. However, the Tri-Powers had trouble passing the stiffer 1972 emissions standards and the option was scrapped, leaving the 280 hp 440 4bbl as the top engine. Rumors persist that 10 or 12 "slipped out" but-I have never seen one or the build sheet or window sticker for one, and no Chrysler employee or magazine has ever verified one to my knowledge. However-Edelbrock sells the manifold to this day and Holley still sells the carbs and Mopar Performance still sells the throttle linkage and air cleaner-and when it used to be "Direct Connection" in the '70's they stocked it back then. So someone could easily have the setup on a '72 model-but I seriously doubt if its a factory-built version. # 5. 1971-72 GTO Wagon. These do not exist. In 1971-72 you could get the scooped hood and "Endura" bumper on any LeMans model including wagons. The 400 and 455 engines were also available-although the 455 was the "Big Car" 250 hp version-the 300 hp 455HO was only available in Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds and the GTO / LeMans GT coupes but was not optional in wagons. So if some clown claims to have a GTO wagon-it's a LeMans Sport Wagon with the Endura front end.  # 6. SD 455 1973 Pontiacs. In early 1973 sales literature the SD-455 was listed as available in the Grand Am, Gran Prix, GTO and LeMans line as well as Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds. "Cars" magazine even goofed and named the '73 GTO the "Car of The Year". But they had trouble passing emissions with the hot RAIV cam and it was changed to the milder RAIII grind and hp was down-rated from 310 to 290. Then they had trouble with the connecting rods, and with the Egr valves. Ultimately the engine was finally EPA certified in the Firebird line only. Only 295 were built-252 in Trans-Ams and another 43 in Formulas. So your '73 GP may have a tire-frying 455 in it, but it's not a Super Duty. Hope that clears things up. Mastermind      

Please Stop the "Politically Correct" remakes that are ruining Action / Car Chase classics...

My college student daughter works in a great used bookstore that not only gets hard-to-find  and out of print books, they also get classic movies on VHS and DVD. A good customer of hers asked if she could recommend a couple of "Badass" movies. She said-"Sure, my dad is an action movie buff and a writer and two of his favorites are "Vanishing Point" and "The Mechanic." The guy came back the next day, wanting to return the movies and saying "These sucked". My daughter started laughing, and said "Oh, my god, you got the stupid remakes, I'm sorry I should have been specific." "You need "The Mechanic" with Charles Bronson and "Vanishing Point with Barry Newman." "The originals, from the '70s"  "I'll trade you, then you tell me what you think." The guy came back a couple days later and told her "Your dad was right-those were awesome." "The remakes were totally different and sissified." "No comparison" "The '70's versions kicked ass." "These new ones pussed out."  Here's why-In the Original "Vanishing Point" that was made in 1971-"Kowalski" played by Barry Newman-was a Vietnam Vet, an ex-cop, and ex-race car driver and motorcycle racer who was working for a car delivery service in Denver. He supposed to deliver a white, 440, 4-speed 1970 Dodge Challenger to San Francisco. He bets his drug dealer the bill for some speed that he can make the trip in 15 hours. This leads to some badass car-chase action as he eludes the police in Colorado, Utah, and Nevada on his way to California. He's helped along the way by the now deceased Cleavon Little-playing a blind, clairvoiyant outlaw DJ named "Super Soul" who talks to him over the radio and steers him away from the police. Through flashbacks we see why he quit being a cop, and that his wife died tragically. Along the way he also meets a snake-charmer, two homosexuals who try to rob him, and a biker / slash drug dealer who's girlfriend rides a dirt-bike naked around their spread and offers to have sex with Kowalski while her man is out scouting where the cops are. Kowlalski is visited by his dead wife who says "I've been waiting for you" He goes out in a blaze of glory by hitting two bulldozers that the California Highway Patrol has placed on the state line. The look on Barry Newman's face as he drives into the bulldozers is ethereal. He looks like the happiest man alive.  In the 1997 remake Viggo Mortenson-( Who I loved in both " A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises" ) plays Kowalski-who's a Desert Storm vet working for a car dealer that specializes in classic musclecars. His wife is 9 months pregnant and suffers from lupus. He has to deliver a 1970 Challenger-for some reason this time a Hemi-to San Francisco. 1st off-how about not leave on the trip if your sick wife is about to deliver the baby any day now?  He leaves, she goes into labor. He get's the frantic call from their friend. How about park the car and get on an airplane and be there in a couple hours? Plot hole you could drive a truck through # 1.   No he decides to run home in the car, leading the police on a chase across three states, to get home to his dying wife and child. Of course if you want to believe that in 1997 America-pre-9 /11 mind you-that he couldn't get a flight that day or even the next day which would still be quicker than a 3 day road trip, go ahead. And of course-he doesn't tell the first cop that stops him this poignant, sad tale and ask for a police escort home- or since he's ex-military how about an escort to an air force base and hitch a ride home on an military plane?  No he runs and starts a manhunt. "Super Soul" this time, isn't black, isn't blind, and isn't psychic. He's played by Jason Priestley and rants like he's a little to the right of the Unabomber and eventually rats Kowalski out to the cops. He breaks the oil pan and goes to this shade-tree mechanics house who just "happens to have" a Hemi Oil pan "laying around". Rigghhhhtt. His girlfriend is played by the smokin' hot Peta Wilson ( "La Femme Nikita, "Mercy" ) and she does ride a dirt-bike in coveralls, and then shorts and combat boots. If they didn't want to do full-nude, they could have at least given us a gratuitous barefoot-in-a-bikini scene. And she doesn't offer to screw him. Anyhow-the cops for some reason think he's a terrorist and want to kill him. At the end they imply that he somehow bailed out of the car at 100+mph before it hit the bulldozers, survived this and slipped away without the 50 cops there seeing him and went home to raise the kid and live happily ever after even though his wife did die in childbirth. Gag.   As for the "Mechanic" Charles Bronson was a gifted actor before he got lazy and started phoning in a "Death Wish" sequel every few years when he needed money. Anyhow-his Arthur Bishop is a mob hitman who suffers from insomnia and migraine headaches, and is so lonely that he pays expensive hookers to write him love letters, and takes a young Jan-Micheal Vincent-the son of one of his victims-under his wing and teaches him the trade. Vincent is chilling as a self-centered, spoiled sociopathic adrenaline junkie. When Bronson inadvertantly sees that Vincent has a contract on him-the game of cat and mouse between teacher and student begins-and they eventually kill each other. I won't say how because I don't want to spoil the awesome ending for people who want to go buy or rent the movie. In the 2011 remake- Jason Statham phones in his typical "I'm mysterious badass, so don't fuck with me" perfomance. He buys the hooker a puppy. Ben Foster plays his protege-who unlike Jan-Micheal Vincent's character-hung on Bronson's every word and wanted to learn everything he could to be an even better killer- even saving Bronson's life a couple times in gunfights because he thought he needed to know more before he took on the big dog-no this moron does the exact opposite of what Statham tells him to do several times, nearly getting himself and Stahtam killed in the process. And of course Statham doesn't kick his ass or tell him to fuck off because he doesn't listen-he let's him hang around and try to kill him. And instead of Bishop being shockingly killed by his friend that he thought had changed his mind about killing him-no-of course Statham's character survives-obviously so they could make a sequel-but thank god it tanked and they won't. How do you make a hitman a nice person?  You don't. Anyway-please Hollywood-stop butchering classics-please.  Mastermind