The path of most resistance.....again....

I don't know why certain people-usually people with limited mechanical ability-a professional mechanic or bodyman never comes up with such hare-brained schemes-come up with ideas that are not feasible and then get obsessed with making it work?  I talked to a guy recently who had read about Bonneville Salts Flat racers in the '50's and thought the Cadillac V8 stuffed into the aerodynamic ( for then ) Studebaker Coupe was a great idea and wanted to do a modern equivalent. I suggested a third-gen ( 1982-92 ) Camaro / Firebird with a LS motor topped by a Magnussen Supercharger. Sort of a build yourself Z06 engine to stuff in the light car. He showed a little common sense and said- "I'm not good with the modern Electronics, I was thinking something a little more Old School."  "Ok." I said and suggested he stay with the '80's F-Body-preferably the Firebird / Trans-Am models because they were the most aerodynamic having a drag coefficient of .028-.032 depending on model year.  I then suggested buying or building a 454 Chevy V8.  Like it or not-nothing makes more power for less money than a Rat Motor.  Sure, a Boss-Nine Ford or Chrysler Hemi can make as much or more power-but at 2 or 3 times the cost. In "Bang for the Buck" the Rat is king.  This guys says he wants to do a '70's Camaro / Firebird with a 500 inch Cadillac V8.  Bad Idea I say. First off-part of attaining very high speed-200 mph+ is aerodynamics plays as much a part as power to weight ratio. I explained that a '70's Camaro / Firebird weighs about 3,700 lbs and has a drag coefficient of .048. That's not bad for a 50+ year old design-( the 1970-81 F-bodies were designed in the late '60's ). But it's nowhere near the slippery .028-032 of the later models. Some of the '84-'90 models with the "Aero" pack got down to .024-that's really slippery. And the later models weigh about 3,200 lbs-about 500 lbs lighter.  Further-I said to get the 600+ hp he'd need to get that speed level even in a very aerodynamic body-the Big Block Chevy is still the way to go. I explained that the 472 and 500 inch Cad engines, while having copious amounts of low-end torque-they were designed to move the 5-6,000 lb land barges that were '60's and '70's Caddys that may have been towing a trailer.  They don't make any real power above 4,000 rpm, and their is very little speed equipment for them.  Then he asks about putting a blower on a 500 Cad engine. Ugh! "That's the point I'm making." "NO ONE makes hot rod parts for Cadillac engines!!" "I think Edelbrock makes a Performer intake, but that's it."  "The Cad motors don't have the heads or bottom end to make anywhere near the power level you need."  Then he asks about a 455 Pontiac. "The Pontiacs have way more potential than the Cad's " "Edelbrock and Kauffman make high-performance aluminum heads for them that breathe really well." "You can put a custom crank in a 400 block to get 461 inches."  "It's possible to build a 600+hp Pontiac". "But it will cost more than the big-block Chevy and may not hold together at high rpm." "Pontiac bottom ends don't hold up well over 6,000 rpm. " "The Rat is still the best choice, whatever body you put it in."  Then he asks about putting a 460 in a Fox Mustang!! What is it with this guy?  "Yeah, it's possible to put a 460 into a Fox Mustang, but it isn't cheap or easy." "If you want to run a Mustang I'd get an '87-93 GT with the Aero Pack ." Stripped down, it should weigh about 2,900 lbs." "I'd use a 302 with a stroker crank to get 347 inches and a Ford Racing or Magnussen Suppercharger." "The blower should give you well over 550 hp which will make you competitive." "A 460 conversion would cost more than double that, and may not have any more power, unless you invest 30 grand in a Jon Kaase 514. " "That's 30 grand just for the motor."  "What about a Dodge Charger?"  "An old one or a new one?"  "A new Hellcat has 797 hp and a 200 mph top speed." "But do you want to spend 75 grand on a new car and then gut it for a roll cage and make it a race car?"  "A 60's or '70's model ?" "Your dreaming". "Their a brick." "Even if you built or bought an 800 hp Hemi, they don't have the aerodynamics, and their handling over 150 mph described as scary is an understatement."  "Stick with the '80's Firebird and the Big-Block Chevy." "That's the easiest and cheapest, and most reliable way."  "What about a slope-nosed, fastback '77 Cutlass like Richard Petty drove after they outlawed his Charger?"  "With a stompin' big-block Chevy?" "Might fly." "With a 455 Olds."  Aaaauuuugggghhhhh!!!!!    Mastermind       

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood....

I saw "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" last night. It was entertaining and had a couple of great moments. But overall it wasn't the Masterpiece that the press was hoping for.  The story centers on Rick Dalton ( Leonardo DiCaprio ) who was the star of a "Wanted: Dead or Alive" type western TV show whose career is fading, and Cliff Booth ( Brad Pitt ) his stunt double and best friend. It also focuses on Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate ( Margot Robbie ) and the Manson Family and how they all run into each other at the end. Tarantino nicely re-creates late '60's Los Angeles and the cars are cool. Pitt and Dicaprio tool around in a beautiful cream colored '66 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Pitt also has a Karmann Ghia convertible and Robbie tools around in a sinister Porsche 911 that belongs to ex-boyfriend Jay Sebring. Like Val Kilmer stole "Tombstone" Brad Pitt steals this movie. Don't get me wrong; DiCaprio is excellent at the both swaggering and insecure fading star. But Pitt steals the show. Two awesome scenes enable him to do this. One-he gives a hitchiking Manson girl a ride to the Spahn ranch where he used to shoot movies and refuses a blowjob because he knows she's under 18.  He argues with the Manson girls and "Tex" Watson and wants to make sure his old friend George Spahn is ok and not being abused by these deadbeats. After deciding that George may be being taken advantage of, but is not in mortal danger, he decides to leave. They've slashed a tire on the Caddy. Pitt beats the shit out of the guy that did it and forces him to change the tire in a hilarious and brutal scene.  The second one takes place on the set of the "Green Hornet" where Bruce Lee ( Mike Moh ) is boasting that he could beat Muhammed Ali in a fight. Since the real Bruce Lee was only 5'6" and 140 lbs-and so is the actor playing him-Pitt's character laughs and calls him on it saying Ali would squash him like a bug. Lee challenges him to a fight. "Okay, Kato, bring it" Both Pitt and Moh show athleticism as they trade punches and kicks, and Pitt eventually bounces him off a nearby car, putting a huge dent in the car. The stunt coordinator and her husband-Zoe Bell and Kurt Russel stop the fight. Zoe yells at Pitt telling him he's fired. Russel asks why. "He was beating the shit out of Bruce!" she shreiks. Moh protests-"Hey nobody beat the shit out of Bruce."  Pitt retorts "I think the dent in that car says otherwise" Bell shrieks again-"That's my car!!"  Pitt and Moh look like chagrined junior high boys-"Hey we were just fooling around" Russel fires Pitt. It's a hilarious scene.  Another great one is where DiCaprio, after flubbing his lines in a previous take on a western TV Pilot he's shooting absolutely nails the next scene, and is congratulated not only by the director, but also by his 8 year old co-star who says "That's the best acting she's ever seen in her whole life".  She's 8 years old!!  Where it kind of goes off the rails is Tarantino has to put his little preaching to the choir inside jokes in there. We know all about his foot fetish. Margot Robbie has pretty feet-but the scene in the movie theater where she props her dirty bare feet up on the seats in front of her, so he can park his camera there for an extreme close-up seems contrived. Mainly because in the scenes leading up to the theater scene she's wearing knee-high white boots which were popular in the late '60's. I would assume she'd be wearing socks under the boots to avoid getting blisters. I doubt that she'd take the boots and socks off in public. And if she did, why wouldn't her feet be clean? He should have had her wearing flip flops or sandals in the previous scenes or even spike-heeled pumps that she could take off and walk barefoot on the sidewalk up to the theater which would explain her very dirty feet. To me it fell flat. Okay-here's what the soles of Margot's feet look like from an inch away-isn't that cool? I guess-if your into feet. What hetero guy doesn't like seeing a sexy woman barefoot?  Why do you think "Charlie's Angels" had such high ratings in the '70's? All the bikini scenes with Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith!!  Duh.  And of course-Spoiler Alert here-if your going to see it you may want to stop reading. The Manson family attacks Dicaprio's house by mistake He's Sharon Tate's next door neighbor. Him and Pitt smite them in biblical fashion and then Leo has a drink with his grateful neighbors who live happily ever after instead of being murdered by the Manson gang. It's entertaining as long as you don't take it too seriously and you can't. Tarantino says he's going to retire after his next film. I hope it's better than this one, and returns to the innovation he showed with "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown".  It's worth seeing, it's just not the grand masterpiece that "Pulp Fiction" was. Mastermind

Cars manufacturers really dropped the ball on....

I said in the previous post that Oldsmobile gave up on performance after 1971. They weren't the only ones. Musclecar buyers didn't magically disappear after 1972; the manufacturers stopped making cars that they wanted to buy!!  By 1975 the Road Runner was no more, the Charger was a re-badged Chrysler Cordoba ( yuk!) the 'Cuda and Challenger were no more, the Javelin AMX was no more, no more SS Chevelles, the Z/28 was no more, the Mustang was more Pinto than Mustang, and the largest engine you could get in a Corvette was a 350. And you couldn't get a 4-speed in California!! And you wonder why Pontiac Trans-Am sales doubled or tripled every year, even before "Smokey&the Bandit?" T/A sales jumped from 5,000 in 1973 to 10,000 in '74, to 23,000 in '75. to 46,000 in '76 and to 68,000 in '77. In 1978-the first year that "Smokey and the Bandit" ( it was released in May 1977 ) had an impact on-a record 93,000 were sold, and 117,000 in '79. If you wanted a Musclecar in the mid to late '70's you had one choice-a Trans-Am. If it weren't for Pontiac hanging in there, we'd have never had 5.0 Mustangs or Buick Grand Nationals in the '80's and we might not have SS Camaros or Hellcat Chargers now. Just like GM built Camaros and Firebirds basically unchanged from 1970-81 Chrysler could have done the same with the Challenger and Barracuda. It's a mystery to me why Chrysler dropped the big-blocks after 1971. The 400 ( a bored-out 383 ) and 440 engines were EPA certified in "big" cars like the Plymouth Sport Fury and Dodge Monaco until 1978. Think a 400 or 440 / 4-speed Challenger could have competed against the Trans-Am?  Does a bear crap in the woods?  In '79 after they dropped the big blocks, they could have used the E58 360 Police Interceptor Motor that was in the "300" and the Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. After a 2 1/2 year hiatus Chevrolet hastily resurrected the Z/28 Camaro in April 1977. It had T/A style graphics and spoilers, a 350 V8 backed by a 4-speed or a TH350 and a 3.73:1 or 3.42:1 posi rear end. 1978 was a record year for Camaro sales. If Chrysler hadn't hastily killed the E-bodies in 1974-doubtless they would have gotten a good piece of the performance car pie. AMC shot themselves in the foot twice. Once in 1975-when they killed the Javelin. They could have carried on as well. They really blew it in 1977. Everyone was looking for a Trans-Am fighter. AMC engineers came up with a performance package for the Compact Hornet. It had a great handling suspension, and since AMC engines are like Pontiacs-their all externally identical- the 304 was optional in the Hornet and the 401 was certified in big cars and Jeep Cherokees through '78-they wanted to stuff a 401 into the Hornet AMX. Since a Trans-Am weighed about 3,800 lbs and a Hornet weighs about 2,900-a 401 AMX would have blown the doors off a Trans-Am. The brass ok's the suspension and graphics but not the engine swap. The AMX was left with a 2bbl carbed 304 that wheezed out 120 hp. And they wondered why they didn't sell?!!  This went on through the '80's. Buick engineers wanted to make the swoopy Reatta coupe rear-wheel drive and stuff the Grand National engine in it. Chevrolet brass lost their mind, howling to the high heavens that this would kill Corvette sales. It would have. Thus the Reatta was made front drive with a normally aspirated 140 hp V6. And they wondered why they didn't sell?!  Mastermind     

More one or two year wonders......

There's always cars that slip through the cracks, that might be bargains. Here's a few. # 1. 1973-77 Olds 442. Olds just flat gave up on performance after 1971. In '72 The 442, which had been it's own model from 1965-71 and only had engines 400 or 455 cubes, reverted to option status on the Cutlass. The base engine was a 350 with a 2bbl that wheezed out 160 hp. The vaunted W30 455 rated at 300 net hp was still available, but this was the last hurrah. From '73 on the 442 was an "Appearance and Handling" package optional on any V8 Cutlass. The "station wagon" 455 was still optional but by '75 it only made 190 hp-a far cry from the under-rated 370 of the 1970 W30 and pathetic considering the 4bbl 350 made 180 hp. Anyhow-you did get wrist-thick front and rear sway bars and front disc brakes, and they were really good handlers-probably the best handling American car in the '70's with the exception of the Pontiac Trans-Am and Chevrolet Corvette. Some 1976-77 models may have the 403 V8 which is a plus factor. Any speed equipment that fits a 350 fits a 403. The first thing I would do is an axle-ration change. Most of these cars have 2.41:1 or 2.73:1 gears which makes them slugs. Switching to something in the 3.23:1 to 3.73:1 range will give you a stunning improvement in acceleration without hurting drivability or fuel economy too much. Some had an "Economy" 260 inch V8 that wheezed out 120 hp; avoid these like the plague. The 350 / 403 models are much better.  # 2. 1980-81 Pontiac Trans-Am. The 400 inch Pontiac and Olds engines were dropped after '79 which left a big void in performance. Pontiac introduced a TurboCharged 301 V8 that they claimed made 210 hp; the last 400 was rated at 220. However Hot Rod's 400 / 4-speed '79 test car ripped off a blistering 14.61 in the 1/4 mile. Other buff magazine tests ranged from a 14.78 to 15.30.  Thirteen months later, their 1980 Turbo T/A tester could only manage a 16.30!!  It's pretty obvious that the the 301 was down a lot more than 10 hp from the 400!!  Anyhow your other choices were a normally aspirated 301 that made 150 hp and a 305 Chevy that wheezed out 145. These are bargains because Pontiac Purists snub them like lepers in favor of the '79 and earlier models. Also-if you have a 301 model a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap. If you have a 305 model, a 350 or 383 Chevy is a bolt-in swap.   # 3. 1984-87 Monte Carlo SS. In April 1983 Chevy put the Aerodynamic front end that Nascar teams were using on racers on the Monte Carlo. They also had "SS" lettering and striping, aluminum wheels and the L69 "H.O." 305 out of the Z/ 28 backed by a TH700R4 and a 3.42:1 posi rear. They were decent performers-a Monte Carlo wasn't much heavier than a Camaro.  Very nice drivers if you can find one. I wouldn't pay exorbitant money for one-you could easily buy a "regular" 305 Monte and get the "Aero" front clip from Honest Charley or other sources and make your own, if you "gotta have" the look.  # 4. 1983-86 Mercury Capri 5.0.  For these few years Mercury sold "5.0" Mustangs with a different grille and Capri badging. Their not collectible, their just weird; kind of like early '70's GMC "Sprints"-which are a re-badged El Camino. If you find one at a decent price by all means buy it. Anything that fits a Fox Mustang fits these. # 5. 1989 20th Anniversary Trans-Am. These had the vaunted Turbocharged V6 out of the Buick Grand National. In addition to having more power than the 305 and 350 Chevys, they were lighter, which made them not only faster, but better handlers.  These bring a King's Ransom, but their worth it. Dynamite if you can find one at a reasonable price. # 6. 1994-96 Impala SS. Some engineer at GM must have got drunk one night and said "Hey-what if we took a Cop Car Caprice, beefed up the suspension and brakes, put some monster tires on it, gave it a sinister black paint job and dropped a Corvette engine in it?" "Wouldn't that be cool?"  Apparently the brass was drinking at the same barbecue, because that's exactly what they did. These have kind of a "cult" following like the Buick Grand National, which makes them pricey. Their an awesome ride if you can find one at a decent price.  Mastermind   

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

For  whatever reason sometimes manufacturers come up with a really cool concept that doesn't take off. Maybe it's not promoted or marketed right, or maybe it's ahead of it's time. Regardless they don't sell a ton so their dropped. But you can often get a cool ride at a reasonable price. Here's a few in no particular order.  # 1. 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. GM's first attempt to build a BMW. Based on the LeMans platform these were touted to have the performance of a Trans-Am and the luxury of a Gran Prix. 400 cubes standard, with 455 optional. You could even get a 4-speed with the 400, while 455s were automatic only. Wrist-thick front and rear sway bars and front disc brakes made them surprisingly good handlers. 34,000 were sold in 1973 alone so their not a Moon rock. Dynamite if you can find one. #2. 1974 Pontiac GTO. Often called the best Nova ever built. In 1974 Pontiac moved the legendary GTO nameplate from the "A" body LeMans to the "X" body ( Nova ) platform. You got a 350 V8, a 4-speed or a TH350, radial tuned suspension and a Trans-Am style shaker hood scoop. 2 good things for hot rodders-a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap, and any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Camaro / Firebird fit these. 7,058 were built.  # 3. 1975 Plymouth Road Runner. For this one year only the Road Runner was based on the Sport Fury platform. You got a "Tuff" steering wheel, road runner emblems, and a "Beep-Beep" horn. 318 models are dogs, but the 360 and 400 versions can be made to really run. A little over 6,000 were built.  # 4. 1977-78 Skybird. These were a base-model Firebird with a light blue paint job dark blue pinstriping, blue velour interior, and blue "snowflake" wheels. Most had the anemic 301 Pontiac for power, but the ones to look for are the 350 Pontiac and 350 Chevy models. ( GM was playing musical engines because of smog laws ). It's basically just an appearance package, but because of their moderate success there were "Redbird" and "YellowBird" packages offered in 1979 and 1980. # 5. 1979 Chrysler 300. These were a tricked-up Cordoba. You got a custom grille, a trick white paint job with red pistriping, a custom red leather interior, an E58 Police Interceptor 360 V8, a Torqueflite and a 3.21:1 Sure-Grip rear end.  Their a cool driver if you can find one. # 6. 1980 Z/28 Camaro. For this one year only you could get a 350 V8 with a T10 4-speed that has a 3.44:1 1st gear, a 2.28:1 2nd, and a 3.08:1 rear end. This resulted in quicker acceleration and higher top speed than the '77-79 models 2.64:1 low gear / 3.73:1 rear combo. Automatics got a 3.42:1 ratio which really put the power to the pavement as well. 1980 also marked the return of "Cowl Induction" a vacuum operated hood scoop that opened under acceleration.  In '81 if you wanted a 4-speed you got a 305 that wheezed out 145 hp. Which is odd, because the 350 / 4-speed combo was EPA certified and available in the '81 Corvette.  Typical GM bureaucracy. Anyhow-an '80 Z/28 is a fun ride if you can find one.  # 7. 1982 Corvette. This one year only you got the C3 body that had been around since 1968, with the Cross-Fire injected 350 V8 and the new 4-speed 700R4 Automatic slated for the '84 Corvette.  'Vette collectors snub these cars in favor of the late '70's L82 models, so they can be bought relatively cheap. They were decent performers sub 7 second 0-60 times and mid 15 second 1/4 miles.  # 8. 1983 Z/28 Camaro / Firebird Trans-Am. For this one year only you got the Cross-Fire injected 305 with the 4-speed 700R4 automatic. Collectors snub these in favor of the later carburated L69 and Tuned-Port Injected LB9 models so their a steal.  Any of these would make a nice driver or a hot rod with the right parts. Mastermind

Supercars and Superbikes that aren't always super.....

I was reading a road test of various "Supercars" including the Z06 Corvette, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo, a Lamborghini Muricelago, a Lexus RC-F, a McClaren, a supercharged Jaguar F-Type, and an Aston Martin V12 Vantage. To a man, every single one of the testers said they loved the Aston Marin best, because it felt like a real race car and was exhilerating to drive, even though it wasn't the fastest. In fact in most categories-acceleration, handling,braking, etc it's performance was mid-pack at best. But it "felt" way better than the others. Huh?  I Know exactly what they are talking about it. The others with all their electronic nannys-were quicker around a racetrack or through the slalom, but they felt anesthitized.  Even the Porsche 911 formerly the last bastion of pure sports cars that didn't suffer fools lightly-has an electric motor on the steering rack! And all the other cars had 8 and 10 speed automatics. The Vantage with its Snarling 500+hp V12 and 7-speed stick was raucous. It would spin the tires in third gear, and you could steer with the throttle in any gear but 6th or 7th which were overdrive. The Vantage felt like it was on the edge of out of control even if it wasn't. The writers were so glad that Aston Martin didn't add a bunch of electronic nannies just to gain a little on the skidpad or around the Nurburging or Willow Springs. That's the way it should be. I remember back in the early '80's Car and Driver tested a 911 Turbo Carerra. It was scary. They asked Danny Ongais who had recently won the Indy 500, who owned a Turbo Carerra. "Danny-how do you corner fast in your 911 Turbo?" The answer? "I don't corner fast in my 911 Turbo."  Yeah!  That's why we love stuff like the Hellcat. Too much is just enough. I'll never forget the first time I drove a 427 Stingray. It wasn't an L88; it was a 390 hp model. But it was ungodly fast. It would smoke the tires all the way through 2nd gear and into 3rd. It didn't matter what speed you were going or what gear you were in, acceleration was simply put your foot down. It had SO much torque. It felt good. I remember the Kawasaki Mach 3.  It was a 750cc 2-stroke 3-cylinder monster. It could rip off 11 second 1/4 miles. It would wheelie in 3rd or 4th gear. The brakes were barely adequate. Ditto for the Mighty Z1 introduced in 1973. A blisteringly fast 900cc 4-cylinder monster.  The feeling of raw speed is missing in most modern cars no matter the numbers they can lay down. I drove a buddy's Z06 Corvette and it was unbelievably fast. But I didn't feel the rush I felt when I drove that '66 Stingray, even though I know the Z06 would smoke it in a drag race or the twisties. I did however drive a 674 hp Roush Mustang. The Mustang gave me that feeling!! It would smoke the tires in 3rd gear, go sideways at the slightest throttle application under 60  mph, and felt like it was on the edge of out of control. Like the country song-"I like it, I love it, I want some more of it." For my money-I'd buy the Mustang. I don't care if the Z06 is faster-it's dead. It's a Terminator that needs no human interaction. The Mustang is like a rodeo bull your trying to ride. Much more satisfying. That's what the C/D writers were trying to convey.  Long live the American musclecar.  Mastermind

More Insurance Beaters....

Some other cars that could qualify as "Insurance Beaters"-these aren't quite as cool as the previous batch but you may find a great hot rod or a nice driver depending on how you want to use it. # 1. 1971-72 SS Chevelle. From 1965-1970 the letters SS on a Chevelle meant at least 396 cubes. Some marketing genius came up with the idea to offer the SS package on any V8 Malibu. So it was possible to have a mean-looking machine with a domed hood, blacked out grille, rally stripes, and white-letter tires on Rally wheels, with a 307 V8 under the hood that wheezed out 130 hp or a 2 bbl 350 that had 165. Most had 350 4 bbl power, and there were some 402 / 454 models built as well. The Rat motors bring big dollars, but you can usually find a deal on the small-block models, and there's more speed equipment available for a small-block Chevy than anything else on the planet.  # 2 1972-74 Dodge Challenger / Plymouth 'Cuda. The Hemi and the big blocks were gone after '71, but you could still get a 340 which in my opinion was the most balanced performers as they handled good too. And in all honesty Cudas and Challengers are light enough that even 318 models can really run with minor upgrades-4 bbl carb and intake, headers, mild cam. Some 1974 models will have 360s but it's a truck engine with a lazy cam.  # 3. 1970-77 Firebird Formula 350.  T/A's and Formula 400s get all the glory, but 350 Firebirds run pretty damn good stock, and respond well to basic hot rod tricks-4 bbl carb and intake, dual exhaust, mild cam etc. You can get 325-350 hp and 400 lbs ft of torque from a 350 Pontiac pretty easily. More than that you'll need a 400 or 455.  # 4. 1968-74 Chevy Nova. Novas are about 600 lbs lighter than a Chevelle, and any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Camaro / Firebird fit these cars so they have awesome potential. Most have 350 power, so you can't ask for a better base for a street machine. The "SS" package is mostly an appearance package, ( no Rat Motors after 1970 ) but it looks cool if you find a deal on one.  # 5. 1971-74 Pontiac Ventura / 1973-74 Olds Omega. These were Pontiac and Olds versions of the Nova. A lot have 250 inch Chevy sixes under the hood. The ones to look for are the 350 V8 models. In '74 Pontiac put the GTO name on the Ventura. These had a 350 V8 with a 4-speed or a TH350 , Rally wheels and a Trans-Am style shaker hood.  7,058 were built. Roy Scheider drove a Ventura in the awesome chase scene in the "Seven-Ups".  # 6. 1975-76 Chevy Monza with California emissions. These diamonds slipped through because of smog laws. The 262 and 305 V8 "economy" engines weren't EPA certified for California. If you ordered a V8 Monza in California you got a 350!!  Called the "factory V8 Vega" by the buff magazines these little cars can really rock with minor work-intake, exhaust and an axle ratio change. Dynamite if you can find one. 

"Insurance Beaters" aren't always a deal......

Some one asked me the other day about an article he'd read in Musclecar Review several years ago about "Insurance Beaters". It told how in the late '60s and early '70's Insurance companies jacked up the rates on any car with an engine over 400 cubic inches. The manufacturers responded by building what the buff magazines called "mini-musclecars" or "insurance beaters". Anyhow he wanted to know of some that I'd recommend.  # 1. 1970-74 Plymouth Duster 340 / 360. With it's light weight and high-winding 340 V8 the Duster was a huge hit. It could rip off low 14 second 1/4s bone stock and with headers and slicks easily drop into the 13s. That's quick enough to beat many "full-size" musclecars.  The Dodge boys wanted a piece of the action and in '71 introduced the 340 Demon. Christian groups griped about the name and graphics and Chrysler caved in to the pressure and in 1973 the name was changed to "Dart Sport". Where were all these Christian buyers when Chrysler went bankrupt a few years later? Anyhow in 1974 the 340 was discontinued and replaced with the 360. Their a fun car if you can find one at a decent price, but that's getting harder.  # 2. 1968-70 Olds W31 Cutlass. "Dr Olds" took a base-model 350 Cutlass and added special heads, an aluminum high-rise intake, special exhaust manifolds and a cam so hot that the W31 was only available with a 4-speed manual and 3.90:1 or 4.33:1 gears, and couldn't be ordered with power brakes because the engine didn't make enough vacuum to operate them! They were grossly under-rated at 325 hp. ( The standard 350 was rated at 310 hp; all those go-fast goodies are only worth 15 hp? Please. )  They are really fast if you can find one. The problem is their rare, and usually bring prices that are equal to or higher than a 442 or Hurst / Olds. Dynamite if you can find a deal on one. # 3. 1968-69 Firebird 350 HO / Tempest 350 HO. DeLorean wanted a "Budget" GTO to compete with the less expensive and wildly successful Plymouth Road Runner. The engineers hot-rodded a 350 Tempest and in testing it's performance was equal to or better than a 383 Road Runner. DeLorean then said he wouldn't sell a GTO with an engine under 400 cubes and to re-think it. The Project-which had been nicknamed E.T.-( for elapsed time-get it? ) became The Judge. However, the engineers and the sales team liked the idea of base-model hot rod so the engine was offered in the Tempest and the Firebird. Not many were sold-because gearheads all wanted the 400. They area a nice driver if you can find one.  # 4. 1970-71 Pontiac Tempest T37, 1972 LeMans GT. These were called "The poor man's GTO". You got a base-model Tempest with a 350 V8 and a 3-speed manual. However the 400 and 455 engines were optional as was a 4-speed or a TH400.  In 1972 the name was changed to LeMans GT but the package was basically the same. Dynamite if you can find one, and if the seller doesn't want GTO / Judge money for it.  # 5. 1971-74 AMC Hornet 360SC. Responding to the sales success of the Duster-AMC engineers copied the Mopar guys and stuffed their 360 V8 into the sub-compact Hornet, with a 3 or 4-speed stick or a 3-speed automatic. They weren't sexy-but boy were they quick. A fun car if you can find one. # 6. 1971-77 Maverick "Grabber" / Comet GT.  The Ford guys jumped on the bandwagon by stuffing a 302 V8 into the compact Maverick / Comet. I had a 302 Maverick and it was really quick. Their short wheelbase and good weight distribution actually makes them a good drag racer. A buddy of mine with a 440 Road Runner was shocked one night when a guy in a hotted-up Maverick ( not me ) showed him his taillights.  # 7. 1971-72 "Heavy Chevy". These were a base-model Malibu with a domed SS-style hood, a blacked out grille, slotted Rally wheels and "Heavy Chevy" badging.  Most have 350 power but the 396 / 402 was optional. 6,727 were built in '71 and another 3,000 or so in '72.  Big-block versions will bring substantially more money.  The catch-22 of all these cars-except maybe a '70s Maverick-no one cares about them-is the sellers usually want big dollars for them. If you can find one at a decent price they are all pretty cool. But like I said-I've seen people asking more for a 350 Cutlass than others want for a W30 455 442!  I've seen people asking more money for a T37 Tempest than others want for a RAIII Judge!!  Just look hard and you may find a deal.  Mastermind 

"Gator's" triumphant return.....Advice for Quentin Tarantino.....

I mentioned in a previous post that with the buzz for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"-Quentin Tarantino's take on the Manson Murders-it looks great in the previews-that talk has resumed of him doing a "White Lightning" remake. I said in a couple of previous posts that I didn't think it was a good idea, mainly because the original was so damn good that it would be hard to match or improve on. I now have an idea that he could improve on it. Other re-made classics I didn't like-"True Grit" and "Psycho" both come to mind-because the directors basically tried to do a shot by shot remake with no originality or vision. "White Lightning" would have to be set in the late '60's or early '70's. You'd have the social turmoil of the civil rights movement and the Viet Nam war as a backdrop for this southern-fried revenge tale. You'd have the musclecars. As for casting I'd say for "Gator" I'd try to get Brad Pitt. He's from Missouri-and he's played evil southerners well before. Early Grace in "Kalifornia" was masterful.  Matthew McConaughey would be good as well. Remember "Mud" ?   For the evil sheriff J.C. Connors I think Don Johnson would be perfect. The Immortal "Shake-a-Puddin" ?  Jennifer Billingsley's performance will be hard to match. My choice would be Pam Anderson. She's still got a smokin' body, the tattoo's are perfect for a trailer park barbie,and she has gorgeous feet. ( In the original, Shake-a Puddin" was barefoot almost the entire movie )  QT has a major foot fetish that he's publicly admitted to and you see it in all his films ( Rosario Dawson's in "Death Proof!!" ) and the flick would definitely be enhanced with a some lingering shots of her fire-engine red toes, and dirty soles, and tanned legs. If Pam was unavailable I'd try to get Charlize Theron. I also know QT likes to cast black actors in roles that were designed for white people-"Jackie Brown" comes to mind. ( In the Elmore Leonard novel "Rum Punch" that Jackie Brown was based on-Jackie was a Pam Anderson type blonde. However Pam Grier did awesome in the role ) If he wanted to throw a curveball on "Shake-a-Puddin" Lexx Scott-Davis ( "Superfly", The Purge ) is a stunningly beautiful black woman that can hold her own in very macho movies. In addition to taking money from the whiskey business the evil J.C. Connors could also have a piece of drug dealers and whorehouses and illegal casinos-kinda like "Walking Tall".   The other thing I would do besides Gator wanting revenge for his brother's murder would be to have a Big NASCAR Race in town and Gator and his friends could plot to rob it and steal all the cash from the concession and souvenier sales. I think that would have a great deal of suspense and action opportunities.  If anyone can pull it off QT would be the man to do it.  Mastermind