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   

I agree with "Stuntman Mike"....

In Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof" "Stuntman Mike" is played with evil glee by Kurt Russel. He gets his jollies by stalking women and then killing them with his car in "accidents". He has a great monologue educating Rose McGowan before taking her on a deadly ride. He laments how modern movies are all CGI and the stuff they do in them is impossible and stupid. He longs for the "Vanishing Point" days, the "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry days, White Line Fever days, when you had great men doing great things with great cars.  I agree with him wholeheartedly. The "Fast&Furious" movies were ok through the first 4. Putting lead in the Chevelle's bumper to make it wheelie-that was innovative and cool.  From 5 onward they've gotten progessively worse and more insane. Jumping the Lamborghini or McClaren or whatever it was from skyscraper to skyscraper?  Come on. Bringing down a 747 size jet with cars? Please. Now the producers of the "F&F" movies are advertising "Hobbes&Shaw" starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham who were a federal agent and a criminal in previous "F&F" installments. In this flick their working together to stop Idris Elba who obviously has some Dr Evil plan for world domination or whatever. I've only seen previews but it looks awful. Unless the target audience is 12 year old boys-why waste your time putting something impossible on screen?  Even in fight scenes-guy jumps 6 feet in the air, rotates his body clockwise, kicks 3 guys in the face, does a backflip and lands on his feet. It can't be done,we know it can't be done, and we know the actor isn't doing it, so why put it on screen?  Whether it was Chuck Norris or Steven Seagal, or Jean-Claude Van Damme, or even Jackie Chan-it might not have always looked pretty, but you knew they were actually doing it, which made it cool no matter how lame the story line was. Jason Statham is a talented martial artist but going back to the "Transporter" movies-one guy is not going to take out 10 guys single-handedly.  I've been a Golden Gloves boxer and I've dabbled in kick-boxing. Whatever your art-boxing, Tae-Kwon-do, Muay Thai, etc-if your really good you can take out two guys pretty easily. 3 if their drunk or stupid. In the real world if 4 or more people decide to stomp your ass-you will get your ass kicked, and probably gravely injured. In the preview for Hobbes&Shaw they show Statham taking out like 10 guys in a hallway. Puhleeze. Film makers have been guilty of this forever. I know Chuck Norris took on a whole bar in "Silent Rage" which was made way back in 1982. It was awful. 20 guys standing around politely waiting their turn to get their ass kicked one by one. At least Norris tried to improve. By "Code of Silence" his best picture in my opinion-that was originally written for Clint Eastwood-he takes on a bar full of gangsters and gets the shit kicked out of him. More realistic. Remember the jump in "Gone in 60 Seconds?" The crappy one with Nicholas Cage. The Mustang would have been destroyed, the engine would have fell out, the shock towers would have busted through the fenders, the car would have  been totalled.  The worst offender was "Wanted". Even a briefly naked Angelina Jolie couldn't save this stinker. Shooting around corners?  Bullets only go in a straight line!! Until they hit something!!!  And the vehicle stunts?  Arrrgggghhhh!!!  In one scene Jolie is driving an '86 Corvette and James Macavoy is driving a '65 Mustang. They drive toward each other head-on. At the last second before head-on impact She slams on the brakes, he punches it. This allows the Mustang to use the 'Vette as a launching ramp and fly through the air so he can shoot someone in another car. But neither the 'Vette nor the Mustang get a scratch!!  Both cars would have been totalled and both drivers gravely injured if not killed. It's impossible, we know it's impossible, so why do it?.  That's what is so maddening. I just want to see an action flick with real, believable action. Like "Mr Majestyk" Remember that one? The chase scene was used in the "Built Ford Tough" truck ads for years.  "The Mechanic"-the original with Charles Bronson, and Jan-Micheal Vincent not the awful remake with Jason Statham and Ben Foster.  "A Small Town in Texas" with Timothy Bottoms and Bo Hopkins, and Susan George and her usual straining halter top.  Maybe someone will step up and do a badass movie old school, Stunt Man Mike style.  Mastermind   

Base model or mid-level bargains to look for......

In the frenzy to find the favorites-i.e. SS Chevelles, Z/28 Camaros, Trans-Ams, GTOs, 442s, Big-block Mopar "B" and "E" bodies, Mustang GTs, etc people often overlook screaming bargains on less than premium models. Here's some I would recommend in no particular order.  #1. Rally Sport Camaros. In the '70s the Rally Sport option was mostly an appearance package that could be had on any model including Z/28s. From 1970-73 it included a split front bumper and exposed grille as opposed to the full-length front bumper, and slotted 14" Rally Wheels. From '74 on it included two-tone paint and striping and the wheels were often body-colored. The upside being that about 95% of these had the workhorse L48 350 V8 for power. Most were TH350 automatics, but you see some 4-speed models. The 350s are so plentiful that I wouldn't waste my time or money buying a 307 or 305 model unless it was really pristine and dirt-cheap. The name took a hiatus in the early '80's but was brought back in the late '80's. These too are a bargain if you want a 3rd generation Camaro. Most have 305 power either with a T5 5-speed stick or a TH700R4 automatic. These are way cheaper than a same-year IROC-Z or Z/28.  # 2. Formula and Esprit Firebirds. Formula 400s can be pricey since they offer Trans-Am performance without the gaudy graphics and spoilers, but their still cheaper than T/A's for the most part. 350 models can be bargains and will really "wake up" with basic modifications-i.e.-4 bbl carb and intake, dual exhaust, mild cam etc. Esprit models usually have upgraded interiors and more luxury options like A/C, power windows, tilt wheel etc which is great. Most have 350 power, but there are some 400 powered Esprits out there through '74. In the late '70s GM started playing musical engines because of smog laws. From '77-79 Formula Firebirds had 301 Pontiacs,305 and 350 Chevys, 350 Pontiacs, 400 Pontiacs and 403 Olds engines. Purists of course want the 350 and 400 Pontiac models. From a performance standpoint you can't go wrong with a 350 Chevy, and the 403 Olds models can be made to really run with some basic mods-carb and intake, exhaust and an axle-ratio change. Esprit models of this period weren't available with the 400 inch engines, so the ones to get are the 350 Pontiacs and 350 Chevys. A 305 Chevy model would be ok if it was cheap enough and you planned to swap in a 350 or 383 anyway. The 301 models are useless unless their dirt cheap and you plan to drop in a 400 anyway.  These cars make great drivers and are way cheaper than a same-year T/A.  # 3. 1968-74 Plymouth Satellite. These cars were the base for the Road Runner, so they have cool styling. Quite a few are 318 powered, but there are some 383 and 400 models out there.  # 4. 1971-74 Charger SE. The "SE" package included hidden headlights, an upgraded interior, and most importantly most had 400 cubes under the long hood instead of the base-models 318. Ironically the 400s in these cars are 2bbl models, but a 4 bbl carb and intake is an easy swap.  Mastermind 

Still more car chase classics people want to re-do......

Quentin Tarantino said another of his favorite B-movie action flicks is "The Driver".  This one starred a young Ryan O' Neal as a pro getaway driver that criminals hire to help them evade the police after jobs. Bruce Dern was the detective obsessed with catching him. There's an exciting opening chase with O' Neal driving a blue Ford LTD. There's also a great scene where he demolishes a Mercedes in a parking garage while auditioning for a job, while his prospective "employers" scream like schoolgirls from the backseat.  Ronee Blakely is his "Manager" / sometime girlfriend who books his jobs and it's her murder that sends him on a quest for vengenance.  Good story, good action, good acting. Then director Walter Hill-( "48 Hrs", "Undisputed" ) screws up the final chase. O'Neal is driving a '76 Chevy Stepside pickup with a granny-gear 4-speed and the bad guy he's chasing is driving a '76 Trans-Am. Puhleeze. If the truck was a 454 it might have made a good drag race, but around corners? The T/A would leave the truck in 3 blocks, and be completely out of sight, and that's if the T/A had a 400, a TH350 automatic and 2.56:1 gears. If it was a 400 or 455 / 4-speed model with 3.23:1 gears.....then 2 blocks.  I mean the only worse mismatch I saw was in the stinker  "Wanted" where the guy in the UPS type box van chased Angelina Jolie and James Macavoy in a Dodge Viper!!  Ironically-earlier in the film O' Neal had been driving a gold '77 Firebird like the one on the "Rockford Files".  If he was chasing the T/A in that it would have been believable, especially if the Firebird had a 350 Pontiac or a 350 Chevy under the hood. ( Which some '77's did. GM played musical engines in the late '70's because of smog laws.) Anyhow-the final chase ruined it for me-the other guy wrecks the T/A, O' Neal doesn't wreck the truck of course and he gets away and leaves Dern dumbfounded.  It would be easy to do, just match the cars up right.  # 2. "The California Kid"  This 1974 made-for TV- movie was set in 1958 and made a star out of an unknown actor named Martin Sheen. It also starred Nick Nolte as the town mechanic and Michelle Phillips as a lonely waitress who befriends Sheen. Vic Morrow was the evil sheriff who chased speeders to death in his hopped-up cop car.  A speeder he killed recently was Sheen's younger brother.  Sheen dirves a hopped up '34 Ford coupe with a sinister black and flames paint job. Flame lettering on the doors says "California Kid". The car was built by the late Pete Chapouris who started Pete and Jake's auto parts. The car still exists today-in Missouri with the new owners of Pete's auto parts business. After Morrow kills Nick Nolte's little brother, he and Sheen form a plan, and lure Morrow to the deadly stretch of road where he chases Sheen, who outdrives and out runs him, causing the sheriff to crash and die like so many of his victims. You could do it that way, or you could have the "Kid" decide to forego his vengenance, and leave town with the waitress, who of course the sheriff had a thing for-and the sheriff puts out a false report that the "Kid" kidnapped the waitress. More car-chase mayhem can ensue until the "Kid" and the sheriff finally have to face off.  # 3. "Moonshine County Express"  This one starred John Saxon, Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings, Susan Howard and Maureen McCormick. After their father is murdered by a rival moonshiner three sisters go to war with him. Saxon helps them. Lots of car chases and musclecars, Jennings shows hers boobs, there's even a bondage scene with Maureen McCormick, wearing a tank top and denim shorts, tied to a post in a barn with a bomb ticking at her feet. I mean if Marcia Brady bound and gagged won't get your freak on, then what will?  Kind of an NC-17 rated "Dukes of Hazzard" but still fun, and would still fly today with minor changes.  Anybody think of any others?  Mastermind

Other Car Chase classics people want to re-do.....

I spoke the other day how I didn't think Quentin Tarantino should attempt a "White Lightning" remake.  Someone tried to do "Vanishing Point" a few years ago and it failed miserably, mainly because they totally changed the story and tried to make it politically correct and heart-wrenching. In the original Kowalski bets his drug dealer the tab for some speed that he can make it from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hrs. That's why he's hauling ass and eluding the cops, aided by "Super Soul" a blind, clairvoyant DJ on an outlaw radio station. Simple and cool. Along the way he meets some characters including a snake hunter, some gay guys who try to rob him and a gorgeous,tanned blonde who rides a dirt bike naked. The look on Barry Newman's face when he hits the bulldozers is ethereal. That's why it has been an existential classic for 40 years. In the remake Viggo Mortenson plays Kowalski, who delivers high-end restored musclecars to elite buyers. His next run is in a 1970 Hemi Challenger. And here is where it goes off the rails. His wife is 9 months pregnant and has lupus. Gag. In the original Kowalski's wife died in a surfing accident and they had no kids. Ok, if she's sick and ready to give birth at any moment how about not go on the trip at all and stay with her?  He goes on the trip and halfway there gets the call that she's in labor and her and the baby's lives are both in danger. How about park the car and get on an airplane? That would be common sense, but the film makers had none. So he's racing home to the wife and kid. Super Soul is not only not black, he's also not blind or clairvoyant. He's played by Jason Priestly and looks like the unabomber, and instead of helping Kowalski he whips up a media frenzy that makes everyone think he's a 9/11 type terrorist. And brings out Steve Railsback-who's a maniacal highway patrolman who apparantly belives that speeding should carry the death penalty. He ditches his cop car and goes after Kowalski in his personal '68 Charger, and trys to kill him at every turn. Uber-sexy Peta Wilson of "LaFemme Nikita" fame makes a cameo as the motorcycle rider, but sadly, she's not naked or even gratuitously barefoot in a bikini. Nope she's wearing coveralls and combat boots!! She does take off the coveralls to reveal a halter top and jeans, but it doesn't have the effect of the buck naked dirt bike rider.  At the end they try to imply that Kowalski somehow bailed out of the car and escaped before it hit the bulldozers and went home to raise his kid. Gag, retch, puke.  That pretty much makes "Vanishing Point" untouchable.  Some other classics people have asked about-the grand-daddy of them all-"Bullitt".  "Bullitt" was based on the novel "Mute Witness" by Rober L. Pike.  The story was a gangster bookkeeper ripped off the mob in Chicago for a pile of money and then ran to San Francisco to cut a deal with an ambitious prosecutor and rat out the guys who were after him.  Robert Vaughn played the smarmy D.A. who recruits Detective Frank Bullitt to protect the guy until he can get the guy's statement and proceed to trial. That would all still fly today-you'd just have to change the dollar amounts. It goes sideways the first night and a cop is badly wounded and the witness is on death's door, and does in fact die later in the night. Bullitt recruits a doctor to help him hide the body in the morgue and lose the guy's chart and leave the ICU room open like the guy's still alive so he can catch the killers.  The car chase could be done with a modern Hemi Challenger and a modern 5.0 Mustang. The final shootout at the airport would still be cool. Who could play Frank Bullit? Matthew Mconaughey or Bradley Cooper come to mind, as long as they put their own spin on the character and don't try to mimic Steve McQueen. You thought Jacqueline Bisset was hot at 33 in "The Deep" ? ( Her wet t-shirt poster outsold everything that year except Farrah Fawcett in the red bathing suit )  She was only 24 when she made "Bullitt" Who's going to fill her spike-heeled pumps? Jeri Ryan ( "Seven of Nine on Star Trek Voyager, Body of Proof, Boston Legal ) is still smokin' hot. So is Eva Mendes. It could fly if it was done right, with the right people.  # 2. "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" This one starred Peter Fonda as an ex-race-car driver who with his mechanic, decides to pull a robbery to fund his return to NASCAR. Susan George is a one-night stand he takes along, and she spends the entire movie barefoot in hip-hugger jeans that barely cover her ass-crack and a straining denim halter-top that barely contains her magnificent, bordering on spectacular, tanned breasts. This is, if anything, a plus factor. Anyhow the robbery plot of a Wal-Mart type superstore is good and suspenseful and would still fly-again you'd just have to change the dollar amounts.  There's some good auto action early on in a '66 Chevy Caprice, but it really ramps up when they dump the Chevy and pickup the now iconic yellow '69 Charger. Vic Morrow is the cop obsessed with catching them. The final crash was used in the opening credits of "The Fall Guy" for years. Like I said once before-I see a great idea for a sequel. Change the ending and instead of everyone dying in a blaze of glory, let the cops catch them. The boys have hidden the money somewhere and won't talk. Mary claims they kidnapped and raped her and forced her to go along. The driver and the mechanic go to prison, Mary goes scot-free.  A few years later Mary is married with kids and living the dream. The guys get out of prison and track her down and want their money back. The mechanic stays with her husband and kids and the driver does kidnap her this time, and tells her he'll rape and kill her and maybe not in that order if she doesn't get him the money. Or if she pulls any shit and tries to escape or call the cops, his buddy will kill her husband and kids. The cop that caught them the first time can be on the case. I think it would be a great heist / revenge flick. I see Chris Hemsworth in the Peter Fonda role, and Scarlett Johanssen as Mary. Since Larry and Mary are now enemies you could even have a gratuitous scene in motel room of ScarJo in some ultra-strict, inescapable bondage. He can be snoozing in the bed, and she can be savagely hog-tied on the floor, blindfolded and gagged of course. She can turn the tables on him and kill him and go save her family or the cop can help her-either way she can beat them again. Or you could go the other way-her family gets killed for her past misdeeds, and she has to live with that. A lot of potential here I think.  # 3. "Thunder Road". This was the highest grossing movie of 1958 and made Robert Mitchum a big star. Mitchum played a Korean War vet who was running moosnshine for his dad while trying to stay ahead of atf agents and other moonshiners out to take his business.  You could modernize it and he could be an Afghanistan vet who still has contacts over there and is selling heroin through strip clubs and pool halls. His buddies can all be combat vets so you can have some good martial-arts action and car chases too. If he'll stop phoning in "Fast&Furious" appearances, Jason Statham is the obvious choice for Mitchum's part. Or because of his veteran status, he could have a legal marijuana dispensary and be making a little too much on the side, which gets the feds on his ass. A lot of potential here too. Mastermind     

Rumors of a "White Lightning" redux....again..

With "Once upon a time in Hollywood"-Quentin Tarantino's much anticipated look at the Manson Murders-being advertised, talk has also resurfaced about him doing a "White Lightning" remake, as he's said it's one of his favorite action flicks. I don't think it's a good idea. I touched on it a couple years
ago in detail, but it's worth re-visiting. The reason I hate remakes is they are rarely as good or better than the original, and they usually don't do justice to the characters or the story. Here's a few classics that they tried to re-do and in my mind, failed miserably on regardless of box-office gross.  # 1. "Cape Fear"  This one starred Gregory Peck as a prosecutor who sent a violent criminal to prison and then is harrassed and stalked by the vengeful ex-con when he gets out. Robert Mitchum delivered a tour de force performance as the evil Max Cady. Mitchum was scary as hell. Robert DeNiro in the remake with his tattoos and phony southern accent paled by comparison. You got the impression that Mitchum flourished in prison. Like the old joke-"Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil." "For I am the meanest motherfucker in the valley." DeNiro's character, who's supposed to be equally badass, whines to Nick Nolte about getting raped in prison, and having to be somebody's bitch!! Like MC Hammer said-"Can't Touch This".  And shouldn't have. Mitchum oozed sexual menace when casually threatening Peck's wife and daughter.  Here's where the remake lost it. Polly Bergen was the dutiful,faithful wife, who stood by her man through thick and thin, and even endured rape stoically to protect her daughter. Lori Martin was the virginal teenage girl who loved her daddy and had no idea the trouble that was awaiting the family. By contrast-Jessica Lange came off as a vengeful cunt who wanted to punish her husband ( Nick Nolte ) for cheating on her in the past. In the original no mention was made of infidelity by the lawyer. The director just wanted to add drama. It didn't. It made the lawyer look like an asshole and his wife look like a bitch.  Juliette Lewis played the daughter and she came off as a rotten little cunt too. Screw-up #2-in the original Mitchum brutally rapes a hooker and walks when she refuses to testify, confounding the police and adding to Peck's angst. In the remake the director again going for more unnecessary drama-the girl DeNiro rapes is the girl Nolte cheated on his wife with. Groan. In the final, fight to the finish on a housbeoat, again-the director screws up Jessica Lange practically begs DeNiro to do her instead of Juliette Lewis, like she's jealous that "Max Cady" would even think of taking the younger girl over her middle-aged "milfness".  Yuck. In the remake Nolte kills DeNiro.  In the original Gregory Peck lays an ass-whippin on Mitchum like any husband and father would in this situation and sends him back to prison, which for Max Cady, is a fate worse than death.  No comparison, Mitchum and Peck hit it out of the park, Nolte and DeNiro failed miserably.  # 2. "The Mechanic."  Charles Bronson is most famous for "Death Wish", but in my opinion this was his best movie followed closely by the Elmore Leonard penned "Mr. Majestyk".  Arthur Bishop is a Hitman who lives in a cool house and get's his assignments by mail and over the phone from a shadowy organization. A friend of his father's asks Bishop to intervene on his behalf in a dispute with the bosses. Bishop does-he kills the guy at the orginization's behest.  He also suffers from anxiety, migraine headaches, and insomnia, and is so lonely that he pays expensive hookers to write him love letters. He also strikes up a friendship with the son of the man he rubbed out, who's an adrenaline junkie played with glee by a young Jan-Micheal Vincent. Bishop teaches him the asassins's trade, and get's his ass chewed for bringing the kid in when a job nearly goes sideways. Bronson defiantly tells the boss "Steve will be working with me from now on." "Someone trained by me should have immense value to you."  The orginization then tries to take Bishop out, and he's saved by Steve. Then Steve and Bishop start a game of cat and mouse, stalking each other, each thinking the other doesn't know. They kill each other in a totally surprise, and badass ending.  In the remake, Jason Statham is your average happy, go-lucky guy. He just kills people for a living. You know, a Quirk, like Leatherface wearing a mask made of human skin and cutting up people with a chainsaw. He's such a nice guy that he buys the hooker a puppy. Steve McKenna is played by Ben Foster, who unlike Jan-Micheal Vincent who hung on Bronson's every word and followed his instructions to the letter while learning from the master, Foster seems intent on doing the exact opposite of what Statham tells him and seems hell-bent on fucking up every assignment. Why Statham puts up with this is unknown. Then when they try to kill each other, they make it look like Arthur Bishop somehow survived, obviously to leave room for a sequel, which sucked even worse. Jessica Alba, barefoot in a bikini almost the whole movie, couldn't save it. Need I say more?   # 3. True Grit. John Wayne won his only Oscar for portraying Rooster Cogburn, a one-eyed, hard drinking, quick tempered,even quicker trigger fingered, ass kicking U.S. Marshal. The tone is set when he's testifying in a trial early in the film. A defense attorney asks him "Marshal Cogburn, how many men have you shot?"  John Wayne responds-"Shot or Killed?"  Kim Darby played the young girl who enlists Marshal Cogburn to hunt down the man who killed her father and stole their prize horses. Country Singer Glen Campbell does a good job as a greedy Texas Ranger who is after the same guy on a Texas murder warrant, who Rooster grudgingly allows to tag along. They eventually get their man. John Wayne snarling "Fill your hand, you sonofabitch!!"  Has to rank up there with Clint Eastwood saying "Go ahead, make my day.".  There's also the race where Rooster rides like the wind to get Kim medical treatment for a snake bite. In the remake Jeff Bridges comes off like a homeless drunk. Scenes of him falling off his horse, and out of bed just irritated me. Kim Darby's part was played by a girl who looked almost black. In 1870-a black girl couldn't have been as headstrong and belligerent as the character was. Blonde-haired, blue eyed Kim Darby could carry it off. Don't give me a politically correct lecture or call me a racist-I'm speaking of the time period the movie was set in. That's why "Wild, Wild West" sucked. Will Smith playing James West? They didn't have black Secret Service Agents in 1865!!!  Anyhow, it was awful. Should never have been attempted.  Anyhow-back to "White Lightning".  With Marijuana now legal, no one's going to care about illegal whiskey. It would have to be set in the '60's. And you'd have to use old cars-as new ones will break, the fuel pumps shut off, airbags trigger etc during the car chase scenes. Casting is going to be hard. "Lightning" was made right after "Deliverance".  This was when Burt Reynolds was at the top of his game, when he still acted, before "Smokey and the Bandit" when he started phoning in his "Good Ole Boy" dipshit persona.  I mean the movie opens with him in prison, for a crime he freely admits doing. No good guy falsely accused, or doing time for a crime he didn't do hollywood bullshit. And it's obvious from the get go that "Gator" plans to kill the corrupt sheriff that killed his brother. That's a badass motherfucker. Hopefully they won't sissify "Gator" by trying to make him likable. Who could do it?  Maybe Brad Pitt. Maybe Matthew McConaughey. Playing a badass southerner is hard. Clint Eastwood was great as "Dirty Harry", but he couldn't have done "Gator Mcluskey" or "Buford Pusser".  See what I'm saying?  So that leaves out Mark Wahlberg, Bradley Cooper, Colin Farrel, and a bunch of other "It" guys right now. Who's going to fill Ned Beatty's shoes as the evil, corrupt, J.C. Connors?  Maybe Don Johnson. Maybe Kurt Russel. And the immortal "Shake a Puddin'?"  Her dark brown roots showing in her bleach-blonde hair, barefoot in that skimpy sundress the whole movie, Jennifer Billingsley just oozed sex. She wasn't even mad when "Gator" set her for attempted rape so they could escape "Big Bear" and his henchmen. She drove him to a home for unwed mothers for medical attention.  She nailed the southern slut that men die and kill for. Others have tried-Kim Basinger in "No Mercy", Teri Hatcher in "Heaven's Prisoners", most recently Reese Witherspoon in "Mud"-all valiant efforts by talented actresses, but none can top "Shake a Puddin".  Who can play her?  Maybe Pam Anderson, maybe Charlize Theron. I know Tarantino likes to cast black actors in traditionally white roles-Jaime Foxx in "Django", Pam Grier in "Jackie Brown" ( in the book "Rum Punch"on which the movie is based "Jackie" was a Pam Anderson looking blonde ). and he's had success doing it. Rosario Dawson or Lex Scott Davis, or Halle Berry are certainly sexy enough, no argument there-but could they pull off the southern-ness, shameless flirty way that only southern girls have?  QT is a talented guy, but lately he's been preaching to the choir. If you've seen his other movies you get the inside jokes. If you haven't, your going-"What the hell was that?"  Hopefully he forget "Lightning" or if he doesn't, hopefully it will re-energize him to be the genius film maker we know he can be.  Mastermind   

More "Phantom" cars.....

Here's some more "Phantom" cars that the dreamers just won't let die.  # 1. 1968 428CJ Mustang.  Carroll Shelby was putting Police Interceptor 428s into his GT500 Mustangs in 1967-68, even offering dual quads as an option. Since the 390 was an option and all "FE" engines are externally identical a 428 was a bolt-in swap. Bob Tasca of Tasca Ford had great success drag racing a 428 Mustang and was instrumental in convincing Ford to offer the 428 in the 1969 Mustang. Rumors persist that there were "a few" built for 1968. However I have never seen one or a build sheet or a window sticker for one or a Marti report.  If someone can produce documentation, I will stand corrected, but until then I will say these don't exist.  # 2. 1970 Boss 429 Cougar.  Boss 429 Mustangs were built to homologate the engine for NASCAR racing. They started life as 428 models and were sent to Kar Kraft for the conversion, which required extensive modifications. Only 1359 were built in 1969-70 and Ford lost money on every one. Two Boss-Nine Cougars were built for drag racers "Dyno" Don Nicholsen and "Fast" Eddie Schartmann. Neither had much success. Nicholsen pulled the Boss 429 and replaced it with an SOHC 427 Ford and won some races. Schartmann used his car in tuning clinics for a while. Nicholsen's car turned up a few years ago. The collector has a Boss-nine and a cammer 427, but neither are the original engine or the Nicholsen race motor. Another collector is trying to restore Scharmann's car. Anyhow-these are the only two, there was never a production version.  # 3. 1970 "W31" Cutlass Rallye 350. The Rallye 350 was an "insurance beater " like the Pontiac T37 Tempest. The Rallye package included a super loud Sebring yellow paint job, body colored bumpers, a "Judge" style rear spoiler and special striping. Power was-duh-a 350 V8 rated at 310 hp backed by a 4-speed or a TH350. 3,527 were built. Contrary to rumors these cars were not a 442, and were not "Almost the 1970 Hurst / Olds". Hurst was not involved in any way shape or form. Rumors also persist that 10 or 12 were built with the vaunted "W31" 350 which featured upgraded cylinder heads, an aluminum high-rise intake and a hot 308 degree cam so radical that the engine was only available with a 4-speed and 3.90:1 or 4.33:1 gears.  However-again-I hate to sound like a broken record-but I have never seen one or a build sheet or window sticker for one, and no magazine or Olds executive or engineer has ever verified one. As far as anyone knows all 3,527 have the standard Olds 350. # 4. 1971 Challenger T/A. This package was listed in early '71 sales literature, and there was even a full-page ad in Motor Trend. However the car in the ad was a '70 model, and a '71 grille was airbrushed in. When Ford pulled out of Trans-Am racing for '71 ( that's why there was no '71 Boss 302 ) Chrysler did too. Without the racing tie-in, the brass decided they didn't need to make a production version. Also the '71 R / T striping looks a lot like the '70 T/A striping.  But there were none built. The 340 Six-Pack T/A package was only offered in 1970.  # 5. 1973 Super Duty Pontiacs. In early 1973 sales literature the SD-455 was listed as optional in the GTO, LeMans, Grand Am and Gran Prix models as well as Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds. In a colossal goof "Cars" magazine made the SD-455 '73 GTO their "Car of the Year".  However-the engine had trouble passing emissions with the hot RAIV cam, so it was swapped for the milder RAIII cam and horsepower was down-rated from 310 to 290. They also had trouble with the connecting rod supplier, and EGR valve function.  Finally, in April 1973 the engine was EPA certified in the Firebird line only. Only 295 were built-252 in T/A's and another 43 in Formulas. Another 943 were sold in '74 T/A's.  So anyone with a 455 powered '73 Grand Prix or Grand Am,LeMans or GTO has the standard 250 hp 455. It may be a tire-fryer, but if they claim it's a Super Duty, their lying.  # 6. 1975 455HO Trans-Am. These cars technically exist. I say technically because of the story behind the car. Catalytic Converters slaughtered performance for everyone. Later on, engineers realized the bottleneck was not the converter itself, but the fact that the exhaust went into one pipe before entering it. 1975 was the low point for everyone. When the '75 models were introduced the only engine in a Trans-Am was a 400 that wheezed out 185 hp. A far cry from the 290hp SD-455 of the year before. The buff magazines howled bloody murder. Pontiac responded by introducing the "455HO" Performance Package. It included a 455 V8, a 4-speed and a 3.23:1 posi rear end. The buff magazines howled again. The motor was not the 455HO of '71-72 that had RAIV heads, intake and exhaust manifolds and the "068" cam that made 335 hp ( 300 net ) and 480 lbs of torque at 2,700 rpm. This was a 7.6:1 compression "station wagon" 455 that wheezed out 200 hp. Of the 23,000 T/A's sold that year, only 857 had this package. At least Pontiac was trying. For '76 it was simply called "455 Performance Package" and the buff magazines were happier that they weren't desecrating a legendary moniker. ( GM was shameless
 at this. The low point was the '79 Hurst / Olds when they hung the "W30" moniker on a 350 V8 that wheezed out 160 hp ).  Of the 46,000 T/A's sold in '76,  7,528 had 455s.  The others were all 400s.  # 7. 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express. In November 1977 Car and Driver had a "Double the Double Nickel" article-i.e. testing cars that could go 110 mph or faster.  The 1/2 ton Dodge Pickup blew the doors off both an L82 Corvette and a WS6 Trans-Am in a drag race. However-the "Prototype" Li'l Red Express had a 360 V8 with Nascar W2 heads, the hot cam out of the old 340 Six-Pack, a Holley Double Pumper carb mounted on an aluminum single-plane Holley "Street Dominator" intake, and catalyst-free dual exhaust. Needless to say-production examples with a standard 360 with stock heads and cam and a Carter Thermo-Quad on an Iron manifold were substantially slower!!  Dodge sold a few thousand "Little Red Trucks" in '78-79, but none of them had the kickass motor of the "Prototype!!"  Mastermind                 

"Phantom" Cars.....Again.....

Got some flap from some people claiming that there "Were So" 4-dr 442s after the post a few days ago that talked about options that never made production.  I stand by my statement. I have never seen one, no Olds executive or engineer has ever verified one, and I have never seen a build sheet or window sticker for one. Sorry guys, all 442s are 2 dr models.  Like I said in the previous post options or packages are often listed as available in sales literature, or in the buff magazines, but then never make production. I've touched on this before, but it's worth re-visiting. Here's a big list of "Phantom" cars that people continue to insist are real, but no magazine or factory rep has ever verified.  # 1. Tri-Power 1967 GTO. When the 3-2bbl option was dropped at the end of 1966, the buff magazines howled bloody murder, ignoring the fact that the new for '67 400 inch engine with totally redesigned cylinder heads actually made MORE power and torque with a 4bbl than  the old Tri-power 389 did. The '65-66 tri-power setup would bolt on to the new engine, and some dealers would install it for you if you paid extra. But there was never a factory built version.  # 2. 1970 LS6 454 Corvette. Initially, the mighty LS6 was slated to be optional in the Camaro SS and the Nova SS as well as the Chevelle. Since the 396 was an option, it would be a bolt-in. Further, Zora-Arkus Duntov, Chief Corvette engineer, fully expected the much more radical 12.25:1 compression LS7 454 to make production as the 'Vette's "top dog", so he felt no need to offer the 11:1 LS6.  At the last minute, the brass decided to cut down on "Model Proliferation"-whatever that means-and the LS6 was only offered in the Chevelle line. Also the LS7 was nixed for production, leaving the 370 hp LT1 350 small-block as the 'Vette's most powerful engine. You could get a 454 in a '70 Corvette, but it was the hydraulic-cammed, quadrajet, LS5 "Station Wagon" 454 rated at 360 hp.  # 3. 1969 Ram Air V GTO. In 1968-69 Herb Adams and others were trying to come up with a "Tunnel Port" 303 inch engine to run in Trans-Am racing, as they knew Ford was developing a "Tunnel Port" 5 liter motor. ( "Boss 302" ring a bell? ) In testing-Adams and crew found that the little 303 ( a de-stroked 400 ) ran better and made more power with production RAIV heads.  However, drag racers Arnie Beswick and Doug Nash found that the big heads, and a hot General Kinetics solid lifter cam made phenomenal power when used on the 400 and 428 inch motors. Phenomenal as in 427 Chevy and 426 Chrysler Hemi power levels. Beswick had great success with his "Super Judge".  Adams, and others pushed to get the engine into production, hoping to make the GTO "King Kong" again as it had been from 1964-66. For some reason Pontiac brass said they would not warranty a solid-lifter engine. Adams and DeLorean argued that Chevrolet had several solid-lifter small and big-block engines that GM warrantied, but the brass wouldn't budge. Adams pointed out that Chrysler sold the limited edition Hemi Darts without a warranty, as Ford had done with the Thunderbolt Fairlanes. He suggested Pontiac do that. No, they wouldn't sell the cars without a warranty either. They had enough parts to build about 600 engines, and DeLorean was pissed over the money spent developing it, and didn't want to scrap 600 special engines. Adams suggested they sell them over the counter to Racers through parts departments. Royal Pontiac mechanic Milt Schornak had great success drag racing an RA V GTO, and Hot Rod did an article on an RA V '69 Judge that Royal built for a customer. As late as 1972 the engineers were trying to get it into production, and the story is that Pontiac built a 455 inch RAV GTO and Buick engineers built a Stage 2 455 inch Skylark and they had a drag race. Both cars ran high 10s, and word is the Buick won by two car lengths. The Buick was destroyed in a fire at the GM proving grounds. No one knows what happened to the Pontiac. Over the years buff magazines have featured various "reader rides" with RA V engines, some built by legendary Pontiac tuner Nunzi Romano, but the fact remains that there was never a factory built version.  # 4. 1971 LS6 Chevelle / Monte Carlo. For some perverse reason-Chevrolet flip-flopped from 1970. The LS6 was listed in early '71 Chevelle literature, but it never made production. However, about 1,100 Corvettes were built with an LS6 rated at 425 hp and 9:01 compression, down from the 11:1 and 450 hp rating of 1970. Some people also claim that there were "a few" LS6 '70-71 Monte Carlo SS's. Not true. The LS5 was available, rated at 365 hp ( up 5 hp from 1970 ). But I have never seen a window sticker or build sheet for a '70-71 LS6 Monte, or '71 SS Chevelle. Further muddling the waters-GM sold the LS6 as a crate engine until 1991. So someone may have a '71 Chevelle or Monte Carlo with an LS6 under the hood, but it's not a factory built model.  # 5. 1972 440 Six-Pack Charger / Road Runner. The Hemi was killed at the end of '71. The 440+6 was listed in early '72 sales literature with 9:1 compression and a 330 hp rating. Down substantially from the 10.3:1 and 385 hp from 1971. However the engines had trouble passing the stiffer '72 emissions standards, particularly backfiring through the carbs, and the option was scrapped, leaving the 280 hp 440 4bbl as the top engine option. Rumors persist that 10 or 12 "slipped out" but I have never seen one, or a build sheet or window sticker for one. Until someone produces documentation-I will say that these cars don't exist. # 6. 1971-72 GTO Wagon. In 1971-72 you could get the scooped hood and "Endura" ( read GTO ) front bumper on any LeMans model, including wagons. The 400 and 455 engines were optional. However these were both rated at 250 hp. The Vaunted 300 hp 455HO was not available in wagons, only in Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds, and GTO and Lemans GT models. So if some clown claims to have a GTO wagon-he's wrong. It's a LeMans Sport.  # 7. 1977-79 5-speed Trans-Ams.  T/A's were wildly popular in the late '70's and tuners were everywhere. Dennis Mecham, creator of the "Macho T/A" is well known, and a Doug Nash 5-speed was an option. Former Pontiac engineer Herb Adams founded VSE ( Very Special Equipment ) and partnered with Cars and Concepts to create the "Fire-Am" which, like the Macho T/A-offered a hopped up engine, tweaked suspension, and yes-a 5-speed manual as an option. I can't remember the guy's name, but there was a guy offering a "Bandit" package that included a 5-speed and a 455 inch motor swapped in.  But these were all tuners upgrading used cars, or cars sold as used. The first T/A with a factory installed 5-speed stick was built in 1983 behind a 305 Chevy.  Mastermind         

Chasing performance enhancing used parts is a lost art.....

Everything you read in the buff magazines today, whether it's a magazine project car or a "Reader's Ride" costs $50,000-$100,000 or more. Granted, they do feature some really cool stuff, but 90% of us could never afford to buy or build a car like that. Even their "Budget" articles can be annoying. Especially when they pull crap like "Hey what about that set of ported and polished Brodix Aluminum heads we almost forgot we had?"  I remember even in the late 90's Super Chevy had a series called "Project Cheap Shot". They bought a Nova for $1,500. Their goal was to get it to run 10 second 1/4s for under $10,000, including the purchase price of the car. They almost made it. The car did run high 10s when they were done, but they went $700 over budget. Still, a 10 second car for under 11 grand is pretty awesome. They serialized the build and it was very interesting. The Nova they had was a 350 / TH350 model. They decided the engine had good enough compression and didn't use oil, so they opted to NOT rebuild it and save money by hopping it up with bolt-on parts. They installed a Comp Cams 270H Magnum cam,lifters and springs and a new timing chain. They went with '81-86 305 heads. Their 58cc combustion chambers ( most 350s are 76cc ) would bump compression from 8.2:1 to about 9.6:1 which is about the limit with iron heads and cheap gas anyway. They bought headers and a used Holley 300-36 intake at a swap meet, along with a 3310 Holley carb. They bought a 2,500 rpm B&M torque converter and a shift kit for the trans, and they also bought a small nitrous system. What I thought was really cool is they did use a 9 inch Ford rear end, but it wasn't a $3,300 custom Currie unit. They bought it out of a junkyard out of a '70 Cougar. They had done some careful measuring, and the Cougar rear was not only the same width as the Nova's, the spring mounts were in the same place!!  It was practically a bolt-in!  They did spend $150 for some new 4.10:1 gears.  When it was all done, the car ran 10.70's on the nitrous and low 12s on the motor.  I'd say they hit it out of the park.  I'd like to see more projects like this. Maybe make the limit $25,000 including the price of the car. A friend if mine has a bitchin' Olds Cutlass built this way. It's a '64 model, but it's a Cutlass, not a 442. He swapped the 330 / ST300 powertrain for a 403 / TH350 combo. 73 more cubes and a 3-speed trans instead of a 2-speed made a stunning improvement in performance and drivability.  He used '70's Camaro / Firebird front spindles and installed front disc brakes along with the booster and master cylinder. He installed the front and rear sway bars from a '75 Gran Prix. He installed a fast-ratio power steering box from an '84 Trans-Am.  These changes gave a spectacular improvement in handling and braking performance.  He's running 16" American Racing Torq-Thrusts and 245 / 50VR16 Comp T/A's.  It's an awesome sleeper. It looks like a stock '64 Cutlass with mag wheels. But in a drag race or the twisties he doesn't have to take crap from little boys in their rice rockets or yuppies in 3 series BMW Turbos.  And it was built almost entirely with junkyard parts. I think that's really cool.  An invaluable tool is the Hollander interchange manual. This is the "Bible" that junkyards nationwide use to determine which parts fit which cars. For example the Trans-Am steering box my friend used will fit any GM "A" or "G" body from 1964-87, any F-body from '67-92, and any "X" body from '68-79.  Some other diamonds- 1975-77 Vegas used a Saginaw 4-speed trans with a 3.11 1st gear and a 2.02 2nd. This trans was also used in Chevy Monzas, Buick Skyhawks, Olds Starfires, and Pontiac Sunbirds from '75-81.  I wouldn't put one behind a big-block, but they'll stand up to a small-block with up to about 350 hp.  1980 Z/28s and '81-82 Z/28s and T/A's used a BW T10 with a 3.44 1st gear and a 2.28 second. Again, I wouldn't put one behind a 600 hp 572, but they'll stand up to about 400 hp. Ford Ranger pickups use the same 8.8 inch axle as the vaunted Mustang. There's all kinds of "Junkyard Jewels" that can make big performance gains for little or no bucks. You just have to look. Mastermind 

Let's go with "Period Correct" as what's right...or "Correct"...

I get really sick of people turning up their noses at awesome cars because some minor option or accessory isn't "Correct".  A case in point-a guy had a gorgeous candy apple red '67 GTO. It had a white interior and it had the 400 / TH400 powertrain. Whether or not it was numbers-matching I don't know. The car was parked at a local "Show-n-Shine" at a popular burger joint. It had tri-power induction and it had fat T/A radials on gorgeous Hurst wheels. I know Tire Rack and Summit both offer reproduction Hurst wheels. Anyhow some self-proclaimed Pontiac "expert" was spouting to his pal how the tri-power was incorrect and how the wheels were wrong because both options were not available after 1966. I think he's wrong on the wheels, but I wasn't going to argue. Murphy's Law-"Never argue with an idiot, because people might not know the difference." The reason it irked me so much is the car was beautiful and it was "Period correct."  Tri-power had been a Pontiac Performance staple since 1959. When the option was not available for 1967-even though the new 400 inch engine with completely redesigned cylinder heads and 4 bbl induction made MORE power than the revered tri-power 389-the buff magazines howled bloody murder to the high heavens. The '65-66 setup would bolt onto the new engine, and all the parts could be purchased in dealer parts departments. There were a lot of people who put tri-power on their '67 GTOs and Firebirds. Ditto for the Hurst wheels. You could buy them through dealerships or you could find them used at swap meets.  Your aware that Don Yenko put Pontiac Rally II wheels a lot of his 427 Camaros. Is a Yenko worth any less because it has Chevy Rally wheels or aftermarket wheels on it instead of Rally II's ?  No!!!  A '68 Camaro with  headers, a 650 Holley on an Edelbrock Tarantula manifold, and Cragar S/S mags is just as "Right" today as it was in 1971.  A '68 Camaro with a Fuel-Injected LS motor backed by a six-speed automatic with 20 inch Center Lines is an aberration.  See what I'm saying?  At the same show-n-shine I saw a '66 Mustang. It was a GT350 clone, but it was way cool. It had a Ford SVT 345 hp 302 crate engine topped by 4 Weber carbs!  You could buy these 4-Weber setups in the '60's, and I'm pretty sure Carroll Shelby offered it as an option on 289 Cobras and early GT350s. I wouldn't have known it wasn't a 289 if the owner hadn't told me.  It had a Top-Loader 4-speed and 17" Torq-Thrust mags with ZR-Rated tires. It looked and sounded badass, and it was "Period Correct". Much better than if it had a Coyote backed by a five or six-speed manual or automatic.  So cut people some slack. a '65 Barracuda with a 360-based 408 stroker disguised as a 273 is totally cool. A '65 Barracuda with an SRT8 Hemi and an 8-speed automatic is not.   Mastermind

"Dealer Installed" is hard to document....

In the 60's and '70's a lot of individual car dealers were performance minded and would upgrade customers cars for a fee.  Royal Pontiac was famous for it's "Bobcat" tune-up which included re-curving the distributor, re-jetting the carb, installing thin head gaskets to raise compression and adjusting the valves looser so the cars could rev higher. They would also swap a 4-barrel for a tri-power setup or dual quads. They'd even do engine swaps. I remember reading an article in Hot Rod about Royal yanking the 400 out of a customer's '68 GTO and replacing it with a 428 HO, and how fast it was, and how the factory should offer this option, blah blah.  Other's like Don Yenko were famous for putting 427s into Camaros and Chevelles. The cars began life as 396  models. Yenko would then have his parts dept order an L72 Corvette 427 short block. Then the service dept would install the heads,carb and intake, distributor, exhaust and all other accessories from the 396. This made the procedure much more cost-effective than changing the whole engine, and he could pass the savings onto his customer. However it makes the cars hard to document as the vin number and the casting number on the heads say the car is a 396 model. So would a reproduction factory window sticker. Only the casting number on the block would say its a 427.  If the seller doesn't have any of Yenko's original paperwork it would be hard to convince a buyer that the car is a for-real Yenko and not one that someone cobbled up.  Nickey Chevrolet in Illinois was doing putting 427s and 454s into Camaros and Chevelles and Novas. I remember Hot Rod tested an L88 powered '73 Nova that ran in the 11s even with traction problems.  Joel Rosen Partnered with Baldwin Chevrolet and created Motion Performance. They built LS6 and LS7 454 Camaros that were guaranteed to run 10 second 1/4 mile times. They also did Mako Shark conversions on Corvettes. They even built a few LS6 powered Firebirds for customers. Mr Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge would supertune Mopar Muscle Cars ala Royal Pontiac style. They also built a few Dodge Demons with Paxton superchargers on the 340s and and a few with Six-pack induction installed.  Tasca Ford was famous for it's drag cars. Their 428 Police Interceptor powered '68 Mustang racer was so successful that Bob Tasca is credited with convincing Ford to offer the 428CJ in the '69 Mustang.  Mecham Pontiac created the "Macho T/A" in the late '70's that all the buff magazines raved about. In addition to recurving the distributor and re-jetting the carb, they opened the hood scoop and installed Hooker Headers and real dual exhausts with 2 catalytic converters. These changes were said to add 50-70 hp.  Hot Rod's test car ran a blistering ( for 1978 ) 14.29 in the 1/4. A huge improvement over the 15.20 that a stocker tested on the same day at the same track ran.  Mecham would also install a Doug Nash 5-speed, Recaro seats, a Turbocharger from H-O Racing, basically if the customer wanted something and was willing to pay for it, they'd do it.  Fortunately for "Macho" freaks Dennis Mecham kept detailed records. If you send him the car's vin number he can tell you if the car is a documented "Macho" or not.  The reason I bring this up is people argue all the time about cars having "Incorrect" options. You have to realize that back in the '60's and '70's a lot of options were in initially listed in early sales brochures and factory literature and then for whatever reason didn't make production. Two famous examples- In early 1964 sales literature the 442 package is listed as optional any F85 model including sedans and wagons. However I have never seen one, no magazine has ever produced a window sticker of build sheet for one, and no Olds engineer or executive has ever verified one. Thus all '64 442s were 2-door models.  In early 1973 sales lit and all over the buff magazines the SD-455 was listed as available in the GTO, Grand Prix and Grand Am as well as Trans-Am and Formula Firebirds. In a colossal goof "Cars" magazine dubbed the SD-455 '73 GTO their "Car of the Year". However the engines had trouble passing emissions and their were production problems with the connecting rods and EGR Valve function. Pontiac considered scrapping the project. Only the tireless efforts of Herb Adams saved it. The engine was finally EPA certified in the Firebird line only in April 1973.  That's why only 295 were built-252 in T/A's and another 43 in Formulas.  The other factor is gearheads have always played with their cars, even when they were brand-new, and sometimes they paid their local dealer to do the work. A friend of my dad's had a 400, 4-speed '67 Firebird that he bought brand-new. It had a coolant leak that turned out to be the intake manifold gaskets. The dealership said they would fix it at no charge under warranty, but the car would be down all day because they had to pull the intake. My dad's buddy went into the parts department and bought a Tri-Power setup for a '66 GTO. The service manager said he had no problem installing it as they were puling the intake anyway. So he got a tri-power setup in his Firebird for the cost of the parts. The labor was covered by the warranty.  My dad worked in a Ford Dealer in the '70's and a rich guy with a Pantera was upset that his buddy's Ferarri Daytona had beaten him in a drag race. He paid the dealership who had my dad-their top hand mechanic-yank the 351C out of the Pantera and install a 429 CJ!!  His plan was to go race his buddy again, and if he won-( Which he probably would-the 8:1 351 had 266 hp; the 11:1 429CJ was grossly under-rated at 375 ) he was going to say he'd had the Pantera "Tuned up".  And understatement of colossal proportions, but that was the guy's personality.  The other thing is back then, unlike now-cars didn't come fully loaded. Almost everything including air conditioning and automatic transmissions were extra cost options. I have seen Monte Carlos with six-cylinder engines and three on the tree manual transmissions. I have seen Grand Prix's and Monte Carlos with 4-speeds. I've seen Camaros with six-cylinder engines and 3-speed manual transmissions.  I've seen some of these guys drop 350s in these cars and then never get around to putting in a 4-speed.  The point I'm making is just because something has an odd combination of parts doesn't mean it's a fake or that the seller is trying to screw someone-he may have bought it that way.  My dad installed an LT-1 Corvette engine in a Nova at a Chevy dealer he worked at one time. The L48 350 had blown up; the engine was being replaced under warranty. The shrewd customer negotiated a deal with the parts and service manager where he would only pay the price difference between an L48 engine assembly and the LT-1.  He got a brand-new fire-breathing 370 hp LT-1 installed for something like 300 bucks.  So don't walk away from something that might be a screaming deal just because it looks a little fishy at first glance. Investigate-the car may have a really interesting history.  Mastermind       

"Gotta Haves" that you don't really need.....

I know magazines need to sell their advertiser's products to stay in business. That's a given. But what kills me is some self-proclaimed "Expert" telling other people how to spend their money on information they've only read in a magazine or on the internet. A lot of these "Experts" have never restored a car or rebuilt an engine, or raced a car on any level-not even a local "Hobby Stock" or "Jalopy" class. Basically their talking out their ass. That's why today I'm going to blow up a bunch of falsehoods.  # 1. You don't have to bore the block .030 or .060 over and buy all-new parts when rebuilding or "freshening" an engine. I know that's how the magazines do it. But I know people who have gotten 250,000 miles out of daily drivers and several seasons on a race motor without spending thousands of dollars.  Where do you think the term "Rings and Bearings" came from?  That's right. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth-you know the '60's, '70's and '80's-if an engine smoked or used oil we would pull it and put new rod and main bearings in it, a new oil pump and new piston rings.  We would put the pistons back in the same hole with the new rings. This is because a wear pattern is already established, and the new rings will "seat" just fine. Now "experts" are going to claim that the rings won't seal and the motor will drink oil. Their wrong. 97 times out of 100 the engine would run like brand-new, not smoke and not use a drop of oil between changes.  Once in a while, you'd get one that would run great, but use a quart of oil every 1,200-1,500 miles. No big deal. If your changing your oil every 3,000 miles you'd have to add one quart between changes. Sometimes you'd tear one down and find that the crank was damaged or one or more rods and pistons were damaged. Guess what? we'd have the crank turned .010 over, get .010 over bearings and have the rods re-sized. If one or two rods or pistons needed replacing, we'd replace them. Not all 8. Some times if you had one hole that wouldn't seat you could have that piston knurled. Knurling would put a rough surface on the piston to help it seal. The car would run like a champ and your "freshening" would still be way cheaper than a total rebuild. Often the car would run another 50,000-100,000 miles. Same for "Valve Jobs".  Often times an engine running on 7 cylinders or having low compression on one cylinder would cause us to pull one or both heads and inspect for damage. Sometimes we'd just grind the one offending valve-an intake or exhaust valve. Sometimes we'd just replace one or two valves or a broken valvespring or pushrod or rocker arm or whatever the problem was. We'd have the heads surfaced and install new head gaskets.  Sort of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." And again-often the car's owner would get another 50,000 trouble-free miles of it.  Some of you are scoffing right now and harumphing "That's not the right way to do it." What is the "Right" way?  Replace everything whether you need it or not?  In 1990 we rebuilt the 400 in my brother's GTO. We replaced one piston and two rods and had the crank polished. Didn't turn it, just polished it. We did the heads and replaced the cam and timing chain. Total cost to rebuild was $1,900, which was dirt cheap even in 1990 dollars. The engine dyno'd at 381 hp and 430 lbs of torque.  It will literally spin the tires as long as you want to stay on the throttle. He used it as a daily driver for about 5 years in the '90's. After he got married and had kids it only saw weekend cruises and Hot August Nights.  And guess what? It's still running in 2019!!  It uses a quart of oil every 1,200 miles, but it will still smoke the tires at will. With a "junkyard" engine that we-according to self-proclaimed "experts"- "Half-assed."  ( I'd like to see what we could do if we "Full-assed" something! )  # 2. "Where's the beef?"  I love people telling you how "Gotta have" ultra heavy duty everything. Let's take building the ubiquitous small-block Chevy.  "Experts" will tell you-"You gotta have a 4-bolt main block" "You gotta have "Pink" rods. "You gotta have a forged crank" "You gotta have screw-in studs in the heads."  And a bunch more "Gotta haves" I can't remember off the top of my head.  Their half-right. If your building a NASCAR Nextel Cup engine that has to go 7,800 rpm for 500 miles at Daytona-yes-you need all the beef you can get.  But for a daily driver, a street / strip machine or even a short circle track or weekend drag racer, you don't need any of that stuff. I know plenty of racers who use 2-bolt main blocks and cast cranks and have no troubles, especially if rpms don't go over 6,500. Think of it this way. Medium and heavy duty trucks have 4-bolt mains and forged cranks to this day. Yet Corvettes and Z/ 28 Camaros had 2-bolt mains and cast cranks all through the '80's. And you know Camaros and Corvettes were taken to the redline by their enthusiastic owners a lot more than a C60 truck!!  So why did trucks have all that beef?  It's SUSTAINED load that breaks things. The crank in a truck that's pulling 10,000 lbs up Donner pass at 60 mph is a lot more stressed than the crank in a 'Vette that's wide-open for 14 seconds or less in the 1/4 mile!!  See what I'm saying?  I have played with cars for over 40 years and Chevy or anything else-I have NEVER seen a stud pull out of a head. I've seen broken rocker arms, broken pushrods, broken valvesprings, but I have never, ever seen a stud pull out of a head. Cheap insurance when rebuilding an engine for the street or track?  Chrome-moly rod bolts. Any experienced engine builder will tell you that 98% of rod failure occurs AT THE BOLT.  I'm a Pontiac guy, and I love the geniuses saying "Pontiacs aren't high revvers".  No, they won't go 7,500-8,000 rpm reliably like a big-block Chevy or Chrysler Race Hemi!!  But if you limit a 400 to 6,200 rpm and a 455 to 5,700 rpm, you'll have no trouble at all. And-when you've got 500+ lbs ft of torque from idle on up, you don't need to rev to 7 grand.  But these guys act like a Poncho is all done in at 3,500- 4,000 rpm!  This spills onto other parts as well.  I saw in a Summit catalog the other day new Richmond T10 4-speeds for sale. Depending of ratios it showed them having between a 325 lb and 375 lb torque rating.  I was rolling on the floor with laughter. GM used T10s behind 421 Pontiacs that were rated at 376 hp and 459 lbs of torque from the factory, and the buff magazines said that was under-rated. They were used in 409 Impalas that were rated at 425 hp and 425 lbs of torque. The T10 was used in 406 Fords that had over 450 lbs of torque.  And the new T10s have a lot stronger mainshafts and gears than the ones built 50+ years ago!!  Would I put one behind a 720 hp 572?  Probably not. But I wouldn't hesitate to throw one in a 396 Camaro or Chevelle, or a 400 Firebird or Trans-Am, or 427 or 454 Corvette if I couldn't find a Muncie!!  Ditto for T5s. These 5-speeds supposedly have a 300 lb torque rating. Yet I know guys with blowers and nitrous on "5.0" Mustangs that run 10s and have no trouble with these trannys. I know Chevy guys that have swapped 350s and 383s into '80's Camaros in place of the 305s that have no trouble.  I know Grand National racers that run 10s with 200R4s.  Ditto for rear ends. I'm sick of every single magazine project car having a custom 9 inch Ford rear end. I have never, ever seen anyone break a Chrysler 8 3/4 rear. Not even my friend with a nitroused 505 inch Duster that runs 9s!!  I have had 400, 4-speed Trans-Ams that I popped the clutch at 4,000 rpm incessantly on, and I never broke the 10 bolt 8.5 inch rear!!  So don't spend money on some ultra-beefy parts you may not need on some "experts" word. Check around. Mastermind