Magazine Road Test "Ringers" again.....

The current issue of Musclecar Review touched on this subject. Several reader's had written in and asked why MCR didn't rank musclecars according to the Road Tests of the day. The editor responded that the results were wildly inaccurate because of the disparity of options on the cars, and the fact that many magazines modified the cars-i.e. re-curved the distributors, bumped the timing, re-jetted the carbs, some even added headers and traction bars and slicks. So what "Hot Rod" or "Car Life" ran with a particular car isn't really indicative of what a showroom stock example would have run. And, it wasn't just a couple of examples-it was and still is rampant. Here's a few of my personal favorites. # 1. 1964 Pontiac GTO. 40 years later Jim Wangers finally admitted what we already knew. Car&Driver's May 1964 test car that ran a blistering 4.6 second 0-60 time and a 13.10 second 1/4 while smoking the 7.75X14 Uniroyal Tiger Paws all the way down the track was a ringer. Royal Pontiac had not only replaced the 389 V8 with a 421, they had added thin head gaskets to up compression,added screw in studs and locknuts to get more rpm on the top-end,re-curved the distributor, re-jetted the 3-2bbl carbs, and replaced the stock vacuum throttle linkage with mechanical. No wonder no stock GTO or other magazine test car couldn't come close to these figures. # 2. 1969 Z/28 Camaro. Hot Rod's goal was to get the Z/28 into the 12s, and they barely missed it. However-the blistering 13.11 1/4 mile time was acheived by adding headers, re-jetting the carb,adding slicks and traction bars,and swapping the standard 3.73:1 axle ratio for 4.88:1s. Wonder why production examples could only run mid-14s?  # 3. 1969 440 "Six-Pack" Road Runner. Chrysler advertised this test done by Car Life of a "Prototype" 440 / 6. The car ran a string of very low 13 and very high 12 second 1/4 mile times. Except the "Prototype"'s 440 had been "Brought to the Top of Specifications"-the distributor custom curved, and the 3 carbs custom-jetted, and it had a 4-speed,4.30 gears, a pinion snubber, slicks, and was piloted by Pro Stock Drag Racing Champion Ronnie Sox of "Sox&Martin" fame!!  No wonder that Hot Rod's Super Bee test car a few months later was quite a bit slower-turning in a 13.56. That's still quick-but nowhere near the 12.80's that Sox was laying down!!  # 4. 1973 SD-455 Trans-Am. This is the car that Hot Rod ran a blistering 13.54 with, ( Only one-tenth slower than the 13.44 turned in by the 1970 LS6 454 Chevelle that HR tested in June 1970? ) and Car&Driver ran a 13.75 with. It's an early prototype, and in the pictures the "Shaker" hood scoop has standard "455" emblems on it, instead of the correct "SD-455" ones. And the Michigan liscence plate number is the same. We know it's a ringer because although both of these road tests were published in the April or May 1973 issues-the tests were actually done in February. And it's a fact that their were massive problems-1st with connecting rod failures,then passing emissions with EGR valve function, and the inital hot, RAIV cam was changed to the much milder RAIII cam and he hp rating changed from 310 to 290 when the engine was finally EPA certified in April. That's why only 295 were built 252 in T/A's and another 43 in Formulas and they all had May or June porduction dates. Anyhow-at the very least this car had the much hotter RAIV cam in it, and the earlier "illegal" EGR valve on the manifold. Plus the "Shaker" hood scoop was opened up-indicating the carb jetting had been messed with. ( 1970-72 T/A's had a vacuum solenoid that opened the scoop under full-throttle acceleration. Federal Noise mandates forced Pontiac to seal them for 1973 and later-making the scoop basically cosmetic. We all know a lot of guys opened them up anyway.) Hot Rod also took the liberty of bumping the timing, adding some M&H slicks and putting a shift kit in the TH400 which bumped shift points from 5,000 to 5,600 rpm. This dropped their 1/4 mile time to a blistering 13.15. Which by comparison was 3 tenths faster than the 13.44 ran by their June 1970 LS6 454,4-speed Chevelle SS test car. I'm a Pontiac Fan, but you want me to believe an 8.4:1 compression Firebird with a cam with only .410 lift and an automatic with 3.42:1 gears is faster than an 11:1 compression, 4-speed, 4.11 geared solid-lifter LS6 Chevelle??? Herb Adams and the boys slipped this one by. All other tests of '73-74 SD-455 T/A's have them running low-mid-14s. #5 1991 Ford Mustang GT. Car Craft boasted that their "Stock" "5.0" Mustang ran a blistering 14.04 e.t. Every other magazine that tested one from 1987-93 was substantially slower. The fastest being a 14.72, the slowest a 15.29. Here's why-the CC test mule had a K&N airbox and filter, a Flowmaster "Cat-Back" exhaust,and the P225/60VR15 Goodyear Gatorback radials were swapped for 235/60R15 M&H Soft-compund drag radials and the stock 2.73 or 3.08 axle ratio was swapped for a 3.73:1 set. Not exactly stock is it??  # 6. 1993 Mitsubishi 3000 GT/VR4. This one takes the cake. Mitsubishi advertised in magazines that their sports car ran sub-5 second 0-60 times and mid-13 second 1/4 mile times "With a Professional driver, under controlled conditions." Here's the "Conditions"-the engineers had disconnected the rev limiter, disconnected the knock sensor,filled the gas tank with 105 octane racing gas, lowered the tire pressure to 15 psi all around, and had the "Professional driver" pop the clutch at 6,200 rpm and powershift at 7,000, which grenaded the $5,749 transaxle after 3 runs. Gee, why were production examples with a functioning rev limiter and functioning knock sensor, filled with 89 octane gas and 35 psi in the tires a full second slower? Why do you ask? Anyhow-bench racing can be fun, but you have to be careful quoting these old road tests. Mastermind          

More on overkill on Magazine Project cars and Reader's Rides.....

In the same vein of the last post-I don't know why people spend untold amounts of money on beef that they don't need. Some more examples-# 1. Why does every car featured in a magazine have to have a custom 9 inch Ford rearend? I mean honestly-In 40 years I have NEVER,EVER seen anyone break a Chrysler 8 3/4 rear under any circumstances!! I have a friend that has a Duster with a 505 inch engine with nitrous that runs low 10's. He's never had a problem with the rear end. Does that 1/4 inch on the ring gear really make that much difference? Ditto for GM cars. And I'm not talking about the vaunted "12 bolt" that was in late '60's and early '70's models. I'm talking about the 10 bolts with an 8.5 inch ring gear that was used from 1970-81 in Camaros and Firebirds, from '68-82 in Corvettes, and from '71-77 in "A" bodys and '71-79 in "X" bodys. I have had 455, 4-speed Trans-Ams that I popped the clutch at 4,000 rpm on regularly and never had an ounce of trouble with the rear end. I know guys with L88 427 'Vettes with a 4-speed and 4.56 gears that drop the clutch at 4,500 rpm and shift at 6,800-7,000 and have never broke the rear end. A buddy who lived in San Francisco and had a '70's Z/28 Camaro and lived on a hill would roll backward out of his driveway-and with the car still rolling backwards, drop the clutch at 3,500-4,000 rpm and smoke the tires all the way up the hill!! I know a guy that has an LS6 454 in a Nova with 5.14 gears that runs 11.01 in the 1/4 with drag radials and he hasn't broke the 10 bolt rear. You can buy C-clip eliminator kits that will keep the axle from coming out if it does break, but you'd have to have a mega-hp engine with wrinklewall slicks bolted to the rims,and traction bars and drop the clutch or release the trans-brake at 5,000 rpm or more to break one of these. It's nice that Currie builds these with GM and Mopar mounting points-if you have to have the best of everything-but unless you've got more than 600 hp-you don't really need it.  # 2. Transmissions. I know guys that have put 400 hp 383s in '80's Camaros with T5 5-speeds that lasted 13 months with him doing 30 hard passes a weekend at his local drags. If it had been a normal driver it probably would have lasted 5 years. I know guys with "5.0" Mustangs that are running 10s with nitrous and have not blown their T5 trannys that supposdly only have a 300 lb torque rating. I wouldn't put one behind a Rat motor-but for  the average 350 or 383 street motor-you should be fine. Buick Grand National racers run 11s with 200R4's. They like them because theirs not as much "drop" between 1st and 2nd gear. I know guys with RAIV 400 Pontiacs backed by 200R4s that run 12s with street tires. I know guys with 500 hp 351 Fords backed by C4s. I get tired of them listening to people that "Need" TH400s,727 Torqueflites, etc. # 3. Valvetrain and bottom end. I get tired of "Gotta haves". Yes if your building a NASCAR Nextel cup engine that has to go 7,800 rpm for 500 miles at Daytona, then yes, you need all the beef you can get. But otherwise-no. For example-everyone says you need screw-in rocker studs on a high-performance engine. I know guys that have run small-block Chevy and Ford engines in "Hobby Stock" "Street Stock" and "Super Stock" circle track and 1/4 mile classes for 20 years that have NEVER had a stud pull out of a head. I've seen broken pushrods and broken rocker arms, and broken timing chains, but I have NEVER seen a stud pull out of a head!!  The same with cranks. Bob Glidden and Dyno Don Nicholsen ran 9 second 351C powered Pro Stock cars in the '70's and '80's with stock nodular iron cranks, because neither Ford nor anyone else offered a forged crank!! Bud Moore and Bobby Isaac ran a 351C Torino in Nascar that went 7,600 rpm for 500 miles at Daytona with a stock crank. What I'm saying is-don't buy into the "Gotta Haves" that magazines push to stay in business-they have to sell their advertisers products. Mastermind      

Why do people have to have technology just for technologies sake?? At triple the cost of something that works!!!

I see an alarming trend not only in Buff Magazine project cars but also in "Reader's Rides" that are featured. These cars have to have the newest and most expensive thing out there, even if it offers LESS horsepower and performance than something "Old School". # 1. Aftermarket Fuel Injection Systems. I'm not talking about larger throttle bodies or ported manifolds that Edelbrock,Trick Flow, Accel and Ford SVT offer-these are upgrades that work in conjunction with the factory system on 5.0 / 4.6 Mustangs,TBI / TPI 305 and 350 Chevys, 318 and 360 Dodge "Magnum" V8s, etc. These are all reasonably priced upgrades-usually a couple hundred bucks-that offer a 20+hp gain-a lot of bang for the buck. No, I'm talking about complete fuel-injection systems. Most of these cost over $3,000!!!. High-Performance Pontiac Magazine tested one on a hot 455 Pontiac engine. Yes, once they got it dialed in it worked great. Except-it cost $3895 and made 15 hp and 18 lbs ft of torque LESS than the $600 Performer RPM / 850 Holley combo it replaced!!!  This is not an isolated example. The Edelbrock Pro-Flow system costs $3349 for a small-block Chevy!. The Ford and Mopar systems are even more. And simply look in a Summitt Racing catalog-an Edelbrock manifold for most vehicles is priced between $200 and $350. A Holley or Edelbrock 4bbl carb, depending on model is usually between $299 and $450. So why would you spend $3,500 or more on a fuel injection system that doesn't make any more power than a $600 or $700 carb and intake combo-and requires a ton of electronics-installing O2 sensors etc, a laptop to map the fuel curve, etc-a lot more trouble than bolting on a carb and intake and maybe changing jets a couple times?  #2. Roller cams. Again-if you have a 1987 and later engine that came with a roller cam from the factory-that's the only way to fly. What I'm talking about is converting older engines. On the same 455 Pontiac that they tested the injection setup on, HPP also converted it to a hydraulic roller cam-at a cost of $1,800. Why? Especially when a Crane Energizer kit or Edelbrock Performer RPM kit is only $239??!!  And guess what-it was still redlined at 5,800 rpm-it's not like the roller setup magically allowed it to rev to 7 grand. Super Chevy tried hopping up a 454 HO crate engine that had a roller cam-and had valve float problems as low as 5,400 rpm!! The reason is the roller valvetrain is way heavier than a flat-tappet setup. That's why NASCAR runs flat-tappet cams to this day. Even for a pre-1986 Small-Block Chevy-generally the cheapest and most prevalant thing when it comes to aftermarket parts-converting one of these to a roller setup costs over a grand. And doesn't make enough power to justify the expense. Put that extra money into a carb and intake, or gears or a higher stall converter. # 3. Aluminum Heads. Don't get me wrong-these can be a great investment if your building a mega hp engine. But-for anything other than a small-block Chevy-a set of Edelbrock or Trick Flow or Brodix heads is usually priced at $2,000 or more. Let's say you have a typical '70s 351C Mustang or 400 Firebird. Assuming you can do the labor yourself-for 2 grand you can buy a set of headers, an Edelbrock carb and intake combo and matching cam,a higher-stall speed torque converter and some 3.73 gears and a pair of Drag radials to put all that newfound power to the ground. A lot more bang for the buck than bolting some expensive heads on an otherwise stock engine. And I've seen guys spend big bucks on expensive crate engines that are pretty hopped up to begin with. Hot Rod was playing with a ZZ4 Chevy 350. They experimented with different carbs and intakes and cams. Then they spent $1,400 on a set of Trick Flow heads. Why? The ZZ4 had aluminum L98 heads on it stock!!  And here's the real kicker-the "Antiquated" L98 heads were within 5 hp and 5 lbs of torque at every RPM up to 4,600!! In fact the TF's only showed a 30 hp gain in a 1,300 rpm window-between 4,800-6,100 rpm. Now think of this-honestly on your daily driver or weekend cruiser how often are you going to be between 4,800 and 6,100 rpm? And even if it's a strictly a hot rod-you only run it at the weekend drags-you can gain a lot more than 30 hp in a 1,300 rpm window for $1,400!! My first thought is you can buy a first-class Nitrous system that will give you an extra 250 hp on demand for a lot less than $1,400. Super Chevy was working on a ZZ440 454 engine. Now these are rated at 440 hp and 500 lbs of torque. They have Oval-Port aluminum heads from the factory. They put a bigger cam in it and by playing with carb jetting they got it up to 500 hp. Then "Just for Giggles" they decided to try some Edelbrock Performer RPM heads. Why? These were oval port heads just like was on the engine. I could kind of see it if they went with a huge cam and Rectangular port Victor heads-you want to rev to 7,500 and make power all the way there. Needless to say they were disappointed. The Edelbrock Heads only made 10-15 more hp than the factory heads-above 5,000 rpm. That's not a noticeable gain without a dyno. Think about it-all other things being equal is a car with 510 hp really going to go any faster than a car with "only" 500?? Dont' get me wrong, I'm not saying don't buy aftermarket heads-they are a great deal for some people and offer a lot of bang for the buck. Just not in every single case. That's all I'm saying. # 4. Aftermarket 4-wheel disc brake systems. Why does every car have to have a Wildwood or Baer brake system worthy of a Formula One car? Are the magazines saying that the front disc / rear drum or 4-wheel disc setups on most 70's, 80s and '90s cars aren't adequate to safely stop the car in daily driving or on a weekend trip to the drags? Puhllleeezzze. Even if your autocrossing it or running it at "Track Day" at a local speedway-you don't need a $4,000 aftermarket setup with six-piston calipers and cross-drilled rotors etc. I had a friend who used to autocross his '78 Trans-Am, and later his '86 IROC-Z Camaro. We found by using Bendix D52 or D154 "Police Spec" semi-metallic pads and DOT 5 fluid-that the brakes wouldn't fade. Even when doing back-to-back events with less than five minutes down time between them. The major problem was the DOT 3 fluid would boil. Ditto for a guy running a '78 Camaro in a NASCAR circle track "Super Stock" class. If we used the Police spec pads and DOT 5 fluid-even on a 50-lap main event-his brakes never faded. Some times at the end of a race the front rotors would be glowing red-but the car still stopped perfectly every time he hit the brakes. Don't get me wrong-I'm all for safety-I had a couple of harrowing experiences in my 400 powered '72 Ventura that had 9 inch drum brakes all the way around-I hadn't gotten around to installing Firebird spindles and rotors yet!!  But honestly-anything built after 1967 that has factory front disc brakes is going to fine for 99% of the people who drive them. Unless your building a 600hp monster that you intend to hammer constantly-the factory brake system on your Mustang, Charger, Chevelle, Firebird, whatever is more than adequate. That's all I'm saying. If you want a brake system worthy of a NEXTEL Cup Daytona 500 car and can afford it, by all means do it. But you don't really NEED it. Mastermind        

A clone doesn't have to be correct to the nth degree....

Talked to a couple people who wanted to restore some early '60's GM cars. I've said it before-I don't understand why people are so concerned with what a car might be worth if or when they get rid of it! Especially if it's not anything special-i.e.-a '64 Tempest with a 326 as opposed to a Tri-Power GTO. Anyhow I think I gave these guys good advice that I'll share here. The first guy had bought a '62 Pontiac Catalina with a 389 2bbl engine and the "Slim-Jim" hydro-matic transmission. He couldn't decide if he wanted to make it a nice cruiser or a "Super Duty" clone. I told him it would be easy either way. If he wanted a nice cruiser I'd get a 400 and a TH400 out of a later model Pontiac. You'd have to move the crossmember back and shorten the driveshaft but that's easy. You can use the stock shift linkage-they have the same number of detents-but you have to remember that reverse is now low. I'd use an Edelbrock Performer intake and 750 cfm carb-( They are an exact replica of the Carter AFB that came originally on the car ) and the matching cam. This setup has 15 inches of vacuum at idle and makes over 400 lbs of torque according to Edelbrock. This would move the big Cat along very briskly-and have a glass-smooth idle and be dead reliable. If he wanted to go the Super Duty route-I'd still get a '67-79 400 block. Butler Performance and Scat, and Eagle offer stroker rotating assemblys-I.E.-cranks, rods and pistons and rings and bearings-that can make 433 or 461 cubic inches. Edelbrock offers a dual-quad intake that's an exact replica of the 421SD manifold. Depending on how radical you want to go-I'd use dual 600 or 750 Edelbrock carbs. I'd use the factory RAIV cam. Summitt Racing will sell you a brand-new BW T10 4-speed, and Ames Performance and NPD offer clutch linkages and pedal assemblys for '58-64 GM full-sizes. He asked-dead serious-"How hard is it to find a 421?" With 1961 or 1962 date codes? Almost impossible. It's a fake anyway, so who cares?  Had a similar conversation with a guy wanting to build a Thunderbolt Fairlane clone. He was distraught because he couldn't find a 427 Ford for sale at any price. I suggested he get a 390. There were millions used in Ford cars and trucks from 1961-76, and they are externally Identical to a 427 or a 428. Edelbrock claims 422 hp and 434 lbs of torque with their "Performer RPM" package and dual-quad manifold. That would turn a lightweight Fairlane into a rocket, and look right to all but the most discerning Ford enthusiast. "But it wouldn't be correct" he said. "The whole car isn't correct!" I retorted-"It's not a real Thunderbolt!!" "For God's sake!!". If you buy a Mopar Performance crate Hemi and stuff it into a '70 Satellite and Put an aftermarket Superbird nose and wing on it, it might be cool, but it's still not a Hemi Superbird!!!  Get over it, and have fun with the damn thing, it's not real anyway. Mastermind      

More A#$%holes of the Century......

A while back I posted a parody of Hustler Magazine's "Asshole of the Month" column. For those not familiar-It's pretty funny. "Asshole of the Month" is usually a politician or celebrity that did something incredibly stupid or hypocritical. Like the senator from Idaho who was vehemently opposing gay marriage and then got caught trying to pick up a guy in an airport men's room. Or the woman who founded Mothers Against Drunk Drivers taking a six-figure job as a salesman for Seagram's, or the Gun-Control advocate in Washington D.C. who shot an intruder in his house with an un-registered gun. The way this relates to musclecars is I spotlighted people who had ruined classic cars. No, this wasn't a why did you put an SRT8 Hemi in a '69 Charger gripe, even the magazines featuring these cars wanted to storm these people's houses with torches. I won't reprint the whole article-but here's some highlights. The one guy had put a 389 Pontiac into a pristine 1957 Thunderbird. Blaspehemy most foul!!  The other guy had put the engine and drivetrain out of a 1998 Toyota Supra Turbo into a 1967 Camaro. Everyone wanted this guy drawn and quartered, tarred and feathered, and my personal favorite-entrails cut out and burned. Everyone was furious because he butchered not one, but two rare classics. Musclecar guys were mad about putting a Jap drivetrain in a classic Camaro, and the Import Tuner crowd was furious that he'd cut up a rare, valuable Toyota performance car. Well, I found a few more idiots with more money than brains that tops even these collossal ruinings of classics. These irritated the musclecar crowd and the classic sports-car crowd, and the Import tuner group. 3 for 3. Here's the winners of this month's "Asshole of the Century" award. # 1. This guy put a Mopar Performance 528 inch crate Hemi into a 1972 Ford Pantera!!!  Why???  First off-you can't buy a decent Pantera for less than 25 or 30 grand. Secondly-their pretty damn good performers stock-the mid-engine 351C Ford V8 pushes the swoopy 3,000 lb cars to 0-60 times in the 5 second range and a top speed over 140 mph. If you want to go faster than that-there's tons of hot rod parts for 351C's-aluminum heads,intakes, cams etc-or a 429 / 460 Ford has the same bellhousing bolt pattern and is almost the same size externally. So why would you spend 30K for a pristine Pantera, another 20K for a Mopar Crate Hemi, and then untold hours and dollars making it fit?  Ford guys, Mopar guys, and Sports car guys all hated this one. # 2. This genius put a 302 Chevy out of a 1969 Z/28 into a 1971 Porsche 914 / 6!!  Porschephiles lost their mind, and rightfully so. Everyone loved the cute little 914 Targa Coupes that were made from 1970-76 and even with a 4-banger they were a blast to drive. However in '70 and 71 a few were built with the 6-cylinder 911 motor which made them rockets. Except for a 550 Spyder like James Dean got killed in, or a '69-73 911S, the 914 / 6 is about the most desirable and collectible Porsche around. Butchering it with an american V8 wasn't enough-a 302 Ford or garden-variety 350 Chevy, oh no-this had to be a solid-lifter "DZ" 302 that someone would pay blood and a first-born child for to put in a '69 Z/28 they were restoring. And-here's the kicker-the car wasn't that much faster with the V8, and it handled worse!!! Because the iron small-block Chevy weighed WAY more than the aluminum flat 6 Porsche motor-and ALL that weight was unsprung on the rear end which drastically altered the cars weight distribution & aggravated the usual Porsche tail-happyness to an unmanageable degree!! If he wanted more performance-there's plenty of speed parts for 911 Porsche motors. Or why couldn't he buy one of the thousands of 4-banger 914s that no one cares about and drop in a 3.8 liter GM V6 out of a Buick Grand National Turbo or Pontiac Bonneville Supercharged SSEI  that wouldn't weigh any more than the Porsche / VW 4-banger and have triple the power?  # 3. This clown put a 350 Chevy into a 1988 Jaguar XJ/S coupe. If you don't know-the XJ/S was the flagship performance car-it had a V12 from the factory that moved the big cats along quite rapidly. And this wasn't Jehtro in the backwoods bought an old Jag with a blown engine,couldn't afford the $8,000 to rebuild the V12 and stuffed the 350 and TH350 out of his pickup into the car, no this Jag was a pristine, example with less than 50,000 miles on it that ran perfectly. The guy yanked the Jag powerplant that had nothing wrong with it, then went and spent a ton of money buying a TPI L98 350 and TH700R4 out of an '88 Corvette, spent several grand on Vortec heads,Edelbrock baseplates and TPI runners,and wiring up all the electronics to run the Fuel-Injection, moving the crossmember back, shortening and re-balancing the drive shaft, etc. And the net result-it got 20 mpg on the highway instead of 16, and ran the 1/4 in the high 14s instead of the low 15s. After he spent $12,000 and countless man hours and ruined the value of the car. If he wanted a nice Jag for a cruiser-he already had that. If he wanted a C4 Corvette for a hot rod-their the proverbial dime-a-dozen. I saw a nice one on a used car lot the other day for $3995!!  Anyhow-these people managed to offend everyone on all sides. Thought people might find it entertaining. Mastermind              

Luxury cars that have some muscle....And make cool drivers to this day...

The term "Personal Luxury Car" came into vogue in the late '70s but they've always been around, and some of these can be great fun, and bought for a lot less dough than "Regular" muscle machines-Chevelles, GTOs, Road Runners, Mustangs, etc. Heres a list of my Personal favorites. #1.1961-63,1967-71 Ford Thunderbird. A lot of people love the styling of the '61-63 "Bullet Bird" and with 390 cubes under the hood, they move pretty good too. The '64-66 "Thelma&Louise" model, I didn't like. The 1967-69 models had the cool hidden headlight bodystyle. I personally prefer the 2 dr models, but a lot of people like the "Suicide Doors" of the 4 door model as well. And they have 390 or 428 cubes under their long hoods. The 1970-71 models are my personal favorites. They have swoopy Nascar-inspired styling, and 429 cubes for motivation. # 2. 1963-65, '66-69 and '71-73 Buick Riviera. The 1963-65 Riviera was on of Bill Mitchell's masterpieces. The styling is still cool today, and with 401 cubes, they run pretty good too. Patrick Swayze drove 2 of these in the action flick "Roadhouse", and Nicholas Cage had one in the opening of "Drive Angry." The 1966-67 model had the swoopy fastback, hidden headlight styling of the revolutionary Olds Toronado-but the Riv's styling was cleaner and the car was rear wheel drive. This is one of the best-looking cars GM ever put out in my opinion. The '68-69 models are very similar-but the grille and front end was changed slightly, and are not as clean as the '66-67, but their still a great-looking car. 430 cubes backed by a TH400 all years,so they move as good as they look. The 1970 model was ugly and one-year only. 1971-73 is the famous "Boat Tail" design. 455 cubes standard all years. Like their ad used to say-"Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?" # 3. 1962-68, 1969-76 Pontiac Gran Prix. 1962-66 models have 389 or 421 cubes under their long hoods. They also have cool two-tone interiors,eight-lug wheels and many other cool features. 1967-68 models have hidden headlights and 400 or 428 cubes under the hood. Ray Liotta drove a '68 model in "Goodfellas". In 1969 Pontiac downsized them onto the "A" body platform and it was a runaway hit. While 99% of Monte Carlos in the '70's were small-block powered, Gran Prix's had 400 cubes standard all years and a fair number of 70-76 "SJ" models had 455s. My cousin had a 455 powered '73 GP in high school. It had power everything, and it felt like a GTO. She showed her taillights to many a supposedly "Bad" Camaro and Mustang. # 4. 1969-72 Plymouth Sport Fury. These have cool styling and 383, 400 or 440 cubes under the hood. Peter Graves drove one on "Mission: Impossible". #5 1967-73 Mercury Cougar. While most Mustangs of this vintage are base models, Cougars usually have much more cool options like upgraded leather interiors, front disc brakes, bigger motors, and factory air. I personally think the 1967-68 models are one of the best-looking cars Ford ever built. 289, 302 or 390 cubes are your engine choices, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. 1969 and 70 models had similar styling, but were a little bigger. Engine choices are a 351W, 390 or a 428. 428 models will be overpriced, but you can still get a deal on 351 and 390 models. 1971-73 models had classy, but racy styling, and most had 351C's for power. I guess maybe because they were originally sold to older people Cougars are usually better maintained, and can usually be bought cheaper than a same-year Mustang. Any of these are cool choices-much better than the "Rich Corinthian Leather" and "Lean Burn" choked Chrysler Cordobas pitched as "Personal Luxury Coupes". Mastermind    

How to get maximum performance from your Musclecar....Even if it's bone-stock...

I talk to a lot of people who don't want to modify their musclecars, but complain that they don't run as well as they'd like, or that they got their doors blown off by a supposedly "slower" car. There are several causes of this problem. I'll list each one, and tell you how to fix them. # 1. Do a compression test. Even an 8:1 "smog" motor will have 120-130 lbs of compression. Higher compression engines may have 150-175 lbs. ( Ultra-high compression engines like a 12.5:1 L88 Chevy can have as much as 220 ). The readings should be consistent for all 8 cylinders-within 5-10 lbs of each other. If one or more cylinders reads 80-90 lbs you could have a blown head gasket or bad piston rings. You'd be amazed at the number of musclecars running around on 6 or 7 cylinders. # 2. No high rpm power. I'm not talking 7 or 8,000 rpm; many cars don't have the valvetrain or bottem end strength for that. But even a 318 Dodge with a 2 barrel carb and 150,000 miles on it will rev to 5,000 rpm or so. If your car starts popping or backfiring through the carb over 3,500 rpm, or won't rev past 4,000 or 4,500-you could have a flat cam, or broken valvesprings, or a burned valve on one or more cylinders. You'd be amazed at the number of cars I see with $5,000 paint jobs that can't pull 5,000 rpm in low gear. # 3. Bad tuning. This one is the most rampant. Even on a stone-stock engine, bad tuning can cost you as much as 50 hp. You'd be appalled at the number of cars I see with $5,000 paint jobs and $2,000 worth of wheels and tires, and the vacuum advance on the distributor is unplugged or inoperable, the timing is way too slow or way too advanced,the carb is way too rich or too lean, the points are closing up,it has one or more bad plug wires,an exhaust leak and the owner can't tell you the last time he changed the plugs!! Trust me-you'll be amazed at the improvement in performance you get just by installing a new distributor cap and rotor, points and condenser, and plugs and wires, and setting the timing to the factory recommended degrees. # 4. Bad carburators. I don't mean jetted too rich or too lean-that's an easy fix. But I see dozens of cars with the floats sinking,bad accelerator pumps,warped throttle shafts,or baseplates,and massive vacuum leaks. You have to realize-the car is 40 or 50 years old. Parts wear out. If you have to have a numbers-matching carb for concours shows or if you want to sell the car someday to someone really anal-here's what to do to make it run properly and enjoy it. Put the old carb in a box in your garage, and call Summitt Racing and get a new one. For example if you have a '70 Z/28 or Boss 302-you can buy brand-new 3310 780 cfm Holleys with GM or Ford linkage. I know the Pure Stock drags and many Concours show organizations are allowing the carb to be the original "Type"-in other words-the Quadrajet on your '68 GTO does not have to have 1967 or 68 date codes on it-it can be a Jet Performance or Carb Shop rebuilt unit. This good for cars with carbs that are no longer in production. If your a Mopar guy you can't buy a new Carter AVS 4bbl, but Edelbrock sells AVS carbs that look identical to the old ones, and work flawlessly and are available in 650 and 800 cfm versions-the old factory ones only flowed about 585 cfm. Ditto for Cars that originally had Carter AFBs-early '60s 'Vettes, '64-66 GTOs, and of course 409 Chevys, 421 Pontiacs and 426 Hemis. The Edelbrock "Performer" series is an exact replica of the AFB and is available in 600, 750 and 800 cfm versions. If your a Ford guy-and your car originally had a Holley on it your in luck-the original "type" rule again-you can put a 750 Holley on your GT350 or 428CJ Mustang- no ones going to ding you because it isn't a 715 or 735 cfm version with 1960s date codes. If you have the misfortune to have an Autolite 4100 or 4300 4bbl on your Ford, you'll just have to put it in a box, use a Holley or Edelbrock to make the car run properly and use the old one for shows, if it is a show car. But no one offers new or rebuilt Autolite carbs, and they were HORRIBLE when they were new. My dad was a Ford master tech in the early '70's and they had massive problems brand-new-they wouldn't idle, wouldn't start in hot or cold weather, had no power, and got crappy gas mileage. If you had a Mustang with a 351C or a T-Bird or LTD with a 429 or 460 and you bitched hard enough the dealers would install a 6619 600 cfm Holley and warranty it. When you install the new carb make sure the throttle linkage doesn't stick and opens all the way, and if you have an automatic trans, make sure the kickdown linkage is hooked up properly. This is a big one-I see cars all the time that the throttle will only open halfway or 3/4 of the way. # 5. Neglected transmissions. I see cars all the time with slipping clutches, or shifters that hang up between gears, or pop out of gear for no reason. Hurst offers a rebuild program-you can send in your old shifter and they'll re-furbish it and put new bushings and shift rods on it. I see automatic cars all the time that are running around 1 or 2 qts low on fluid, or haven't had the fluid changed in years,the vacuum modulator is unplugged or not working. Chane the fluid at least once every two years or 25,000 miles. Make sure the modulator is working, and install a B&M or TransGo shift improver kit. You'd be amazed at how well a car runs when everything is in proper tune and working the way it should. Mastermind

A car isn't rare just because the clown selling it says it is....

Talked to a disappointed man the other day. After our conversation he regretfully said he wished he'd met me or seen this site before he bought his car. I was as gentle and tactful as possible-I told him he should have maybe checked Hemmings Motor News or Musclecar Review magazine, or bought HP Books' "Guide to GM Muscle Cars."  He was proudly showing me a really nice 1967 Chevy Impala SS. It was a 327 / TH400 model, and it had bucket seats, a console and a tach, it was really nice. But when he started telling me how rare it was-I stopped him. "I'm not trying to be rude-but Chevrolet built 75,600 of these in 1967 and another 38,200 in 1968." "If it was a 427 model it would be rare-they only made 2,127 of those in 1967." "Your kidding." The guy said. "No I'm not." "Sorry. It's a really nice car, but the small-block models are not that rare or valuable." He swore a little, and I was shocked-the price he paid would be what a numbers-matching 427 model would be worth. That's where the term "Buyer Beware." came from. Do some research before you shell out big bucks for a car. This is not an isolated example. I've had similar conversations with other people over different cars; some luckily before they bought them, some sadly after. Here's a few samples. # 1. 1969 Firebird 400. This was a nice car, and it was numbers-matching. But Pontiac built 113,000 Firebirds in 1969, and nearly all of them had 350 or 400 cubes under the hood. And this car was a typical 400 coupe with an automatic. It wasn't a Ram Air III or a Ram Air IV with a 4-speed that would justify it's high price; I have seen '69 Trans-Ams ( and they only made 697 of those ) priced less than this car. # 2. 1978 Corvette. All 1978 Corvettes are "Silver Anniversary" models. They all have badging commemerating 25 years of Corvettes. ( The 'Vette was introduced in 1953. ) Now about 10,000 of them have a two-tone silver and charcoal grey paint job and silver leather seats, but their not that rare. Ditto for the '78 Indy Pace car editions. They were supposed to be exclusive-but their was high demand and GM decided to make one for every dealer. At that time there were 7,700 dealers across the country. And not every dealer was slated to get one-so they bitched, and more were built. I can't remember the exact number-but of the 50,000 or so 'Vettes sold in 1978 nearly 10,000 were "Pace Cars" and nearly 10,000 more had the two-tone Silver Anniversary paint. So their not that rare. Especially L48 / TH350 models. An L82 / 4-speed in good condition is worth some bucks, but not 427 Stingray or Split-window coupe money like the assholes selling them would lead you to believe. # 3. 1977 "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans-Am. Of the 68,000 Trans-Ams sold in 1977-over 15,000 were black and gold "SE" models. Their nice cars if you want a T/A-but their not worth 455HO or SD-455 money. In fact-I'd pay more for a documented DKM "Macho T/A" only about 300 a year were built from '77-79, or a '79 10th Anniversary model-only 7,500 of those were built and only 1,817 with the 400 / 4-speed combo. # 4. 1974-76 "Starsky&Hutch" Gran Torino. Because of that show's immense popularity Ford decided to capitalize. But the cars are garden variety 2 dr Torinos. Most have a 351M with a two-barrel carb, bench seats, and a column-shifted automatic!!. The only thing unique is the red-and-white paint job and slotted mag wheels. Serramonte Ford where my dad and I worked in the late'70's and early '80's sold tons of them. They'd take every 2 dr Torino they could get or dealer trade for-paint them red and white, and put the slot mags on them and sell them for top dollar. They even sold one that was originally Green!! I mean who buys a Red car with a Green interior??!! Someone did. # 5. 1979 Hurst / Olds. This is the only H / O that wasn't built by Hurst Performance. They were built entirely in Lansing where every other Cutlass was built. They have a garden-variety 350 that wheezes out 160 hp backed by a TH350. They have gold rally wheels and a white and gold paint job, and Olds shamelessly put "W30" emblems on it, but their really a generic '79 Cutlass coupe with a trick paint job. Even Olds fanatics snub these cars for the smog-dog fakes that they are. Now if Olds had put the 403 in the downsized "G" body-they might have had something-but they didn't. I'm sure there's others I missed-but you get the drift. Don't pay top dollar for some "Rare" bird on the SELLER's word. Mastermind        

Your not "Ruining" a car by upgrading it.....

Had some more people talking about "Factory Freaks" and asking if you'd hurt their value by upgrading some options. Like I said-their not rare or collectible-their just weird. For example-although you could get a TH400 in "Big" cars from 1965 on, If you had an automatic in a 1964-66 GTOs,Chevelles, Cutlass / 442s, and Buick Skylarks all had ST300s. ( A BOP bolt-pattern two-speed Powerglide ). The TH400 wasn't offered in a GTO, 442, SS396, or GS400 until 1967. However, the upside is a TH350 is the exact same size as a Powerglide / ST300 and even uses the same U-Joint and rear trans mount. So you could literally bolt in a TH350 and drastically improve your car's performance. You can even use the stock shift linkage, but you won't be able to manually engage low gear. However with a good B&M or TransGo shift kit that won't be a problem either. And don't worry-TH350s are incredibly tough-they can handle up to 450 hp easily, which is the high end of what a 389 Pontiac, 400 Olds or Buick or 396 Chevy can make anyway. My brother has a TH350 in his '69 GTO behind his 400 that has the Edelbrock Torker II package on it. Edelbrock claims 402 hp and 430 lbs of torque with this package. He's drag-raced it incessantly for five years and never had a problem. So unless you've got a mega-hp engine in your GM car-you don't really "need" a TH400. The same goes for three-speed sticks. GM, Ford or Mopar-your actually increasing the value and performance of the car by swapping in a 4-speed. If you put a Tri-power setup on your '66 GTO or a "Six-Pack" setup on your '69 Road Runner you've greatly increased it's "Curb Appeal" as well as performance even though it's not "Original". If you put junkyard or aftermarket front disc brakes on your '68 Chevelle-you've increased it's value, not decreased it. If you put a 4bbl carb and intake on your 2V 351C Mustang or Cougar it's not worth any less. Who really cares if you put "Snowflake" wheels on your '77-79 T/A-even if it had Rally II's stock?  Even changing engines-no one cares if you buy a 350 Firebird and swap in a 400 or 455, or if you take a 318 Challenger and swap in a 340 or a 440. It always amazes me-people are so worried about what the car will be worth if or when they sell it, that they can't enjoy it. I mean, did you marry your wife because you thought she'd give you an easier divorce than other women you dated?  Really?  Mastermind  

"Stealth" modifications that can make a stock-looking car scream......

Had a few people ask how they could have their musclecar look totally stock but be lightning fast. Here's some tips on how to do it. # 1. More cubes. The Saying-"There's no substitute for cubic inches,except cubic dollars" is still true. There are stroker crank kits available to turn a 350 Chevy into a 383,and Dart offers a short block thats 427 inches! There are also crank kits to turn a 302 Ford into a 347, a 351W into a 392 or a 427, a 360 Mopar into a 408, a 400 Mopar into a 451, and a 400 Pontiac into a 455 that are all reasonably priced. More expensive, but still doable-there are kits to turn a 454 Chevy into a 496, a 440 Mopar into a 505, and a 460 Ford into a 514. # 2. More cam. No one can tell what cam is in your engine. Just don't go overboard especially on cars with automatic transmissions. Sticks can tolerate wilder cams better because idle quality isn't as important and the driver can launch at any rpm he wants by manipulating the clutch. The cam manufacturers usually give you good advice-i.e.-"Needs at least 3.55 gears" or "Needs at least 2,000 rpm torque converter". Another way is higher-ratio rocker arms to boost lift. Most cars have 1.5 ratio rocker arms. Switching to 1.6 or 1.65 rockers can give you a 10 percent boost in valve lift. In other words-if your cam has .450 lift with 1.5 rockers 1.65s will give you .495. # 3. Mechanical advantage. Swapping your 2.56:1 or 2.73:1 gears for something in the 3.23-3.73 range will give you a stunning improvement in 0-60 and 1/4 mile acceleration without hurting freeway cruising rpm or gas mileage too much. If you have a car with an automatic transmission a converter with a little more stall speed can give you a big boost as well. But be careful-especially with big-block cars-sometimes the extra stall speed can actually slow you down by blowing the tires away-too much wheelspin. # 4. Exhaust. Even if your running stock exhaust manifolds-they can be ported and extrude-honed, and 2 1/2 or 3" inch pipes, a balance tube or an "X" pipe and low-restriction mufflers can free up as much as 30-40 hp. # 5. Induction. There's lots of room for improvement here and you can still look stock. For example-the Carter AVS carb used on Mopar 383 and 440 4bbl engines only flows about 585 cfm. Edelbrock makes an 800 cfm AVS carb that would allow these big-blocks to breathe properly and pick up probably 20 hp by going to the larger carb. If your pre-1967 GM car has a Carter AFB on it-they only flowed about 500 cfm. The Edelbrock Performer series is an exact copy of the AFB and is available in 750 and 800 cfm versions. This works on Dual-Quad applications as well. Especially if you've gotten more cubes and more cam, and maybe more converter-you can use more carb. Swap the 625cfm AFBs on your 421 Pontiac, 409 Chevy or 426 Hemi for 750 Edelbrocks. If you remove the little "Edelbrock" emblem off the front no one will know the difference. On later models-Jet and other companies offer custom-jetted 750 and 800cfm Quadrajets for GM cars. For '70's 440 Mopars Summitt Racing is selling remanufactured 800 and 1000cfm Carter Thermo-Quads. On some models you can change manifolds. GM Performance parts offers an exact replica of the Z/28 / LT1 SBC manifold in cast-iron. Pontiacs from 75-79 have the EGR valve intruding into the throttle area which really limits power above 4,000 rpm. By switching to the '67-74 manifold your 400 or 455 will pull hard to 5,500 rpm instead of starting to wheeze at 4,500. # 6. Ignition. The '72 and later Chrysler Electronic distributor uses the same cap and looks the same externally as an earlier point type. On GM and Ford applications Petronix offers an electronic conversion that will fit under a point-type cap. You can hide an MSD or Jacobs box in the glove box or somewhere under the hood. You can paint a Hi-Performance MSD or Mallory coil black and make it look stock. Switching to electronic ignition will give you better cold starting, better gas mileage, and better high rpm performance, since most points "sign off" about 5,000 rpm. You can play with plug gap as well. My 403 Olds Trans-Am, even with headers and real dual exhausts and a single-plane Holley Street Dominator intake wouldn't rev past 4,700 rpm when I first got it. I called Mondello Performance ( THE Olds performance Gurus ) and they said to switch the R46SZ plugs ( an .080 gap ) for some R45S plugs. ( a .040 gap. ) This single change allowed it to pull hard to 5,400 rpm!!. It picked up 700 rpm on the top end even with the lazy stock cam-simply because even the mighty HEI couldn't fire an .080 gap at high rpm. Hope these tips help. Mastermind        

You can build a clone of a rare, premium engine......

If you want the performance of an ultra-performance model-but haven't won the lottery you can build one pretty easy with the help of the aftermarket. It won't be original, but it will be lightning fast at a fraction of the cost of the "Real" thing. Here's how to do them. # 1. Ram Air IV 400 Pontiac. There were millions of 400 Pontiacs built from 1967-79 so finding a block isn't a problem. TRW offers flat-top forged pistons that give 10:1 compression with 72cc heads. Edelbrock's "Performer RPM" round-port heads are patterned after the legendary factory RAIV heads. ( The Edelbrocks actually breathe better ). Ames performance and NPD both offer replacement aluminum RAIV / 455HO intakes if you want the exact thing-or you could use an Edelbrock Performer or Performer RPM. The Edelbrock Performer RPM cam also has the exact same duration and lift as the factory cam-308 / 320 advertised duration / .470 lift with 1.5 rockers. You'll need round-port headers-but Hedman and Hooker offer them. Car Craft built one of these and it dyno'd at 440 hp and 460 lbs ft of torque. You'll need a 4-speed and at least 3.73:1 gears ( they were only available from the factory with 3.90s or 4.33s ). If you have an automatic you'll need 3.73:1 gears and a 2,500 rpm torque converter. In a GTO or Firebird with good tires this will easily put you in the 12s. Magazines flippantly talk about 500,or 600 hp or more-but in reality-440 honest hp will turn any car into a rocket. # 2. LS6 454 Chevy. Millions of MKIV 454's were built from 1970-1990 so it's easy enough to find a rebuildable core. Most heavy duty trucks had steel cranks anyway-but if you have to you can buy a forged crank,rods and pistons from Summitt Racing and various other sources reasonably. Now you have to decide how anal you want to be, Magazine research has shown that the "Hi-Performance" Rectangular port heads don't show a noticeable gain over the "standard" Oval-Port heads until 6,300 rpm. So you could use the standard heads if you want to. Or if you have to have rectangular port heads,GM Performance Parts, Merlin, and World Products all offer complete high-performance Iron rectangular port heads for Big-Block Chevys. Crane, Competition Cams and Lunati all offer exact replicas of the factory LS6 solid-lifter cam. GM Perfomance Parts offers the replacement aluminum intake-( The good, tall,'69 and earlier L78 / L88 style,that's good for 15-20 hp over the flat 1970-71 original,although you may have hood clearance problems on some Camaros and Corvettes without a scoop or domed hood ). You can buy a brand-new 3310 Holley carb from Summitt Racing. With good traction and an axle ratio between 3.23 and 3.73 this should put any Chevelle or Camaro in the very low 13s or very high 12s. 4.56s and drag radials will get low 12s or high 11s.  And nothing SOUNDS more badass than high-compression Rat motor with a solid-lifter cam and headers. # 3. Boss 302 Ford. Any 302 Ford Block will do, but if you can afford it I'd go with the Ford SVO 345 hp short-block. Edelbrock and Trick Flow both offer Cleveland style aluminum performance heads that will bolt up to the Windsor block. Edelbrock has the "E-Boss" Performer RPM manifold that will fit this unique combination ( Windsor engines have a different deck height than Cleveland engines, and different port locations so "Boss" style intakes are unique.) Crane and Lunati offer exact replicas of the solid-lifter cam, and 3310 Holleys with Ford throttle linkage are available new from Summitt. Or you could build a 347 stroker-( which would really pump up torque). You'll need a 4-speed and at least 3.73:1 gears. ( Factory versions were only available with 3.90s or 4.30s ). If you put one of these in a '69-'70 Mustang Fastback and buy the graphics-it won't be original but it'll have better performance than a "real" Boss, and won't cost you a mint. ( Try to touch a "Real" Boss 302 Mustang for under 50K )  # 4. Boss 351 Ford. Same deal. You can use any 351W block ( Although "Real" ones were 351C's ). Edelbrock and Trick Flow have the Boss style heads and Edelbrock offers an E-Boss manifold for the 351 as well. Lunati makes the cam, and I would use a 750 Holley or Edelbrock carb. ( The Autolite 4300 was The WORST carburator ever built, bar none ). I'd use a 4-speed and at least 3.50:1 gears or an automatic with a 2,500 rpm converter. ( Factory versions were only available with a 4-speed and 3.91s) Since only 1,806 Boss 351s were built in 1971 only, this gives any '69-73 Mustang, Cougar, Torino or Montego owner the chance to have "Boss" performance. How about a Montego painted like the Wood Brothers Mercury that David Pearson campaigned in NASCAR in the '70's?  # 5 Chrysler 360 "Six-Pack". Yes, I said 360. The reason being 340s were only built from 1968-73 and are pretty scarce, and thus pricey. However-the 360 was used from 1971-1991 in various Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge cars and trucks, so there's literally millions of them. ( I know you could get a 360 in a Dodge truck until 2003,but '92 and later "Magnum" engines can't use an old-style manifold. ) Anyhow-Edelbrock still sells the 3-2bbl manifold, Holley still sells the carbs, and Mopar performance sells the throttle linkage and air cleaner. Since it's not original anyway-some Edelbrock or Indy aluminum heads would make it really rock. Mopar Performance, Crane, and Lunati sell the Hi-Perf 340 cam, or you could go hotter if you wish. You can also get a stroker crank kit that yields 408 inches and REALLY pumps up the torque. I'd use a 4-speed an at least 3.55:1 gears or a Torqueflite with a 2,500 rpm converter and 3.55:1 or stiffer gears. A lot easier and cheaper than trying to find a one-year only ( 1970 ) 'Cuda AAR or Challenger T/A. # 6. L88 427 Chevy. I listed this one last because it's the most expensive to build, but it's still many thousands less than trying to buy or build a "real" L88. Forget trying to find a 427. Get a 1970-1990 454 MKIV block. GM performance, Lunati,Summitt Racing, and many other companies will sell you a 3.76 stroke cramk, rods and pistons. You'll also need the correct flywheel and damper. ( 454s are externally balanced, 427s are internally balanced, but the parts are readily available. 12:1 compression means running race-gas. In this instance, I would invest in the Merlin or World Products rectangular port heads. CRane and Lunati sell exact replicas of the solid-lifter cam. With the proper valvetrain, you could rev to 7,500 rpm safely. GMPP sells the intake manifold and I'd use an 850 Double-Pumper Holley instead of searching the Galaxy for an 830. You have to have headers and free-flowing exhaust. A magazine built one of these and it dyno'd at 529 hp and 544 lbs of torque!! You'll need a 4-speed and 4.11 or stiffer gears, or a TH400 with a 2,500 rpm converter and 4.11 or stiffer gears-but it will be a rocket. If you can get traction-your talking high 11s, easily in a Chevelle, and maybe low 11s in a lighter Corvette or Nova. Any of these would be a great alternaitve to spending bukoo bucks for an original, that you wouldn't race anyway because you'd be afraid of blowing it up!! At least with the "clone" you'd run it the way it was built to be run and not care if it blew up, 'cause it's not numbers-matching anyway. Mastermind

Some modern "Junkyard Jewels" That might work for you.....

If your building a hotrod and don't need or care about a numbers-matching powerplant here's a few that you can buy cheap and will give you big bang for low bucks. # 1. 1996-2000 Chevy 350 "Vortec". These were used in millions of pickups, Tahoes, Suburbans, and vans so their plentiful. They have a one-piece rear main seal and centerbolt valve covers so they don't leak oil. They also have the "Vortec" heads which breathe better than any factory head and many aftermarket ones, and a roller cam from the factory. Edelbrock and Weiand make performance 4bbl intakes that fit these engines.Super Chevy built a 400 hp "Vortec" engine for $2,600-including the $600 pricetag for a used engine. In a Camaro, Nova or Corvette this could really be a rocker. # 2. 1984-97 Ford 351W. Starting with the 351HO in the '84 Bronco-these were used in zillions of Ford trucks, suv's and vans up until 1997. '87 and later models have roller cams from the factory.  ( Obviously this allows you to use hot aftermarket hydraulic roller cams without extensive modifications that an older block would need. ). Ford SVO, Edelbrock and Trick Flow offer performance heads, cams and intakes. You can even put "Cleveland" style Edelbrock or Trick Flow aluminum heads on this Windsor block and with the Edelbrock "E-Boss" Perfromer RPM manifold-have a clone Boss 351 motor. Could be a great bargain powerplant for your Mustang, Cougar or Torino, or Cobra Replica. # 3. 1992-2003 Dodge 360 "Magnum" V8. Millions of these were sold in Dodge Pickups and Vans, Dodge Dakotas and Durangos,and Jeep Grand Cherokees. Like the Chevy Vortecs, the "Magnum" heads breathe better than any factory head and many aftermarket ones, and will bolt up to earlier blocks with the proper manifold. Edelbrock makes 4bbl "Magnum" intakes, and these too have roller cams from the factory. One of these would be dynamite in a Duster or Dart, real strong in a 'Cuda / Challenger and are torquey enough to make a heavy Charger a nice driver. The 318 "Magnum" engines can be bought even cheaper and would be quick in a real light car-i.e. Duster / Dart-but the 360s make a lot more torque with the same equipment. # 4. 1987-95 Chevy 350. These were used in millions of trucks, vans and suvs. They have the one-piece rear main seal, and the blocks are machined for roller cams. ( Most '89 and later versions had roller cams from the factory.) The heads and intakes do not interchange with the '86 and earlier models. However-Edelbrock makes 4bbl and throttle-body intakes for these engines,and Edelbrock, Trick Flow and other companies make aftermarket aluminum heads for them. And factory or aftermarket "Vortec" heads will fit these blocks, you just need a "Vortec" style intake-which Edelbrock and Weiand offer. Any of these would make an awesome street / strip engine for your musclecar project-or think-about this-put one in your car to race it-and you can run it as hard as you want-even with nitrous- without the worry of throwing a rod out the side of a rare, numbers-matching block. If you grenade one of these-just go to the junkyard and get another one. In my mind, you can't lose. Mastermind  

More tips on finding a suitable musclecar at a reasonable price.....

Had a few people ask me what other advice was in my original article for MCR so here it is. # 1. Consider a less than top of the line model. For example-if you can't find a deal on a '70's T/A-then consider a Formula 400. They have the same engine, drivetrain and suspension, only the bodywork is different and a lot of magazine writers said they liked the Formulas understated styling better than the T/A's flashy style. Of the 243,000 Camaros built in 1969, only 19,000 were Z/28 models. Most of the rest had the ubiquitous 350 small-block and you couldn't ask for a better base for a street machine. Yes, only 1,806 Boss 351 Mustangs were ever built in 1971 only. However-Ford built hundreds of thousands of fastback 351C Mustangs from '71-73, and there is still a ton of speed equipment available for these engines-Aluminum heads, cams etc-so don't despair. And the '71-73 Mach 1 graphics are almost identical to the '71 "Boss" graphics. If you can't live with a Mach 1 of this vintage, then you better sell your house and pay 80 grand for a "Boss". See what I'm saying?  # 2. Consider a "Sister" car. If you can't find a deal on a '67-73 Mustang, then consider a Cougar. I personally think the '67-68 Cougar is one of the best looking cars ever built. Most have 289 /302 power ( as did Mustangs of the same years ) but there are some 390 models out there as well. 1969 and '70 models had the same basic styling, but were a little longer and wider. They also offered more engine choices besides the 351W, ( 1969 ) you could get a 351C ( 1970 ) and either a 390 or 428 both years. 428 models will priced in the stratosphere-but the others are still reasonable. Like their Mustang cousins-most '71-73 models had the mighty 351C for power. And while most Mustangs of this vintage are base-models-most Cougars have larger engines,disc brakes,factory a/c, upgraded interiors etc. Can't find a deal on a big-block Camaro? Consider a Firebird. While the 396 was only available in the Camaro from 1967-72 and were sold in limited quantities- by contrast-you could get a 400 in a Firebird Esprit, Formula or Trans-Am clear up until 1979 and the 455 was available until 1976. The Firebird is to the Camaro what the Cougar is to the Mustang-the better buy of the two. I had a friend who was looking for a '64-66 Pontiac GTO. One day-on a used car lot of all things-we run across a 1964 Olds 442. It had a later model 350 engine in place of the original 330, but otherwise it was solid and all there. My buddy bought it and immediately started debating whether he should search for a 330 and make it original or swap in a 455 make it really badass. Five years later it still has the "unoriginal" 350. He says-"It runs so damnded good and it's so damn much fun to drive that I can't bring myself to tear it apart." There's a smart man. # 3. Think outside the box. Can't find a big block Chevelle? How about a Pontiac Gran Prix? While 99% of Chevelles and Monte Carlos of '70's vintage have small block motivation-from 1969-76 all GPs had 400 cubes under the hood,and a fair number of '70-76 SJ models had 455s. MY cousin had a 455 powered 73 SJ in high school and she showed her taillights to many a "Bad" Camaro, Firebird or Mustang. # 4. Consider a "Mini-musclecar". Can't afford a Road Runner? A 340 Duster can be a blast to drive. Can't find an SS Chevelle? A Nova-even with a small-block can be a rocket. Hope these tips help out. Mastermind    

Lower your sights a little, stop whining, and get a musclecar to drive and enjoy!!...

I see it in magazines and in internet chat rooms all the time. Some cry-baby whining that he can't find his dream car at any price-and how ridiculous prices have gotten, how you can't get a decent car for under 50 grand, blah,blah,blah. These people have two problems-one-they fixate on ultra-rare premium models, and even if they find them their too picky. I wrote about this in an article I wrote for Musclecar Review back in 2010. I won't reprint the whole article-but here's the gist of it that I think everyone will agree is sound advice.  # 1. Lower your sights a little. Let's say a 1970 LS6 SS454 Chevelle is your dream ride. You and about a million other people. Do the math. Chevrolet only built 4478 LS6 Chevelles in 1970-so finding one for sale at any price-can be a problem. Conversely-Chevrolet also sold 49,826 SS396 models in 1970. Except for the engine they are the exact same car. And stock or modified-do you really NEED more punch than a 396 has to offer? This is not an isolated example. 1969 GTO Judge is your fave? Of the 72,225 GTOs built in 1969, only 6,833 were Judge models. Want a Boss 302 Mustang? Good luck as Ford only built 1,603 in 1969 and another 7113 in 1970. By contrast Ford built over 70,000 fastback Mustangs in 1969 alone, most of them with 351W power, which is a much better street engine anyway. By considering less than the ultimate model, you increased your chances of finding a car tenfold, and that's if your stuck on a one or two year model. Which brings up # 2. Consider different model years of the same car. If our Chevelle enthusiast would also consider a '68 or '69 SS396 he has 144,000 more examples to choose from ( 58,000 in 1968, and 86,000 in 1969.) Ditto for the GTO buyer. If he could live with a 1968 or 1970 model he has another 127,000 chances. ( 87,000 in 1968 and 40,149 on 1970. ) Pontiac only built about 10,000 Trans-Ams from 1970-1973. However-from 1974-79 they built over 350,000 Trans Ams, most of them with 400 cubes under the hood. With very little work-intake, exhaust and an axle-ratio change these cars can easily equal or surpass the performance of the earlier, more prized models at a fraction of the price. # 3. Don't be an idiot. I know many people who passed on very cool cars in good condition at fair prices because they weren't "Exactly what they were looking for." Idiot # 1.Wanted a 1970-72 LT1 powered Z/28 Camaro. He passed up an unrestored, but exceptionally well-maintained '70 model because it was an automatic. He also passed up a gorgeous 4-speed '72 model because it had headers, traction bars and Cragar mags-it wasn't "Totally original". Idiot #2. Wanted a 1968-70 GTO with a 400 and a 4-speed. He passed up a gorgeous '68 model because it didn't have the hood tach and disc brakes. He also passed up a loaded, low mileage '70 model that had the hood tach, factory air,everything-because it was a 455 automatic.When he turned up his nose at an immaculate triple-white, 400 , 4-speed '71 LeMans Sport Convertible that was done to look like a Judge-"Because it's not a REAL Judge-". I had to restrain myself from slapping him. # 4. Look past the end of your nose. Yes-I saw a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 that was a show winner for sale for $49,000. I've also seen dozens of 351C powered '71-73 Mustangs in excellent shape for $12,000 to 20,000. I've seen people asking $50,000 for "Smokey and the Bandit" '77-78 T/A's. I've also seen a '79 400, 4-speed, WS6, T-Topped 10th anniversary model with 66,000 original miles for sale for $14,900!! So quit whining and go find a car. There's still plenty out there at reasonable prices. I'm having trouble selling my one of 1,097 ever built, numbers-matching '73 Hurst / Olds 442 for $6,500!!!  People say-"It needs a paint job." "The Center Lines look good, but where's the original wheels?" If it was frame-off resto ready for the cover of Musclecar Review-I'd be asking $25,000 for it instead of 6 you moron!!  Just had to vent that. Mastermind

If Hollywood wants to re-do classic action flicks....Here's a few that might fly.....

Got a lot of feedback about the proposed "White Lightning" remake. I don't know why Hollywood doesn't go with original Ideas. If you want to do a story about a Badass San Francisco detective-it doesn't have to be "Dirty Harry" or "Frank Bullitt." But, since remakes seem to be all the rage-here's a few that could be done and their storylines wouldn't seem dated. # 1. "Mr Majestyk" This classic Elmore Leonard revenge tale along with "Death Wish" the same year made Charles Bronson an international star. Vince Majestyk was a Viet Nam vet who bought a watermelon farm and was trying to make a living. After kicking the shit out of a hustler that was trying to strong-arm him he ends up in jail, where he runs afoul of Mafia hitman Frank Renda. Renda tries to ruin his business and breaks his best friend's legs. When Majestyk fights back-the mobster realizes he may have bit off more than he can chew. The chase was used in Ford truck ads for years. All they'd have to do is say Majestyk was an Iraq or Afghanistan vet, and change the dollar amounts. Otherwise the story would fly just the way it is. # 2. "I, The Jury". This classic Mickey Spillane scorcher was done pretty well in 1982 with a young Armand Assante as Mike Hammer. But that was more than 30 years ago and not many people remember it. But it's a great story. P.I. Mike Hammer's best friend is murdered. The cops think it's a robbery gone wrong. Hammer doesn't. He finds out his pal was seeing a psychologist about his PTSD and impotence. He then uncovers that the doctor is helping some mercenaries conduct mind-control experiments on some of her patients at her supposed "Sex Clinic", and that his pal had uncovered the same thing-which is why he was killed. Naturally-Hammer burns the whole operation down. It was written in 1947 and Mike Hammer was a decorated WWII vet turned P.I. Again-just change the dollar amounts and the war to post-9/11/ 2001. Of all of Spillane's work this one is still the best, and it could be a scorcher. # 3. "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry". This one is always lumped in with "Car Chase" movies-but it's not low-brow entertainment like "Smokey and the Bandit" or "Gone in 60 Seconds." Yes there's a lot of automotive action first in a '66 Impala, and later in the '69 Charger. But there's also a pretty damn good robbery disguised as a kidnapping plot, that would still fly today-especially with throwaway cell phones and such. Again-change the dollar amounts and go to town. # 4. "The Driver". This 1978 cult classic had Ryan O' Neal and Bruce Dern at their tough-guy best-and Quentin Tarantino says it's one of his favorites. Simple story that would still fly today. The "Driver" is a getaway driver for hire-he drives for bank robbers, drug dealers, whatever-and gets paid big bucks for eluding the cops. He's never been caught. The cop is obsessed with catching him and makes a deal with some gangsters to set up the driver. It goes bad, and the driver's girlfriend is killed and he goes for revenge....This one would work because he could only be hired through email, and only have throwaway phones, etc. Again-just change the dollar amounts. # 5. "A Small Town in Texas". Texas football hero who just got out of prison on drug charges comes home to his girlfriend and kid he's never seen. Except the sheriff who railroaded him to jail-has been seeing his girl and doesn't want to lose her to the returning hero. So the corrupt Sheriff tries to set him up on drug charges again. The football hero-after finding out the sheriff has killed his best friend-decides to kill the sheriff. As long they do the football player more Bobby Layne or Joe Namath than Tim Tebow, they should be all right with this lean, mean revenge tale. Just a thought. Mastermind    

Some advice for Quentin Tarantino.....

Read on an internet movie news site that Quentin Tarantino was thinking of doing a re-make of  "White Lightning." I don't think that's a good idea-for many reasons and I'll list them here. I'll also give my opinion on what would possibly work if you did do it. # 1. It's hard to top a classic flick with a legendary actor. Anyone who says that the "True Grit" remake with Jeff Bridges was better than the original with John Wayne either didn't see the original or is a moron. The Duke's Rooster Cogburn was a hard-drinking, ass-kicking, tough-but-fair Marshal in a tough, lawless territory. Jeff Bridges' Rooster looked and acted like a homeless alcoholic bum- constantly being passed out drunk,Falling off the horse etc.  Ditto for "The Mechanic". I personally like Jason Statham-but it was his usual "I'm a badass that you better not mess with" persona that's been overdone through all the "Transporter" movies,2 "Expendables" flicks and now recently "Homefront". His cliche' portrayal of a hitman couldn't touch Charles Bronson's tortured loner who suffered from migraine headaches and insomnia and was so lonely that he paid expensive hookers to write him love letters and took the reckless son of one his victims under his wing.# 2. You can't do the car stunts with modern cars-the airbags will trigger, the MacPherson struts will break and come through the fenders, etc. And if you do it CGI-it looks like shit-QT himself  had Kurt Russell say it in "Death Proof"-CGI can't top "Vanishing Point" or "Bullitt" or "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry." Great men doing great things with great cars. # 3. Especially now with Marijuana legalized in some states-no one cares about booze. # 4. It's hard to match an all-star cast. Ned Beatty-who played the meek businessman that got sodomized by the hillbillys in "Deliverance"-was scary as hell as corrupt Sheriff J.C Connors-I think even more Southern-fried bad than Strother Martin in "Cool Hand Luke" ( "What we have here is a failure to communicate")That shows range as an actor. Matt Clark was tragic as the good ol' boy mechanic who'd been to prison and was forced between a rock and a hard place by Gator and the Feds. "Five years in the federal pen is no picnic, but J.C. Connors can put me under." "You put me on that stand, I'm gonna lie." "I have to." So was Diane Ladd as his live in girlfriend. At his funeral she cries to Bo Hopkins-"He's not legally divorced." "His wife in Memphis is gonna get every cent of that insurance money!!" Bo Hopkins was perfect as an evil redneck career criminal who only cared about himself, as was R.G Armstrong as the Gangster that owned the Sheriff's department. And Jennifer Billingsley-her dark brown roots showing in her bleach-blond hair-barefoot in that tight, flowery minidress the whole movie-was sexy as hell. And even Mr foot fetish himself-QT-can't top Director William Norton's shot of her kneeling at the edge of the dock by a river and feeding scrambled eggs to a skinny-dipping Burt Reynolds who swims around the the other side of the dock. As he does-the camera is inches from her legs and as she turns to talk to Burt-there's a slow panning shot of her VERY dirty soles.Then she takes the dress off and jumps in the water to have sex with Burt-while Bo Hopkins-her supposed boyfriend-sleeps in house maybe a hundred yards up the dirt road. Many have tried in other movies-but no actress has been able to top Billinsley's  "Shake-a-Puddin"-the quintessential southern trailer park slut that men die and kill for.  If Tarantino does attempt it-here's how he can avoid it being a major flop and make it a hit, even if you can't top the original. # 1. Time Period. He's got to set it in the 1960s. The south was very corrupt then. Buford Pusser's life story illustrates that. If anyone can-QT can touch on the civil rights struggles, the corruption and the Viet Nam War-which Gators much younger brother who was in college was protesting when he was murdered by J. C. Connors. This solves problem # 2. He can use '60's Musclecars-which with their heavy frames and suspensions can do all the stunts-jumping, and smashing into other cars etc-without falling to pieces, electric fuel pumps shutting off, airbags triggering, etc. He needs to take his own advice from "Death Proof" and do the car chases "Old School"-no CGI, no speeding up the camera-guys going 115 mph like in "Bullitt" That's why it still looks real today no matter how many times they pass the same VW.  # 3. Don't do a shot-by-shot remake with the same screenplay. Gus Van Sant tried that with the "Psycho" re-boot a few years ago and it failed miserably. The basic storyline can be used, but perhaps Gator can be an ex-Green Beret Viet Nam vet who went to prison after coming home from the war and running 'Moonshine for his father. The younger brother can maybe be a Civil-Rights worker that's killed by the corrupt sheriff. "Big Bear" can be running hookers and illegal gambling joints and drugs as well as whiskey. Maybe he can even  show the early friendship between Gator and "Bama McCall-the villian in "Gator"-( The White Lightning sequel that wasn't nearly as good.)  # 4. The cast. This is crucial. Gator needs to be a hillbilly. This leaves out Boston-born and raised Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg, as well as surfer dude Matthew McConaughey. Also disqualifies Brit Jason Statham, Aussie Russel Crowe, and half-black Vin Diesel and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Brad Pitt would be a good choice-he's from Missouri and he's brilliantly played evil crackers before-in "Thelma and Louise" and "Kalifornia". Or maybe he could think outside the box. Kid Rock has dabbled in acting and would be a great "Gator." So would Country Singer Toby Keith-he's 6' 4" and once played defensive end for the University of Oklahoma and he's dabbled in acting. "Shake-A-Puddin" has to be Gators age-mid to late 30's or at least look it. This leaves out current early 20s "It" girls Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johanssen and Kristen Stewart. She has to be a white, hillbilly looking blonde bombshell. That nixes Eva Mendes, Eva Longoria, Salma Hayek, Beyonce, and other ethnic beauties. First choice-Pamela Anderson. She'd be perfect. Others who could do it would be Charlize Theron, Tricia Helfer-( "Dark Blue", Charlie's threesome fantasy girl on "Two and a Half Men", the current "Killer Women".) Or Connie Britton-( Friday Night Lights, "Nashville" ). Or think outside the box-how about Faith Hill?. J.C. Connors-you have a lot of good choices here. Don Johnson-who's from Missouri and was brilliant as a plantation owner in Django Unchained would be great. Tommy Lee Jones would be good. Or how about Burt himself? That would be a bold twist. I know QT likes to cast black actors in unconventional roles-What about Idris Elba or retired football star Ray Lewis in the Bo Hopkins role? How about Kurt Russel or Sam Elliot as "Big Bear?"  It could be done very well with the right cast and director and if anyone can do it it's QT. But lately he's been phoning in his work and preaching to the choir-yes if you've seen Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown and From Dusk till Dawn-and your already a fan- you get the little inside jokes,the foot fetish shots of Rosario Dawson,Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek,the arcane references to cult action movies etc. But if you've never seen his other work-some of this leaves a viewer scratching his head and going "What was that for?"  Hopefully if he attempts it-he'll do it with the brilliance of "Dogs" or Pulp Fiction. Anyone else want to weigh in on this? Mastermind

A Toy doesn't have to be correct to the "nth" degree......

Had a guy ask me how he could get a car like Mel Gibson had in the "Mad Max" and "Road Warrior" movies. When I told him it was a 1973 Australian Ford Falcon XB his response was "Crap." "Ill never find one here, and I can't afford to go to Australia and have a 30 year old car shipped over here." I suggested that he look for a '71-73 Mustang fastback. When I first saw those movies-that's what I thought it was. I said-Paint it flat back and put some fat tires on black Nascar style wheels. There's a ton of speed equipment for 302 Fords or 351C's-whichever your car would happen to have. I also told him if he couldn't afford to put a real blower on it-there's a company that sells fake blowers you can bolt on any normally aspirated engine. The Chargers in the Fast and Furious movies were actually powered by a small-block Chevy and a TH400. The blower was a fake. The guy says-dead serious-"But it wouldn't be exactly like the movie car." "Duh!!!" Guess what-you can't turn a belt-driven Roots type blower on and off with a switch either!! No it wouldn't be exact-but I guarantee if he put Mad Max on the liscence plate people would get the drift and think it's cool. And the car in the movie-wasn't stock-it was much modified by the stunt crew. So your going concours on me on a car that never existed??  Like Ditka says-"Come on, Man!!"  I've said it before-guys any '70-74 Challenger with Rally wheels painted Alpine white will give you the "Vanishing Point" vibe-it doesn't have to be a pristine numbers matching, 440, 4-speed 1970 R/T!!  Trust me- any '67-68 Mustang fastback painted dark green with Torq-Thrust mags-even if it's a 289 / Automatic will cause people to get the "Bullitt" theme. It doesn't have to be a 390 / 4-speed GT model. And again-like the "Mad Max" car-on something that never really existed-who gives a shit if it's not exact to every nut and bolt?  Burt Reynolds' Whiskey Runner in "White Lightning." Ford never built a 4-door '71-72 LTD with a 429 and a 4-speed!! If you wanted one-you could probably fabricate clutch linkage from Mustang ,Torino or F100 parts, or you could go hydraulic. But barring that mega-expense and time and effort-if you painted one Chesterfield Brown, and put white-letter tires on black wheels with chrome lug nuts and put some dual exhaust on it with some loud glasspacks, people would get the drift. Even if it was 400C with a two-barrel and an automatic-which most of them were. Any '73-74 Pontiac Ventura 2 dr painted silver with chrome wheels and "Baby Moon" hubcaps can pass for Roy Scheider's "Seven-Ups" chase car. Whether its a 350 2bbl automatic or a 455 with a Richmond 5-speed!! See what I'm saying?  If you want to build a movie replica car-you can do it cheaply and have fun- if you don't go crazy trying to match every tiniest detail. Just a thought. Mastermind      

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

Here's a few more cool rides that were only produced for a year or two. # 1. 1967 Pontiac Gran Prix convertible. This is the only year that a drop-top GP was ever offered. They have hidden headlights and either 400 or 428 cubes under the hood. Full-size luxury and performance at it's best. # 2. 1968-69 Pontiac Firebird 350HO. These were under-rated at 325 hp. They were available with either a 4-speed or a TH400. Not many were sold because everyone wanted the 400 versions. But they make nice drivers and are faster than a 327 or 350 Camaro. # 3. 1972-73 Mercury Montego GT. Based on the Ford Torino chassis-the platform was all new in 1972. Ford changed from unit-body construction to body-on-frame design which resulted in dramatically improved ride and handling. The fastback GT model is a racy, muscular design. Remember the Wood Brothers Montego that David Pearson campaigned in NASCAR? That's this car. Most have 351C motivation, but a few were built with 429s. Ironically-the 429 was rated at only 205 hp,but the 351 was rated at 266 hp. The Montego line continued until 1976-but '72 and '73 were the only years for the sexy fastback body. # 4. 1974 Pontiac GTO. Often called "The best Nova ever built." This one year-the GTO nameplate was switched from the "A" body LeMans platform that it had been based on since 1964 to the "X" body Ventura ( Nova ) platform. They had a special grille, a Trans-Am style shaker hood scoop, front disc brakes, front and rear sway bars,Rally II wheels and special striping. The only engine was a 350 V8 backed up by a 4-speed or a TH350 with Hurst shifters. The 4-speed shifter was the typical Hurst unit used in Firebirds and other models. The automatic one was a cool one that look like a stick shifter-sort of an updated Auto / Stick 1. 7,058 were built. An added bonus-any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Camaro, Firebird or Nova will fit these cars,and since Pontiac V8s are all externally identical a 400 or 455 is a bolt-in swap. The GTO name was dropped until 2004 when they Put it on the Australian built Holden Monaro. # 5. 1973 Chevrolet Corvette. This one year model has the tail end like the '68-72 models, and the front end like the '74-79 models. Engine choices include the 190 hp L48 350, the 250 hp L82 350, and the 275 hp LS4 454. Transmissions are a 4-speed, a TH350, or TH400 depending on engine choice. The L82 is probably the highest performance model.  # 6. 1977 Pontiac Can-Am. Attempting to cash in on the Trans-Am's immense popularity-Pontiac came up with this performance package for the LeMans. Appearance items included a Trans-Am style shaker hood scoop,a Gran Prix instrument panel, special striping, a "Ducktail" style rear spoiler,and Rally II wheels. Performance items included front and rear sway bars, a 400 Pontiac V8 ( 403 Olds in California ) a TH400 trans, and a limited-slip rear end. All the GM "A" bodies were downsized for 1978 so the package wasn't continued. A unique ride if you can find one, and any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle fit these cars. # 7. 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck. This was a half-ton 2wd stepside pickup with a special red and gold paint job, wood on the bedsides,Semi-style verticle chrome exhaust stacks and chrome wheels. Power was a 360 V8 backed by a Torqueflite. Except for a WS6 Trans-Am or L82 Corvette-this was the fastest american vehicle those years. Mastermind    

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

There are a lot of cars that for whatever reason-were only produced for a single model year or two. Some of these are unique-and while not worth the major bucks that the premium models are-they are worth having and are cooler than a base model. Here's a list of these that I think are worth buying if you can find one at a reasonable price. # 1. 1967 Pontiac GTO. 81,000 of these were built so you should be able to find a deal on one. These are unique because except for the taillights and minor trim-they have the '66 bodystyle which a lot of people think are the best-looking GTO ever built. But they also have many performance upgrades-for example if you get an automatic model-you get a TH400, which drastically improved performance over the 1964-66 models which had a two-speed ST300 ( A BOP bolt-pattern Powerglide ). Engine size was increased from 389 to 400 cubes and the cylinder heads were completely re-designed and breathed way better than the '59-66 heads. The intake manifold was redesigned to complement the new heads, and the Quadrajet carb flowed 750 cfm-a lot more than 500 cfm the old Carter AFB 4bbl did, and about the same as the 3 Rochester 2GCs.  So-as I said in an earlier post-although people whined about the discontinuing of the 3-2bbl option-the 4bbl '67 model was actually faster than the '64-66 Tri-Power models.  Front disc brakes with 11 inch rotors were now optional and much-needed-the '64-66 models 4-wheel 9.5 inch drums would stop the car from high-speed one time. Then they'd fade badly. In '68 the body was completely changed to the style that would last through 1972. So if you want the "old" bodystyle with the "new" drivetrain this is the way to get it.  # 2. 1967-68 Ford "California Special" Mustang. These are a Mustang coupe with Shelby-style side scoops and taillights, Rally wheels and special striping and badging. Most are 289 powered but there are some 390 versions as well. Expect to pay a lot more for a 390 model. Their not worth GT350 or GT500 Shelby money-but I'd pay more for one of these than I would for a garden-variety Mustang of the same years. Colorado dealers sold some "High Country" specials that are basically the same thing-but you don't see them very often-and their not worth any more than the more plentiful "California" models. # 3. 1970 Olds Rallye 350 Cutlass. 3,527 of these were built-so while their rare-their not a total moon rock. These cars had a super loud Sebring Yellow paint job,body-colored bumpers, a "Judge" type spoiler and body-colored Rally wheels. Power was a 350 V8 rated at 310 hp backed by either a Muncie 4-speed or a TH350. Some Olds enthusiasts insist that 10 or 12 got the vaunted, super-hot "W31" 350-which was grossly under-rated at 325 hp-they were only available with the 4-speed and 3.90:1 or 4.33:1 gears-but I have never seen one, or a window sticker or build sheet for one, and no magazine or Olds engineer has ever verified one. But even with the base engine they are a cool ride. # 4. 1971-72 "Heavy Chevy" Chevelle. About 10,000 of these were built-6,727 in '71 and another 3,000 or so in the strike-shortened '72 model year. They are basically a 2 dr Malibu with a domed "SS" style hood, a blacked-out grille,14" slotted Rally wheels and special "Heavy Chevy" striping and emblems. Most have 350 cubes under the hood, but the 402 big-block was optional as well. For some unknown reason the 454 was not. Obviously you'll pay more for the big-block models, but their still cheaper than an "SS", and a lot cooler than a base-model. # 5. 1971 Dodge Super Bee. For this one-year only the Super Bee package was based on the Charger instead of the Coronet. Roughly 6,500 were built. They featured hidden headlights, special striping, a special domed hood with a huge "Super Bee" emblem on it, and the standard engine was the 383 Magnum. Options included the 340 small-block, the 440 4bbl, the 440 six-pack and the 426 Hemi. Obviously Hemi, 440 and Six-Pack versions are priced in the stratosphere-but 340 and 383 models are still reasonable. # 6. 1971-72 Dodge Demon. I think these are way cooler than the much more prevalant Duster. The grille and double scooped hood on these is meaner-looking than the Duster's, and you got special stripes, a go-wing on the trunk and the cool little grinning "Speed Demon" holding a pitchfork emblems. Power was the high-winding 340 V8 backed by a 4-speed or a Torqueflite. Even in the '70s political correctness ruined fun-a bunch of Christian groups griped about the "Demon" name & graphics-and Chrysler caved in to the pressure. In 1973 you could still get a 340-but the cool graphics and hood were gone, 5-mph bumpers added and the name was changed to Dart Sport. # 7. 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Am. These were touted to have "The luxury of a Gran Prix and the performance of a Trans-Am." However-luxury buyers bought GPs and performance buyers bought T/As which is why they only lasted a couple years. The upside is you got a 400 with either a 4-speed or a TH400, or a 455 with a TH400,bucket seats,front disc brakes, wrist-thick front and rear sway bars (" Radial Tuned Suspension" ) and a swoopy fastback body. Herb Adams campaigned one in NASCAR briefly until the brass made him quit. They are a bargain if you can find one-for some reason even Pontiac buffs snub these cars-and I don't know why-they have big-block power standard-while 99% of the Chevelles and Cutlasses of this vintage have 350s. 34,000 were built in 1973 alone-so you should be able to find one if you look hard enough. # 8 1982 and 1984 Corvette. Like the '67 GTO the '82 was a blend of the old and the new. This was the last of the C3 bodystyle that debuted in 1968 and the first one to have a 4-speed overdrive automatic and a Cross-Fire injected 350 V8. There was no '83 model-the all-new C4 was introduced as an '84 in March 1983. These are the bodystyle that lasted until 1996. The '84 had the Cross-Fire injected 350 and either a 700R4 automatic or the "4+3" manual-a T10 4-speed with an overdrive behind it that could be engaged in 2nd,3rd or 4th-effectively giving you 7 gears. For some reason 'Vette enthusiasts snub these cars in favor of the the '85-91 Tuned-Port Injected models, but that allows you to buy them dirt-cheap. "Corvette" and "Cheap" are not usually in the same sentence-but I have seen these for sale on used car lots for as low as $3995-and my brother-in law bought one from a private party with a spun main bearing for $700!! And the rest of the car was nice-the paint, seats etc. If anyone thinks of some others I missed, let me know. Mastermind              

More "Factory Freaks"......

I guess people like to hear about weird combinations-so here's a few more. # 1. "Turnpike Special" Pontiac GTO / Olds 442. For some insane reason-in 1967-68 at the height of the Musclecar era when gas was like 29 cents a gallon-the GM brass got the bright idea that the public would like to buy a GTO or 442 with a two-barrel carbed 265 hp 400 V8, an automatic, and 2.93:1 gears instead of the standard 350 hp 4bbl models with a 4-speed or automatic and 3.36:1 or 3.55:1 gears. Like "New Coke" back in the '80s-they were sadly mistsaken. No one wanted a badass-looking machine that couldn't get out of it's own way, and no one cared about a car that got 16 mpg instead of 12. Porsche tried to same thing with the 912-a 911 body with a 4-cylinder VW motor. The sports-car crowd was not amused either. If you run across one of these-"Turnpike Specials" and can buy one cheap-they are a "real" GTO or 442-and installing a 4 bbl carb and intake and stiffer gears is a no-brainer to get back the performance you want-by all means buy it. But don't pay top dollar for one-their not worth anything-other than being a good-condition GTO or 442 body. And there not collectible like a Tri-power '66 model or a Judge or Hurst / Olds regardless of what the idiot selling it says. # 2. Small-block "SS" Chevelles. From 1966-1970-the "SS" emblems on a Chevelle or El Camino meant it was Rat-Powered-either a 396 or a 454. For whatever reason-declining sales-or rising insurance rates on big-block cars, in 1971-72 Chevrolet decided to offer the "SS" package on any V8 Malibu. So it was possible to have a Chevelle SS with a domed hood, rally stripes, and fat tires on Rally Wheels-powered by a 307 inch V8 with a two-barrel that wheezed out 130 hp. I have never seen one with a 307, but I have seen quite a few with the 165 hp 2bbl 350 or the 175 hp 4bbl 350. Again-there not worth anything other than what a good 2 dr Chevelle is worth-don't pay a premium price for one-the big-blocks even a 240 hp LS3 402 or 270 hp LS5 454 are worth a lot more. # 3. 302 1971-73 Mach 1 Mustangs. In 1969-70 the Mach 1 package meant performance-the standard engine in '69 was a 351W rated at 290 hp, and in 1970 the new 351C rated at 300. Both years the mighty 428 was optional. ( So was the Boss 429, but their ultra-rare and priced out of most people's reach ). However in 1971-the Mustang became longer, wider, and much heavier. The 351C was still available and in 1971 a few were built with 429s. However the standard engine was a 302 with a 2bbl that wheezed out 139 hp. Even with an automatic and 2.80:1 gears a 351C Mustang is capable of enough acceleration from a light to annoy a traffic cop. But, If you have a 3,700 lb 71-73 Mustang with a 140 hp 2bbl 302-you'll annoy exactly two people-yourself and the person behind you. Again if you can buy one cheap-get it-and there's a million ways to build power into a 302 Ford-but don't pay the same money as you would for a 351 version. Again-their not collectible-just weird. # 4. Small-block Olds 442s. I touched on this briefly the other day. From 1965-69 a 442 had a 400 inch V8. In 1970-71 the standard engine was a 455. In 1972 the 442 package became an "Appearance and Handling" option any Cutlass model. So you could have a badass-looking car with a 2bbl 350 that made 160 hp. And after '72 it got worse. I guess the Olds brass just gave up on performance and wanted to concentrate on luxury. Why, I don't know. Just as Pontiac kept the L78 400 alive in T/A's and Formula Firebirds until 1979-and Chevy kept the L82 350 in Corvettes until 1980-Olds could have kept a W30 455 in it's basic form until at least 1979. However the vaunted "W30" 455 was dropped at the end of 1972-and the last 455 Cutlass-that wheezed out 190 hp-was built in 1975. In '76 the 455 was still available in big cars and wagons-but not in a Cutlass. The 403 that made 185 hp was the top engine option. A far cry from the 390 hp of the '68 Hurst Olds or the 365 hp of the '71 model. The "A" body continued until 1977, as did the 442 "Appearance and handling" package. So it gets worse. It was possible to have a 76-77 442 with an "economy" 260 inch 2bbl Olds V8 that made about 135 hp!! In a 4,000 lb car?? That's where the crude car business axiom- "Couldn't pull a sick hooker off a tricycle" came from. Most of them had 350s-and a few had 403s-but there was no manual transmission offered after 1974-so with a slushbox and 2.41:1 gears-they were dogs too. The upside is the Olds Cutlass was the best-selling American car in the '70's so there's a lot of them left, any suspension or brake upgrades that fit a Chevelle fit these cars, and there's a ton of aftermarket speed equipment for 350 / 403 Olds motors, or a 455 is an easy swap. But don't pay big money for any 442 built after 1971-especially if it doesn't have 455 cubes under the hood. # 5. 1977-79 301 Firebird Formula and Trans-Am. Most T/A's and Formulas of this vintage have either a 400 Pontiac or a 403 Olds under the hood. However-for some reason a few people saved $150 off the sticker price-on a car that cost $10,000 in 1979 dollars-and took a 301 V8 instead. The 2bbl version wheezed out 135 hp, the 4bbl version a whopping 150. Again-in a 3,800 lb car-do the math-SLUG is the only word that comes to mind. I've even seen loaded black and gold SE models with T-Tops and every option known to man-and this anemic, "Economy" motor!!! There is zero aftermarket performance parts for these engines-( They were only produced from '77-81 ) , nothing interchanges with the "traditional"-i.e.-326-455 inch Pontiac V8s, and their unreliable as well as having no power. The only upside is the motor mounts are in the same place and the oil pan is the same as is the bellhousing bolt-pattern. So you could swap in a 400 or 455 Pontiac pretty easily if you wanted to. But other than being a good Firebird or T/A body-these cars aren't worth squat. # 6. 1980 305 Corvette. GM had a lot of trouble with the EPA and emissions standards in the late '70s and early '80s that's why they played musical engines-Olds Cutlasses with Chevy engines-Buick Regals with 301 Pontiacs, Chevy Monte Carlos with Buick V6s-etc. They'd stuff any engine that they could get to pass federal or high-altitude or California emissions into any body so they could sell the cars. Californians really got screwed. You couldn't buy a Camaro, Corvette, or Firebird with a 4-speed after 1974. In 1980, in the other 49 states the standard engine in a Corvette was the L48 350 rated at 190 hp. The optional engine was the L82 rated at 230 hp. In 1980- for some reason Chevy had trouble getting 350s California certified. So they threw 305s in everything destined for the Golden state. Now in an Impala or a Monte Carlo or even a half-ton pickup that didn't really matter. But for a short time-the only powertrain you could get in a Corvette in California in 1980 was a 145 hp 305 with an automatic!! California dealers, customers and the buff magazines raised Holy Hell. A Corvette that couldn't break out of the 17s in the 1/4??? ( The L48 / L82 models were running 15s-decent for the time ). Chevrolet quickly got the L48 Certified with a 4-speed or an automatic and the L82 certified with an automatic only, and the great disturbance in the force was quelled. Every once in a while-you'll see some moron advertising his "Super Rare" "One year Only" 305 Corvette for an outrageous dollar amount-Like it's an L88 or a Fuel-Injected Split-Window-in Hemmings or some 'Vette enthusiast mag. Here's your sign. If you ever run across one and can buy it dirt-cheap-and then swap in a 350 or 383 GM performance crate motor-that might be a bargain. But otherwise-something about a ten-foot pole.....Mastermind