Doing A Lot With What Little You Have

That sentence in the title line - "Doing a lot with what little you have" - I read that about a year ago in an article about Chrysler's 426 Hemi engine. That incredible motor celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2014. It got me to thinking about numerous aspects of the automotive industry - everything from advertising to racing - both then and now.

There's been a great deal of Internet gab on both the Hellcat Challenger and Charger. How is it that the Chrysler Corporation can pull off a 700+ horsepower super-car that can actually hold more than two passengers, and rings in at under $67,000 dollars, when neither Ford nor Chevy can accomplish the same thing? And it's not just this one incident belonging to Dodge. History has proven that other manufacturers (and sometimes individuals) can pull off the same type of concept with either less funds, less development time, or less experience. The secret lies in applying the lessons one learns a little better.

It reminds me of the time I ventured into my local Home Depot and asked an employee at the service desk if the store still carried books on a particular subject. He told me the store no longer stocked them, but one could be ordered. He went on to say, that many customers routinely order books on-line through various outlets anyway. It just didn't make sense to stock them anymore where they will just collect dust. He then told me to go on You Tube. "If you want to learn something, chances are you can find some sort of tutorial on You Tube. That's how I learned everything I know about plumbing, wiring, and carpentry." It kind of blew my mind, but he was right. That's one of the rare beauties of competition - it breeds creative innovation. Let's look at some other examples from several timetables:

 - I was skimming an article this morning from Jalopnik.com where a guy named Adam had owned a 1968 Camaro for years and the car was looking rather long in the tooth. He didn't have the funds to pay someone to restore it and he didn't have the skills to do it himself. He ended up enrolling in a auto restoration course at a local college. In that class, he learned that if he had the willingness, the patience, basic hand tools, and the space of a 2-car garage, anything was possible. Aside from good 'ole trial and error, he was also told You Tube was a valuable asset.

 - Another great example is the late Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins and his Chevy Nova from the 1966 drag racing season. With almost zero factory support from Chevrolet, he managed to be one of the most feared and competitive racers in quarter mile action that season. How? Creative thinking and innovation. Applying everything he learned ranging from suspensions, to serious weight savings, to finding every loophole in the NHRA rule book, Jenkins may have been an underdog in his realm, but was a true thinking mans racer. Throughout his career, he was known to try anything at least once - from making his own crude traction bars to literally cutting carburetors in half and riveting them back together in a different configuration.

 - Remember NASCAR before big sponsors and factory support? Maybe not, but I'm talking about the earliest of years from the late 40's through the early 50's. Talk about creative innovation - you can thank the illegal profession of bootlegging for some of the sports best drivers like Junior Johnson. It wasn't rocket science - take a bunch of young guys living in Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia who had no other choice to survive (you need money to live on and survive, remember?), except by running moonshine. They became very skilled drivers because they were always running from the law. When they weren't doing that, these guys would race each other on the highways and back roads. Someone, somewhere, got the bright idea to cut a crude circle track in some cow pasture, and the rest they say is history.

 - Let's quickly look at advertising from the golden era of muscle cars. It's been said that Plymouth had more to gain than many other manufacturers. It's possible that stemmed from not being a sales leader like Chevy, Ford, or even it's sibling Dodge. However, it also may be the reason why Plymouth went almost bat-shit crazy with it's marketing campaigns from 1968-70. While many enthusiasts call some of their ads psychedelic or off-the-wall, it captured the true spirit of not only the muscle car phenomenon, but the times as well. In this case, competition truly bred innovation. LSD not required!

 - Lastly, if you still need a glaring example, look to the hot-rodder himself or herself. The rat rod movement is also a prime example of innovation. For almost 70 years, enthusiasts have been cutting, swapping, shaping, and dreaming up automobiles, in the pursuit of going faster, being different, or in many cases, saving money and just using what you have. Glance through any issue of Hot Rod, Car Craft, or street rod publication, especially from the 50's and 60's, and you'll find engine and drive-train combinations in vehicles that were never meant to all be together.

Dare to be different, people. Be creative and innovative. It's like a muscle... use it or lose it.
Until next time, peace out,
Dave

"It's Just A Car..."

   "It's just a car..." You gotta admit - that statement can conjure up a mixed bag of emotions depending on how it's used. It also depends on when or the time-frame as to its use. This concept crossed my mind the other day as I was delivering an almost new 2015 Dodge Charger with about 6,000 miles on it to my oldest daughter and son-in-law. They were going to attend an automotive technicians convention in Connecticut over the weekend and didn't feel like taking their 4x4 truck which gets around 16 miles to the gallon at best. For just under $100 for the entire weekend, they could enjoy worry-free driving and have some fun to boot. The icing on the cake, was they would be reimbursed for the cost of the rental plus fuel. In other words, their use of the Charger was completely free.

While we were driving around, both my daughter and her husband were surprised at the pickup the six cylinder Charger had. No V-8 or turbo under the hood. Welcome to 2015 kids and the joys of variable valve timing, computer and electronic controlled everything, as well as modern engineering to the nth degree. While we were talking and they were both excited about driving a new Charger for the first time, the following words came out of my mouth; "... it's just a car."

That got me to thinking if this scenario were any different. If I was driving an SRT Challenger Hellcat, would I be saying the same thing? Or what if we were cruising around in a cool street rod, even though it was a modern kit from Factory Five? Taking things a step further, did people say the same thing 45 years ago in regards to a Hemi 'Cuda, Boss 429 Mustang, or an LS6 Chevelle?
"Those were unique and special cars... even back then", you might respond. Well, chew on this - "Big Willie" Robinson regularly drove and raced a 1969 Hemi Daytona on the streets of Los Angeles for years. That car was also unique, or special, or rare back then. To Willie, it was just a car...

If you have an afternoon, browse through some enthusiast magazines from the late 50's through the early 70's. Maybe you have a friend or relative who has quite a collection. There are test drives (at least that's what they called them) of now-very rare cars that the staff is just absolutely beating on. I'm talking about Shelby Mustangs, 425 horsepower R-code Fords, 427 Yenko Camaros and Novas, and modifying a Hemi engine with only 100 miles on it. Relax - it's just a car...

I feel what affects a certain mindset at a particular time is a vehicles purpose. Take for example, the ultra-rare 1963 Pontiac "Swiss Cheese" Catalina. Pontiac didn't build these cars (and associated parts) to become the high dollar collectibles they are today. They were built for one thing only - drag racing. And be damn good at it as well.

I can remember a time back in the late 60's and early 70's when the round chrome air cleaners that were stock on Chrysler's mighty 426 Hemi were considered "trash". Too restrictive in many a speed-freaks eyes. Why use them when something better that could help produce more horsepower was available? They were just parts on a car...

It's that unique prospective that allows me (and others) a certain mental freedom. Some of those freedoms can be found in driving, not trailering, a rare muscle car. Or perhaps cruising in a beautiful street rod that has over $75,000 dollars invested in it. It may involve nostalgia drag racing a factory 1968 Hemi Dart or Barracuda. It also allows me to view with an open mind and photograph a rare muscle car rotting away in a salvage yard. Instead of asking, "How could someone allow this to happen?" I can just remember; Hey - back then - it was just a car...

Until next time, peace out,
Dave

Giving Conventionalism The Middle Finger - And Loving It!

In my last blog, I mentioned that over the past 10 years technology as well as performance has grown by leaps and bounds in the automotive field, in regards to new offerings from the manufacturers. I was reading an article yesterday where Dodge has placed a temporary moratorium on any new orders for the 2015 Dodge Charger & Challenger SRT Hellcats until they can fill existing orders. It seems that Dodge cannot keep up with the demand - too many people want them. They can't build them fast enough. With an MSRP starting at under $67,000 dollars (which may sound like a lot of coin... okay; it is but...), these 707 horsepower vehicles are the bargain of the decade.

It reminds me of the 60's - things were coming unglued and changing fast. The high performance and hot rod scenes were no exceptions. In the past few weeks, we've glanced at the A/FX altered wheelbase drag strip cars from Dodge & Plymouth as well as the B/FD Mercury Comets from the 1964-65 seasons. Yet, less than a year later, we had even more radical entries with the Brutus GTO (with serious engine set-back in addition to altering the wheelbase) and the first true funny car (tube chassis with hinged all fiberglass body) from "Dyno" Don Nicholson and his Eliminator 1 Mercury Comet.

In my opinion, what has been emerging over the past few years out of Detroit, as it was back in the 60's, is a time of unrestricted innovation. Granted, the term "unrestricted" may be too generous as there are way many more mandates, policies and bullshit that has to be hurdled over today when compared to fifty years ago, but the concept is the same - there are still people passionate about high performance that want to push the limits. Fifty years ago, it seemed reasonable to cut up new cars and stuff nitro-burning engines up front. Just as reasonable today to offer a 707 horsepower muscle car to the general public.

In some cases, this innovation produced some lucrative industries entirely by accident. A classic example is the wheel-stander industry. The innovator was the original 1965 Hurst Hemi Under Glass Plymouth Barracuda. Originally designed for better traction and weight transfer for A/FX drag racing, it unleashed one of the wildest rides in history - and became strictly an exhibition vehicle that still draws huge crowds today. Looking back today, one would assume that someone, somewhere would have figured out that stuffing an almost 1000 horsepower engine in the backseat of a car just might tip the scales a bit too much in the "weight transfer" department. But hey, even the best minds in relation to innovation have learning curves.

The same could be said about the aerodynamic wars in NASCAR racing from 1968-70. Racing fans absolutely ate up the battle between Chrysler and Ford in regards to the stock cars that were used by the likes of Richard Petty, Cale Yarlborough, and Donnie Allison. Since the manufacturers were already limited to engine size, using a single carburetor set-up, and vehicle weight, the only thing that was left was reducing drag, or making the vehicles more aerodynamic, thus making them able to go faster. Several of these body modifications showed up throughout the season and the sanctioning body had a hell of a time trying to keep up.

All these examples show then, as today, that there are people passionate about speed and performance that continue to push the envelope. From the late 50's through the early 70's, individuals as well as corporations took the general rule book and promptly threw it out the window. Or at minimum, tried to find as many loopholes as possible. They gave conventionalism the middle finger - and the fans loved it. By the looks of things, they still do.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Because The 50's, 60's and 70's Were Cool!

Before any email's come flying back at me, I think I'll clarify that title line. I'm not saying other decades weren't cool - it's my opinion that every year and decade throughout history has it's memorable moments and not all of them are bummers. Looking further, the past five years in the decade we're in, automotive performance wise, are some of the best in over 40 years. What I basically hitting on here is the fifteen years between 1957 to 1972, again automotive wise, was an easier time. It was easier to work on the vehicles, the rules in racing were much less complicated, as well as the outside influences of sponsorship & money weren't a necessity in order to compete. Bottom line - horsepower was available to everyone and the admission for participation was cheap. Check out the two pictures on each side of this paragraph - while they're both 6 cylinder engines and both from a Ford Mustang, the one on the left is from 1965, the pic on the right is  from 2012. Which one would you want to change the spark plugs on given a Saturday afternoon?

What I also find incredibly interesting is that despite the massive differences and changes in the automotive field during this period, the common thread of influences were always there. Things just got faster, wilder, and more innovative as the years spun along. For example, in 1957 the American
Manufacturers Association (AMA) decided on a racing ban  - where manufacturers would no longer be so actively involved in motor sports - mostly in drag racing. Within seven short years, not only was the ban history, but manufacturers went as far as producing wild-looking altered wheelbase vehicles as well as sticking dragster engines into basically stock-bodied vehicles. Then, as it does now, performance sells cars - even if it's completely over the top and total overkill. Case in point, Jack Christman's B/FD 1964 Mercury Comet. Fans loved this wild ride with it's quarter mile long burnouts. As a result of this insanity, 100,000 mile durability runs, as well as other racing adventures, Comet sales rose 55% for the model year.

Finally, if we ponder the performance game and shift into a "what it was like then verses what it's like now", I will admit that the common threads of going faster and influences are still there, even though technology has a big hand in today's quest for more speed. We have street cars (and quantifying that concept in itself is a whole other topic) that can easily dip into the 7 or even 6 second quarter mile time brackets, where back in the 60's, that was strictly dragster and funny car territory.

Another aspect of the late 50's to the early 70's that was totally cool (and will never be repeated) was performance car advertising. While Madison Avenue was rather conservative during the 50's, it started to let it's hair down by the mid 60's, and was totally hitting the acid by 1969. This week I've included two advertisements for the Plymouth Barracuda - one from 1964, the second from 1969. Same car, same platform (A-body), same manufacturer, but the differences are staggering. Everything from the images, to the wording, to the target audience changed in five short years. And you & I both know, that we will never see ads like the one above for the 'Cuda 340 again.

I can honestly say, I believe many of us in the northern half of the US have finally made it over a huge hump. March is here, daylight savings time starts this weekend, this stubborn Arctic weather pattern that we were in for 6 weeks is finally breaking, and the snow is melting! We had a taste of 50 degree weather here in Maine a few days ago for the first time since December. It will, however, be at least a few more weeks before we can actually start to think about driving our vintage iron - be it a street rod, truck, or motorcycle. I'm gathering more information about upcoming shows that are happening from late spring through mid-fall. Pics and stories, along with more details of where we'll be, are forthcoming. I'll leave you with a vintage photo of a Ford dealership in New England that was taken during the winter of 1969. Check out the Mustang and other classic vehicles in the picture. Just goes to prove that these cars were "common transportation" back then...

Until next time - peace out.
Dave