The Family Tree - "We're Not Dysfunctional... Why Do You Ask?"

It's the classic scenario - what it was like then compared to what it's like now. If you really pause for a bit and think about this in the realms of high performance automotive, it can be fairly eye opening. I was going through my collection of vintage automotive magazine ads this week and compared one of the oldest to one of the newest. The first one (the oldest) was a copy of an ad taken from Cycle and Automotive Trade Journal dated 1904 where the famous Ford 999 Racer set a new record for the straight-away mile at 39 2/5 seconds. In today's world, this is yawn city, but more than 110 years ago, that was cooking. In my opinion, bonus points should be awarded based on the fact that this historic event took place in January... in Michigan... on the ice. The second ad was one for the G-force tire manufactured by BF Goodrich. It shows two Mustangs - one Fox-body style from the late 80's as well as one from 2005, the debut year of the new modern retro style. The opening tag line states; "0-178mph in 7.9 sec. On street tires."

Comparing these two Ford race cars is like comparing lettuce to coconuts. The 999 Racer is basically just a frame, tires, engine and drivetrain, an uncomfortable place to sit, with very simple steering, suspension, and battery system. There are practically zero brakes. The Mustang, however, is a full-on race car with fiberglass body panels, roll cage, and more technology and safety equipment you can handle in a first look. As different as they are, however, they are part of the family high performance tree, regardless that they just happen to be both Blue Ovals.

The other connection I made was that throughout high performance and racing history, pushing the envelope and experimentation has always involved the unknown as well as a fair amount of risk. Whomever is involved, does not do this on purpose nor are they crazy or dysfunctional. They are just working with the knowledge they have. It's a classic case of "... it's only after the crash or mishap, we know how to prevent it." While I've had numerous "man - that was wild - let's do it again" experiences in various high performance arenas, I am a serious amateur when it comes to other people.

In drag racing, I've had the pleasure of driving some brutally fast cars - the fastest being a friends 1968 Dodge Dart that went deep into the 8's at almost 160 mph. That experience alone could fill its own blog post. But the Dart had a bevy of modern safety equipment and was set up so well, it was hard to get sideways in it unless something majorly went wrong. 40 years ago, drivers didn't have this luxury, especially in the Funny Car or Dragster classes. Then there were those incredible rocket drag cars.

And then there was "Slammin"

Sammy Miller. He was the first racer to crack the 3-second barrier in drag racing and for the longest time was the only driver to enter this rare atmosphere. His rocket funny cars back in the 70's were off the hook - and that was a massive understatement. The only bummer was he always had difficulty finding tracks to run at, and at most of the ones he did race at, he was only allowed to run an 1/8th mile. I saw him run once in his Vanishing Point funny car and that event has stayed with me to this day. Just before his run, the staff at the track would remove the starting line Christmas tree. He would have the crowd yell off "3--2--1!" and then BOOM! The rocket would fire and your eyes could barely keep up with the funny car - very psychedelic and truly wild.

Muscle cars from the 60's and early 70's - more tame right? Wrong! A good friend of mine from Holden Massachusetts used to own a 1970 Buick GS Stage 1. A very unassuming car with it's medium blue paint and automatic. It was 100% stock except for headers, an open air element / cleaner assembly, a slightly hotter cam (but nothing radical - he drove it daily in city traffic). It even had the factory air conditioning and tach. I knew these Buick's were quick, but this car was able to dip into the high 11's in the quarter. He always beamed,"and it's practically stock!" Driving it was a trip - even with the automatic and letting the car shift itself. Mashing the loud pedal would result in tons of smoke and tire spin as the suspension worked like mad to get all that torque to the pavement. A few seconds later, second gear came with a heavy bang, followed by a little more tire spin. Not much after that, third gear slammed into place. At least by this time, the tires had fully hooked, the engine was moaning loudly in that unique big block wail, and the scenery was starting to blur. I used to think to myself, "How in the world could a manufacturer release such an animal on an unsuspecting public... and advertise the daylights out of it as well?" And just think - Chrysler and Ford did the same thing with the Hemi and the big 427 V-8's...

Then I think back a few years ago, when Shelby released the Mustang Super Snake 1000. Yup - 1000 horsepower and 1200 pounds of torque... all legal in a car one could drive daily. With that car, I would probably either run out of real estate or nerve before I could reach it's potential on a public street. I would definitely have to exercise it a track.

Circle track racing also has its extreme then verses now moments. Fire up Google images and you can find a plethora of images of track racing from 1905-1920. All raced on dirt surfaces, all open roadsters, with the driver and mechanic leaning out what was the door area into the curves. Talk about risk - one roll over, and they're both dead. In today's NASCAR world, drivers not only survive, but also walk away from some serious high-speed crashes and spinouts. Take a close look at the picture on a modern NASCAR interior; Houdini would be proud! However, this is the result of endless refinement to avoid repeat unfortunate happenings.This same forward thinking has been openly and widely embraced in all aspects of racing - which is a good thing. (Picture courtesy of Speed Hunters)

Rat rods are especially deceptive in this area, but then again, that's the idea. Just about all quality ratrods  (now there's a statement), is that while they may look like a heap, they in fact have modern steering, brakes, suspension, tires and wheels, along with a top-shelf drivetrain. As one owner puts it, "... picture a nice tight street rod, except the body and interior went horribly wrong! It's not a dysfunctional vehicle or a death trap - it just makes a hell of ride and statement."

I don't think I could put it any better.
Until next time, peace out,
Dave

Women + Performance = History

I will openly admit something - at times it is downright bizarre where my ideas come from for this weekly blog. But that's the beauty of inspiration and innovation; it spawns creativity. I was going over some vintage drag racing pics from the 60's and early 70's this week and I happened to stumble upon an article from the Huffington Post about pre-World War II female mechanics. One thing led to another and somehow I arrived at today's subject. Sort of like loosely following Google maps while completely throwing caution to the wind.

When you think of women in automotive, what comes to mind? Possibly Mary Barra who made history in January 2014 when she became the first female CEO of a major automobile company (General Motors). Or maybe the World War II heroine of Rosie the Riveter? While she is primarily associated with making planes and tanks, who do you think made that equipment? Right - Chrysler, General Motors, Ford, as well as other companies - and they advertised the heck out of it. There are other historical landmarks just to name a few:
 - I don't know if Mary Anderson ever turned a wrench, but in 1902, she invented the first windshield wiper, adopting the idea from a device used on New York City street cars.
 -  Silent film star Florence Lawrence was another inventor. Around 1915, she came up with the idea of the first turn signal called an "auto signaling arm" that attached to a car's rear fender.
 -  According to the AACA Museum in Pennsylvania, Wilma Russey (pictured right) became the first woman to work as a taxi driver in New York and was also an expert garage mechanic starting in 1916.
 - By the mid-20's, high schools across the country, (like the one pictured above left in Washington D.C.), offered classes in automotive to students, both men and women. 

Let's look at those last two bullet lines - the licensed garage mechanic - or technician in today's speak. There's been a great deal of news lately about female mechanics. According to the American Auto Dealers Association, dealerships are hiring more female technicians that ever. Closer to home, my oldest daughter Meg (above left) is Head Technician at B.J's Automotive in Belfast Maine. She works closely with an apprentice technician named Mo (above right). While talking with them, one finds they have rather similar backgrounds. Both received their first taste of automobiles from a family member (in both cases, their Dads). Both attended the same college (at different times, however), after "taking the plunge" and getting serious about their future passions. Both have encountered a great deal of skepticism and ego BS from male counterparts prior to working at B.J.'s Automotive. Like other women throughout automotive history, they had to grow a thick skin. But as knowledge and experience grows, Meg and Mo are able to give back what they have learned. To their customers and especially to other women. They both love what they do, are good at it, are able to help as well as educate their customers about their cars, and work in an extremely supportive work environment thanks to owner Joel Knight, (as well as the three other people who help make things a cohesive whole - Matt, Jason, and Tracy). And that, my friends, is damn rare these days...

Now - what about women in performance, mainly racing? That's a slightly different kettle of fish. The first noted female race driver was Helle Nice, who raced numerous (and even won a few) Grand Prix's all over Europe during the 1930's. Fast forward to the mid-50's, England's Pat Moss, (pictured left) sister of Sir Sterling Moss who penned the incredibly sexist book, The Art Technique of Driving, was an phenomenal Rally driver. If there was an "Up Yours Gentlemen" award back then, she would have captured it hands down.

On this side of the pond, even though NASCAR as well as the NHRA openly invited women to participate as drivers, the first major rumblings didn't occur until the mid 60's and gained speed during the 70's when our society experienced that major pendulum swing from uber-conservative to rather liberal. Probably two of the most well-known drivers were Shirley Shahan and Shirley Muldowney. Shahan was solely Super Stock drag racing (except for her running and winning the 1968 running of the Mobil Economy Gas Run) who got her start in 1953 and blew the doors off many a competitor until 1972, driving for Chevy, Plymouth, and finally AMC.

Muldowney (pictured left) began street racing in New York back in the mid 50's, entered her first drag race at 18 in 1958, received her NHRA pro license in 1965, and has become the winningist female race driver in any aspect of the sport. Most of her career was in top fuel dragsters, although she did dabble in funny cars for a few years in the early 70's.
A third, but less well known racer of note, was one of the first African-American drivers who was also an independent racing company owner. Nellie Louise Goins, aka "Nitro Nellie" drove a Plymouth Barracuda and later a Ford Mustang funny car predominantly in the early to mid 70's.

How about NASCAR? It wasn't until about 15 years ago, where multiple women have truly started to shine in this arena. The most visible female driver today is Danica Patrick. While some people say she has "sold her racing soul for sponsorship, advertising, and risque photo shoots", (some with near and covered nudity), she is one of the few drivers, male or female, that has successfully competed in Indy, Sprint, and NASCAR racing. She also has more top ten finishes than any other female driver.

One of the lesser known female drivers that deserves attention, is Lyn St. James (pictured left). She is one of seven women who have qualified for the Indianapolis 500. She also has two victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona, another win at the 12 Hours of Sebring and competed twice at the 24 Hours of LeMans. This author has to give kudos to her based on the types of cars she drove especially in the late 70's - here she's sitting on the fender of a Porsche 917. A car, that almost every driver claims, is so fast, twitchy, and difficult to drive, that full focus is needed 100% of the time. Lyn retired in 2001.

One of the last bastions to finally embrace women and performance

was advertising. One of the first to chip away at those barriers was Corvette. As far back as late 1962, GM realized that women were quickly becoming a serious buying demographic. This week I've included a classic ad for the completely redesigned 1963 split-window Corvette. The opening tag line says it all. By the end of the decade, all other manufacturers would fully embrace women as customers - not just a "go talk it over with your husband first" encounter.

Times change, people - embrace it. It's good for all of us.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Editor's note: Thanks again to all who help contribute to the writing of this article, including the staff at B.J.'s Automotive, Belfast Maine, and the AACA Museum in Hershey Pennsylvania.

...But Is It Really New?

Well - yesterday was the day; 5/16/2015. At 4pm local time out in Detroit, GM "officially removed all the covers" to reveal the 6th generation 2016 Chevy Camaro. It was hard for me to swallow any remaining hype about this event, because there was hardly any left. Browse the Internet and you can find older posts and information that already showed the back, side, the hood, as well as the front bumper. The silhouette of the car wasn't changed all that much (thank you GM) and rear visibility will still be hell. We already knew there was going to be a turbo 4 banger available this year, along with the standard six, and the LT-1 V-8 borrowed from the Corvette. Even a few pics and supposedly an "insider" memo about the specs of the Camaro were leaked on Friday. About the only things that still need to be clarified are when will the car be for sale and for how much. And maybe a few interior shots would be nice...

I'm sorry - but after glancing over all this pre-release drama, I feel sorta cheated. I've come away with the feeling that the 2016 Camaro isn't truly "all new". It still shares numerous cues from the current model we've had for the past 5+ years. It's like that old adage where you're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding. If you skip the bad luck part, the main reason why is so the groom is blown away when she makes her appearance - the dress, her hair that's been done uniquely, the flowers, the whole deal. With the case of the 2016 Camaro, it's like the groom has already seen the bride 24 times. I can remember when the 1970 1/2 Camaro (above) came out. That was a TOTAL departure from the previous year. Every square inch of that car was different from the 1969 model (left). Except for the engines and transmissions, and even then there were some new additions, it was a "new" car. GM could've announced, "Oh, by the way, we've discontinued the Camaro and this is our new pony car offering called the Terminator." And we would've believed them.

Now that I've got that out of my system, let's unveil of a few covers of our own from the past. I recently posted a Throwback Thursday pic on Facebook. It was taken by my Mom of my sister and I in April 1966 when we lived in northeast New Jersey. With that 1966 mindset, I was tripping down amnesia lane with a truckload of memories that made that year, at least automotive and racing wise, "brand new" if I can steal a now overused phrase.

By this time, the muscle car wars were more than just heating up. Chrysler's street Hemi still carrying 426 cubes under the hood was unleashed on the buying public in an all-new mid-size B-body platform of the Charger, Coronet (pictured above right), and Satellite. The cars were indeed all-new - everything from sheet metal, interior, to suspension and brakes, even the front portion of the frame was different. It would be two years before Dodge &

Plymouth would hit their stride styling wise, but these cars at least got the ball rolling. Over in Dearborn, Ford and Mercury stepped up their games by offering the animalistic 425 horse 427 side oiler V-8 in the mid size Fairlane (above left) as well as the Comet (right). This was a game changer as previously both manufacturers only offered that potent engine in full size models. Finally, as history would prove, by the fall of 1966 GM would officially enter the pony-car market with their Camaro and Firebird. (1966 Comet photo courtesy of Car Craft).

Drag racing took a brutal leap forward that year. Mercury dropped a huge A-bomb when "Dyno" Don Nicholson debuted his Eliminator 1 funny car. When comparing concepts to modern race cars, this rig truly was the first funny car. No longer based on stock vehicles and using altered wheel-bases or engine set-back, the Eliminator 1 had a separate full on tube chassis and cockpit much like today's funny cars, and had the stock looking fiberglass body hinged onto it. Weighing a mere 1,850 pounds, it was miles ahead of any competition. It's difficult to find

pics of the Eliminator 1 in books as well as on-line... for good reason. The all-fiberglass body sat too high on the chassis allowing mass volumes of air to get underneath it at speed. The end result was the body getting ripped off its attachment points, going seriously airborne, and being destroyed upon crash landing. The Eliminator II appeared very shortly after that with revised components to prevent repeats of the initial mishap from happening again.
Dyno Don would only race the Eliminator funny cars for two seasons, as too many close calls with these beasts convinced him to go back to the Super Stock class for 1968 and eventually into Pro Stock class racing which debuted in 1970 where he would truly make his mark in history.

Since the Chrysler 426 Hemi was now a mass-produced production vehicle motor, NASCAR allowed it back into it's folds after a year hiatus. It wasn't all peaches and cream, however. Dodge thought their new swoopy fastback Charger would be a natural to win. Once again, however, large volumes of air at high speeds proved to be a challenge. Remember the Charger had hidden headlights along with a recessed grille area as well as a recessed rear window area. At speeds of over 135 miles per hour, the car would literally start to lift off the ground! Plymouth and Richard Petty fared much better. With the new boxy B-body Satellite, Petty would regain his footing in NASCAR and by the end of 1967 would absolutely clean house with records that still stand today.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a story about a brand new 1974 Dodge Charger Rallye. Well, okay - it's almost brand new. It only has 712 miles on it. And it still sits in the same garage where it has been for 15 years, after being in another garage for 25 years. No, I'm not going to tell anyone where it is. What I will relate is that it is a rare 440 Magnum car with a 4-speed. It's a stunning black beauty, but the thick layer of dust hides it well. The bucket seats are still soft and the rest of the interior is immaculate, although it could use a cleaning. The engine is fired up regularly and is kept in decent shape. The suspension, brakes, and exhaust are all in good condition. The doors still

close solidly with a gentle push. It sounds new. So - what gives? Why the extended state of hibernation?
It seems the young man who purchased the car in the late fall of 1973 was sent overseas just as our involvement in the war in Vietnam was starting to come to a close. Unfortunately, the young man never returned. His father wanted to keep the car as a reminder of his lost son. When the father passed, that's when the car was moved to the young man's brothers house.

I've heard numerous stories like this, all of them true; all of them sad. Maybe we can learn something new from our past mistakes. There's always time...

Until next time, peace out,
Dave

Let's Do The Time Warp Again...

Relax - this blog entry is not about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. But some of the stuff I've read, checked out, and has gone viral over the past few weeks really begs the Tim Curry line, "Why don't you come up to the lab... and see what's on the slab." I'm taking a slight break from the usual format to share some of this stuff with you, as most of this blog was done from the road this week.

Two automotive pieces have been making some serious waves recently. The first is the "MaliciouSS" 1964 Chevelle convertible built by the Roadster Shop out in Illinois. There's over 500 pics of the build on the company's website, but in a nutshell, they took an already nice Chevelle with some modern amenities, and took it to the edge of the planet. The kicker is, it still resembles a somewhat stock build. It's almost like GM releasing a severe retro-looking 1964 Chevelle today.

The second build is an all-electric 1968 Mustang. Yeah - all watts and no gas. What's cool about this time-warp machine is that the body and interior still look pretty much original with a few modern touches. Pop the hood or put the car on a lift however, and that's
where things get a little squirrely. I've never been a fan of electric vehicles or even hybrids, because too many of them are 1). boring and 2). too many guilt trips are being thrown at consumers just because they still burn gasoline. However, if I had the coin, I would buy this rig in a heartbeat. 800 horsepower, 1800 pounds of torque, high 9 to mid 10 second quarter mile times, (depending on traction), top speed of close to 200 mph and 0-60 in 2.4 seconds. The fact that any vehicle... never mind one that's dressed like a classic musclecar, and can pull off that entire combination of numbers and be totally street driven, borders on biblical. Manufacturers - take note.

I know this news is about 2 months old, but in my humble opinion, it bears repeating. The 2016 Lincoln Continental "concept" that will most likely be reality before the end of the year. Now before you say, "Whoa... back up here. You're talking about a new Continental!", let me expound on a few details. By now, most enthusiasts know that the newer version looks nothing like the concept from 2012, nor does the 2016 model share the corporate MKZ nose and sheet metal, and that's a good thing. I never really dug that split, up-sweep grille.
Admit it - this thing is the ultimate (as of this writing) executive hot rod and looks like nothing else on the road. The general buzz is it will have an EcoBoost V-6 engine minimum, with the possibility of a V-8. However things pan out, Ford is talking horsepower numbers around 440. Available all wheel drive will also be on the menu and possibly standard. The interior is a work of art with more chrome than most custom modern street rods. We're hoping Ford keeps the four bucket seats and full length console. The only bummer is, with all the luxury and features this car is supposed to have, industry analysts are pegging this car to have an MSRP somewhere between $80-100,000 dollars.

Lastly, and not to add insult to injury, but rumor has it that Dodge is tossing out tidbits that 707 horsepower is not all she wrote for the Hellcat Charger and Challenger models. And fact - when the Rousch version of the 2015 Mustang is released, it will indeed have 675 horsepower.

Good times, people... good times.
Until next time, peace out,
Dave

What Were They Thinking? Or A Matter Of Perspective

We've all experienced those moments - situations that, at minimum, make us pause for at least a few moments, possibly shake our heads, and end with the thought process of, "... what were they thinking?" Other times, the same pattern may be followed, but end with "...WTF?!?" We see this quite frequently; from the news media to our public highways and by-ways.

A few blurbs came across my radar this week and I'd like to share them with you. The first one had me going through a mixed bag of emotions. One the one hand, I thought it was unique and way different, but on the other hand, I'm having problems digesting the mixed breed.
Although this car was "done" back in 2011 by Dave Sherer and Anthony Musilli, (whose nicely restored cars have been featured in magazines as well as on the Hot Rod Power Tour), the pair turned the rat-rod world on its ear when they transformed a brand new Camaro SS into a rat-rod. Not only did they grind off the paint (to different levels in different areas) but also rubbed salt on the bare metal spots to "speed rust" the metal. They also re-sanded other areas for color change, put dents in the vehicle, and even broke the grille. To top things off, they dropped in a 1,000 horsepower supercharged engine. Why? According to Sherer, "...no one was expecting it and no else had the balls to do it." By the way, the modifications cost about $160 large...

In collectible vehicle circles, it's common knowledge that the 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda is one of, if not possibly the most collectible muscle car. They're rare, brutally fast, and handsome automobiles. It is not uncommon to find painstakingly restored models that fetch $500,000 easy at a major auction. But would you pay one million dollars for one? And this model is NOT a convertible, which is super-rare and can usually help command this price.
Up for bid this month at the Mecum Auction held in Indianapolis is a fully documented unrestored Hemi 'Cuda coupe (one of the last 10 built) with just 81 miles on the odometer. That's not a misprint. Eighty. One. Miles. Early estimates predict this car will sell for more than $800,000, but numerous sources say when the gavel falls, it may top $1 million.

This next tidbit is not exactly new - I've known about it for years. The original story took place back in 1965. If you don't know about this story, you should. Everything was coming unglued in the 60's and hot rodding and/or racing was no exception. Enter the Turbonique Drag Axle - a small 850 horsepower turbine rocket that attached to a vehicles rear axle. When tested at the drag strip, the end result was usually quarter mile long burnouts with times in the low 9's at over 150mph. What makes this entire scenario really cool (or really nuts depending on your perspective) is this product was advertised and had full intentions of being used on the street. The logic being was the turbine rocket would not be "used or engaged during everyday normal driving" - only when the driver demanded more power. No problem - just put the car in neutral, press the rocket button, and hang on for dear life...
(Photo courtesy of Hot Rod)

I gotta admit - one thing I truly love about NASCAR is it's influence. Ever since the late 40's, this particular aspect of motor-sports has spawn off more types of circle track racing than you can shake a stick at. Everything from lawn mowers to school buses. Things were crazy enough in the 60's when figure eight racing really became en vogue - timing was everything & crashing now-vintage iron was the norm. Now imagine the same deal except with a 45-50 passenger school bus. Or better yet, how about full size cars and trucks towing campers? This stuff is very popular especially in the Midwest. If you ever get a chance to witness action like this, you won't be sitting there going, "What are they thinking?" You'll be laughing too hard.

Performance automotive (or what we now call muscle cars) advertising was going full throttle by 1968. Concepts that touched on societal norms, psychedelic art, and even street racing were played with. This weeks featured ad is for a Pontiac GTO. The ad ran only once, in the December 1967 issue of Motor Trend, before it was pulled by GM brass. At first glance, one might be confused as to what the big deal was. The deal was that Woodward Avenue was a nationally-known street racing hot spot. The driver is in a turn-around area which was a common waiting place for your next street challenge. Was it over the top? Did it go too far? GM thought so. Just a matter of perspective...

Just over a year ago, I was fortunate enough to visit Old Car City in White Georgia. What was a junkyard, is now basically an outdoor museum of sorts featuring vintage Detroit iron in various stages of rust and decay. This 1968 Chevelle has an interesting story behind it. Purchased new in the area with a 350 cid V-8 and a 4-speed, the owner was in the process of modifying it further when it was t-boned by a truck at an intersection. The car had less than 1000 miles on it. Normally, the story would end there, but the establishment owner told me that the guy who owned it pulled over near said intersection to take a leak. He shut off the motor, but forgot he had it in neutral. It rolled back a slight incline, into the intersection, and bam! No more Chevelle. What was he thinking?

Lastly, wanted to start spreading the word that Vintage V8 Photography (who does this weekly blog), will be firing up a new You Tube channel! We're pumped! We hope to have it up and running by the beginning of June 2015. We will be passing along more details in the weeks ahead.

Until next time, peace out -
Dave