You're Too Old...

You know how many times I've heard that? It doesn't matter if it's in reference to a car, music, a job, a hobby - whatever. I've gotten better over the years; my response nowadays is either, "Well, that's just your opinion. You're entitled to it." or in most cases, I don't say anything. I'll be turning 53 this year. I don't consider myself old - not by a long shot. Heck, my parents are both 79 and I don't consider them old, even though we both get flooded with AARP shit in our collective mailboxes from time to time.

This whole "old" thing came about one day this past week when I was discussing a customers brand new 2015 BMW X5 that was getting undercoated at the garage I work at. Never mind that it was a high end crossover SUV and the fact it had the 445 horsepower turbocharged V-8 under the hood. Oh, did I mention it was also a brilliant blue? Granted, there's not much eye candy when you pop the hood. Almost everything is hidden by that honking engine cover. But what struck me was why she purchased it - yeah... a woman owns this; "I'm 55, divorced, and have no kids. I needed an all wheel drive vehicle with enough room for all my crap that I need for my job. After working for over 30 years - I was finally able to get something really nice for myself. But honestly - I just love the way the engine sounds when I punch the gas accelerating onto the highway and that turbo kicks in... it is so awesome!" There you go - that's as good of an excuse as any! Of course, the other female customer who was having an oil change done on her Prius V wagon at the same time just had to pipe up; "Aren't you a bit old for something like that?" The BMW owner just glared at the other woman - "Madam; your opinion does not matter", and went back to what she was working on.

Be that as it may, racing and high performance has always been sprinkled with inspiring people who, to the uneducated casual observer, would be considered too old to participate in what they are doing. Two of the most notable examples are Mogan Shepard and Chris Karamesines.

I realize that not many people have heard of Mr. Shepard (right) and the fact that highlighting him sort of deviates from the early 70's cut off date we have for the blog. Your unfamiliarity may be due to the fact that he only competes part time in the Xfinity series of NASCAR. Regardless, he still deserves serious mention. As of this writing he just turned 74 about a week or so ago. He's not a powerhouse in the points division and has zero wins so far this season. Who cares. Would you still have the nerve and skill to power a 200+ mph race car around a track when you're in your 70's? And then still be good enough at it to qualify to start?

Chris Karamesines (left) should be more familiar, especially if you're into drag racing. Commonly referred to as "The Golden Greek", he has been a staple of the NHRA since the late 50's. Do the math - that's almost 60 years in professional drag racing... as a driver! He will turn 84 years young this November. Karamesines got his start with factory stock cars, then moved to Funny Cars, and finally switched to Top Fuel dragsters by the late 60's. While he hasn't been in the winners circle in years and his last final round appearance was way back in 1990, he is still a force to be reckoned with and is a man who truly loves the sport. Just ask #1 qualifier Brittany Force after she lost to Karamesines in the 1st round back in June 2014 in Bristol Tennessee. When interviewed afterwards, she basically stated, "He's very good and extremely competitive. My dad (John Force) wasn't so subtle. He asked me how it felt to get beaten by an 82 year old..."

Speaking of old, that seems to be a new semi-movement with rat rods lately. Using old but cool non-automotive items as a substitute for car parts. Case in point - dig the antique spittoons as carburetor air cleaners on top of the tunnel ram intake. While it may not be your cup of tea, you gotta admit it is unique. I have been seeing more of this in the past few years or so, when builders started using old street signs as floor boards and transmission tunnel sheet metal. While some people wish this particular genre of hot rodding would go away, I'm glad it's still as strong as it is. To me, it is another form of expression. Just like that completely over the top street rod that cost $300,000 to build and every magazine will feature is one person's statement, this type of creativity is the root of all hot rodding - work with what you have.

The thing is, I feel every hot rodder never truly loses their passion for going fast - it's the mode of transportation that changes. This has been fact for decades, especially when it came to muscle cars in the 60's and 1970. Companies like Studebaker and Buick realized this and tried capitalizing on it - you were never too old to go fast. Buick ended up building one of the best performance cars of the era. Studebaker... well, mechanically they built a pocket rocket, but sales wise, the car was too little too late as Studebaker was bleeding cash catastrophically in the early 60's. Some of you may be asking, "Studebaker built a muscle car?" Yup - back in 1963, the company screwed together turbo-charged V-8's that cranked out over 300 horsepower in a car that weighed under 3000 pounds. In 1964, just as the manufacturer was about to lock the doors, they offered an R3 and R4 versions of the Lark and the Avanti. The option placed a 400+ horsepower turbo small block V8 between the fenders that could blow the doors off most anything the big three could offer. I have a rare Studebaker brochure in my collection that highlights their turbocharged options, although it's on an Avanti model. The bottom line says it all - "More power than you'll ever need."

Buick was a bit more successful. Their performance version of the Skylark, known as the GS, was potent in its own right. But when GM threw the 400 cubic inch engine mandate for mid-size muscle cars out the window for 1970, the GS when equipped with the Stage 1 package became iconic. With a horsepower rating that was a sedate 360 horsepower - it was more like 425 plus - and 510 pound feet of torque, the car was an iron fist in a velvet glove. If one could live without A/C, and the owner swapped in an aluminum intake, a Holley carb, and decent set of headers in place of the factory pieces, low 12-second quarter mile times were common, even with an automatic... in a 4000 pound car. Add the rare Stage 2 option and you had a set of wheels legends were made of and very few modified muscle cars, even Corvettes, could touch. Motor Trend magazine fell in love with the 1970 GS Stage 1 calling it, "...brutally fast without the hint of Geritol."

We may age, but we never get old.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

WTF?!?

Yeah, I know what your thinking - great title for this week's blog. I could say it was an acronym for either Water The Flowers or maybe Went To Florida, (which isn't a bad idea right about now considering it's mid-October here in Maine and the temperature is a not-so-balmy 55 degrees), but those who know me, know where I'm coming from on this. For the first time in weeks, today's blog did not come from some article I read. The whole snowball started rolling when I received an email from a friend of mine from California - "... check out these pics. Remember when we used to play with our Hot Wheels and mentioned how cool it would be if we had life-size cars like these in the driveway?"

I'm sure this isn't the first time someone has gone & built something like this as several of the first Hot Wheels toy cars were modeled after popular concept cars from the late 60's, but this is the first time I've seen a life-size rendition that's driven regularly. Whomever owns and/or built this version of the model Splittin' Image not only nailed it (despite the love it / hate it paint and wheels) but also gets bonus points for making the exhaust system work without it melting anything especially since it's routed between the canopies. Regardless of how you feel about the rig as a whole, you can't argue it has serious WTF attitude - because if you saw it drive by in the opposite lane, that's exactly what would emanate from your mouth... or close to it.

It got me to thinking - as way too many things often do - what were some other WTF moments in your life, automotive wise? Not necessarily the whack-job who was doing 120mph down I-95 in shitloads of traffic, but maybe it was it the very rare muscle car you saw, the likes of which you'll probably never see again. Or the totally off-the-hook street rod that left you speechless. Or was it some out of control drag racing or NASCAR action you witnessed and people still talk about today?

I can remember the first time I drove a Dodge or Plymouth Hemi anything - in this case it was a 1967 Plymouth GTX. At the time, it had modern BF Goodrich radial tires, a front disc brake swap had been done, the engine ran a slightly more aggressive camshaft, and the heads had been freshened up to run on unleaded fuel. But for all relative purposes, it was still pretty stock with an automatic and 3.54 gears in the Dana 60 rear end. When I drove it, I let the Torqueflite transmission shift for itself, but the owner (and good friend) told me to "...let it all hang out." I nailed the gas and was instantly pinned to my seat. First gear was almost all tire spin - the tires barely hooked and when they finally did, second gear came up real quick with a solid bang. I was once again pinned back into the vinyl seat and there was more tire spin, but the T/A radials took less time to hook. Third gear came up fairly quickly, again with another solid bang. There was hardly any tire spin in 3rd, (just a long loud chirp), as all eight barrels of the Carter carburetors were swallowing air like mad and the Hemi engine literally roared. I finally lost my nerve at around 135mph as the front end started to lift because the GTX was as aerodynamic as a cow barn. The tach was north of 5,000rpm, but the Hemi still had more power to give. As I slowed to a normal speed, circled around, and drove back to where we started, I was grinning ear to ear as my friend say, "Ain't nothing else like a fucking Hemi... nothing!" He was right. Then I thought to myself - how on Earth could Chrysler sell such a beast to the general public? This engine was brutal - even in stock form, never mind if an owner modified it. Plus many of these vehicles had 4-wheel manual drum brakes as well as those crappy narrow bias-ply tires they had back then. A definite WTF concept.

Most of you know I'm a massive nostalgia drag racing fan. One of my favorite classes are the Gasser models, and while I like the traditional and popular Willy's and tri-five Chevy models, I have a soft spot for the unusual. When I attended this indoor car show, you could label me impressed with a new degree of unusual. For some - a WTF moment without a doubt. When was the last time you saw a 50's Rambler wagon ready to rock n roll as a Gasser? It had it all - the solid lifted front axle, fuel tank up front, no hood, patina on the fenders, period tires and wheels, the works. I don't know how many people probably walked away with visions of building one just like it.

I've been pouring through a number of late 50's and early 60's NASCAR photos lately. I came across this classic of Fred Lorenzen. Why does this shot qualify for a WTF award? Study the picture and pick up the clues. Then compare it to today's cars and drivers. Think about it - NASCAR racing with an open face helmet, a factory operating door with working glass, no window net (they usually drove with the windows down due to the heat), a simple roll bar, and the driver was wearing a short-sleeve white dress shirt. Those were the days...


Speaking of those were the days, here's a great reactionary shot that screams  WTF - just look at the young guys face glaring at what is taking place and you tell me. This was taken around circa 1965-66 out in California. The engine in question was the then-new Ford 427 SOHC (or "Cammer") engine. It belonged to one of the most successful drag racers of all time, be it top fuel dragsters or funny cars - Don "The Snake" Prudhome. Back then, there were no fancy accommodations, or racing team car carriers, or semi-tractor trailers that doubled as rolling garages. You did what you had to do, regardless of where you were. I have seen countless photos and heard numerous stories of racers as well as hot rodders getting tossed out of hotels and motels for rebuilding engines, transmissions, and read ends in parking lots and/or motel rooms!

I'll leave you with this last tidbit - actually it's a double WTF whammy. First off, it's not often you'll see classic VW bugs here in the realms of Maximum Performance. However, I do like them and I do photograph them from time to time. But when was the last time you saw interior panels on any vehicle that consisted of old Mad Magazine and Hot Rod magazine covers as well as pictorial features, advertisements, and who-knows what else from said magazines? Never mind the Dead Head thing hanging from the rear view. I was passing by this rig and guess what I said? Yup... then promptly snapped a picture.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

The Bucket List Just Got Bigger

A few weeks back, I wrote about the type of person that truly fits the definition of the term "gearhead" and what makes that person tick. I also mentioned that gearheads come in all shapes and sizes, are not gender specific, and age is never a barrier. Gearheads are also known to have a bucket list, or a list of vehicles they would like to own, restore, modify, or at minimum drive, before they die. However, there is one flaw in this simple concept. As the gearhead ages, and even if certain vehicles get crossed off the list, the list usually continues to grow as new aspects of maximum performance are discovered.

That happened to me this week. Yet another vehicle got added to my bucket list. In this case, I will never own, restore, or modify a rig like this. But at minimum, I have to experience it - and driving or riding shotgun will be gravy. And if I hadn't read an article about it and saw a couple of videos, it would've never appeared on my radar. It's a 1911 Fiat S76, that also happens to be a former land speed record holder and at one point was the fastest vehicle in the world. The big issue here, is that Fiat only built two of these things. The second issue is that a guy over in England rebuilt and restored his S76 from the chassis of the first one, and the engine from the second. So, even if you totally suck at math, you'll soon realize that this is the only S76 left in the world. In fact, it's owner Dustin Pittaway fabricated the body panels and rebuilt the transmission from archival blueprints.

This particular Fiat also goes by the name of "The Beast of Turin". This former racer only has a four banger - but develops almost 300 horsepower and a supposed 2000 pound feet of torque. That's not a typo. This engine is HUGE - to the tune of 28.4 litres. Each cylinder (and remember there are four of them) have a displacement of 433 cubic inches! Each piston is bigger than a paint can. Currently, there is no exhaust on this beast, so it's loud as hell. You can actually see the firing order of this engine in action, because it spits fire on the combustion stroke. Yeah - this thing literally spits fire. As you can imagine, stating that the exhausts manifolds are robust in size is a gross understatement. It's hard to believe that more than 100 years ago, some nut job drove this thing to over 135 miles per hour. Floppy chain drive and all. It leaves one in awe. Google some You Tube videos and you'll know what I mean.

My personal bucket list does not only contain cars. As of this writing, I still have yet to make it out to Bonneville. That was in the plans two years ago with a severe road trip out west, but that trip got detoured South, especially with  a government shutdown (long story on that one) and some very early winter weather in the Midwest. However, the silver lining about trekking to Georgia and Florida was spending a few days at the best old car salvage yard in the USA - Old Car City in White Georgia. If this junkyard is not on your bucket list, then it should be. Even if the rust, rot, wrecked, and patina porn isn't your thing, this place is a mind altering experience. Best time to go is in the winter. It's not brutally hot & humid, there are no bugs, and all the trees are bare exposing more of the vintage Detroit iron. The owner is more than happy to talk with you if you show a little respect, appreciation, and if you just listen to the history that rolls off this mans tongue.

Does your bucket list tackle more than just cars and locations? How about certain speed limits? The fastest I've traveled down a quarter mile to date is deep in the 8's and over a buck forty. I would like to hit the 150-160 mph mark. The technology is there, but the expense has crept up over the years. I honestly don't know if I have the coin to do it. That's one primary reason why I don't restore muscle cars anymore - they are just too expensive... for me anyways. It's been a blessing in disguise however, as that aspect of my hobby has broadened my horizons. I've had the chance to restore three antique trucks and have dabbled in inexpensive modern muscle car offerings as well as drag cars.

I don't know about you, but my bucket list even contains a list of certain modifications I want to
make to vehicles. Doing a fat twin turbo motor in a light weight car is almost at the top of the list. Other notable mentions are a tad on the bizarre side - like this exhaust plumbing through the trunk. This is an old shot from the 50's where it was suggested that exhaust pipes wouldn't take a beating (or be lost) during a race situation (primarily early NASCAR) if they were routed through the trunk. I don't know if it ever worked, but it sure looks cool. That alone rates a serious stab at fabricating a dual exhaust system that way. Remind me however, not to stuff things like the battery, a fuel cell, and the nitrous tanks in said trunk. Never mind that it would be highly illegal in a street car...

Of course, a bucket list should not equate to a death wish, although my wife may think differently. One vehicle on my list is a radical hot rod that is slightly chopped, channeled, has a bad-ass engine, and a very simple layout in regards to steering, suspension and brakes. It's kind of the anti-street rod. If I stick to my game plan, this rig won't even have front brakes - only rear, albeit big ones at that. It will have a bare bones interior, two seats, and zero creature comforts. It almost defies logic - but that's part of what a bucket list is all about. Conquering things that bring you out of your comfort zone.

What's on your bucket list? I want to hear from you.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

How Far Is "Too Far"?

As I was thinking about, and now typing, this weeks blog, I often went back to the thought, "...how

can I write stuff on this particular subject without pissing anybody off?" But then I rationalized that that is practically an impossibility - I am going to piss someone off, somehow, someway. My thought process all started by reading a short article on "The 25 Tackiest Accessories You Can Put On A Car". Making the top five, were huge tacky wings on trunk lids of vehicles. Yeah - I've seen some of those on Honda's, Nissan's and Subaru's. But then I thought about the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona and the 1970 Plymouth Superbird - I know some speed freaks and NASCAR nuts loved them from the get go, but most of the public's reaction wasn't very positive. There are stories of some Plymouth dealers converting Superbirds into regular Roadrunners in order to sell them because the winged warriors sat on their dealership lots for so long. But as history has shown, both the Daytona and the Superbird are some of the most coveted muscle cars from that era. What might have been thought of as tacky back then, is now highly collectible. Will that be the same for modern tuner cars with wings? I doubt it, but you never know.


If you were to cruise over to the Amazon.com website and typed in a key phrase like, "History of Funny Cars", under their books subheading, chances are you would see dozens of books written on that subject. And all those books I guarantee you, would contain the historical A/FX cars that the manufacturers and select independent racers (through dealership sponsors) produced starting in late 1964. By the following year, these "funny looking" cars were gaining popularity across the country. But also at the same time, numerous drag racers as well as a number of fans considered these experimental vehicles "circus acts" and not real race cars. Fans were really divided by 1966 when Dyno Don Nicholson debuted his all-fiberglass Eliminator I Mercury Comet funny car. Never mind looking funny - it just looked downright weird compared to the rest of the field. Had the manufacturers or individual racers gone too far? My guess is this is possibly where the term "too much is just enough" got started...

If there is motor sports organization that has taken it's lumps by "going a bit too far", it has to be

NASCAR. On December 1st 1963, at Jacksonville Raceway Park, African-American driver Wendell Scott took the lead from Buddy Baker with 25 laps to go and won that Grand National race by two laps. However, it was Buddy Baker that was recognized as the winner and celebrated in victory lane. Why? Because of the color of Scott's skin. Racial tensions at the time were blamed for this pathetic move, and it became a huge mess for the organization. Hours after the race, corrections were made and Scott was declared the winner - but by that time all the fans were long gone. Both drivers have been inducted into the NASCAR hall of fame, but this particular race has gone down in history as the most controversial one in NASCAR history.

Quite honestly, I've never really minded pro-street vehicles. I just hope some of the absolutely over-the-top shit we saw in the 80's never returns. If there was ever a case of going too far in this field, it was Rick Dobbertin's Pontiac J2000 pro street rig from 1986. It's been noted that this was the car that "changed it all". In hindsight, I feel it was the car that finally started bringing closure to this automotive movement. I think people finally said, "...Enough". The fact of the matter is, pro or not, it was never a street car. It wasn't a case where it was too radical - it was a case of poor design;

regardless of how edge-of-the-planet it looked. First off, the multiple neon colored paint scheme was an eye full, although atypical of the era. Then we had the twin-turbo, chromed to the max small block Chevy complete with forward relocated Dominator carburetor. Adding insult to injury was the pneumatically actuated tilt body so everyone could see the stainless steel tube chassis amongst other things. It was like a funny car or pro-stock race car gone horribly wrong. The big problem was in fact with the rear suspension - it didn't have one! There were no shocks or springs. In order to fit the enormous Firestone tires under the compact J2000 body, Dobbertin basically had to eliminate everything. The vehicle relied on tire sidewall deflection and at times would literally bounce like a top fuel dragster. That right there promoted it to trailer queen about 98% of the time. Dobbertin eventually installed a pair of valve springs (!!) between the top of the rear end housing and the chassis, but it really didn't help at all. It still couldn't be street driven.

Finally, I'll leave you with this tidbit. You can decide whether it goes too far or if in fact it's way cool and the builder was possibly dropped as a child. The vehicle is a Toyota MR-2 sports car. The engine is a 540 cubic inch World War II era Kinner radial aircraft engine. If you're like me, you stopped asking why over three decades ago...

Until next time, peace out.
Dave