Absolutely Scandalous... So What Else Is New?

Have you ever seen the movie Casablanca where at one point Louis, the head of the police force in the city, who knows full well of the gambling operations that take place in Rick's Cafe Americain, orders the establishment closed for gambling, due to Nazi Germany political pressure. The scene has the classic line where Louis states,“I'm shocked... shocked, that there is gambling taking place at this establishment.” Of course, the scene ends hilariously when an employee of Rick's hands Louis his chips and says, “Here are your winnings, sir.” and Louis thanks him.

Scandals. They're everywhere and not just in politics and Hollywood. Some scandals in the automotive world have led to massive recalls. As of March 2016, there is literally a recall for one out of every four cars on the road today - that's 25% of all vehicles. It's sad, amazing, and brain boggling all at the same time. Never mind that it's a shitload of cars. But if one digs deeper, in just about every single recall, the manufacturer has known about the problem for years. And while many of us remember some of the most famous automotive scandals like the exploding fuel tank of the Ford Pinto as well as the Firestone / Ford Explorer fiasco, there are other ones dotted in history that you not be aware of.

One of the biggies involves the Chrysler Airflow which debuted in 1934. A technical marvel that was years ahead of it's time with an all-steel body (when most manufacturers were still using wood to a certain degree), uni-body construction (which is still used today), shatter proof safety glass and unique modern suspension, it didn't upset just the apple cart; it turned the cart upside down, threw the apples at the competition, then sold the horse and kept the money. GM was especially affected, and was furious at this modern offering. In retaliation, GM purchased ads in the Saturday Evening Post,

(an extremely popular magazine with enormous reach), stating that Chrysler stole the design from a top-secret GM blueprint (which never surfaced) and was a danger on the road. Chrysler retaliated with ads of their own as well as it's now-famous newsreel showing the Airflow's advanced suspension, (by shooting out a tire), and that the safety glass really worked by having a professional baseball pitcher throw a fast ball at the windshield. Chrysler went even further by rolling the car over and then driving it away. But the piece de resistance was when Chrysler drove the Airflow off a 110 foot cliff, and then had someone get in, start it, and drive away without so much as a shattered window! Unfortunately, all those demonstrations didn't work. Within three years, the Airflow was discontinued. GM's smear campaign worked, and astonishingly, faced no repercussions for it's actions. Even sadder, is that it set a GM mindset into motion in regards to recalls for years to come - one that it still hasn't learned it's lesson on.

Scandals, rules, and rule breakers have always been a hot topic in NASCAR ever since the first organized race back in 1949. But two of the biggest scandals came in back to back years of 1966 and 1967. Ever hear of Junior Johnson's “Yellow Banana”? Back in 1966, Ford began the racing season boycotting NASCAR over their 427 SOHC Cammer engine. But by August, in Atlanta, Junior Johnson broke ranks and showed up with his off-the-hook Galaxie. With a chopped roof-line, non-stock slanted windshield, and contoured fenders, it was somehow permitted to race. It was also the unofficial start of the aerodynamic wars between Ford and Chrysler.

The 2^nd scandal also also ended up being unresolved - the now famous Smokey Yunick 7/8ths Chevy. While GM was not actively involved in NASCAR at the time, this Chevelle race car was an independent entry and driver Curtis Turner put the car in the pole position at Daytona beating out the heavily favored Chrysler's and Fords. Rumors were abound that the car was only 7/8ths scale, which meant is was shorter, narrower, and lighter than a stock bodied vehicle. According to NASCAR vehicle templates and measurements, the rumors proved correct. But in a surprise move, Yunick had one of his team members rent a stock 1967 Chevelle from a local Hertz agency. When the rental car arrived at Daytona, Yunick placed his template and measuring devices up to the stock Chevelle and it fit perfectly. Then he did the same to his race car... and it also fit perfectly. The vehicle was allowed to compete.

Drag racing has it's own history of drama, but one of the more famous, but less known “scandals”, didn't involve a certain engine, or race car, or even a driver breaking the rules and getting away with it. This one took place back in 1965 - and what made it a scandal was the sole fact that the driver was a woman. Shirley Muldowney was the first woman to receive a license from the NHRA. At a time when the sport (and society for the most part) was still male-dominated, racers like Muldowney and Shirley Shahan were making in-roads with the sport. While it was difficult for her to gain sponsors and hire a pit crew solely based on her sex, she soldiered on and won national events by the very early 70's. She also went on to become the first person to win the NHRA World Fuel Championships on three separate occasions - in 1977, 1980, and 1982. Her success tore down the walls of traditional gender stereotypes; everything from painting her cars bright colors including hot pink to wearing high heels with her flame-proof racing suit.

Even muscle car ads proved to be scandalous. Say what? Don't they have to be approved by the top brass of the manufacturer prior to printing? Well, sort of. Pontiac, the black sheep of GM back in the 1960's, somehow always had a way of side-stepping the higher ups, and promotional material was not exempt. One of Pontiac's most famous ads was for the 1968 GTO. At that time, Woodward Avenue was a street racing hotspot. The public knew it, the police knew it. All the automotive manufacturers knew it too. The ad in question showed a new GTO parked on one of the cross-over lanes on Woodward Avenue. These lanes were used as U-turn roads for street racers involved in stoplight wars. The ad gave a strong subtle message like the guy driving the GTO was waiting for another individual to engage in a street race. Any doubt of that concept was erased by the simple copy at the bottom of the ad; “The Great One by Pontiac. You know the rest of the story.” The ad ran only once - a 2-page full color blurb in the December 1967 issue of Motor Trend. But as soon as GM brass got wind of it, it was immediately ordered to be pulled from any further publication.

Until next time, scandal-on people.

Peace out,

Dave

Same S**t... Different Year

I came across this old book at a flea market once. It was mostly pictures that highlighted the book's title; “The American Jalopy”. Contained between the hard-covers were page after page of old black and white pictures of vintage Detroit tin that was originally built from the late teens through the 1930's. Those classic shots showed many a misspent youth either proudly sitting in, standing in front of, or goofing off in their jalopy. Most of the vehicles were modified in some ways, although not in the same vein that started in the late 40's. Many of them still had stock tires, quick-change rearend differentials, and factory

interiors. Since they were owned by younger individuals, these vintage rigs were far from mint. Many of them had writing on assorted banged-up body panels, missing windshields and/or roofs, hardly any exhaust, bald tires, and a few even had homemade fabricated engine parts. Needless to say, they were a nothing like today's hot rods or even rat rods. But history shows us, that jalopy's were of good use in the public's eye back in the good 'ol days. Ever wonder how towns or the government painted lines in the middle of roadways some 75-80 years ago? Thanks to a jalopy, the picture above right is your answer.

But then I got to thinking – what I was actually looking at were the grandfathers of hot rods in general, and rat rods in particular. For decades, the hot rod community received an unfair negative image or what was the sum that society added up when you had a youth plus an old jalopy. And be sure to lock up your daughters – because if she got involved with a young man with a jalopy, the picture to your left is what happened.

But that was then and this is now. Or is it? Have things really changed? It still amazes me that in our old car hobby that brand-bashing still exists along with disagreeing on what is or is not a hot rod... or bad ass... or whatever. I can remember a not-to-long-ago period when rat rods went mainstream in the hot rodding world. Some enthusiasts went all negative stating they weren't true hot rods; Just rusted, slapped together pieces of shit that just happened to have a powerful motor and cool wheels. While I feel the acceptance factor of rat rods has greatly increased over the past 10 years, that original negative attitude is still there with some folks. Why is that? I absolutely love rat rods! Is there some type of fear in accepting this genre into the hot rodding fold? A fear of what someone doesn't understand? A fear of losing some status with their own mega-buck street rod if one of these clapped out beauties parked next to you at a show? You tell me – what do you think?

The same type of non-accepting negative mindset could also be said in regards to NASCAR when corporate sponsorship basically took over starting in 1972 when the manufacturers like Chrysler, Ford and even GM to a slight extent, began to radically cut back on factory support. By that point, muscle cars and their powerful V-8 engines were no longer in fashion. Money got tighter as inflation and costs reared their ugly heads. Drivers had sponsors that ranged from STP to Coca-Cola. NASCAR even gained a title sponsor in the form of cigarette giant R.J. Reynolds. Since the company was banned from advertising on television, they saw a new avenue of promotion and advertising. Thus the birth of the Winston Cup Series in the very early 70's. I can remember racing fans saying, “It's the death of circle track racing as we know it.” Today, that remains to be seen as Nextel is officially ending its title sponsorship at the end of the 2016 racing season. NASCAR officials are looking for a new sponsor, but have put such stipulations on it stating they would like a 10-year, $1 billion dollar investment and commitment. Seriously? Or maybe I just need to come to grips with the fact that, there is no racing without money... very serious money

Drag racing, more than any other sport, in my humble opinion, has produced more innovations, but has also produced some of the craziest ideas; some worked, some didn't. Ironically, regardless of how nuts things got, the acceptance level was always high, especially with the fans. If there was even a chance of having a specific design banned, that gave even more credibility and motivation to build it. Forget factory backed A/FX altered wheelbase cars; some of the designs that came

down the pike ranged from a “convertible” 1966 Dodge Dart fiberglass bodies that were draped over a Top Fuel dragster chassis (the Dart was never available as a convertible). Or how 'bout a classic Jeep CJ, except the fiberglass body's wheelbase was stretched to almost 112 inches... and no roof... or doors! One of my favorite “dare to be different” funny car bodies came out in the early 1980's, when J&J Fiberglass sponsored a rig that had a bright yellow Lincoln Continental Mark III body – complete with Landau roof!

We don't always have to agree or even approve, but acceptance is the key. Until next time, keep swimming against the stream.

Peace out,

Dave

Hazy Days Of Influence & Indifference

Usually the ideas for the weekly blog come from one particular avenue - an article I read, a video I saw, or someone I talked to. This week, it came from multiple articles, and I'm going to deviate from the normal format for a bit here. One article I glanced at in particular was written by fan of performance vehicles who happened to loathe 60's era muscle cars. At first I thought, "How can one appreciate the present without some level of respect to the past? Without the muscle cars of the 60's, there wouldn't be the muscle cars of today. Heck, if there wasn't the yen for speed equipment starting in 40's, we wouldn't be where we are today." Case in point - the advertisement to your right is for Edelbrock equipment... from 1948.

The article was penned by a guy from England who basically trashed muscle cars, but unfortunately missed their main reason for existence in the first place. His entire diatribe was on how modern performance (mainly tuner cars) was far superior to 1960's iron. And because of this, he could not fathom as to why these automotive icons were still so popular. First off, comparing modern muscle cars, super-tuned import rigs, or any new vehicle for that matter to muscle cars from 50 years ago, is like comparing a horse cart to the space shuttle. We've all heard the same arguments before - old muscle cars don't handle and brake as well, the quality control was

lousy, blah, blah, blah. Guess what - they are correct. Almost EVERY car built in the 60's (and especially the 70's) suffered these problems. There were hardly any computers and zero robots on the assembly line. Technology was pretty nil. Vehicle owners manuals were approximately 30 pages in length, not the thickness of a Harry Potter novel like they are today. They were also built by humans - and humans make mistakes... lots of them. Ever seen a modern BMW F10 M5? In a nutshell, it's a $100,000+ vehicle with a 560 horsepower twin turbo V8 that can not only zip you around any German city in 3 minutes or less, but serve you a latte while massaging your butt cheeks. There's more technology in that car than Neil Armstrong had when he went to the moon in 1969.

Thankfully, we have something called memories and nostalgia. 60's muscle cars were an American cultural phenomenon. There are people in countries today that hate America, but they absolutely love our old  muscle cars. I feel the reason is simple: Muscle cars are icons because they’re entire concept is straightforward. They never really attempted to be anything but straight-line performance machines. Up until very recently, there was no better way to destroy a 1/4 mile than with an old muscle car. Unlike uber high-end European models, 60's muscle cars were (and mostly still are) two-ton, gas guzzling middle fingers to braggart types and they also happen to accomplish it with beautiful styling. They were and still are the alternative for those who don’t agree that all fast cars, have to be light, composed of some quirky engineer’s wet dreams, and be expensive to maintain.

There were a few models that broke the mold 50 years ago that one could order from a dealership that not only tackled the 1/4 mile with gusto, but could also handle and brake with the best of them. One particular vehicle that comes to mind is the Camaro Z/28, starting in 1968. While there was no variable valve timing for better emissions, or traction and electronic stability controls for adverse weather conditions, I've seen some incredibly optioned models where someone had the money as well as a very good understanding of the option sheet. Equipped with not only the dual-carburetor DZ-302 engine and associated drive-train, but also outfitted with beefy front and rear sway bars, 4-wheel disc brakes, and more. Sounds pretty standard for a modern vehicle, but that was extreme high-end back in the psychedelic era.

I also believe there's a certain mindset when dealing with muscle cars (or any other vehicles built between the 1930's through the mid 70's). I feel the same is true in regards to people who are hard-wired towards tuning a modern muscle car or super-tuning a Honda or Toyota to perform at a certain level. For example, I went into my local supermarket last night, I saw a white 1967 AMC Rambler American 4-door sedan parked under the lights. I naturally gravitated towards it and parked diagonally behind it. It had the ubiquitous 6-cylinder engine, 3-on-the-tree transmission, dog-dish hubcaps, and looked stock right down to the original patina emblems. While it was far from being mint, it wasn't a basket case either with very little surface rust and a slightly worn interior. I instantly had visions of making it a killer sleeper with the stock hood but having a stout big block between the fenders. I also envisioned a nice stance, aftermarket wheels, slightly bigger tires, and upgraded brakes, steering, and suspension. It wasn't even for sale, but my brain instantly went into overdrive. Does the same scenario play out with guys and their diesel trucks? Or peeps with dreams of tricking out a stock 1963 Impala into a low-rider? Or the owners of turbo Honda's? I believe it does.

There - I got it out of my system. Let the hate mail commence...

Drag racing (as well as other types of racing) also has a deep history of influencing modern vehicles, not just muscle cars. If your car has the following, you can thank a racer -
- Fuel injection
- Flex fuel system
- Dual clutch transmission
- Aerodynamics
- Forced induction
- Serpentine belts
- Four wheel and all-wheel drive
- Drilled & slotted brake rotors... the list goes on.

Strength is in diversity, people. Embrace it - united in performance we stand. Divided we fall.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Drinking The Full Throttle Kool-Aid That Was 1969

"Well, it's 1969 okay... all across the USA... another year for me and you... another year with nothing to do..."  - Iggy Pop

And ironically, Iggy was from Detroit. And while Iggy may have been dead on about how some people felt back then, 1969 in regards to muscle cars, drag racing, and all things high performance, it was impossible to be bored, regardless of your favorite American marquee. There is still a discussion (argument?) about what year was the zenith of Detroit high performance during the first era of muscle cars. It's literally split right down the middle like a Sanders - Clinton caucus; half for 1970, the other 50% for 1969. Myself personally, after all these years, I still favor 1969. Let's break it down;

First off - muscle cars & their associated advertising. When it came to model year offerings from the big three, and even AMC, 1969 was bat-shit crazy. It was a year of COPO Camaros, Chevelles, and Novas. It was also the high point of independent dealers like Don Yenko selling their own customized versions of these vehicles. A fan of the Blue Oval and not the General Bowtie? We had offerings of the Torino Talladega as well as the Boss 302 & 429 Mustangs. If you were a dare to be different type of individual and went AMC, you were hard pressed to find something more off the wall than

the Hurst Industries built SC/Rambler (above). The Mopar contingency went ape over NASCAR bred models like the Charger 500 and Charger Daytona, in addition to the drag / street racing influenced Six Pack Super Bee's and Roadrunners (right). I'm sorry - but there were zero offerings in 1970 that came stock with a fiberglass hood with a huge scoop and four hood pins holding it down like the Six Pack Chrysler B-bodies from the factory. You had to remove the hood just to check the oil - that's hardcore. And several of the beasts listed above were one year models only.

Advertising companies also drank from the muscle car / acid laden kool-aid. 1969, without question, was the high mark in creative, psychedelic, and bold campaigns. It was a year that saw heavy use of powerful art work, societal themes, and youth-oriented language. We saw more vehicles being advertised with a drag strip as a background setting. We saw hippies in a Camaro. We were even treated to a special GTO model, The Judge, named after a skit on the popular TV show "Laugh-In". But nothing came close to the series of advertisements that were created by artist Paul Williams for Plymouth (above). Aimed squarely at the youth market, his renderings were around for less than a year. Williams took Dalton-esque caricatures about 20 steps further and literally brought the muscle car vehicles he was highlighting to life. Everything was exaggerated - from the tires to the exhaust smoke... and enthusiasts ate it up. You don't need a degree in advertising to realize we will never see anything like this again.

1969 was a turning point in the NHRA as well as in the AHRA. Most prominent - this was the year the Gasser as we knew it would start it's sharp decline in popularity. The deal breaker for most fans was the type of rig that was being run at the tracks. A class that was once filled with Willy's, Anglia's, as well as tri-five Chevy's, by 1969 we were seeing what was basically radically reworked examples of then brand new car bodies like "Ohio George" Montgomery's Mr. Gasket sponsored Mustang. Traditional Gassers had the possibility of being street-legal and driven, depending on your willingness to suspend all disbelief. However, in just a few short years after the turn of the decade, Gassers would morph into tube-chassis cars with fiberglass flopper bodies and looked like modern mini Funny Cars.

In the NASCAR ranks, there was a massive shift in racing team alliances that year that made the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 look like a thunder clap. Unbelievable as it seemed back then, Richard Petty and Petty Family Enterprises left Plymouth after more than a decade of highly successful years and raced with Ford for one season in 1969. Petty saw how advantageous the Dodge winged racers were going to be (as well as the modified Ford's and Mercury's) and he wanted Plymouth to offer the same. When Plymouth wouldn't or couldn't at the time, Petty jumped at a lucrative offer made by Ford to drive their aero-dynamic Torino-based Talladega. Plymouth would in fact respond by 1970 with the Superbird and woo Petty back for three more seasons before he would join Dodge. Another rumor as to why Petty rejoined Plymouth was the fact he only won nine races with Ford in 1969. He visited the winners circle 16 times in 1968 and then 18 times in 1970 when he was with Plymouth.


Everybody knows George Lucas' movie, American Graffiti. Some people think the story, the 1932 yellow Ford known as The Milner Coupe and the street racing were real. The truth is, Lucus and his screenwriters made everything up. American Graffiti is just a story. Woodward Avenue, on the other hand, is organically real. The people, cars, and racing were as bona-fide as the Sunoco 260 that flowed from the station where Maple Road crossed the famous thoroughfare. In today's sanitized, safety-obsessed and litigious world, the tales we have heard about Woodward Avenue may seem too fantastic to believe. While decades have dimmed details or embellished accomplishments, the stories about Woodward are grounded in fact. In my humble opinion, 1969 was one of the last years that street racing was an "easier" affair. The insurance industry as well as the government would begin their major hurting on muscle cars beginning in 1970 and police crackdowns seemed more severe.

Looking at the big picture, back in the 1950s and ’60s, drive-ins and restaurants lined Woodward, attracting business from across the area. It was only natural that patrons cruised up and down Woodward between popular hangouts such as the Totem Pole and Big Town at the south end of Woodward and Ted's at the northern edge. Woodward Avenue also became an easy place for engineers to test a new camshaft or carburetor setup. Detroit executives could see the reaction of potential customers as they pitted their latest ideas against their competitors. All through the 60's, marketing departments learned that performance could help move sheet metal off dealer lots, causing corporate focus on Woodward Avenue to intensify. On a Saturday night the racing was as good as you could see at any drag strip.

Easier softer times - maybe that also contributed to the madness...
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Something Seems To Be Missing...

I had an aunt who used to live by the following rule in regards to conversation; "Short, sweet, and to the point." I feel it also carried over to other parts of her life - like car buying. I can remember the time when she and her husband went to purchase a 1966 Chevy Biscayne in the late 60's (similar to the pic on right - there's was a 4-door with a big block - yee-ha!). While he stroked the check, my aunt did the negotiating... what little there was. Lucky for them, they purchased all their used vehicles from the same salesman for over 20 years, so he knew the drill. And knew not to argue or haggle. The same philosophy continues today and I experienced that the other day in an email I received. It contained all but 20 words, which included names:
"Dave - 
Love the blog and all the history. One thing though - what about the AHRA? Just sayin'. 
Be cool,
Hank"

See what I mean? In those 20 words, I totally understood where he was coming from and realized my over-sight. While vintage drag racing is covered in spades weekly in the blog, I really don't mention the AHRA too much. Mostly what gets banged out on the keyboard is the NHRA, mostly because it's such a large organization (filled with large amounts of drama), it's been around the longest, and also the fact that the AHRA doesn't exist anymore - it's a shame... on multiple counts. I need to delve into the American Hot Rod Association more. People say the AHRA was the birthplace of professional drag racing. While it was only active for 28 years, the group contributed heavily to what we now know as modern drag racing, especially on the pro level.

What many people don't realize in regards to the AHRA, was the true grass-roots mindset the organization had. Many a famous racer, from Don Garlits to John Force cut their teeth and earned their stripes in the AHRA. The organization found its mettle on the back-roads and outbacks of smaller tracks that made up their circuit, primarily in the Midwest and Southwestern United States from the 1960's until the early 80's. The groups significance is staggering:
 - They provided a home for Top Fuel dragsters, ignoring the nitro ban (that the NHRA put in place) from 1957 to 1963.
 - They gave Funny Cars, way back when they were altered wheel base cars (of A/FX) in late 1964 through early 1966, a place to call home when they were banned from the NHRA.
 - And while it was not called Pro Stock, by 1968 the AHRA not only had that particular class of racing already established but also had a heads-up Super Stock eliminator class as well.
 - By 1970, they introduced the Grand American Series of Professional Drag Racing and gave the sport its first year-long points chase that was paid off with a large end of the season bonus check.

Thank you, Jim Tice - without whom, a great deal of this would've never happened...

Without a doubt the popularity of drag racing, regardless of organization, had a profound affect on muscle car sales as well as it's associated advertising. While some muscle car (or super cars as they were called then) advertisements were borderline controversial by the late 60's, the manufacturers embraced the concept of placing their performance offerings in a drag strip environment instead of on the street. Couple that with some catchy phrases like, "Speed contests

belong on the strip", it made these over-the-top tire-frying brutes more responsible and safe - or at least that was the notion. The message got out... sort of. The problem was, you weren't going to see an ad for a 1970 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler situated at the drag strip in Life Magazine or the Saturday Evening Post. There were published in enthusiast magazines like Super Stock and Car Craft. But most of the influenced advertising was saved for the brochures available at the dealerships. Because these were printed specifically for those venues who were selling these vehicles, the artwork could be way more liberal. Plus, there was far more advertising real estate available that the manufacturers didn't have to pay for like they would in a magazine.

Lastly, I received another email suggesting I should mention something about the Daytona 500 since the race is this Sunday. OK - the Daytona 500 is tomorrow February 21st 2016. There. Done. If you want more - hit the Internet, social media, or the TV. It's everywhere. I don't need to add to it.

Until then, peace out,
Dave

See? I Have An Excuse!!

Finally! After all these years I not only have an excuse to continue with my hot rodding ways of life and have gasoline run through my veins, but I also have a psychological study and medical proof to back me up. I read a passage out of a book called "The Hot Rod Reader" that's been edited and put together by Melinda Keefe and Peter Schletty. Here it is in a nutshell - back in 1952 a psychologist named Peter E. Siegle did a study on the evolving and popular hot rod culture. His main question was: "Of what value, if any, is the hot rod to the furtherance of American cultural ideals and to American individuals?" He also looked into the psyche of the hot rodder and what makes him or her tick.

His findings were positive and monumental - just what the conservative 50's public didn't want to hear. He called the serious hot rodder compulsive; "...A hot rod addiction is a substitute action for reducing the tensions of frustration resulting from an other wise difficult attempt to achieve status in the ordinary "conspicuous consumption" sense. The American social system places many obstacles or frustrations in the path of individuals. This leads to subsequent aggression toward society as a whole." Confused yet?  It gets better... and a tad more humorous. Siegle went on to note that post-war (World War II) frustrations had led to an increase in teenage delinquency and scandals. However, participating in hot rodding left that individual no time to engage in such delinquencies. His final conclusion was that the hot rod movement was creative, educative, and constructive.

Did I mention after I read all this, my wife was still not impressed...

However, it's quite possible that this mind-set that has been in place for generations is one of the reasons why hot rodding in general, high performance specifically, and racing motorsports continues to evolve. I was reading an article this past week about some of the current trends to watch for in this coming year. A few caught my eye - one is that chrome & polished aluminum are on their way out and copper & nickel plating are the "new" chrome. The other one is more extreme; an extension of natural rust and patina, I'm starting to see more street rods & rat rods with actual ripped, gouged, and gored sheet-metal. Actual holes... with sharp edges in some cases. A few examples look like an engine part brutally failed and took out the side portion of the hood when the shit hit the fan. The owner then dropped in a new engine but said screw it to fixing the sheet-metal. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's wild looking.

It also brings to mind the question of just how did Gasser drag cars get started? I can tell you one thing - 55+ years ago not every racer could afford a new Chevy with a hot 348, or a Bonneville with a tri-power 389 V-8. Even in the early days of drag racing back in the late 50's, cars were placed into categories. Custom framed cars were put into the dragster class and modified vehicles were placed into Competition Coupe, Sedan, or Roadster classes. These classes were then further divided (A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, etc.) by overall weight and engine sizes. The year of the vehicle didn't matter. One of the more popular classifications was the Gas Coupe and Sedans. Rules called for street equipment to remain intact to include lights, horn, and windshield wipers. Engines were unlimited to include nearly any manufacturer style into any vehicle platform. The Gas Coupe and Sedan classes had to maintain stock wheelbases and engine relocation was limited to a maximum of 10% setback from the center-line of the front spindle to the front spark plug. Racers needed shorter wheelbases, a higher center of gravity for better weight transfer and the potential race car also had to be affordable. Some of the cars initially "discovered" were of little value to street hot rodders and the used car market. In other words, they were really cheap to buy. Some of these cars included the 1940-41 Willys Coupe, 1937-41 Studebaker Coupe, the 1933 Willys Model 70, and the Ford Anglia. You like that term - "...of little value"? Can someone please lend me a time machine? Of course, things got more wild every year and by 1960, the NHRA added super-charged classes to the Gasser ranks. Everything was going well, until the late 60's when then late-model Gassers eventually killed the popularity and spirit of the original concept. In that case, no - there was no excuse...

I want to finish this blog post with a massive thanks to all of you - the readers. This particular entry marks post #61 of Full Throttle (and formally Maximum Power). To date, this blog has received 15,000 views over the past 3 years. I'm unsure where all the traffic came from since there's just a sea of internet fodder out there. The sources run the gamut - from Facebook, (https://www.facebook.com/VintageV8/), my website (http://vintagev8photography.wix.com/photography), search engines in general as well as a new photography website I display my works called 500PX. I try to update these pages as often as possible, so bookmark them and check back often!

Always moving forward. Adapt and survive, people.
Until next time, peace out.
Dave

The Madness From Detroit

"What were they thinking? Those manufacturers in Detroit are mad!" Without delving into a bunch of research pertaining to mid 60's high performance automobiles and racing in general, it wouldn't surprise me in the least that some government, consumer or safety group uttered those statements. I hopped on this train of thought a few days ago when I had a chance to review my coffee-table book on muscle car advertising before it heads off to the publisher. Usually I don't get a chance to touch on the subject of classic 1960's automotive advertising, but it is a crucial cog in hot rodding history. If it weren't for the madness coming out of Detroit and then blatantly throttled by Madison Avenue, it a reasonable assumption that many of the high performance models we hold near and dear to our gear-head hearts wouldn't exist.

Long before the Internet existed, the manufacturers from Detroit used television, billboards, and print media as the staples of their advertising - and magazine ads were their own entity. The 1950's were very sedate when compared to the swinging 60's. Muscle car advertising in general, until almost the mid 60's, was almost all black and white. 1964 was a major turning point in muscle car advertising due to the release of the Pontiac GTO as well as big block engines like the Chrysler Hemi. Before it was acceptable to promote power, speed, and everything else that goes along with it, advertisements for the GTO and the Hemi were already in performance buff magazines. In later years, concepts of sex, being a "winner", being the envy of everyone else, and who knows how many others, were played with and used with numerous muscle car advertising campaigns. In many cases, it was a statement of, "If you owned one of these, you'll get a whole lot of that".

Advertising wasn't the only madness coming out of Detroit by 1964. We've mentioned this before - when it came to drag racing, the NHRA, and the AHRA, nothing escalated or changed more radically and quickly then A/FX class racing.  Lasting only four racing seasons, from 1962 through 1965, cars went from being basically stock with big engines, slicks and ET's in the low 12's, to running massively altered wheelbases, nitro, injectors, with quarter mile times in mid 9's.
So, what exactly was Factory Experimental? The NHRA rulebook for 1965 stated that FX class cars were reserved for 1965 model year cars only. These vehicles could use factory optional equipment which didn't have to be necessarily be factory assembly line installed. In laymen terms,

Factory Experimental was just a showcase for Detroit to sell built high performance cars with non-production modifications and parts. The "A" classification (one of three in FX), was in regards to the vehicles weight divided by the total cubic inch displacement of the engine. In A/FX, that meant 7.50 to 8.99 pounds - the lightest weight possible. While the NHRA also had some fine print to keep these race cars as stock as possible, Chrysler was the first manufacturer to throw the rule book out the window starting in early 1965. This was largely in reaction to Ford stuffing a 427 cubic inch motor in a lightweight Mustang - which turned out to be even quicker than the Fairlane Thunderbolts. By moving the both axles forward - the front 10 inches and the rear a whopping 15 inches - Dodge & Plymouth A/FX cars now had a scant 44% of the vehicles total weight over the front - and that included the heft of the 426 Hemi motor. With better vehicle weight transfer and a rear over-hang the size of a football field, any advantage Ford had with their Mustang

vanished in a heartbeat. The NHRA promptly banned the altered wheelbase Mopars, but the AHRA welcomed them with open arms. Ford, Mercury, as well as independent racers representing GM, had no choice but to follow suit and build A/FX cars using the Chrysler blueprint. It wasn't just a quest for winning, faster times, and more horsepower. By the end of the 1965 racing season, stock car and FX class racing were the most popular with the fans.
If A/FX and Altered wheelbase drag cars weren't enough, adding insult to injury were wheel-standers like the Hurst "Hemi Under Glass" Barracuda and Bill Maverick's "Little Red Wagon" Dodge A-100 pickup truck.

Not to be left out of the madness picture was the after-market. While not based out of Detroit - most were based either in California or Florida - there was no shortage of, in some cases, pure insanity. Case in point; the legendary Turbonique Company and their Drag Axle that was highlighted and tested an a ultra-rare 1965 Z-16 Chevelle SS... one of only 201 built. Hey - either go big or go home. If you're not familiar with, at minimum, the product, you should. What the Drag Axle was, in a nutshell, was a small 850 horsepower rocket engine that attached to any rear differential of any vehicle. The rocket created thrust that spun a turbine, that was attached to planetary gears, which were attached to the rear axles. The final gear ratio in the differential determined the final turbine speed... which was usually in the tens of thousands of rpm's. Easier than nitrous to operate, just hit a separate power button for the rocket while the vehicle was running, and hang on for dear life. Advertisements for the Turbonique  Drag Axle (which ran for years in automotive performance buff magazines for years) claimed mid to high 10 second quarter mile times on pretty much an ordinary car. Far out, man. (Photo courtesy of Hot Rod).

Does this madness from the automotive manufacturers continue today? Yup - Ford has teamed up with Google and their anti-car autonomous vehicle program. Hybrid and electric cars are iffy enough. Save from Tesla, no other manufacturer to date has produced one that is worthy of high performance. It's been all bread and butter. So blah. So boring. So why is Ford's decision to hook up with Google madness? Ford says "... they strive to make driving fun." You do the math.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave