Hot rods, street rods, kustoms and a few other things
Discussion
Crafty_ said:
Back to the (slightly) more conventional custom scene the new cars of the 50s were providing huge amounts of inspiration - two brothers Sam and George Barris along with others like Gene Winfield and Bill Hines were taking new/nearly new cars and modifying their looks
Watson inspired paintjob
Can't be that look of a set of Radir's with WWW's on a 50's Kustom
I've been lucky enough to have met Gene Winfield, Bill Hines and George Barris.
Watson inspired paintjob
Can't be that look of a set of Radir's with WWW's on a 50's Kustom
I've been lucky enough to have met Gene Winfield, Bill Hines and George Barris.
Crafty_ said:
For about 20 years the NHRA have hosted a big event called the California Hot Rod Reunion where all types of drag cars from the 60s & 70s come out to play in Bakersfield. Its definitely on the bucket list!
I've been to the CHRR at Bakersfield twice - well worth the trip (take a respirator though for the night time cacklefest - as that's an awful lot of nitro in the air)I'm really enjoying reading this!!
Back in the early 80's, Dad bought me a load of 70's Custom Car magazines. I do mean a load of them!
I spent all my teenage years reading them, like a rite of passage or a secondary education, from cover to cover many times over. The history, the cars, the writing! It didn't get any better and I don't think I've ever seen anything like it since.
'revenge', 'Moulin Rouge', Super CC & Cecilia, Ray Mumford's murals, Capital Radio in its heyday on the Chelsea Cruise, Colin Gamm, CC's hilarious dislike of the Triumph Spitfire...
I'll never sell those magazines. They're treasured at home and occasionally re-read. My 11 year-old son will shortly be gaining the same 'education' as I once had with the same magazines. It's only right he should benefit in the same way I did.
Back in the early 80's, Dad bought me a load of 70's Custom Car magazines. I do mean a load of them!
I spent all my teenage years reading them, like a rite of passage or a secondary education, from cover to cover many times over. The history, the cars, the writing! It didn't get any better and I don't think I've ever seen anything like it since.
'revenge', 'Moulin Rouge', Super CC & Cecilia, Ray Mumford's murals, Capital Radio in its heyday on the Chelsea Cruise, Colin Gamm, CC's hilarious dislike of the Triumph Spitfire...
I'll never sell those magazines. They're treasured at home and occasionally re-read. My 11 year-old son will shortly be gaining the same 'education' as I once had with the same magazines. It's only right he should benefit in the same way I did.
Here's a photo of the first British dragster, the 1960 Allard. It was still being restored when I took the photo, but I think the only obvious difference is that it now has red wheels.
1960 Allard Dragster by Zack S. Classic Cars, on Flickr
In 1950, drag racing was started to keep young American tearaways from racing their cars on public roads.
Following a visit to the U.SA., Sydney Allard built this car, Britain's first dragster. She was powered by a a Chrysler 5.7-litre V8 engine.
This car did much to kindle drag racing interest in Britain. Smaller versions called Dragons with supercharged Ford 1.5-litre engines were later built and offered for sale to privateer racers.
Here's another picture of Dean Jeffries...
1960 Allard Dragster by Zack S. Classic Cars, on Flickr
In 1950, drag racing was started to keep young American tearaways from racing their cars on public roads.
Following a visit to the U.SA., Sydney Allard built this car, Britain's first dragster. She was powered by a a Chrysler 5.7-litre V8 engine.
This car did much to kindle drag racing interest in Britain. Smaller versions called Dragons with supercharged Ford 1.5-litre engines were later built and offered for sale to privateer racers.
Here's another picture of Dean Jeffries...
Simes110 said:
I'm really enjoying reading this!!
Back in the early 80's, Dad bought me a load of 70's Custom Car magazines. I do mean a load of them!
I spent all my teenage years reading them, like a rite of passage or a secondary education, from cover to cover many times over. The history, the cars, the writing! It didn't get any better and I don't think I've ever seen anything like it since.
'revenge', 'Moulin Rouge', Super CC & Cecilia, Ray Mumford's murals, Capital Radio in its heyday on the Chelsea Cruise, Colin Gamm, CC's hilarious dislike of the Triumph Spitfire...
I'll never sell those magazines. They're treasured at home and occasionally re-read. My 11 year-old son will shortly be gaining the same 'education' as I once had with the same magazines. It's only right he should benefit in the same way I did.
I lost all mine in a house move a few years ago. The mid-70's issues were fantastic. I remember all that you mentioned, as well as Ken Kessler, Steve Myatt, Satan's Pawn, Roarin' Rat (recently resurrected), numerous vans and, of course, the legendary 'schoolgirl' issue. Spent many a happy hour errrrr, reading that one...;)Back in the early 80's, Dad bought me a load of 70's Custom Car magazines. I do mean a load of them!
I spent all my teenage years reading them, like a rite of passage or a secondary education, from cover to cover many times over. The history, the cars, the writing! It didn't get any better and I don't think I've ever seen anything like it since.
'revenge', 'Moulin Rouge', Super CC & Cecilia, Ray Mumford's murals, Capital Radio in its heyday on the Chelsea Cruise, Colin Gamm, CC's hilarious dislike of the Triumph Spitfire...
I'll never sell those magazines. They're treasured at home and occasionally re-read. My 11 year-old son will shortly be gaining the same 'education' as I once had with the same magazines. It's only right he should benefit in the same way I did.
Crafty_ said:
...but first I need a bit of help, I know very little about the scene in the 70s. Whilst drag racing moved away from the gassers and FEDs and to the funny cars and there was a bit of a downturn in hot rodding because of the muscle cars and oil crisis, it was also the decade that hot rodding really took on in the UK. I was wondering if Streetrodder could fill us in with what he knows/can remember ??
I'm a little young but I know plenty of people who were part of this, from what I understand the release of American Graffiti really kickstarted the UK Custom Scene and lead to cruising round London and eventually the Chelsea Cruise. I was lucky to be at the right time & place to obtain the center spread pages of the very first Custom-Car magazine (vol-1 No1) with my Vauxhall Viva HB 2door saloon (Thunder-sports ).Fitted with a Pontiac Le-Mans GT V8 motor rated factory horsepower was 421 BHP which back in 1970 was quite outstanding and created a whole load of interest in various motoring circles. ![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/BfdghBC4.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/eJiZAZY3" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/eJiZAZY3.jpg)
Just look at the price on that edition in 1970 (the age of value for money ! )
When doing this photo shoot I nearly got into trouble for trespassing on the RFK Memorial in central Birmingham, however the warden turned out to be a real nice lady after I promised her 15minutes of fame in a world famous motoring magazine
However she flatly refused to strip off and pose across the bonnet (hood) Oh !Well
cannot win em-all !
When doing this photo shoot I nearly got into trouble for trespassing on the RFK Memorial in central Birmingham, however the warden turned out to be a real nice lady after I promised her 15minutes of fame in a world famous motoring magazine
However she flatly refused to strip off and pose across the bonnet (hood) Oh !Well
cannot win em-all !
I spent possibly wayyy too long watching truck rod videos on YT the other day. There were some with 2 stroke Detroit diesels, there was one which had a Caterpillar engine, truck gearbox, airbrakes, and truck running gear, and it had a car body which looked like the Ant Hill Mob's car from Wacky Races. I really want to build a truck rod.
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I lost all mine in a house move a few years ago. The mid-70's issues were fantastic. I remember all that you mentioned, as well as Ken Kessler, Steve Myatt, Satan's Pawn, Roarin' Rat (recently resurrected), numerous vans and, of course, the legendary 'schoolgirl' issue. Spent many a happy hour errrrr, reading that one...;)
[/quote]
i lost all of mine [from the first issue up to summer 2003] in a divorce as someone knew how much I loved them so she slung them in a skip.....
Vauxhall Viva Film Star !
When American Graffiti first went on general release at the cinema it came to the "Bristol " just a I/4 mile up the road from our workshop at the other end of the "Queensway" tunnel on B'ham's inner circle expressway. The manager gave me a telephone call and requested a favour. Could we please put on some type of show to promote this film ?. He must have been tipped off that we were into street - racing. So it was agreed that we would display our car on the forcourt of the cinema on Bristol St with our tuning "logo"prominently displayed. At throwing out time we did a few "Burn-outs" for the patrons and then took off down the tunnel towards Aston Expressway before the fuzz arrived (they were hot & bothered on Racers back then).
When American Graffiti first went on general release at the cinema it came to the "Bristol " just a I/4 mile up the road from our workshop at the other end of the "Queensway" tunnel on B'ham's inner circle expressway. The manager gave me a telephone call and requested a favour. Could we please put on some type of show to promote this film ?. He must have been tipped off that we were into street - racing. So it was agreed that we would display our car on the forcourt of the cinema on Bristol St with our tuning "logo"prominently displayed. At throwing out time we did a few "Burn-outs" for the patrons and then took off down the tunnel towards Aston Expressway before the fuzz arrived (they were hot & bothered on Racers back then).
Ich bin ein Brummy !!
The Vauxhall Viva HB was pretty new on the market back then and was selling very well but ours was a bit of a head turner, fitted with "Pontiac GTO " V8 ( 6pack carbs -"Tri-Power manifold) Hot camshaft and all the performance options available. The engine was 421 cubic inch factory rated at 421 BHP. Which today is not too sensational but back then it was "PHEW" when viewed again'st the street normal (on open exhausts by the way ) After a few burn-outs to warm things up we would blast down the tunnels on full throttle and disappear into heaven ( Oh ! The sound of those pipes on full blast in the tunnel ? )
The Vauxhall Viva HB was pretty new on the market back then and was selling very well but ours was a bit of a head turner, fitted with "Pontiac GTO " V8 ( 6pack carbs -"Tri-Power manifold) Hot camshaft and all the performance options available. The engine was 421 cubic inch factory rated at 421 BHP. Which today is not too sensational but back then it was "PHEW" when viewed again'st the street normal (on open exhausts by the way ) After a few burn-outs to warm things up we would blast down the tunnels on full throttle and disappear into heaven ( Oh ! The sound of those pipes on full blast in the tunnel ? )
Blast down the hole again !
After a few days of fun ,the word started to get around town about our activity and a number of other mates came to share the fun, one with a BB corvette, one with a T-Bird and one in a GTS, Boy ! this was getting serious, if it continued we would have a race to contend with and that spel't trouble, especially in the center of the city.However the weekend arrived without any trouble and we all relaxed untill the phone rang , It was the cinema manager :- Hey! thanks guys that was brilliant, in fact it was so good we have been asked by popular acclaim to extend for another week,what do you think ? > OH! HELL !
After a few days of fun ,the word started to get around town about our activity and a number of other mates came to share the fun, one with a BB corvette, one with a T-Bird and one in a GTS, Boy ! this was getting serious, if it continued we would have a race to contend with and that spel't trouble, especially in the center of the city.However the weekend arrived without any trouble and we all relaxed untill the phone rang , It was the cinema manager :- Hey! thanks guys that was brilliant, in fact it was so good we have been asked by popular acclaim to extend for another week,what do you think ? > OH! HELL !
The following week we were very careful that nobody got out of line and did something stupid to cause a heep of hurt from the big bros in the city however I got a visit from a prominent police inspector and the conversation went :- " We are well aware of what you guys are up too !! BUT we also know you do some damn fine work and you have helped our officers out afew times so here is what I propose.
We ( THE police ) have got a special event coming up when we support the local orphanage & care home for kids, annual sports day, how would you like to bring your special Viva along, fire it up and maybe give a few of them rides. OK, can I bring my buddies Gov, sure ,more the merrier. A happy day was had by all
We ( THE police ) have got a special event coming up when we support the local orphanage & care home for kids, annual sports day, how would you like to bring your special Viva along, fire it up and maybe give a few of them rides. OK, can I bring my buddies Gov, sure ,more the merrier. A happy day was had by all
"Some say it comes from stroked engines - Stroking an engine involved replacing the connecting rods for longer ones, giving the engine more displacement, when the work was done the car had been hot rodded. "
For what it's worth, and detracting nothing from the other interesting stuff, this actually wrong. The conrods need to be shorter.
Longer conrods alone (apart from the fact that the piston would now hit the head!) change nothing with respect to stroke. Stroke comes from the crankshaft and is a function of the rotational diameter of this latter.
Changing to one with a larger diameter (for more stroke) you then need shorter rods to avoid (again) piston/head (or valve) interference.
For what it's worth, and detracting nothing from the other interesting stuff, this actually wrong. The conrods need to be shorter.
Longer conrods alone (apart from the fact that the piston would now hit the head!) change nothing with respect to stroke. Stroke comes from the crankshaft and is a function of the rotational diameter of this latter.
Changing to one with a larger diameter (for more stroke) you then need shorter rods to avoid (again) piston/head (or valve) interference.
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