Author: Geoffrey F. Stunkard Publisher: ISBN: 9781613256398 Category : Chrysler automobile Languages : en Pages : 307
Book Description
"This book provides information on Mopar's skunkworks racing team and its rise to dominance in 1970s Pro Stock drag racing, and it includes the racing and technological evolution of the legendary Motown Missile and Mopar Missile racing programs"--
Author: Geoff Stunkard Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 161325475X Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 177
Book Description
Relive Mopar’s skunkworks racing team and its rise to dominance in this fascinating history! The drama of 1970s Chrysler Pro Stock drag racing unfolds in this new book, which focuses on the racing and technological evolution of the legendary Motown Missile and Mopar Missile racing programs from 1970 to 1977. Unequaled by any other drag racing development program, this was a huge undertaking in term of time, money, and effort. The 1970s saw great change in Detroit and in auto racing, with Pro Stock being a huge draw for fans. Chrysler racing historian and author Geoff Stunkard presents a chronological recollection, drawing from many interviews and summaries of the actual technical efforts that the factory accomplished and including both rare, unpublished technical and personal images from the team members and some of the most dramatic images taken by the sport’s best photographers. From the earliest days of owner/engine builder Ted Spehar, factory engineer Tom Hoover, and driver Don Carlton, the narrative is a colorful look at the team’s inner workings, programs, victories, and even defeats. Set against a backdrop of characters like Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, “Dandy Dick” Landy, and “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Carlton’s driving prowess had few equals. Indeed, called by one period scribe as a “cyborg,” the likeable pilot would pay the ultimate price as a drag racing driver. From the Challengers and `Cuda to the Demons and Colts, the book showcases the cars that made Chrysler so much a part of this racing era, as well as Ted Spehar’s never-before-revealed information on the 1970s Pro Stock engine program.
Author: Richard Truesdell Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 1613255616 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 161
Book Description
Look up to the skies through Bob Riggle's eyes in this wheelstanding, must-have Mopar history book on Hemi Under Glass! While the established stock and modified brackets are long-recognized as the heart and soul of drag racing, it was the wheelstanders that more often than not put butts in the bleachers. In that category, some of the most well-known names included Bill "Maverick" Golden's Little Red Wago, Bill Shewsberry's L.A. Dart and Chuck Poole’s Chuck Wagon. Although, most memorable of all was the Hurst Hemi Under Glass Plymouth Barracuda campaigned by Bob Riggle. Riggle started his career in the early 1960s as a car builder and mechanic for Hurst-Campbell and eventually ascended to pilot the Hemi Under Glass. When he left Hurst in 1969, the Hemi Under Glass franchise transferred with Riggle. He continued for six more years as the owner/driver of a succession of Hemi Under Glass renditions. In the 1990s he resurrected the concept of the original car—making four different versions (1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969)—and continued to thrill drag racing fans with his wheelstanding antics. At the time of this writing, Bob’s last run with the Hemi Under Glass was in the summer of 2019. He claims to have retired (he was 83 years old at the time), but he’s claimed that before! For all the success he enjoyed over his long and distinguished career, which is believed to be one of the longest in all of motorsports, he’s best remembered for a run at Irwindale Raceway in early 2016 with comedian and car buff Jay Leno in the passenger seat in a video that has been viewed more than 10 million times. This is Bob’s story, one that Mark Fletcher and Richard Truesdell, co-authors of the 2012 book Hurst Equipped, are honored to share. They say the story was easy to tell—given their unprecedented access not only to Bob but also to his vast archive of photos that reflect his ongoing popularity. Many of the photos in this book are seen in print for the very first time.
Author: Andrew Finkbeiner Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 1934709034 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 133
Book Description
Naturally aspirated Mopar Wedge big-blocks are quite capable of producing between 600 to 900 horsepower. This book covers how to build Mopar's 383-, 400-, 413-ci, 440-ci engines to these power levels. Discussed is how to select a stock or aftermarket block for the desired performance level. The reciprocating assembly is examined in detail, so you select the right design and material for durability and performance requirements. Cylinder heads and valve train configurations are crucial for generating maximum horsepower and torque and this volume provides special treatment in this area. Camshafts and lifters are compared and contrasted using hydraulic flat tappet, hydraulic roller and solid flat tappet cams. Also, detailed engine builds at 600, 700, 800, and 900 horsepower levels provide insight and reveal what can be done with real-world component packages.
Author: Elana Scherr Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 1613255187 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 194
Book Description
Don "The Snake" Prudhomme reveals for the first time ever his incredible life and career on and off of the drag strip.
Imagine spending a year with Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, having coffee together and talking about his life, his racing, his friends, and his family. He’d tell you about how he rose from being a high school drop-out who was painting cars to a respected Top Fuel dragster driver and successful businessman. You’d hear how he toured the country with Tommy Ivo and "The Hawaiian" Roland Leong, racing all the legends from "Big Daddy" Don Garlits to "The Golden Greek" [Chris] Karamesines. He'd say how he met Tom McEwen and recall how they became the Snake and the Mongoose, leading to a career in Funny Cars that netted him four championships in a row. He'd talk about the thrill of first wins and owning his own teams but also the struggles of bad seasons, crashes and fires, broken parts, and broken contracts. Along the way, he’d speak about the people in his life, such as engine-builder Keith Black and NHRA president Wally Parks, and those who were killed in the wild and unpredictable sport of nitro racing. It wouldn’t be only racing, though. Prudhomme would share lessons he learned about business and life from such varied sources as a neighbor in Granada Hills to Ford GT40 driver Dan Gurney. He also would talk about the importance of family: how his wife, Lynn, and daughter, Donna, changed his world and how finding out about his African-American roots opened his eyes to a culture and inheritance he’d always wanted. This is the experience you’ll get in Don "The Snake" Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320.
Author: Tom Boyd Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 1613255659 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 177
Book Description
Relive the golden age of drag racing through this exhaustive volume covering the best drag racing model kits of the era. Model expert Tim Boyd, author of Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits, turned his attention to the fantastic drag racing model kits available from the late 1950s through today. Some racing model kits were actually 3-in-1 kits, where the builder assembled the drag-race version of the car in lieu of the street or custom version. Boyd starts by covering the options, collectability, variety, availability, and value of these wonderful kits, and then concentrates on the highly detailed drag racing-only kits that became available starting in the mid-1960s through today. He also shows the differences between original kits, older reproduction kits, and new reproduction kits that many enthusiasts find at swap meets and online sources today. Many of these great kits were from the 1960s, an era when building model kits was a widely popular, serious hobby, similar to video games today. Not only was it fun to build the kits but it was also a great way to learn about all the different race classes and categories because there wasn’t regular TV or online coverage during that era. The artwork on those kits was fantastic, and many collectors today seek original kits largely because of it. The classes of racing covered are Gassers, Rail Dragsters, Stocks and Super Stocks, Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, Exhibition Racers, and more. Drag racing cars designed by model companies that never actually existed are also covered. Nostalgia drags are some of the most popular events around the country today. People can’t get enough of these old race cars that were built in an era when variety, innovation and home building ruled the day. This book is great for modelers in general, model-kit collectors, and drag-racing fans young and old alike.
Author: Doug Boyce Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 1613255829 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 176
Book Description
The 1960s were a fascinating decade on the race scene. Relive the memories today through this wonderful new book. Drag racing has a long and storied history. Many have said that the first drag race happened shortly after the second car was made. While that may or may not be true, racing prior to World War II was mostly centered around dry-lake activities and top-speed runs. After the war, drag racing became organized with the formation of the NHRA, and during the 1950s, many tracks were built across America to accommodate the racers. Technology in the 1950s centered on the manufacturers updating old flathead designs into newer overhead-valve designs, and the horsepower race really started to heat up. In many forms of racing, the 1960s brought technological evolution. The decade began with big engines in even bigger stock chassis and ended with purpose-built race-only chassis, fiberglass bodies, fuel injection, nitro methane, and blowers. Quarter-mile times that were in the 13-second range in the beginning of the decade were in the 7-second range by the end. New classes were formed, dedicated cars were built for them, and many racers themselves became recognized names in the sports landscape. In Drag Racing in the 60s: The Evolution in Race Car Technology, veteran author Doug Boyce takes you on a ride through the entire decade from a technological point of view rather than a results-based one. Covered are all the classes, including Super Stocks, Altered Wheelbase cars (which led to Funny Cars), Top Fuelers, Gassers, and more.
Author: Geoff Stunkard Publisher: CarTech Inc ISBN: 161325248X Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 178
Book Description
One of the greatest innovators of his time, Dick Landy was one of those guys who made you rush back to your seat from the concessions stand so you could watch him navigate the 1320. Win, lose, or draw, watching one of Landy's Dodges battling the likes of Ronnie Sox, "Grumpy" Jenkins, or Hubert Platt was worth the price of admission alone. Landy's Dodges: The Mighty Mopars of "Dandy" Dick Landy takes you chronologically through the cars of Dick's career, from piloting his first mount (1954 Ford Pickup) through his historic years of campaigning Dodges. Chrysler racing historian and author Geoff Stunkard presents a highly detailed account of Dick's cars, including results and images from the Landy family's personal archive and modern shots of his restored cars. In addition to coverage of Dick's 1964 S/S Dodge and 1968 Hemi Dart, scarce info about his Ford Galaxies and Plymouth Savoy is included as well. At no other time has Landy's entire career been chronicled and cataloged in print with this much attention to detail. Sit back in your recliner (wheels up) and enjoy the most comprehensive book on the history of "Dandy" Dick Landy and his cars.
Author: Bob McClurg Publisher: Cartech, Incorporated ISBN: 9781613251058 Category : Automobiles, Racing Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Contains four hundred illustrated full-color as well as black and white photographs depicting the sport of drag racing through the 1960s and 1970s and includes information on the history and nostalgia of the sport.
Author: Geoff Stunkard Publisher: Cartech, Incorporated ISBN: 9781613251881 Category : Transportation Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
"Employing a talented team of engineers, Chrysler refined the hemispherical chamber design and created an engine that produced towering performance. Whether the Hemi was installed in a Charger, Super Bee, Barracuda, Superbird, or any number of other cars, the engine dominated in NHRA, NASCAR, and other forms of competition. And in a production car, the Hemi also became one of the most feared engines on the street. ... By the end of the 1964 Grand National Season, Hemi-powered cars amassed 26 race victories, and that was only the beginning. NASCAR stars, such as Richard Petty, Bobby Isaac, and David Pearson, piloted the 426 Hemi-equipped Dodge Charger 500, Charger Daytona, Plymouth Superbird, and other Chrysler stock cars to many victories and championships. In addition, Hemi-powered cars set speed run records at the Bonneville Salt Flats."--Jacket.
Author: Geoffrey F. Stunkard
Author: Geoff Stunkard
Author: Richard Truesdell
Author: Andrew Finkbeiner
Author: Elana Scherr
Author: Tom Boyd
Author: Doug Boyce
Author: Geoff Stunkard
Author: Bob McClurg
Author: Geoff Stunkard