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Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
RUNNER-UP FINISH MOVES BECKMAN UP IN NHRA FUNNY CAR POINTS
Mopar HEMI-powered
Don Schumacher
Racing (DSR) driver
Jack Beckman raced
the Valvoline/Mail
Terminal Services
Dodge Charger
Funny Car straight
into his second final
round of the season,
the 19th of his career
and the first at the
NHRA Midwest
Nationals at Gateway
International
Raceway. He ended up runner-up to Robert Hight and moved into third in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing
Series point standings.
Beckman and his team remained consistent throughout. On his direct path to the finals he left some heavies in the
dust, including Tony Pedregon, whom he defeated with a 4.254-second pass at 290.63, Tim Wilkerson with a
4.243/294.56, and Bob Tasca using a 4.215/297.29.
It wasn't until the final round, when he met up with Robert Hight, after a track-cooling short rain delay, that he met
his match. Beckman launched two hundredths of a second ahead of Hight, but it was Hight first at the finish,
recording the quickest pass of the day, a 4.149/304.25, to snatch the victory from Beckman by 15 feet. Although
Beckman posted his quickest pass of the day, a 4.204/296.44, it wasn't enough to beat Hight.
Beckman’s DSR teammate Ron Capps advanced to the semis in his own Mopar-driven Dodge Charger, trailering
Jeff Arend and Del Worsham before he also fell to Hight. The third member of the DSR triumvirate, Matt Hagan,
exited in the opening round.
The DSR teammates now own the Nos. 2–4 spots in the NHRA Funny Car standings. Hagan is second behind
leader John Force, Beckman is third following his runner-up finish, and Capps rounds out the Mopar-powered trio
in the fourth spot. (Jeff Burk photo) [05/03/10]
DECEGLIE TESTED BEFORE ST. LOUIS RACE
We got a couple of spy photos of Vinnie Deceglie’s brand New Mountain View backed Pro Stock Stratus. The car
just got finished at RJ Racecars in Galesburg, Ill., and the team stopped by Cordova Dragway Park on their way to
St. Louis for the April 30-May 2 NHRA event. [05/03/10]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
JOHNSON GARNERS 200TH ROUND WIN, BUT
LEAVES IN QUARTERFINALS
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Team Mopar NHRA Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson enjoyed an event-filled
visit to Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis for the NHRA Midwest
Nationals on Sunday, May 2. Johnson earned his 200th career round win and
endured a re-run of his first round match with Ronnie Humphrey before losing
to Warren Johnson in the quarterfinals.
Johnson qualified No. 4 in his Mopar Dodge Avenger and drew Humphrey in
the opening round. After a staging duel, Humphrey entered first, the red light
on Johnson’s side of the starting tree was immediately triggered, and
Humphrey motored down the track for an apparent victory. Fortunately, it was
determined the red light was triggered in error and a re-run was called.
Johnson’s 6.659-second pass at 207.82 mph easily bested his opponent’s
6.711/207.05 mark, giving the Team Mopar veteran his 200th round win.
Johnson encountered problems shortly out of the starting gate in his
quarterfinals match with Warren Johnson and watched "The Professor" drive
away with the win. Despite his early exit, Johnson remains second in the NHRA
Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings.
"We’ve got a team that has a lot of hours of experience at the track in the
bank," said Johnson of his J&J Racing team. "We came back out for the re-run
and got the job done. In the second round, we were the first pair out, and we
didn’t adjust well to the track conditions. We’ll put it in our data banks and
hopefully learn from it before the Countdown. We’re still in great shape, second
in points."
V. Gaines qualified 16th in his Dodge Avenger and came out on the losing end
of a first-round race with current points leader Mike Edwards. (Jeff Burk photo)
[05/03/10]
TURNER HEADS EAST THIS SUMMER?
We hear that the California-based “Pedaler” AA/FC of owner Gary Turner,
tuner Cory Lee, and driver Kris Krabill, are considering making a return trip to
the Midwest this summer for a couple of DragRacingOnline.com AA/FC
Challenge presented by Lucas Oil events in June and July at Cordova
Dragway in Illinois and Cedar Falls Dragway in Iowa.
If the team does make the trip, they are sure to run into the series defending
Champion, Paul Romine and his “Man O’ War” crew with tuner Mike Cavalieri.
The Mopar and Ford bodied cars are two of the fastest AA/FC both having
gone over 253 mph. The 1977 Arrow “Pedaler” currently has the second
fastest AA/FC speed ever at 254+. (Jeff Burk photo) [05/03/10]
Mopar Memos - Page 1 of 1 - MoparMax.com
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Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
’59 DODGE PICKUP ON MECUM AUCTION BLOCK
This 1959 Dodge pickup (lot S242) will be auction on May 22 at the Mecum Auction in
Indianapolis. The Dodge D100 Sweptside Express pickup was billed in advertising as coming
"Straight out of Tomorrow".
Created by mating the quarter panels from the 1957 DeSoto 2-door wagon to a Uniline pickup
box, the Dodge Sweptside was possibly the most radical example of stylist Virgil Exner's "Forward
Look" concept. This is one of fewer than 100 Sweptsides hand built by Dodge's Special Equipment
Division, a rust free lifetime Tucson vehicle that has completed a frame-off restoration.
Its Flame Red and Angus Black exterior finish is highlighted by polished stainless and chrome, and the Buckskin Tan and Spanish Gold interior features
NOS seat covering. Powered by a completely rebuilt 318/205 HP V-8 and push-button automatic, it rolls on period correct wide Whitewalls trimmed with
deluxe 1959 Custom Royal Lancer hubcaps. (photo courtesy Mecum Auction) [05/03/10]
FOOSE NAMED GRAND
MARSHAL OF SEMA
SHOW ‘N SHINE
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ADVERTISEMENT
Chip Foose, awardwinning automotive
designer and
fabricator, and host
of TLC's
"Overhaulin'," will
return as Grand
Marshal of the
second annual SEMA Show 'N Shine
public car show, Saturday, July 24, at
the Pasadena Convention Center.
Held in connection with the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser (taking place the evening before, on July 23) and the SEMA Pinewood Drag
Races, also on July 24, the Show 'N Shine car show will draw some of the best local enthusiast cars, trucks and classics, with all proceeds benefiting
children's charities Childhelp and Victory Junction. More than 200 vehicles packed the Pasadena Convention Center last year.
Foose, a California native and an integral part of its car culture for the past decade, began working for his father's automotive company as a boy and
became the youngest member, at age 31, inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame in 1997. He established his company, Foose Design, a year later.
"It's fantastic to have Chip Foose back again this year," says Joel Ayres, chairman of the SEMA Cares Committee. "Last year, I watched as Chip
paused from an interview to draw a car on the T-shirt for one of the children from Childhelp. The young boy later exclaimed it was the best day of his
life. Chip's celebrity status was a major reason for the success of our inaugural show, and we were pleased to hear his generous offer to once again
help the children of Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp ." (James Drew photo) [05/03/10]
ANOTHER HEMI CHALLENGE SET FOR JUNE
ProCharger is sponsoring the World's Fastest HEMI Challenge, June 4-6, at Maple
Grove Raceway near Reading, PA. This event is part of the 2nd annual shopHEMI.com
Late-Model Shootout and the NMCA's Muscle Car Nationals.
To see just who does have the fastest ProCharger-equipped late-model HEMI vehicle,
ProCharger will award the "ProCharger Bonus" to winners in the Challenger, Charger,
Magnum, 300, and Truck/SUV late-model HEMI classes if they are running a ProCharger
supercharger. There will also be an awesome match race between the two overall fastest
HEMIs at the end of the event. Bottom line: If any winner (or runner-up in the overall) has
a ProCharger supercharger on their vehicle, ProCharger will pay the bonus.
There will be a match race at the end of the event between the two fastest late-model
HEMIs on the property. [05/03/10]
Mopar Memos - Page 1 of 1 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
The Mystery of Left-Hand Lug Nuts
The next time you’re hanging out with your buddies and discussion turns to the many unique engineering details
found on our Mopars – things like torsion bars, Super Stock leaf springs and ram tuned induction, ask the
question: “What’s up with the left-hand lug nuts used on the driver-side of the car”? I’ve been involved in countless
discussions on this topic and have heard a wide variety of theories over the years ranging from the absurd to the
probable.
On the absurd side, some say one of Chrysler’s fastener sub-contractors screwed up (pun intended) with an unrelated industry customer and cranked out several million left-hand studs and nuts when the order called for
standard right-hand threads. Chrysler supposedly got a screaming deal on a zillion parts and adopted the
fasteners for production until the supply finally ran out in 1970.
Another theory that’s bandied about like
a beach ball is the idea that Chrysler
sought to punish customers for taking
their Chrysler Corp. vehicles to nonauthorized service stations. Unless
these independent mechanics were hip
to the Chrysler left-hand way, they’d
never get the wheels off and become
discouraged. They’d assume that
working on the rest of the car would be
just as problematic. In disgust, they’d
call the customer and say something
like: “Get it outta here and take it to the
dealer”. The notion that Chrysler would
take this passive-aggressive deterrent
strategy sounds crazy…it is.
More thoughtful theories have a lot to do
with the physics of a rotating wheel and
printed in 1965 with subsequent printings in 1966, 1967 and 1968. Don’t look for
the effect of inertia and centripidal force
it on the New York Times Best Seller List. This one is from the fourth print run of
on the threaded retaining fasteners at
August, 1968.
high speed. Let’s take the example of
sports cars fitted with knock-off wheels. If you aren’t familiar, knock-off wheels do not use typical wheel studs and
nuts to retain the wheel on the brake hub. Instead they have a central splined-hub onto which the wheel fits. Then
a large spinner is threaded onto the hub to lock the wheel in position. Tightening (and removal) is accomplished by
striking the blades of the spinner - with a soft brass or lead hammer so the chrome finish isn’t deformed by the
blows.
A somber looking affair, the 481 page Passenger Car Safety Dynamics was first
You’ve probably seen knock-off wheels on Jaguar E-Types from the Sixties as well as certain 1963-1966
Corvettes. The functional benefit is that you can remove and replace wheels and tires very quickly in pit-stop
situations during a road race or other timed competition event. By contrast, fiddling with a handful of lug nuts would
add precious seconds to the pit stop – don’t tell that to NASCAR.
Steve Mags Speaks - The Mystery of Left-Hand Lug Nuts - Page 1 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
But you will also see that the spinners on these cars use strategically positioned left-hand and right-hand threads. Generally, the driver-side hubs and
spinners are threaded so clockwise rotation of the spinner tightens the wheel to the hub. The passenger-side fasteners employ left-hand threads that
are turned counter-clockwise to achieve tightening. With the threaded wheel fasteners oriented this way, there is a natural tightening effect imparted to
the spinners as the car travels forward over the road. But keep in mind that the wheels and spinners are rotating at precisely the same speed at all
times – unless a careless mechanic hasn’t tightened the spinner all the way down.
Okay, let’s now turn our attention to the use of left-hand lug nuts on cars equipped
with conventional star-pattern wheel studs and wheels. Since the nuts are now
orbiting (i.e. rotating on a different axis) than the front spindle nut / rear axle shaft
centerline as the car rolls down the road, they are not subjected to the same kind of
contra-rotational inertia as a center-mount spinner. As such, there shouldn’t be any
need to be concerned with right-hand or left-hand threaded wheel fasteners. Just
make ‘em all right-hand threads and be done with it, right?
That’s what the vast majority of domestic and foreign automakers choose to do and it
seems to work just fine. All of which brings us back to the original mystery of why
Chrysler went with left-handed fasteners on the driver-side for so many years.
Some new insight into the left-hand lug nut mystery was discovered recently when I
was at a local used book store. I bought a heavy hardbound book called “Passenger
Car Safety Dynamics”. Published in 1965 by the Motor Vehicle Research Center of
New Hampshire, and authored by one Andrew J. White. This 481 page tome is filled
with vintage photos of real world car accidents as well as many intentionally staged
vehicle impacts with immovable barriers. An apparently self-funded entity, the Motor
Vehicle Research Center of New Hampshire seemed to function as a precursor to the
vehicle safety labs of today.
Testing shows that finger-tight RH lug nuts quickly unthread and will
leave the car with the messy result shown. Left-hand threaded
fasteners are far less susceptible to this problem. Chrysler had it right!
This vintage Passenger Car Safety Dynamics book has sections with titles like
“Theoretical Factors in Energy Absorption”, “Vehicles Impacting Bicycles”, “Theoretical Study of Head-On Crash”, “Low Extremity and Knee Injuries” and
more. It’s fun reading for the whole family…if you don’t mind graphically brutal photos of actual crash scenes and victims.
Anyhoo, the fourth section is entitled “Investigative Procedures for Accident Cause, Brakes and
Wheels”. This, dear reader is where we learn, once and for all, why Chrysler embraced left-hand lug
nuts on the driver-side of its passenger cars for so many years. In a nut shell, the Motor Vehicle
Research team conducted a series of carefully staged wheel loss tests. Working with a variety of
American cars from the major manufacturers, the tests revealed that the use of right-hand-threaded
wheel fasteners is perfectly acceptable – “when all the securing nuts on each wheel are properly
tightened using a minimum of 20 foot pounds of torque”.
Can’t get enough of mangled Chevy shoe boxes? Here’s a staged roll over test captured with a high speed camera.
Steve Mags Speaks - The Mystery of Left-Hand Lug Nuts - Page 2 of 4 - MoparMax.com
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Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
So far, so good. But the book continues; “When these nuts are not wrench
tightened and the vehicle is driven on the roadway the left side wheels (driverside) will become disengaged from the vehicle resulting in the brake drum rim
contacting the pavement.” What happens to the right side (passenger-side)
wheels when the car is driven with loose fasteners? The book continues; “The
right side wheels under the same conditions were found to remain on the
vehicle and in some tests the nuts on the right side wheels became tightened
with use”.
Another distressed Chevy, Corvairs were notorious for
knocking your block off in a frontal impact. That’s because the
steering box was located right behind the front bumper and
transferred crash forces into the non-collapsible steering
column. This scene played out hundreds of times all over the
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Interesting stuff, and
it’s backed up by
thorough testing
using a ’57 Chevy as
the mule. All four
wheels were installed
with their lug nuts
seated all the way to
the wheel but only
finger tight – as if
done by a careless
mechanic. Then the
hapless Chevy was
driven at 10 mph for
400 feet and
stopped. The lug nuts
on the passenger
side of the car
showed ½ thread of
disengagement while
the lugs on the driver side showed as much as 3 full threads of disengagement as the nuts
began rotating off the studs. Now remember, like the vast majority of U.S. autos (then as now)
all four corners of the car feature conventional right-hand-thread wheel studs and lug nuts.
country.
Next up, the Chevy was driven another 200 feet then stopped for re-examination of the wheel
nuts. Sure enough, the driver-side nuts showed added threads as they worked their way off the car while the passenger-side thread count remained
constant with little change. Finally the car was driven an additional 500 feet and the test driver felt a pronounced “wheel rumble” and a “noticeable
steering problem”. Upon inspection, the test team concluded; “that the left-side wheels were ready to disconnect from the studs as most of the threads
were visible”. Meanwhile, the passenger-side wheels; “showed little change in the original relationship of the nuts to the studs.”
This test was performed four times with the same
result. It’s proof that when NOT tightened properly
right-hand lug nuts tend to “unwind” as the car goes
down the road BUT only on the driver-side wheels
which rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as the
car moves forward. The passenger-side wheels rotate
in a clock-wise direction, an aid to the retention of
improperly tightened right-hand-thread lug nuts.
Working from this, the testers then performed the
same test on cars equipped with left-hand lug nuts on
the driver side of the car. The book reads; “Some
vehicle manufacturers utilize the safe practice of
using right-hand threads on studs and nuts to fasten
wheels on the right-side of vehicles (passenger-side)
Long before the advent of high tech crash chambers like those used by the NHSTA, surplus city busses
and left hand threads on studs and nuts to fasten the
packed with ballast served as crash barriers. Note the primitive graduated rule (in feet) and sweep hand
wheels on the left side of vehicles (driver-side).
clock for recording data. That looks like a ’40 Ford 2-door coupe meeting its end.
Naturally, the authors are describing Chrysler Corp.
products here – but don’t forget that Buick,
Oldsmobile and Pontiac also employed left-hand lug nuts on the driver-side of most cars they built in the 1955-1961 period. It’s a fact.
Steve Mags Speaks - The Mystery of Left-Hand Lug Nuts - Page 3 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
To see if left-hand wheel
fasteners behaved differently,
the testers repeated the looselug-nut test on an unspecified
make (presumably a Chrysler
product) and found that in one
mile of operation at 30 mph all
studs remained static with no
loosening. After another twomiles at between 30 and 50
mph, the studs became tighter.
Finally, after another five miles
of operation at 30 to 50 mph the
studs’ tightness increased more
and were cool to the touch.
May 3, 2010
There aren’t many Mopar-specific photos in the book but this shot of a crushed ’59
Plymouth appears in a section titled; “Adaptation of Roll Bars in Enforcement Vehicles”.
Thus we can presume it is a police car. Note the police-spec wheel covers and heavy
duty wheels.
The conclusion of the tests is
that the use of left-hand lug nuts
on the driver side of any car is a
fail safe tactic to help prevent
wheel loss IF a lousy mechanic
installed the wheels on the car.
No, left-hand lug nuts are not a
replacement for proper wheel
fastener tightening, but they are
a nice safety feature that’ll help
keep the car on the road until
the problem is discovered and
proper torque can be restored.
Today’s computer controlled crash test acceleration rams were a dream when the Motor
Vehicle Research Center of New Hampshire relied on drones to stage impacts. Here a
three man crew uses a ‘64 Nova SS ragtop and remote-control to guide a Buick sedan
into the nose of a tiny Renault.
So there it is. A plausible reason
for why Chrysler (and certain
other carmakers noted above)
embraced left-hand lug nuts and
studs on the driver-side of
passenger cars built during the
1950s and 1960s. But why did
the practice end in the early
1970s? We can speculate that
the extra cost and complexity of
the right-hand/left-hand strategy
finally fell prey to the bean
counters. Also, it is quite
Not for the squeamish, the book also contains plenty of real world accident photos. Sad
possible that by the late Sixties,
and fascinating at the same time, the driver of this 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 and its newthe average independent tire
for-‘58 352 FE V8 ended up in the middle of the road – together – after a nasty wreck.
store auto mechanic was wise
enough to ensure that all wheels were properly fastened, negating the need for a fail-safe strategy.
All the same, it is nice to know that Chrysler took its motto; “Extra Care In
Engineering: It Makes a Difference” to the limit. Still, we’ve all punched the air
when some gorilla at the tire shop snaps or strips the nuts during a wheel swap
on one of our muscle Mopars. It just goes with the territory. At least we now know why.
Steve Mags Speaks - The Mystery of Left-Hand Lug Nuts - Page 4 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
The Primal Scream Daytona finally got my
butt to the East Coast’s citadel of land
speed racing.
It was just over 65 years ago that history really started getting made at the airstrip located in Maxton, N.C. Back
then, we were planning to take on the Axis in Europe with an assault on little Normandy, France, and we needed
to figure a way to get multiple groups of soldiers over the target. Some would be by land (parachutes) and some
by sea, at places we named for that day (D) like Omaha and Utah. A number of teams would have to go further
inland in non-powered gliders, towed in by powered aircraft making their runs over a flak-heavy environment.
Those gliders? Yep, they got their testing right here on this airstrip.
Today, this particular runway is no longer used for air flight; that ended decades ago when the subsequent
owners, the municipalities of Maxton and nearly Lurinburg, realized they did not need to maintain three functional
airstrips at their rural facility. From this opportunity, the East Coast Timing Association began using the aging strip
and its adjacent taxiway for land speed trials. In April, I made the five-hour ride from my home in east Tennessee
to the coastal plains 25 miles southeast of Rockingham to see this type of racing for myself.
The reason? During the last six months, we have been covering Gary and Pam Beineke’s creation of the G-Series
Primal Scream Dodge Daytona in the magazine I edit, Mopar Enthusiast. Now, if you have read Mopar Max since
we began, I covered the Beineke’s street-driven 1971 ‘what if’ vehicles in our first issue back in 2006. These cars
use the 1971-74 era ‘fuselage’ body design with the wing car add-ons that NASCAR had already ruled
uncompetitive by the time the 1971 models were offered. Since the factory had never built a wing car after 1970,
the Beinekes have custom-built these cars, referring at times to the aero-styling and basic wind tunnel notes that
were done on these bodies prior to the cancellation of the program; the factory never got beyond 3/8 models.
So, having done the street versions and a 1971 convertible GTX for fun, they decided the next step would be to
replicate what a 1971 competition car would look like. And rather than just build another cool driver with Grand
National-derived paint, they chose instead to take the next step by actually building a car that could race. When I
took over the editorship of Mopar Enthusiast last fall, that project was already underway. We have covered it for
several issues now, and when Gary told me the car would be ready for opening day at Maxton (after, of course,
the ‘requisite’ seriously major project car last minute thrash), I jumped at the chance to go see it shakedown in
person.
Painted up to look like the #71 K&K Insurance 1969 Dodge Daytona entry of Harry Hyde and Bobby Isaac (which
set 27 records at Bonneville in September 1971), the goal was to see if this 21st century edition of the never-built
wing could do likewise. Gary had contacted Indy Cylinder Heads for an engine that was pushing 588” on gas, and
added in a Jerico five-speed with a big overdrive ratio, and Moser’s new 8.75 rear housing being built for the Drag
Pak cars. The idea had been not to get too far from the OEM technology, and Gary painstaking worked on little
details on the car to make it look authentic. You’ll have to wait until the story comes out in Mopar Enthusiast to find
out how it went; we will tell you the three test runs netted a 181 mph best speed that left a lot sitting in the tank
(since Gary never had to try 5th gear!).
Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 1 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
But what about the Maxton experience itself? As someone with a long affiliation with drag racing
history, the rookie meeting that I sat in on with Gary on Friday evening reminded me very much of
1950s NHRA pictures. No spit or polish, just a bunch of guys on an old airstrip, being told the dos and
don’ts before a wheel ever turned. The ECTA is a volunteer association, and they are pretty laid-back
about everything except safety and track rules. Zero tolerance for stupidity is needed when you start
talking about pushing speeds like this; in addition to restraints and construction, you have to show you
can climb out of the window of your car if you have to. No engine rules; they check you for safety
equipment based on your potential performance level and figure out a class for you to run it. Gary had
been on the phone a LOT to make sure that only little things would have to adapted on the car to make
sure it was legal.
F1 eyes Jersey City for possible U.S.
return
Former NASCAR driver Tommy Ellis
pleads guilty to…
Paul Tracy to team with Barry
Green, KV Racing…
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Unlike drag racing, there is not a lot of ‘fast turnover’ on this venue. The track’s acceleration course is a
mile, and the shutdown areas is almost a mile (yeah, almost 10,000 feet total). The crew communicates
by radio to make sure it is clear before the next single run is attempted, and that can take some time.
However, unlike a drag competition, where you race the other guy, here you race the record book only.
The airstrip shows its age, and the ETCA has done a lot to patch it up over the years, but it is still a
somewhat bumpy group of transitions. As a result, the racing surface itself is demarcated by orange
cones that keep the cars in the smoothest groove, with a speed trap at the end of the first mile. There
is also a mild bend on the acceleration side and a mirrored bend on the shutdown side.
To go really fast, you need to attend the rookie driver’s meeting, and then ease your way up to speed.
This was why Gary would go 125, 150, and 175 mph on the three passes he made; he had to so that
his licensing sticker could be signed off. Though only a five mph variance is allowed, the ETCA did let
him qualify for unlimited speed since the 181 was not in the realm of, say, deliberate 215 mph stupidity.
However, the fourth run (and the first to go flat-out) had to be scrubbed when time ran out on Sunday,
so we’ll be back in May for that.
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Meanwhile, other Mopars were out enjoying the track as well. There was a new Challenger that flew to 151 best, a 1967 B-body with a big scoop, an
ARCA entry that ran in the 180+ mph range, a couple of smaller cars including a flamed Shadow, and even a truck or two. The wing car drew a huge
amount of attention; indeed, several people told us that they had seen either our stuff or a small image in Hot Rod magazine an issue or so ago and
had come out to Maxton just to see it.
In Las Vegas at Mopar at the Strip, I was hanging out at the autocross much of the weekend. Now I’m here, watching fast bikes and roadsters set speed
records on a mile-long course. I still like drag racing, don’t get me wrong, but there are a lot of unexplored horizons out there even for long-time Mopar
fans. It’s a cool deal to be around it all evolving this time around.
Pam Beineke helps her husband Gary get ready for a hot lap in the 1971 Dodge Daytona tribute. The build up was covered in Mopar Enthusiast
magazine the last few months.
Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 2 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
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As the motorcycle ahead disappears down the 1.8 mile course, the Daytona rolls to the starting line for its first run;
this would be a 125-mph shakedown, which Gary had calculated out at 4300 in fourth gear.
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Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 3 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
After Leavitt’s Dodge Ram passed tech (and it was serious, not some joke), it got the rookie sticker applied by ETSA’s Keith Turk. Each new car and
each new driver are required to make the 125-150-175 mph sequence before running flat out.
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This ARCA type stocker clips through the final speed trap at 180-plus mph; ETSA places many ‘non-specific’ race-built vehicles like SCCA, NASCAR
and others into the CT (Circle Track) division.
Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 4 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
If you run something smaller that will never touch the double-buck barrier, flames help! A Dodge Shadow from the ‘old days.’
B-Body bomber – in the days before aero-seriousness, even NASCAR guys wheeled these big wedge musclecars. We missed the time, but other then
that big scoop, this one looked pretty close to ‘stock’ on the outside.
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Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 5 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
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May 3, 2010
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New!
More results | About this ad | Show on map
Miami
$6,000 Plymouth : Road Runner 440 1973
PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER$12,000 Plymouth : Duster H Code 1973 New Bern
Plymouth 340 Duster W Build
$2,030 Plymouth : Duster 1973 Plymouth Sausalito
Duster - Caged and Mini Tubbed
Holden
$1,525 Plymouth : Barracuda 1974 CUDA
1974 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA
Marana
$1,075 Plymouth : Duster 1973 Duster
COMPLETELY RESTORED
Columbia City
$6,100 Plymouth : Road Runner
MOPAR 1973 PLYMOUTH
1973 plymouth
This new Challenger was hitting 150 mph times; we thought it was pretty cool since it was unmodified and had less
than 1000 miles on the odometer.
Gary hitting the shutdown at 156 mph: read the story of the weekend and
feature on this in the August issue of Mopar Enthusiast.
Mopar Musings - Moving On The Maxton Mile - Page 6 of 6 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
History found
Dick Landy photos
“Dandy” Dick Landy was one of the
high profile drag racers in Mopar
history. His long line of Super
Stocker and Hemi innovation made
his engines one of the most sought
after power plants in drag racing.
Landy’s altered wheelbase ’65
Dodge Coronet put Dick Landy’s
Automotive Research, at the time in
Sherman Oaks, California, the
destination for Mopar engine
horsepower. It could also be argued
that along with the factory Dodge
Chargers, Landy’s Dodge was a
catalyst in the evolution of the funny
car and garnered tons of publicity
for the Mopar brand when he raced
at Los Angeles area drag strips like
Lions, Irwindale, Pomona, San
Fernando and Fontana Drag City.
While helping clean out a storage
locker for Drag Racing Online
Editor at Large Emeirtus, Chris
Martin, among the piles of dusty
Drag News, National Dragsters,
Drag Sport Illustrated and Super
Stock & Drag Illustrated magazines
there was an envelope at the
bottom of a box. When opened it
contained negatives and proof
sheets from a May 20, 1965, photo
shoot by Chris’s late father, Bob
Martin, a shoot apparently for
Chrysler publicity on the Mopar
Drag Team and Landy’s Dodge.
We thought the unearthing of
photos of this pivotal Mopar racecar
and of Dick Landy himself, the
famous wheelstand photo, the
venerable Automotive Research
Hemi, the vintage Dodge wagon
tow vehicle, Goodyear Blue Streak
drag slicks and even Landy sipping
a Coke with an open bag of Bell’s
Potato Chips was the kind of stuff
our Mopar Max readers would
savor. Enjoy!
Forgotten photos of Dick Landy - Page 1 of 10 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
Forgotten photos of Dick Landy - Page 2 of 10 - MoparMax.com
May 3, 2010
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May 3, 2010
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May 3, 2010
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Forgotten photos of Dick Landy - Page 6 of 10 - MoparMax.com
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May 3, 2010
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May 3, 2010
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May 3, 2010
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Forgotten photos of Dick Landy - Page 10 of 10 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
Words by Clifford Tunnell
Photos by Ron Rairdon and Joe Heuther
Here at MoparMax.com, we know how proud you are of your cars, not only restored cruisers, but racers or battered but cared for daily drivers. We
know because we're constantly receiving letters and emails asking to feature this or that car in our magazine. When we saw Joe Huether's '72
Challenger, we knew we had to share it with everyone.
Like all good love stories, this one starts with a young man. An 18-year-old kid with $250 in his pocket staring at a 1972 Challenger. It was a 318
with a 904 automatic and console, sported a broken back window, a dent in the driver's side door, and was clad in ugly faded brown paint. And it
was perfect.
The $250 bought the car and the work began. Out came the 318, out came the 904 and in went a 440 and a 727. The rear window and driver's
door were replaced, the paint was refreshed, and a new black vinyl top went on. Renewed, the car looked good, sounded good, and it was fast.
What more would an 18 year old want? For three years the car served as a daily driver, even taking Joe and his wife, Holly, to the hospital the day
Joey, their first son, was born.
One day a coworker told Joe that he'd like to buy the car. "It's not for sale," was the response, even after repeated offers over the course of several
months. Finally, this eager buyer made an offer not to be refused. For six years, Joe had been looking for a '77 Mustang Cobra for his wife. It was
her dream car, but all of Joe's efforts had been for naught. What should happen that day though, but the persistent would-be buyer pulling up with
that very car in blue and white? The deal was struck: a straight swap of cars.
It was, Joe would later decide, the worst trade of his life. Holly drove the car perhaps five times and then left it to sit in the driveway for over a year.
Joe was devastated when he realized he'd traded away his beloved Challenger for a car his wife no longer had any interest in.
What else to do now but to try and get it back? Unfortunately, the car had already been resold, and once Joe was able to track down the newest
owner, this interloper didn't want to sell the car and wasn't interested in the 'stang. Eventually Joe sold the Mustang for $1200 and embarked on a
search for another Challenger. He'd occasionally see his old Challenger around town, and each time he'd stop the driver to try again to persuade
the driver to sell, but all to no avail.
Joe had actually lost track of the car, until a friend called several years later to let him know that he'd seen the car for sale. Unfortunately, the fellow
selling it had a reputation as someone who abused his cars, beating them to Hell and back. Still, hope springs eternal, and a quick telephone call
revealed that, yes, the car was for sale. As quickly as Joe could grab a wad of cash, he was on his way, eager to be reunited.
Resurrection! - Page 1 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
Wouldn't it be great if that was the ending? A quick reunion, then a drive into the sunset with the pristine
Challenger of his youth? Very Hollywood. But real life is seldom as romantic, and Joe arrived at the house only to
find a veritable tragedy. The top had been cut off of the Challenger to make what the owner called a "California
convertible." Of course he'd never finished the job, and so the car had been left to sit out through the rain and the
leaves and the snow. The interior was half full of decaying moldy leaves, the floorboards were rotten, the trunk
and quarter panels were rusty, and the car was, in short, a total loss. Joe left, finally coming to terms with the
knowledge that his car was gone forever.
Every good reanimation story starts with the raw materials. Here's the car-daver that Joe mad scienced into his beaming beauty.
For the next twelve years, Joe kept trying to find a new Challenger,
but by now any car he could find was either too trashed, too
expensive, or too not for sale. Finally, in October of 2008, he found
the car. It lived in Redding, California, about 500 miles from Joe's
home. It was a '72, though it housed a '71 front end, contained a
Lincoln posi, and had worked as a drag car. But the body was good
and the price was better, so Joe took his 16-year-old son Chris to
help bring it home.
Resurrection! - Page 2 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
Avert your eyes! The lady's naked!
ADVERTISEMENT
Joe took the next six weeks to decide
what he wanted the car to look like and
put together a plan of action. In
December, the car was totally
disassembled to be media blasted by
Master Blasters of Caldwell, Idaho.
When the car came back in January of
'09, the scouring had revealed only one
small patch of rust on the driver's side
quarter and a few small dents, all of
which were easily handled by Joe and
his sons Chris and 7-year-old Zach.
Again holding to the mantra that doing it yourself is free, Joe painted what he could of the car:
The interior, underside, engine compartment, and trunk. The '71 front end prevented him from
doing any external paint work, as his heart was set on the correct '72 front end. The search was
on.
A thorough scouring of ads turned up a complete '74 Challenger in Valencia, California, and a '72
front end in Orange County, so it was time for a drive. The '74 was a rust bucket, but when you're
only interested in the internals, you can overlook a little body rust, and the '74 delivered, giving up
the 440 and rear end it housed. On the other hand, the '72 front was battered but salvageable, and
came complete with the R/T hood Joe lusted after, so it was a worthy 2,000-mile round trip.
Work proceeded apace for the next three weeks, aside from a family trip to San Diego for eldest
son Joey's graduation from USMC basic training. Then word came: there was a 512 stroked big
block in Phoenix, Arizona, for the right price. Road trip! The engine Joe found was disassembled,
already machined, and included all the parts new-in-box: a block, aluminum Stealth heads, 440
Source Roller rockers, a Holley 950 hp carb, an Edelbrock Performance RPM intake, a mini starter, a 440 Source 512 stroker kit, all set to 11.3:1
compression, a 3,500 RPM stall convertor, TTI 2" primary nickel plated headers, a 440 Source seven-quart oil pan and water pump housing and pump,
and bolt and head stud kits by ARP. The only thing that was lacking was a cam, something 440 Source was only too happy to help with the selection of.
Resurrection! - Page 3 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
All of that got carted off to Block and Head Shop in Boise, Idaho, where Craig Brown inspected every piece and bit
of machining to right, tight, and ready to fight.
By now the front end Joe had earlier bought was back from its own course of media blasting, and had received its
internal paint, so once its body work was done and it was installed, it was time to paint the car.
One paint gun and two days later,
the car was 2005 Mustang GT
Screaming Yellow. Yes, it's a Ford
color, but as Joe says, "A Ford
doesn’t need it, as they don’t have
car shows in junkyards."
The car was looking good on the
outside, but as Momma always said,
it what's on the inside that counts.
The seat covers, headliners and vinyl
top were all installed by Fenster
Upholstery in Nampa, Idaho. Joe did
the carpeting himself, but gives credit
to Randy of Fenster Upholstery for
making it look good.
The engine went in without
any trouble, and now there
was just one obstacle left
between Joe and his car: a
transmission. Dave Fleenor
of Ultimate Transmission in
Boise was the man for the
job, and after hearing
about the hardware already
in the car and what Joe's
plans for it were (to have
fun), he handily built a
tranny more than capable
of taking all the power the
engine could dish out.
Resurrection! - Page 4 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
So what's the timeline for this project? Joe bought the
car in October of 2008. The car came back from media
blasting completely dissembled on January 18 of '09, and it was driven for the first time on the Independence Day weekend of that same year. Working
six to eight hours an evening on weekdays after work, and fifteen to sixteen a day on the weekends, it took Joe Huether just under seven months to get
back the car he once had. And it's a whole lot better than the first one.
And, no, it's not for sale.
Resurrection! - Page 5 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
Hemi Huffer from
ZEX
Not many years ago, fuel systems were virtually
standardized from one car manufacturer to
another. That’s because most pre-2005 engine
fuel systems possessed the same (or similar) fuel
pressure, and most had similar air induction
systems, meaning that anyone adding a nitrous
system to an engine could rely on nitrous
systems being more-or-less one-size-fits-all.
However, within the last three to five years,
engine fuel system rules have changed. New
technology, such as return-less style fuel pumps
and throttle-by-wire controlled engines, has opened up fuel system design to the extent that engineers are designing more efficient fuel systems tailored
to a new generation of engines.
That fact has led to the development of new nitrous oxide systems, as well, because early nitrous kits don’t provide optimum performance with these
new fuel system designs. These changes did not escape the attention of the engineers at ZEX, who responded by developing nitrous kits tailored
specifically to the new generation of Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler EFI engines. Each new nitrous system is created to provide optimum performance
and engine safety.
In the case of the 2005 and newer Chrysler Charger and Magnum Hemi
engines, there wasn’t an existing nitrous system that would function well. This
engine has a unique speed density style computer control and a return-less
style fuel system, as well as higher fuel pressure of around 58 psi that requires
a radically different nitrous system tune-up for safe and efficient power gains.
ADVERTISEMENT
ZEX engineers went to work and developed a direct-fit EFI Charger/Magnum
kit that safely delivers 75-125 horsepower. The kit provides an accurate tuneup, substantial power, and safe air/fuel ratios. However, developing this
compatible nitrous system required solutions to several obstacles.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
One of the first challenges was the need for an efficient and practical fuel
connection for the nitrous system. Unfortunately, the fuel lines of the new Hemi
engine are manufactured from rigid plastics and are not receptive to
modification. The solution was to develop a direct-fit fuel rail adapter that easily
snaps in place and has a fuel tap built in.
Another issue was the engine’s throttle-by-wire design, which poses nitrous
system activation issues. However, the ZEX system includes patented
technology that uses the engine’s throttle position sensor to activate the nitrous
system at wide open throttle. This provides perfect integration of the nitrous
system with the engine’s electronics.
From a safety standpoint, the ZEX system uses advanced safety technology
called Active Fuel Control. This exclusive technology monitors the nitrous
bottle pressure and adjusts the kit’s fuel enrichment so the system is never too
rich or too lean.
All of this means that the new ZEX Nitrous System for the EFI Hemi-powered Charger/Magnum is an advanced system that safely provides incredible
power. Best of all, it’s a plug and play system that can be installed in two hours from start to finish.
Installation of the ZEX Nitrous System is a straightforward process; however, as always you must make sure you follow the kit’s instructions.
Adding nitrous to a Hemi - Page 1 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
Deciding where to place the nitrous tank is the first step in installing a nitrous system. The best location for the
tank in this 2007 Charger is in the trunk, just behind the rear seats.
(Above) Routing the nitrous line comes next. In this
photo, the line is routed between the trunk floor, just
behind the rear seats, under the car, and then exits into
the engine compartment. The nitrous line will be
connected to the nitrous management system unit.
(Right) Placing the nitrous activation switch is the third
step. The switch will be mounted in the passenger
compartment in an easy to reach location for the user.
The switch (shown here) is an on and off toggle style with
a safety cover to prevent inadvertent nitrous system
operation and requires a 12-volt power source.
Adding nitrous to a Hemi - Page 2 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
The next step is mounting the nitrous management unit in the engine compartment. In this example an area next
to the electronic fuse unit has been chosen because there is sufficient room for the nitrous and fuel lines to be
attached and routed to the necessary locations. This location also provides good access for the electric wiring to
be accomplished. As shown here, the unit has three colored wires: red is the power (12-volt) wire, white connects
to the throttle position sensor, and black is the ground wire. When all the components are mounted, the system
will be wired; specific connection instructions are included with the system.
Connecting the fuel line requires the removal of the original equipment (OE) fuel line from the fuel rail as indicated
here.
The OE fuel line is replaced with the custom designed fuel line tap assembly shown here.
Adding nitrous to a Hemi - Page 3 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
The fuel line tap assembly is an exclusive and unique part of the ZEX Nitrous System.
The final component mounted is the nitrous nozzle. The nozzle is installed by drilling and tapping an
opening in the air inlet tube with the NPT tap included in the kit.
ADVERTISEMENT
The nitrous nozzle will be placed at this location of the air intake system.
SOURCE
ZEX
3418 Democrat Road
Memphis, Tennessee 38118
888-817-1008
www.zex.com
Adding nitrous to a Hemi - Page 4 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
THERE HAS BEEN A MAGNETO SIGHTING
Steve, been waiting for your monthly column.... Where are you?
WHERE'S STEVE MAGNETO???!!!
Your loyal fan,
Ed Burns
Ed note: Ed check out the current issue for more from Stevie Mags
What do you have to say?
CHEVY PARTS INTO A MOPAR… HERESY!
I have been collecting parts to install a T56 from a ‘98 Camaro into my ‘70 Challenger with a Hemi. Do you have
any info on the conversion from the 727 auto trans?
Curtis Shaffer
Mississippi
Can a reader help this troubled young man?
IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE WRONG, MIGHT AS WELL DO IT RIGHT
Your lead story about Jeg's new Challenger Drag Pak shows that someone did not bother to find out what these
cars are about. The comment that the car is anywhere near race-ready from the factory shows no knowledge of
the program or the cars. The Drag Pak is delivered as basically a body on wheels and is not operable in any way.
Owners are spending hundreds of hours and many thousands of dollars to prepare the cars, as they are a do-ityourself-kit as delivered.
Jim Schild
Author - Authenticity Guide-2009 Challenger LC22R Drag Pak
Authenticity Guide-1964 Dodge & plymouth Hemi Super Stock
Authenticity Guide-1965 Dodge & Plymouth Hemi Super Stock
Authenticity Guide 1968 Dart & Barracuda Hemi Super Stock
Proving Ground-A History of Dodge, Chrysler & Plymouth Racing
Maximum Performance-Mopar Super Stock Drag Racing-1962-1969
Columbia, Illinois
How can you even consider these cars "Basically Race Ready?" It has taken over 600 hours to complete these
cars. You are badly mistaken in that statement and that's a slap in the face to all the Drag Pak owners who are
working to get their cars done.
Your name:
Your location:
Your email:
Do you want to subscribe to
our FREE email newsletter?
Yes
No
Letters which do not include
a full name will not be
considered for publication.
Send It!
* Your letter may (or may not) be published in
Mack Reeves
Florida
our "Mopar Mailbag" section.
Ed Note: We definitely “screwed the pooch” on this one. A little less attention to the PR propaganda and a little
more real research was called for in this instance.
See what the readers are saying - Page 1 of 2 - MoparMax.com
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MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
SUBMISSION POSITION
May 3, 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
I am a subscriber to the magazine and it
is great. It's always nice to be associated
with great things and I was wondering
how one can submit their ride as a
feature car? I have a ‘63 Dodge Polara
with a transplanted 472 MP crate hemi
and would love to have it featured here.
Thanks again for your efforts with the
magazine and keep ‘em coming! Mopar
to ya! Steve.
Steve Chervinsky
Montreal, Quebec
Steve, we’re always glad to get reader’s
cars submitted to us. (Be sure to check
out this month’s feature car; it’s a reader
submission.) If you’ve got a car you’re
muy proud of, drop us a line at
[email protected] with some
photos of your car and a little backstory,
and we’ll see what we can do.
ADVERTISEMENT
LOOKING FOR HIS CLAN
Just found your web site. Was lookin’ for
nostalgia Mopars racing and fell into
this. Way cool. As I’m 61 years old, too
old to play with toy cars, I drive a ‘65
Plymouth Belvedere two door post 451
with 67-440 heads, or will drive as soon
as the crank gets back from the motor
man. It has tf with 4500 stall and a 4.56
posi in the rear. We decided to try for a
little bit faster times this year. Hopefully
in 10s but if it doesn’t make it, there’s
always next year. What do I have to do
to join this establishment?
Mark Forest
Keokuk, Iowa
Ed note: Mark have we got a deal for you. If your car has two carbs you can run the with the Midwest Nostalgia
Super Stock program which has races at Cedar Falls, Kansas City, and Cordova. If you don’t have two carbs you
can run the Nostalgia Eliminator. Either way you are assured of a good time with fellow Mopar Maniacs.
See what the readers are saying - Page 2 of 2 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
RETURNLESS POWERJECTION III SYSTEM FROM PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS
Professional Products now has an EFI kit for vehicles that do not have an aftermarket or factory fuel return line. This
self-learning, bolt-on POWERJECTION III EFI kit is available in satin finish or polished finish and is the only returnless
“adaptive learning” fuel-injection unit available today. Simply install the kit, usually in an afternoon with normal hand
tools, and drive the vehicle for 20/30-minutes. The system “learns” your engine, and no additional tuning is required.
POWERJECTION III has provisions for laptop tuning should you choose.
The kit includes a 750 CFM Throttle Body Assembly, which dimensionally replaces a 4150 Holley with identical linkage,
four 62-Lb. port-style injectors, built-in engine management system and all harnesses and connectors. The idle air control, 2.5 BAR MAP sensor, air
temperature control and throttle position sensor are built into the unit. The O2 sensor bung requires no welding for installation. Dashboard software CD
with detailed instruction manual is included.
Professional Products’ programmable FuelOnDemand module is included with the kit and mounts separately. This module allows the EFI kit to function
as a returnless system, eliminating the need for installing a return line. Run a single inlet fuel line from the tank and let the FuelOn Demand control your
fuel pressure. Check out this returnless system at www.professional-products.com .
NEW POWER CHILLER COOLS RACECAR ENGINES FAST!
The Power Chiller (patent pending), designed by NHRA Pro Stock racer
Tom Hammonds, is based on a proven industrial chiller used in medical
applications and requires no ice or additional water to cool the engine.
That means fewer messes to clean up in the pits and no more ice for the
racers to buy. Just plug the unit into a 110-volt, 20-amp socket, set the
thermostat and forget it – the Power Chiller maintains a consistent
temperature no matter how hot the weather.
For more information contact Power Chiller at 5558 West 2nd Ave., Mesa,
AZ 85210-1201, call toll-free 1-888-PWR-CHIL (797-2445) or go to
www.PowerChiller.com .
FIRESTONE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS OFFERS COIL-RITE KIT FOR 2009 DODGE RAM 1500
The '09 Dodge Ram Coil-Rite kit is a no-drill application designed to increase vehicle stability, improve braking
effectiveness, steering and balance, and keep headlights properly aimed. Firestone's Coil-Rite springs, which are
installed inside the vehicle's existing coil springs, also help level the vehicle and reduce tire wear.
"Our Coil-Rite air helper springs can be easily adjusted for varying loads and road conditions by increasing or
decreasing the air pressure in the helper springs, just like drivers would adjust the air pressure in a tire," said Todd
Green, regional sales manager, Firestone Industrial Products, Ride-Rite(tm) division. "We also offer our popular AirRite(tm) air accessory systems, which complement the Coil-Rite kit by allowing drivers to adjust the air with a push of
a button installed on the dashboard."
A pair of Coil-Rite air springs supports up to 1,000 pounds of load leveling capacity. (Note: Air springs do not increase the load-carrying capacity of the
vehicle. Do not exceed the vehicle's recommended Gross Vehicle Weight Rating [GVWR]).
Coil-Rite kits can be installed in about one hour and include air springs, hardware, air line and separate valves for manual inflation. Trained technicians
are available toll-free (800.888.0650) to answer any product application, installation or warranty questions Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. EST. For more information, visit www.ride-rite.com .
Mo Products - Page 1 of 2 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 5
May 3, 2010
REVOLUTIONARY DRONE-FREE MUFFLER FROM DYNOMAX
The DynoMax VT muffler features an exclusive, precisely calibrated patented
internal valve that ensures maximum performance and provides a drone-free
experience in the vehicle.
The new DynoMax muffler’s proven performance advantage can be seen in recent
flow-bench testing of the DynoMax VT (No. 17956), MagnaFlow, and Flowmaster
products. The DynoMax VT muffler delivered 841 cubic-feet-per-minute flow,
compared to 588 CFM for the MagnaFlow and 373 CFM for the Flowmaster.1
The new muffler offers the flow characteristics of the legendary DynoMax Ultra Flo
Welded muffler, through a straight-through unrestricted design that is dyno-proven
to support up to 2,000 CFM and 2,000 horsepower. The 100-percent welded
stainless steel muffler is available in a side inlet/center outlet 14-in. body length
and a side inlet/side outlet 16-in. body length. Inlet/outlet bushing diameters include 2 ¼-in.; 2 ½-in.; and 3-in. sizes.
The new muffler also includes slotted bushing ends; exclusive Continuous Roving Fiberglass (CRF) technology that absorbs additional unwanted interior
resonance and provides a rich, deep performance tone; and a show-stopping DynoMax VT logo-embossed body and high-impact finish.
The new stainless muffler is covered by a limited lifetime warranty and exclusive 90-day Performance and Sound Guarantee, an offer that lets
enthusiasts try the muffler for 90 days. Additional restrictions apply and can be found at www.DynoMax.com .
DYNOMAX DELIVERS PERFORMANCE, SOUND & LOOKS TO THE NEW CHALLENGER HEMI
DynoMax Performance Exhaust has announced the release of two systems for 2008-09 Dodge
Challenger SRT-8 and RT Hemi models, delivering performance, sound and style to the powerful
platform, and posts an increase of 24 horsepower and 24-ft. lbs. of torque out of the Hemi
Challenger SRT-8 model and 11 horsepower and 24-ft. lbs. of torque out of the RT model.
Both new Challenger systems feature high-quality, 409-grade stainless steel 3-in. intermediate
pipes and tailpipes, providing protection against corrosion.
The new SRT-8 and RT systems feature the brand’s popular DynoMax Ultra Flo Welded muffler –
a 100-percent welded construction for improved durability and extended lifetime – that supports
flow up to 2,000 SCFM and 2,000 horsepower. The straight-through unrestricted design features
exclusive Continuous Roving Fiberglass (CRF) technology that absorbs unwanted interior
resonance. The Dodge Challenger SRT-8 and RT systems include a pair of 3-3/4-in. by 7-in.
square tips that conform to the bumper valance.
Built for “Pure Unadulterated POWER,” the new systems were application engineered to provide maximum performance and highly specific acoustical
characteristics. The systems are manufactured entirely in the United States. The new stainless system is covered by a limited lifetime warranty and
exclusive 90-day Performance and Sound Guarantee, an offer that lets enthusiasts try the muffler for 90 days. Consumers can return the product within
90 days for a full refund of its purchase price.
To find out more information about the 2008-09 Dodge Challenger Hemi applications and other popular vehicles, please visit www.DynoMax.com .
CHRYSLER VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR FROM PROFORM PARTS
Proform parts now has this inexpensive and easy to use valve spring compressor for small-block and big-block
Chrysler engines. This heavy-duty tool makes compressing and removing valve springs quick and easy, with the head
still on the engine. It’s a handy and time saving addition to any Mopar owner’s toolbox. It also saves money since you
don’t have to replace the head gaskets!
Simply remove the stock rocker shaft from the head, and secure the moveable Proform tool shaft. With the
compression arms over the spring retainer, pull back on the handle to compress the spring. The handle slides on the
shaft allowing two springs to be compressed with one installation of the tool. Move down the line to remove all the
springs. Hassle free spring removal, what could be easier?
To preview all of Proform’s innovative line of engine building tools, and other internal and external engine products,
visit www.proformparts.com . For additional information, and a retailer near you, contact Proform/Specialty Auto Parts,
USA Inc., P.O. Box 306, Roseville, MI 48066, 586-774-2500, Fax: 586-778-7775. Proform, parts and tools that
perform!
Mo Products - Page 2 of 2 - MoparMax.com