Why is it that everyone seems to be such strong supporters of the "no replacement for displacement" ideology. Even you guys at Car Craft (who claim to want to be different) have trouble getting out from under this one. You don't seem to do anything all the other automotive performance magazines don't do too. You feature traditionally built vehicles, and you build your own test engines in traditional ways. Why don't you try something truly different? Do a buildup on an engine that isn't seen that often, something other than a V-8! What about an old Chevy V-6, or the big-sixes of Ford that push 5 liters? What about a V-10, or heaven forbid, a 4-cylinder in an older vehicle? These engines obviously exist, yet they are continually overlooked, especially the inline-sixes.
If you are just so hard-headed up there at the Car Craft office, why don't you do a buildup a "sleeper" motor and compare it to other motors that are built in the traditional way? Do all that grinding out the stock exhaust manifolds and stuff and a hidden nitrous system, like an under manifold system. Why not? Or are you just like the status quo, afraid to try something different or that hasn't been done in a while?
Nate Parker
Via e-mail
Lost Dragstrip File
These pictures taken in the spring of 1993 show the remains of the NU-BE Drag Strip, located west of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As I recall, the eighth-mile strip opened in the early '60s and ran until the late '70s. Local heroes included Hemi Denny, Mighty Mouse Nova, and Mr. ET. Also, many notable Super Stock, F/X, and later Pro Stock cars match-raced there on Sundays. One in particular I remember seeing was a pink Pinto Pro Stocker named "Cotton Pony," driven by a former Playboy bunny. Her name was Carol Burkett (Bunny Burkett)! A sanctioned NAAR (National Association Automobile Racing) track, the property now sits abandoned and overgrown.
Michael Miller
Originally from Kittanning, PA
Readers' In and Out List
In: Buying a '72 El Camino knowing the motor will need to be replaced soon ...
Out: Waiting two long years to finally get one ...
In: Installing it yourself ... cranking it for the first time ... and driving it home.
Out: The rearend starts making noise on the way home, and you can't drive it for three days because it's raining and you can't work on it with no garage in the rain.
Stephanie Traylor
(for her hubby, Chip)
In: Editor's letter "In Celebration of the Manual Trans"
Out: All 12 "Xtreme Machines" of the same issue are automatics
Andrew Husted
In: Writing to Car Craft every month.
Out: Never seeing your writing published.
In: Buying "383" emblems for your stroker Chevelle.
Out: Breaking one of them before you can get it out of the plastic.
In: Building a stroker motor and firing it up for the first time.
Out: Breaking something every other time you start it.
In: Making stuff shake on the walls of your garage once you get the car running good.
Out: Not being able to drive the it out of the garage because you don't have a converter.
In: Poly locks
Out: Not locking them right and bending six pushrods and the vertical bar on a solid roller lifter pair.
In: Driving 40 minutes to Jeg's and having the car running right within three hours.
In: The smell of burnt race gas.
Out: The smell of burnt coolant.
In: Your buddy's bone-stock LT1 Camaro does 13.70s.
Out: He laughs at your beater Toyota.
In: Getting your Chevelle running and putting him in his place.
Jared Moore
Reader's Top 10 List
Top 10 Signs You're a Gearhead With a Project
10. There's a container of Gojo in your bathtub.
9. You wake up earlier on Saturdays than on workdays.