Download or read book Chevy Drag Racing 1955 1980 A Celebration of Bowtie s Success at the Drag Strip written by Doug Boyce and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2020-03-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relive the glorious first 25 years of Chevy drag racing in this comprehensive and nostalgic history. With the introduction of Chevy’s OHV V-8 in 1955, the brand’s domination on the drag strip immediately snowballed. Drag racers loved the compact V-8. It was lightweight, revved high, and responded like no other engine previously produced to modification. Chevy saw a record year in sales in 1955, thanks to a combination of a restyled body and the new mill. It was the age of ingenuity, and those who could get their hands on the new engine were swapping it into engine bays that once housed other weaker mills. Ford’s flathead, one that had dominated for so long, was rendered obsolete almost overnight. Chevy had a winner and dominated the sales charts for years to come. Aftermarket manufacturers got on board and offered up all the go-fast goodies needed to make Chevy a winner, no matter what category they ran. From Dragsters to Stock, Chevy’s success was immediate. And it was a long-term success, thanks to a combination of years of great styling and a vast array of driveline combinations. Accomplished racing author Dour Boyce takes a celebratory look at those years of success, with a focus on the first 25 years (1955 through 1980). Chevrolets gave rise to such stars as Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, “Jungle Jim” Liberman, “Sneaky Pete” Robinson, “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Sox & Martin, Dick Harrell, Dave Strickler, and many more. World champs and fan favorites all drove Chevys. The success showed in the record books. No brand has won more races and events or has set more national records than Chevrolet. And unlike the other manufacturers, Ford and Chrysler, it was done with little to no factory support. Whether you are a hardcore Chevy fan or just love catching up on the history of drag racing during the golden age, this nostalgic look at Chevy racing history is sure to entertain for hours on end.
Download or read book Drag Racing in the 1960s written by Doug Boyce and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2021-03-15 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Chevy Drag Racing 1955 1980 written by Doug Boyce and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book takes a celebratory look at the first 25 years of drag racing Chevys, including the drivers, cars, and engines in every class in which they competed"--
Download or read book Drag Racing s Rebels written by Doug Boyce and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2023-11-15 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the entire fascinating story of the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) in this wonderfully illustrated color history. When the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) was formed in 1951 by Wally Parks, the reasoning for the formation was to "create order from chaos" by instituting safety rules and performance standards that helped legitimize the sport of drag racing. Some organization was certainly necessary. A postwar boom in automotive enthusiasm was reaching new heights, and Hot Rod magazine and the NHRA were right in the thick of it. The NHRA hosted its first drag racing event in 1953, and in 1955, the organization staged its first national event, which was simply called "The Nationals." The AHRA formed in 1956 as an alternative to the NHRA, where the drivers voted on the rules (rather than sanctioning bodies and tracks), and their influence on the sport was felt almost immediately. When the NHRA denied the use of nitromethane in 1957, the AHRA approved it. When the NHRA banned aircraft-powered dragsters in 1961, the AHRA welcomed them. When the NHRA said no to the emerging Funny Car in 1965, the AHRA said yes. When fans and racers screamed for a heads-up Super Stock category in 1968, the AHRA delivered. The AHRA was called a rebel association. Some say that it was more of an association that got things done—to the delight of fans and racers. The AHRA was on equal ground with the NHRA by the 1970s, drawing enormous crowds and racer entries.
In this fascinating history, veteran author Doug Boyce tells the story of the AHRA, the rise, the competition, the events, and the eventual downfall of the organization. After AHRA President Jim Tice passed away in 1982, internal fighting for control of the association resulted in its doom. Get the whole story here, and add this wonderful volume to your drag racing library.
Download or read book Rocky s Road written by Jim Rockstad and published by Dorrance Publishing. This book was released on 2018-01-02 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rocky’s Road By: Jim Rockstad With more than three decades of experience in the world of hot rods, drag racing and funny cars, Jim Rockstad has a million and one stories of the races, drivers and good old days of drag racing in the Pacific Northwest. He was there in the pit when Ed “Ace” McCulloch put the Northwest racing scene on the map with his momentous win in the Northwind dragster in 1965 and from there the rest is history. Rocky’s Road is a trip down memory lane through the milestones of West Coast racing from one of the sport’s premier managers and promoters. Rockstad’s story isn’t just sports trivia—it’s also a personal memoir, showing that anyone with enough passion and luck can find success in chasing their dreams.
Download or read book The American Speed Shop written by Bob McClurg and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of hot rodding and performance cars has been well chronicled through the years. Books and magazines have covered the cars, builders, pioneers, engineers, early racers, muscle cars, street racers, etc. Most take a nostalgic and fun look at the cars that many have loved their entire lives. Some even cover the lifestyle, the hobby as it involves people, and the effort, time, and commitment people put into it. It is more than just a hobby to most, and to many, a certain wave of nostalgia comes over them when remembering what the car scene was like "back in the day." The local speed shop is an important element of the nostalgic feeling that people have when fondly remembering their hot rodding youth. Speed shops were not just parts stores, they were a communal gathering place for car guys wanting to talk smart, bench race, and catch up on the local scene, as well as to solicit the expert advice from the owner or staff behind the counter. Here, longtime hot rodder and industry veteran Bob McClurg brings you the story of the era and the culture of speed shops as told through individual shop's histories and compelling vintage photography. He covers the birth of the industry, racing versus hot rodding, mail-order, and advertising wars. You learn about the performance boom of the 1960s and 1970s, lost speed shops as well as survivors, and a overview of the giant mail-order speed shops of today.
Download or read book Drag Racing Funny Cars written by Lou Hart and published by Enthusiast Books. This book was released on 2008-11-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the early 1960s, dealer-sponsored Super Stockers battled for supremacy on the quarter-mile and in the dealer showrooms. Evolving into the Factory Experimental class, these wild steel bodied, altered–wheelbase monsters were stuffed with massive fuel injected and supercharged engines that attracted crowds to the dragstrip! Legendary pioneers “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Jack Chrisman, Bill Shrewsberry, Butch Leal, Dick Landy, Arnie Beswick, Phil Bonner, Gas Ronda, Don Gay, Sox & Martin, Richard Petty, and many other A/FX stars were instrumental in the development of the funny car as it morphed from a heavy production car into seven-second 250mph aerodynamic fiberglass, tubular chassis missile. The popularity of funny cars led “Jungle Jim” Lieberman, Bill Lawton, Lew Arrington, Bill Flynn, Norm Kraus, and “Big” John Mazmanian to become household names. Tom ”Mongoose” McEwen, Don “Snake” Prudhomme, Tom Hoover, Kenny Safford, Terry Capp, John Force, Kenny Bernstein, Jake Johnston, Larry Reyes, Richard Tharp, Roland Leong, Randy Walls, Jess Tyree, Rich Siroonian and others who achieved success racing funny cars are all featured in over 300 incredible color and black and white photos.
Download or read book Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits written by Tom Boyd and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2020-08-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Camaro Concept Cars written by Scott Kolecki and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2023-10-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn about the creation of every generation of Chevrolet’s pony car! For more than 50 years, the Chevrolet Camaro has been an indelible part of the modern automotive landscape. Since its introduction in 1967, Chevrolet’s immensely popular pony car has redefined American automotive styling by setting the bar and then raising it with the introduction of each generation. How did the Camaro become one of the most celebrated automobiles of all time? What was its origin? What factors contributed to its creation and continued evolution through periods of economic uncertainty? How, when so many other cars have come and gone, has the Camaro survived and flourished? Automotive historian Scott Kolecki explores those questions in Camaro Concept Cars: Developing Chevrolet’s Pony Car, as he introduces the men and women who created Chevrolet’s successful sports car. This book looks at the factors that contributed to its evolution through six distinct generations and explores the concept and design prototypes that gave rise to the production models that we know and love today. This is the ultimate book for anyone who has owned (or dreamed of owning) a Camaro as well as for the countless enthusiasts around the globe who continue to celebrate and share the car’s rich heritage with future generations.
Download or read book Quarter Mile Chaos written by Steve Reyes and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2020-06-15 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relive drag racing’s dangerous past in this softcover edition of a previous best seller. Quarter-Mile Chaos looks at the treacherous side of drag racing's golden age. Almost 200 rare and stunning photographs from the late 1960s and early-to-mid 1970s capture terrifying fires, explosions, and crashes, all by-products on the quest to go faster. Quarter-Mile Chaos is full of up-close and personal documentation of the perilous task to reach the 1,320-foot mark first. Armed with just a few cameras and some film, veteran drag-racing photographer Steve Reyes shot some of the most dramatic and eye-catching pictures of these quarter-mile warriors. Reyes roamed the nation's hazardous strips in search of the perfect action photo. The result is some of the most breathtaking drag-racing imagery ever recorded, depicting out-of-control demolition and devastation during drag racing's most entertaining era.
Download or read book The History of NHRA Pro Stock 1970 2019 written by Nhra Publications and published by . This book was released on 2020-01-30 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No collection of a true student of the sport will be complete without The History of NHRA Pro Stock. From the achievements of pioneers such as Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins and the famed Sox & Martin through season after season of utter domination by Bob Glidden to today's six-second, 210-mph factory hot rods, The History of NHRA Pro Stock guides readers through the years of milestones, groundbreaking technology, and career turning points in this fascinating segment of NHRA competition. This newly revised and expanded edition covers the greatest moments in the 50 years of Pro Stock competition.
Download or read book Arnie The Farmer Beswick written by Dean Fiat and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arnie “the Farmer” Beswick was called “the consummate underdog” by Hot Rod magazine. While there was good reason, there is much more to his unbelievable career. Born a third-generation farmer in the small town of Morrison, Illinois, Arnie Beswick’s driving career began not behind the wheel of a straight-line terror but that of a tractor. On local dusty roads, Arnie’s budding reputation grew with street cars, as the “flying farmer” was coined to describe his driving style. When drag racing began in the Midwest in the early 1950s, Arnie was one of the pioneers who campaigned Dodges and Oldsmobiles. In 1960, he purchased his first Pontiac and never looked back. At the beginning, he didn’t like the “farmer” nickname, but he quickly learned to utilize the name to lull his competition into complacency. After all, what could a simple farmer know of the world of high-performance drag racing? Throughout the 1960s, Arnie’s Mr. B's Passionate Poncho, Mystery Tornado, Star of the Circuit I and II, Tameless Tiger, and Super Judge all contributed to dispel the myth that a simple farmer couldn’t dominate straight-line racing. Arnie was an innovator, fierce competitor, entertainer and showman who always gave fans their money’s worth at the track. He is still brand loyal--sticking with Pontiac long after production models ceased. Arnie has always been a fan favorite for this reason, and he continues to exhilarate fans at the track with his cast of potent Pontiacs.
Download or read book How to Build High Performance Chevy LS1 LS6 V 8s written by Will Handzel and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2008 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new color edition is essential for the enthusiast who wants to get the most performance out of this new engine design but is only familiar with the older Chevy small-blocks. Covered is everything you need to know about these engines, including the difficult engine removal and installation, simple engine bolt-ons, electronic controls for the Generation III engine, and detailed engine builds at four different power levels.
Download or read book Sox Martin written by Jim Schild and published by Cartech. This book was released on 2016-03-16 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sox & Martin: The Most Famous Team in Drag Racing is a comprehensive archival recap of straight-line racing's greatest duo.
Download or read book Grumpy s Toys written by Doug Boyce and published by Cartech. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grumpy's Toys: The Legendary Cars of Bill Grumpy Jenkins stands as a full and complete history of Jenkins' career to date as told through his cars, and has been heartily authorized by the man himself (Jenkins wrote the book's foreword.) Author Doug Boyce has been following Jenkins throughout his racing career, and amassed an impressive collection of vintage photography which is shared on the pages. Through his own knowledge, extensive research, and by working with Grumpy himself, Grumpy's Toys offers readers an unparalleled look behind the man and his machines.
Download or read book Hubert Platt written by Allen Platt and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2019-05-15 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Webster's Dictionary lists the term showman as "a notably spectacular, dramatic, or effective performer." In the art of drag racing, Hubert Platt checked all boxes. Known as the "Georgia Shaker," Platt cut his motoring teeth on the long straightaways and twisty back roads of South Carolina while bootlegging moonshine. After a run-in with the law in 1958, Platt transferred his driving skills from illegal activity to sanctioned drag racing and began one of the most dominant runs in drag racing history until his retirement in 1977. After stints in 1957, 1938, and 1962 Chevrolets, Platt's next ride was a Z11 Impala, which carried his first "Georgia Shaker" moniker. Once Chevrolet pulled out of sanctioned racing, Platt found a new home with Ford for 1964 and remained there until he hung up his helmet. Some of the cars he campaigned became icons in their own right. His factory-backed and personal machines included a 1963 Z11 Impala, 1964 Thunderbolt, 1965 Falcon, 1966 Mustang Funny Car, 1967 Fairlane 427, 1968-1/2 Cobra Jet, 1969 CJ Mustang, 1970 427 SOHC Mustang, and 1970 Boss 429 Maverick. A 1986 NHRA Hall of Fame member, Platt's lasting legacy on the sport can’t be denied. Whether he was launching his Falcon with the door open, conducting a Ford Drag Team seminar, or posting low E.T. at the 1967 US Nationals in his Fairlane, Platt's imprint on drag racing was all-encompassing. His son and biggest fan, Allen Platt, shares his dad's iconic career in, Hubert Platt: Fast Fords of the "Georgia Shaker"!
Download or read book GM G Body Performance Upgrades 1978 1987 written by Joe Hinds and published by CarTech Inc. This book was released on 2013 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The General Motors G-Body is one of the manufacturer's most popular chassis, and includes cars such as Chevrolet Malibu, Monte Carlo, and El Camino; the Buick Regal, Grand National, and GNX; the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme; the Pontiac Grand Prix, and more. This traditional and affordable front engine/rear-wheel-drive design lends itself to common upgrades and modifications for a wide range of high-performance applications, from drag racing to road racing. Many of the vehicles GM produced using this chassis were powered by V-8 engines, and others had popular turbocharged V-6 configurations. Some of the special-edition vehicles were outfitted with exclusive performance upgrades, which can be easily adapted to other G-Body vehicles. Knowing which vehicles were equipped with which options, and how to best incorporate all the best-possible equipment is thoroughly covered in this book. A solid collection of upgrades including brakes, suspension, and the installation of GMs most popular modern engine-the LS-Series V-8-are all covered in great detail. The aftermarket support for this chassis is huge, and the interchangeability and affordability are a big reason for its popularity. It's the last mass-produced V-8/rear-drive chassis that enthusiasts can afford and readily modify. There is also great information for use when shopping for a G-Body, including what areas to be aware of or check for possible corrosion, what options to look for, and what should be avoided. No other book on the performance aspects of a GM G-Body has been published until now, and this book will serve as the bible to G-Body enthusiasts for years to come.
