This book includes in-depth reviews of factory performance components, and gives advice on the proper way to modify them for optimal power and durability. It also give an assessment of the many aftermarket accessories offered for these great engines.
In an era before corporate average fuel economy (CAFÉ) requirements and emissions standards, a pioneering General Motors executive was tasked with taking over a dying division and returning it to profitability. In June 1956, Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen became the general manager of the Pontiac Motor Division. He injected the stodgy, boring product line with a large dose of performance. “Race on Sunday; sell on Monday” was Knudsen’s philosophy. Although the idea of Pontiac getting into racing was far-fetched in 1956, Knudsen had a plan. In 1957, Pontiac released the Bonneville, which was a limited-edition, fuel-injected, high-performance convertible that was aimed directly at the burgeoning enthusiast market. Knudsen skillfully crafted a new youthful persona for Pontiac, and the sales began to climb. Pontiac’s Super Duty factory-built drag cars produced an amazing line of winners. The performance mentality was clearly working, as Pontiac sales jumped to third place among the manufacturers—behind only Chevrolet and Ford. After GM ceased all racing activities in 1963, Pontiac hardly missed a beat. In 1964, the GTO was released, and a new market segment (the muscle car) was born, which sent the competition back to the drawing boards. In addition, Pontiac continued to create iconic muscle cars, including the 2+2, the Ram-Air GTO and Firebird, the Trans Am, the Judge, and the Firebird Formula. Re-live Pontiac’s golden era with Pontiac Performance 1960–1974: The Era of the Super Duty, H.O., & Ram Air Drag & Muscle Cars!
A violent impact with a car leaves Ellis Landis unconscious and bleeding on a dark desert road, and the driver is shocked to find the man naked, with nothing more than a strange metal device clutched in his hands. The device, for some unexplainable reason, meant everything. After waking in the hospital, Landis finds he has lost his memory. As events continue to unfold around him, he senses his life is in danger. Doctor Elisha Sienna, guided by sinister military forces, tries to recover his memory and gain access to the earth-shattering secret that is locked in his mind. But she is not alone. A radical terrorist group-The Enigma-wants their key holder back. Again the word exploded in his mind - Enigma - it meant everything and nothing all at once. The whole thing was an enigma, a riddle he had to solve. He was sure he was part of something bigger, something important and that he and the device were at the heart of it. While fleeing from a set of bizarre experiments and violent torture, Ellis slowly recovers the dark secrets of his paranoid mind-secrets that could mean the difference between life and death for all humankind.
Smokey Yunick's Power Secrets is a unique milestone from the acknowledged master of no-nonsense engine development. Henry "Smokey" Yunick is a living legend in racing circles, and in this book he explains race-engine preparation in the direct and unrelenting style that is his singular trademark. From carburetors to shop tools, Smokey tells it like it is. This book is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; a classic that you'll enjoy reading again and again.
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.
An absorbing account of the record industry's worst nightmare. In the summer of 1969, Great White Wonder, a collection of unreleased Bob Dylan recordings appeared in Los Angeles. It was the first rock bootleg and it spawned an entire industry dedicated to making unofficial recordings available to true fans. Bootleg! tells the whole fascinating saga, from its underground infancy through the CD 'protection gap' era, when its legal status threatened the major labels' monopoly, to the explosion of trading via Napster and Gnutella on MP-3 files. Clinton Heylin provides a highly readable account of the busts, the defeats and victories in court; the personalities – many interviewed for the first time for this book. This classic history has now been updated and revised to include today's digital era and the emergence of a whole new bootleg culture.
The process of building 4-stroke engines to a professional standard, from selecting materials and planning work, right through to methods of final assembly and testing, written for the DIY engine builder in an easy-to-understand style, and supported by approximately 200 photographs and original drawings. Containing five engine inspection and build sheets, and the contact details of approximately 45 specialist manufacturers and motorsport suppliers, the book explains build methods common to all 4-stroke engines, rather than specific makes or models. An essential purchase for all engine-building enthusiasts.
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.