Now 1946 generally wasn’t that exciting as far as new car models. The war just ended and the many of the car manufacturers were recovering from the wartime conversion, they had a lot of Uncle Sam’s money, but no much time to make “new” tooling for creating new sheet metal. So many of the cars were just spruced up. Chrysler was not different.
Their main offerings was the Royal series, Windsor series, the Saratoga series and the New Yorker series. The Royal cam in 3, 6 and 8 passenger and a Limo!!! The Windsor came in 3, 6, 8 passengers and the Town and Country tossed in there was a 2 door convertible. The Saratoga came in 3 and 6 passenger and the New Yorker came in 3 and 6 passenger and the Town and Country 4 door and 2 door convertible.
1946 Convertible
46 Royal
There engines were basically 6 cylinder and 8.
The Royal and Windsor engines was an L6. It had a cast iron block with a bore and stroke of 3.438 x 4.5. It displaced 250.6 cubic inches and had a compression of 6.6:1 (not huge when the shipping weight was 3,000 plus). It was able to produce 114 hp and sported four main bearings, solid lifters. It was topped with either the Fluid Drive (B-B VE1 – Ev2) or Vacumatic (E7L4) carb.
The Saratoga and New Yorker had an L8. This engine too, had the cast iron block, but displaced 323.5 cubic inches and sported a bore of 3.25 and a stroke of 4.875 inches producing 6.7:1 compression. With the 5 main bearings, solid lifters and topped with B-B E7A1 carb could produce 135 hp.
In some cases, a slew of random images just don’t do a build any justice. Case in point, this well-done footage of Yannick Sire’s dual-engined, open-wheeled speed machine. As a gearhead, you’re probably well aware that the birth of hot rodding was nurtured from the sunny west coast of Southern California. It’s there you’ll find custom rod builders like George Barris and the infamous S0-Cal Speed Shop.
Following along in their footsteps, Yannick Sire is not only taking inspiration from those before him but indeed, pushing it beyond most peoples comfort levels. We couldn’t help but post such an amazing build. Although this might not run bottom 11s at the track or clip an amazing lap time during an autocross course, its pretty awesome.
If this doesn’t inspire you, we aren’t quite sure what will. For the most part, we’ll let the video do most of the talking on this one. West Los Angeles rod builder, Yannick Sire has reinvigorated the West Coast’s tradition of radical street rodding with his full-custom hot rod, a hybrid creation of many different parts from different cars.
Sire, is truly an inspirational genius. Sire even hand-crafted each of the 16 individual header tubes himself.
The real trademark, however, of Sire’s custom rod are the two, 450-horse Chevy small-blocks, both outfitted with a heavy-breathing set of Air Flow Research (AFR) cylinder heads. Not only does this combination sound amazing, its equaling out to fire-breathing 16 cylinders.
Sire’s wheel choice consists of a 20 x 9.5-/20 x 10.5-inch front/rear combination from an ’02-’03, BMW X5. The Continental tires are P275/35R20 and P315/35R20, respectively. The front suspension uses custom, unequal length A-arms with second-gen Camaro, two-inch drop spindles.
Since slowing down is just as, if not more important, Sire upgraded the braking system to 14-inch Corvette Z06 on all four corners. Stering is handled by a Subaru STI rack-and-pinion. At the front of Sire’s V16 rod are a set of QA1 coilovers with a rate of 650 lb/in, and the completed vehicle weighs in at an estimated 2500 pounds.
For the last several years in the performance craft, we’ve had made the general statement that there are two ways to make any car or truck go fast: make it lighter or else more powerful. In the case of Yannick Sire and his 16-cylinder hot rod, both principles have been exercised to the absolute extreme!
I love reading about cars. While reading a book entitled “CAR WARS” by Mantle, I ran across some interesting cars. So I thought I’d toss down some notes on them see what you think.
The first one was called the Tatra T87 and it was actually a Czech car, built in the city of Koprivnica. During WWII it was occupied by the Germans. Stories have it that the V8 was too much for the German officers could handle and “so many were killed the German high command” ordered the factory to stop producing the cars.
After the war of course the Russians, by agreement with the Allies, got control of the Czech country and had the Tatra T87 produced. The Tatra painted in Russian colors were used to smuggle out scientist from behind the Iron Curtain. Part of the agreement with the Allies was that each party was allowed to drive from Austria to Czechoslovakia freely. The West German intelligence would transport the “specially painted” T87’s in an enclosed van and then unload them, grab the scientists and drive back to Austria in Tatras painted with Russian colors unchecked.
So what the heck did this cars look like? What were the spec? Take a look!!
The finned T87
Image is from the Lane Motor Museum
It was powered by technically advanced 2.9 liter air-cooled overhead cam V8 produced 85 hp, and had a top speed of over 100 mph. (Image from the Lane Motor Museum)
Listen if it’s a Corvette and you want to make it go faster…I’m fine with that. Who cares, why you want to make it go faster?
From http://www.corvetteonline.com
What would possess someone to create a Corvette with over 2,200 horsepower? Does it really matter? With an amazing feat like that, we didn’t think so. Take a look at the unbelievable Top Speed C5 Z06 that has over three times the amount of horsepower as a modern ZR1 at the April Ohio Mile event in the Wyldfantasies Media Studios video above.
Built by Hinson Motorsports, “Record Hunter” is among the most powerful Corvettes we’ve ever seen and there’s reason for that. Bringing the car to its astounding 2,246 HP rating at 7,800 RPM is a massive build the crew completed back in March.
Under the car’s hood you’ll find a 427 cubic inch RHS Aluminum Tall Deck Block assembled and machined by Butler Performance. Stuffed inside this block are aluminum connecting rods, Diamond pistons and a Callies Ultra Center Counter Weight Billet Camshaft, as well as a custom high capacity oil pan from Doug Lee Engineuity.
Making up the engine’s top end are TEA-ported Trick Flow 245cc heads, Crower roller rocker arms, COMP Cam pushrods, a custom COMP solid roller camshaft and a GM EFI carb-style intake manifold. But these components alone aren’t what gives Record Hunter its massive amount of horsepower.
That extra boost comes from an intricate custom turbocharger system featuring a 118mm turbo, custom air to water intercooler, Tial wastegate and blow off valves, and a 5-inch downpipe all working to the tune of 34 PSI manifold pressure.
Of course, a build like this makes for extra fuel needs, which the team has dialed in using a Holley Dominator EFI system and Bosch 160 pound-per-hour injectors, as well as a regulator and fuel pumps from Fuelab.
The whole build is backed by a RPM-built TR6060 transmission with a SPEC twin disc clutch and an RPM ZR1 differential with Quaife LSD.
Surprisingly, the Corvette looks relatively like the C5 production car it started out as, minus the modified hood, roll cage and custom adjustable rear wing, of course. But obviously, looks can be deceiving. And 18-inch wheels from True Forged Wheels wrapped in Hoosier R6 rubber make sure that as much of Record Hunter’s power as possible is delivered successfully to the ground to turn heads like no other C5 can do.
After completing the build in March, the Hinson Motorsports crew took Record Hunter to the Ohio Mile, an East Coast Timing Association event in Wilmington, Ohio on April 29th to see what it could do. As the first standing mile event the Corvette raced at since its build, the April Ohio Mile proved to be a great tuning opportunity for the crew since the mile race was speed-limited to 150 MPH.
It may not look too far off from stock, but Record Hunter packs nearly 2,000 more horsepower than a stock C5 Z06.
As the car’s name suggests, future goals for Record Hunter are to set new standing mile records. With a car potentially capable of topping out at over 250 MPH, we’re sure Hinson Motorsports will be making history with the car this season. Be sure to watch out for Record Hunter at any of the standing mile events this year. To check out some in-car footage of the first standing mile pass the Corvette did since its build, watch the video below.
1976 I was a senior in high school, that was the year I had my first tasting of racing – not legal. My ’66 Impala against a Mustang ( a 1973 Mach I) and I got dusted, well almost, the knuckle head (he was a friend) stopped for a red light, I didn’t. My little 283, 2bbl engine (about 195 hp) was hauling about the same curb weight as the Mach I with its 351 CJ engine (about 266 hp) the outcome was certain. But traffic lights are the great equalizer!!!
But would it have had a different outcome if I was racing the new’s Mustang offering for 1976? Let’s see.
If looks were matched with speed, the 1976 Mustang would open of a can of whoop a$$ on my plain jane Impala. With the look of the Stallion Trim or the Cobra II you’d think they were carrying a no less than a V6 and hopefully a V8.
Cobra II
A spin on the original Hurtz rental Mustang.
Cobra II in Blue
Stallion Trim Package for 1976 (I’ve seen this paint job on a couple of Pintos too.)
But underneath the Shelby type exterior or the Hurtz type color palate the cool exterior lay a 4 cylinder engine, nothing special. But with Carrol Shelby’s endorsements and Farrah Fawcett driving one on TV the Cobra II (which was intended to be limited to only 5,000 units) sold over 25k units.
But with the best engine you could shove under the hood, my 283 would’ve made pretty easy work of the 1976 Mustang.
Fresh out of WWII the America car industry was facing the challenge of converting back to peace time auto production. This as a huge task and the pressure was on, because if the average American owned a car there was a good change (50%) that it was 9 years old or older and needed replacing. Materials were still in short supply, money wasn’t and to ensure that stayed the case most of the car company merely refreshed their 1942 cars. Toss in labor issue and you can understand how tough the situations was.
Ford lead the 17 manufacturers that year with 468,022 units produced. Chevy followed second with 398,028 cars. The others followed as such:
Now here’s a brand you don’t see much in print. Nash produced some very distinctive cars and as many of you know the company eventually morphed into AMC that brought us some great models like the Javelin and some interesting cars like the Gremblin.
For 1957 Nash produced the Ambassador in a couple of variations, Custom 4 door and the Super Country Club 2 door coupe (all Series 80s).
1957 Ambassador Custom
The other offering was the Rambler, which came in a couple of versions as well, the Custom 4 door (Series 20) and the Rebel (that name rings a bell…yes? AMC Rebel?) 4 door (Series 30) and they added a station wagon as well, the Super Cross Country (Series 10 w/6 cylinder).
’57 Nash Rambler
Yup..the Super Cross Country Rambler Wagon
These were all powered by one of the following engines.
Ambassador V8 which was an overhead valve configuration with cast iron block. 327 CID with bore of 4 x 3.25 and compression of 9.0:1. Making 255 hp with hydraulic lifters and a Carter 4bbl WCFB-2593SA carb. Hey it had dual exhaust!!
Ramber V8 which was 250 CID, overhead valve, cast iron block power plant. The 3.5X 3.25 bore and stroke with a 8.0:1 compression ratio help produce 190 hp. It had no-adjustable hydraulic lifters and a Carter 2bbl model WGD-2352SA carb.
Ramber Rebel V8 which displaces 326 cubic inches rated at 255 hp and identical to the Ambassador V8 but with Solid lifters.
Lastly here was the Rambler Six. It was an inline (straight) 6 cylinder, iron block engine with a bore and stroke of 3 1/8 x 4.25 inches. This helped create a compression ratio of 8.25:1 and 125 hp. It was fitted with a one barrel Carter carb, model AS-2580S. There was an option that could be order that s was called the Power Pack which was really just a 2bbl carb that added 10 more horse power (135). That extra boost would help when hauling around 3034 lbs wagon.
