Chrysler's Motown Missile: MoparÕs Secret Engineering Program in the Dawn of Pro Stock

Author: Geoff Stunkard
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 161325475X
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 177

Book Description
Relive Mopar’s skunkworks racing team and its rise to dominance in this fascinating history! The drama of 1970s Chrysler Pro Stock drag racing unfolds in this new book, which focuses on the racing and technological evolution of the legendary Motown Missile and Mopar Missile racing programs from 1970 to 1977. Unequaled by any other drag racing development program, this was a huge undertaking in term of time, money, and effort. The 1970s saw great change in Detroit and in auto racing, with Pro Stock being a huge draw for fans. Chrysler racing historian and author Geoff Stunkard presents a chronological recollection, drawing from many interviews and summaries of the actual technical efforts that the factory accomplished and including both rare, unpublished technical and personal images from the team members and some of the most dramatic images taken by the sport’s best photographers. From the earliest days of owner/engine builder Ted Spehar, factory engineer Tom Hoover, and driver Don Carlton, the narrative is a colorful look at the team’s inner workings, programs, victories, and even defeats. Set against a backdrop of characters like Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, “Dandy Dick” Landy, and “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Carlton’s driving prowess had few equals. Indeed, called by one period scribe as a “cyborg,” the likeable pilot would pay the ultimate price as a drag racing driver. From the Challengers and `Cuda to the Demons and Colts, the book showcases the cars that made Chrysler so much a part of this racing era, as well as Ted Spehar’s never-before-revealed information on the 1970s Pro Stock engine program.

Chrysler's Motown Missile

Author: Geoffrey F. Stunkard
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781613256398
Category : Chrysler automobile
Languages : en
Pages : 307

Book Description
"This book provides information on Mopar's skunkworks racing team and its rise to dominance in 1970s Pro Stock drag racing, and it includes the racing and technological evolution of the legendary Motown Missile and Mopar Missile racing programs"--

How to Build Max-Performance Mopar Big Blocks

Author: Andrew Finkbeiner
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1934709034
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 133

Book Description
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.

Drag Racing in the 1960s

Author: Doug Boyce
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613255829
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 176

Book Description
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.

Landy's Dodges

Author: Geoff Stunkard
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 161325248X
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 178

Book Description
One of the greatest innovators of his time, Dick Landy was one of those guys who made you rush back to your seat from the concessions stand so you could watch him navigate the 1320. Win, lose, or draw, watching one of Landy's Dodges battling the likes of Ronnie Sox, "Grumpy" Jenkins, or Hubert Platt was worth the price of admission alone. Landy's Dodges: The Mighty Mopars of "Dandy" Dick Landy takes you chronologically through the cars of Dick's career, from piloting his first mount (1954 Ford Pickup) through his historic years of campaigning Dodges. Chrysler racing historian and author Geoff Stunkard presents a highly detailed account of Dick's cars, including results and images from the Landy family's personal archive and modern shots of his restored cars. In addition to coverage of Dick's 1964 S/S Dodge and 1968 Hemi Dart, scarce info about his Ford Galaxies and Plymouth Savoy is included as well. At no other time has Landy's entire career been chronicled and cataloged in print with this much attention to detail. Sit back in your recliner (wheels up) and enjoy the most comprehensive book on the history of "Dandy" Dick Landy and his cars.

How to Build Big-Inch Mopar Small-Blocks

Author: Jim Szilagyi
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1932494065
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 146

Book Description
At one time, if you wanted big horsepower in your Mopar muscle car or truck, your choices were limited to a big-block swap or a coveted Hemi. At the very least, you need different engine mounts, K-members, transmissions, headers, etc. - and Hemis have never been cheap! But now there's another way to get more horsepower: boring and stroking your Mopar small-block to get more cubic inches - up to 476 cubes! The small-block Mopar is one of the easiest engines to increase displacement without extensive modifications or specialized machine work - the engine was practically designed for more cubes. This book shows you how to get that big-cube power, then it shows you how to optimize the small-block's other systems - induction, heads, valvetrain, ignition, exhaust, and more - to make the most of the extra cubic inches. Book jacket.

How to Rebuild the Big-Block Mopar

Author: Arvid Svendsen
Publisher: S-A Design
ISBN: 9781934709375
Category : Automobiles
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Clear, concise stp-by-step instructions guide you through each crucial stage of the rebuild process. You will be able to confidently complete the rebuild of an entire engine.

Dyno Don

Author: Doug Boyce
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 1613254059
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 177

Book Description
Many fans of drag racing consider the most interesting era to be from the 1950s through the 1970s, the years when the sport really took off. During that period, so much changed from a speed and technology standpoint that people often refer to this time as the golden age of drag racing. Drivers often became associated with a particular manufacturer, such as Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler through sponsorship, factory team rides, or sometimes simply their own preference. The more successful drivers became household names in the drag racing community. Chevy had Grumpy Jenkins, Pontiac had Arnie "the Farmer" Beswick, Mopar had Sox & Martin and Dandy Dick Landy, and Ford's most successful driver of the era was the legendary "Dyno Don" Nicholson. Nicholson's first wins on a national level were actually in the early 1960s in Chevrolet products. He became extremely successful on the match-race circuit. Then, in 1964, he switched over to Mercury with the new Comet after General Motors enacted a factory ban on racing activities. He won 90 percent of his match races that year. He stuck with Ford and Mercury products and won throughout the 1960s and 1970s, even after Ford also pulled the plug on factory team sponsorship. He made it to the final rounds in nearly 50 national events during that period, in addition to winning championships, awards, and match races along the way. If you are a fan of a certain era of racing, a Ford fan, or certainly a "Dyno Don" fan, this book will be a welcome addition to your library.

Hemi

Author: Geoff Stunkard
Publisher: Cartech, Incorporated
ISBN: 9781613251881
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
"Employing a talented team of engineers, Chrysler refined the hemispherical chamber design and created an engine that produced towering performance. Whether the Hemi was installed in a Charger, Super Bee, Barracuda, Superbird, or any number of other cars, the engine dominated in NHRA, NASCAR, and other forms of competition. And in a production car, the Hemi also became one of the most feared engines on the street. ... By the end of the 1964 Grand National Season, Hemi-powered cars amassed 26 race victories, and that was only the beginning. NASCAR stars, such as Richard Petty, Bobby Isaac, and David Pearson, piloted the 426 Hemi-equipped Dodge Charger 500, Charger Daytona, Plymouth Superbird, and other Chrysler stock cars to many victories and championships. In addition, Hemi-powered cars set speed run records at the Bonneville Salt Flats."--Jacket.

Mopar Factory Drag Cars 61-72

Author: Steve Holmes
Publisher: CarTech Inc
ISBN: 9781613257227
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Blast down the quarter mile in your favorite 413 Long Ram, 426 Max Wedge, and 426 Hemi in Mopar Factory Drag Cars: Dodge & Plymouth's Quarter-Mile Domination 1962-1972! Stock-based drag racing throughout the 1960s demanded that the cars competing on the track be genuine production models and that they could be purchased by anyone. The strict regulations dictated total commitment from the manufacturers if they were to be successful. No one was more committed than Chrysler. Chrysler attacked Stock (Super Stock) drag racing in the 1960s with the same fervor as it did the NASCAR Grand National, which itself spawned the reintroduction of the Hemi engine. Its engineers designed and produced a new factory Super Stock turnkey race car most years throughout the decade and enjoyed absolute success on the track, forever cementing its legendary performance status. The introduction of Pro Stock in 1970 brought with it exciting heads-up racing with the expectation of producing multiple winners from a variety of brands. Instead, it resulted in total Mopar supremacy, as Hemi-powered Chrysler cars won 12 of the 15 national races throughout the first two years, prompting the NHRA to introduce weight breaks to scupper the Chrysler domination. The new 1972 regulations favored small-block-powered compact cars and were the first major step toward Pro Stock spiraling away from its roots and into the tube-frame silhouette formula seen today. Racing historian Steve Holmes delves into this fascinating period, capturing the careers of the Ramchargers, Melrose Missile, Bud Faubel, Dick Landy, Sox & Martin, Herb McCandless, Don Grotheer, Motown Missile, and countless others, providing a blow-by-blow account of Chrysler's factory drag car programs and the incredible cars it produced to trounce its rivals during the most epic era in Stock drag racing history.