’70 TIME MACHINE: REBEL WITH A CAUSE

Posted on April 27, 2026 by MartynL

Packed with a 340-horsepower, 390-cubic-inch V-8 and breathed on by Hurst, the ’70 TIME MACHINE: REBEL WITH A CAUSE was AMC’s maximum muscle. AMC’s representation in the 1970 Supercar Sweepstakes was a limited-build Rebel “Machine”. Produced by Hurst, the boxy cars were powered by an upgraded 390/340 Ram Air engines with four-speeds and 3.54 rears. The ’70 TIME MACHINE: REBEL WITH A CAUSE was introduced at the October 1969 National Hot Rod Association World Championship Drag Race, in Dallas, T...

’62 PLYMOUTH 413 MAX WEDGE MUSCLECAR

Posted on August 1, 2025August 1, 2025 by MartynL

Whatever the ’62 PLYMOUTH 413 MAX WEDGE MUSCLECAR lacked in style, it more than made up for with Super/Stock performance! In 1957, the Automobile Manufacturers Association’s ban on member auto racing participation and promotion was about as effective as the United Nations! Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors signed on, but never actually stopped developing and producing high-performance engines and “supporting” racers. Many of the high-performance brake, chassis, and suspension packages were ini...

’64 FORD 427 GALAXIE

Posted on July 26, 2025July 26, 2025 by MartynL

Ford continues its Win On Sunday, Sell on Monday marketing mantra, with a packed performance portfolio including an updated ’64 FORD 427 GALAXIE. In 1964, Ford carried over its winning ways with new engines, race-only cars available for purchase, a game-changing Mustang, and aggressive dealer marketing and advertising programs. “It is the full intent of the Ford Division to continue its total commitment to open competition during the 1964 model year. For only under the conditions exi...

PACERS’ TASMANIAN DEVIL

Posted on February 22, 2025February 22, 2025 by MartynL

The original 1960s PACERS’ TASMANIAN DEVIL has been found and restored by a team led by Scott Snizek, son of the driver – George Snizek – of the NHRA national-record-holding, Hemi-powered AA/Altered. My relationship with Pacers Auto, Charlie Dodge, George Snizek, and TAZ - the PACERS’ TASMANIAN DEVIL AA/A - dates back to 1963 and 1964 when I was covering the NHRA Indy Nationals for CUSTOM RODDER and CARS magazines. That’s when and where I first met Charlie & George. Late in 1964, we...

FLATHEADS FOREVER: HISTORY OF HOT RODDING

Posted on October 4, 2024 by MartynL

Henry Ford’s Flathead V-8, introduced in 1932, gave power to the people. It was more than just a bigger engine: FLATHEADS FOREVER: HISTORY OF HOT RODDING, and the rodders & racers responsible for making it happen. Until the advent of modern OHV V-8 engines in 1949, Ford’s Flathead V-8 was the enthusiast’s engine of choice. It still is for traditional ‘old-school’ hot rodders, and competitors in Pre-War class road racing. It’s truly an “evergreen” story: FLATHEADS FOREVER: HISTORY OF...

MOTION MINICAR VW THUNDERBUG

Posted on October 15, 2022October 15, 2022 by MartynL

After setting records for two years in Baldwin-Motion’s A/MP Camaro, in 1970 Bill Mitchell shrinks the Supercar and continues his winning ways driving the MOTION MINICAR VW THUNDERBUG. New model introductions for 1970 reinforced Detroit’s accelerating love affair with performance. It was a new decade and carmakers continued seducing buyers with the most powerful Ponycars and Supercars yet. It was a boom year for Motown Muscle. And it was a record year for Baldwin-Motion and Motion Perfor...

SHELBY GT350: MUSTANG WITH COBRA BITE!

Posted on July 1, 2022July 1, 2022 by MartynL

Converting a 1965-’66 Mustang into a SHELBY GT350: MUSTANG WITH COBRA BITE! may not have been rocket science - but the results were: Sound, fury and the SCCA B/Production National Championship. Ford market surveys revealed that a sizeable percentage of young Mustang shoppers who didn’t buy Mustangs, did buy Corvettes and imported sports cars. Marketing manager, Bob Johnson, shared the details with Ray Geddes at Ford Special Vehicles Activity. At the time, there was a small, low-profile ...

STUDE-A-SHAKER: IT’S A GAS-GAS-GAS!

Posted on May 11, 2021May 12, 2021 by MartynL

Tony LaPolla channeled his 1960s Gasser heroes – Stone, Woods & Cook – when he built the STUDE-A-SHAKER: IT'S A GAS-GAS-GAS! Koufax, Clemente & Mays: Baseball legends who were heroes to legions of young guys in the 1960s – but not Tony LaPolla. It wasn't the crack of the bat that made his heart race, but rather the crackle of the supercharged 448-inch Oldsmobile motor powering a wicked '41 Willys Gasser – owned and campaigned by barnstorming drag racers Stone, Woods & Cook. The lege...

FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP

Posted on May 2, 2021May 2, 2021 by MartynL

If you are truly interested in the birth and evolution of hot rodding, the speed equipment industry and drag racing in America, Bob McClurg’s FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP is THE book to read! If there’s anyone who should be teaching Hot Rodding 101 at your local community college, it’s Bob McClurg! He’s an accomplished photographer, scribe, author and a true student of the evolution of hot rodding and drag racing - from four-cylinder and Flathead and OHV V8 revolutions, through mo...

COPO CAMARO: HERITAGE & HORSEPOWER!

Posted on July 28, 2019 by MartynL

Before there was a COPO ZL1 Camaro and later an RPO ZL1 Corvette in 1969, Duntov’s aluminum Mark IV program had already generated engines for Can-Am racing. The third ZL1 Camaro built was yellow and ordered by Berger Chevrolet. COPO CAMARO: HERITAGE & HORSEPOWER! Although Duntov championed aluminum heads and lightweight engines for the Corvette, the first “production” use of the ZL1 was in the 1969 COPO (9560) Camaro, not the Corvette. Credit for the ZL1 Camaro goes to Vince Piggins, worki...