Hot Rods Does Preformance Really matter anymore

If you are anything like me, you already know every intersection within a ten mile radius of your home that has a camera on it...They are actually really easy to spot. And running red lights is just asking to get a corolla embedded in your door.

 

My opinion only here. I know a lot of folks can get all wadded up. Not trying to put anyone else down or persuade anybody but for me-

I'm with you! I'm 46. I've been drag racing since the late 80's. I built my '32 to do one thing... put a shit-eating grin on my face every damn time I'm behind the wheel. "In the sprirt" of a 60's altered drag car. Never tried to be truly period correct. More as a flavor. Big motor, big power, no weight, reliable. I drive mine. Took it to the bank the other day. A guy comes out and says "If its steel you're going to make me real happy." Well, I'm happy to disappoint. Dork. Line up yours and watch me disappear. I didn't build it to get anyone else's approval. Guess who don't give a ___k? Its glass because I WANTED GLASS. Because race car duh! Not money. If I build a gasser next or a '32 Bantam roadster altered... it'll be glass.. at least the tilt nose on the gasser anyways. I dig on all the old drag cars from way back. That's where my heart is. I dig on the old power plants. Love them to death. But like many have said here too many "normal", modern cars can just make those combos look silly without even trying in an acceleration contest. What is the sense in having a rod that looks all bad ass that gets mopped by a damn honda with a fart can?!? That's just heart breaking. Not mine. If it makes me an untrue HAMBer to run a 429 type mill, so be it. But I'll be gapping them new cars while roasting the towel city cheaters and just slightly sideways... And looking old school doing it.

I know drag racing isn't the be all end all to everybody. I get that of course. Lots of guy build cruisers, etc. I love them as well. Just not for me specifically.

 

that's funny, my Chevy II is all steel, because I couldn't afford 'glass! Different decade, different parts cost situation

 

Performance matters to an extent for me, it's not my be-all, end-all goal. My main goal is to look awesome at all times, and run reliably to get me where I want to go without issues. If there is a performance element to those, then it's a bonus. I've chosen engine combinations that provide adequate, and sometimes more than adequate power to achieve my goals, but sometimes pure performance is at odds with my two main goals, so compromises have to be made. I'd personally gladly sacrifice a few horsepower to run cool on a hot day, drive smoothly for hours on end, not be a stumbling mess at idle in traffic and not beat me or my passengers up on trips. I do not build cars to be slow, they all need to be souped-up enough to do battle in modern day traffic, roll along comfortably at 80+ mph and lay rubber. The reality for me is, if I want to go real fast, I just grab the keys to my FIL's '07 Shelby GT500 with a TVS blower and water/meth injection (which dyno'ed over 750 hp to the wheels) and take that for a spin. There aren't many cars on the street, new or old, that can keep up with it.

 

Still kinda matters to me. I am a form follows function sort of a guy, it don't get louvers if it don't need 'em type.

 

Always smooth, calm and to the point thank-you. When you can spin numbers at the drag's & DRIVE multiple INTERSTATES for days on end is when you have the bases truly covered in multi tasking one car's ability.

 

My main ride is a Harley powered older Buell..An American hot rod bike but only 12 flat 1/4 mile times.
I don't know anyone with a mega HP older car/truck but I do see them from time to time.
The clutch pedal complaints are valid for those with a left leg issue. As mentioned the dual discs can help and are what is used in newer 650 HP Vettes and Vipers.

 

Read thru post #187 and I've learned we are not ALL ALIKE. Caught a break. I guess it has a lot to do with when we got started in this obsession, and where, with what. I did the horsepower thing for awhile---broken parts are bad. I got my first car in '57 and it was a '40 coupe. 59AB, straight pipes, 39 Ford box, bigs and littles--pretty Spartan. Now I have what I expect is my last car; '40 sedan, a/c, auto, Must 2. Guess I don't really fit any tradition, but if there is one I won't be without, it's the V8 rumble.

 

Well, the good old new version of HAMB has once again failed to notify me of additional posts on this thread.
Falcon George, one of my fellow SFCC members "Tudor" has a McCleod dual disc in his '32 5wdw "Can O Worms" behind the 6-71 blown 383 stroker SBC, and he likes it. Don't think he's had any trouble with it, but he runs Rader slicks when he drags it, and recap cheater slicks on the street, Hurst, I think.
May go that way eventually, need to try out his clutch to see if it helps me. I had some extensive back surgery a few years ago and never got all the strength back into the muscles that are connected up and used when you depress a clutch with the ball of your foot. Seems to work much better using my heel, just kinda awkward. My roadster, BGII, has a McCleod 10.5" diaphragm clutch 5that's pretty stout, and my SBF powered '40 coupe has a 10.5 Ford Motorsport that is also a bit stiff, but not as stiff as the McCleod.
Use slicks when I drag the roadster, and have never had the '40 on strip. Intend to talk to folks @ Mcleod about the dual disc setups when and if a need to replace either setup.
Does your friend drive that 5.0 Mustang regularly on the street?

 

"The reality for me is, if I want to go real fast, I just grab the keys to my FIL's '07 Shelby GT500 with a TVS blower and water/meth injection (which dyno'ed over 750 hp to the wheels) and take that for a spin. There aren't many cars on the street, new or old, that can keep up with it."

See? that for me... THAT right there gives me a chubby! Win, loose, draw.... I could care. I just LOVE the thrill of running against stuff like that. I keep thinking it'll pass.... it's just a stage. It won't let go. Truth be known, I'd prefer it to be 750rwhp in a gasser, but I certainly like the new stangs (wife has a modded out Roush 428R actually). To me, why in God's good name would I ever desire to drive my '32 for hours on an interstate? Its like squeezing into a microwave and throwing it down a ski jump. I'd MUCH rather be in my F-250 for spacious comfort on a long haul, towing the '32. Then get there and unload and have fun. So it's single purpose only.

 

Wrong era... That's more of a late 40s-to-mid-50s build. When the Chevrolet V8 came out in '55, that pretty much killed the sixes as viable 'performance' motors, along with their main competition the flathead Ford. The era of the overhead V8 had fully arrived and you rarely saw hopped-up sixes featured except as 'class' motors from racers by the early 60s.

 

Ask your buddy if you can take his tudor for a spin around the block a couple times. See if its for you.

 

Performance is now a relationship of daily driving and being able to pass better than others! I do not race anymore and doubt if i will again. Do I still get a chubby when I hear an uncorked, big cammed v-8, hell yes! Do I want to drive it everyday? Hell no! I want to be able to smoke the guy next to me at the freeway on-ramp light, move about traffic at will, handle corners and mountain roads effortlessly and lay just a little rubber when i want. AND I want to get over 25 mpg doing it. So gut wrenching performance is a thing of the past for me and most. Two of my rides I am currently putting LS3's in them and one an C5 suspension to get this effect . They are not pretty or traditional, but then again, neither am i!

 

Short answer would be: HELL YES IT MATTERS!

My thought is, if your going to call your car a "Hotrod", it should be able to beat something.

 

Read this whole thing this afternoon, and a bit surprised that most've passed on making the distinctions that're most obvious.

Performance? In what respect?

Raw power & speed fetish?
Get the newest, biggest engine you can find, pop'er in the lightest shell you can find (any age), push on the loud pedal. Call it hot rodding, and spurn anyone doing anything different.

Classic raw power & speed fetish?
Do the same, but limit yourself to a specific time period in history for your equipment and mods. Call it hot rodding, and spurn anyone doing anything different.

Classic Brand/Style power & speed fetish?
As above, but further limit yourself by brand and/or engine type. Call it hot rodding, and spurn anyone doing anything different.

Classic era fetish? To the above, add the limitations of denying yourself any non-era/non-period equipment or procedures. Call it hot rodding, and spurn anyone doing anything different.

Personally, I enjoy getting the most out of an old mill, limiting myself to parts and techniques from that mill's era, and doing it all myself as was typically done in my era of choice. Guess that puts me in that fourth category. So, being of that fourth persuasion myself, I'm required to classify the rest of ya as not true hot rodders. And you of course, have to deny me as a true rodder as well. Bit silly, ain't it?

Can "performance" be within a set of limitations and still be pure? Of course.

 

performance does not matter to me. maybe if I had more money, but even then I'd never have a street car faster than my old Kawasaki. very few cars are more fun than a 10 second bike.

 

The 261 did not come out until 54.

Some people did not trust the small block Chevrolet (Stu Hillborn being one) due to the fact it did not have shaft mounted rockers.

My great grandfather was a Chevrolet man and he would not have a a Chevrolet V8.

Steve Danish ran 261's until the mid 60's and did well.

 

One of my projects is a nice '54 Ford Coupe, (the 11th of a long string of 'em)
My son Rich bought it for me for Father's day a few years back. I was given a 360 High Nickel Ford FE, son Rich donated some new 406 pistons and a set of LeMans rods. This '54 is to 'replace' my nice white Customline I put a 427 side oiler in around 1968. (I 'feather-footed' it, with its '54 Overdrive trans)

This '54 has a T150 heavy duty 3 speed with the Jeep tower, to keep it 'era-like'...406 solid cam, reworked C3 heads, 2X4 intake, Mallory dual point 'crab'... Pretty 'neat', but reality suggests it will just keep up with traffic.
I expect to get it into the low 12s, but not first time out...The sheer noise of the valve train and the way it 'clears out' at 2,000 RPM with that induction 'Roar' the big FEs make...plus the nonchalant shifting of the tall stick...
Just 'cool to drive', nice and clean, but 'husky'.
Cool for a 19 year old back in '61, hope it's cool enough for a 72 year old nowadays.
(This was going to be the 'family car'. Now, with 406...Shit. It's just right for the 'family car').
Ve get sho shoon oldt, und sho late schmart. -old German proverb

 

Factoid: some one went to the effort of mounting y-block ford rockers on the new chev v8..HRM I think covered it..

Local Silver 6 ran GMC 320 cube against the v8's [Sportsman class, not sure cube limit] into the mid-late 70's, car did really well....Car is still around, innovative suspension..

 

I recall seeing that at some point.

 

Performance (fast hot rod) means so much to me that I run a modern4/5 spd manual Trans behind my flatmotors(big inch strokers) so I can grab a gear and not have to worry about "destroying" my cheesy early Ford transmissions or early Ford rear end.I run nine inch Fords just so I can pop the clutch and not worry about the quality of the rear end components.I have never run a fan on any of my flatheads because fans take 5-8 h.p. Away from an engine that has a "small amount of h.p. As a stocker" to begin with. I am 67 years old and have enjoyed a lifetime of "performance built FLATMOTORS surrounded by a bulletproof drivetrain.In other words,I drive them HARD and expect great performance from them.

 

Thinking performance still matters, but we are living in different times, today we can buy a performance car that is faster than gassers back in the day (60's), get 25+ mpg w/ the a/c running. Most of us have matured in our driving and a ground pounding hot rod is Kool, but where are you going to use it (drag strip ?), get a few speeding tickets, your insurance rates will put tears in your eyes, w/ huge hole in pocket book. This car hobby (obsession) is a life time affliction, would not do it any different, still having FUN, CAR CRAZY !!!

 

Smokey Yunick said he didn't like the 55 Chevy ball stud rockers .. The head of Chevy Engineering told him if he could find more power with shaft rockers ,Chevy would offer them as a limited option. Yunick said he pounded engines on the dyno and found zero HP gain with shaft rockers...That was then...The ball rocker on the Chevy problem was it's inability to hold up for long durations at high rpm..
In line 6 GMC and Chevy were competitive on dirt short tracks when all out power wasn't necessary. The theory is the same for flat track motorcycle racing ,less cylinders equals more traction on dirt.

 

I was in the group that used the phrase if it doesn't go chrome it .

as for reliability , when I build I can make it reliable and powerfull by making choices on what I want , if its a motor I tear down once a year , race only parts will be used , but if its a motor that I want some life out of I will use a part thats a bit of both and in doing so you get the best of both worlds and today manufactuers do supply them now . seeing lots of DIY and goldchainer/credit card racers , they spend the money but cannot get it to work and they will not ask for help or argue with you on the answer .

 

Hey Flatheadjohn47, you can send me all those "cheesy" early Ford transmissions and banjo rears and I will put them to use.

 

I can't afford performance. The bone stock SBC in my 40 Sedan was very affordable. I thought about a cam and heads, then I remembered my 75 year old drivetrain that was designed for 85 horse.

I will someday have something fast.

 

Performance can be measured in a lot of ways I suppose. Some guys measure it by the dyno others measure it but top speed and still others by how quick it is.

If you are building a dragster it needs to do two things well, stand up and cut a straight line and get stopped before it reaches the corn field at the end of the track. And it needs to do that better then the guy in the other lane. Not so easy.

A land speed car needs to be able to reach top speed in a given distance and stay in one piece while it is doing it. that means no barrel rolls or spinning out.


By my way of thinking building a hot rod (not a poser) is all about making it perform better, and it should perform the task that it is built for to the best of its ability (your ability to build it). So if it is a streeter model A for instance it should be faster then the original (pretty easy), stop better then the original ( also pretty easy) handle well. I like a streeter that makes me giggle like a little girl hen I stab the loud peddle. For that reason I don't normally attempt to build a flat head powered car, I have a tight budget so I need to find other ways to go fast other then throwing money at it.

That said just throwing a stock flatty and some juice brakes at a Model A makes it a hot rod and will make it perform better then Henry designed it to do. So in that sense it is performance built I suppose.

@117harv you're in Medford, too far to toss my banjo at you but if someone is going that way I can send you one cheap.

 

Just in my warped mind : HELL YES IT MATTERS!! I think performance is relative to the style of heap your playing with. My commuter OT '01 Lightning can all around out perform all of my old junk...but it can't match the sweet tunes and feel of the built 327/365 in my '64 Vett. Likewise it doesn't give the body lifting scream that happens when the 4.11's come on from the no torq 292sb RPM's in my clapped out ol' 3W. Don't even get me started on the rush I get from BB mid range torq either in the OT '69 "X" or '57 h-top. It's never been about the show or beating anyone ; to me it's just NIRVANA slamming those Comp Plus's...your mileage may vary! Have fun...Haul ASS!

 

Wow! I pictured you saying that with a straight poker face, like Jack Ward did on Dragnet. Thank you, it was very entertaining. If that was all off the top of your head then please remind me to never get into an arguement with
you in the foreseeable future.

 

Off the top of Wikipedia, maybe