So far I have discussed powerrelated calibrations of a Holley-style carb almost to the exclusion of all else. But in this day and age, I feel that we should only burn the minimum amount of fuel possible while achieving our goals in other quarters. … [Click here to read more...]
GM Muscle Car Brake Conversion: Budget-Friendly Upgrades
Chevelles and their A-Body cousins were the rowdy kids of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Performance was all about going fast in a straight line. Chevelle, GTO, GS Buick, Tempest, LeMans, and 442 cars did that very well. Braking performance wasn’t … [Click here to read more...]
How to Port Aftermarket Cylinder Heads – Part 5
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, production processes resulted in much more accurate castings. The result was head castings that had far more effective ports as received from the head manufacturer. This was the start of what can truly be described … [Click here to read more...]
How to Blueprint Engines: Timing Systems Guide
In this chapter I discuss the three most commonly used methods of camshaft drive (the manner in which the camshaft is driven by the crankshaft). These are chain drive, belt drive, and gear drive. Chain drives are the norm for most traditional OHV … [Click here to read more...]
How to Restore Convertible Tops in Muscle Cars
If one of the main functions of an interior is to make your muscle car more comfortable to drive, then you cannot ignore the convertible muscle car and its top mechanism. After all, a muscle car with a convertible top that lets in rain, wind, and … [Click here to read more...]
How to Rebuild Factory Limited Slip Differentials
The main reason to have a limited slip differential in your rear axle is to maximize traction on slippery surfaces, such as snow, ice, or mud, which can be exacerbated with an open differential. Another important reason is to help distribute the … [Click here to read more...]
Interesting Chrysler Muscle Car Facts
Fact 801: Were Lincoln-Mercury and Chrysler working together on the NASCAR race circuit of the 1950s? Nothing could be further from the truth; infact, Mercury and Chrysler were bitter rivals on the race track and showroom floor. The seed of the … [Click here to read more...]
Pushrods & Lifters 101: Everything You Need To Know
Never assume that a “stock” length pushrod is correct for any given build. A variety of alterations to the stock assembly can affect the required pushrod length, such as reducing block deck height, resurfacing the cylinder head deck, changing … [Click here to read more...]
How to Install Holley HP: Carb to EFI Conversions
In this chapter, I discuss the installation of a Holley HP EFI system on my personal hot rod, a 1972 Olds Cutlass with a 6-71 Roots-blown big-block Chevy. This is commonly referred to as a draw-through installation as the fuel is drawn through the … [Click here to read more...]
Engine Tuning: How to Improve Drivability
At this point, most of the work is complete. If all the steady state values are correct, the vehicle should operate fairly well. The final phase of calibration is improving drivability. This should be thought of as finely polishing a sculpture. Where … [Click here to read more...]