Difference between revisions of "Template:FeaturedWiki"
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| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:Bigdaddywiki.png|thumb|350px|Right|border|Big Daddy Don Garlits]] |
;[[Big Daddy]] | ;[[Big Daddy]] | ||
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| + | Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. A pioneer, with the help of [[TC Lemmons]], and after he lost a portion of his foot in a drag racing accident, he perfected the design rear-engine "top fuel" dragster (notable because it put the most explosive parts of the dragster behind the driver) and was an early endorser of a full-body, fire-resistant suit. In 1964, he became the first drag racer to officially surpass 200 miles per hour; he has broken a number of other speed records, surpassing 270 miles per hour in 1986. | ||
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| + | [[Drag Racing]] was a California based sport. Don Garlits being from Florida was the outsider who came in and beat them at their own game. He was sometimes referred to as the Floridian, such was his uniqueness. | ||
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| + | Garlits was the first driver to win three [[National Hot Rod Association]] national titles and three world championships, the last coming at the age of 54. | ||
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| + | Garlits won the first NHRA Drag race he entered with the first racecar he built. It was 1955, and the [[NHRA Safety Safari]] had come to Lake City, Fla. A short three years later, the garage and body shop owner was racing professionally with the first of 34 race cars he would later tag Swamp Rat. He didn't stop until 1992, when eye trouble, the result of deceleration G forces of nearly 7 G’s, forced him from the seat at age 60. In the four-decade interim, Garlits took on all comers on any racetrack in the country and sometimes abroad. Driving chassis he fabricated that were powered by engines he built, Garlits won 144 major open events and 17 national championships in the sport's three major hot rod associations. [[Big Daddy|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Chrysler.gif|thumb|300px|Walter P. Chrysler]] | ||
| + | ;[[Walter P. Chrysler]] | ||
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| + | Walter P. Chrysler was a native of Kansas, and cut his teeth on railroading. He was the son of an engineer on the Kansas and Pacific Railroad, and was always fascinated by machinery. As a young man, he built his own working railroad model, machining his own tools in the process. When he was 17, he signed on at the Union Pacific shops as an apprentice, for a nickel an hour. Mechanical engineering became young Walt Chrysler's life, not his profession. | ||
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| + | After he got his journeyman's certificate, he took a job in the Rio Grande & Western roundhouse in Salt Lake City. He got married and began studying with the International Correspondence School. He steadily moved up through the industry. | ||
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| + | After a bit of time, the superintendent of motive power of the whole Chicago & Great Western system was a new man named Chrysler. "W.P." they called him. During his Great Western period Mr. Chrysler lived in Oelwein, Iowa. His mechanical curiosity was piqued by the new ‘horseless carriages’ he’d see traversing the town streets. | ||
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| + | He went to the 1905 Chicago automobile show, where he saw a beautiful auto that he had to have. It was called a ‘Locomobile’. The price was $5,000 cash. Chrysler had only $700 in the bank, but that did not hold him back. He borrowed $4,300 and shipped it home. He spent months with his first car, tearing it down and reassembling it several times before he even learned to drive it! Chrysler decided that when the time was right, he would need to improve these things. | ||
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| + | At 33, machinist/manager WP joined on with the American Locomotive Company, where he swiftly rose through the ranks. He was assigned to the position of Assistant Works Manager at the sprawling ALCO Pittsburgh plant, which he quickly transformed into a moneymaker. It was in this position that WP was first noticed by one of the directors of ALCO, James J. Storrow, who would soon the president of General Motors. | ||
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| + | James Storrow, the president of GM, remembered the young Chrysler, and introduced him to Charlie Nash, then the president of Buick. After touring the Buick works, Nash could offer WP only $6000 a year, half of WP’s $12000 a year ALCO salary. Chrysler did not even hesitate! He immediately accepted the Buick position. | ||
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| + | It was 1911, and Walter P. Chrysler was in the automobile business! | ||
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| + | Over the next few years, WP built Buick into a power to be reckoned with, with Nash at the helm. In 1916, however, William Crapo Durant used the power of his upstart Chevrolet Company to leverage the presidency of General Motors. Nash would not be welcome under Durant, and Nash and Chrysler were a team. | ||
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| + | Nash purchased another auto manufacturer, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and created the Nash Motors Company, which would later become [[American Motors Corporation|American Motors]]. It was assumed that Chrysler would join him at the helm of this new company. [[Walter P. Chrysler|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Lilred-jan11-a.jpg|thumb|350px|1978 Lil Red Express]] | ||
| + | ;[[Lil Red Express]] | ||
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| + | The Last American Hot Rod to roll off the assembly line in the late 1970s.78 Lil' Red Truck | ||
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| + | [[Dodge]] released the Lil' Red Express Truck In 1978 it was one of the most unique Dodge trucks that had ever been produced. The Lil' Red Express was not only a real looker but these trucks were also real performers also. In 1978 The Dodge Lil' Red Express was the fastest American made vehicle from 0 to 100 MPH as tested by Car and Driver magazine. | ||
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| + | Because of a loophole in the emissions regulations the 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's did not have [[catalytic converters]], what the Lil' Red Express did have was a special High Performance 360 C.I. 4-barrel small block engine code (EH1) which was a modified version of the 360 police engine (E58) producing 225 net horsepower @ 3800 RPM. The package also included [[Hemi]] style mufflers with a crossover pipe breathing through 2 chrome stacks located behind the cab, a special 727 transmission and 3.55:1 rear gearing. | ||
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| + | The 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck rode on GR60x15 raised white letter tires on 7-inch Chrome wheels up front and LR60x15 on 8-inch chrome wheels on the rear and there was no spare included. All 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's were automatics the interiors were available with a standard bench seat in red or black or with optional buckets and a fold down arm/rest console which was available both years. 1978 and some early 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's used the "tuff" steering With the success of the 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck production of the 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's was increased to 5,118. Most of the features remained unchanged for 1979 however there was some changes which included a catalytic converter, unleaded gas, 85 MPH speedometer. [[Lil Red Express|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Mirada4.jpg|thumb|350px]] | ||
| + | ;[[Mirada]] | ||
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| + | In 1978, [[Dodge]] released the Dodge [[Magnum]], which was originally to replace the 1977 [[Charger]], as its [[Personal Luxury]] car. However, a second [[Oil Embargo]] and the competition from Ford and GM downsizing their Personal Luxury cars kept the [[MagnumXE]] from ever cracking the 75000 mark for both years (1978 and 1979) of its production. The [[Chrysler Corporation]] was in serious financial trouble (at the verge of bankruptcy -- later bailed out with a Government backed loan) and had put [[Lee Iacocca]] at the helm to save it from ruin. Iacocca save Chrysler with the the [[K-Car]] -- but that's another story. Work had already started on killing the [[B-Body]] and moving to the [[J-Body]] before Lee Iacocca had arrived, but he was responsible for the styling direction -- like the very angular/starched lines and vinyl [[Landau top]] of the new car. | ||
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| + | While the [[Cordoba]] name was for Chrysler, the Magnum name would not be carried over for the 1980 Dodge. The name was replaced with the Mirada name -- which is Spanish for "look" or "view". | ||
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| + | The Mirada was never built in any great numbers, and it (as were [[Imperial]] and Cordoba) was finally discontinued in 1983 when the larger J-Body was dropped and Chrysler's focus was the K-Car. In 1984, Mirada's replacement would be the 2-door version of the Dodge 600 series. [[Mirada|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Billystepp 73 demon with team.jpg|thumb|350px]] | ||
| + | ;[[Billy 'the kid' Stepp]] | ||
| + | : | ||
| + | One of drag racing’s more colorful figures Stepp, who hailed from Dayton Ohio ran a string of highly successful "Billy the Kid" [[ProStock]] cars, from 1970 thru the mid 90's - | ||
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| + | 1969 & 70 were huge years for the newly formed [[Pro Stock]] class and Bill Stepp wanted to be a part of it. So Bill began his quest to become a dominant force in ProStock racing. With his "Billy the Kid" stable of drivers reading like a "who's who" that included [[Ronnie Sox]], [[Don Carlton]], [[Dick Humpbert]] even [[Herb McCandless]] for one race, Bill achieved more than he set out to do. | ||
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| + | His mainstay drivers, were [[Stu McDade]] early on, then [[Bobby Yowell]], who burst onto the drag racing scene in the late 1960's in NHRA's E-Sports Class then in '71 graduated to NHRA ProStock racing, fielding a [[Sox & Martin]] prepared [[Hemi]]-[[Duster]] - doing quite well at the [[NHRA]] Spring Nationals at National Trail, Columbus Oh. Later in the mid to late 70's, Bill utilized the talents of North Carolina ProStock racer [[Melvin Yow]]. | ||
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| + | [[Horsepower]] was made through the capable hands of Dayton native, ace mechanic and engine builder, [[Paul Frost]]. Paul was fresh off the [[gasser]] wars where he applied his trade during the 60's, trading lanes with the likes of another Dayton native, Ohio [[George Montgomery]]. Frost knew how to make power, it was just getting it to the ground that perplexed him and most of the gassers including his potent Purple'41 Willys AA/supercharged coupe that ran an incredible 50-60 match races in one season. Stepp brought Frost into the fold and now had himself a cadre of battle hardened veterans that eventually ran "rough shod" across the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern [[drag strips]], picking up races in all the sanctioning bodies wherever they could. | ||
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| + | Stepp was a member of a strong [[Mopar]] contingent lead by [[Sox & Martin]] who were always at the top of the field in the [[Super Stock]] ranks and never skipped a beat when they entered ProStock in 1970. When the S&M team cars weren't winning, their closest followers were guys like [[Don Carlton]] in the [[Motown Missile]], [[Butch Leal|Butch "the California Flash" Leal]] (believe it or not Butch was another Ohio guy originally from Blacklick OH - later moving to California) and Stu McDade in the Billy the Kid Stepp [[Challenger]]. | ||
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| + | Through the years Bill's stable of cars never really popped the cork in the NHRA [[points races]], except for the '71 US Nationals final round loss to Ronnie Sox, but they made up for it in the [[IHRA]]. | ||
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| + | Stepp ran a [[Demon]] for '70 & '71, then switched to [[Duster]] and Demons for '72 thru '75, an [[Arrow]] & [[Colt]] thru '78 - before building an [[Avenger]] for the 1995 season. | ||
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| + | The "Wanted Dead or Alive" Mopars saw success in the [[IHRA]] in '78 & '79 with (4) [[ProStock]] final rounds, winning the '79 ProAm Nationals at the "Rock" in Rockingham, but moreover, made monster money along the match race trail. [[Billy 'the kid' Stepp|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Daveduell1.jpg|thumb|350px|Dave Duell and his Drag'n Wag'n]] | ||
| + | ;[[Dave Duell]] | ||
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| + | Many consider Dave Duell to be the Father of [[Nostalgia Super Stock]] [[racing]], because of his organization of NSS Racing at the [[Monster Mopar Weekend]]. Following his death, the NSS racing portion of the Monster was renamed the [[Dave Duell Classic]], which is currently administered by Dave's son Doug. | ||
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| + | Duell was a longtime [[drag racer]], and back in the heyday of '60s-era factory involvement, Duell had a 425-horse [[Max Wedge]] Dodge 440 wagon with [[horsepower]] courtesy [["Akron Arlen" Vanke]]. This machine set [[NHRA]] national records and was one of only a handful of wagons that raced competitively in any form of racing. Vanke, the well-known [[Super Stock]] star, was involved in every aspect of the wagon, and Dave credits him greatly for the success garnered by the early [[Drag'n Wag'n]]. Though Duell's involvement with the automotive business would take him away from racing for many years, the memories remained. | ||
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| + | After creating a '64 Max Wedge [[Sport Fury]] clone in 1990, he decided it was time to turn back the clock. His son Doug took over the controls on the two-door and Dave and his crew got down to business to create a near identical 64 Plymouth wagon, also called the Drag'n Wag'n. | ||
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| + | Dave was instrumental in advancing [[Nostalgia Super Stock]] racing at the Monster Mopar Weekend each September, NSS was the only racing class at the Monster open to all makes of eligible cars. | ||
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| + | Dave died of lung cancer on December 16, 2005.[[Dave Duell|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Norseman1.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Chrysler Norseman Dream Car]] | ||
| + | ;[[Chrysler Norseman]] | ||
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| + | In 1956, [[Virgil Exner]] the head designer of the [[Chrysler Corporation]] contracted with [[Ghia]] of Turin, Italy to build (at a cost of $150,000) a concept car without an [[A-Pillar]] for the 1957 show circuit. The car's [[fastback]] roof was made of a special glass by PPG for strength in a rollover. There were 1/4" steel rods in place of the A-Pillars -- which in theory were to break and cause the roof to snap back in the event of a roll over. [[Body panels]] were hand formed aluminum over wooden bucks. The leather interior of four [[bucket seats]] and futuristic gauge pods -- with some type of luminescent paint on the back of the front seats for a lighting experiment. Power came from a 331 CI [[Hemi]] rated at 235hp, with a 2-speed [[Powerflite]] [[transmission]], and shifted by push-buttons. | ||
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| + | The car was carefully packed into a wooden crate and loaded on the Italian Luxury Liner ''SS Andrea Doria'' for shipment to New York. 40 Miles off the coast of Nantucket, the ship collided with the ''Stockholm''. It sank 11 hours later and now rests 235 feet below the surface on its starboard side. Virgil Exner was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack at the time. | ||
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| + | The ''SS Andrea Doria'' is the "Mt. Everest" of underwater divers -- and many divers have lost their lives diving to it. Only one diver, David Bright, has seen the car (while searching for a lost diver) -- in 1994. He described it as a rusted hulk. Due to the way the ship lies -- he said that he doubts that he or anyone else will ever see the car again. He died in 2006, of cardiac arrest from decompression sickness after a 50th anniversary dive to the ship. | ||
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| + | There is a dispute on the colors -- and precious few photos (none in color) exist of the car prior to loading on the Doria. Exner said he ordered the car in Silver paint. [[Chrysler]] says that it was to be dark green with green and gray interior. Reporters who saw the car prior to crating, say it was tu-tone blue with red leather and black accents. | ||
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| + | Associated Press' coverage of the Norseman was short, simple, and to the point: | ||
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| + | ''The experimental car was built for Chrysler in Turin, Italy, and was being shipped to the United States for public showing. A Chrysler spokesman said Friday the Norseman cost about $150,000, including a year's engineering work. It was insured.''[[Chrysler Norseman|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Slantsixdiagram2.jpg|thumb|350px|Diagram of Slant Six]] | ||
| + | ;[[Slant Six]] | ||
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| + | The Slant six was a [[Mopar]] first ever [[ohv]] six cylinder motor, which began production in 1960. While most other American six cylinder engines had the block orientated with the cylinders north and south at a 90 degree arrangement, the Slant Six (aka the "Leaning Tower of Power") leaned the cylinders over 30 degrees on a slant to allow for the lower hoods in the new [[compact]] [[A-Body]] [[models]], the [[Valiant]] (not originally a [[Plymouth]] when released in 1960, but it's own make) and the later (introduced in 1961) [[Dodge]] [[Lancer]]. It also replaced the aging [[Flathead Six]] used in the entry level Plymouths and Dodge's junior model [[Darts]] (still full size) retired after 1959. | ||
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| + | Originally referred to as the "G" Engine, it came in two iterations - the low block "LG" and the raised block "RG". Both had a [[cylinder bore]] of 3.40", but the "LG" had a [[stroke]] of 3.125", while the "RG" had a 4.125" stroke. The [[CID]] of the "LG" was 170 and it developed 101 [[bhp]] at 4400 [[rpm]], and the 1" taller (overall height) "RG" was 225 CID developing 140 bhp at 4000 rpm. Both engines were 8.2:1 [[compression]]. | ||
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| + | In addition to offering a lower hood height, the Slant Six was able to have a long branch [[intake manifold]] for greater breathing capacity and better fuel economy, and it allowed for the [[water pump]] to be offset to the side (instead of in front) for a shorter engine. | ||
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| + | While the standard manual transmission was a 3-speed, a special [[A-904]] [[TorqueFlite]] automatic [[transmission]] with a 1-piece aluminum case and lighter internal components was developed for the Slant Six used in the Valiants and Lancers. They weighed about 100 less than the [[A-727]] transmission. [[Slant Six|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:Vanishingpointchallenger.jpg|thumb|350px|Vanishing Point Challenger]] | ||
| + | ;[[Challenger]] | ||
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| + | While [[Plymouth]] was one of the first [[Makes]] to introduce a [[Pony Car]] with its 1964 introduction of the [[Barracuda]], its sister division [[Dodge]], had to wait until 1970 for its first Pony Car -- the Challenger. While both the Dodge and Plymouth Pony Cars of 1970-1974 were [[E-Bodies]], the Challenger had a wheelbase 2" longer, mostly for it to compete with the more luxurious Mercury Cougar. | ||
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| + | From 1978 to 1983, Dodge sold a version of the 4-cylinder [[Mitsubishi]] Plymouth Sapporo through its dealers as the Challenger. The main difference being the colors offered by each of the divisions, and the Sapporo having a Silver colored plastic [[grill]] while the Challenger had a black colored plastic grill. | ||
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| + | With Pony Cars making a come back a few years ago, in 2008 Dodge brought back the Challenger, after a 34 year absence as an American Pony car. Like Ford with the Mustang, and Chevrolet with the Camaro -- the Challenger has a retro look to it, having a close resemblance to the Challenger of the early 70s. [[Challenger|'''Read More''']] | ||
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| + | [[Image:John-Horce-Dodge.jpg|thumb|350px|John & Horace Dodge]] | ||
| + | ;[[Dodge]] | ||
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| + | Despite all of the ups and downs of the [[Chrysler]] Corporation -- Dodge has always been able to show an excellent mixture of both dependability and performance with both its cars and trucks. This was initially promoted by General "Black Jack" Pershing insisting on only Dodge Touring cars in his pursuits of Poncho Villa on the Mexican border. | ||
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| + | Dodge was the first with an all metal sedan, it set the standard for durability with its WWII [[Power Wagons]], set the standard for racing with its [[Max Wedge]] and [[Hemi]] engines, set the standard for Muscle cars with the [[Charger]], set the standard for aerodynamics with the [[Daytona]], set the standard for performance with the [[Viper]], and set the standard for "Cross Over" vehicles with the [[Magnum]]. While its future with an Un-Holy Trinity of Fiat, the US Government, and the Unions running it being uncertain -- its past as a Make that merged Durability and performance cannot be denied. | ||
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| + | [[John Dodge]] and [[Horace Dodge]] were inseparable as children and adults. They were in fact so close, they they both died as young men in 1920 -- it said the Horace out of grief from the loss of John. | ||
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| + | Originally they built bicycles, but in 1900 they formed [[Dodge Brothers]] to supply engine and chassis components for Detroit's automakers; with a large contract to produce transmissions for Oldsmobile. John was the Sales/Manager brother, while Horace was the tinkerer/engineer brother. | ||
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| + | In 1903, they signed a contract to supply components exclusively to Ford, in exchange for a large share of the company. This arrangement lasted for 10 years -- until 1913 they and Ford had a major disagreement on how Ford's profits were distributed -- causing them to stop supplying Ford and to declare that they would start building cars themselves. | ||
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| + | Before the first Dodge Brothers car was produced, they had sign up over 20,000 dealers because of their reputation for quality. It should be noted that while they had a reputation for quality, were among the richest men in Detroit, and very generous in their charitable foundations -- their crude and aggressive behavior kept them from being accepted by the by Detroit elite. | ||
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| + | In late 1914, the first Dodge Brothers car rolled off the assembly line and was an immediate hit with the public. For about the same price as a Ford Model T -- a Dodge Brothers had an electric starter, leather interior, a windshield, near double the horsepower, and a far superior three speed transmission. They went from no where to fourth in US car sales. | ||
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| + | In January 1920, John died of pneumonia, a complication from the Spanish Flu; and Horace died in December of the same year, also of pneumonia as a complication of the Flu -- but was already dying of Cirrhosis of the liver, rumored to be caused from excess drinking after the loss of his brother. The ownership of Dodge Brothers fell into the hands of their widows, and they chose a long associate of the Dodge brothers, Frederick J. Haynes, to run the company. He signed a contract with Graham Brothers to power and sell their line of trucks. On April 1, 1925, the banking firm Dillon, Read & Company purchased Dodge Brothers from the Dodge widows for $146 million. [[Dodge|'''Read More''']] | ||
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Latest revision as of 03:09, 5 April 2020
The Last American Hot Rod to roll off the assembly line in the late 1970s.78 Lil' Red Truck Dodge released the Lil' Red Express Truck In 1978 it was one of the most unique Dodge trucks that had ever been produced. The Lil' Red Express was not only a real looker but these trucks were also real performers also. In 1978 The Dodge Lil' Red Express was the fastest American made vehicle from 0 to 100 MPH as tested by Car and Driver magazine. Because of a loophole in the emissions regulations the 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's did not have catalytic converters, what the Lil' Red Express did have was a special High Performance 360 C.I. 4-barrel small block engine code (EH1) which was a modified version of the 360 police engine (E58) producing 225 net horsepower @ 3800 RPM. The package also included Hemi style mufflers with a crossover pipe breathing through 2 chrome stacks located behind the cab, a special 727 transmission and 3.55:1 rear gearing. The 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck rode on GR60x15 raised white letter tires on 7-inch Chrome wheels up front and LR60x15 on 8-inch chrome wheels on the rear and there was no spare included. All 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's were automatics the interiors were available with a standard bench seat in red or black or with optional buckets and a fold down arm/rest console which was available both years. 1978 and some early 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's used the "tuff" steering With the success of the 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck production of the 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express Truck's was increased to 5,118. Most of the features remained unchanged for 1979 however there was some changes which included a catalytic converter, unleaded gas, 85 MPH speedometer. Read More |
