Arnie The Farmer Beswick

Author : Dean Fiat
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 185 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2021-02-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613255308

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Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick by Dean Fiat Pdf

Arnie “the Farmer” Beswick was called “the consummate underdog” by Hot Rod magazine. While there was good reason, there is much more to his unbelievable career. Born a third-generation farmer in the small town of Morrison, Illinois, Arnie Beswick’s driving career began not behind the wheel of a straight-line terror but that of a tractor. On local dusty roads, Arnie’s budding reputation grew with street cars, as the “flying farmer” was coined to describe his driving style. When drag racing began in the Midwest in the early 1950s, Arnie was one of the pioneers who campaigned Dodges and Oldsmobiles. In 1960, he purchased his first Pontiac and never looked back. At the beginning, he didn’t like the “farmer” nickname, but he quickly learned to utilize the name to lull his competition into complacency. After all, what could a simple farmer know of the world of high-performance drag racing? Throughout the 1960s, Arnie’s Mr. B's Passionate Poncho, Mystery Tornado, Star of the Circuit I and II, Tameless Tiger, and Super Judge all contributed to dispel the myth that a simple farmer couldn’t dominate straight-line racing. Arnie was an innovator, fierce competitor, entertainer and showman who always gave fans their money’s worth at the track. He is still brand loyal--sticking with Pontiac long after production models ceased. Arnie has always been a fan favorite for this reason, and he continues to exhilarate fans at the track with his cast of potent Pontiacs.

Author : Lou Hart
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2022-04-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613256985

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Early Funny Cars by Lou Hart Pdf

Blast through the evolving early years of Funny Car drag racing when doorslammers morphed into flip-top rail monsters. The era features historic mounts from Arnie "the Farmer" Beswick, Al “the Flying Dutchman” Vanderwoude, "Jungle" Jim Liberman, Don “the Snake” Prudhomme, and many more! The metamorphosis from doorslammers to fiberglass flip-top dragsters wasn’t ever a cut and dry plan. As drag racers pushed the envelope for more speed, a series of innovations quickly evolved and refined the genre. Funny Cars cut their teeth in the A/Factory Experimental (A/FX) and Experimental Stock (X/S) classes in 1964 with the 2-percent Mopars that looked funny with their axles moved forward. However, it was Jack Chrisman’s supercharged, nitro-fueled 427 Supercharged Factory Experimental (S/FX) Comet Caliente that trailblazed the class on which the NHRA turned its back and the AHRA fully accepted. Showmanship became the draw in the dawn of Funny Car with half-track burnouts and flame-throwing headers that packed fans five deep at the fence. By 1969, the NHRA had no choice but to create a class for these nitro-breathing, flip-top-sporting rail bruisers, indoctrinating the Funny Car (F/C) class at the Winternationals with 40 cars vying for 16 places in the field. The rest, as they say, is history!

Author : David Bonaskiewich
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2017-07-17
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613253205

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1964 Pontiac GTO by David Bonaskiewich Pdf

By the mid-1960s, the American automotive market was yearning for faster, more responsive, and sportier cars, and a crew of high-performance enthusiasts at Pontiac recognized this. Large V-8s were commonly installed in full-size cars, but performance was hampered by pure chassis weight. Under the guidance of Bunkie Knudsen, John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and others, Pontiac installed the high-performance 389 V-8 into the nimble and lightweight intermediate-size LeMans chassis. It was a watershed moment for Pontiac; the 1964 GTO delivered astounding performance and created the muscle car blueprint that the Detroit manufacturers followed in the 1960s and 1970s. This volume in the Muscle Cars In Detail Series delivers a comprehensive review of this trend-setting and historic car. The GTO housed a 389 V-8 engine with a single Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor, and along with dual exhaust and 4-speed manual transmission, it supplied extraordinary performance. To improve traction and handling, the GTO was fitted with stiffer springs, limited-slip differential, larger-diameter front sway bar, and wider wheels. And to give it panache, the GTO was adorned with distinctive badges and a hood scoop. The 1964 GTO is a landmark car, and this book goes well beyond the glossy overview of other books about this car. All In Detail Series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion, and an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also included is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, as well as production numbers. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial}

Author : David Bonaskiewich
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 193 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2018-09-14
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613253854

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Definitive Pontiac GTO Guide by David Bonaskiewich Pdf

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial} After a brainstorming session, Pontiac executives and engineers decided to slot a 389-ci V-8 into the intermediate-sized Tempest against GM rules and the GTO was created. Little did they know what a profound impact that decision would make. The GTO would become a sensation and later was recognized as the first muscle car of the 1960s. Visionaries Pete Estes, John DeLorean, and other key Pontiac executives knew the youth market was waiting for a bold, lightweight sporty car. When their staff toyed with the concept of putting the large V-8 in the car, Pontiac executives jumped on the idea to meet that perceived market demand. Pontiac had a high-performance street car that could light up its tires and outperform the vast majority of the cars on the road. It also reshaped Pontiac’s image of a company producing stodgy, lumbering full-size cars into a high-performance youth brand. Pontiac expert and long-time writer David Bonaskiewich delves deep into the GTO model and its history, bringing the equipment and options of this iconic muscle car into full focus. He reveals the hardware under the sheet metal: the V-8 engines, manual and automatic transmissions, rear differentials, interior options, color codes, and so much more. When the GTO was released in 1964, it was offered as a unique performance package to the Tempest, and high-performance enthusiasts stood up and took notice. Examined are the GTO’s 4-barrel 389 with dual exhaust, 3-speed floor shifter, stiffer suspension, limited-slip differential, and heavy-duty cooling system. The 1965 GTO was restyled with more interior room being added, and the renowned 389 Tri-Power engine joined the lineup, cranking out 360 hp. By 1966, the GTO was a runaway success. Pontiac made the GTO its own model, and it featured a sleeker Coke-bottle styling. A convertible joined the hardtop, and a pillared coupe also joined the lineup. The 1967 Pontiac GTO was arguably one of most the superbly styled models ever, with a wide range of engines and high-performance hardware. All of these important upgrades, advancements, and model evolutions are covered in exceptional detail. The GTO stands alone in the annals for muscle car history. Not only did Pontiac create a classic muscle car, it created the muscle car blueprint that other Detroit manufacturers followed in the years to come. A glossy surface overview of this iconic model does not do it justice. If you have been searching for the in-depth, nuts-and-bolts guide to GTO equipment and options, you need look no further. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial}

Author : Darwin Holmstrom
Publisher : Crestline Books
Page : 339 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2019-01-22
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9780760364253

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GTO by Darwin Holmstrom Pdf

In 1963 Pontiac's Chief Engineer John DeLorean and his two favorite staff engineers, Bill Collins and Russ Gee, came up with an inspired way to keep Pontiac cars in the performance limelight: bolt a big engine into Pontiac's upcoming Tempest intermediate body. Thus was the GTO born. Through cunning, resourcefulness, and outright trickery the minds of Pontiac managed to get this rocket into dealerships and out onto America's highways, and to introduce that most iconic of American automobiles, the muscle car, to the nation’s most discriminating drivers. This is the story of the GTO, of the people who made it a reality and a sales sensation, of those who owned and loved the cars. And it is, above all, a story of the cars themselves, from the initial option package offered for the 1964 model year through the high-performance late-model standouts. With color photographs, drawings, and detailed stats, this book is not so much the story of a historic car as an illustrated biography of American muscle.

Author : Doug Boyce
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2017-06-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613253052

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Match Race Mayhem by Doug Boyce Pdf

Drag racing is a very regulated sport. In the history of the NHRA, IHRA, and other sanctioning bodies, many classes existed in an effort to make sure the cars racing against each other are as equal as possible. It is a noble, if not futile, pursuit. You have two cars facing off that have very similar statistics in terms of weight, transmission type, fuel type, estimated horsepower, and all other sorts of measurables. The byproduct is that often the races that were "fair" were not the races that the fans wanted to see. During the golden age of drag racing, fans didn't care as much about class racing as much as they wanted to see scores settled, rivalries battled, and interesting match-ups. There were the manufacturer rivalries, Ford versus Chevy, Chevy versus Mopar, Mopar versus Ford, as well as numerous driver rivalries. Match races were also a great way to feature wildly popular cars that no longer had a class in which to compete, yet the fans still wanted to see them. So popular and intense were these races that many track promoters didn't bother to promote class racing at all. Instead, they used the match races as headliners, similar to the marquee at your local arena or a billboard in Las Vegas, all resulting in putting more fans in the stands. And the drivers loved it too. Although the prize money for national events was fairly average for the day, the extra appearance fees and prize money to lure the most popular match racers to events increased the driver's take exponentially. Many of the most popular pro drivers quit class racing altogether just to go match racing. Veteran drag race author Doug Boyce tells the tale of the history of match racing through the cars, the drivers, the events, the classes, the rivalries, and everything else that was fun about match racing during the golden era. It's all here, complemented by wonderful vintage photography provided by fans and professionals in attendance. If you are a fan of any class of drag racing, from any era, Match Race Mayhem is a fun addition to your racing library. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial}

Author : Wes Eisenschenk
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 241 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2023-09-22
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613258002

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1 of 1 Muscle Cars by Wes Eisenschenk Pdf

Learn about the rarest muscle cars ever produced with this new book. In the world of muscle cars, many were produced and sold in large enough quantities that they would be considered special but not particularly rare at the time of production. The Boss 429 and Plymouth Superbird were produced for racing homologation reasons, and since they were very expensive to produce, the manufacturers ensured that they would be rare. However, there is rare, and then there is rare. Prototypes and special factory builds, factory production cars, and super car tuners and builders are all covered in this new book by muscle-car historian Wes Eisenschenk. Some are single examples, some are very close to being the last remaining example, and all are extremely rare. Some have no surviving example known to exist. Featured cars include a Boss 429 Cougar, a 1971 Pontiac Ventura II Sprint 455, a 1965 Chevelle 300 COPO car with the L78 option, and a 1970 FK5 Deep Burnt Orange Metallic Superbird. Dealer promotional specials include a 1968 AMC AMX Von Piranha, a 1970 Dick Harrell LS6 454 Camaro, and a 1973 Nickey Chevrolet 427 Nova. These are cars that you will read about but likely never see. For a fun ride through muscle-car history and great stories of the rarest muscle cars ever produced, add this book to your automotive library today.

Author : Doug Boyce
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 193 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2023-11-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613257661

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Drag Racing's Rebels by Doug Boyce Pdf

Learn the entire fascinating story of the American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) in this wonderfully illustrated color history. When the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) was formed in 1951 by Wally Parks, the reasoning for the formation was to "create order from chaos" by instituting safety rules and performance standards that helped legitimize the sport of drag racing. Some organization was certainly necessary. A postwar boom in automotive enthusiasm was reaching new heights, and Hot Rod magazine and the NHRA were right in the thick of it. The NHRA hosted its first drag racing event in 1953, and in 1955, the organization staged its first national event, which was simply called "The Nationals." The AHRA formed in 1956 as an alternative to the NHRA, where the drivers voted on the rules (rather than sanctioning bodies and tracks), and their influence on the sport was felt almost immediately. When the NHRA denied the use of nitromethane in 1957, the AHRA approved it. When the NHRA banned aircraft-powered dragsters in 1961, the AHRA welcomed them. When the NHRA said no to the emerging Funny Car in 1965, the AHRA said yes. When fans and racers screamed for a heads-up Super Stock category in 1968, the AHRA delivered. The AHRA was called a rebel association. Some say that it was more of an association that got things done—to the delight of fans and racers. The AHRA was on equal ground with the NHRA by the 1970s, drawing enormous crowds and racer entries.

In this fascinating history, veteran author Doug Boyce tells the story of the AHRA, the rise, the competition, the events, and the eventual downfall of the organization. After AHRA President Jim Tice passed away in 1982, internal fighting for control of the association resulted in its doom. Get the whole story here, and add this wonderful volume to your drag racing library.

Author : David G. Rockwell
Publisher : SAE International
Page : 396 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2023-07-24
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781468605754

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We Were The Ramchargers by David G. Rockwell Pdf

With over 200 new images, the new edition of We Were the Ramchargers is perfect for drag racing enthusiasts. This book takes readers behind the scenes with the group of Chrysler engineers who, from the 1950s through the 1970s, became one of the most successful and influential drag racing teams of all time. The only team of engineers from an automobile manufacturer to drag race successfully, the Ramchargers broke the most time barriers in drag racing history and earned the most National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Super Stock titles during the sport’s golden era of factory competition. Author Dave Rockwell, a Ramcharger himself, interviewed more than 40 team members, competitors, and track operators for We Were the Ramchargers, making it the first and only book to provide inside details on all elements of the Ramchargers story. In addition to chronicling the races they won and legendary cars they developed (including the High and Mighty, 426 Hemi, and first Funny Car), Rockwell opens corporate and personal files to take readers behind the doors at Chrysler (showing, among other things, how the Ramchargers helped pioneer the platform team concept), while revealing the personalities of the men who made it all happen. (Second Edition, ISBN: 9781468605754, ISBN: 9781468605761, ISBN: 9781468605778, DOI: 10.4271/9781468605761)

Author : Steve Magnante
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 418 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2013
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613250570

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Steve Magnante's 1001 Muscle Car Facts by Steve Magnante Pdf

Author Steve Magnante is well known for his encyclopedia-like knowledge of automotive facts. The details he regularly puts forth, both on the pages of national magazines and as a contributing host and tech expert at the popular Barrett-Jackson Auctions on television, are the kinds of things muscle car fanatics love to hear. There are 1001 well-researched muscle car facts in this book that even some of the most esteemed experts would be surprised to learn. Covered are all the popular GM makes including Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac, Ford and Mercury cars, Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge cars, and even facts about AMC and Studebaker as well. Fans of these collectible cars will appreciate the technical and entertaining information shared on every page about all of the great American muscle cars. Whether you're an avid collector of multiple American muscle cars, the owner of one shining example, a trivia buff who wants to stump your friends, or just a fan of the big and powerful rear-wheel-drive rides of the 1960s and 1970s, this book is an informative and entertaining collection of facts from one of the industry's most beloved and respected sources.

Author : Tom Boyd
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 177 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2020-08-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613255650

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Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits by Tom Boyd Pdf

Relive the golden age of drag racing through this exhaustive volume covering the best drag racing model kits of the era. Model expert Tim Boyd, author of Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits, turned his attention to the fantastic drag racing model kits available from the late 1950s through today. Some racing model kits were actually 3-in-1 kits, where the builder assembled the drag-race version of the car in lieu of the street or custom version. Boyd starts by covering the options, collectability, variety, availability, and value of these wonderful kits, and then concentrates on the highly detailed drag racing-only kits that became available starting in the mid-1960s through today. He also shows the differences between original kits, older reproduction kits, and new reproduction kits that many enthusiasts find at swap meets and online sources today. Many of these great kits were from the 1960s, an era when building model kits was a widely popular, serious hobby, similar to video games today. Not only was it fun to build the kits but it was also a great way to learn about all the different race classes and categories because there wasn’t regular TV or online coverage during that era. The artwork on those kits was fantastic, and many collectors today seek original kits largely because of it. The classes of racing covered are Gassers, Rail Dragsters, Stocks and Super Stocks, Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, Exhibition Racers, and more. Drag racing cars designed by model companies that never actually existed are also covered. Nostalgia drags are some of the most popular events around the country today. People can’t get enough of these old race cars that were built in an era when variety, innovation and home building ruled the day. This book is great for modelers in general, model-kit collectors, and drag-racing fans young and old alike.

Author : Duncan Brown
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 190 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2019-09-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613254516

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Lost Muscle Car Dealerships by Duncan Brown Pdf

An entire volume dedicated to detailing and preserving the iconic muscle car dealerships of the 1960s and early 1970s, many whose doors are now closed. Text is supported with more than 350 historic photos and illustrations. Muscle car historian Duncan Brown revisits this glorious automotive era when Nickey 427 Camaros and supercharged Dodge Demons by Grand Spaulding Dodge terrorized the streets. Drag sponsored cars from Reynolds Buick, Yeakel Chrysler-Plymouth, and Mel Burns Ford informed buyers that if you came to their dealership, you too could have a screaming fast muscle car just like the ones you saw at the dragstrip. It was these dealerships that created the lasting muscle car legacy through their innovative advertising and over-the-top performance. The majority of these dealerships floundered, unable to re-attract the customers they had prior to the muscle car. Thankfully, a volume has been dedicated to preserving the history of those less fortunate and revisiting the past success of these Lost Muscle Car Dealerships.

Author : Doug Boyce
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2018-07-16
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613254059

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Dyno Don by Doug Boyce Pdf

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.

Author : Doug Boyce
Publisher : CarTech Inc
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2021-03-15
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781613255827

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Drag Racing in the 1960s by Doug Boyce Pdf

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.

Author : Darwin Holmstrom
Publisher : Motorbooks International
Page : 227 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2016-04
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9780760350133

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American Muscle Cars by Darwin Holmstrom Pdf

American Muscle Cars features stunning historic and contemporary photography and offers a thorough chronology of this classic car's evolution from the 1960s to the present.