Volume V, Issue 5 - May 2010 GM IS GROWING GREENER SPORTS CARS & MORE ON THE MAXTON MILE FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL’S CREW CHIEF FOR PROJECT CARS STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS MIKE JOHNSON t look a A able” d Reli “Ol it’s before sold Volume V, Issue 5 May 17, 2010 “I think these guys deserve some recognition…” (Part I) It was around July of 1995. Over the many years of our friendship, it was always obvious what the conversation would be about when I called him, whether the call was about getting some otherwise-unavailable information or simply to visit. Both were always enjoyable. But when he called me, anything was fair game…and it often turned out that way. When he called this time, as usual, he came right to the point. “I been thinkin’, Jim. We’re right on top of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the small-block Chevy and there are still some of the original engineers out that ought to finally get some recognition for what they did. The PRI Show is comin’ up and I’ve told Steve Lewis (Show owner and producer) it’s time to put these guys on stage in front of the industry.” From this single conversation, Smokey Yunick made another indelible mark in his long string of historical contributions to the high performance and motorsports communities. Mind you, nothing was said about “Is this a good idea?” or “Do you think anybody cares about these people?” It was already a done deal. The only question up for discussion centered on the best way to accomplish the task. “I got a list of all the living small-block Chevy engineers. I’m gonna cut it in half, send one half to you and keep the other. Then we need to start callin’ these guys to see who’s able to be on stage at the PRI Show” (in December of 1995). What followed was a most memorable experience that I decided to share with you. The events will obviously never occur again. Up to that particular time in my career, I believed I knew a ADVERTISEMENT fair amount about the small-block Chevrolet V8. I could not have been more mistaken, as I soon started to realize when I began phone conversations with my “half of the list.” Plus, besides contacting these unheralded and aging engineers to gather their recollections about how the small-block actually came to life, I was charged with compiling a brief history and chronology of the steps taken to produce not only the engine but the ’55 Chevrolet that showcased the venerable 265-incher’s introduction. Both these tasks that I prefer to now call opportunities were loaded with surprises and stark revelations. I’d not had a clue about how the small-block Chevy came to being. An expert I was not. Between us, Smokey and I managed to contact twenty-three of the original small-block engineers. Unfortunately, not all of them were of sufficient health to travel but, on the fortunate side, all of them were willing to talk about their respective contributions to the engine. Particularly critical to the project was Ed Cole who became Chevrolet’s Chief Engineer in 1952 (later President of General Motors), subsequently heading up the development of both the ’55 Chevrolet passenger car and truck designs. It was a consequence and combination of his engineering, managerial and people skills that he was able to assemble a team that took a “clean paper approach” to developing the 1955 Chevrolet (engine included) that moved from scratch to arrival of the new vehicle on dealership floors in just twenty-eight months! By 1955 standards of design, engineering and final production, this feat was a GM development landmark that still stands today. Perhaps even more remarkable was the fact that only fifteen-percent of the new ’55 Chevy’s parts were from prior models. Everything else was freshly designed. Technically Speaking - "I think these guys deserve some recognition ..." (Part I) - Page 1 of 2 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 5 May 17, 2010 In viewing this accomplishment, it’s ADVERTISEMENT important to understand that today’s computer-aided engineering, rapid prototyping and production tooling capabilities were non-existent in Ed Cole’s day. Quoting Ed Francis, a member of the original design team, “There was a profound sense of teamwork and commitment between management and the employee mainstream, perhaps never equaled in the Division. The leadership strength provided by Cole and his management team was highly unusual for the time.” Because Ed Cole passed away prior to the small-block’s 40th birthday, I contacted his son, Dr. David Cole (currently Chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in MI) who recalled, “I can remember how much fun my dad had driving around in a 1954 Chevy that had a prototype small-block V8 in it. He’d stop in service stations and ask the attendants to check the oil, just to see the expressions on their faces when they’d raise the hood. He was really a performance car guy.” Among those on Cole’s hand-picked team were two other automotive notables: Zora Duntov and Smokey Yunick. Actually, Zora (who initially came to GM as a suspension guru) zeroed in on the then soon-to-be small-block FI system. Cole identified Smokey as a key “outside contractor” to begin exploring possibilities for the new engine in NASCAR circles, in addition to doing exploratory work on the development of other racing parts for the package. Looking back, it’s clear how formidable the team Cole brought together became. As Smokey so aptly crafted his comments, as he usually did, “Over the years, this engine brought me to know some of the most brilliant automotive engineers, technicians and racers of all time. And, it also dragged up some that weren’t, but that’s part of living. I remember the first time I went into Ed Cole’s office there was a sign he’d hung there that said ‘The price of progress is trouble’ which made me think during my years of working on the small-block we must’ve made a lot of progress. I guess if you never said anything else about this engine, it’s a hell of a statement to what can be done when you assemble a group of hard-working guys, give ‘em a clear objective and support their efforts. There’ll probably never be another small-block Chevrolet engine like this one.” From a personal perspective, I think PRI’s Steve Lewis should be given much credit for having supported Smokey’s idea to honor the engineers who brought us the venerable small-block Chevrolet V8. Thanks again, Steve. In Part II, we’ll share some of the events prior to production of the engine, how all the “wooden” parts played into the project and some additional insight from Duntov. Technically Speaking - "I think these guys deserve some recognition ..." (Part I) - Page 2 of 2 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 5 May 17, 2010 Tom Macklin and Bruce Pascale '72 Cadillac Eldorado. Words and photos by John Edwin Mason If hot rodders and street racers are the granddaddies of drag racing, its fathers are the land speed racers of southern California’s dry lakes. Beginning in the 1920s, stripped down jalopies, homemade hot rods, sophisticated racecars, and autos straight off a dealer’s lot made their way over the mountains and onto the long, flat surfaces of ancient lakes. There, pioneering drivers pushed their cars as fast as they would go. Top speed was all that mattered. Set a record and you won the respect of your peers. Prize money? Out of the question. ADVERTISEMENT In the 1930s, one of those speed-obsessed Californians was a young man named Wally Parks. By 1937, he was editing the newsletter of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the newly formed sanctioning body that was organizing the dry lakes races. Just over a decade later, Parks saw the need for another racing association, one for drivers who wanted to go fast in a straight line, but didn’t want to go out into the desert to do it. They were the first drag racers, and you’ve heard of the organization that Parks created to rope them in -- the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Drag racing quickly became more popular than land speed racing. Tracks could be located close to the cities and towns in which most hot rodders lived. Racing on them was safer than street racing, and -- good news to some, bad news to others -- it was legal. But land speed racing -- on the dry lakes, the Bonneville salt flats, and temporary airport tracks -- never went away. Some say that it’s stronger than ever. That’s certainly the case on the southeast, where the East Coast Timing Association’s (ECTA) Maxton Mile land speed races have become highly anticipated events. Pulling into the pits at the North Carolina’s Laurinburg/Maxton Airport, a former World War II training base that the ECTA uses for its races, is like stepping back in time. They’re all here -- hot rods, racecars, homemade specials, cars that look almost stock, and plenty of motorcycles, too. Also on hand are the men and women who race, own, and crew them. As with the land speed races of old, there is no prize money to be won or trophies to be earned. The racers and their crews make the pilgrimage because they’re obsessed with speed, passionate about racing, and in love with the challenge of building a machine that can legitimately chase a record.