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When Horsepower Meets Patriotism: Inside a One-of-a-Kind Hot Rod
Hot rods are iconic vehicles—loud and proud, but is there more behind their appeal? Most hot rods feature a classic, traditional appearance and are often designed to attract attention with their noise and presence. Owners dedicate considerable time and money to craft a vehicle that expresses their personality. Is this passion driven by a desire for personal enjoyment or the urge to showcase or “show off” their style? Alternatively, could there be a more profound motivation be
Buddy Faulk
Auxiliary Relay: Do I really need one for my classic car?
Most American classic cars from the fifties, sixties, or some seventies never came with electrical accessories like factory-installed cooling fans, fuel pumps, or aftermarket driving/fog lights. In most cases, these vehicle wiring systems do not support the additional power consumption of these upgrades. Most of these accessories will be controlled by the ignition feed and switched on and off by the ignition switch. However, these components can draw a considerable amount of
Buddy Faulk
Automotive Electrical Information You May Need to Know
Before starting any electrical DIY project, whether you're adding a cooling fan or replacing the wiring harness on your classic car, there's some basic information you may need to familiarize yourself with. Automotive electrical systems are those in a vehicle that use electricity to power components such as the engine starter, lights, radio, and sensors. These systems rely on a circuit that starts with the battery and uses wires to deliver power to various parts, with the car
Buddy Faulk
Max Hurley's 1972 Dodge Demon Pro-Stock
Oscar Max Hurley, also known as "Max" from West Jefferson, North Carolina, established himself as one of the most prominent drag racers in North Carolina's history. Inducted into the North Carolina Racing Hall of Fame in 2009, Hurley's impressive career spanned 28 years, during which he claimed victory in around 280 races. In addition to his success on the track, Hurley was renowned for his generosity and support of fellow drag racers through his famous "Max Hurley Speed Shop
Buddy Faulk
Nov 24, 20253 min read
HEMI Penalty and The Boycott Car
In 1972, NHRA implemented a weight-to-cubic-inch penalty to control engine dominance in the Pro Stock class. The “Weight Break” rule created separate weight-to-cubic-inch ratios based on engine type to balance the competition and encourage smaller engines and compact cars. The rule established a new base of 6.75 pounds per cubic inch for small-block engines and a higher 7.25 pounds per cubic inch for big-block engines. It was designed to address powerful engines like the Hemi
Buddy Faulk
Nov 15, 20252 min read
Pro-Stock's Elephant
Chrysler's D5 HEMI Dual Plug Engine The D5 HEMI was an experimental 426 HEMI engine by Chrysler in the early 1970s for Pro Stock drag racing. The program was a top-secret project, as Chrysler wanted to keep the competition in the dark. Tom Hoover and Harry Weslake, of Chrysler, designed the engine to improve performance at higher RPMs, from 6000 to 9000. The key features included round intake ports, a wider block, a fabricated tubular intake manifold, dual distributors, and
Buddy Faulk
Nov 8, 20252 min read
Survivor for Over 50 Years
The Rod Shop 1973 Dodge Dart Sport, driven by Bob Riffle, has been a survivor for more than 50 Years. Bob Riffle was a distinguished drag racer who excelled both behind the wheel and under the hood as an engine builder. He was a two-time US Nationals champion and gained recognition for building Pro Stock engines. Bob held the position of Head Engine Builder at Petty Enterprises, contributing to the success of drivers such as Mark Martin and Ted Musgrave at Roush Racing. He al
Buddy Faulk
Oct 27, 20254 min read
When Horsepower Meets Patriotism: Inside a One-of-a-Kind Hot Rod
Hot rods are iconic vehicles—loud and proud, but is there more behind their appeal? Most hot rods feature a classic, traditional appearance and are often designed to attract attention with their noise and presence. Owners dedicate considerable time and money to craft a vehicle that expresses their personality. Is this passion driven by a desire for personal enjoyment or the urge to showcase or “show off” their style? Alternatively, could there be a more profound motivation be
Buddy Faulk
Auxiliary Relay: Do I really need one for my classic car?
Most American classic cars from the fifties, sixties, or some seventies never came with electrical accessories like factory-installed cooling fans, fuel pumps, or aftermarket driving/fog lights. In most cases, these vehicle wiring systems do not support the additional power consumption of these upgrades. Most of these accessories will be controlled by the ignition feed and switched on and off by the ignition switch. However, these components can draw a considerable amount of
Buddy Faulk
Automotive Electrical Information You May Need to Know
Before starting any electrical DIY project, whether you're adding a cooling fan or replacing the wiring harness on your classic car, there's some basic information you may need to familiarize yourself with. Automotive electrical systems are those in a vehicle that use electricity to power components such as the engine starter, lights, radio, and sensors. These systems rely on a circuit that starts with the battery and uses wires to deliver power to various parts, with the car
Buddy Faulk
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