101 SHOW-WINNING TECH TIPS
October 12, 2023
THE AUTO BUILDER
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E-BODY MOPAR AIRBAR
If you lived during the muscle car era or have any experience with the E-body Mopars—’Cudas and Challengers—then you understand that these were factory rocket ships that were pure excitement to drive. Perhaps you recall those Plum Crazy 340 six-pack ’Cudas and 440 six-pack Challengers—they were hot back then, and they’re even hotter to own now.
Dress Up Your 496
There’s no denying that the MerCruiser 496 has been a success. But no one is claiming that it’s a sexy beast. The plastic engine cover has been referred to as a George Foreman Grill or a turtle back. Vortech Engineering thought it could help out in the visual area, and the company’s new dress-up kit is a big improvement.
Included in the kit is a Vortech flame arrestor as well as a new polished billet engine cover that transforms the look of the 496. Maveric Marine had a 25-foot Cole in the shop that was darn good-looking, but the owner hated the black plastic engine cover. As soon as Maveric owner Eric Bortman heard about the new Vortech kit, he made plans to install one.
CONCEPTUALLY ’40
It was a sketch published in another street rod title, and while it brought many interesting comments, to our knowledge no one acted on the sketch to convert it to a real roadster. Enter Sam Magarino of Sussex, New Jersey. Now, Magarino likes hot rods, and lately he has enjoyed building some pretty outrageous hot rods with the help of Barry Lobeck and his crew at Lobeck’s. This would be a project of great magnitude, and that was the name aptly applied to this car for the show season.
Spotlighter
THE YORK BEFORE YORK
The Central Pennsylvania Street Rod Association Filled Memorial Hall
Author
Gerry Burger
Story & Photography
Central Pennsylvania has long been a hot bed for traditional hot rods. When the N.S.R.A. moved the Nats East from Timonium, Maryland to the York County Fairgrounds in 1975, the town of York, and the associated York County Fairgrounds became synonymous with the NSRA Nats East. But wait, there was a good show in York before that happened.
Hot Rodding in Central Pennsylvania
Of course long before that big event came to town there was plenty of hot rodding, drag racing and oval track action in and around York. The Central Pennsylvania Street Rod Association was one of many hot rod clubs in the area and they produced a great local indoor car show. Similar events were produced across the country by regional hot rod clubs. We like to think of them as “Armory Shows” since the local armory often provided the perfect venue for that mid-winter Rod & Custom show.
Traditional Rods, Customs and Horsepower
My memories of early Pennsylvania hot rodding was a strong presence of traditional rods and customs. There was also an obvious love of horsepower, judging by the large number of blowers and big blocks. Of course Posies was cranking out his world class hot rods and customs not far away in Hummelstown, adding to the central PA mystique.
The 12th Annual Rod & Custom Show
We are fairly certain this 12th Annual Rod & Custom Show was held in 1986 and it filled Memorial Hall right there on the York County Fairgrounds. Rodder’s Digest Magazine was a sponsor of the show that year and we were proud to have the RD logo on the Roy Wetzel produced poster that has been hanging on my shop wall for over 45-years. Admission was five bucks, kids twelve and under-12 half-price. The show ran for three days… March 28-30. It was a blast.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Gerry Burger
Gerry Burger has been immersed in hot rodding since the early 1960s, building his first hot rods as a teenager after being inspired by local racer Bob Zorn. A chance meeting with Tom Medley in 1972 launched a distinguished career as an automotive photojournalist, leading to freelance work for dozens of magazines, the founding of Rodder's Digest, and editorial leadership roles at Street Rod Builder and American Rodder. Today, Burger continues to write, photograph, and build hot rods, remaining one of the hobby's most respected voices.
