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73-527: Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and made to go much faster." However, there is no definition of the term that is universally accepted and the term is attached to a wide range of vehicles. Most often they are individually designed and constructed using components from many makes of old or new cars, and are most prevalent in

146-468: A Ford or Mercury flathead, with an Edelbrock intake manifold , Harman and Collins magneto , and Halibrand quick-change differential . Front suspension hairpins were adapted from sprint cars , such as the Kurtis Krafts . As hot rodding became more popular, magazines and associations catering to hot rodders were started, such as the magazine Hot Rod , founded in 1948. As automobiles offered by

219-434: A bent valve if it gets struck by the piston. The timing (phase angle) of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft can be adjusted to shift an engine's power band to a different RPM range. Advancing the camshaft (shifting it to ahead of the crankshaft timing) increases low RPM torque, while retarding the camshaft (shifting it to after the crankshaft) increases high RPM power. The required changes are relatively small, often in

292-441: A camshaft with the same duration rating that has been determined using different lift points (for example 0.006 or 0.002 inches) could be much different to a camshaft with a duration rated using lift points of 0.05 inches. A secondary effect of increased duration can be increased overlap , which determines the length of time that both the intake and exhaust valves are open. It is overlap which most affects idle quality, in as much as

365-401: A car, which means modifying it for greater performance. With regards to the word "rod", one theory is that it means roadster , a lightweight 2-door car which was often used as the basis for early hot rods. Another theory is that "rod" refers to camshaft , a part of the engine which was often upgraded in order to increase power output. In the early days, a car modified for increased performance

438-468: A car. In the wake of Scott Kalitta 's death at Englishtown, NJ in 2008, the sand traps have been made longer and deeper, going from three feet deep to six feet deep and from 40 feet (12 m) long to 80 feet (24 m) long. Anchors for any arresting netting must be buried underground with no obstructing posts. Some of the newest safety features deal with the tracks themselves. In the wake of Kalitta's death, there are now heavily padded retaining walls at

511-530: A direct result of Kalitta's death. Within the safety requirements, there is also a full crew of safety personnel, called the Safety Safari , whose job is to attend to any fires, clean up the track of debris after an accident on the track, and attend to the drivers prior to the arrival of any medical personnel. The Safety Safari has been in place since the late 1960s, after a rash of on-track accidents caused several promising drivers to retire early. Since that time

584-399: A rear panel, accessible to safety crews. Sixth is the roof escape hatch that is in place on all Funny Cars since the founding of the division in the early 1970s. This device allows Funny Car drivers a safe means of exit during an engine fire rather than falling out of the car between the frame and fiberglass body, and possibly running the risk of being run over by the rear tires. Seventh are

657-543: A severe case of tire shake which, coupled with the release of his parachutes, ripped his car cleanly in two directly behind the engine. This frame failure exposed him to severe injury with no body or frame in front of his feet, as the severely damaged vehicle ground to a halt. The rules now prevent the use of hardened chrome moly tubing in the framework construction of any Top Fuel or Funny Car. The track length for nitromethane-powered vehicles (funny cars and fuel dragsters) has been reduced to 1,000 feet (305 meters), to reduce

730-545: A trophy statue in honor of founder Wally Parks. The trophy is commonly referred to by its nickname, " The Wally ". Wally Parks, editor of Hot Rod magazine and a dry lakes racer himself, began the National Hot Rod Association to promote "safety, sportsmanship, and fellowship" among hot rodders. The association gained about 25,000 members in its first year; within six years, it had more than 57,000 members. Hot Rod magazine and NHRA worked together to convince

803-564: Is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada . With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanctioning body in the world. The association was founded by Wally Parks in 1951 in California to provide a governing body to organize and promote the sport of drag racing. NHRA's first Nationals

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876-491: Is not a hot-rodder at all. He's a square." NHRA initiated the 1954 "Drag Safari", a nationwide tour to encourage organized drag racing with an emphasis on safety. Sponsored by Mobil Oil , the Safari crew would meet with law enforcement and local city officials at each stop to explain their program, involve local car clubs, set up sites, and run drag races. Drag Safari would lead to the 1955 US Nationals for drag racing. Due to

949-400: Is resistant to disintegration. This also came about after the death of Russell. The tires are not allowed to be inflated under 7 pounds per square inch (48 kPa) for any race at any time. All cars capable of attaining 150 miles per hour require braking parachutes . A safety requirement on all Drag cars running 9.99 and quicker in the 1/4 mile is the fireproof engine blanket that surrounds

1022-520: Is the top division of the NHRA. It consists of four professional classes: There are more than a dozen Sportsman Classes. The classes contested at NHRA Divisional races include Snowmobile, Motorcycle Classes, Super Street, Super Gas, Stock Eliminator, Super Stock, Competition Eliminator, Super Comp, Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Top Alcohol Dragster. All classes except Snowmobile and some Sportsman motorcycle classes are regularly contested at NHRA national events. NHRA promotes mainly

1095-507: Is very little "vintage tin", the hot rods in Sweden are generally made with a home-made chassis (usually a Model T or A replica), with a Jaguar (or Volvo 240 ) rear axle, a small-block V8 , and fiberglass tub, but some have been built using for instance a Volvo Duett chassis. Because Swedish regulations required a crash test even for custom-built passenger cars between 1969 and 1982, the Duett option

1168-655: The Ford flathead V8 engine (known as the "flatty") into a different car, for example, the common practice in the 1940s of installing the "60 horse" version into a Jeep chassis. Typical modifications were removal of convertible tops , hoods , bumpers , windshields , and/or fenders ; channeling the body; and modifying the engine by tuning and/or replacing with a more powerful type. Wheels and tires were changed for improved traction and handling. Hot rods built before 1945 commonly used '35 Ford wire-spoke wheels . After World War II , many small military airports throughout

1241-905: The coronavirus pandemic in the United States , the NHRA cancelled its 2020 and 2021 editions of the Drag Racing Series at the Virginia Motorsports Park . Regular scheduling resumed in 2022, with the events taking place in May of that year. Currently, there are two headquarters offices, one in San Dimas, California , and the other in Brownsburg, Indiana at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park . The Mission Foods Drag Racing Series offices are held in Brownsburg. The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series

1314-449: The greaser lifestyle. Magazines like Ol' Skool Rodz , Gears and Gals , and Rat-Rods and Rust Queens cover events and people. There are magazines that feature traditional hot rods, including Hot Rod , Car Craft , Rod and Custom , and Popular Hot Rodding . There are also television shows such as My Classic Car , Horsepower TV , American Hot Rod , Fast and Loud , and Chop Cut Rebuild . Particularly during

1387-479: The "blow-through" of the intake charge immediately back out through the exhaust valve which occurs during overlap reduces engine efficiency, and is greatest during low RPM operation. In general, increasing a camshaft's duration typically increases the overlap, unless the Lobe Separation Angle is increased to compensate. A lay person can readily spot a long duration camshaft by observing the broad surface of

1460-418: The 1,000 foot (304.8 meter) increment NHRA has over 100 member tracks across the United States. It currently leases In N Out Pomona Dragstrip , Gainesville Raceway and Lucas Oil Raceway . It previously owned National Trail Raceway and Atlanta Dragway The NHRA mandates numerous safety devices and procedures in all competition events. A five-point safety harness is required for all vehicles. It holds

1533-465: The Alcohol ranks. This is to prevent any debris from entering the cockpit and becoming a missile hazard to the driver after the death of Top Fuel racer Darrell Russell. Fifth is the on-board fire extinguishing system that is required. These systems are directed onto the engine itself and are activated instantly when the engine catches fire, reducing the chance for the car to completely catch fire and endanger

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1606-834: The Professional classes at national events; however, the majority of its participants are Sportsman Racers. Sportsman-class racers must be dues-paying members of NHRA before they are allowed to enter and participate in any NHRA event. Included in these sportsman events are the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Summit Racing Equipment Racing Series and the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League. The NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing Series originally consisted of seven divisions: Northeast, Southeast, North Central, South Central, West Central, Northwest, and Pacific. Starting in 2012,

1679-529: The Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes competed in four regions: East, North Central, Central and West. Sportsman racers with multiple championships Sportsman racers who have won multiple world championships, with the date of their most recent championship. Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) Alcohol Funny Car (AFC) Competition Eliminator (CE) Super Stock (SS) Stock NOTE: Top Fuel and Funny Car records are measured in

1752-479: The United States and Canada. Many are intended for exhibition rather than for racing or everyday driving. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. Some say that the term "hot" refers to the vehicle's being stolen. Other origin stories include replacing the engine's camshaft or "rod" with a higher performance version. According to the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the term changes in meaning over

1825-497: The advent of solid state electronics , camshaft controllers were used to control the speed of electric motors . A camshaft, driven by an electric motor or a pneumatic motor , was used to operate contactors in sequence. By this means, resistors or tap changers were switched in or out of the circuit to vary the speed of the main motor. This system was mainly used in electric train motors (i.e. EMUs and locomotives ). NHRA The National Hot Rod Association ( NHRA )

1898-495: The cams greatly affects the engine's characteristics. Trip hammers are one of the early uses of a form of cam to convert rotating motion, e.g. from a waterwheel, into the reciprocating motion of a hammer used in forging or to pound grain. Evidence for these exists back to the Han dynasty in China, and they were widespread by the medieval period. Once the rotative version of the steam engine

1971-408: The camshaft is used to operate the intake and exhaust valves . The camshaft consists of a cylindrical rod running the length of the cylinder bank with a number of cams (discs with protruding cam lobes ) along its length, one for each valve. As the cam rotates, the lobe presses on the valve (or an intermediate mechanism), thus pushing it open. Typically, a valve spring is used to push the valve in

2044-412: The camshaft operates the valve directly or via a short rocker arm. The valvetrain layout is defined according to the number of camshafts per cylinder bank. Therefore, a V6 engine with a total of four camshafts - two camshafts per cylinder bank - is usually referred to as a double overhead camshaft engine (although colloquially they are sometimes referred to as "quad-cam" engines). Accurate control of

2117-459: The car's engine, and should the car backfire at any time during the race, or if the burst panel is blown out by an engine explosion, the fuel pump shuts off and the parachutes are deployed automatically. Although several drivers in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions have stated their dislike for the new sensor, they do admit that it should cut down on any fatal crashes similar to Kalitta's. This device

2190-429: The centreline of the exhaust lobes. A higher LSA reduces overlap, which improves idle quality and intake vacuum, however using a wider LSA to compensate for excessive duration can reduce power and torque outputs. In general, the optimal LSA for a given engine is related to the ratio of the cylinder volume to intake valve area. Camshafts are integral components of internal combustion engines, responsible for controlling

2263-736: The chance of fatal injuries has been decreased but not eliminated. There is also a full staff of EMTs on hand at any event on the schedule at any given time. These EMTs are usually from the city or county the track is located in, and are compensated by the NHRA for their time and efforts. Aeromedical services are also on hand at the track for airlifting severely injured persons to local hospitals or trauma centers if necessary. The original "Drag Safari" began their tour across America in 1954. Included were four original members: Bud Coons, Bud Evans, Eric Rickman and Chic Cannon. Although there are several safety procedures in place to prevent fatal accidents, no amount of safety can completely prevent fatalities on

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2336-524: The conclusion of a run, a pair of redundant transmitters, placed 400 feet (120 m) and 600 feet (180 m) past the finish line, will signal an on-board receiver to automatically shut off ignition power and fuel to the engine and deploy the parachutes. The transmitters are designed and placed so as to avoid inadvertent triggering of the automated shutoffs. These transmitters and the receivers that are placed on all cars were designed by NHRA's Track Safety Committee and constructed by Electrimotion , and are

2409-424: The country were either abandoned or rarely used, allowing hot rodders across the country to race on marked courses. Originally, drag racing had tracks as long as 1 mi (1.6 km) or more, and included up to four lanes of racing simultaneously. As some hot rodders also raced on the street, a need arose for an organization to promote safety, and to provide venues for safe racing. The National Hot Rod Association

2482-420: The crankshaft. In a four-stroke engine , the valves are opened only half as often, therefore the camshaft is geared to rotate at half the speed of the crankshaft. The camshaft's duration determines how long the intake/exhaust valve is open for, therefore it is a key factor in the amount of power that an engine produces. A longer duration can increase power at high engine speeds (RPM), however this can come with

2555-608: The decade passed. Hot rods were used as the theme of Lightning Rod , a Rocky Mountain Construction roller coaster at Dollywood . Locals in Sweden and Finland , influenced by American culture, have created a vibrant local hot rod culture where enthusiasts gather at meetings such as Power Big Meet in Linköping and clubs like Wheels and Wings in Varberg , both located in Sweden. Since there

2628-532: The driver securely in the seat and is equipped with a quick-release latch which can be released in less than a second should the driver need to leave the car due to fire or explosions. Fire suits are required for all drivers in the alcohol and nitromethane fuel classes and the faster gasoline classes. These suits are full body coveralls and made with seven layers of Nomex fabric, which makes them resistant to fire. The required suit includes Nomex gloves, foot socks, and head sock. Another NASCAR transplant, which

2701-425: The driver. The driver also has a manual activation control available. This has been in place on all cars since 1983, when an engine explosion and fire came very close to killing then-Funny Car driver Mike Dunn. All enclosed body cars must have a five-inch circular opening that will accept the nozzle of a fire extinguisher triggered by safety personnel. All vehicles must have a clearly marked fuel pump cut-off switch on

2774-457: The early 1960s, a genre of "hot rod music" rose to mainstream popularity. Hot rod music was largely a product of a number of surf music groups running out of ideas for new surfing songs and simultaneously shifting their lyrical focus toward hot rods. Hot rod music would prove to be the second phase in a progression known as the California Sound , which would mature into more complex topics as

2847-429: The end of the sand traps. These walls are able to withstand the impact of a vehicle traveling at well over the usual speed of any division within the NHRA's professional categories. These retaining walls take the place of the old rubber polymer safety nets that were once held up with concrete posts. Another safety modification was a direct result of Kalitta's death. The NHRA began installing a sensor that constantly checks

2920-407: The engine block and contains debris in case of an engine explosion. NHRA rules call for a monetary, points, and time penalty if the car leaks oil during the run. During qualifying, the offending team loses its elapsed time and speed from the run; during a race, the penalty is loss of lane choice unless both teams in the ensuing race committed the violation. In the wake of Eric Medlen 's 2007 death,

2993-416: The engine block near the bottom of the engine. Early flathead engines locate the valves in the block and the cam acts directly on those valves. In an overhead valve engine, which came later, the cam follower presses on a pushrod which transfers the motion to the top of the engine, where a rocker opens the intake/exhaust valve. Although largely replaced by SOHC and DOHC layouts in modern automobile engines,

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3066-440: The general public and especially the police that there was a difference between hot-rodders and reckless street racers, sometimes known as "shot rodders". They encouraged the involvement of adults, such as auto shop teachers and garage owners. The NHRA's efforts to defend the image of the hot-rodder included a series of short films such as The Cool Hot Rod (1953) in which a delinquent teen learns that "a reckless kid in an old junker

3139-484: The late 1980s, fans could station themselves up to the guardrails so they could be closer to the action. However, in the wake of several rather dramatic accidents on track, where spectators have been injured or killed, fans are no longer allowed within 75 feet (23 m) of the guardrail. One of the newest safety requirements came after a near-fatal crash at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas , when John Force 's car experienced

3212-403: The likelihood and severity of blower and engine explosions and fires at or above 200 miles per hour. All other classes continue to race a full 1320-foot quarter mile (402 meters) which has been the original distance established by the NHRA in the 1950s. The 2010 season brought a new safety device to Top Fuel classes. Should the driver be rendered unable to perform the normal shutdown sequence at

3285-427: The lobe where the cam pushes the valve open for a large number of degrees of crankshaft rotation. This will be visibly greater than the more pointed camshaft lobe bump that is observed on lower duration camshafts. The camshaft's lift determines the distance between the valve and the valve seat (i.e. how far open the valve is). The farther the valve rises from its seat the more airflow can be provided, thus increasing

3358-422: The long bars at the rear end of all cars, also known as " wheelie bars ". These long struts prevent the car from flipping over during the launch phase. To prevent debris, oil, fuel, or coolant from falling on the racing surface, "diapers" under the engine (with a supporting platform) are used to retain liquids and broken parts in the event of a catastrophic engine failure. "Oil-downs" result in substantial fines and

3431-402: The loss of previously earned Championship points (for annual awards). Many cars using the centrifugally-activated "slipper" clutch are now using a retention tube to collect the substantial amount of clutch dust that is produced during each race. The aforementioned recent practices, along with the longstanding requirement for a Kevlar-style retainer blanket over the supercharger, considerably reduce

3504-403: The major automakers began increasing performance, the lure of hot rods began to wane. With the advent of the muscle car , it was now possible to purchase a high-performance car straight from the showroom. However, the 1973 Oil Crisis caused car manufacturers to focus on fuel efficiency over performance, which led to a resurgence of interest in hot rodding. As the focus shifted away from racing,

3577-448: The maximum amount of lift possible for a given engine. Firstly, increasing lift brings the valves closer to the piston, so excessive lift could cause the valves to get struck and damaged by the piston. Secondly, increased lift means a steeper camshaft profile is required, which increases the forces needed to open the valve. A related issue is valve float at high RPM, where the spring tension does not provide sufficient force to either keep

3650-584: The modified cars became known as "street rods". The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) was formed and began hosting events. By the 1970s, the 350 cu in (5.7 L) small-block Chevy V8 was the most common choice of engine for hot rods. Another popular engine choice is the Ford Windsor engine . During the 1980s, many car manufacturers were reducing the displacements of their engines, thus making it harder for hot rod builders to obtain large displacement engines. Instead, engine builders had to modify

3723-876: The modified cars used in the Prohibition era by bootleggers to evade revenue agents and other law enforcement. Hot rods first appeared in the late 1930s in southern California , where people raced modified cars on dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles , under the rules of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), among other groups. This gained popularity after World War II , particularly in California, because many returning soldiers had received technical training. The first hot rods were old cars (most often Fords , typically 1910s-1920s Model Ts , 1928–31 Model As , or 1932-34 Model Bs ), modified to reduce weight. Engine swaps often involved fitting

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3796-426: The older overhead valve layout is still used in many industrial engines, due to its smaller size and lower cost. As engine speeds increased through the 20th century, single overhead camshaft (SOHC) engines— where the camshaft is located within the cylinder head near the top of the engine— became increasingly common, followed by double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engines in more recent years. For OHC and DOHC engines,

3869-598: The opening and closing of the engine's intake and exhaust valves. As the camshaft rotates, its lobes push against the valves, allowing the intake of air and fuel and the expulsion of exhaust gases. This synchronized process is crucial for optimizing engine performance, fuel efficiency, and emissions control. Without precisely engineered camshafts, the smooth and efficient operation of an engine would be compromised. The most common methods of valve actuation involve camshafts and valve springs, however alternate systems have occasionally been used on internal combustion engines: Before

3942-416: The opposite direction, thus closing the valve once the cam rotates past the highest point of its lobe. Camshafts are made from metal and are usually solid, although hollow camshafts are sometimes used. The materials used for a camshaft are usually either: Many early internal combustion engines used a cam-in-block layout (such flathead , IOE or T-head layouts), whereby the camshaft is located within

4015-465: The order of 5 degrees. Modern engines which have variable valve timing are often able to adjust the timing of the camshaft to suit the RPM of the engine at any given time. This avoids the above compromise required when choosing a fixed cam timing for use at both high and low RPM. The lobe separation angle (LSA, also called lobe centreline angle ) is the angle between the centreline of the intake lobes and

4088-517: The past include a vertical shaft with bevel gears at each end (e.g. pre-World War I Peugeot and Mercedes Grand Prix Cars and the Kawasaki W800 motorcycle) or a triple eccentric with connecting rods (e.g. the Leyland Eight car). In a two-stroke engine that uses a camshaft, each valve is opened once for every rotation of the crankshaft; in these engines, the camshaft rotates at the same speed as

4161-454: The position and speed of the camshaft is critically important in allowing the engine to operate correctly. The camshaft is usually driven either directly, via a toothed rubber "timing belt"' or via a steel roller "timing chain". Gears have also occasionally been used to drive the camshaft. In some designs the camshaft also drives the distributor , oil pump , fuel pump and occasionally the power steering pump. Alternative drive systems used in

4234-405: The potential for injury and fire, in addition to assuring a cleaner and safer racing surface, resulting in a dramatic reduction in race delays for track clean-up. The rear tires of the car, which are called slicks due to the fact that there is no tread on them, are specified with safety considerations in mind. These tires are made from a much harder compound than in previous years so that the tire

4307-448: The power produced. Higher valve lift can have the same effect of increasing peak power as increased duration, without the downsides caused by increased valve overlap. Most overhead valve engines have a rocker ratio of greater than one, therefore the distance that the valve opens (the valve lift ) is greater than the distance from the peak of the camshaft's lobe to the base circle (the camshaft lift ). There are several factors which limit

4380-463: The roll bars in a Funny Car underwent modifications to further improve safety. They are padded with thick insulation and coated with several layers of Nomex to prevent the padding from catching fire during an engine explosion. Another facility safety feature is the large sand pit at the end of the track past an area of the track known as the "shutdown area", also known as a "sand trap". This 40-foot-long (12 m) sand pit has been placed to slow or stop

4453-458: The smaller engines (such as using non-standard crankshafts and pistons ) to obtain larger displacement. While current production V8s tended to be the most frequent candidates, this also applied to others. In the mid-1980s, as stock engine sizes diminished, rodders discovered the 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminum-block Buick or Oldsmobile V8 could be modified for substantially greater displacement, with mainly wrecking yard parts. This trend

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4526-467: The trade-off of less torque being produced at low RPM. The duration measurement for a camshaft is affected by the amount of lift that is chosen as the start and finish point of the measurement. A lift value of 0.050 in (1.3 mm) is often used as a standard measurement procedure, since this is considered most representative of the lift range that defines the RPM range in which the engine produces peak power. The power and idle characteristics of

4599-683: The use of poppet valves, or piston valves. For examples see the Uniflow steam engine , and the Gardner-Serpollet steam cars, which also included axially sliding the camshaft to achieve variable valve timing. Among the first cars to utilize engines with single overhead camshafts were the Maudslay, designed by Alexander Craig and introduced in 1902 and the Marr Auto Car designed by Michigan native Walter Lorenzo Marr in 1903. In piston engines ,

4672-445: The valve following the cam at its apex or prevent the valve from bouncing when it returns to the valve seat. This could be a result of a very steep rise of the lobe, where the cam follower separates from the cam lobe (due to the valvetrain inertia being greater than the closing force of the valve spring), leaving the valve open for longer than intended. Valve float causes a loss of power at high RPM and in extreme situations can result in

4745-411: The years, but "hot rodding has less to do with the vehicle and more to do with an attitude and lifestyle". For example, hot rods were favorites for greasers . The term has broadened to apply to other items that are modified for a particular purpose, such as "hot-rodded amplifier ". There are various theories about the origin of the term "hot rod". The common theme is that "hot" related to "hotting up"

4818-470: Was brought into use after the death of Fireball Roberts , was the fuel cell. This bladder is placed into the fuel tanks of non-nitromethane-fueled vehicles to prevent fuel leaks and explosions. Third is the use of the HANS device . This device limits the movement of the head and neck in the event of an impact. Fourth is the titanium shield that must be placed behind the head of all Dragsters and Funny Cars down to

4891-513: Was called a "gow job". This term morphed into the hot rod in the early to late 1940s. The term "hot rod" has had various uses in relation to performance cars. For example, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in its vehicle emissions regulations refers to a hot rod as any motorized vehicle that has a replacement engine differing from the factory original. The forerunners to the hotrod were

4964-518: Was developed by Force, Kenny Bernstein , and Tony Schumacher , along with NHRA racing development, and NHRA track safety. It was implemented at the start of the 2009 season. The sensor is used only in the Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions. Pro Stock doesn't use nitromethane or superchargers in their engines and this presents a much-reduced risk of the massive explosions that can be seen in the nitromethane-fueled cars—and often at their peak speeds. Prior to

5037-421: Was developed in the late 18th century, the operation of the valve gear was usually by an eccentric , which turned the rotation of the crankshaft into reciprocating motion of the valve gear, normally a slide valve . Camshafts more like those seen later in internal combustion engines were used in some steam engines, most commonly where high pressure steam (such as that generated from a flash steam boiler ), required

5110-537: Was founded in 1951, to take drag racing off the streets and into controlled environments. In the '50s and '60s, the Ford flathead V8 was supplanted by the Chrysler FirePower engine (known as the "early hemi"). Many hot rods would upgrade the brakes from mechanical to hydraulic ("juice") and headlights from bulb to sealed-beam. A typical mid-1950s to early 1960s custom Deuce was fenderless and steeply chopped, powered by

5183-493: Was held in 1955, in Great Bend, Kansas . The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series , the national event series which comprises 24 races each year, is the premier series in drag racing that brings together the best drag racers from across North America and the world. The NHRA U.S. Nationals are now held at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana and are officially called the U.S. Nationals. Winners of national events are awarded

5256-546: Was not limited to American cars; Volkswagen enthusiasts similarly stretched stock 1600cc engines to over two liters. The hot rod community has now been subdivided into two main groups: street rodders and hot rodders. There is a contemporary movement of traditional hot rod builders, car clubs and artists who have returned to the roots of hot rodding as a lifestyle. This includes a new breed of traditional hot rod builders, artists, and styles, as well as classic style car clubs. Events like GreaseOrama feature traditional hot rods and

5329-402: Was preferred, since it was considered a rebodied Duett rather than a new vehicle. Some 1950s and 1960s cars are also hot rodded, like Morris Minor , Ford Anglia , Volvo Amazon , Ford Cortina , and '57 Chevy , to name but a few. These are known as custom cars (sometimes spelled Kustom). Camshaft Camshafts in piston engines are usually made from steel or cast iron, and the shape of

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