From the oops file...It is not true that all 283 Chevrolet engines used 1.72 intake valves (May '06, "The Best Things Come in Small Packages"). The '61 315hp Corvette 283s were the first production small-blocks to use 1.94 intake valves. And while I have your ear/eyes, the timing tip in Apr. '06 is well taken, but if the inertia ring were to slip the engine would not be out of time, it only would appear to be. Timing an engine with a slipped ring would, however, result in a mistimed engine. So if buddy Ed's engine began to run poorly it would not be because of the slipped inertia ring if it had been timed when the ring was in the correct position. April issue, April Fools joke perhaps? That all said, I enjoy your magazine, as it helps keep me abreast of Bow Tie performance. Keep up the good work.Dave KoscheLake Stevens, WA
Yes, we missed that one in the story. The 315hp 283 heads (3782461X castings) used 1.94/1.50 valves. Records show the first 15 '61 Corvettes built with the 315hp 283 had aluminum heads, but casting problems at the foundry forced a switch to cast iron for the remainder of production. Now regarding the slipped timing ring, of course timing an engine before the inertia ring begins to move would provide an accurate timing reading. But to go further into this theory (the real world in Ed's driveway), we can assume that the inertia ring did not immediately slip completely out of position. Instead over months or years the inertia ring began to slowly clock itself away from its original position. At first the movement could have been just 0.030 inch, then gradually up toward an inch. The movement accelerates as the inertia ring leaves its original position, so at first Ed's timing adjustments during periodic maintenance are slightly off. Later they are off by several degrees. Again, this is only theoretical, not a proven science. Thanks for your close observation.-BM
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Book Learnin'Edelbrock: Made in USA is a hefty, glossy-paged tome that presents history on several levels. The Edelbrock family's journey is also hot-rod history, which is also a chunk of American history. It's a lot to handle in one book, but author Tom Madigan does an admirable job of it.
Kansas-born Vic Edelbrock Sr. got his start delivering Fords for a local dealer. After making his way to California, as many did during the Depres-sion, Edelbrock worked on anything to make ends meet. His passion for perfor-mance and success, however, is where Edelbrock's history intersects with what is now hot-rodding lore. Edelbrock was at ground zero of the speed boom, running the lakes and then midgets, hand-crafting his first performance parts, building his business, and working with the likes of Alex Xydias, Ed Iskendarian, Bob Hedman, and Wally Parks.
Just as intriguing are the challenges Vic Jr. faced when he took over: the growing pains of an expanding company, the struggle to survive as smog and safety legislation threatened the performance industry, and the formation of SEMA as a lobbying force for that industry. Although the story Madigan tells is very much the Edelbrock clan's personal journey, he never loses sight of the bigger picture, keeping things in historical context-something we can all relate to.
Edelbrock: Made in USA is full of great stories and cool vintage photos. The text is highlighted by multiple sidebars and photo essays-it's not perfect, but it rarely fails to inform and entertain. If you were around in the good ol' days, this book will be a nice trip down memory lane. For us youngsters, it's an intriguing look at how the hot-rod hobby came to be what it is today.