Performance in Motion - Winter 2009

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement #40609642Vol.9 #4 • WINTER 2009 • 25c

Drift Mania Canadian Championship

1915 Bub Wasp

RETURN of the LITTLE BOOK

MLS EXHAUST GASKETSfor Drag Racing, Oval Track & High-Performance Street

• Multi-Layered Steel (MLS) exhaust andheader collector gaskets are designedfor extreme cylinder pressures producedby high horsepower–high compressionturbo-charged, supercharged and nitrousoxide engines.

• Manufactured from three stainless steellayers, resists corrosion, will not burnthrough or push out and maintains maximum fastener torque retention.

• Stress formed inner and outer layerembossments act like springs thatrebound under exhaust flange clamp load, creating force to seal excessive exhaust pressureproduced from cylinder heads.

• Withstands different combinations of cylinder head (aluminum) and exhaust header or manifold (steel)materials, will not deterioratefrom scrubbing action caused by different expansion rates in aluminum and steel material.

216-688-8300www.mr-gasket.com

WINTER 2009 • Performance in Motion • �

Table of ContentsEditorial ................................................5The Bub Wasp of 1915 ........................7Drift Mania Championship .............. 11Classics in the Country ....................12 Roadmates Corn Roast .................... 16Book Review: DRAG RACING The Worlds Fastest Sport...................18Performance Directory ....................20Route 66 Trip ......................................21Reluctant PassengerPrepping for the Off Season ............22

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11

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Performance in Motion 1100 The QueenswayToronto, ON M8Z 1P7Phone: 416-259-3678 Fax: 416-259-6433

EDITOR/PUBLISHERBob [email protected]: 416-259-3678

PRODUCTION DESIGNRob McJannett

CONTRIBUTORS Thomas AndersonBert FaibishJohn LawrenceJeff NorwellBob McJannettRobert MichaelsonJover PapagLeonard F. SlyePaul Sontropwith Bonnie Staring as the Reluctant Passenger

PROOFREADERSpike “The Machine” LaVigne

Moving? Let us know! [email protected] undeliverables to: 1100 The Queensway Toronto, ON M8Z 1P7

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40609642 • PER FOR MANCE IN MOTION is published four times a year: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Circulation is 30,000+ (ISSN 1703-8421)

Copyright ©2009 All rights reserved by Performance In Motion Publishing. The fine print: We respect your privacy, and do not sell our mailing list. All opinions are those of the usual gang of idiots, most of whom sniff gas fumes. The information presented via said gas sniffers from which there can be no responsibility by the Publishers as to legality, completeness and accuracy. Recycle this maga-zine - give it to your friends. If you enjoy our magazine, be sure to let us know! This maga-zine may not be reprinted without permission of Performance In Motion Publishing. (We’re nice guys, just ask!) • Thanks for everything Mr. D •

• • None of this would have been possible without you •

MLS EXHAUST GASKETSfor Drag Racing, Oval Track & High-Performance Street

• Multi-Layered Steel (MLS) exhaust andheader collector gaskets are designedfor extreme cylinder pressures producedby high horsepower–high compressionturbo-charged, supercharged and nitrousoxide engines.

• Manufactured from three stainless steellayers, resists corrosion, will not burnthrough or push out and maintains maximum fastener torque retention.

• Stress formed inner and outer layerembossments act like springs thatrebound under exhaust flange clamp load, creating force to seal excessive exhaust pressureproduced from cylinder heads.

• Withstands different combinations of cylinder head (aluminum) and exhaust header or manifold (steel)materials, will not deterioratefrom scrubbing action caused by different expansion rates in aluminum and steel material.

216-688-8300www.mr-gasket.com

P.I. TORONTO1100 The QueenswayToronto, Ontario 416-259-9656

P.I. BARRIE422 Dunlop St. W. Barrie, Ontario 705-735-1274

P.I. BRAMPTON12 Rutherford Rd. S.Brampton, Ontario 905-453-9901

P.I. GUELPH672 Woolwich StreetGuelph, Ontario 519-821-6740

P.I. HAMILTON891 Upper James Hamilton, Ontario905-574-6940

P.I. OSHAWA1487 Simcoe St. NorthOshawa, Ontario 905-725-3533

P.I. PIERREFONDS4909 Boul. St. CharlesPierrefonds, Quebec (514) 626-1866

Call Toll-Free: 1-877-471-6700

WINTER 2009 • Performance in Motion • 5

How do you like our new

size? We have been trying to find a way to make our magazine different from the rest of the herd. We came upon a stash of the “little books” from the 50s and 60s, the ones we used to read at

school hidden in our textbooks. Why not?So, now you are holding our new format. By

going to this size, we accomplish a number of things. First, we will be using less paper, killing fewer trees. Our attempt to save the earth, one tree at a time. We will also be able to lower our display ad rates, making Performance in Motion a more attractive ad buy in our cur-rent economy. We certainly encourage you to support our advertisers. They have stepped up to support the Canadian enthusiast, without them there would be no FREE magazine.

What we are not going to do is lower the quality. We will continue to print on high-quality glossy stock. We will continue to offer exclusively Canadian coverage. We will con-tinue to support Canadian events, Canadian car builders and to provide simple hands on technical tips to help you make the improve-ments you want to your vehicles. We will also keep you informed of government issues that could hurt the car enthusiast population.

I trust you enjoy our new format; we have had fun changing the look. Hope you like it too!

Edito

r’s N

ote

6 • Performance in Motion • WINTER 2009

oBub Wasp

Story by: Bob McJannett • Photos by: Paul Sontrop


Before anyone had ever heard the words Hot Rod or Hot Rodder, there were car nuts. People who

would not be satisfied with the vehicle they owned and would spend hard-earned money and countless hours changing things to make them faster and unique in appearance. Many of these “nuts” went on to become amazingly successful businessmen. The Bub Wasp was involved with a number of these pioneers of speed. During its life, the Model T Ford was said to have “Put America on Wheels.” It was the car that got people moving. The first T came off the line in late 1908, and the last one in 1927 an unprecedented run of nineteen years on the same basic model. Before he knew it, Henry was building the most successful car on the planet. As with all things, there was a group of people who could not leave well enough alone. They were the first hot rodders. The Bub Wasp is the product of the fertile minds of the hot rodders in the early era. You simply removed the original T sheet metal and replaced it with a speedster body. Here is an excerpt from the literature of the day.

Bub Wasp


BUB SPEEDSTER BODY“-with its rakish windshield and classy top; individual fenders and military step; additional disc wheel which flanks the hood; luxuriously upholstered slope seat cushions; honey-combed metal false core and nickeled radiator shell, stands supreme among custom-built body models for Fords. Colour scheme optional – any two colours. For slight additional charge over regular price, body will be covered with your choice of Fabrikoid.

Consult the dealer in you territory or write us direct regarding complete specifica-tions and price. Be the first in your locality to drive one of these exclusive speedsters – get in touch with us TODAY.

BUB BODY CORPORATION, 336 South Water St., MILWAUKEE, WIS.”

This “Bub Wasp” is the restoration completed at “Cardude Vehicle Restora-tions” of Niagara Falls, Ontario. When it was originally built in 1915, it was destined to be raced at Indy.


When it arrived at the shop, it was a basketcase, some of the parts had gone astray, but most were there. Over a period of months, Jim McBurney “The Cardude” restored it to better than its original condi-tion. Power comes from a 176.7 cubic inch Model T engine that produced 22 HP originally. The “Bub Wasp” engine features a Frontenac overhead valve conversion (by the Chevrolet Brothers). Model A crank-shaft and pistons were fitted, along with an Atwater Kent distributor and a stainless steel exhaust. Horsepower has been raised to 64! That is a whopping increase. The engine is mated to the Model T transmission and rear end. The chassis rides on 6 ft. wide track axles with Roof Racing knock-off wheels. Once completed, Jim loaded it up and took it to Daytona Beach where he participated in the 16th annual Beach Parade that retraces the original Daytona 500 course of half beach and half highway. Hats off to the “Cardude” for keeping automotive history alive.


Never question a gear head’s love for fast

cars, burning rubber and screeching tires. Once again, the Toronto leg of the Drift Mania Canadian Championship grew in size and popularity, and was witness to some killer slides along the way.

The day began as a scorcher and the weather managed to maintain the whole day, giving the excited capacity crowd even more to cheer about. There were plenty of hometown Canadians for the fans to cheer on, and even though the Canucks put in some great rounds, in the end

it was a Yankee that took home the crown. Matt Waldin won his second straight DMCC event and Drift Brigade continued its dominance of the drifting circuit.

Feel-good story of the day and local hero Pat Cyr wowed the crowd with some great technical turns and sweepers in his Toyota AE86, but his day would end in disappointment when he suffered crippling drive-train damage and was forced to drop out of the final race. It wasn’t all bad for Canadi-ans, however, as Claude Poirier of BFGoodrich Drift Team snagged his second

straight podium finish after grabbing second place, in what was only his second-ever race.

Even though none of our home-grown talent was able to take first place in Toron-to, the growing popularity of drifting and the hosting of such events will only lead to more Canadian drivers entering these competitions. While an American may be at the top of the drifting game for now, he’d better not lose sight of some up and coming young Canucks in his rear-view mirror.

DRIFTTHINGStory by: Bert Faibish • Photos by: Jover Papag



Classics in the Country

WINTER 2009 • Performance in Motion • 1�

On the Sunday of the Labour Day weekend, the

Mississauga Classic Car Club holds their annual Classics in the Country event. Held just outside of Hillsburgh, Ontario, at the farm of one of their members, they have room for lots of cars and as always there were many in attendance. Club members run the whole event and use it to support local charities. This year they supported both the local Boy Scouts and the Barth Syndrome Founda-tion of Canada. With more than 300 cars in attendance, the day had to be consid-ered a roaring success. One of the things I have noticed is the large number of late model cars that they attract. Not just the ‘57 and down crowd, but a wide variety of 60s and 70s muscle cars. In fact, even newer models than that arrive. Great place to see some of the latest trends in enthusiast cars.

Story and Photos by: Leonard F. Slye


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Roadmates Car Club holds an annual corn roast on the Saturday

of the Labour Day weekend. This year’s event featured the popular Roadmates hot dogs and fresh corn for all participants. Space is limited with only so many parking spots available. The weather was spectacular, and the cars turned out early to ensure they got a spot to park. There seemed to be a number of new cars, cars not seen before, attending this year. There were also quite a few younger car builders in attendance. The future for us car nuts looks great. Check out a few of the vehicles at the event.


Book Review:

In just over 200 pages Canadian author Tim Miller takes you through

the growth of Drag racing from the early 50s until today. Loaded with great photos, a number of which never before published, Tim takes us through the days of the ATAA, AHRA, IHRA, even a sidebar describing NASCARs mid 60s foray as a drag race sanctioning body. Of course there is a full history of the growth of the NHRA. Tim also provides a Racing 101 section that explains the intricacies of the business of drag racing. After reading this section even a novice would have a good understanding of the art of the sport. He has a section describing the differences between the classes with detailed explanations of all the complexities each one brings to the line. Add in seventeen in depth essays on todays drag racing heros, a section describing women in drag racing and another section providing a look at the legends of the sport. All in all Tim’s book would make a great gift for anyone with even a casual interest in the sport of Drag Racing. Best of all Tim Miller is a Canadian author so there are

more mentions of drag racing on this side of the border. Burn rubber, eat smoke and feel the earth rumble in Drag Racing.

DRAG RACING The World’s Fastest SportAuthor Timothy Miller • Published by Firefly Books

Published in hard cover • Priced at $34.95

Auto Services Ltd.

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In our summer issue we featured John Lawrence’s recently completed 1956

Chevrolet. In the text, John described his plan to follow route 66 with the car. Well, that’s exactly what he did.

He and Betty-Jean left Toronto for the west coast visiting as much of what is left of old Route 66 as possi-ble. After arriving in Santa Monica, Ca, they took in as much of the coast as time would allow, before begin-ning the return run. With a side trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats, they covered 9,600 km in 30 days.

Congratulations to them both! As my friend Amir would say, a real Hot Rodder has a moving odometer. You are real hot rodders.

ROUTE

66Story by: Len Sly

Photos by: John Lawrence


There are times when a driver has to lift his head out from

under the hood and realize summer’s over. Especially with the lack of iced cappuccino promotions at certain coffee shops.

Any way you slice it, cooler weather presents drivers and passengers alike with incred-ible opportunities: driving with the top up so you can actually have a conversation, an open Saturday evening as cruise nights disappear from the calendar, or—heaven defend us—a chance to plan any off-season enhancement activities.

Of course, “off-season enhancement activities” mean different things to different people. For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume that these relate to automobiles, and not shopping for wardrobe bargains. Sigh.

Plan it, JanetEnsure that your vehicular virtuoso has a plan before he lifts out that tranny. Like all good stories, most car repairs involve a subplot or two. A small leak may signal the failure of some well-bur-ied gasket or seal. That little squeak could reveal the need for new bushings or suspen-sion mounts. Yeah, it’s kind of like a Dan Brown novel, except all the symbols are completely covered in oil.

Decide on moola, VoulaYou may be in a situation where you both have “off-season enhancement” budgets. Goody for you. For the rest of us who have to choose between new rims and, say, the kids’ tuba lessons, this is a discussion that needs to happen before the first lug nut is yanked on. Wiggle room only works when you’re adjusting the distributor, not the household finances.

Think timeframe, ElaineThere is no such thing as a five-minute fix even if you have a scan tool and a ShamWow. Smart passen-gers also know when to stick their head into the garage and provide encouraging yet meaningful one-hour, half-hour and ten-minute warnings if the driver needs to be somewhere later on. A megaphone could be a wise investment.

You need space, GraceYou can have the plan, the budget, the tools and the time, but if there’s no space, not much is gonna happen. How much space will your driver’s project require? A simple equation is to take the amount of room the part currently uses and multiply it by about... a gazillion. Then add a few square feet for the tools, parts tub, degreasers, the trusted Haynes manual, a radio tuned to songs like

Prepping for Off Season

WINTER 2009 • Performance in Motion • 2�

About the Author: Bonnie Staring is a comedian, ad-vertising copywriter and one of those people who enters all kinds of contests. To see what else she’s been ranting about, visit her website: www.bonniestaring.com

“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” and “Are You Experienced,” and snack foods. Try squeezing that into the spare bedroom, I dare you.

Get in the know, FloSometimes you need to gently suggest that your car nut seek advice from the outside. As in outside of his

own head. Whether through a phone call, a visit to a friendly automotive retailer (hint, hint) or an interven-tion, many “off-season enhancement” disasters can be avoided with a little help. This is especially true when it comes to engine overhauls, alignments and transmis-sion work.

Follow these simple steps, and the off season won’t seem so long and cold after all. Well, we can always hope.

Enjoy the ride.

Prepping for Off Season

Illustration created by Jeff Norwell • website: www.jeffnorwell.com

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Performance in Motion - Winter 2009