The Complete Book of American Muscle Supercars: Yenko, Shelby, Baldwin Motion, Grand Spaulding and More

230 Pages·2016·52.93 MB·English

by  Tom Glatch

11
of of
oo
rr
PP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 1 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 1 6/6/16 2:47 pm
PPaaggee:: 11
11
of of
oo
rr
PP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 2 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 2 6/6/16 2:47 pm
PPaaggee:: 22
The
Complete Book

of

American

Muscle
Supercars
YENKO, SHELBY, BALDWIN MOTION,
GRAND SPAULDING, AND MORE
BY TOM GLATCH
11
of of
oo
rr
PP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 3 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 3 6/6/16 2:47 pm
Text PPaaggee:: 33
© 2016 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Text © 2016 Tom Glatch
Photography © David Newhardt except where noted otherwise.
First published in 2016 by Motorbooks, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.,
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
quartoknows.com
Visit our blogs at quartoknows.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written
permission of the copyright owners.
All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the
artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by producer, publisher, or printer for any
infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every
effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We
apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing
information in a subsequent reprinting of the book.
Motorbooks titles are also available at discounts in bulk quantity for industrial or sales-
promotional use. For details contact the Special Sales Manager at Quarto Publishing Group
USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN: 978-0-7603-5006-5
Digital edition: 978-0-76035-106-2
Hardcover edition: 978-0-76035-006-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Glatch, Tom, 1956- author.
Title: The complete book of American muscle supercars : Yenko, Shelby,
  Baldwin Motion, Grand Spaulding, and more / Tom Glatch.
Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Quarto Publishing Group Inc.,
  Motorbooks, [2016]
Identifiers: LCCN 2016014511 | ISBN 9780760350065 (hardcover)
Subjects: LCSH: Muscle cars--United States. | Antique and classic
  cars--United States.
Classification: LCC TL23 .G645 2016 | DDC 629.2220973--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016014511
Acquiring Editor: Darwin Holmstrom
Project Manager: Jordan Wiklund
Art Director: James Kegley
Layout: Becky Pagel
Cover: TOP: 1969 Yenko Camaro. BOTTOM: 1965 Shelby GT350. Paul Markert
Endpapers: The engine of a 1969 Yenko Camaro. Paul Markert
Title page: Front end of a 1969 Yenko Camaro. Paul Markert
T
2 Printed in China
111
of of of
ooo
rrr
PPP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 4 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243 C2.indd 4 27/6/16 5:10 pm
Text PPaaggee:: 44
\\\\\\\\
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section One(cid:18)The Dealers
Chapter 1 Royal Pontiac: Superstar Pioneer . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 2 Yenko Chevrolet: Pure Genius . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter 3 Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge:
The High-Performance King . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Chapter 4 Baldwin Motion: New York Minute Muscle . . . 47
Chapter 5 Nickey Chevrolet: Quick (With a Backward “K”) . 58
Section Two(cid:18)The Specialists
Chapter 6 Shelby American: The Legend, The Legacy . . . . 70
Chapter 7 Hurst Performance: Detroit’s Image Maker . . . 96
Chapter 8 Saleen Automotive: The Mustang Reborn . . . .109
Chapter 9 Callaway Cars: Automotive Artistry . . . . . . .122
Chapter 10 PAS, Inc.: Performance DNA . . . . . . . . . . .137
Chapter 11 Street-Legal Performance: Power Play. . . . . .145
Section Three(cid:18)The Manufacturers
Chapter 12 SVO/SVT: Unconventional Wisdom. . . . . . . .165
Chapter 13 Chevrolet: Conquering the Green Hell . . . . . .185
Chapter 14 SRT: Right-Brain Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
11
of of
oo
rr
PP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 5 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 5 6/6/16 2:47 pm
Text PPaaggee:: 55
To my wife, Kelly. On a summer night in 1992, I hired her to help
Dedication
me photograph a 1958 Corvette with a very special story. Three
months later we were engaged. It’s been an incredible journey
ever since.
To our children, Keara and Sean. They endured years of being
dragged to car shows—and they survived.
And to my late brother, Ray. He bought the most gorgeous
1960 Oldsmobile 98 convertible imaginable when I was at an
impressionable age. That car planted the seed of my fascination
with automotive history. Thank you.
Acknowledgments
This book would have been impossible without the
following people: David Newhardt, whose images grace this
book—it’s an honor, David; Scott Kelly and Terry “Zeke”
Maxwell, who took time away from caring for loved ones
to answer my questions; Reeves Callaway, a very successful
businessman who always has time for my projects; Gary
Patterson from Shelby American and Maxwell Matthewson
from Saleen; Greg Rager, my former editor at Mopar Muscle
magazine; Gary “The Local Brush” Kupfer and Phil Frank,
both tremendous artists; and, last, to the Royal Pontiac
Club of America, the Automotive History Preservation
Society, Hurst/Olds Club of America, Saleen Club of
America, Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club, Nickey
Chicago, and SLP Registry—these organizations define
the word “enthusiast.”
T
C
22
1111
of of of of
oooo
rrrr
PPPP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243 C2.indd 6 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 27/6/16 5:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243 C2.indd 6 27/6/16 5:10 pm
Text PPaaggee:: 66
\\\\\\\\
Introduction
The story of the American muscle supercar has been told many
times. My challenge was to take all those stories, wrap them
together, and do it in a way that hasn’t been done before. So many
books focus on the Golden Age of performance, the 1960s and
early 1970s. I understand that: I grew up in that era, and my first
car was a used and speedy 1970 Plymouth Duster 340.
Because so many great automobiles have been created since
then—despite the challenges of crushing government regulation,
inflated fuel costs, and a roller coaster economy—this book is
divided into three sections.
Section One: The Dealers
These speed merchants took great cars and made them supercars.
Sometimes it was mild-to-wild upgrades, sometimes it was showing
the Big Three how to do it—but the results were always spectacular.
Section Two: The Specialists
Like the dealers, these companies took the manufacturers’ vehicles
and turned them into their eras’ supercars (and supertrucks).
Their work with the manufacturers distinguishes them from
dealers, as does the way they sold their cars and truck through
the manufacturers’ dealer networks with factory warranties. Some
of these companies have survived but mostly with a different
aftermarket-style business model.
Section Three: The Manufacturers
In reality, only giants like General Motors, Ford, and Fiat-Chrysler
have the resources to engineer and build today’s supercars. By
necessity, they’ve triumphed over the regulators and special
interests and are building the best vehicles on the planet.
The past half century has seen the creation of amazing
automobiles at the hands of many brilliant, passionate people. This
book is really about American exceptionalism, a reality that some
people want to ignore or even suppress. That’s why this is a story
that must be told.
Tom Glatch
Elm Grove, Wisconsin
November 2015
T
2

111
of of of
ooo
rrr
PPP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 7 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:03 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243 C2.indd 7 27/6/16 5:10 pm
Text PPaaggee:: 77
SECTION ONE
11
of of
oo
rr
PP
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 8 JJoobb:: 1111224433 TTiittllee:: ##222200550077__CCBB ooff AAmmeerriiccaann MMuussccllee SSuuppeerrccaarrss ((MMBBII)) 6/6/16 1:04 pm
American Muscle Supercars 001-224_11243.indd 8 6/6/16 2:47 pm
PPaaggee:: 88