ost enthusiasts agree that it was surprising to see Ford unveil a new pushrod V-8, given the Detroit automaker’s over 25 years of focus on overhead-cam V-8 technology. We’re talking about Ford’s 7.3L Godzilla, which is offered in Super Duty trucks and has recently been finding its way into hot rods and race cars.

What makes it so surprising is that over the past three decades Ford has developed the modular family of engines that include two-, three-, and four-valve options. These engines deliver excellent power, efficiency, and dependability. Currently, the 5.0L Coyote and its variations (such as those in Shelby G.T. 350, G.T. 500, and Raptor R) are industry leaders. The last pushrod V-8 was the 5.0L small-block, originally popular in the Fox-body Mustang. A version of that engine continued to be used in the Ford Explorer until around 2001 when modular engines replaced it.

1. The Detroit Speed DECALink for our C3 Corvette (1971) supplies a substantial number of components, and to this you will need to add your third member as well as braking and the appropriate lines.

e’re back in Phoenix at Hot Rods by Dean for the next part of our C3 Corvette project: the rear suspension and brakes. In our last visit, we installed Detroit Speed’s SpeedRay coilover front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering systems, along with a big set of Wilwood brakes. We’ve returned to both companies for the rear, with Detroit Speed’s DECALink independent rear suspension and matching rear Wilwood brakes, including an electronic parking brake.

The suspension is the core of the issue, and like the frontend conversion, replacing the C2/C3’s transverse leaf springs and three-link axle positioning with the DECALink’s 10-point independent design and unique geometry promises major improvements not only in cornering and handling but also in ride comfort. This is because all the lateral and trailing links, as well as the toe links, can be adjusted, making camber and toe adjustments relatively straightforward. Even the rear antisquat geometry and roll-center height are adjustable—and in the case of our project system, it features double-adjustable coilovers, too.

Another important note: In the stock rear suspension design, used from 1963-82, the large, thick half-shafts—connected via U-joints at both ends—effectively acted as upper control links, which worked well enough in corners but not so much for comfort. That has all changed with the DECALink setup, as the 10-link design relieves the half-shafts of that burden. There are no U-joints anymore, since CV joints provide a greater range of motion.

ince the beginning of hot rodding (or roughly the same length of time Brennan has been involved), most enthusiasts have focused on improving their vehicle’s performance. Their typical goals include more powerful engines, better suspension, and improved brakes. For Colin Radford of Radford Auto, these are also his goals and the reasons behind the modifications to his 1965 Ford Mustang fastback. So far, we’ve followed the installation of the new front suspension from Classic Performance Products. Last month, we showed how he assembled a completely new fabricated 9-inch rear axle assembly from JEGS. This time, we caught up with Colin as the ponycar’s rearend received all-new suspension components.

To replace the original springs and shock absorbers, Colin chose a four-link suspension kit from JEGS (PN 555-64650) with coilover shocks. Designed for rearend housings with 3-inch axle tubes, these four-link kits come with 1/4-inch-thick housing and frame brackets, four-link bars, threaded inserts made from 4130 chromoly steel, and 5/8-inch rod ends. The axle brackets also serve to mount coilovers and are drilled to accept an antiroll bar.

Fabrications has built quite a reputation for creating over-the-top performance car projects. For this project, they are building a car for their customer Jordan Dustin, featuring a Chrysler Hellcat engine that they squeezed into a 1971 Plymouth Duster.

They found a very clean-looking car to start with, which appeared great in its shiny white paint. It was only after beginning to strip the car down to bare metal that they discovered how little of the body was salvageable. Rust damage and poorly executed repairs were evident on most of the lower body panels. Fortunately, there is a good supply of aftermarket body panels available for this model, and they made careful decisions about which panels to repair, and which to replace with reproduction panels from Auto Metal Direct (AMD). The photos will give you a good idea of what it takes to properly repair a sad example like this one.

The original Duster had a unibody chassis design, meaning that only sheetmetal connects the engine and drivetrain to the rear wheels. While this worked fine for the original 340ci engine with 275 hp, it really isn’t up to the task of handling the blown Hellcat 6.2L engine pumping out 717 hp.

t was about 10 years ago when I was working on a historical Corvette piece with noted Corvette historian and collector of some incredibly rare Corvettes, Franz Estereicher, who told me about the half 1962, half 1963 Corvette. It was photographed at Daytona International Speedway by Jerry Titus, an accomplished race car driver and well-known automotive journalist.

The following is something we were working on but never got around to doing anything with—so here goes.

The Nov. ’62 issue of Sports Car Graphic featured an article on Chevrolet’s new 1963 Corvette, along with a captivating photo of a “test mule” that captured everyone’s attention. What exactly was it—a 1962 or 1963 Corvette? It was a blend of both, captured in January 1962 at Daytona International Speedway during engineering tests of “heavy-duty” components, with particular focus on the new forward adjusting braking system. The image revealed significant upgrades, including: 1. The “cast and camber” of the rear wheels with an inward tilt, showcasing the all-new independent rear suspension; 2. The 1963 frontend design with unique hood grilles; 3. The revised windshield design; and 4. The rear clip from the 1962 model.