Six Appeal
With the increasing popularity of '50s Chevys (or maybe they have always been popular but are more publicized now?), we're seeing more inline six-cylinder Chevy motors in use, but cars that use those motors from the '40s and early '50s had no air conditioning. Vintage Air thinks inliners are cool, and came up with this bracket kit to retrofit A/C on any 216, 235, 261, or 270ci GM motor.
The Steel-eez kit uses a bracket made from laser cut, jig-welded steel, which mounts the popular Sanden 508 compressor and a GM-type alternator. A unique dual-drive uses separate belts to drive the alternator and compressor to deliver proper belt wrap for optimal accessory operation. The kit includes a brand-new, dual-groove replacement harmonic balancer, and is designed to clear most dual carburetor manifolds and aftermarket headers. For more information contact Vintage Air at www.vintageair.com or (800) 862-6658.
Oil's Well That Ends Well
Changing oil filters is often a pain, as they're usually tucked out of the way behind headers, the steering column, crossmembers, or other obstacles, plus you have to jack up your car and more times than not end up with oil running down your arm as you remove the filter. Sounds like a fun job, huh? Wouldn't it be easier if you could just reach into the engine compartment and unscrew the filter?
Well, if you relocate the filter you can do just that! Trans-Dapt claims they're the original manufacturer of oil filter relocation kits, in single- or double-filter configurations, the latter increasing your engine's oil capacity by approximately a quart and doubling the filter surface. With a bypass adaptor fitted in the stock filter's location, two oil lines run to the new filter mounting base, which can be located anywhere in the engine compartment. Each kit comes with all brackets, hoses, fittings, and hardware, requiring just your favorite brand of filter for completion. For more information contact Trans-Dapt at (562) 921-0404 or www.tdperformance.com.
Wheel Neat Again
Polished aluminum, magnesium, or chromed steel five-spokes have long been a classic wheel design. Many styles evoke a '60s feel, while others work equally well with vintage or modern machinery. Wheel Vintiques' new Supreme falls into the latter group, with a cool, chromed two-piece five-spoke design.
Available in 14- and 15-inch diameters with widths ranging from 6-10 inches, and with standard or custom offsets, bolt patterns include the popular 5-on-4 1/2 and 5-on-4 3/4-inch spacings. For more information contact Wheel Vintiques at www.wheelvintiques.com or (559) 251-6957.
Spoken Word
The steering wheel can make or break an interior, and is certainly a main focal point, not to mention the part of your car that you see the most while driving. Innovation Alley offers a wheel that will certainly fulfil the "unique" criteria and provide a focal point with their new range of spoked steering wheels. The Double Cross 16, Double Cross 12, and Sidewinder styles all feature a series of crossed polished stainless steel spokes to achieve their unique look.
With a 15 5/8-inch aluminum outer ring wrapped in a variety of hand-stitched leather wraps, the spokes connect the ring to the aluminum hub, which is fully polished and topped off with a polished and engraved horn button. The hub and horn button can be anodized or powdercoated, and the button can be custom engraved in place of the standard V-8 emblem. A standard five-hole adaptor connects the wheel to the column. For more information contact Innovation Alley at(559) 285-9750 or www.spokesteeringwheel.com.
Fittings That Fit
Anyone who's built a car from the ground up knows that while putting all the big stuff together-fabbing a chassis, getting it rolling, mounting the body, engine, and trans-is hard work, it's easy compared to chasing down all those little parts and getting everything working as it should, with no leaks or rattles. Stromberg Carburetor just made that part of a project a little easier, or at least easier if you're running Stromberg carbs, that is!
Hose fittings previously sold for Stromberg carbs were usually 37-degree hydraulics fittings, but the Stromberg inlet has an 18-degree seat. As Stromberg owner Clive Prew explains, "We weren't the first to realize this, but we could be the first to do something about it. The only way incorrect fittings work is if you tighten them to death and wreck both parts." The new Superseat fitting was developed using the company's "just the same, but better than ever" approach, so it echoes the traditional parts while improving them in every area. It features a smooth, not barbed, hose end, a 9/16-inch hex size as opposed to modern 1/2-inch fittings, to match the diameter of the hose and inlet fitting, with short threads so none show. It works with original needle and seat inlet fittings and the Genuine Stromberg S-jet, as well as 5.16 and 3/8 ID fuel hoses, and best of all, it has the correctly angled seat! For more information contact Stromberg at www.stromberg-97.com.
Holey Batwings!
It's hard to improve on a time-honored design that just plain works, but Speedway Motors has done just that with their new stainless steel batwings, adding a 1/2-inch, 20-threaded boss to their underside to facilitate attaching a Panhard bar or shock mount. These provide a much stronger and much cleaner mounting method than those used on other batwings.
Investment cast from stainless steel, these batwings, available either fully polished or in plain stainless, provide a strong and stylish means for attaching a four-bar suspension to your front axle. They are designed to fit common 2 1/4-inch axle bosses, but will also fit 2-inch bosses when used in conjunction with the appropriate spacers. For more information contact Speedway Motors at (800) 979-0122 or www.speedwaymotors.com.