HATE ON WHEELS: July 2011

Saturday, July 09, 2011

WALL OF DEATH

Wall Of Death Video

Derived directly from US motorcycle boardtrack (motordrome) racing in the early 1900s, the very first carnival motordrome appeared at Coney Island amusement park in 1911.
The following year portable tracks began to appear on traveling carnivals and in 1915, the first "silodromes" with perpendicular walls were seen. These motordromes with perfectly straight walls were soon dubbed the "Wall of Death." This carnival attraction became a staple in the US outdoor entertainment industry with the phenomenon reaching its zenith in the 1930s with more than 100 motordromes on traveling shows and in amusement parks. In 2004, six or seven of these motorcycle shows were still touring the US. Go and see them in person, it is not to be missed.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Ford's FE/FT Big Block

The Ford FE engine was sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. A related engine, the Ford FT engine, was used in medium and heavy trucks from 1964 through 1978. The FE filled the need for a medium-displacement engine created by the discontinuation of the Lincoln Y-Block.
"FE" is an acronym for 'Ford-Edsel^.Versions designed for use in trucks and school buses were known as "FT", an acronym for 'Ford-Truck', and differed primarily by having steel (instead of nodular iron) crankshafts, larger crank snouts, different distributor shafts, different water pumps and a greater use of iron for its parts.

FE series engines powered many vehicles; cars, trucks, buses, boats, industrial pumps and racing vehicles. Ford produced the engine from 1958 and ceased production in 1976. being that these engines, though heavy as hell were almost indestructible leading the aftermarket to continue support the engine with replacement parts as well as many newly engineered and improved components.

This motor started off as a 360 FT motor and has been treated to a bit of an upgrade on the top end via Summit racing and Edelbrock. It will be living comfortably in a 1968 Ford 100 pickup.