In early , Chevy unleashed its much-anticipated W series replacement. These problems were quickly remedied, but the fickle winds of Detroit politics forced the withdrawal of all Mark II engines before Jenkins had a crack at them for drag racing. The Mark II remained a mystery for several years until the model year passed its halfway point, when Chevy abruptly halted production of the Instead, an optional ci engine was offered in horsepower ratings from a mild up to The Mark IV big-block was offered in fullsize vehicles, the Chevelle and Corvette, as well as light trucks.
Top power output came from the L78 option, a with a Holley four-barrel carburetor; single-point Delco distributor; forged steel crankshaft and rods; four-bolt main bearing block; forged-aluminum, The factory horsepower rating for the L78 installed in Corvettes was When the same engine went into a fullsize Chevy it was a hp The Mark IV was soon expanded to cubes with hp, but this hot new engine was available only in full- and mid-size cars or the Corvette.
This seeming mismatch propelled Jenkins to legendary status with his giant killing, small-block Chevy II. Jenkins obtained one of the first cars coming off the Norwood, Ohio, assembly line. Jenkins loved to row through the gears, so the car was fitted with a Hurst Competition-Plus shifter controlling a four-speed Muncie M21 transmission. The L78 engine appeared unchanged from the assembly line, save for the Hooker headers with 2-inch primary tubes. They replaced the efficient yet heavy cast-iron manifolds.
These housed 2. Screw-in rocker studs and pushrod guideplates were used with stamped steel, pivot-ball 1.
Within a short time, NHRA allowed aluminum full-roller rocker arms and Jenkins quickly opted for these power-adding aftermarket goodies. Wish I. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Password recovery. Pick of the Day. By Larry Edsall. October 12, Jenkins, inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in , died in Larry Edsall A former daily newspaper sports editor, Larry Edsall spent a dozen years as an editor at AutoWeek magazine before making the transition to writing for the web and becoming the author of more than 15 automotive books.
In addition to being founding editor at ClassicCars. Comment: Please enter your comment! Recent Posts. All rights reserved.
0コメント