How was it in the 60s-80s?

Without the internet to use as an information source, most guys that were trying to 'hotrod' their cars were really shooting in the dark. If you were looking for the best information you could find you usually turned to Car Craft or HOTROD magazines. The true motor head gurus were few and very hard to access. Now a lot of them have their own websites. Today the articles online and in magazines often go more in-depth on car builds.

If I want to make an intelligent decision on which cam to choose today all I have to do is go online. I can get the contact information of several different manufacturers and professional builders that are willing to offer INTELLIGENT advice. This FABO forum is another example of a good source to go to.

Half of the decisions I made when I was trying to squeeze more power out of my Roadrunner back in the 70s were wrong. It was pretty discouraging to do a cam or carb swap and run a tenth slower. But I didn't know how to degree a cam in or how to tune a carb properly. It was all 'bolt on and go'.

But it was a blast nonetheless. Stop light to stop light racing wasn't uncommon. (not that everybody did it or that I'm condoning it today) If someone showed up in town with something fast, it didn't take long for the news to get around. The trash talk between owners of Fords, Chebbies and Mopars was always there. But it was almost always in good fun. If you got in trouble with law enforcement it usually meant a ticket, a fine, and a few points off your license. But the fines and court costs weren't as high as they are now. - Your insurance didn't bankrupt you either. - And society didn't view hotrodders as someone akin to a serial killer. The Prius-loving crowd that spend their weekends hugging trees were absent. As long as you didn't mess with anyone else, the world had a more lax attitude towards what you did.