I was 9 years old when this magazine copy was printed; a WHOLE different world then and I had jus started to read some car magazine due to being interested in the Indianapolis 500.
Within a year or so, I became infatuated with Gearhead stuff.
Fascinating that the main opponent mentioned in this article is from Pontiac, not Chevy or Ford.
The arrival of the Fod FE and Chevy Mark IV, changed that in a couple of years, but the late fifties and early sixties were a whole different ball game from what came later.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/vintage-reviews/vintage-car-life-road-test-1962-dodge-dart-413-the-almost-max-wedge/
...The test car had a wide ratio (2.55:1 1st) three speed. A close ratio (2.17:1 1st) was also available, as well as the B/W T-10 four speed. CL wrote: “Frankly, we’re inclined to favor the close-ratio 3 speed. It’s much nearer than most 3-speeds to the 4-speed’s advantage of minimizing the rpm drop during a shift, yet it eliminates the time lost in the 4-speed’s extra gear change.” This may sound like heresy, but it’s a reality that I’ve come to understand and appreciate, that the 4-speed manuals were not the panacea they’re often made out to be. And in typical driving, the extra gear on the 4-speed behind a powerful V8 is just unnecessary. Four-speeds are at their best behind a six or a weaker small V8 in a heavy car. Everyone had it backwards. But yes, a four speed conferred status, which could easily be bought by swapping a four-speed pattern Hurst shifter ball for the three-speed one.
For optimum results, harmonizing the gear ratios of a given transmission and the rear axle ratio was essential, and CL pointed out that there were a wide range of axle ratios available, all the way to a stump-pulling 6.17:1. And of course tires played a big role too, especially back then when tires technology was so inferior. Dodge even offered a drag-optimized tire option of 7.00-14 in front with 9.00-14 tires at the rear!...
The “Melrose Missile” ran 11.93 @118.57 on July 15, 1962, becoming the first stocker to break the 12 second barrier. That pretty much explains the basis of the Max Wedge mythology. And there probably isn’t a single unmolested ’62 Plymouth or Dodge 2-door sedan in the world as a consequence.
This magazine article is one reason I used to, before people started charging asinine prices, go to auto flea markets and buy old car magazines.
One way of reading how things were when I was too young to understand what it really was all about.
