This great old GM promotional film introduces an all-new Chevrolet feature for 1955: the 265 cubic-inch Turbo-Fire V8.
With the official title Torque Talk, this little movie was produced to showcase the benefits of Chevrolet’s exciting new overhead-valve V8. The General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, MI, just northwest of Detroit, is the setting for some wonderful stunts. At one point, a Bel Air convertible tows 16 cars, including the entire 1955 GM passenger car line, from a dead stop. Later, there’s a drag race featuring the ’55 Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth. Guess the winner.
Like many GM promotional movies, Torque Talk was created by the Jam Handy Organization, a famed Detroit firm that was said to be the world’s largest film production company outside Hollywood. Founded by Olympic swimmer and ad wizard Jam Handy, the company produced more than 7,000 corporate marketing and instructional films. This one is more entertaining than most. Check it out.
Holy cow! You can still smell the clutch lining 57 years later!!!
The Chevy probably had the shortest diff ratio available and the Ford and mopar the tallest. In my experience the 272 Ford should be the quickest as a standard car though the engine was very large lump in comparison to the Chev. Which even then was most suited for modifying to make large power outputs