American hot rodders such as ‘Kong’ Jackson and Barney Navarro had discovered the homegrown GMC ‘Jimmy’ blower developed for diesel engines in the late-thirties. Kong had shown up at the lakes in 1948 with 3-71 salvaged from a landing craft and subsequently sold it to Navarro for $60. Navarro quickly re-engineered one of his intakes and he was off to the races, quickly followed by his employee Tom Beatty who tried a larger 4-71.

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