From the archives: The beauty of hydraulic lifters is that they self-compensate for valvetrain clearances, doing away with the need for valvetrain adjustment. To celebrate HOT ROD's 75th anniversary, ...

The engines of yesteryear were pretty simple, with tappets clackity-clacking away on cam lobes, opening valves, and making a ruckus while doing it. Mechanical lifters were adequate for valve operation ...

Editor's note: I met Jack Rhoads in 1967 when his father, James, conceived of a then-revolutionary way to vary valve timing as a function of engine speed. Today the concept is as valid as it was back ...