Stocker build

[kansas stocker]

Or two + tons of fun if you go with the Catalina. If Bob Shaw has been wrong on one of these deals, I've never seen it.
Pete

[oldskool]

I'm just a "has been", who never was much. But, I love Pontiacs. So, this caught my eye. There's a LOT I don't understand about Stock racing today. So, I'd like to ask some dummy questions. Since it's the off season. maybe some of you guys will have time to offer opinions & maybe supply info I can't find.

If the info I found on the Class Racer Info site is correct, that '69 Cat wagon 400 2-barrel engine is rated at 290hp. Looks to me as tho you'd have to get NHRA to reduce that a LOT, to even be able to run the index. I'm guessing that nobody has ever tried to run this engine in a serious Stocker.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...6&MAKE=Pontiac

So, lets say he builds the car. What are the chances he could get the hp factor reduced to a reasonable number, and aprox how long would that process take ?

If he had to run the 2-barrel @ 290hp, looks like a 4-barrel 400 would be much more competitive. The 330hp '68 400's have done quite well, in Birds. And the low compression 400's from the mid '70's have also done quite well. And some of those can run the 800 Q-jets.

It would obviously be a lot easier to pick a body which can run an engine, with a good hp factor. So, I'd just like to hear some examples of guys that built a car which could only use an engine with a bad hp factor, then had good luck getting NHRA to quickly reduce the factor, enuff to allow the guy to get it down to it's index, without too much trouble.

All good examples will be appreciated. Thanks !

[Bob Shaw]

I was thinkin the 265 hp engine.

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by Bob Shaw

I was thinkin the 265 hp engine.

According to the Class Racer Info site, the 2 engines have different heads.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...5&MAKE=Pontiac

The 265hp engine is allowed 90cc heads. The 290hp engine is allowed 68cc heads. That's a lot of compression difference. Also, the 290hp engine is allowed a cam with more intake lift. Not sure how much power difference those 2 items would make. Would the difference be 25hp ?

Anybody have an educated guess ?

[oldskool]

"...So, lets say he builds the car. What are the chances he could get the hp factor reduced to a reasonable number, and aprox how long would that process take ?..."

Would he have to run several div races ? Would he have to know somebody with pull, in the racing world or NHRA ? What exactly is involved in getting the hp factor reduced ?


So, any real world experiences that answer any or all these questions ?

[Bob Shaw]

Originally Posted by oldskool

According to the Class Racer Info site, the 2 engines have different heads.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...5&MAKE=Pontiac

The 265hp engine is allowed 90cc heads. The 290hp engine is allowed 68cc heads. That's a lot of compression difference. Also, the 290hp engine is allowed a cam with more intake lift. Not sure how much power difference those 2 items would make. Would the difference be 25hp ?

Anybody have an educated guess ?

The natural classes would be O/SA and Q/SA. That's .60 difference in the index. I don't think the 290 engine would be that much faster. You could always change heads and see how much difference that makes. The cam wouldn't make much difference.

[oldskool]

Yeah, that makes good sense to me. May as well also strap on a Q-jet & see if it looks more competitive, than either 2-barrel engine. The Q-jet engines just seem to be more competitive, in most combos, unless you can get the hp factor lowered enuff.

I just can't think of a single competitive 2-barrel Pontiac Stocker, right now. Lots of competitive Q-jet combos.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...1&MAKE=Pontiac

[JoeCool108]

Well if I decide to do the wagon based of the Class racer site, it fits Q/SA with the 2 barrel at 17.05 which is at the top of the class.. so thats a good thing right?
So where should I start? I guess a rule book to see what I can and cant do would be a good place to start.. any reccomendations on transmissions, gears, rear ends...etc?? Tire size? ?

[Pat6868]

There is a Turismo out there that may still be for sale. Winning car that was priced at 4 or 5 thousand if I recall. The price of entry doesn't come more affordable than that.

[Dan Fahey]

I remember having a 1980 or 82 Pontiac Wagon with a 400 Pontiac Engine with a Qjet.

That car was a good road car.
Shares the same suspension back to 1964.

D