Ol' Fart's Firebird Fantasy

[Dave Ribeiro]

The rules are the rules & that's why no-one runs a 1979 with an auto trans? I tried several times to change the rule, was told that was the only way they came from the Factory with a 400ci pontiac... You can change the nose cone & rear bumper and call it a 1977--1978 ??? Make sure you check the NHRA factored HP first , not the factory HP ? Its 60-70 HP difference !! Go Get-em !

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by Dave Ribeiro

You can change the nose cone & rear bumper and call it a 1977--1978 ??? Make sure you check the NHRA factored HP first , not the factory HP ? Its 60-70 HP difference !! Go Get-em !

Yeah I just checked the sheet for the '77 W-72 400 cars. I mentioned earlier that the Can Am is the only car that could run an auto behind a '77 W-72. But I checked some online info and discovered that the Can Am never came with a stick. So I took another look at the spec sheet. Here's what it says. "Auto only in Can Am". So, earlier, I took that to mean that the Can Am was the only body in which an auto was legal with that engine.

But what they meant was that the Cam Am was legal only with an auto, and not with a stick. The site I checked said they came only with a TH400, and none were produced with a stick. I'm not real familiar with the Can Am, so I'll do a bit more research on 'em. I do like the looks of 'em, for whatever that's worth.

And the hp factor difference is 20hp instead of 60-70.

I just looked at the '78 W-72 specs. The factor is the same as the '77. But there is no note about using a manual only. So, I assume that you can run an auto in a '78. But, the engine is only legal in a Formula or a TA. For '77 it is listed as being legal in the Lemans, including wagons, as well as the Birds and Cam Am. So, one of the '77 Lemans models would probably be the cheapest body you could use, with a W-72 400 / auto.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...spx?ENGINE=317

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...spx?ENGINE=765


Of the later model 400's I still think the '77 180hp 400, in any body except a Bird is the best low comp 400 combo, at 260hp factor. About the only difference I can see in the 2 motors is cam lift. But, since there is no limit on dur, the cam shouldn't make that much difference. But then I've never run either engine, so I'll leave that call for the experts.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...spx?ENGINE=764

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...spx?ENGINE=764