1966

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

X-Tech,
Only asking about that combination, because of a recent Richard Petty
biography.
In early 1964, his light-blue Belvedere was running with 385 HP on the hood. Couldn't figure out what is was. Then saw his crew pulling the engine. A Max-wedge engine, with a DP intake and monster 860cfm
center-feed inlet Holley.
A little research, found it as a 426 11.0-1 pistons, Max Wedge Stage III
heads, .520 camshaft solid-lifter, aluminum dual-plane and the Holley.
A neat 385HP.
A 3350lb. car with that HP would fit into the 64' (8.70-9.49 wt/hp) of A/S.
The Belvedere was a tad light, but the Sport Fury #3407 weight would have been a good fit. Car would have made a nice B/S in 68'
Surprised this never made it. Going by the calculations, can't see this
engine combo not doing at least 12.20's back-in-the-day.
PC

NHRA wasnt as stupid back in the day.....lol. They wouldnt have put up with the BS going on today with the tech people they used to have. I miss "FARMER".

[Paul Ceasrine]

Yes, I understand.
I stopped racing in 1976, at the ripe old age of 20.
The crazy thing, my father had an engine rebuilding/performance shop,
and it would have cost me nothing to build an engine.
Lost the bug, when the NHRA started playing games.
Big mistake when they took away the stock class, and made those
stockers compete with super/stockers.
And that Pure Stock class,through the mufflers and 8" cheater slicks.
Who's idea was that.
They went in the wrong direction.
Track car counts 'went south'.
PC

[Paul Ceasrine]

Frankie,
wrong thread to go on about the 'rights and wrongs' of the NHRA and
tracks back in the early 70's.
They killed the 'golden goose'.
They should have seen what was going on for the street cars, and smartly market that group to get them at the track, instead of chasing them away.
Nothing was more stupid, then some kid, in lets say a 66' Mustang
289 4-speed, basically a stock car.
He saves up his money, buys a set of 14" x 7" Cragars and L-60 x 14"
Formula 1 Super Stock tires. He goes to the track, and is told he has to run F/Gas, because his tires (which he can't spin anyway) stick outside the fender-well. Of course he runs, lets say a 16.00, gets blown away
by some properly set-up drag car. Just when do you think that kid would be coming back to the track with his 5 friends, to get embarrased.
Did those L-60 tires warrant that...NO!!!
There were suggestions, and good ones, about putting together
a class called Street-Competition (Street/Comp).
PC

[Paul Ceasrine]

Frankie,
The Street/Comp classes were suggested, I think in 1972.
It was basically pre-set times
A/SC ~ 12.50
B/SC ~ 13.50
C/SC ~ 14.50
D/SC ~ 15.50
It was a hybrid-bracket. You built your car to run the class time,
not dial-in. So everyone knew what to shoot for.
The A, B and C classes had one class for stick, and one class for
automatic, to keep things fair. The D/SC class was open, for both
stick cars and automatic. In all, (7) fair classes.
This division was to be set-up for basic performance street cars,
that applied some modifications. Bolt-on stuff for the day,
Edelbrock intakes, Holley carbs, Accel distributors, Headers, Gears and wide street tires. Any engine modification was allowed. Scatter-shields,
steel bell-housings were required for the A/SC 12.50 class.
The rear tires could stick out from the fenderwell, but I think 9" wide or
L-60 design was the maximum size alllowed. Slicks were allowed of course. Fiberglass hood scoops and spoilers were allowed, and so were Tunnel-rams.
The set-up was simple, run your class, win, get a trophy and class winner decal. If you wanted to run Street/Comp eliminator (handicap) against the other class winners, you could, just by putting up $10. If all the class winners joined, there would be $70 in the pot. The winner would get
$40 and an Eliminator Winner decal, the runner-up $20 and an Eliminator Runner-Up decal. $10 to the track for handling fee.
That class would have pulled in an additional 60 to 70 cars per week,
PC

[Paul Ceasrine]

Frankie,
1972
Typical situation, kid has a 66' Chevy II with a 283 2-barrel and automatic. He wants to go the perfornance route, and race the
car occasionally (twice a month). He purchases a 350 4-bolt main from Chevrolet, Gets a set of used 'fuelie heads', an aluminum DP high-rise intake and 780 Holley (vacuum secondary). Throws on a set of
Appliance or Cyclone (cheapie headers). Gets a set of 4,10 gears, and a set of wide tires (G-60 x 14"). Pops in a Turbo 350.
Goes to the track, and would have to run C/MP or D/Gas. That would have been a one-time racer.
With the Street/Comp class., he could have easily run the
B/SC class (13.50 ET), and be pretty much right on. if needed a little more UMPH, he could easily add on another performance part.
The other way, his 350 LT-1 in a 66' Chevy II would be rendered useless at the track..,,,,,,,,,,,,Smart Marketing
PC

[Run to Rund]

Speaking of Jere Stahl. . .no one in 1966 seemed to realize that his "Plymouth" sign under the front bumper was a spoiler also!

[Paul Ceasrine]

I think the technical term was a "FLAD' front-end lower air dam.
Plymouth just loved it when their name was added.
Wonder if Jere got advertising $'s.
Was that unit ever utilized at sanctioned events, or was it just for
Match Race competition?
PC

On that Street/Comp class. It would have done wonders for the local
speed shops.
And just how many guys remember good running performance cars that would not go to the track, because of being classed out.
I can remember a couple of 70 SS396 Nova's, that were basically stock,
but didn't bother going to the track because of classification. Would have
loved to see what they could really do. Would have been nice in
B/Street-Comp
PC

[Rich Erickson]

[QUOTE=Paul Ceasrine;193584]Neil,
1970 NHRA Winternationals, Stock Eliminator Champ,
Rich Charbonneau, 67' Fairlane Wagon 427/410 HP, E/Stock
I think it may have been classed in B/S in 67. Ran 12.05's.

[Rich Erickson]

[Rich Erickson]