Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

Honestly don't know.
When we first started going to Epping ,they had a modified version of AHRA Stock that they ran for the eliminator. Some of the stuff looked pretty strange to us.
Maybe someone from up that way could chime in.

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

Good observation and one I had not thought of.
E/SA is a serious class. The 400's have enough trouble keeping up with the 340's and LS1 GTOs, IMO

That combo needs more HP off. Again, IMO

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

"...if that Pontiac combination could run 11.00 or under it would be pretty good..."

Since Adam Strang ran 10.80's, with a stick, I assume that same engine would run somewhere around that 11 sec number, with the correct auto trans set-up.

The E/SA index is 11.70.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/NHRA_Classes.aspx

So, an 11.00 car would be competitive, at most races. Wouldn't make the 128 field @ Indy. And wouldn't win the heads-up runs against the really quick E/SA cars. But, it would win some heads-up runs, & would have a chance to win any race in which it didn't have a heads-up round.

.700 under would have been just below the middle of the field @ the recent div 2 race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop

If my calculations are correct, the 350 '68 Bird is a natural F-class car. Can add some weight & run G/SA. 11 x 305 = 3355lb

The G/SA index is 12-flat. So, anything quicker than 11.50 would be fairly competitive. Low 11's would win some heads-up rounds.

Could remove some weight & run E/SA. 10 x 305 = 3050lb. So, that would be about 300lbs difference.

I think you must add 170lbs for driver, to arrive at the min total weight for the class you'll run. So min weight for E/SA would be 3050 + 170 = 3220lbs. For G/SA, it would be 3355 + 170 = 3525lbs.

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

Plus 170 lbs for driver

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

Were'nt there some 2 speed transes made in the mid-late '60s that were actual Powerglides with the BOP bell housing and cases for use in Buick and Pontiac cars, such as a Buick Special with a 350 Buick engine equipped with a 2 barrel, as well as some Pontiac Tempests with a 326 or 350 Pontic engine? I seem to remember hearing about them, but never paid enough attention to notice one for sure. A friend of mine in high school had a '65 GTO with a four barrel 389, a 2 speed trans, and all, and we put a 400 in it. The trans we removed was a Super Turbine 300.It was a direct bolt in, only the drive shaft had to be cut down for the 400. The 2 speed I'm asking about is a dead ringer for the aluminum Glide used in everything Chevy, but it didn't have a Chevy bell housing, just a BOP unit.

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

If it had a mechanical kickdown, it was a 'glide. Not in mid 60's though. The BOP pattern glides were used in the early 70's , due to a shortage of T350's. Fire at factory, I've read.

Re: Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?
 

"...actual Powerglides with the BOP bell housing..."

Yeah, I've only actually seen 2, in person. One was in a '70 or '71 Esprit Firebird, IIRC. It was in a U-Pull-It yard, in Shreveport Louisiana, & still bolted to a 350 Pontiac engine. I bought what was left & brought it home with me.

The other was in a '70 or '71 Tempest/Lemans, also in a wreckin yard, in Bastrop Louisiana.

Found some pics online. Apparently, some had all the holes drilled. Some had only the BOP holes drilled. Some of those early '70's Pontiacs came with a Chevy inline six engine. Don't know if those with auto trans came with a normal Chevy PG, or one of the dual pattern PG models.