Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

Well Billy since we are being clear I also have a problem with NO TECH - but here is the thing - the problem is with you and the 'dime rocket ' type old cars - if you were to put in a thin head gasket lets say - it would pick up some ET for sure so we need some Tech .Sure I'm no engine builder but there really isn't much that can be improved with the modern engines easily as they are well developed from the start - it's progress ! ! !

I'm sure everyone knows that I love muscle cars but we can't have an eliminator full of 50 plus year old cars - even the fans in the stands like and are excited about seeing a good old fashioned 'old vs new' drag race ............ All that plus those of us who know you are sure it makes your day when you win a round against a modern era racer .

Yes, I know this is a bit off the F/X subject but since you brought it up .........Anyway I like the F/X cars but feel we won't see very many of them .

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

For crying out loud Jack, over the past 2 years I've raced a 2005 car and a 1999! That's a whole bunch newer than most of the stuff out there. And you of all people should know that I'm not going to spring for head gaskets if I don't NEED them. Where are you going with this? Would you like to see NHRA pull the "20 year" rule out of it's ***** again? Let's just agree to like all of the stuff that's out there now.

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

Billy do you realize that your 2005 car is only 7 years older than both of my COPO's????

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

that would open up a lot of affordable combo for stock . For example no place for a street hemi challenger to race in stock .

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

There's actually a hand full a street Hemi Challengers in the natural classes right now.




Bret Velde
??/SA

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

When the class was being developed, it required OEM roofs, quarters, and trunks. As many recall, this was the way old-school, early Pro Stock cars were built.

My buddy was one of the first shops that started to build a COPO Camaro under this premise, with oversight from NHRA. Then, he started to hear that the big chassis shops got orders from racers and started to complain to NHRA that it was too difficult for them to build the car with the OEM body components. NHRA gave in and Five-Star and other companies that build carbon fiber bodies got involved too to make the body parts.

If my buddy had built the car with the new rules, which by the way, have not been released, he would have saved himself over 250 hours of labor and lots of money in parts. The new cars are just a tube chassis with carbon fiber parts attached similar to a Pro Stock.

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

I want to make it very clear from the start that I do not know if this is still the case.

But when the move came to the new Pro Stock bodies, be aware that the most well known chassis builders had exclusive rights to the bodies. Each developed a certain make and they profit from every body used on every car that is built, whether it's built in their shop or not.

Before anybody starts, I'm not against capitalism or people making money, I'm just pointing this out to clarify why the 1 piece front ends and the body rule change was so heavily pushed by them. It created a monopoly and a new profit center.

Again, I don't know from direct information, but I'm pretty sure that's why the rules for the new class got changed. When I was racing, different manufacturers would hand out body kits - which was the roof, quarters, and trunk. Everybody who they approved got the same part numbers in the crate.

But again, some builders were much better at tweaking those parts than others. So some kept crying it wasn't fair instead of doing R&D on aero and finding ways to fit the templates and still improve the bodies. That is where the Standard Bodies arose from. Can't beat em, push for a participation trophy sort of thing.

I know this is a class racer board and is supposed to cover Stock and Super Stock. My deepest knowledge is in Pro Stock but to be honest I could not pick my favorite among all three. If this is getting tiresome, somebody say so and I'll shut up.

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

I just reread the 2023 rule supplement and it says it must be OEM roof and quarters, no where do I see it saying carbon fiber. Am I missing something?
I never saw so many people uptight about a new class coming out. Most people I have talked to are excited about this class, and are hoping it will be the new Pro Stock down the road. Some of you want to kill it thinking they will increase are quotas instead. lol

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

Steel roof and quarters. Carbon fiber front ends and doors etc. It would have been cool to keep all OEM body panels, but it is what it is . At least they still look like factory cars.

These cars are badass !

Re: new A/FX CLASS
 

The rules that were released to the public were changed and NHRA has not published the changes because they are still under review. As an example, the trunk is now carbon fiber with a built-in wing. Also, the latest rumor is some have requested to do away with the spec drag slicks and run your choice of drag slicks.