OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Jeff Teuton;455700]Jason, the whole of Stock and Super Stock suffer from the 'allowables'. There are a million reasons why it happened over the last 60 years or so. Well maybe a few hundred anyway. Many things we take for granted today, were not allowed at some distant time. That would make for an interesting thing to create a post about what has changed in Stock and Super Stock since say 1955. Some of us were around. It might surprise everyone to see it in print, especially in this slow time of year.

So I'm 3+ years too late. It's winter, it's cold and snowing on the mountain. Let's see what you've all got.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Billy, just use the NHRA 1975 rule book and enforce it for stock eliminator and I would be a "Happy Camper "! .... If you choose a fragile combo your problem.... You know the rules going in!

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Since we are going back to 1955, let's take time to review the Dec. 1955 Hot Rod Magazine editorial by Wally Parks following the first NHRA National event held at Great Bend Kansas.

"A lot of fellows who participated in the recent National Championship Drag Races at Great Bend, Kansas, were a bit shaken up at the thoroughness with which NHRA officials conducted the pre-race technical inspections. Crew members who were charged with responsibility for maintaining safety of contestant equipment were trained at their jobs and handled the details with conscientious sincerity. It wasn't that they were trying to find fault with a participant's car; they simply followed the rules as they were meant to be followed. Naturally, a lot of last minutes repairs and alterations had to be made, some of which cost the entrants valuable time. Most complaints were, "We've been running this way at our strip all along and have had no trouble before!", which simply pointed out that a lot of strips have been far too lax in their enforcement of universally accepted safety regulations governing drag strip operations.
But after the meet was ended, members of the hard-working NHRA technical committee became heroes in the eyes of many participants. They exerted the same honest concern in verifying the legality of class winners as they had in searching for potential danger points in the earlier inspections.
As winners were determined, during the class eliminations, an assigned official would escort each winning car (that) was held pending a tear-down inspections of its engine. Engines were torn all the way down in real expose.
To say that some owners of stock cars in the National Drags were startled would be the understatement of the meet-they were shook! And why not? In one Stock class the first, second and third place cars proved to be running out of class, having modifications or special equipment that were definitely not permissible.
As a result, no records were established in either "A," "B," "C," or "D" Stock classes at Great Bend. Only two eliminators, "B" and "D" classes, were determined legal upon inspections.
What's to come of all this dishonesty? Well, there are several possible solutions. One is to discontinue the running of Stock classes, but this isn't practical. Another might be to run Stocks for "time only," giving no awards to winners. Last, but not least, would be to change class restrictions to simply require "no visible modifications," leaving hidden parts wide open to alteration.
Whatever is done, a lot of honest people will take the rap for offenses committed by a few would-be "hot dogs" who haven't enough confidence in their own engine refinements to declare them properly.
As always, we welcome our readers' reactions and suggestions.-WP"

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Thanks Travis

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

OK, you got me. Who is Jason? What is that number? It's not my fault!!! I didn't do it!!!! It was an accident!!!! Help me please...

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

We all know you did it Jeff.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

It wasn't me man. LOL

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Go back to 1970.
Headers, 9" tires, .060 over, Floorshifts, traction bars and square cams PERIOD.

Want more? Run SuperStock. A stocker should be able to drive you to work
everyday if needed.

Ron.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Great post Travis!

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Thanks Travis, I couldn't have asked for a better response to this thread!
Jeff, better check some of your old posts. Ya know, they don't go away.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Uh....The stockers ran 7 inch tires in 1970 !

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Whippersnappers. LOL

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

7" tires and they were measured......and could not be wider at the tread or you were out.....

And a set of exhaust pipes and mufflers that extended to past the rear axle........with a connection at the headers or something that sorta looked like it ....LOL

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Travis remember that the rule book was written by NHRA as a reaction to the racers more than an action. If it's not against the rules then it's legal.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

When I started, I was told by the track's head tech guy. If the rule book does not say you can do it, you can not.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Very well said Mr. Miller.

I remember when I started racing stock in 1978. We had stock water pumps, stock rockers that we would put push rods through, Roades lifters to get some bottom end. Original transmissions, original brakes that took both feet to stop. My first Ritter and Weber engine dyno tested cost 2500.00.
When Super Stock was at a National event. The, what I called the tender fender cars were lined up for a great show in the pits alone. Most cars came to the track on open trailers. You would stop at a gas station and people would ask you where your headed, how fast and tell you "I had one". Things have changed a country mile but still enjoy trying to beat the fast guy in class and surely the cars in original trim.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I flat towed from Long island to Indy in 1974 and when I got there I was missing a bumper bolt. I was told I couldn't race until I fixed it. Even though I had extra hardware do to the tow tabs, the inspector didn't care. Went to a bone yard and got a bolt. Now, most bolts are missing for a reason, LoL!
My stocker it totally street legal license and insured, my opinion is that's the way all stockers should be.
Casey Miles
248H Stock

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Right on the money. When I started working in Div. 1 around 1971 that was told to me by Greg X. the Div. 1 tech director.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I agree but that was a long time ago. When I started racing a racer who has since passed away now did the inspections at Aquasco Raceway in Md. He raced at some of the other local tracks and was one of the largest cheaters around. His 59 Biscayne was supposed to be a 348/320 HP but later on we found out it was a 409/380 HP. He changed the oil pan which put the oil dip stick on the other side of the engine. LOL

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I remember the 'Brock & Marsh' 57 chev stocker bounced in tech at Indy around 1968/69 for having a black piece of plastic where the red/white/blue chevy emblem goes in the center of the grill. They had to go get a 'stock' emblem and put it in to pass tech.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I put my first car together thinking if they didn't say I can't.....
First points race I went to, I had to go find a salvage yard to buy parts I left off. Bumper guards, bumper bolts, windshield wipers, windshield wiper motor, etc, etc. Red Anderson about got writer's cramp. He was kinda short with me, I was scared to death of him at first. Ended up a favorite friend of mine. I went right through tech at Pomona, Indy, etc. If you were OK with Red, I guess you were OK everywhere. Felt pretty good.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I miss Marty Barrett.

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

Me too!

Re: OK Jeff better late than never!
 

I believe he is referring to this previous thread:

http://classracer.com/classforum/sho...owables&page=3