[bigsixman]

The hood was not originally available from Chevrolet with the 255 hp engine combination. The lowest hp motor in an SS where the hood was an option was the 350/300 hp motor. I remember the Lingenfelter 69 Camaro ran that combo in the early 70s with the 255 hp combo, but that car was originally a 69 SS pace car which came with the hood standard. I am not a class racer, but I assumed that NHRA allowed the hood with all the 255 hp cars that have ran the hood for years. The hood was an option later in the year on all SS engines, Z/28s and standard on the COPO cars and pace cars.