Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich
Only the aluminum replacement head horsepower was raised back to 435 in Stock Eliminator. Which is where it had always been since the 401 head was allowed as a replacement head. It (the 401 head) was allowed with a 10HP penalty to begin with. We've run one that way since 2008 or so. I'm not sure I can reasonably disagree with the 10HP penalty, even though it would certainly be in our best interest. It takes 80 pounds of the nose of the car, among other things. I would prefer iron heads myself. Cylinder heads are a tricky item, how good they end up depends on how good a casting you start with, who you take them to, and what you let them do. The rules keep getting looser, and enforcement seems inconsistent.
With regards to the 359 intake, it depends upon what 163 you compare it to. I know a local racer who bought 10 163 intakes before the 359 was allowed, took them to the best local expert, who tossed 8 of them as bad. Of those, 5-6 were obvious to me, the other 2-3 I saw with a little help, and now I know what to look for. I know some who have gained a little with a 359, and some who have lost a little. We might have gained 0.02, I cannot say for sure. I have learned much since then.
No excuses here, we'd be just fine if they took the 359 intake, 401 heads, and roller rockers away. We'd have some expensive door stops, but we could recover and do just as well. I'll probably build a nasty old evil 396 next anyway.
With regards to classification, both Bruce Bachelder and Danny Gracia told me that the 10HP penalty for the 401 head was not considered in factoring the class. For example, I was told that the 401 head on a 427/425 in a 69 Chevelle with an automatic did not make it a natural A car. It remained a natural B car due to the factor (425) of the original engine without the 401, which was considered the "base" for calculation, the replacement penalty was not considered for the class factor, only for the class weight. That may have changed.
|