HP Rating....F Body vs FWD Conversion Cars

[stefan callender]

Originally Posted by Greg Hill

Joe in 2008 when I was a member of the SRAC I had a couple of D3 racers ask me to help get the rule changed to allow separate factoring for the rear wheel drive cars in SS GT compared to the fwd conversions. I did a little unscientific research and most of the people I talked to thought there was about .05 to .07 difference. If a chevelle and a camaro can be factored separately there is no reason the fwd cars and the rwd cars couldn't be factored separately or so I thought. The SRAC had a fair amount of discussion on this topic and voted to recommend that the rule be changed to separate the fwd cars from the rwd ones. We never heard from the AHFS committee on this if my memory is right. It was like we didn't exists. I think it might take a small amount of additional work on NHRA's part to do this but not a lot.

On your combination I would say that because you were running your Cavalier 275 lbs lighter than your Camaro it's possible that you may not have the optimum converter, rear gear ratio or trans ratios in your new car. I would assume that you had all of these optomized for your Camaro. Your Cavalier might like these things a little different to get the most out of it.

Gregg, on what basis do you think that the FWD conversion cars are worth that much?? What two cars are you using as a comparison? Here is a guy that transplanted his drivetrain from one car to another, and has proven what it was worth with HIS combination. Maybe with another combination it would be different, apples to apples.

[keith ohanesian]

Everyone.. Put a lIttle Vegas in you!!

[Greg Hill]

Originally Posted by stefan callender

Gregg, on what basis do you think that the FWD conversion cars are worth that much?? What two cars are you using as a comparison? Here is a guy that transplanted his drivetrain from one car to another, and has proven what it was worth with HIS combination. Maybe with another combination it would be different, apples to apples.

I talked to people who ran both kinds of cars and that was kind if a concenus. Some of the guys with the rwd cars said a tenth and some of the guys with the fwd thought it was only .02 or .03. I think the faster cars would pick up more than slower ones because of the aerodynamics, although that's just my opinion. I do know most of the hp that a lot of these combinations got was from the fwd conversions, however that may be because those are the guys with the best motors and the most money. To really tell how much better one is over the other you would need to look at incrementals especially the back half.

[Bryan Worner]

Originally Posted by Greg Hill

I talked to people who ran both kinds of cars and that was kind if a concencus . Some of the guys with the rwd cars said a tenth and some of the guys with the fwd thought it was only .02 or .03. I think the faster cars would pick up more than slower ones because of the aerodynamics, although that's just my opinion. I do know most of the hp that a lot of these combinations got was from the fwd conversions, however that may be because those are the guys with the best motors and the most money. To really tell how much better one is over the other you would need to look at incrementals especially the back half.

One thing to remember here is Joe's Camaro was a very good/fast car. So if you're going to compare how much each of you picked up changing cars, it may vary some, based on the car itself!!!

[Ed Wright]

I think the only valid would be weight the fwd car to the F body weight, then compare.

[Hagen Gary]

Help me understand this. If a FWD Conversion has no advantage other then the small size and areodynamics, then why have I yet to see or hear of a Pontiac Soltice being built? Seriously, It's wheelbase is even shorter than the F-body, and I'm pretty sure you could fit a FI V-8 under the hood. It only weighs 100 lbs more, so what gives? Is it because you are not allowed the same modifications a FWD car has?

[stefan callender]

Originally Posted by Hagen Gary

Help me understand this. If a FWD Conversion has no advantage other then the small size and areodynamics, then why have I yet to see or hear of a Pontiac Soltice being built? Seriously, It's wheelbase is even shorter than the F-body, and I'm pretty sure you could fit a FI V-8 under the hood. It only weighs 100 lbs more, so what gives? Is it because you are not allowed the same modifications a FWD car has?

Who knows, maybe they are too ugly!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by stefan callender

Who knows, maybe they are too ugly!!

LOL...I was going to say that but figured someone would jump in my stuff.

[Hagen Gary]

Originally Posted by stefan callender

Who knows, maybe they are too ugly!!

That ain't it. There is just to much of an advantage in creating whatever floor and firewall you want so you can throw whatever suspension you want under it. I wouldn't have a problem with it at all if I didn't continue to get hp from these cars. You can't give a certain type of car a clear advantage without penalizing it or seperating it from the rest..... Wait I forgot. DPs and CJs. It seems like this issue will never get addressed.

Does anybody own a fbody with the 350/300hp (now rated at 327) that can run anywhere close to 1.00 under? That motor took serious abuse from FWD cars, and it wont be the last one. Is it really that much more work?