Misconception on a slow stocker winning

bill dedman · 07-05-2012, 02:41 AM

Gary,

You are correct that the 1963 427 Chevy engine WAS the Z-11. I should have made that more clear when I said it was a "409 on steroids." It was a 409 DESIGN that was enlarged to 427 cubic inches for the 1963 limited-edition "lightweight" drag package that Chevy built for NHRA racing. There were some problems getting them homologated; not enough cars were built before the G.M. front office issued an edict that killed the racing programs at both Chevy and Pontiac, resulting in not enough cars being built to qualify their legal status as Super Stockers, so they had to run these cars (the Z-11 full-size Chevys with the 409-style 427-inch motors, and the Pontiac 421 Tempests (dunno about the swiss-cheese Catalinas) as F/X cars. No matter; they were all still really, really tough!

The "mystery motor" was not included in any of the drag racing activities that I ever heard of, in 1963. It was a canted-valve, 396-style "semi-hemi" whose excellent basic design is STILL making its mark in Pro Stock, Stock, and Super Stock today. It was a NASCAR item ONLY, in the beginning. Who'd have dreamed that it was so good that it would still be a factor in NHRA racing, virtually fifty years later?

Hope this clears up the some of the murk about the two distinctly different big blocks Chevy was developing in 1963. They were both formidible!

GarysZ24 · 07-08-2012, 01:13 AM

They were both formidible![/QUOTE]

x2 for that Bill, and I often wonder what would've been in the Stock/Super Stock wars of the brands, if only that "409 on steroids 427 Chevy, and it's 421 Tempest cousin would've had the numbers built they needed to be a threat to the Savoy's, Belvedere's, and Coronets and their hemi or Max Wedge offerings???

bill dedman · 07-08-2012, 02:53 AM

Gary,

It would have been VERY interesting... that's for sure!

GarysZ24 · 07-08-2012, 07:19 PM

x2 for that Bill....

Rick Unterseh · 07-08-2012, 07:49 PM

Look at the finals of the Div. 7 National open Angelo Phillips and myself, the two slowest cars in the field, and we were in the finals !!!! GO SLOW CARS !!!!

Mark Yacavone · 07-12-2012, 07:27 PM

For those so inclined, you ought to take a look at the ad I just placed in the Race Car classified section here at C/R

GarysZ24 · 07-12-2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Unterseh

Look at the finals of the Div. 7 National open Angelo Phillips and myself, the two slowest cars in the field, and we were in the finals !!!! GO SLOW CARS !!!!

x 2 for, and congrats to both of you!!!

Mark Yacavone · 09-03-2012, 01:51 AM

18 cars left in Stock > Seven 9 sec. cars , nine 10 sec. cars , one 11.0 car, and one 11.80 car.. Oh well

07-05-2012, 02:41 AM	#1
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning Gary, You are correct that the 1963 427 Chevy engine WAS the Z-11. I should have made that more clear when I said it was a "409 on steroids." It was a 409 DESIGN that was enlarged to 427 cubic inches for the 1963 limited-edition "lightweight" drag package that Chevy built for NHRA racing. There were some problems getting them homologated; not enough cars were built before the G.M. front office issued an edict that killed the racing programs at both Chevy and Pontiac, resulting in not enough cars being built to qualify their legal status as Super Stockers, so they had to run these cars (the Z-11 full-size Chevys with the 409-style 427-inch motors, and the Pontiac 421 Tempests (dunno about the swiss-cheese Catalinas) as F/X cars. No matter; they were all still really, really tough! The "mystery motor" was not included in any of the drag racing activities that I ever heard of, in 1963. It was a canted-valve, 396-style "semi-hemi" whose excellent basic design is STILL making its mark in Pro Stock, Stock, and Super Stock today. It was a NASCAR item ONLY, in the beginning. Who'd have dreamed that it was so good that it would still be a factor in NHRA racing, virtually fifty years later? Hope this clears up the some of the murk about the two distinctly different big blocks Chevy was developing in 1963. They were both formidible! __________________ Bill

07-08-2012, 01:13 AM	#2
GarysZ24 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tempe, Az. Posts: 1,273 Likes: 922 Liked 241 Times in 95 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning They were both formidible![/QUOTE] x2 for that Bill, and I often wonder what would've been in the Stock/Super Stock wars of the brands, if only that "409 on steroids 427 Chevy, and it's 421 Tempest cousin would've had the numbers built they needed to be a threat to the Savoy's, Belvedere's, and Coronets and their hemi or Max Wedge offerings??? __________________ Gary Hampton '86 Z24,173 V6 CF/S #5824 (#78 in 2021)

07-08-2012, 02:53 AM	#3
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning Gary, It would have been VERY interesting... that's for sure! __________________ Bill

07-08-2012, 07:19 PM	#4
GarysZ24 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tempe, Az. Posts: 1,273 Likes: 922 Liked 241 Times in 95 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning x2 for that Bill.... __________________ Gary Hampton '86 Z24,173 V6 CF/S #5824 (#78 in 2021)

07-08-2012, 07:49 PM	#5
Rick Unterseh Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 133 Likes: 3 Liked 31 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning Look at the finals of the Div. 7 National open Angelo Phillips and myself, the two slowest cars in the field, and we were in the finals !!!! GO SLOW CARS !!!!

07-12-2012, 07:27 PM	#6
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,819 Likes: 2,910 Liked 5,127 Times in 1,955 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning For those so inclined, you ought to take a look at the ad I just placed in the Race Car classified section here at C/R __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

09-03-2012, 01:51 AM	#8
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,819 Likes: 2,910 Liked 5,127 Times in 1,955 Posts	Re: Misconception on a slow stocker winning 18 cars left in Stock > Seven 9 sec. cars , nine 10 sec. cars , one 11.0 car, and one 11.80 car.. Oh well __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers Last edited by Mark Yacavone; 09-03-2012 at 01:54 AM.

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