D/Dart in Stock

[bill dedman]

No.... there are some cars that are just not appropriate for Stock Eliminator, and I think you just named two of them. LOL!

As much as I love the 426 Hemi A-Bodies, I think that running them in Stock would benefit no one.... they were just too much of a race car when Ma Mopar had them built to ever be considered "Stock," but ya gotta love 'em... I do, anyway...

I was thinking more about borderline cases like the '64 Mopar S/S Stage III wedge cars with lightweight front ends, the A990 cars, and certain other low-production cars that couldn't run Stock because of insufficient numbers having been built, like the D-Dart, Buick '87 GNX Grand Nationals, and Z-11 '63 Chevys.... '63 Pontiac Catalinas with the lightweight (swiss cheese) frame, and maybe some Buick Stage II stuff... Ram Air V Pontiac engines...

I'm not that knowledgeable, but I know that over the years, certain factory packages have been dis-allowed in Stock because of low production numbers.

Bringing back the pre-'60 cars would be great, too, but I can't see that happening; too many technical considerations.... NHRA Tech doesn't really need that.... and, that's too bad, because there were some VERY entertaining cars from that period, racing.... before the ban.

[dart4forte]

NHRA = $$$$$, not what the racers would like to see.

[Todd Boyer]

I think I did name two of them Bill, but I do love them too. In fact, I'm building a '68 Dart Hemi clone/replica/tribute which will be legal for crate motor stock with a 360 Commando combination. Maybe a Hemi some day. It's cool that IHRA will allow the body in Crate Stock, but sucks the NHRA won't. As far as them fitting in Top Stock, I can't see it either. And it wouldn't be any fun running one with a bunch of extra weight.

[bill dedman]

That crate 360 clone is gonna be a fun car!!! Let us know when you get it ready to run.

[Myron Piatek]

Todd,

You have a PM.

[Bob Pagano]

Bill, I could be wrong but the last time I looked the stage 3 alum. 64 was listed, I dont think any one has alum laying around, the price they bring is huge. A nose in good shape brings in excess of ten grand. There are a couple 63s out there but they run mostly 415hp but the car runs AA.

[Jeff Lee]

What do you think a complete aluminum nose for a '63 is worth?

[Bob Pagano]

Start at $10000 and work your way up buy condition and what the market will bear. A 63 alum half rotted car just sold on ebay for 320000 no engine or trans and I mean ruff, it was supposed to be a real car. The price in my opinion was more than half for the alum.

[bill dedman]

Thanks for the good info, Bob. I remember one car, a '61 Pontiac that had a dealer-installed "hop-up" package that would have been neat to see in Stock, but since it was never a showroom option, it never will be, I'm sure.

It was a '61 Catalina 2-door hardtop driven by Charlie Mitchell, who was a new car salesman at a Pontiac dealerhip in England, Arkansas, and one of those cigar-chomping, larger-than-life characters that are so rare, nowdays.
The engine was a high-compression 389 with three two barrels on an ALUMINUM intake manifold, with special big-valve heads and streamlined exhaust manifolds. It was the last gasp for the 389 before the 421's came on the scene, and ran 13.30's with a 4-speed. It had a decal on the front fender, "Ray Nichels Engineering" (a NASCAR guy, I think,) That engine was rated at the time, at 363 horsepower, but I have also seen it referred to as a 369 HP motor.... dunno which is correct.

It was the scourge of Stock that year, locally, until a dirt track racer showed up one day with a '62 Plymouth 413 cross-ram car with a 3-speed stick; instant 12.90s... )

Charlie traded in his '61 for a '62 421 and raced for a long time, but none of his cars ever impressed me like that white '61 Catalina... it just LOOKED "fast"!!!!!!!!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

Thanks for the good info, Bob. I remember one car, a '61 Pontiac that had a dealer-installed "hop-up" package that would have been neat to see in Stock, but since it was never a showroom option, it never will be, I'm sure.

It was a '61 Catalina 2-door hardtop driven by Charlie Mitchell, who was a new car salesman at a Pontiac dealerhip in England, Arkansas, and one of those cigar-chomping, larger-than-life characters that are so rare, nowdays.
The engine was a high-compression 389 with three two barrels on an ALUMINUM intake manifold, with special big-valve heads and streamlined exhaust manifolds. It was the last gasp for the 389 before the 421's came on the scene, and ran 13.30's with a 4-speed. It had a decal on the front fender, "Ray Nichels Engineering" (a NASCAR guy, I think,) That engine was rated at the time, at 363 horsepower, but I have also seen it referred to as a 369 HP motor.... dunno which is correct.

It was the scourge of Stock that year, locally, until a dirt track racer showed up one day with a '62 Plymouth 413 cross-ram car with a 3-speed stick; instant 12.90s... )

Charlie traded in his '61 for a '62 421 and raced for a long time, but none of his cars ever impressed me like that white '61 Catalina... it just LOOKED "fast"!!!!!!!!!

Those SD parts were considered stock at one time back in the stone age. When NHRA decided to stop allowing over the counter parts and 4 speeds and Hydro's in 57 Chebbies all of those great SD 389's (1960-1961's) were eliminated. There were several racing in my area back around 62-66 and they were called the "INDIAN TRIBE". Max Sterlings White Lightening, The Pawnee of Sam Samuels, Mike Miatico who owned the M/T 61 Ventura that was driven by Carol and Lyod Cox in 61. Dick Hill out of Penn. with a 60 Catalina with a 4 speed and many more. The NHRA ruling made them all junk.