Updated HP Ratings

[Michael Kilduff]

Originally Posted by dwydendorf

How many of the current older cars running in stock actually started out as the actual car they are being raced as? To my knowledge NHRA has not ever checked the vin numbers to see if the car being raced was as it was produced friom the factory. .

Checking VINs on at least some of the cars will be an excercise in futility if trying to determine the original powertrain that the car was born with.

For example, the 1967-69 camaro VIN reveals if the car was born with a 6 cylinder engine or an 8 cylinder engine. It isn't possible to determine which V-8 engine came in the car when using the VIN. Trim tags aren't much help either although the 1967 model year does indicate if the car was a 350 or 396, but does not indicate which hp rating for the 396. The mid to late1969 cars made in Norwood OH have 'x codes' which provides some help but not precise hp options in some cases.

Someone could possibly use the documentation of cars sold in Canada to provide the hp ratings but of course the majority of the cars were sold in the US and GM kept no records of these cars regarding what they were born with.

The 1966 through mid 1968 Chevelles have VINs beginning with '138' which indicates a 396 engine only, not the hp ratings.

And of course one would have to consider that VIN plates, trim tags, and other clues for identifying what a car originally came with can be reproduced or swapped from car to car.