No Blinders

[Doug Hoven]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

All well and good BUT, NHRA DOES differentiate and allow for cars using an OEM ECU.

If it was 1999, I would definitely consider running the factory ECU in a 5.0 mustang or a 3rd and 4th gen firebird, but you pretty much need a time machine in order to get the software and a computer that will run the software. And those early handheld programmers have mostly faded away into the pages of history. The factory stock cars are a tough one too. I don't know about all of the years, but the Cobra Jet mustangs were using essentially a tuned up street mustang ECU. I believe the COPOs and Drag Packs use aftermarket ECUs from the factory, so that sort of makes the OEM ECU rule a moot point in a way for them.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Doug Hoven

If it was 1999, I would definitely consider running the factory ECU in a 5.0 mustang or a 3rd and 4th gen firebird, but you pretty much need a time machine in order to get the software and a computer that will run the software. And those early handheld programmers have mostly faded away into the pages of history. The factory stock cars are a tough one too. I don't know about all of the years, but the Cobra Jet mustangs were using essentially a tuned up street mustang ECU. I believe the COPOs and Drag Packs use aftermarket ECUs from the factory, so that sort of makes the OEM ECU rule a moot point in a way for them.

No, it doesn't. IF you decide to take on the burden of using the OEM ECU then you should be able to reap the benefits (if any) of the OEM ECU. The "factory" cars are a different story as is everything about those cars.