Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I have a question that's been bugging the heck out of me ever since the Pure Stock Drags last year. What's up with the 1968 L-89 Novas? Chevy production records show a grand total of zero built, yet there seems to be a push to get these cars recognized as a factory built vehicle. A story about the car that "won" the event last year appeared in Musclecar Review and claimed that a handful of L-89 Novas were built in 1968, yet the person that was quoted as confirming this story told me that he never said anything of the sort and was as surprised as anyone when the story appeared. Marlin, I know that you follow the Novas pretty closely and your buddy Neal has one of these cars... Any thoughts on this? Does anyone know what documentation was presented to allow these cars to run (was any even asked for)? I'd really like to know what the real story is on these cars (as well as the 311 1969 L-89 Novas that were supposed to have been built).

Thanks in advance for any information.

Regards,

Stan

[Edited by Rowdy Rat (09-22-2000 at 03:51 PM).]

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Stan:
The guideline that is followed at the PS-Drags is that the Gibb Novas were the first L78 / TH400 cars built in late June and early July of 68. If a person shows up with an L89 / TH400 car that is after the 1st or 2nd week of July '68, then they are allowed to run. This is because the Gibb cars are used as a starting point, assuming that since the combination was 'available' in '69, the combination would have been available as a non-COPO option starting the 2nd or 3rd week of July '68 - right after Gibb got the ball rolling.

How many, if any, did they make? Nobody knows! Neals car is the 3rd or 4th week of July, therefore it is allowed to run. Four speed cars do not have a date requirement.

The Johnston car got trailered because of open chambered heads, which is why he would not pull a valve cover. There was actually a fourth L89 Nova there, he got trailered because the engine was essentially an L88 built up engine. Brewer's Nova set this up after he ran the big number last year, otherwise there would not have been such a stir about these cars. Neal and Johnson were supposed to be there last year as well, but neither could get the bugs worked out. If they would have been there last year, Brewer might have gotten trailered!!

Hope this helps!!
M

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I sort of "hinted around" at the '68 L-89/auto thing last year whenever Brewer was running his ultra-low 12s. When I asked the guys in the Brewer camp, they kind of danced around the subject, and when I asked "how many?" they said "not very many". It didn't really matter to me, kind of a technicality thing, but a rule all the same.

So, M, you are saying that the L-89/auto combo is legal ONLY in a '69 car? That's the way I read above, but I'm not sure if I read it right! But, that's how I think it should be.

Here is something that puzzles me, though...I can name the cars that have not been allowed to run or asked not to come back, and they are all Chevys. Seem odd? The good thing about Chevys is that they are GREAT cars and they run like RAPED APES, but everyone kind of knows whats right and whats not. So, maybe I should get a Buick...

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Hey Rob - why race a Yenko Chevelle? I love them but its not the best choice for the drag strip with it's extra weight and high drag coefficient. To go up against that Hemi that ran a 12.2 You need the biggest gun Chevy had to offer. You NEED a ZL1 Corvette! Check this article I scanned for a post on the Corvette Forum. Its from Motor Trend Oct. 1969.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewP...132&p=28801766

[Edited by JoeC (09-23-2000 at 03:02 AM).]

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Joe:

I agree that the ZL-1 'Vette would be the perfect candidate for this event (dad and I have been thinking of this combo for a while). But, here's my "problem" with this combo...IT WOULD NOT BE A REAL CAR! There were only 2 of these 'Vettes made, and even IF I could afford to buy one of these cars, they probably aren't for sale. In my eyes, this event was made for people with these cars, not that people should make cars for this event (that's probably my biggest vice of the whole event).

Plus, this is the one time that weight is really an ADVANTAGE. On repro tires, you need all the help you can get. Heck, the guy with the '64 Mopar w/wedge had 300+ pounds of lead, plus some tires thrown in the trunk! And no faster than these cars are going, I don't really think drag comes into the picture (I am thinking that I read that unless you were 120+ there was really not much of an advantage). These races are won in the first 60 feet. It seems the Buicks don't have a problem using a virtual twin of a Chevelle...heck, a Buick won this year's event, and placed second last year.

M:

I'm still not sure of the whole '68 L-89/auto thing...Gibb's cars were iron headed autos, not aluminum headed...Gibb did get the 400th ball rolling, but I still think the aluminum heads are pretty "iffy". Now, I know this is a technicallity and there is virtually NO DIFFERENCE between a '68 and a '69, but that's kind of how I see it.

I feel sometimes that I am just wasting my time worrying about what to do to my cars to run well there, when I know good and well that others aren't playing by the rules. But, that's racing, and you have to take the good with the bad. You don't know how close I came to building a ZL-1 'Vette to go out and totally blow the record away...but then I would be just like some of the others...I would have a non-real car, and I would have went to the event for the wrong reason. Plus, when I roll in with a Yenko Chevelle, then people will come look at the car no matter what time it is running!

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Rob, I was joking about the ZL1. Even if one was for sale it would probably be over 1M. I would like to see you race a Yenko Chevelle against the Buicks but the Corvettes have a few advantages. Its always better to add weight where you need it then to start out with a heavier car. I was talking with some friends (Camaro guys) about what would be the hot setup for pure stock and we came up with the Corvette. There wasn't a 70 LS6 Corvette and the 71 LS6 lost a few HP with lower comp. We thought the best candidate would be a 1969 L71/L89 with TH400 and 4:10 rear (no power accessories) but even an all iron L71 would do well. The 3x2 carb setup is tricky but some guys did run them and I think they flow 1100cfm. The Corvette exhaust manifolds are less restrictive then the Camaro and the long pipes with mufflers all the way to rear is a little better then the Camaro tailpipes. The Corvette has better weight distribution. The stock tires were F70x15 vs the Yenko Camaro E70's. I tried to make an argument for the Yenko Chevelle with its F70x15 tires, four link/coil rear suspension, and the nice L72 high rise intake is worth a few HP but I couldn't sway the Jury.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

One of the fastest stock vettes in the 1/4 was the '66 L-72. Having owned a '67 427/435, I know the single four is a lot easier to tune than the 3 dueces. The '66 just does not look as mean. Seems like a well tuned 69 Camaro w/ZL-1 and turbo 400 would do quite well. Any volunteers?

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

The 66 Corvette had the HP but with the skinny stock tires it wouldn't have the traction IMO. Like Rob said you need a good 60' time to win. The ZL1 Camaro with it's 850 Holley DP has a lot of potential. In that orignal road test of the Yellow Berger ZL1 it ran 13.16 at 110.21 Too badd Chevy clogged it up with those exhuast manifolds that were designed for the 396's. They don't even look like they match the exhaust ports of the ZL1 heads very well.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I'm not sure which 'Vette I would choose, but I will have to wholeheartedly agree that one of them would be the best candidate to "raise the bar" at the PSMCDR. Dad and I thought maybe ZL-1 or L-88...they have no aircleaner, you could run a steep gear (like 4.56 or 4.88), the free flowing exhaust (like mentioned above), transistorized ignition, IRS w/posi, light weight, etc. I was also thinking that they came with 60 series tires, would be a HUGE advantage if they did. It would be KILLER!

We also looked at an L-72 Corvette recently, and upon doing some research, found a time of 12.6 on a list of 50 fastest musclecars. I think this would be better than the 3x2, as it would be easier to tune, and a lot less finicky. It's kind of like the 440 vs. Hemi...when all is right, the Hemi is king...but what a pain to tune! (at least that's what I have heard)

I'm not after the #1 spot (it would be nice, though!), I just want to have a good showing, and show what a well tuned STOCK car can do. Another thing to consider is that you are supposed to use era parts, which means the aluminum parts are a little risky. Can you imagine trashing an original ZL-1 block/heads? OUCH! The new versions are supposed to be the same (the new ZL-1 blocks are supposed to be beefed a little) but they say they won't allow them.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

What size tire will the rules allow for the '66 L72 Corvette? I was looking at one at a show and it had very narrow tires. With a 4sp and 4:10's it would make tire smoke like an old front engine digger.