Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I'm not sure but I'm sure they would be skinny! They had really narrow tires on them.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I guess I'm with Rob on the Nova issue. I have no doubt about the Harrell COPO cars, but just beacause a Nova is an L-78/M-40 car doesn't mean it is an L-89 car too. Regardless, I'm not making the rules or running the event (probably a good thing - they seem to be doing very well without my input!), so that is obviously their decision to make. Still, I'd like to know what information they used to make this determination.

As far as the tire sizes on the 1966 - 1969 Corvettes, I'm pretty certain that the 66-67 cars used a 7.75 x 15 tire on a 6" wide wheel which, as Joe mentioned, is really narrow. All of the 68-69 cars used an F70 x 15 tire on 7" wheels in 1968 and 8" wheels in 1969.

A 1969 ZL-1/late L-88 would be an interesting combination. Corvettes of that era weren't exactly light, but the weight distribution was quite good even with the big block. The exhaust manifolds are a much better design than the Camaro/Nova style, but they still don't work very well with that camshaft. Exhaust pipes on all 69 Corvettes were 2" (!), but I think the rules allow 2.5" regardless of what was installed originally. What do the rules allow as far as rear axle ratio? If you have to stick with available ratios, that pretty much rules out a ZL-1/M-40 combination (or late L-88/L-89/L-71 for that matter) because the lowest (highest numerical) gearset you could get with the automatic was a 3.36 while the ZL-1/L-88 four speed cars were available with a 4.56. Still, that ZL-1/M-22 car would be a nice combination!

I guess I have to side with Rob on this issue too. I'd rather see a real car out there running than a "tibute car" no matter how close it is to the real thing so maybe building a car just to win the event isn't the best idea.

Regards,

Stan

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Rob/Stan:
I wasn't saying that any '68 Nova L78 built after the 2nd week of July is an L89!! The logic is that after Gibb started the L78/TH400 combination, the L89 option was 'possible'. Whether they made any or not is unknown. I also didn't mean to insinuate that the Gibb cars were light-headed, they weren't. But it is unknown if any got changed over to light heads before being sold/distributed by Gibb.

I agree that I would rather see the real deal at the race as compared to the 'tribute, fake, or clone' cars.

M

[Edited by YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY (09-25-2000 at 10:12 AM).]

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

I wonder why the '69 Nova was not used. I don't know if any were made but it seems more likely that there would have been some 1969 L78/L89 TH400 Nova's sold then in 1968. I base this on the numbers for 1969 L78/L89 Camaro and Chevelle production numbers. A very late '69 Nova would even have a 402.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

JoeC;
Of the 4 L89 Novas that showed up at this year's event, I believe that two are late '68's and 2 are '69's.
M

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

A couple of items of note. A Harrell car, such as Ray Morrison's, is not legal, or a Gibb car that would have had al. heads added, as the cars are supposed to be FACTORY stock. Dealer prep cars, at least Chevys, are not legal. We were told to change our 7-15 Torque Thursts to 7-15 Rallys, which we did. I have never understood the exception for the al. headed '68s. Also, a Yenko Nova, such as our '69, is not legal. If we get into "POSSIBLE", the sky is the limit, since Chevy has not released key records. Just look at the many COPO stories out there, including a 1969 427 Yenko Nova. Hey, that is a thought, maybe our Nova is legal, since the Red car Kevin S. has been reported as a COPO 427 car. The event is a fun event, but is starting to be overwhelmed by all of the bickering. I have suggested having two classes, one for the true factory stock cars, that are truly the way that were when new from the factory and the owners are there just to show/enjoy their cars, such as Mark Hassett in his ZL-1, and another class, stock appearring, for the serious racers who have built/designed their cars for the event. Each class would be fun to watch, as it would be a chance to see pure stock cars run against each other AND a chance to see what some of the cars can do with a little race prep. Tom

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Tom/Rob;
No offense on the L89 discussion, I only know their background because I asked the same questions that you guys are asking! It is a difficult subject, if GM offered L89's in '69 then why couldn't they be offered in '68? This is the problem that confronts the race organizers, how do they separate these kinds of cars from the pack when they don't have the time or knowledge to pick them apart? The line was drawn specifically on the '68 L89 Novas (and Camaros, had one shown up), that had a TH400. This is because it is known that GM did not offer a solid lifter/TH400 combo until the Gibb cars.

The race is a premier event, and is a ton of fun. The competitiveness still causes owners to 'overprep' their cars, good thing there is no money to win!! It is not just the Chevy's; I know that the Buick cars are 'different', I watched as Chamberlain (12.57 @ 109mph in '98)changed his rear tires to sticky meats out in the back of the pits!! They asked him to change them back, but how many owners do this stuff after tech. and don't get caught? Everbody knows that Karakashian's Super Bee was an NHRA record holder in the early '80s, and Joe Mino's Firebird is a prep car, and the SuperCharged Studee is actually 'over-the-counter' built, and the 440 6-Pak, plum crazy cuda convertible and '69 T/A convertible were clones, and.....you get the point!! There is no way for the organizer's to police this event, and make everyone happy. Maybe two classes is the way to go, but how do they decide which class your car should be in? I wouldn't want to be the judge.

Most of the guys I have spoken with agree that the great equalizer is the tires, because the races are won and lost in the first 60 feet, and at the tree. I believe that the cars that have gotten trailered had siginificant mod's done to the springs, bushings ect. and were rightfully denied. I know that if you slip past the tech's, and your hood shoots to the stars at the launch and never comes down till you pull your foot out of it, they will ask that you not bring that car back the following year.

Bottom line for me is that I think they do a great job at this event. 95% of the cars are truly stock, but it only takes 5% to turn this thing against itself. The event has really grown, and it is hard to catch those 5%. I can't wait to take my car there, and hope that I can tree one them!!

Marlin

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

Marlin; I agree, it is THE premeir event for factory stock racing, as Dan and Bob put in a lot of long hours to make this a fun event. We hope to attend many more with all of our Yenkos. But, it is kind of discouraging when Rob in our Yenko is out ran by the Studdee you mention. We do not mind getting beat, as they were a lot of legal cars there that were faster then us, but I would just like to see everyone play by the same rules. I hope you get to attend the 2001 event with your car and have a great time, but lets have this same conversation after you take a rare, original musclecar to the event and go up against some of the questionable cars. Watch out for that Studdee, it is LOUD and runs well. Good luck and good racing, and yes, good luck at the tree. Tom

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

You guys are SO lucky. Problem with all racing is rules. Cheating has always been part of motor racing, still is. I think you have to be happy that you are a classic enthusiast first racer second and not the other way around.
Easy to say from here not sure how I'd be coming second to the studdie though.
Couple of editing notes on past comments, L-88s have air cleaners, they are built into the bonnets, and that famous road test of the L-72 Vette is suspicious as Duntov was on hand, seen in the photos. Car probably built in R & D not the factory. 12s with 3.36
not bad if you can do it.

Re: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race
 

You guys are SO lucky.(if i bring a car I have to boat it not trailer it) Problem with all racing is rules. Cheating has always been part of motor racing, still is. I think you have to be happy that you are a classic enthusiast first racer second and not the other way around.
I honestly think a lot of people are happy to see clones go hard at it, but also appreciate the chance to see real cars.
Easy to say from here not sure how I'd be coming second to the studdie though.
Couple of editing notes on past comments, L-88s have air cleaners, they are built into the bonnets, and that famous road test of the L-72 Vette is suspicious as Duntov was on hand, seen in the photos. Car probably built in R & D not the factory. 12s with 3.36
not bad if you can do it.