Stock racing

[chrisd]

Probably shouldn't even ask, but I've got this '67 Charger and I hate to junk it. So, I was wondering what are the qualifications to race it as a stock car? By stock I mean an original car. Is whatever came available that year ok to run? How can they tell if someone has gone into the motor and improved the horsepower? Does the car have to be complete as far as interior goes?

 

[Al K]

If you're looking to run sanctioned events,check with the various organizations' online rule books(usually download-able). NHRA will allow you to "build" a car to a certain combination per engine size,rated horsepower(their rating,not Ma Mopar's),shipping weight;all OEM/factory-built combinations,though. In the case of the Charger(that would be cool in Stock Eliminator),you'd have at least a couple of small-block combo's and a number of big-block variations to consider. There's also the matter of what your competition in a given class is running;some classes may have a particular car that can bomb a record if needed,but doesn't,and can almost "rule" a class.

Something else to consider: today's "Stock" class cars are truly smoked over and a hell of a lot tricker($$$!!!$$$!!!) than meets the eye. No cheap or even inexpensive enterprise here. If you were just running local tracks for fun,you might not run into a "killer" car in your class,then again,you might. A good measure of your car is how it fares against the proven cars.

MANY years ago,I had considered using the Faubel car body(before I discovered what I had) to build an A/SA Max Wedge car(might have fit into B with a steel front end and 11:1 mill) for local running and MAYBE a bigger event. Then,I talked to some people. People who had raced and were racing. They asked me if I ate paint chips as a child. Yeah,their words were not too encouraging. They loved the racing and development,but hated the politics,got tired of the travel,and plain burned out. When the fun factor diminishes,well...

Not trying to discourage you,but just offering an opinion. There's lots of SERIOUS racers here that can offer better advice than me.

 

[chrisd]

Thanks, I'll check into the local scene and see what is required(or allowed).

 

[wedge5]

You could also just make is a bracket car. This leaves you the option to build it as you want. You could make it run 7 sec or 17 sec. Now it is up to you to dial it in and run your time. If you have a local track then you wouldn't have to travel and no political BS either. The only rules you have to go by are the NHRA General Regulations. IMO Those guys that run in the NHRA classes take the racing serious and dump ALOT of money into there cars.

 

[Cranky]

A LONG time ago, the local tracks ran classes. If you won your class, you got a trophy and went on to run in eliminations against all the other class winners based on an index for your class and that's pretty much how it still is in the NHRA circuit. Most are capable of running under the index and if you can't, you most likely won't be very competitive. You can also run too far under the index and NHRA will CIC you. Competition Index Control. http://www.nhra.com/competition/cic.aspx
If racers run under the index enough, the index can be lowered. Also, the local tracks mainly have bracket racing which can be fun and fairly cheap....cheaper than stock class racing at least.

 

[chrisd]

I appreciate all the input. The main reason I would go with a stock class is because my lack of knowledge of internals motor wise. Bore, stroke, which cam, and so on.I can keep them running and have built an "engine". (It was a VW air cooled where you can actually put parts in wrong and still drive the car 100K miles.) I'm not interested in paying someone to build a race motor, but in an all original class, I might be able to hold my own. (after lots and lots of practice of course). I think it would be real discouraging after all the work and money to run against some kid who spends his whole paycheck on his Mustang that's on a whole notha level as a 40yr land yaht.

 

[Cranky]

I don't think you understand what stock class racing is all about. Like wedge5 mentioned, the stock class guys are serious and pour tons of money into their cars for the latest innovations to make their cars at the top of their class, run under the index and cut a damn good light. Bracket racing on the other hand is run what you brung and make it consistent and cut a good light and run 'your' dial in. For brackets, the build of the engine etc really doesn't matter if it runs under an index or not....

 

[chrisd]

I don't think you understand what stock class racing is all about. Like wedge5 mentioned, the stock class guys are serious and pour tons of money into their cars for the latest innovations to make their cars at the top of their class, run under the index and cut a damn good light. Bracket racing on the other hand is run what you brung and make it consistent and cut a good light and run 'your' dial in. For brackets, the build of the engine etc really doesn't matter if it runs under an index or not....

Yeah, not what I'm talking about. I'm looking at a factory original or restored to factory specs racing type thing. I'm in no positon to keep up with the big boys in experience or money.

 

[chrisd]

I guess the first thing I need to do is get my terminology right.

 

[Cranky]

Not sure if what you're looking to do exists. When F.A.S.T showed up (Factory Appearing Stock Tire), I thought that might be a cool thing (and it is imo) but it seems to have morphed into some really fast cars! http://www.fastraces.org/

 

[696pack]

I think the OP is looking for PURE STOCK not NHRA stock class racing. The later is far from a stock engine as most people know it. Those are blueprinted engines with big time cam mods with the stock lift and body lightening in key areas for the perfect weight distribution.

 

[Cranky]

Might take a look at this then.....http://www.purestockdrags.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=56
I know what NHRA says is legal for head CC's on the various heads and you're allowed to bring the factory CC's down to that. The factory CC's is always higher than what's allowed by the NHRA. Don't know what this group allows you to do but even in the lowest of the NHRA stock classes, you're allowed to blue print the engine to bring it within specs....

After doing a bit more reading, they don't allow any of that so if you have an engine that's way out from the factory, you can't even fix it! And believe me, some engines from the factory were way out of whack!

 

[Coronet 500]

Maybe something like this is more to your liking, if it's in your area. http://www.fastpast.ca/ONDR/Welcome.html

 

[Cranky]

Right now there's only one NSS meet in this area and it's not even a points meet....Chris and I don't live that far away from each other and Houston Raceway (Now Royal Purple) isn't that far from him or me. Might check the other tracks in the area and see what kind of program they have but most of the other tracks here all run 1/8 mile...which I don't care for.

 

[696pack]

Might take a look at this then.....http://www.purestockdrags.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=56
I know what NHRA says is legal for head CC's on the various heads and you're allowed to bring the factory CC's down to that. The factory CC's is always higher than what's allowed by the NHRA. Don't know what this group allows you to do but even in the lowest of the NHRA stock classes, you're allowed to blue print the engine to bring it within specs....

After doing a bit more reading, they don't allow any of that so if you have an engine that's way out from the factory, you can't even fix it! And believe me, some engines from the factory were way out of whack!

Not EXACTLY true. Yes there were vast defferences in the same engine from car to car when new. This is why we would sometimes see a totally stock car that would out run all the others and some times other cars with the next size up engine. The pure stock class does not allow for "blue printing" as NHRA does but there is no way for a tech group that might inspect a tear down that would know how the particular engine was built from the factory. As an example, MOST Mopar engines were built with the pistons WAY down in the hole and were not very close to the factory advertised compression but SOME were. Of course this opens the door for the guys in this venue to bring them up and they do. There is all kinds of "cheating" that goes on in all venues of racing. One of the common ones is head porting that is then covered up by glass beading the work so it is not noticeable.

The big thing is thatb they don't allow aftermarket cam specs, modifing carbs, intakes, exhaust mans. etc. At least nothing they can see or prove in what tech checks.