1969 camaro hood

[X-TECH MAN]

I heard a rumor that NHRA changed the hood rule for 1969 Camaro's. Is it true that unless you have a 427 or a Z-28 302 you have to run the flat hood now in stock or Super Stock?
Has someone lost their mind at NHRA or is this just bad information? I had heard Paul Forte at Turbo Action has had it with NHRA due to this ruling.

[Billy Nees]

Terry, NHRA changed the rule last year. You can't run the cowl hood on a 350/255 combo anymore.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Terry, NHRA changed the rule last year. You can't run the cowl hood on a 350/255 combo anymore.

Well Im convinced that NHRA is stupid now. My neighbors son had a white with hounds tooth interior 255 HP (not a 300) hard top Camaro when new in 1969 and it had a cowl hood. I did the heads on it for him and they were #441's I remember very well looking it over at the time and my long term memory is still very good. All of the crap NHRA allows today and they pull stunts like this. Its crazy but I don't have a dog in the hunt. I was just asking. Enjoy !!!!!

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Well Im convinced that NHRA is stupid now. My neighbors son had a white with hounds tooth interior 255 HP (not a 300) hard top Camaro when new in 1969 and it had a cowl hood. I did the heads on it for him and they were #441's I remember very well looking it over at the time and my long term memory is still very good. All of the crap NHRA allows today and they pull stunts like this. Its crazy but I don't have a dog in the hunt. I was just asking. Enjoy !!!!!

I thought you had come to that conclusion a long time ago?

I agree. Toward the end of '69 production that ran into 1970, there were lots of those built. Remember the thousands of pace car painted convertibles and hardtops (with the ugly orange and black houndstooth interiors) that all had ZL2 hoods? In the fall of '69, I looked at dealerships for a friend who was wanting one with a 300hp engine or a 396 and the first four I looked at were 255hp equipped. The best is the car my brother ordered from Cliff Peck Chevrolet in Little Rock with a 350-255, four speed, ZL2 hood, F42 suspension, positrac and spoilers to beat the insurance cost of the SS. Car was delivered in July of 1969 just before he went into the Army.

[Carguy49]

I know I am late to the party and don't have a dog in this hunt. With all the things that are allowed in STOCK now, why is there an issue with this car/hood combo????? Personally, I think the cars look better with the cowl hood on it. Is there any weight difference between the 2 hoods (stock vs. cowl)?? Also, as long as it's not functional, would there be any performance advantage to the cowl hood?? Just my 2 cents which, in today's economy, ain't worth much. - - Just sayin'

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Carguy49

I know I am late to the party and don't have a dog in this hunt. With all the things that are allowed in STOCK now, why is there an issue with this car/hood combo????? Personally, I think the cars look better with the cowl hood on it. Is there any weight difference between the 2 hoods (stock vs. cowl)?? Also, as long as it's not functional, would there be any performance advantage to the cowl hood?? Just my 2 cents which, in today's economy, ain't worth much. - - Just sayin'

The cowl induction hood is slightly heavier due to the extra steel in it. Dwight is correct in his prior post.....I figured it out MANY MANY years ago that NHRA had their heads up their butts on a lot of things. Some things they do right but that was before Wally Parks passed away. NHRA had Marty Barrett and Greg X. to keep tech straight. I used to keep my membership up to date to get the National RAGster but I let slide probably 8 or 10 years ago so I haven't kept up with many of the rules changes such as this hood deal. Kind of funny when they allow the 1964 A/FX fiberglass hood on 1964 Comets today in S/S. The paper kept getting worse each year.

[John Musial]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Terry, NHRA changed the rule last year. You can't run the cowl hood on a 350/255 combo anymore.

Can you run the 350/255 with the hood if you ran the car in SS/GT class?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by John Musial

Can you run the 350/255 with the hood if you ran the car in SS/GT class?

I would say yes.

Now, let's go through this one more time, the 69 Camaro was only available with the 350/255 until Dec 31 1968 and it was only available in a base car. The ZL-2 hood became an option on a 69 Camaro SS on Jan. 1 69. The standard engine in a Camaro SS is a 350/300.
The first 69 Camaro to get a ZL-2 hood is ZL-1 #1 built in Norwood although there is supposedly a documented Z-28 with a ZL-2 hood that was built in Los in late Dec.
There were no Pace Cars built with the 350/255 engine as all Pace Cars were SSs and would have had a 350/300 as the base engine.
And if you don't believe me, ask Tom Kasch to post some early pictures of Stockers and Super Stock 69 Camaros and you will notice that all of the 350/255 cars have flat hoods.

[HandOverFist]

Not likely NHRA took this upon themselves for no particular reason...likely a building chorus of complaints.

[64 savoy]

How about all the wrong hoods they allow on the Mopars? AAR hoods on wrong Cudas. TA hoods on wrong Challengers. Hemi scoop hood on a 66 Belvedere.