'78-'87 El Camino V8 Stocker?

[6130]

Was talking with my wife last night about a retirement project. I'd love to do an NHRA Stock Eliminator car with an automatic transmission, and she has always wanted an El Camino.

The Classification Tool says they can be built to fit anything from "F" to "V". That's a pretty big range of classes. I'm noticing that the '78-'79 car with a 350 engine could run as high as "F", and the '80-'84 car with a 305 engine could fit as low as "N". I don't think I'd want to go any slower than that.

Is there any particular model year within that range (1978 to 1987) or engine that would be better or worse to choose, and if so, why?

What would be involved in updating or backdating if we wanted to claim a different year? Looks like the '78-'81 cars use a front valance with one headlight on each side, and the '82-'87 cars use a front valance with two headlights on each side.

[Tom Moock]

El Camino are classified as a truck, you can use bigger lift cam, you can change header panels. 78 & 79 are the same, 80 & 81 the same, 82 to 87 the same. different year have different grilles

[6130]

Originally Posted by Tom Moock

El Camino are classified as a truck, you can use bigger lift cam, you can change header panels. 78 & 79 are the same, 80 & 81 the same, 82 to 87 the same. different year have different grilles

Thanks, Tom.


So are you saying that trucks can use a higher lift cam than cars? My understanding of the rule book was stock lift or .430", whichever is greater.


Regarding updating and backdating, is it just the nose of the car (truck) that would need to be changed to claim a different year? Are the interiors and tail lights pretty much the same from '78-'87?

[GTX JOHN]

Check For Sale:

The Late Vic Hobbs Turnkey El Camino Stock Eliminator
$4000.00 OBO

Great way to racing on a budget!

He was a very smart guy and I miss him!

[Dragsinger]

I am curious about the weight bias of an El Camino. With a 115" wheelbase the front to rear percent would be heavy to the front.

[6130]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

Check For Sale:

The Late Vic Hobbs Turnkey El Camino Stock Eliminator
$4000.00 OBO

Great way to racing on a budget!

Yeah, I saw that, but I think it's a "V" car with a V6 engine.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by 6130

Yeah, I saw that, but I think it's a "V" car with a V6 engine.

Buy the running, working Stock Eliminator ride, race it, see how things work, and watch for the engine you want to come up for sale. Buy an engine, right after you see it go down the track, pull it at the track and take it with you. Buy the headers, converter, and gear you need to make it work, and run the combination you want. You will not be able to build one "from scratch" cheaper, or easier, unless you can do 100% of the work yourself, and you have all the requisite skills and experience.

[Mark Faul]

Originally Posted by Tom Moock

El Camino are classified as a truck, you can use bigger lift cam, you can change header panels. 78 & 79 are the same, 80 & 81 the same, 82 to 87 the same. different year have different grilles

They are classified in the Malibu section, so they use the same specs as the cars.

As far as weight bias, they can be made to work very well using the same parts as their "car" brothers. My 66 is a little nose heavy, but pulls the wheels on the launch.

[GTX JOHN]

Alan Knows what he is talking about.....Good Advise

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Mark Faul

They are classified in the Malibu section, so they use the same specs as the cars.

As far as weight bias, they can be made to work very well using the same parts as their "car" brothers. My 66 is a little nose heavy, but pulls the wheels on the launch.

Mark, That depends on who you ask.
Elky's were always in the books..as cars. Long before there were Stock trucks.
Now, in some places, they're considered trucks.
They were always marketed in the truck brochures, so that might be the new reasoning.

As far as the wheelbase thing, I'd much rather have a G-body station wagon with a 305 or 350. I suspect it doesn't make a lot of difference with the V-6's.