Titanium Valves in SS

[James L Miller]

My engine builder thinks titanium valves is the only way to go in a racing engine. David Reher had an article in National Drugstore giving the virtues of a titanium valve. Higher initial cost, but longer engine life. I think Ray Barton tried to implement a movement to get NHRA to make these legal for SS. Who would have enough clout with NHRA to get it legalized for SS? Does Del West need to put up a ton of money for Ti valves, or Manley, Ferrea??? Is there a lobby firm near Glendora that makes these changes happen? Who would we need to make the check payable?

[FireSale]

Your engine builder wants to eat your wallet. A set of titanium valves from Manley or Ferrea will run $2000. The weight reduction might let the rich kids rev higher but would thin the field by raising the perceived cost to get in the game. For SS you need one piece stainless steel and nothing more.

Outside of class at the National races, SS is a dial in game. You don't need $$$$ valves to nail your dial. Imagine dumping all that cash into a motor and loosing to an aircraft mechanic who buys used parts from Jimmy DeFrank.

Good luck finding people who want to petition NHRA to legalize titanium in SS.

I built my engine. I'm on version 3 and might have it right now. I wouldn't do it any other way.

[Spyphish]

Works for me!

[Alan Roehrich]

Too bad about what your engine builder thinks. He's merely escalating the cost, and the RPM, in a class where both are already out of control.

My cylinder head man is Jimmy Bridges, he runs SS/B with a 396 in a Corvette, he's been going as fast as anyone, and winning races, for 55+ years. Jimmy isn't asking for titanium valves, so I think we'll all get along fine without them.

[nhramnl]

I'm old enough to have witnessed firsthand the slow, but constant (and continuing) decline of Sportsman racing. It has long been my opinion that the prime cause for it is drag racing's own version of "Creeping Socialism". Years ago, Stockers were essentially stock and Super Stockers were Stockers with bigger back tires and any camshaft you thought would work. Then came the ported heads conflict, where cheaters got caught running at first, acid ported heads, then ground-up and re-welded heads. What was the "punishment"? Make ported heads legal. And a few bucks-down, deep-thinking, do-it-yourself racers (the founders of the sport, BTW) said "I haven't got the money for a ported heads and intake setup" and they quit or went Super Gas racing. Fast forward to 2018, and Stockers are now Super stockers with skinny back tires (like tire width matters anymore anyway, with today's tire compounds), and Super Stockers are Comp cars with small carburetors or funky, stock EFI systems. And still, the same racers who complain that the class racing is dying ask for more and more exotic and expensive technology. "Car counts are way down!" Sure they are; fewer and fewer people have $40,000 for a top-tier SS motor, and no matter how much cash you've got, you can't outspend GM, Ford and Chrysler. The reward used to be, you did your own deal and then put it up against the other guy's deal, to see who was smarter and worked harder. Nowadays, it's just a check-writing contest, with rich guys in golf shirts posing next to their store-bought Super Stock car.

[63corvette]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

I'm old enough to have witnessed firsthand the slow, but constant (and continuing) decline of Sportsman racing. It has long been my opinion that the prime cause for it is drag racing's own version of "Creeping Socialism". Years ago, Stockers were essentially stock and Super Stockers were Stockers with bigger back tires and any camshaft you thought would work. Then came the ported heads conflict, where cheaters got caught running at first, acid ported heads, then ground-up and re-welded heads. What was the "punishment"? Make ported heads legal. And a few bucks-down, deep-thinking, do-it-yourself racers (the founders of the sport, BTW) said "I haven't got the money for a ported heads and intake setup" and they quit or went Super Gas racing. Fast forward to 2018, and Stockers are now Super stockers with skinny back tires (like tire width matters anymore anyway, with today's tire compounds), and Super Stockers are Comp cars with small carburetors or funky, stock EFI systems. And still, the same racers who complain that the class racing is dying ask for more and more exotic and expensive technology. "Car counts are way down!" Sure they are; fewer and fewer people have $40,000 for a top-tier SS motor, and no matter how much cash you've got, you can't outspend GM, Ford and Chrysler. The reward used to be, you did your own deal and then put it up against the other guy's deal, to see who was smarter and worked harder. Nowadays, it's just a check-writing contest, with rich guys in golf shirts posing next to their store-bought Super Stock car.

This sums up why I was one of those stock racers who went super gas racing following retirement.
Stock in the faster classes today are just checkbook classes in today's environment in my opinion.

Just My 2 Cents
Rick in TX

[Todd Hoven]

I don’t believe it was Ray Barton, I think it was the other Hemi engine builder that was looking to get a rule change.

Originally Posted by James L Miller

My engine builder thinks titanium valves is the only way to go in a racing engine. David Reher had an article in National Drugstore giving the virtues of a titanium valve. Higher initial cost, but longer engine life. I think Ray Barton tried to implement a movement to get NHRA to make these legal for SS. Who would have enough clout with NHRA to get it legalized for SS? Does Del West need to put up a ton of money for Ti valves, or Manley, Ferrea??? Is there a lobby firm near Glendora that makes these changes happen? Who would we need to make the check payable?

[James L Miller]

OK, thanks for the input. I'm semi retired and don't have a lot of cash. But, if it would save money in the long run (like the carnage that Spyfish posted), then I'd cough up the money to get it done. Maybe it was another Hemi engine builder (sort of forgot his name, Walcott?).

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

I'm old enough to have witnessed firsthand the slow, but constant (and continuing) decline of Sportsman racing. It has long been my opinion that the prime cause for it is drag racing's own version of "Creeping Socialism". Years ago, Stockers were essentially stock and Super Stockers were Stockers with bigger back tires and any camshaft you thought would work. Then came the ported heads conflict, where cheaters got caught running at first, acid ported heads, then ground-up and re-welded heads. What was the "punishment"? Make ported heads legal. And a few bucks-down, deep-thinking, do-it-yourself racers (the founders of the sport, BTW) said "I haven't got the money for a ported heads and intake setup" and they quit or went Super Gas racing. Fast forward to 2018, and Stockers are now Super stockers with skinny back tires (like tire width matters anymore anyway, with today's tire compounds), and Super Stockers are Comp cars with small carburetors or funky, stock EFI systems. And still, the same racers who complain that the class racing is dying ask for more and more exotic and expensive technology. "Car counts are way down!" Sure they are; fewer and fewer people have $40,000 for a top-tier SS motor, and no matter how much cash you've got, you can't outspend GM, Ford and Chrysler. The reward used to be, you did your own deal and then put it up against the other guy's deal, to see who was smarter and worked harder. Nowadays, it's just a check-writing contest, with rich guys in golf shirts posing next to their store-bought Super Stock car.

You nailed it dead on !

[nhramnl]

[QUOTE=James L Miller;556319]OK, thanks for the input. I'm semi retired and don't have a lot of cash. But, if it would save money in the long run (like the carnage that Spyfish posted), then I'd cough up the money to get it done. Maybe it was another Hemi engine builder (sort of forgot his name, Walcott?).[/QUOTE/]



That's OK; most everybody has forgotten his name. His 15 minutes of fame ended a long time ago.