Stock Auto Trans Rule Change History ?

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

Mark,
You seem to know the AHRA rules. The car in the picture does not have the original front bumper. How can it run stock?

Stan

Honestly don't know.
When we first started going to Epping ,they had a modified version of AHRA Stock that they ran for the eliminator. Some of the stuff looked pretty strange to us.
Maybe someone from up that way could chime in.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by oldskool

I suppose that if I had to choose a 2-speed to 3-speed conversion Pontiac to build, without doing any more research, I'd choose the '68 Firebird 350HO. The hp factor is only 305hp, & it uses a Q-jet. And Adam Strang ran some 10.80's with his 4-speed 350HO, in E/S. Not the best Pontiac combo, but far from the worst.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/Engine...8&MAKE=Pontiac

Good observation and one I had not thought of.
E/SA is a serious class. The 400's have enough trouble keeping up with the 340's and LS1 GTOs, IMO

That combo needs more HP off. Again, IMO

[oldskool]

"...if that Pontiac combination could run 11.00 or under it would be pretty good..."

Since Adam Strang ran 10.80's, with a stick, I assume that same engine would run somewhere around that 11 sec number, with the correct auto trans set-up.

The E/SA index is 11.70.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/NHRA_Classes.aspx

So, an 11.00 car would be competitive, at most races. Wouldn't make the 128 field @ Indy. And wouldn't win the heads-up runs against the really quick E/SA cars. But, it would win some heads-up runs, & would have a chance to win any race in which it didn't have a heads-up round.

.700 under would have been just below the middle of the field @ the recent div 2 race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop

If my calculations are correct, the 350 '68 Bird is a natural F-class car. Can add some weight & run G/SA. 11 x 305 = 3355lb

The G/SA index is 12-flat. So, anything quicker than 11.50 would be fairly competitive. Low 11's would win some heads-up rounds.

Could remove some weight & run E/SA. 10 x 305 = 3050lb. So, that would be about 300lbs difference.

I think you must add 170lbs for driver, to arrive at the min total weight for the class you'll run. So min weight for E/SA would be 3050 + 170 = 3220lbs. For G/SA, it would be 3355 + 170 = 3525lbs.

[Glenn Briglio]

Originally Posted by oldskool

"...if that Pontiac combination could run 11.00 or under it would be pretty good..."

Since Adam Strang ran 10.80's, with a stick, I assume that same engine would run somewhere around that 11 sec number, with the correct auto trans set-up.

The E/SA index is 11.70.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/NHRA_Classes.aspx

So, an 11.00 car would be competitive, at most races. Wouldn't make the 128 field @ Indy. And wouldn't win the heads-up runs against the really quick E/SA cars. But, it would win some heads-up runs, & would have a chance to win any race in which it didn't have a heads-up round.

.700 under would have been just below the middle of the field @ the recent div 2 race.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop

If my calculations are correct, the 350 '68 Bird is a natural F-class car. Can add some weight & run G/SA. 11 x 305 = 3355lb

The G/SA index is 12-flat. So, anything quicker than 11.50 would be fairly competitive. Low 11's would win some heads-up rounds.

Plus 170 lbs for driver

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Were'nt there some 2 speed transes made in the mid-late '60s that were actual Powerglides with the BOP bell housing and cases for use in Buick and Pontiac cars, such as a Buick Special with a 350 Buick engine equipped with a 2 barrel, as well as some Pontiac Tempests with a 326 or 350 Pontic engine? I seem to remember hearing about them, but never paid enough attention to notice one for sure. A friend of mine in high school had a '65 GTO with a four barrel 389, a 2 speed trans, and all, and we put a 400 in it. The trans we removed was a Super Turbine 300.It was a direct bolt in, only the drive shaft had to be cut down for the 400. The 2 speed I'm asking about is a dead ringer for the aluminum Glide used in everything Chevy, but it didn't have a Chevy bell housing, just a BOP unit.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

Were'nt there some 2 speed transes made in the mid-late '60s that were actual Powerglides with the BOP bell housing and cases for use in Buick and Pontiac cars, such as a Buick Special with a 350 Buick engine equipped with a 2 barrel, as well as some Pontiac Tempests with a 326 or 350 Pontic engine? I seem to remember hearing about them, but never paid enough attention to notice one for sure. A friend of mine in high school had a '65 GTO with a four barrel 389, a 2 speed trans, and all, and we put a 400 in it. The trans we removed was a Super Turbine 300.It was a direct bolt in, only the drive shaft had to be cut down for the 400. The 2 speed I'm asking about is a dead ringer for the aluminum Glide used in everything Chevy, but it didn't have a Chevy bell housing, just a BOP unit.

If it had a mechanical kickdown, it was a 'glide. Not in mid 60's though. The BOP pattern glides were used in the early 70's , due to a shortage of T350's. Fire at factory, I've read.

[oldskool]

"...actual Powerglides with the BOP bell housing..."

Yeah, I've only actually seen 2, in person. One was in a '70 or '71 Esprit Firebird, IIRC. It was in a U-Pull-It yard, in Shreveport Louisiana, & still bolted to a 350 Pontiac engine. I bought what was left & brought it home with me.

The other was in a '70 or '71 Tempest/Lemans, also in a wreckin yard, in Bastrop Louisiana.

Found some pics online. Apparently, some had all the holes drilled. Some had only the BOP holes drilled. Some of those early '70's Pontiacs came with a Chevy inline six engine. Don't know if those with auto trans came with a normal Chevy PG, or one of the dual pattern PG models.