Jones Head - Racers Only

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

Not trying to hijack anything. The implication was made that finding OEM heads in junkyards and spending a fortune to convert them to "race heads" is stupid. It is, but unfortunately, those are also the rules. My comment was meant to illustrate that. If Super Stock goes one step further, we will have aftermarket everything (i.e. blocks, cranks, rods, pistons, camshafts, lifters, cylinder heads, valves, valve springs, rocker arms, pushrods, carburetors, fuel injection systems, etc.). Will it still even be Super Stock, or just some one-off subset of Comp? Don't know how old you are, but I was around in the days when a smart, hardworking guy could build an entire car for the price of a short block today. That's why the .90 classes are full and Super Stock is slowly dying. And it's easy for the keyboard tough-guys to say "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen", but they won't be so tough when the category is gone. My comments are as valid as yours, so don't tell me what's appreciated or needed and what isn't.

You could no be more wrong in this post. The aftermarket parts have made the engines more durable. The cost of the new parts is more expensive than the old junk yard stuff of years ago. The engines did not last like the ones we have today. I would not want to go back to running a production block even if you could find a decent one. I still run 50 year old head castings on my car right now because that is what I have but I would not spend the money to build a new set from old castings. The times have changed but racing stock and super stock are still fun and alive and well.

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

You could no be more wrong in this post. The aftermarket parts have made the engines more durable. The cost of the new parts is more expensive than the old junk yard stuff of years ago. The engines did not last like the ones we have today. I would not want to go back to running a production block even if you could find a decent one. I still run 50 year old head castings on my car right now because that is what I have but I would not spend the money to build a new set from old castings. The times have changed but racing stock and super stock are still fun and alive and well.

Mike, it isn't about being right or wrong, though. I haven't broken a rod, crank, or lifter in years. I'll absolutely grant you that aftermarket stuff is a thousand times better than the OEM stuff. That's not the point. WHAT MAKES A SUPER STOCK CAR A SUPER STOCK CAR? We're at the point where the only thing you can't use is an aftermarket head casting. Let's face facts; NHRA has completely failed to enforce any meaningful rules in Super Stock, so we are going to get to the point where a 283/220 is only a 283/220 because it has a 4GC on top of it and runners that pour prescribed volumes and flat-top pistons of a certain bore diameter and a crank of a certain stroke. How is that NOT simply a version of a comp engine? I understand that it's way too late to do anything about it (there's no stopping "progress"), but I still think (as I always have) that Stock and Super Stock racing are continuing down the rabbit hole of ridiculous costs and endless rationalization, which just keeps driving people away.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

Mike, it isn't about being right or wrong, though. I haven't broken a rod, crank, or lifter in years. I'll absolutely grant you that aftermarket stuff is a thousand times better than the OEM stuff. That's not the point. WHAT MAKES A SUPER STOCK CAR A SUPER STOCK CAR? We're at the point where the only thing you can't use is an aftermarket head casting. Let's face facts; NHRA has completely failed to enforce any meaningful rules in Super Stock, so we are going to get to the point where a 283/220 is only a 283/220 because it has a 4GC on top of it and runners that pour prescribed volumes and flat-top pistons of a certain bore diameter and a crank of a certain stroke. How is that NOT simply a version of a comp engine? I understand that it's way too late to do anything about it (there's no stopping "progress"), but I still think (as I always have) that Stock and Super Stock racing are continuing down the rabbit hole of ridiculous costs and endless rationalization, which just keeps driving people away.

My 66 Chevy II is all steel, real windows, original interior (except seats), original trim package etc. That's what makes it a SS car. I do run the GM cast iron 041 heads. One day I may get an aluminum set....it will still be a super stocker.....

[Crew Chief]

NHRAracer.com bulletin shows Jones head has been removed from Classguide.

http://nhraracer.com/content/general...688&zoneid=132