Crate Motor Class

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by CrateCamaro

. Im pisd off because im selling my 330hp crate and im buying a 295hp stocker motor just to come race some NHRA races. Guess I should have waited.

Welcome to the "dark side" (NHRA). I wouldn't assume you should have waited, were I in your position. NHRA has not even mentioned that they are considering allowing crate motors. At least not that I've seen or heard, anywhere, unofficially, or officially.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by CrateCamaro

Unfortunatly us "crate motor" guys will be way more legal than you stocker guys. Thats the cool thing...I run a vortec 330hp combo. The heads flow just as good as a ported Camel back. But we all know all you stocker guys don't have ported heads right? :

LOL......That made my day !

[Steve Williams]

To all concerned:

I've read this thread from the beginning and it has gotten away from the intended path, but that is good. I understand most of the comments and see validity in most of them. The one thing that I don't agree with is the word SPEC being misused. When your racing organization publishes what pistons can be used, the size of the rings and location of ring lands, what rods can be used, what size your combustion chamber must not excced, how much stroke can be ground into your crank and how much lift your cam can be. Thats not all of it but I think you might get what I am saying. If that is not SPEC then what is? Seems to me the last stocker engine built here had "SPECS' for many things. If it didn't then we would all build engines with unlimited amount of internal modifications for hauling *** to beat the other racer. Sounds like with no "SPECS" that Stock Eliminator could turn into "My wallet is bigger than yours" Eliminator. Just an observation.

Respectfully Submitted,

Steve Williams

[X-TECH MAN]

[QUOTE= NHRA has not even mentioned that they are considering allowing crate motors. At least not that I've seen or heard, anywhere, unofficially, or officially.[/QUOTE]

NHRA did back when IHRA first adopted the crate motor concept but as usual they would have made it more expensive by requirining a NEW current year spec body (rolling chassis) and a spec. "CRATE" engine. IE: 302 in a new T-Bird, etc. I bet you guys are glad that didnt happen.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Steve Williams

To all concerned:

Stock Eliminator could turn into "My wallet is bigger than yours" Eliminator. Just an observation.

Respectfully Submitted,

Steve Williams

Gezzzzz......I thought it has been that way for years ????????

[Steve Williams]

XTECH,

LMAO! You have a good point! It has been to an extent that way in some classes, I not going to mention them to protect the names of the guilty, but you are correct.

Steve

[Larry Hill]

Crate MoPar's in NHRA. The Nascar Hemi with the short or long track intake, any carb that will fit under the hood and aluminum heads.
See there is a place for Crate Motor "Bracket Cars" in NHRA Stock Class!

[bill dedman]

>>>>>"If that is not SPEC then what is?"

Read the rule book section on cylinder heads used on a Top Fuel motor. NHRA dictates LOTS of specifications that cannot be varied from. There is no Rat Motored car in Top Fuel, no wedge combustion chambers, and no variation on the type and size of superchargers that are allowed in that class.
It is a "SPEC class. I. E., the "specififications" that are legal for that entire class of cars are spelled out for you, and if you want to run a car in that class, you build what they dictate. Period.

"Ingenuity in Action," which USED to be one of NHRA's favorite mottos, died in its sleep, and was quietly shoved under the carpet many years ago.

In Stock, they do dictate some specifications as to what is allowable for YOUR chosen motor, such as what constitutes a "legal" valve job... (along with other across-the board rules that don't, as far as I'm concerned, qualify the cars as "spec" cars because they can be performed on any car you want to run; a Chevy, Mopar, Ford, AMC, etc....)

If they said, All Stock Eliminator cars have to run 23-degree heads, " THAT would be a "SPEC CAR" type of ruling

I guess the best example I can think of RE: SPEC cars, is the NASCAR "Car of Tomorrow" that has no room for individuality in the engineering left to perform; it has "SPEC" everything, no matter whether it's a Toyota, Chevy, or, whatever. "Cookie Cutter Car" comes to mind....

NHRA Stock Eliminator has always dictated specifications for the individual (Stockers) cars, and those cars have maintained their mechanical autonomy (at least, to a large extent), because the bulk of the "specs" they must adhere to are the specifications that are pertinent only to that very car. Not a whole lot in the rule book that's trying to make a Street Hemi and a Pinto W/SA car into the same vehicle.

That is my own, personal conception of the term "SPEC" car....

Your mileage may vary.

Bill

[Lynn A McCarty]

I agree with Ken's original premise as it is all bogus replacement parts anyway, so what is the difference? Even the legitamate combos have things like 10-30 too many ccs or 50 HP off the ratings....or three different dyno standards done at different times in automotive history.

It is like my favorite philosophical argument when you start replacing boards on a wooden boat. After you have upgraded a board with new and better wood, is it still the same boat? So, eventually you replace all the boards, is that still the same boat? Many always say yes.....then we forgot to tell we saved all the old boards and put it all together just like the original boat was (back to showroom). Slower, less comfortable, not quite as nice as the "replacement boarded boat", but up to 100% of the original specifications. So if the "replacement" boat is still the same boat, then what is this one we brought back?

It is this kind of the scenario required to unjustiably two intake runner cc lists...one for S and one for SS, but equally perposterous. I know that if they allow crate motors in, will they allow the original crate motors like SOHC's, Tunnel Ports, angle plugged LT-'s, ZL-1's, 429 Boss-8V?
__________________

[Tod Lane]

Originally Posted by CrateCamaro

Finally someone who makes sense. Thanks Tod. U NHRA guys have no idea what a crate motor stocker is anyways. You Think its a motor that comes from GM that u plop in for 3500 bucks and go racing...WRONG. We go looking for castings and then build a bottom, run the same cams u guys run. WOW...we get to run any intake manifold that will fit under the hood. Big deal. If you had a 69 Camaro and say you blew up the engine way back in 76...it was a 300hp engine and it was totally destroyed. Now GM offers an engine that will run on unleaded, and make 300hp...would you not buy it for a replacement instead of buying proper casting for mega bucks?? Thats what the class basically is. Boys...we are rated at huge HP numbers and race really heavy....and don't tell me its fun to pull old heads off of rusty motors out in the woods that are rusted right into the earth. It took me and a friend 2 days to get a set of 041 heads off of a smashed impala...to find out that they were junk. Lots of fun.

Thanks Oddly enough I remember back when the NHRA bounced people for the wrong heater control knobs, literally, now you have 72 Novas masqurading as 69's and nobody whines. Or now we have front wheel drive conversions... but somehow a motor that has specifications from GM that can be checked just like any other combination is not acceptable?
Tod