1966

[Paul Ceasrine]

1966, the factories attacked the stock classes.
A/S,,,,, B/S,,,,,C/S,,,,,D/S,,,,,E/S,,,,,F/S,,,,,G/S
A/S
* 66' Chevy II Nova SS 327/350 HP
* 66' Plymouth Belvedere 426/425HP
* 66' Dodge Coronet 426/425HP
* 66' Dodge Charger 426/425 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane 500 427/410 HP
B/S
* 66' Chevelle Malibu SS 396/375 HP
* 66' Chevrolet Biscayne 427/425 HP
* 66' Ford Galaxie 500 427/410 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane (Station Wagon) 427/410 HP
C/S
* 66' Pontiac GTO 389/360 HP (Tri-Carb)
* 66' Pontiac Catalina Coupe 421/376 HP (Tri-Carb)
* 66' Oldsmobile 4-4-2 400/360 HP (Tri-Carb)
* 66' Oldsmobile Cutlass 330/320 HP
* 66' Mercury Cyclone GT 390/335 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane GT 390/335 HP
* 66' Ford Mustang (Hardtop) 289/271 HP (K-Code)
* 66 Chevrolet Impala Sports Coupe 427/390 HP
* 66' Chevelle Malibu SS (convertible) 396/360 HP
* 66' Chevelle Malibu SS 396/325 HP
* 66' Chevrolet Biscayne (Station Wagon) 427/425 HP
D/S
* 66 Ford Mustang (Fastback) 289/271 HP (K-Code)
* 66' Dodge Dart 273/275 HP (D-Dart)
* 66' Plymouth Satellite 383/325 HP
* 66' Plymouth Sport Fury 440/365 HP
* 66' Dodge Coronet 383/325 HP
* 66' Dodge Polara (w/Police Pursuit Package) 440/365 HP
* 66' Chevy II Nova SS 327/275 HP
* 66' Chevelle Malibu SS (convertible) 396/325 HP
* 66' Chevrolet BelAir (3-Seat Station wagon) 427/390 HP
* 66' Buick GS 401/325 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane GT (convertible) 390/335 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane 500 XL 390/315 HP
* 66' Pontiac Catalina 2 + 2 Coupe 421/376 HP (Tri-Carb)
* 66 Pontiac Grand Prix 421/356 HP (Tri-Carb)
* 66' Pontiac GTO (convertible) 389/335 HP
E/S
* 66' Chevrolet BelAir 396/325 HP
* 66' Chevelle Malibu 327/275 HP
* 66' Dodge Charger 383/325 HP
* 66' Ford Galaxie 500 390/315 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane 500 (convertible) 390/315 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane 500 390/275 (Hi-Perf. 2 barrel)
* 66' Mercury Comet 390/275 HP (Hi-Perf. 2 barrel)
* 66' Pontiac Tempest Sport 326/285 HP
* 66' Pontiac Catalina Coupe 421/338 HP
F/S
* 66' Buick Skylark 340/260 HP
* 66' Buick Wildcat 425/340 HP
* 66' Plymouth Valiant 273/235 HP
* 66' Ford Mustang (Hardtop) 289/225 HP
* 66' Mercury Cyclone 390/275 HP (Hi-Perf. 2-barrel)
* 66' Pontiac Grand Prix 389/333 HP
* 66' Pontiac Lemans (convertible) 326/285 HP
* 66' Chevelle Malibu (convertible) 327/275 HP
* 66' Chevrolet Impala (convertible) 396/325 HP
G/S
* 66' Plymouth Barracuda 273/235 HP
* 66' Dodge Dart GT 273/235 HP
* 66' Ford Mustang (Fastback) 289/225 HP
* 66' Chevy II Nova 283/220 HP
* 66' Chevrolet Biscayne 327/275 HP
* 66' Chevrolet BelAir (Station Wagon) 396/325 HP
* 66' Oldsmobile F-85 330/250 HP
* 66' Ford Fairlane 500 (convertible) 390/275 HP (Hi-Perf. 2-barrel)
* 66' Mercury Cyclone GT (convertible) 390/275 HP (Hi-Perf. 2-barrel)
* 66' Pontiac Catalina 389/290 HP (Hi-Perf 2-barrel)

Anybody have one of these Performance Cars??

Note; At the end of the year, advertisers were using the song
'I'm So Glad' by Cream, to describe the years performance cars.
PC

[W J]

Paul, you forgot a big one.....Those 1966 Plymouth Valiant w/273 Commando 235 hp cars. 2dr post, 2 dr hdtp, Convertible..... E and F stockers....I don't think the convertible could make "G", but not positive about that. Loved those single rectangular "box-type" resonator extensions. Slick little cars, for sure....BTW, make sure you pack your own 'chute if you're jumping at Orange, Ma. Dragstrip...... WJ

[W J]

Oops....Paul, don't forget the little Formula "S" '66 Barracuda's w/273 Commando power as well.....another one w/box-style stainless steel/chrome resonator tip....they were a dead giveaway if you pulled up behind one.....can't remember what stock class the 'Cuda cars got thrown into.....some of these 273 Mopars put many of the larger-motored GM or FoMoCo cars on the trailer back then....WJ

[Paul Ceasrine]

WJ,
As you know, I had my share of 273 Commando's.
I think it went like this.
In 1965, the 273/235 HP (#2712 lb.) Valiants were classed in D/S, and the heavier Cuda's were classed in F/S.
In 1966, NHRA upped the weight/breaks, and the 65' Valiants were classed in E/S, and the newer 66' Valiants were classed in F/S, and the
Cuda's (either 65' or 66') were classed in G/S with the 65'/66' 289/225HP Mustang (fastbacks) and 66' Chevy II's 283/220 HP cars.
The 65' Valiants (2712 lbs.) were about 100 lbs. lighter than the 66' Valiant (2808 lbs.) cars
By the way, I had several of those rectangular-tipped chrome-ended resonators, including (2) new ones in a Chrysler box, that I got for free from
the parts manager at Meadowland-Plymouth. I threw them out.
Now I hear there worth a small fortune.
Last time a made a jump, my wife packed my parachute.
'I HIT THE GROUND LIKE A DART!!
PC

[Run to Rund]

A 66 442 W30 won C/S at Indy. I have two of them. Tri Carbs, Outside Air Induction, battery in trunk.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Yes,
They were the dominant force.
Odd, the 66' Oldsmobile Cutlass 330/320 HP fell into the same class.
Don't see too many of those around.
PC

[Stewart Way]

1978 I was at the Barnett-Bagwell shop in Norcross GA and there was a 66 Belv II Hemi 4sp car. I asked whose it was and it was Terry Earwoods. I asked Terry if he wanted to sell it and the price was $800. I bought it and pulled the engine and trans out and just left the body there. Nothing wrong with it I just couldn't get it back to KC. I heard Warren B was not happy and the body was hauled to the junk yard.
There is also a small fortune buried under a concrete pad there. In the early 70's they were pouring an pad and needed some fill. Good time to clean out all the junk from the shop. Can't imagine the $$ worth of stock Hemi intakes, exhaust manifolds, manifold heat pipes, oil pans, pushrods and other stuff people hunt for today.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Stewart,
I just had to post those cars. Cleaning out my garage, and found a bunch of old Super/Stock magazines.
I'm sure most of us remember these cars, and how cheap you could have gotten one.
I wouldn't believe it, if I didn't see it with my own eyes. 1972, my fathers friend bought a pristine 66' Plymouth Satellite, 4-speed Hemi, dark-red with Cragars, but other-wise bone stock. The engine had sucked a valve, and the owner didn't want to spend money on repairs. My fathers friend bought it for $500. The steal of the century.
A week later, the 'Moron" had stripped the car to nothing. It looked like a carcass, just like when a pack of Hyena's rip apart an Antelope!
PC

[Paul Ceasrine]

Teak,
The 66' Dodge Charger is a little confusing. The car was called a mid-year production (release date January 1, 1966), I think normal production dates started in September 1965.
The 66' 383/325 HP weighed in at #3712, so it factored in at
11.42 wt/hp, which it fell into E/S or E/SA (11.30 - 11.88 wt/hp) for 1966.
Don't think they did much, as all the results show that they were around
13.90's, in class results in the magazines. Too much bulk.
As for the 66' Street Hemi Charger, not a good choice, way too much weight at #3895.
I don't think they could qualify for B/S in 66', I think they had to run in A/S despite the weight.
I'll check on the other question, but the 66' Charger was not available with a 440 production engine, BUT!
PC
Teak,
Found in the 1966 Niagara State Championship, end of year. Dodge Charger with a 440 engine, running in D/SA., turining 13.50's.
Here's what I think. If it was rated at its proper 375 HP factor, it would have been classed in C/SA. But I believe the tech. people rated it 350 HP, same as the
1966 Big-Body cars 440/350 HP, a mistake. The Charger was a new 67' with the 440/375 HP. It was Runner-Up in $tock Eliminator.
The only other possibility, it was a 1966 Charger, and the dealership installed a 440/365 HP (Police Interceptor Package) in the car, and claimed 350 HP.
You know, November 1966 is a long way from here!!
PC

[Lee Valentine]

Paul, Have you forgotten the Pied Piper when we ran it the first time out the C/S record was 13.07 on the third run my Dad went 12.77. This as the car was delivered from Vince Byrne Chevrolet with just headers 4.88 gears distributor recurve,carb work Hurst shifter,and scatter shield. We picked the car up on wednesday and ran it on sunday. We were protested that this car was never a production line car but we had all the documetation with us.