Crate Engines in NHRA?

[borninamopar]

Originally Posted by Pat6868

Jumpin' Jeezus, must be somethin' wrong with my computer! I punched up Class Racer and got www.catfight.com. Pat6868

Another racer was right: Some of these stock class racers will argue over a lug nut...Go figure?

[Ron Traupman]

Chipper....See what you started!!!!!

[Pat6868]

Chipper, on a positive note, I'm sure you could convert your car to NHRA specs with an engine swap for little expense. There is a market for crate engines and stocker engines are advertised for sale also. There are also many racers who may have the parts you need. Then you can race wherever you choose. From what I've seen, it's just as expensive to race a crate as it is a traditional stocker and I can appreciate the effort required for both.

[THE LEGEND]

I only read part of this but here is my take:
NHRA guys don't understand a cratemoter. Cratemotors were not designed by the "Anti-Christ"

Nothing wrong with a cratemotor.

Question How many cratemotor cars out there. My guess would be 50 or less, and mainly in the south east. Probably as many dp's and cj's.

With that being said I'll be NHRA drops Comp and combines S/SS before Crate moters will run there.
Chip Johnson

[Harry 6674]

The way I look at it is no matter how goofy the factors are on the CJs and the DPs they were sold by the manufactorer with that engine/hp combination. Can't say that with the crates. So if it wasn't available from the factory it shouldn't be allowed in stock.

[Jim Wahl]

I see the reasoning behind both sides of the crate motor issue. I am not a crate motor guy however, I can see that the crate motor cars may have saved class racing, or at least staved off, the demise of class racing in the IHRA. Are they "Stockers" in the purest form of the definition? No. But they have made a positive effect (more cars in the lanes) on Sportsman racing in the IHRA, like them or not. I have no problem with them. Jim

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Harry 6674

The way I look at it is no matter how goofy the factors are on the CJs and the DPs they were sold by the manufactorer with that engine/hp combination. Can't say that with the crates. So if it wasn't available from the factory it shouldn't be allowed in stock.

That would eliminate most of the upper class cars now running. Just look at the 1967 Ford Shelby and the rest of the paper cars. Look at all of the aftermarket parts being allowed today from trans to engine components. By your statement stock should be returned to pre 1985 rules. Calling it "Stock" today is like calling T/AD an alcohol class when its full of nitro burning cars. I try to stay out of this but you guys just want it both ways. Let us have this and that but no we dont want those. It a very short while you all will be S/S anyway. You already have your "Crate" cars with the new Fords and DP's using engines that were never avaliable from a dealer on the showroom floor. You guys just make me laugh. But then stock is a JOKE anyway.

[Alan Roehrich]

Terry, look again. There aren't that many Shelby (letter from Carrol himself combination) cars, and really, there are only a few questionable Chrysler cars, in the upper classes. There were, and are, plenty of fast Fords and Chryslers that are legitimate combinations, in the upper classes. Now, yes, there are replacement heads, intakes, and carburetors on the big block Chevy cars. I the case of the replacement heads, they add 10HP to your combination for just mentioning 401 heads. The 359 intake is better than some of the ragged service replacement 163 intakes, but not much, if any, better than a good early 163 or 198. The carburetors in Stock are all reworked anyway, the QuickFuel just has the adjust-ability out in the open. And to be honest, there were, and are, several fast upper class Chevy cars that don't have any of the replacement parts on them, and even if some of them do now, they were fast before they did.

But before the advent of the factory race cars, and the factory crate motor cars, that was really the extent of it, and it wasn't too bad.

So I don't think your statement that "if it wasn't available from the factory it can't be run in Stock" were true, it would eliminate most of the upper class cars is valid.

The stick cars would be hurt worst if they were to make everyone go back to as installed transmissions and rear ends, a lot of the automatic cars would barely slow down. Yeah, we'd al slow down if they made us go back to ferrous lifters, and stock spec valvesprings.

I'll agree with you, the loosening of the rules has been a bad thing. In both classes.