SS/D Thunderbolt in 1969 ?

[Steve Stasko]

Originally Posted by Carguy49

Since this thread is about Thunderbolts, I have a 2 part question about them.

I am not trying to derail this thread just need some questions answered.

1. When introduced in 1964 was the Thunderbolt S/S only?
2. If S/S only then, how are they in Stock Eliminator currently? Or am I way off on this???

1. Yes

2. A number of years back, NHRA started allowing limited production cars in Stock. '67 R0/W0 Mopars, '64/'65 Hemi cars, etc. The '68 L0/B0 A-bodies and the '67 L-88 Corvettes are still not allowed though.

[Carguy49]

Thank you Dale for the post with links to articles. I was kinda looking for more definite answers, but the articles are great.

Steve thanks for the answers, just adds to the NHRA confusion on how cars are allowed. Some have been and some still not allowed. Oh well.

Just so you know, I was positive the Thunderbolts were S/S only before some being made into A/FXer's. A wild time for sure. I was a pre driving teen at that time.

[doglover44]

The Thunderbolts seem like a complicated car/combo

[Ralph A Powell]

Originally Posted by Steve Stasko

1. Yes

2. A number of years back, NHRA started allowing limited production cars in Stock. '67 R0/W0 Mopars, '64/'65 Hemi cars, etc. The '68 L0/B0 A-bodies and the '67 L-88 Corvettes are still not allowed though.

What about the AMC/AMX’s in Stock??

[DeuceCoupe]

Back regarding the original question in the thread:

It looks like the 64 T-Bolt became legal to run in SS/ as of 1968
(Before then it was banned due to being lighter than the 8 lb/CID rule)
But in 1968 it would've had to go up against the 68 Hemi Dart/Cuda.
So, nobody ran it.

But for 1969, it seems that was the year the 427 HiRiser was factored down to 450hp from its previous 490-500hp factoring.

That put the 64 T-Bolt at
3206/450=7.12, right near the top of SS/D=7.00 class.
And voila, there's a T-Bolt or two (the picture of the Ulrey car, and Tom Marsh as R/U in SS/D=7.00 class).

Now, the question:

If the 427HR was factored down to 450hp, that puts the 64 LWG LightWeight Galaxie at
3749/450=8.33
Way down in SS/F=8.00 class, running against flat-hood single-quad Fairlane 427MR's.
Sure the LWG is almost 400 lb heavier, but it also has a HiRiser and cold air thru the grille. Seems it would have been competitive just like the de-factored T-Bolt.

Anybody hear of a 64 LWG running in SS/F=8.00 in 1969?

Of course for 1970 both cars got the boot from SS/ due to being more than 5 years old, and at least back then couldn't run in Junior Stock.