New - Lots of Questions. Help me understand S&SS

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by LemonWedge

This sounds like the truth. I do NOT have cubic dollars. Bracket racing is fun. But like most car guys, I?m constantly looking for the next thing. Lots of good suggestions here.
So if I?m looking at this correctly, a 1967 Satellite had a shipping weight of 3534. The 383 four barrel, advertised at 325, is factored at 290 with stock 516 heads. This means the weight break number is 12.18, which slots the combo into SS/K, which is an index of 11.25. To be competitive at all, I?d have to have that combo solidly into the 10?s. That seems crazy to me. With stock heads and a 625 cfm AFB.

Also, Am I correct that under the GT class, you can run an engine combination from another year, such as a 440 six barrel setup in a 1967 chassis??

The 915 small valve is a better head than the 516 for stock, in SS the Stg5 head is probably the best option.The 60s 383 AFB which is the same as the 426 Street Wedge can work in Stock but it's a bit too small for any real power in SS. I have tested 2 of them on my flow bench and they flowed 566 and 582, I'm guessing their original rating was 575, the 582 one with a large 65 Monaco air cleaner base flowed 598 CFM. The 440 would need a full cage in SS as a GTX or in GT. If you don't have a cage the 70-71 383 would be best for GT as it can fit GT/LA which is not typically a very populated class. The AVS can flow close to 650 with a good base and the 383 Holleys that I checked were 724 and 746 without putting a base on them, both have the same HP rating in SS with GT being a bit higher. None of these will go .8 under without great heads, big money, Pro trans etc. The 70 383 will go under the index in GT with good heads, intake and ideal cam.

[GTX JOHN]

I have done fairly well with my Superstock Aspen
SS/LA and SS/MA. It usually runs a couple tenths or
less under the index.

However, it always runs at least the index.
I do not remember every having a Heads Up
race in eliminations the last fifteen years. They are few
and far between. It was the late Larry Harroll racecar
that I bought with the engine apart for $3,500.00 from his
Widow after it had been sitting for decades.

As long as you can run the index in bad weather or a strong head
wind there is absolutely no imperative to go any faster except
your personal drive.

My son Jon runs SS/KA in his Duster and may get a heads up
in eliminations once a year. He actually welcomes them but
they are still scarce and hard to find.

John Winslow for many years has run a 426 in SS/JA with good
success and it is saddled with the small Carter and a bigger engine.
than the 383.

There are some workarounds to improve that carb but you would
need to call me in private for info.

[1320racer]

There you go, so in addition to the OP?s car not being legal for stock eliminator, the engine doesn’t have the best/right heads and as for super stock, nothing about his car/combo is right for building a competitive super stocker, no mind the need for “big money” to attempt to do it.

[LemonWedge]

Originally Posted by Paul Precht

The 915 small valve is a better head than the 516 for stock, in SS the Stg5 head is probably the best option.The 60s 383 AFB which is the same as the 426 Street Wedge can work in Stock but it's a bit too small for any real power in SS. I have tested 2 of them on my flow bench and they flowed 566 and 582, I'm guessing their original rating was 575, the 582 one with a large 65 Monaco air cleaner base flowed 598 CFM. The 440 would need a full cage in SS as a GTX or in GT. If you don't have a cage the 70-71 383 would be best for GT as it can fit GT/LA which is not typically a very populated class. The AVS can flow close to 650 with a good base and the 383 Holleys that I checked were 724 and 746 without putting a base on them, both have the same HP rating in SS with GT being a bit higher. None of these will go .8 under without great heads, big money, Pro trans etc. The 70 383 will go under the index in GT with good heads, intake and ideal cam.

Good info. The car is legal to 10.0. It is minitubbed and narrowed; and I?m not changing that, so SS is really the only option.

[LemonWedge]

So the prevailing opinion here seems to be just as I felt when I looked at the outline for a ‘67 383.... carb too small to make real power. Somewhat reassuring.

What about a 71 400 combo? You get around 415 available cubes, 452 heads, and maybe most importantly, a big 850 Thermoquad. Not sure how this carburetor is viewed as a race option, but at least its big enough to not be the cork in the combo.
The downside would appear to be compression; Down around 9:1. Does an engine with that little squeeze respond to modifications very well?

Also, I was watching one of Bobby Fazios videos. He was talking with a guy that said he was running The Low Deck 440 combo. I went back and listened to it 3 times to make sure I heard him correctly. Anybody have any idea what he was talking about??

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by LemonWedge

So the prevailing opinion here seems to be just as I felt when I looked at the outline for a ?67 383.... carb too small to make real power. Somewhat reassuring.

What about a 71 400 combo? You get around 415 available cubes, 452 heads, and maybe most importantly, a big 850 Thermoquad. Not sure how this carburetor is viewed as a race option, but at least its big enough to not be the cork in the combo.
The downside would appear to be compression; Down around 9:1. Does an engine with that little squeeze respond to modifications very well?

Also, I was watching one of Bobby Fazios videos. He was talking with a guy that said he was running The Low Deck 440 combo. I went back and listened to it 3 times to make sure I heard him correctly. Anybody have any idea what he was talking about??

Although I didn't see the vid, the low deck 440 has been accepted in SS but the HP factor on any 3.75 stroke engine except the 64-65 Street Wedge with that small carb will require a full cage.

[GTX JOHN]

I think the 383 or 440 in regular Superstock.
SS/IA or SS/JA for 440 and SS/KA or SS/LA with the 383
would be viable to run under the index even if
not a world beater.

[SG7874]

West Coast = Best Coast. Looking forward to a great start to the year in Phoenix this week!

[Jared Jordan]

The 400 isn’t terrible. The knock on some of the later engines is how far down the hole the piston is. The prevailing opinion is that might be, at minimum, difficult to overcome. I think the 71 would be the best of them, as it only got worse from there. The Thermoquad is a great carb. GTX John likely agrees with me.

[Steve Stasko]

I believe Greg Gay runs the 400-4 barrel in his Mirada out here on the east coast. It is not a bad combo. I looked at it as an alternative to the boat anchor I am putting in my 66 Dodge. I would look at the 73 400/265. It is rated at 20 hp less than the 72 motor. NHRA rates the 72 at 330 hp and the 73 at 310. The Thermoquad is a great carb, and a lot of people forget that it was originally designed by Carter as a race carb. Not sure how heavy your car is, but the 73 motor at 3735 puts you in GT/LA. 11.05 index, and no cage needed.

Another to think about in GT is the 70 Chrysler 440/350. It is allowed the same bigger Carter as the 375 hp motor, but you must claim it as a Chrysler. The Dodge/Plymouth combo uses the baby Holley. That combo puts you in some tough classes though (GT/H-ish) at a decent weight (3500-ish?)

As for the 440 low deck, it is probably a 440 combo using a 400 block with the 440 rotating assembly stuffed in it. The downside of this is you will need a short custom piston. Not sure how much money you are wanting to spend, but that option adds up fast. Most all 440 combos are going to put you in a higher GT class. GT/A-K require a cage. GT/L and down do not.