Most Under-Performing Musclecar Ever Produced?

[Bub Whitaker]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Bub,
The old rule books used to say the Super Modified classes were for 67 and newer cars. There were some real minor differences between the 66 and 67 Chevy II, such as the steering column and some dash pieces, some hidden, some not. I saw a couple of people tossed for having a 66. A lot of people did it, some were caught, some were not. There is no real meaningful difference, competition wise, between the 66 and 67 Chevy II. There were just a lot more 66's than there were 67's. The "cheating" joke about running a 66 Chevy II as a 67 was just something that went around when Modified was still around. I figured you'd heard it before. The guys I was working with back then ran a 67 Camaro as a 68.

1970 Rule book, Modified Elimator, Modified Production, reserved for American built cars with American production engines, incorporating a wheelbase of 90 inches or more. No year limit, has a little blurb about pre-1960 unblown 4-cylinder can compete in flathead classes. This was designated Modified Production, I ran C/MP with a 327. What I think you are referring to is a Superstock class? that came after they canned Modified...
And yes, I am familar with the narrower dash and the colapsable steering column differences on the 66/67 Chevy II

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jim R,
Your right on the Shelby. The 1968 GT-350, came through with a
302-4V/250HP. Totally useless. They should have utilized the
289/306HP for one more year.
And those 1969 Ford Torino GT's with the 390/320HP didn't scare anybody either.
Problem with the early Boss 429's, monster connecting rods,
hydraulic cam and weak valve springs. Don't think that engine saw the north side of 5000 RPM's.
PC

[mtkawboy]

409/425s were turds from the factory because Chevy built them with 2 head gaskets on them to drop the compression. Removing one really brought them to life. That wasnt very well known at the time though or even now..

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by mtkawboy

409/425s were turds from the factory because Chevy built them with 2 head gaskets on them to drop the compression. Removing one really brought them to life. That wasnt very well known at the time though or even now..

The one we bought not only had two head gaskets, but was missing the inner valve springs. It had the rear cam bearing in wrong from the factory, and had been replaced, so it sat in a dealership for 10 years or so, and then in a dealership mechanic's basement for 5-6 more.

[Oclk Dlux]

1980 Corvette with the 180HP low compression California 305. Mid 17's out of the box, even with the 4 BBL. Can't imagine forking out the $$$ for one of those. Good thing that was the only year GM did that.

Ditto on the 454SS truck. My friend's '72 Surburban with a slightly (and I mean slightly) modded 427 annihilated one. Wasn't even funny.

[Oclk Dlux]

Wait, forgot one. Any of the Iron Duke Camaro's. Poor Camaro........

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Bub Whitaker

1970 Rule book, Modified Elimator, Modified Production, reserved for American built cars with American production engines, incorporating a wheelbase of 90 inches or more. No year limit, has a little blurb about pre-1960 unblown 4-cylinder can compete in flathead classes. This was designated Modified Production, I ran C/MP with a 327. What I think you are referring to is a Superstock class? that came after they canned Modified...
And yes, I am familar with the narrower dash and the colapsable steering column differences on the 66/67 Chevy II

Bub, the rule book I saw later showed 1967 and later cars, it was probably around 1979. I'm not sure about the 1970 rulebook, I don't have a copy, I was about 7 at the time. In the late seventies and up until Modified was killed off, I remember the rule as being 67 and later, I'm not sure why they did that. Like I said, it was a joke among the Modified racers, the Chevy II guys in particular, near the end of the class, they knew 66's were masquerading as 67's.

The guys I worked with bailed on Modified when it was merged into Super Stock, so that's not the era I was talking about. Again, they raced a 67 Camaro as a 68 (changed the doors, tail lights, and back up lights), so the rule was no real concern to us. I just remember guys who did race the Chevy II's joking among themselves about "cheating", and I remember a couple of cars being tossed as 66's.

That rule probably was not in effect when you ran your Chevy II, or I may remember it wrong. Maybe Travis, Dave, or Terry will correct me.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Bub, the rule book I saw later showed 1967 and later cars, it was probably around 1979. I'm not sure about the 1970 rulebook, I don't have a copy, I was about 7 at the time. In the late seventies and up until Modified was killed off, I remember the rule as being 67 and later, I'm not sure why they did that. Like I said, it was a joke among the Modified racers, the Chevy II guys in particular, near the end of the class, they knew 66's were masquerading as 67's.

The guys I worked with bailed on Modified when it was merged into Super Stock, so that's not the era I was talking about. Again, they raced a 67 Camaro as a 68 (changed the doors, tail lights, and back up lights), so the rule was no real concern to us. I just remember guys who did race the Chevy II's joking among themselves about "cheating", and I remember a couple of cars being tossed as 66's.

That rule probably was not in effect when you ran your Chevy II, or I may remember it wrong. Maybe Travis, Dave, or Terry will correct me.

I believe the 67 or newer rule was for Super Modified when Car Craft got NHRA to develope the class. When Modified Production first became a class back in the stone age any year was allowed and in the beginning they had to run on 7 inch tires.

[Don Whitmore]

Any of the mid/late eighties Camaros/Monte Carlos w/ the 305ci were dogs in street trim. They were marketed as 'fast', had the price tag to match, but not the performance.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

I believe the 67 or newer rule was for Super Modified when Car Craft got NHRA to develop the class. When Modified Production first became a class back in the stone age any year was allowed and in the beginning they had to run on 7 inch tires.

Thanks Terry, I stand corrected. We ran both, Super Modified, and Modified Production. We ran C in both classes, so I guess I got the rules confused.