Why did you build your "slow" stock eliminator car?

[Dick Butler]

Whats the" Hot Ticket" Dime rocket now? The turbo Pt? Turbo Truck?

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Let's see, I've raced/built enough 350/4bbl Camaros, I'm cheap, I bore easily and I like making parts for cars that no one makes parts for. I guess I'm also a personal satisfaction junkie.
And just for the record, if I were getting paid for the amount of time that I have spent on making cars that shouldn't go fast fast, I could have just paid cash for a COPO. Now IMHO, that doesn't sound like any fun.

Great answer, Billy! I understand completely.

[KJ JONES Racing]

First, I have never made ONE lap in an NHRA Stock Eliminator race car. However, with that said, I'm a big fan of Stock, as I have several very good friends that are Stock racers, who run cars that are considered both "fast" and "slow."

I think the answer to the question "why build a 'slow' Stocker?" is, "Because that's what I wanted to do." Period. I agree with those who cite the low-cost side of it, especially the guy who made 22 runs on 2 gallons of gas! That's very cool. I also very-much agree with the fact that a "slow" race car (Stock/brackets) can be the most-consistent car at an event, as long as the racer or crew/assistant has a good handle on making adjustments per weather conditions, track conditions, etc.

From a personal side, in July, we went out to Pomona (the NMCA West event) with a 'thousand-dollar, '91 5.0 Mustang that had a 145K-mile, 100% stock drivetrain (5.0/AOD) and went 6 rounds to a win (on General UHP street tires and 91-octane pump fuel) at 10.36 (1/8th mile). If any "tricks" can be cited, they're a set of Strange adjustable shocks and struts, and a Maximum Motorsports torque arm (which I know can't be used in Stock Eliminator). Despite those upgrades, by far, to the 1/8th mile and probably even the full quarter, the 'Stang was the slowest car in its 33-car class...possibly in ANY class at the entire event! Several competitors grumbled about it being "too slow," actually.

I think one of the good things about racing the low-horsepower (our Mustang makes 178hp at the rear wheels) slow car...especially something in the 15s/quarter; 10s/eighth...is that they typically do NOT wildly spin tires, unless the tires are sitting in a water track, or oil/fluid left by a previous car. I think it's a matter of knowing the good rpm point for (footbrake) launch, being consistent with staging (spot in the beams), and cutting good lights. If practice/time-trial timeslips show e.t.s within' a hundredth of each other, there's a good chance they'll be the same come eliminations time--contingent on weather, of course. Again, knowing how to make car, driver, and/or dial adjustments per weather, "should" keep things consistent with your slow car.

At the end of the day, I'm no "expert" on this, and again, I don't race a Stocker. But, I won't consider myself a "one-hit-wonder" for the Pomona deal either, as there have been several other round and event "wins" in "slow" cars (Saturn SC2, '86 T-Bird Turbo Coupe, '73 Maverick), over the course of many years.

Good luck with your Stocker. Build what you want, and of course, these days it's important to build what you can afford to race.

[Bunkster]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Let's see, I've raced/built enough 350/4bbl Camaros, I'm cheap, I bore easily and I like making parts for cars that no one makes parts for. I guess I'm also a personal satisfaction junkie.
And just for the record, if I were getting paid for the amount of time that I have spent on making cars that shouldn't go fast fast, I could have just paid cash for a COPO. Now IMHO, that doesn't sound like any fun.

Nees, what probably animates you can be found at 6:26 in this video:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn-g1jYaXRE&feature=related"]1978 Indy Stock Final[/ame]

Enjoy!

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Bunkster

Nees, what probably animates you can be found at 6:26 in this video:



Enjoy!

Good post, Bunkie...I know it still animates ME.

(It was actually a 67Chevy II)

[Paul Wong]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Let's see, I've raced/built enough 350/4bbl Camaros, I'm cheap, I bore easily and I like making parts for cars that no one makes parts for. I guess I'm also a personal satisfaction junkie.
And just for the record, if I were getting paid for the amount of time that I have spent on making cars that shouldn't go fast fast, I could have just paid cash for a COPO. Now IMHO, that doesn't sound like any fun.

It is entertaining to think outside the box and not just buy a bunch of cookie cutter parts. It is also a blast to out qualify 100k plus cars with some off the wall car even if I did go all "Paul Wong" on them. People like that term Billy. l am fortunate enough to have fast and slow cars but somehow nothing beats winning with the slower car.

[Joe Toller]

Personally, I saw more parity in the types of cars in slower classes, which is encouraging for a guy on the outside looking in. I also have a sick fetish for things like inline sixes and small-motored late 70's-early 80's GM cars, so it seems to be where I'll belong.

If I ever get a car done lol...

[KRatcliff]

Originally Posted by Paul Wong

It is entertaining to think outside the box and not just buy a bunch of cookie cutter parts. It is also a blast to out qualify 100k plus cars with some off the wall car even if I did go all "Paul Wong" on them. People like that term Billy. l am fortunate enough to have fast and slow cars but somehow nothing beats winning with the slower car.

Wongfu. (It won't let me type Wong **)

[joe huestis]

Tried running SS in the early 70's. Blew an engine and discovered I could not afford it. Sold the SS less motor and trans purchased my 69 Camaro which after driving it on the road for 6 months turned it into a stocker in '74. My high school sweetheart and I married in '77 and began our family in '78. Have raced a slow stocker ever since and now with all 5 of my children grown and with college degrees have " moved up" to K and L stock. Ran brackets and T through V stock while raising my family due to affordability from '82 to '07.
Could not break this addiction all those years and never felt I was driving a slow stocker. Still enjoyed the ride !