More NHRA horsepower factors

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Daran Summerton

You seriously don't see a difference between a corvette and a caprice wagon???? HMMM interesting.

The extent of the discussion and issues involved in factoring is much more than I want to engage in this medium, but yes I do see a difference between a Corvette and a Caprice wagon. However, they do not run the same class. Plus, given the history of racers and what they are attracted to build, I doubt that either one of us will ever see a Caprice wagon as someone's serious competitive effort. The other extreme of the issue to me is represented by the '78-'79 305 4-bbl. Exactly the same engine, yet all the 1978 applications are rated at 235 while most of the 1979s are rated at 243. A 79 Malibu hardtop is 243, but a Malibu 4-dr sedan or station wagon is 235. All because a single person ran fast over 10 years ago in a Malibu hardtop. For years, the 1979 Malibu hardtop carried a 245 factor while all the other applications were 235. They factored the person not the engine.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by PJ305

They make the rules and it really doesn't matter what we on the internet think or complain about.

If you believe that for just one minute then either you're not a Racer or you're delusional!

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by PJ305

I asked Pat Cvengros and was told the 78 models came with an aluminum 458520 manifold which aren't allowed on the 77 models.

Very interesting! And yet he allows an Edelbrock LD4B dual plane aluminum intake on a 273 that only had an iron single plane intake manifold.

[Kevin Love]

Dwight

While i agree with your thoughts on the inconsistencies between body types,the 79 Malibu hardtop hit was just in 2014. Billy Lynn went 1.245 under vs Dean Oliver at 1.197
under at the 2014 Cajun Sportsnationals. According to Nitro Joe 2014 stats they were both at 235 hp at that race. I think it was the class final so unfortunately they got punished for racing to the stripe.

[ZenzenRacing]

Hmmmm, yep that's one reason the Corvette is going back together!!

[Tom Moock]

Does this make sense? 1979 Chevy 350, Impala 275 hp. Corvette 283 Hp. Nova 283 Hp. & Malibu Wagon 287 Hp. 350 Malibu Wagon best run in last 10 years, per nitro stats, 6 tens under old index.

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Kevin Love

Dwight

While i agree with your thoughts on the inconsistencies between body types,the 79 Malibu hardtop hit was just in 2014. Billy Lynn went 1.245 under vs Dean Oliver at 1.197
under at the 2014 Cajun Sportsnationals. According to Nitro Joe 2014 stats they were both at 235 hp at that race. I think it was the class final so unfortunately they got punished for racing to the stripe.

While the latest version of he class guide shows 2014, I also have a 2002 version of the class guide with the note at the bottom of the page next to the 235 rating that states "Malibu hardtop rating is 245". It's been there for a l-o-o-o-n-g time.

[TommyPettigrew3076]

The 350 Chevy deal makes no sense I had a very long conversation with NHRA about it and got no where but the same answere " They are NOT identical Blue Print specs " so they are rated differently. The only problem with their logic or should I say lack there of is they may not be( EXACTLY) the same BUT the 77 and 78 share intake and head casting numbers that are an option one being the 249 cast intake and the 450 head can be used on BOTH combos . Now I am not the head cashier at Walmart but common sense would tell me if BOTH casting numbers can be used on both the 77 and 78 350 would't they be deemed the same if the 881,882,450 head on the 77 combo is rated at 269hp would the 78 350 be the same if it can also use the 450 head ? Now I would told that the 450 head has a 165cc intake runner and the 881,882 has a 160 cc intake runner so it is rated less? If this is the case then the 450 head would be deemed better and not be allowed on the 77 350 combo ? Am I crazy ? Now I was also told the 78 350 can use the 520 intake which is an aluminum one and it can use the 249 the cast intake so that changed the rating as well ? Ok well if that was the case and the aluminum intake is the better intake ( 14 hp ) better ( rolling eyes ) then why would the 249 cast intake even be an option ?

[Daran Summerton]

14 hp wow I'm stuck with the 249 I'm gonna need a adjustment!

[TommyPettigrew3076]

Apparently the cast iron intake flows better in different body styles lol