Where are the pre 1960 stockers?

[Paul Wong]

The same applies for any oddball combo. Do you think they say "dare to be different for a reason" There are plenty of people that post on here with less than conventional stockers that have to do some creative and innovative thinking. I am sure there are plenty of people that run these cars with very few off the shelf parts. Besides that fact there were always bad combinations in the book and that is what they stayed bad combinations. Build the car, run it, write the appropriate letter and they will defactor the car accordingly. If it is that bad of a combination that will never run the index, then I would say to go bracket racing and enjoy your car.
As far as the 1955 chevrolet it is adjusted with power based on a super stock cars and it should be at its factory rating of 180.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

Vic,

I've got a black '58 tri-power Chieftan with 29k original miles, it's exactly as new with only one repaint. Say I decide to race the car in the new classes: where do I get my camshaft, my headers, lifters, rockers, ignition, etc. Since everthing has to be scienced out then built by hand and in very limited numbers, how much do you think it would cost to make it just run the index much less be competitive?

If you have a tri5 chevy all that work is done already. A phone call to Jegs will buy most everything to build the car......call Hooker and ask for a set of headers for a '58 Tbird with the optional 430 Mercury engine.

JimR

That car is to nice to make a race car out of it. Fix whatever it needs if anything and drive that great piece of detroit iron and let other people enjoy admiring it.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

That car is to nice to make a race car out of it. Fix whatever it needs if anything and drive that great piece of detroit iron and let other people enjoy admiring it.

Terry,

I may bring it out to a few ssssa races just to cruise in.

JimR

[bill dedman]

I thought he was talking about the '58 T-Bird with the optional 430 Lincoln engine.... (no, I didn't.)

[Greg Barsamian]

Originally Posted by Carl Libucha

I am in the process of building a 1955 Bel-Air 2 dr hdtp for Stock Eliminator. I raced the car from 1980 to 1992 in SS/PA, then retired it in 1992 after winning Super Stock at both the IHRA Nitrous Nats and the North American Nats at New England Dragway in Epping NH in1992. The car sat outside covered up for 19 years and at the end of 2010 I decided to go racing again in Super Stock. Then I heard NHRA was allowing the 1950's cars back again in Stock, so I'm going for the challenge. The car will run in P & Q/SA at the present 205 hp.The car is back to stock configuration, body work and paint complete. The engine isn't complete yet, but with all the information known right now, on paper the car will not run the index. When the engine is dynoed, that will tell the real story. The factory 180hp peaked out at 4600 rpm's. Hopefully, with all the latest technology in cams, hyd lifters & springs, the rpm's will be much higher. What NHRA has to do, is lower the hp so every 1955 body style will drop down at least one class. This way, the cars should be able to just run the index or a little under. For an example, AT 205 hp, my car has to weigh 3655 lb min weight with driver for Q/SA (13.80 index). If the hp was lowered to 188 hp, my car would be right at the top of R/SA at 3548.4 lb min weight with driver (14.05 index). I hope NHRA will lower the hp down to 180 hp, otherwise, not too many racer's are going to build these cars. I'm a 1955 Chevy nut, I've always raced a 55 chev. From 1968 to 1971, I raced a 1955 Chev Conv in R/S, then from 1972 to 1979, I ran a 1955 4 dr 210 wagon in SS/U, then the Hdtp in SS/PA from 1980 to 1992.
NHRA, DO YOUR THING, I'M COUNTING ON YOU.

Got a sneak peek at the car on Sunday, a true "blast from the past"
The "attention to detail" is amazing......
Looking forward to seeing this "Drop-dead" Georgous 55 run with the ASRA and at D-1 events as well.

Good Luck with the restoration Carl!

[Hemi Moose]

Just had to give this topic a little nudge...so is anyone else here working on any old iron for this season.

[Hemi Moose]

Jim, here's a couple of old shots of two '58 Chevy's...