Greetings ... and few questions.... (pre-apology long and rambling)

[ScottV]

I have been lurking here for a while, spending alot of time on the Junior Stock thread and I believe now I am ready to make a move. Actually I was ready a little more than a year ago but was devistated by an unexpected job loss (actually lost 2 jobs at the same time) and the bounce back. Currently I am only making about half as much as I was making but I feel that will be more of a motivator than a detriment !!!

I have been in love with this concept before I ever even knew about it. Several years ago I had the honor of touring the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. I was the only person there !!! My wife laughs when I tell her it was like a religious experiance, but it was. I stood in front of the replica he has of "The Bug" for quite a while and was just enthralled. Then to top it off when I was done I was talking with the girl who ran the gift shop about getting her deadbeat boyfriend off his asterisk and getting to work (he had a CDL and I was driving OTR at the time) from the back out walks Big Daddy himself and just starts chatting like I was a long time buddy. I have never been one to be at a loss for words but I have to admit when he asked " How Ya doin...? I believe my reply was "Ahh uhh mmmm duh ah ummmm" Then after that we talked for about an hour and a half about nothing in particular, mostly how much he hated dealing with the DOT when driving his tow rigs !

Anyhow back to the topic at hand, I have read every thread here. At first I was reluctant to tee off on the project but from what I read I think you guys would help out where my abilities are lacking. I mean just the commaraderie here is worth hanging out for.

I have a few questions for everyone, mostly looking for opinions, so here they are.

1. Is there any chance of allowing newer engines. The Rambler OHV inline six was introduced in 1963 for the 1964 model year. It is only 1 year off. My reason for asking is that I have access to 2 232's and a 253 Rambler.

2. What do you think about using a T-5 trans. I really want to build a true HA/GR car and use manual trans. The T-5 does have kind of a nostalgia vibe with its internal shift linkages so it kinda looks like a top loader ?!? I have a T-5 and a .030 over 200 long block with a Aussie head lined up. A friend is pulling it from his Falcon and replacing it with Turbo SVO 3 liter(!) four to race flying mile.
*OBTW* I really like the Toymaker and especially the intake mod !!!

3. I have read that as long as an engine family was available in 1962 that the later (ie: larger) are acceptable. Would a 230 from a 1964 Chevelle be allowed. Again my reason is my best friend pulled one with a 3 speed from a wagon that I can have. What is cool is that it appears to be the performance version as it had a factory 2 barrel, chrome rocker cover, air cleaner lid and most suprisingly vaccum line carb to distributor was chrome.

4. Lastly (for now !!!) What about pop riviets ??? Are they period correct or did they come along later

Thanks in advance for your valuable time and replies. I am looking forward to being part of this no matter how ling it takes.

You guys rock !!!

ScottV

[buffaloracer]

I'm guessing the amc and late model general motors engines will not be allowed In the HA/GR class. In another thread Ryan said the the rules are frozen for the next 5 years. Wish NHRA would use the same amount of wisdom.
Pop rivets have been around for a long time. Should not be a problem there.
pete

[krooser]

here's some info on AMC engines... looks like you can still use an earlierOHV six...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Straight-6_engine

[Old6rodder]

Howdy Scott, welcome to the addiction and the madness of HAMBsters. :cool:
I'm her and now coining the term "HAMBsteritus" for the disease. :D

The "extension" dates for engines designed prior to '62 but produced later are for those engines that weren't changed in or after '62. Thus the later versions (of earlier designs) that were larger are no go.
So the answers to your displacement questions will be self evident by researching the design trail of a given engine you're considering.

The slants as another example, were still the same size later but had improvements to the combustion chamber in '68, so those later heads are a technical no go if you're serious about the rules. Later blocks would be OK with the earlier heads though.
If the rules are less important to you, then the fact that the later heads haven't been protested (and are unlikley to be) means you can run'em.

So questions regarding engineering advancements (particularly the internal ones) will be answered by your own frame of reference.
Thus, for you, are the rules something to be bent as far as possible and ignored if unenforced or are they the challenge to work within? Both viewpoints are well represented in both HA/GR and SDRA, so it's purely a personal decision.

On pop rivets, don't forget that they're available in steel as well as the more common aluminum. The steel holds up better to the joint "working" of course.

[64 DODGE 440]

4. Lastly (for now !!!) What about pop riviets ??? Are they period correct or did they come along later

ScottV

I believe that "pop rivets" evolved from the "cherry max blind rivets" used in aircraft and would be fine if you so desire to use them. As a side note, most hardware store pop rivets will work fine for attaching light structures providing the holes aren't sloppy,whereas cherry max and some other variations are considered "structural" for aircraft use when properly installed and though a bit more expensive, are worth the cost if you are looking for a lasting assembly.

Vintage parts can be a bit more difficult to find, but our goal for our car is to try and assemble lots of pre '60s pieces and have too much fun!:p

[ThingyM]

ScottV.. Personally, If it looks like a 6cylinder, Runs like a 6 cylinder, And has 6 spark plugs,And it came from the 60s or before, And it's free, Run it..So it's a 63. BFD. It's not going out a blow everybodys doors off. Build it (As cheap as you can) go have some fun with it..Now if you are planning on building one of these 350hp Automatic HAMBsters, Start looking for a different motor.. But if ya want to run a Rambler motor, Bless ya and have fun. You'll be in there banging heads with the rest of us....

[Hudsonator]

here's some info on AMC engines... looks like you can still use an earlierOHV six...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Straight-6_engine

You learn something new everyday, those mexican AMC sixes look "caliente". Why didn't they cast bores that big in the US?

I'm not sure what, if any, similiarities exist between the 199 and 232. I was under the impression that the 232 was an all new design for its time.

I say that, but a 258 crank will drop right into a 4.0 (242). Its worth an investigation.

[Joe Hamby]

Hi Hudsonator. I think that it was on Horsepower TV that they did do a stroker 4.O using a 258 crank, and it was just a month or two ago. Joe

[Hudsonator]

Hi Hudsonator. I think that it was on Horsepower TV that they did do a stroker 4.O using a 258 crank, and it was just a month or two ago. Joe

I reckon, its very easy to pull 300+ from a 4.0 stroker using the high port 4.0 head. The 232/258/242 crank journal dimensions are the same, but the head's bolt pattern is different. You can't run the good head on the older block without alot of painful retrofit: welding, redrilling, etc. I was reading web-articles about the 4.0 stroker back in '99.

Remember when the internet was mainly little personal pages of info dear to their hearts? Most of the links I had to those early stroker Jeeps, have gone the way of the dinosaur - but they were good ones. Low buck hp without any machining required.

Hud