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- - Race classification (https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=818029)

Race classification

Just wondering if any of you young folks from the early 60s era would remember what class a 1962 Pontiac 389 would have been slotted in.

Carb ? Would play a factor.

They had HP from the high 200s to the 368HP 389 SD.Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by ornjcr8 (Post 5881748)

Just wondering if any of you young folks from the early 60s era would remember what class a 1962 Pontiac 389 would have been slotted in.

Being a Pontiac drag racing fan, I find this to be a interesting question. When the '62 Cat came out, I was not even a teenager yet. I had no idea what was going on in the drag racing world. My 1st experience with a Pontiac was riding with an older schoolmate, in his parents 64 389 Cat. It was the quickest car I'd ever ridden in. Would actually squeal the right rear tire, at take-off. My next Pontiac encounter was riding in another older classmate's 389 powered '40 Chevy & his brothers 4-speed '65 GTO, also 389 powered.

But, in doing a little research on the question you asked, the only drag info I found for '62 Cat was all about the 421SD powered cars. Don Gay won the A/S class at the '63 US Nats & the '64 Winter Nats, with his '62 421SD Cat.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/hppp-...na-super-duty/

So, back then, a 389 Cat would have ran a lower class than A/S. But, as others have mentioned, there were several different 389 engine options for the '62 Cat. The CRI site lists about 9 different 389's, which NHRA recognizes, for the '62 Pontiacs. So, a '62 Cat could have run in any one of several classes, depending on it's engine/trans combo.

http://www.classracerinfo.com/EngineSelection.aspx

Thru the years, NHRA classification methods have changed. Today, there is only one '62 Cat, that I'm aware of, in competition. It belongs to a member here, Norman Warling. It has the 3-deuce 389 engine. For most cars, NHRA will allow you to add or remove weight to run a class above or below the class which the car would naturally fall into. I have pics of Norman's Cat, with both L/SA & M/SA class letters on it. I assume that, back in the mid '60's, this engine combo would have run a much higher class.

So, I'm just curious to know exactly why you are interested in this '62 389 Cat info. :confused:

If you really wanna pursue this early '60's info, you might wanna try to contact Norman Warling, or Bob Michael. Bob is a long time Pontiac racer, who recently built a '62 GP, with the 3-deuce 389 engine. In the pic of it below, it's running K/SA. Maybe one or both of these guys can help you find the exact info you want.

Another very good source of old drag racing info is the Class Racer forum. Lots of guys post there, who were around racing, back in the early & mid 60's.

http://classracer.com/classforum/forumdisplay.php?f=3

WOW, Did'nt realize I would open up a box of snakes and spiders.:thanx: As for why, just wondering about back in the day. I have a 1962 Grand Prix 389 tri power posi 4 speed 318 hp. All the info is very helpful.

Check this link out:

Super Stock

:)

Around 1965 till at least 1971 a local garage ran two 62 Pontiacs. 1 was a 2dr hardtop the other a 4 door sedan . The 2dr ran M/SA and the other ran O/S. The O car was actually the faster of two.

If I recall my Dads 390 2 barrel Ford ran in L or M automatic (I won a couple of trophys with it) and my 74 GTO ran K automatic! That was before Bracket Racing really took off. Actually Detroit Dragway had one of the FIRST Bracket racing classes back in the late 60's and early 70's for cars that didn't want to run class racing! Cars would enter and put a dial in on there windows!

GTO George

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE (Post 5882093)

My first experience with "bracket" racing was here in Tucson in 1971 with my '68 GTO. It was really a bracket you had to pick with .4 seconds between brackets. IIRC, I ran in the 15.40 to 15.80 bracket. There was no dial-in---just pick your bracket and you couldn't run quicker than the low ET end of your bracket. I always assumed that's where the name came from. Otherwise, it would be called dial-in racing.

Jim

Our local track ran Stockers off track records, in '73-'74. Ran off the NHRA index system, in '75. Then in '76, bracket racing took over at all our area tracks.

In '77, our local track participated in the NHRA div 4 bracket finals race, held at the old Green Valley Race City track, in the DFW area. We took 2 Pontiacs there in '77 & '78.

The track operated from 1960-1986. So, there were probably quite a few Pontiacs that raced there, including some 389 Cats. Below is a pic of a Funny Car, with the covered grandstands in the background. The 2nd pic is TJ's bracket Bird, in '77, with those same covered grandstands in the background. She got a little ink in the Nov '77 HR mag from being at this race.

There were some lower class Pontiacs that did well. Ramon Lowe ran I believe ran a 62 GP did well. Tom S may weigh in on that. Fred Davisson had 61 I think 303 hp that won I stock in 61 at Winternationals.

Unlike some people's foggy memory (myself included), I go by the rule books. Which I so happen to have. Classes were based on shipping weight divided by advertised horsepower. You did not state what your car weighs as a stick so I cannot give you the exact class. When you calculate the number post it up and I can tell you the exact "stock" class.

Lloyd and Carol Cox were a couple that raced 60s Pontiac,she drove the auto classes.For some reason I think Lowe did also.Tyrees 62 was a A stock SD car and my 63 Lemans was A/MP when he drove it.Tom

In 1970 AHRA classified cars based on shipping weight divided by cubic inches, carburetion, and transmission type.
Your car would fall into the "Formula 1 stock" class. Multiple carburetion.
Showroom Stock would put your car in J/S

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Goat Racer (Post 5882352)

Showroom Stock would put your car in J/SA

How can it be J/SA with a stick? "A" is for Automatic.

National Dragster Collection ?

Anybody here have, or know someone who has a collection of old National Dragster papers, from the '60's & '70's ? :confused:

Looks like ND started in 1960.

http://gainesvilleraceway.com/apcm/A...4708&print=yes

https://books.google.com/books?id=sY...agster&f=false

I had quite a few from the mid to late '70's, back when we were NHRA members & had div 4 permanent numbers. I assume that I threw 'em all away, along with the rule books, thinking I'd never care about anything in them again. Sure wish I'da kept all that stuff.

I think the national records were posted in some issues. Don't know if the driver name & car brand was listed or not. These old ND's might be a very good source of drag racing info, from that time period.

Good info about NHRA at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation...od_Association

And similiar about the American Hot Rod Association at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ...od_Association

Jim Hand