Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirrotica
WOW, 9 months later, musta been doing a lot of research..... 
I know you have one of Stephens Pontiac old race cars, but the guys that did the engine builds aren't the ones telling the story. Stephens had factory engineering connections. Am I supposed to be impressed?
I'm not a drag racer, never have been, I like race cars that turn corners.
When I raced, I was a nobody, I had what I could scrounge, get free from my sponsors, or pay for after taking care of a wife, and child, and paying my mortgage on my mechanics paycheck. Racecars are the bottom of the list for getting fed.
I know exactly what I've been able to do with my own race cars, with low dollar investments, hard work (building parts, instead of buying them), and a steep learning curve. I wasn't in any national magazines with my racing efforts, and didn't have a back door to Pontiac special parts that came out the back door, but couldn't be purchased at a parts counter.
I won more than my fair share of dirt track races as well as SCCA season title for running my local regions autocross event with my 1973 455 Trans Am, cast rods too.
I sponsored a few local racers, and built engines for dirt cars, street cars, as well as drag cars. I may not be famous, but I sure beat plenty of brand X cars back in the 70s and 80s. I didn't throw in the towel because it was cheaper, and easier, to put a chevy in it. I stayed true to the Stratostreak V8.
Every race engine, and high performance street engine I built, and raced, had cast rods in it. How in the heck did I ever do it with cast iron rods?  Popular opinion says it couldn't happen, but I still have probably 20 trophies tucked away in my garage, (they're all for winning races, there were no participation trophies given out) and a lot of pictures tucked away, that says it did.
I'd have loved to been able to have forged rods back when I raced, it wasn't in the cards, or my race budget. I raced the same engines for 2 seasons in my 67 400 GTO, and 3 seasons in my 4 inch stroke 428 Grand Prix. Both engines were still running fine with cast rods, and were pulled before the cars went to the crusher.
I sold the 400 and, installed it in a 68 Firebird street car, the 428 is sitting in storage 40 some years later. Disclaimer; No cast rods were harmed in any engines, in this post.... 
Carry on, I'm out..................  |
Well I’m
A lot like you. I worked as a home builder and paid my own way into drag racing. But I can tell you definitively that cast rods suck. You may have been able to get by, and that’s good but they still suck. I run a 2 bolt block in my turbo application , I run a cast crank. I run smog heads, I make do with all the stock GM stuff I can (mostly because I find it’s better than aftermarket). Trust me I don’t spend more than I have to and most of the GM stuff is great! I can make it work just fine, one thing I will not ever use in any engine street or strip is a cast Pontiac connecting Rod . ( not w good rods so cheap today)
Now for a stock bonneville chugging along they are fine but if you’re gonna make any kind of HP forget it.
Now keep in mind even though I was a privateer I’m
Not talking about 350 HP engines if I can’t make 450+ Hp with it I’m not interested. My blueprinted but otherwise stock RAIV will make that.
Could I maybe possibly put some work into a stock cast rod and make it work , to some extent in a low Hp street engine sure I probably could. But I’d have time invested in the Rod, definitely money into new rod bolts , But to have any kind of faith in the engine I’d need a good rod , I’ve snapped off SD455 rods at 450 Hp . Right in half and I didn’t really rev my engines My turbo engine which willl make 960 hp I still shift at 5600 and I trap at about 6200 !
I wasn’t doing any research I’ve posted those rods before. . In fact the info from Mc carthys book isn’t what I listed here but it’s easy to find. Those rods were available through any parts counter in the nation . They weren’t anything super special or held aside for race dealers. You just had to know to ask for them and most people didn’t. Nunzi used to get them . HO racing used to get them .
I’m
Glad you did well w the Pontiacs and I applaud you for being able to do it w cast rods . I remember when rods were crazy expensive trust me. _
I ran cast rods back then too and won a lot of races. I also spun my share of bearings .and elongated the big ends, I’ve had 21 69 firebirds So I’ve done plenty of testing. Lmao.
My point is the weakest link for a Pontiac has always been the connecting rods I don’t think anyone will dispute that fact.
I started racing in 87 and raced every year 140 track passes a year til about 2005 when my daughter was born then I dialed it back a little til 2010 (second kid) and dialed it back even more. since then .
I’m just happy to see people race Pontiacs and enjoy Pontiacs love ‘em. Pisses me off our beloved Pontiac is gone. But that doesn’t change the fact the rods sucked. That’s an SD455 rod and a nice window I made through my oil pan! A low RPM engine too granted probably had 300 passes on those rods but still.