[ponyakr]

Yeah, I've read that JB's car is the original H-O car, but has obviously gone thru quite a few changes.

For those interested, there are some rebuild pics, from back in 2009, when it was updated. They're under the title "JB's Race Car Rebuild", about 80% of the way to the bottom of the page, at this link.

http://missiongarage.com/photos.htm

[ponyakr]

In looking for some old Pontiac SS records, I ran across this, which shows a '61 Pontiac, with a 363hp Trophy 425-A engine, which set the S/S record @ 14.04. The article has other Pontiac drag info, from the early '60's.

https://books.google.com/books?id=RY...20cars&f=false

[ponyakr]

Haven't thought about these threads much in a while. But, since very little, or maybe none of the info has changed, I'll add some now, and try to add more as I come across it.

Just learned that Don Kennedy wrote the original GT rules, for Super Stock, back in the early '80's. Then NHRA made a few minor changes to what he'd wrote, and began allowing GT cars to run with the regular SS cars.

This rule allows the use of older engines in later model bodies. Also, any GM engine can be run in any GM body. This allows the use of the older high performance engines, without having to buy a super rare, high dollar body. Reduced the cost of a build, by many thousands.

One of the best examples is the use of the 428 in any year A or F-body, as well as many other Pontiac & other GM bodies. I know the alum head version of the 428 has been run in 3rd & 4th gen Birds, Sunfires, and Chevy Cobalts. Not sure of any others.

There are also some 3rd gen Birds & at least one '74 GTO, running '74 model 400 engine specs.

Question: Does anybody here know the EXACT year the GT rules went into effect ?

Does anybody here know how to find class elimination results for races BEFORE 1998 ? The reason I use that year is because, at this time, the records from 1998 to present, are available on the Drag Race Central site.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/Seri...es=NHRA-SUMMIT

[ponyakr]

Most drag racers know that it's a big deal to win your class at the US Nats. As I was lookin thru the Indy SS class winners, on the Drag Race Central site, I noticed that there are a few Pontiacs that have won class and/or RU, several times.

One of these cars is the Phil Monteith 4th gen Bird, which has an alum head 428 engine. It has been driven mostly by Peter Biondo. He has won some NHRA championships with it.

Don Kennedy won his GT/EA class, with a 9.177, in his 428 Sunfire.

Todd Frantz won his GT/FA class, with a 9.188, in his 428 powered Cobalt.

Robert Cruzen got at least 2 GT/AA class wins in a row, in his 428 powered Cobalt. He turned an 8.900 for one of those wins !

Ken Shawver won his class 4 years in a row, from 2003 thru 2006, in his '78 400 powered T/A.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2003#indextop

In '07, Monte Howard took over the driving duties, doing quite well, winning the Indy Fall Classic that year.

http://www.nhradiv3.com/apcm/APCMvie...4918&print=yes

He won the SS/KA class at Indy, in 2010.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2010#indextop

Bill Rink won his class several times, with his '74 GTO. In both '18 & '19, Mike Morgan was RU to Bill, makin it an all Pontiac 350 class final !

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2018#indextop

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2019#indextop

Mike had won his SS/MA class in '16. That's the same year Robert Cruzen turned the 8.900, in GT/AA.

https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r2016#indextop

Another SS class winner was Carroll Warling, in his record holding '74 GA.

As mentioned, the posted DRC records only go back to 1998. So, I don't know know how to locate any older class winner records.

[ponyakr]

Well, in the last few weeks, I've been doing a LOT of research about Pontiac powered Stock & SS racing, thru the years.

One thing I learned about the early '60's cars is that I thought the cars which ran classes like, S/S, S/SA, OS/S, & even the very early FX classes were all run in Super Stock.

Not so. Back then, A/S & A/SA were the lowest classes in what was called "Top Stock". B/S & below was called "Junior Stock".

Best I can tell, the Super Stock class was not run, officially, in NHRA, 'til either the '66 or '67 seasons. After that, all Stockers ran together, & all Super Stockers ran together.

Don't know who was running SS, with a Pontiac, in the late '60's. I do know that Mopar was dominating the class. The 1st Pontiac powered SS car I knew anything about, which I've already mentioned in this thread, was the Jack Mullins 389 4-speed wagon, with which he won the Sportsnationals & the US Nats, in '75.

There was also another big wagon that was a nat record holder for a lot of years. Don't know who the owner was, or anything else about the car. Just going by the pics, it must have done a lot of racing. This is the earliest Pontiac powered SS record holder I know of.

I assume that, in the late '60's, lots of Pontiac dealerships were running Pontiacs, in SS. Gay Pontiac had a '67 Bird.

[ponyakr]

We've already mentioned that Truman Fields ran a '72 GTO in SS. I think it was a factory sponsored deal.

Gary Moore also ran SS in '72, with a '72 Formy. He set the speed record, at Amarillo, in '72.

Don Breen was running a '71 Formy in SS. He was mentioned as winning a SS race, in a Lunati ad.

Also have a pic of another '72 SS Formy, with Burnett Pontiac on the side. You can tell this was back before the big tire SS cars. I think the tire rule was that you could run the biggest tire that would fit in the stock wheel well.

Assuming all these cars were running the 455HO engine.

[ponyakr]

As mentioned, there were quite a few Pontiac dealerships sponsoring drag cars.

Stan Long Pontiac & Gratiot Auto Supply sponsored a '67 SS Bird, that was driven by Tony Knieper. The car set a SS/FA record. Tony & a younger brother were killed in a towing accident, on the way to a div points race.

Not sure how many Pontiac dealers sponsored SS cars. But there were probably quite a few independent racers running SS Pontiacs. Have a pic of one named Yellow Bird. Gary Moore must have got a little help from a Pontiac dealer, on his '68 Acre Maker II Bird, since there is the name of a Pontiac dealer over the rear tire. All these 1st gen Birds were the early, small tire version.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by ponyakr

We've already mentioned that Truman Fields ran a '72 GTO in SS. I think it was a factory sponsored deal.

Gary Moore also ran SS in '72, with a '72 Formy. He set the speed record, at Amarillo, in '72.

Don Breen was running a '71 Formy in SS. He was mentioned as winning a SS race, in a Lunati ad.

Also have a pic of another '72 SS Formy, with Burnett Pontiac on the side. You can tell this was back before the big tire SS cars. I think the tire rule was that you could run the biggest tire that would fit in the stock wheel well.

Assuming all these cars were running the 455HO engine.

Don, I updated the thread with this car unit, 70-72 GTO section. My good friend owned from 1980-2012. Best thing about it was.....I got to work on it, he was getting it ready to sell. Thankfully it’s in good hands, now!