[opeliac]

I have never said anything bad about Tommy's decision...I know enough about high end drag racing to understand the reasons for his change...

I am also a die hard Pontiac guy, but my car was built with the mindset that it can handle a screw blown(or turbocharged) Hemi if that was ever the choice...That doesnt keep me from thinking about how fast a bigger bore spaced Pontiac design could run with either a screw, or two big twins...Chief's combo has consistently been the front runner for years, and it is so damn basic that its not even funny...A cylinder head that flows 350cfm and still can run 3.90s at weight...There is no reason that there isnt a considerable amount left to gain...It just takes the effort, knowledge, and willingness to go out and try...

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by opeliac

I have never said anything bad about Tommy's decision...I know enough about high end drag racing to understand the reasons for his change...

I am also a die hard Pontiac guy, but my car was built with the mindset that it can handle a screw blown(or turbocharged) Hemi if that was ever the choice...That doesnt keep me from thinking about how fast a bigger bore spaced Pontiac design could run with either a screw, or two big twins...Chief's combo has consistently been the front runner for years, and it is so damn basic that its not even funny...A cylinder head that flows 350cfm and still can run 3.90s at weight...There is no reason that there isnt a considerable amount left to gain...It just takes the effort, knowledge, and willingness to go out and try...

2 things... Chief was a front runner but you see where he is now...or rather not..
Also, I'm not sure his combo had a lot more to give. If it did, it was on borrowed time in my opinion. The guy did an amazing job with what he had no doubt.

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Scott Roberts

2 things... Chief was a front runner but you see where he is now...or rather not..
Also, I'm not sure his combo had a lot more to give. If it did, it was on borrowed time in my opinion. The guy did an amazing job with what he had no doubt.

Actually, since we are talking about Pontiacs, Chiefs car is still pretty much at the top.

My point is, he is still one of the fastest pontiacs, even though he doesn’t have the super exotic parts.

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by opeliac

Actually, since we are talking about Pontiacs, Chiefs car is still pretty much at the top.

My point is, he is still one of the fastest pontiacs, even though he doesn’t have the super exotic parts.

Agreed..he's a big fish in a little pond.. he can't swim in the ocean anymore though.
Again, not knocking the guy... he's done amazing things with the little poncho..

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by opeliac

Actually, since we are talking about Pontiacs, Chiefs car is still pretty much at the top.

My point is, he is still one of the fastest pontiacs, even though he doesn’t have the super exotic parts.

Let me ask you this.. I know you're building a nasty car and going after it all..good on you! You seem to keep pressing the point that chief did it with pretty basic parts.. that is a fact. My question is this.. do you keep harping on that point because you're trying to justify going down that same road with your car? That's not a loaded question.. just curious if that's your path?
If so, I don't know that's gonna get it with the current "big dogs" in the Pontiac world and abroad... there are some heavy hitters in the Pontiac pond now... they don't have basic parts..

[opeliac]

Originally Posted by Scott Roberts

Let me ask you this.. I know you're building a nasty car and going after it all..good on you! You seem to keep pressing the point that chief did it with pretty basic parts.. that is a fact. My question is this.. do you keep harping on that point because you're trying to justify going down that same road with your car? That's not a loaded question.. just curious if that's your path?
If so, I don't know that's gonna get it with the current "big dogs" in the Pontiac world and abroad... there are some heavy hitters in the Pontiac pond now... they don't have basic parts..

I am building a drag week car, and I AM NOT building it with any wild fantasies at this point. My initial engine combo will be pretty close to Chiefs. Mine will have a cast IA2 block, where he runs a solid aluminum block. I chose this engine combo because it is already proven, and can be built fairly cheap. I will be looking towards the next step once this is running at its potential.

My engine will have to survive, so I won’t push it as hard as Chief has pushed his.

As far as my car goes. It will be on par with most others. 25.2, strut front, fabricated floater rear. It won’t be the lightest, due to certain creature features and steel body parts. But I’m shooting for 2900 with me in it. So it won’t be a tank.

To sum all of this mess up. I am not building a class car, so that lessens my headaches. As far as being the top dog in the Pontiac world, Cooper is not on my radar at all(since I’m not stupid). But, if my car runs anywhere near my expectations, it’ll be just fine.

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by opeliac

I am building a drag week car, and I AM NOT building it with any wild fantasies at this point. My initial engine combo will be pretty close to Chiefs. Mine will have a cast IA2 block, where he runs a solid aluminum block. I chose this engine combo because it is already proven, and can be built fairly cheap. I will be looking towards the next step once this is running at its potential.

My engine will have to survive, so I won’t push it as hard as Chief has pushed his.

As far as my car goes. It will be on par with most others. 25.2, strut front, fabricated floater rear. It won’t be the lightest, due to certain creature features and steel body parts. But I’m shooting for 2900 with me in it. So it won’t be a tank.

To sum all of this mess up. I am not building a class car, so that lessens my headaches. As far as being the top dog in the Pontiac world, Cooper is not on my radar at all(since I’m not stupid). But, if my car runs anywhere near my expectations, it’ll be just fine.

Good on you man! Sounds like a well thought out deal.. drag week is on my bucket list too..just wo t be in a Pontiac.. what kinda of times and average are you looking for.. sounds like it will be pretty stout numbers based on your plan..

[mgarblik]

If your really going to go way outside the box and design a SOHC or DOHC V-8 "Pontiac" engine for a class, aside from all the technical challenges and the huge investment, there could be another big issue. If your running a particular organization or sanctioning body, one stroke of a pen by a rules committee or tech department could make your entire engine package illegal for competition. Then you are left with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pretty shiny engine parts and no legal competitive place to race them. Generally, the organization will let you spend your fortune in development because it stirs interest in the class and brings in some additional fans to watch you struggle. If by some miracle you begin to get into the qualifying ladder and God forbid win the class, then you go under the microscope. One sentence could end all your efforts. "New rule effective immediately", "American V-8 engines of cam in block design only". Now what do you do?

Has anything like that happened? You better believe it. NHRA simply eliminated the Pro Stock Truck class out of thin air. Dozens of teams who had invested millions of dollars in engine development and hardware were just left out in the cold. Most sold out for pennies on the dollar. BTW, the teams unsuccessfully sued the NHRA for some financial relief. They were effectively told "You pay your money and you take your chances".

[69Goat1]

Scott, where is Chief not now? That little EheadedPontiac did really well in America’s list and is holding its own so far in the regular show that they have just started showing with one loss being attributed to a slight jump by Chief yet the other guy could have jumped and Chief would have driven around him. So on the show he spun his first loss and he jumped his second loss...neither shows a lack of HP to win...

[Scott Roberts]

Originally Posted by 69Goat1

Scott, where is Chief not now? That little EheadedPontiac did really well in America’s list and is holding its own so far in the regular show that they have just started showing with one loss being attributed to a slight jump by Chief yet the other guy could have jumped and Chief would have driven around him. So on the show he spun his first loss and he jumped his second loss...neither shows a lack of HP to win...

Honestly, I don't watch the show.. I just know he has been absent for awhile from things ive read..if he's back, good.. like to see how he fairs when they run on a track.. it's no prep but that track will hold a lot more power than the street..