on 12/18/01 6:27 PM, Richard Crump at rcrump@enid.com wrote:
> I tried to go legal and found myself on the trailer after the
> first session with a pushrod pieces in the pan. (New motor w/ meaner cam).
>
> Another consideration is the fact that this is not a significant expense on
> a V-8 chevy.
>
> Finally, In CVAR, the groundpounders had themselves a separate meeting and
> declared rollers to be OK. CVAR mgt said if thats the way all of you feel
> then, OK.
>
> I am going now, some of my glass bead curtains need work.
>
> Richard Crump, 69 coupe, sidepipes, torqueys and horsepower.
I imagine you needed the "meaner" cam to keep up with your competitors
who had elected not to "go legal". The problem is really one of universal
compliance. Unless everyone complies, it just doesn't work.
The roller-rocker issues is no different whether it's a 948cc Bugeye or a
494c.i. Chevy -- Without the rollers, you can not have reliability using
wild cams, higher revs and more horsepower. To keep the reliability without
the roller-rockers, you have to limit the cam, the revs and therefore the
horsepower.
If all of your competitors with V-8 motors had 350-400hp, you would not
need the "meaner cam". But they probably have 550-600hp and leave you for
dead if you use milder cams and don't twist the small-block past 8,000rpm
like they do.
As long as vintage racing remains an amateur sport and we don't have
protests, teardowns and internal engine inspections, the "ground-pounders"
will all agree to have high-dollar, high HP motors with roller-rockers. The
problem with that is that it robs vintage racing of some wonderful
diversity.
Few who own a Porsche 904 (A-production), Ferrari 250SWB, or Aston Martin
DB4GT (both B-production) want to compete directly with the pumped up Fords
and Chevys that make anywhere from 100 to 200 MORE hp than they did 35 years
ago. Back in the day, the Porsches, Ferraris, Astons and others could mix
it up with the Corvettes, Cobras and Mustangs and hold their own. Now,
these rare and ever more valuable cars get dusted every time the track
straightens out. I suspect that the primary reason we do not see more of
those rare and exciting cars is not because their owners would be afraid to
race them but rather because they have no desire to get badly beaten by cars
that are not faithful to the period. It makes more sense to leave it parked
in the garage than to destoy its value by making modifications to keep up
with the other "vintage" competition.
Dont' get me wrong, I like the "groundpounders" too. But I would love to
see vintage racing groups do some things that would make the atmosphere more
friendly to the rare and wonderful cars that are not quite as "updated" as
so many of the vintage cars have become.
Doug Meis
1967 Honda S800
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