Change in plans! Class question... Another one! With pics

[mynameisnotpete]

The engine we were going to buy fell through. So now we just bought a 62-70 Chevy Nova 4 cylinder. It is an old dirt tracker engine.

Here are the specs on what we are doing with the car.

The motor:
Nova 4 banger
Vintage Hilborn Mechanical Injection
Runs on Alcohol
In the neighborhood of 160 or so cubic inches
Modified water cooling system
Crank driven water pump and fuel pump

The car:

66 Chevy Nova
Upgraded front clip, Suspension and Brakes
Racing wheels and tires
Bone stock, all original car other than required safety equipment (Roll cage, Fire equipment Ect.)
No set back, No wing


I am thinking we would be running in the Classic Fuel Coupe F/CFAlt ??

Am I right? Please help clear this up. That rule book is so confusing sometimes.


If there is any more info that would be needed to clarify. Just ask. I will have some pictures tomorrow.

[Stainless1]

Looking at the book, it seems you have chosen correctly, but it also seems like there is more you can do to help yourself since you will be in altered. 
If there was a CFC class.....  oops, sorry, we just need more classes.... OK maybe not. Just kidding all you other guys, no hate mail required.

[mynameisnotpete]

That was my problem. There is no F class in the Classic Fuel Coupe. We really don't want to go to altered though. We thought possibly a production class. The engine was offered in our car so there are no problems there. There are no restrictions on the induction or ignition systems. So that is good.

But we aren't sure about running alcohol. I haven't seen anything in the book about a fuel restriction in the production classes.

[Dynoroom]

I see your problem, let's see if this helps. The rule book is laid out (sort of) in a way to allow a competitor to start out in Production class. This would be a basicly stock car with engine & safety mods. As such you need to run gasoline as we have no Production Fuel class. Then when you set your record you wanted to go faster so you added a quick change rear or a turbocharger to your vehicle and now you're in Gas Coupe. Again you need to run gasoline in this class. OK you set another record and want to do a little streamlining so you block off the grill opening & set the engine back 25%. Here you can run in a gas or fuel class. Then of course you set another record and now you're gonna chop the top and go for broke! Welcome to the Comp Coupe class. This is an over simplification of the class structure but you get the idea.

You would run your car in F/Classic Fuel Altered. There is no current record in the Classic class but you would run there.

I looked to see what the minimum might be to gain entry into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club and no minimum is listed so if you can get the Nova over 200 mph twice you just might earn a "red hat". Good Luck.

[Stainless1]

All production classes are gas only.  Once you stray into fuel, you are not production.  They didn't offer it burning only alcohol, and while it may that way sometime in the future, I would expect gas will be the only production fuel allowed in LSR for a long time.  There have already been discussions about E85 here.

[mynameisnotpete]

Here are the pics of the car. It's not much right now but it's a dang good start. We plan on running in 09.
With the team we have here at the shop, having the car ready should be no problem. Things get a little easier when you have a full restoration shop at you disposal! The car is complete with tons of extra stock and aftermarket upgraded parts.

The engine needs to be cleaned up, freshened up and a have a few things changed. (like the valve cover, someone butchered this one) Should be sweet once it is done and looking sharp!

[jdincau]

Check the compression ratio of that midget engine. It may be possible to run race gas. Since the Chevy II was a stock engine option you could run it in F production.

[mynameisnotpete]

What would the Ratio need to be to run race gas?

[Stainless1]

I would guess something under 14.5:1 although some run higher.  You will just end up with a lot of tuning work to do to switch.  Of course, you probably already have some to do, so it may not be that much.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[maguromic]

If running gas I would run the optimal highest compression ratio that my engine combination can get a way with before running into a situation of diminishing returns.

[jimmy six]

Myname....You might want to contact Joe Fontana of Fontana Automotive on the potential of your engine. He probably knows more about them than anyone and is an advertiser in our rulebook. His Fontana midget engine is basic on what you have. Good Luck