Class question

[Mearsgang]

We have a 1969 Camaro with an unaltered body running a 439? LS based engine with ECU.
What class does this fit into. Thanks

[Stainless1]

Do you have a rule book?
Does your car meet all the safety requirements in the rule book?
 
If it does not, then you are 130 or 150 Club at a USFRA meet... provided you comply with those safety rules.

If you meet all the requirements for LSR safety, it sounds to me like you are a B gas coupe. The record there is a tad over 237MPH

So the take away here is get a rule book, read it to determine what you need to do to competely comply with the rules of the class you want to run. 

[Saltfever]

As Stainless says you really need a rule book. Your car could fit into 2 Categories (Classic or Modified) depending on minor changes.  The engine swap puts you in a Gas class in either category.

Classic category (1928-1981) fits your year and body style and is more favorable to your body. Modified category is a body up to the current year and can be considerably sleeker putting you at a aero disadvantage. Kind of why the classic category was created. The difference is you have to run older technology i.e., no EFI unless it was OEM on the car. IOW, a carburetor or mechanical FI. Even though the LS may be OEM EFI for that motor, the 69 body never had EFI so no classic category. Removing the EFI and adding the carb, or mechanical FI,  lets you run Classic classes. If you want to run any computer managed, active feedback, EFI, then you stay in Modified category at an aero disadvantage.

Your rule book is your friend and will save you more money that you can imagine. But we don't race to save money do we! 

[Stainless1]

We may have spooked Mearsgang with 237+ but even classic is 232+... what's 5 MPH between friends?   
So I would recommend if you have a 4 point cage already, try 150 Club... if not start with 130... those only happen at the USFRA World of Speed.
Good Luck with your adventure 

[kiwi belly tank]

A word of wisdom for newbies, there are a whole lot of cars that aren't record contenders but race for the fun & personal achievement of it. Go to a meet & talk to the people with similar vehicles that you are interested in running.
  Sid.

[anthony young]

Like Sid mentioned go to the guys who are running in the classes you're interested in they know a heck of alot more than the people who don't. Anthony

[Stainless1]

Well I think unless his car is already a full race car his best option is USFRA Club Racing.  It sounded like it was a street car they just want to run at Bonneville.  Lots of folks don't realize the amount of investment and changes required to meet the safety standards at Bonneville. 

Option B might be mile racing, but they also have safety equipment requirements and speed limits based on safety.

I think we all would recommend going to the races before you decide to race, look at the cars, talk to folks with vehicles like the one you imagine yourself building or driving.

[Mearsgang]

Thanks guys you?ve have been a big help. I do have a rule book just taking some time to understand it and don?t want to make expensive mistakes. We are having a roadster shop chassis  built just curious if that will create any problems class wise. Looking at modified unblown gas coupe. Want to run EFI with ECU so classic won?t work. Any recommendations on wheels and tires to run.

[jimmy six]

4-5 wide rims on the front and 5-7" wide in the rear and tires rated at 200mph+.. You must meet the class record on safety requirements including tires. Many run Goodyear front and rear; some use M & H on the front for the smaller diameter.

[MRK]

Thanks guys you?ve have been a big help. I do have a rule book just taking some time to understand it and don?t want to make expensive mistakes. We are having a roadster shop chassis  built just curious if that will create any problems class wise. Looking at modified unblown gas coupe. Want to run EFI with ECU so classic won?t work. Any recommendations on wheels and tires to run.

Just a suggestion but you may want to table the questions about class requirements with the SCTA committee head who oversees the class you intend to run in. They are all listed in section 16 of the rule book. They will help guide you through the pitfalls that await someone who is not familiar with the SCTA requirements. I not saying that the wealth of information you get from the people who chime in on this forum isn't valuable but, it's best to have documentation from an SCTA official in case you are questioned about something. You are welcome to message me, and I can help point you in the right direction if you like. Good luck with your project.

[Saltfever]

. . . don?t want to make expensive mistakes. We are having a roadster shop chassis  built just curious if that will create any problems class wise.

You might have already made that expensive mistake. Not sure what you mean by "chassis".
See Page 79 (at the top)
"The following items shall be retained in the stock location and be of the same year as the body: Frame. . . .

You have a uni-body car. There is no empirical frame! People have added extensions to tie the sub frame to the rear but a totaly, new frame, may be questionable. As mentioned get it in writing from your class Chairman. There other things about the frame being no lower than the lowest point of the body looking from the side (or sumptin like that) but I can't find it now and it may only apply to comp coupe class, not you. You are getting into a delicate area and there have been many issues since a gas class is essentially pure STOCK body and chassis work. One year David Freiburger set 3 records (or so he thought) only to find out someone didn't like the looks of his front air dam (or something even more trivial than that) and he lost 1 of the 3 records.

[1leg]

I strongly recommend finding a chassis builder that has cars currently running at Bonneville. Your typical drag car chassis builder is not going to get it right. A guy showed up last year with a very well built car, but it was to drag racing standards, it did not past tech. he went home without ever making a pass and is now having the car completly redone.

[dw230]

I beg to differ. The "guy" mentioned above made as many runs as anyone all year.

DW