Pro Stock chassic`s from the late 60`s to 80`s?

[John Pol]

Has anybody scratchbuild a chassic for the the old pro stocks? If so have any photos to share how you guys did the chassic and some of the componets.

John Pol

[Len Woodruff]

It will be interesting what gets posted here. I would think for the Late 70's early 80's were pretty much like the Monogram Pro Stocks. I am building the 78 Dyno Don Fairmont and the chassis is mostly from the Thunderbird Pro Stock.

There weren't any 60's Pro Stock since the Class started in 1970 didn't it?

[John Pol]

It mite of started in the 70`s but there your a lot of late 60`s body styles for when pro stock started. Like 69 Barracudas and mustangs etc.

[1320wayne]

The actual Pro Stock class came to be in 1970. Anything prior to that was the equivalent of a Super Stock/Sportsman style class of car and most cars from that era were stock chassied or mildly enhanced from stock. To the best of my non technical data and opinions from being present at the track during this prime time of pro stock (the 70's) I believe that it was mid 70's time that drivers started to advance their race car designs with partially tubed chassis cars to eventually full tubed chassis cars. I have plenty of research material on two such cars, Grumpys Monza and Carltons Mopar Missle that shows front tubed chassis. Once you get into the late 70's into the early 80's your chassis reference is going to pretty much resemble what you would find in the early 80's Monogram pro stock kits to some degree.

Again, I'm sure that others here can chime in with much more technical, accurate data than what I can provide. One of the best forms of research is to get your hands on any NHRA rulebooks from the eras that you are looking for.

[John Pol]

Thanks Wayne for your imput anyway you can show photos of what you have on this subject.

John Pol

[2whl]

The very first ProStock race was at the 1970 Winternationals, won by Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins

fom Wikipedia

NHRA changed the 1972 rules to allow drivers with a small block wedge engine to run a lighter car. Jenkins used a small block-based 331 cu in (5.42 l) in a Chevrolet Vega fitted in the division's first tube chassis, which debuted at the 1972 Winternationals.

Edited July 21, 2013 by 2whl

[iBorg]

The first pro stocks were modified super stocks. The first heavy hitters were Sox and Martin with a modified stock chassis. Others cars of the first two years were modified stock chassi with wheel tubs and roll cages, nothing approached the full chassis cars. NHRA allowed tube chassis mini cars such as Pintos and Vegas with small blocks. This changed the game. Suddenly modified stock chassis cars were two tenths off the pace and obsolete. Most of these cars used either square or recutangular main frames with round tubes replacing everything else. These were full race chassis with the cages tied in both the front and rear suspension.

Grumpy's cars were always at the front with chassis design while Chrysler seemed to have more body mods such as relocated wheel wells. The late 70's cars had chassis very similar to the Monogram pro stocks. If you have an early Monogram pro stock, the Fords were Don Hardy designs. The Camaro/Firebird was an Alston chassis. The big difference between these designs and the late 70's designs were the use of A arm suspensions. By the late 70's they were all McPhereson struts like the Monogram kits. The Alston chassis was modified during its production run with the addition of a funny car cage.

[ScaleDale]

Heres a Nostalgia Pro Stock link from another forum:

http://theamcforum.com/forum/lets-go-nostalgia-pro-stock-racing_topic20972_page1.html

And a shop restoring Grumpy's Toy X:

http://bangshift.com/blog/shop-tour-gallery-high-speed-welding-westmont-illinois-they-have-grumpys-toy-10-photos-inside.html

Dale

Edited July 21, 2013 by ScaleDale

[Burnout]

This link "Pro Stock Innovations" will give you a few clues. I've been working on an early '70's p/s and there is not a whole lot of photo documentation out there beyond exterior views. It seems Grumpy's Vega was the first to use a tube chassis.

http://www.nhra.com/userfiles/file/NDLiveFiles/Features/2005-PShistory.pdf

[gtx6970]

Tube chassis cars didn't show up till sometime approx late 1972 or 1973 . so prior to that it would be a basically stock floorpan with maybe some aftermkt suspsension traction aids

[gonzo64nova]

Heres one of Tom West's Pro Stock cut-a- ways, its the 80s Firebird of the M&M Boys. These illustrations are great for modeling all the details in these cars. - Bill