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Old 09-03-2010, 06:46 PM
StealthBird StealthBird is offline
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Default Re: 1969 Camaro....is this legal?

That's a nice webpage, and some great photos!

Only thing I noticed that was incorrect was:

"For 1968 and 1969, a loophole in the SCCA rules permitted Pontiac Firebirds to run Chevrolet engines, as that's how they were sold in Canada."

They never made ANY 67-69 Firebirds with Chevy engines in Canada. The "loophole" that they found was that other Canadian-built Pontiacs were sold with Chevy engines, but never the Firebird. The SCCA didn't bother to check, and the Titus Firebird was allowed to run with a 302.

The reason they used the 302 was that Pontiac and their Special Projects Team were having trouble with their new tunnel-port 303 RAV engine. The 302 was an established engine, using proven factory parts. Pontiac had to start from scratch as they never had a "small block" in their inventory. They had to make a short deck block, forged crank, and heads for a 303. Everything was new, so it took much longer to develop.

Since they needed the racing experience, and Herb Adams had made some significant advances in the suspension area of the F-body, they decided to run a Chevy 302 in order to get track time. The Camaro/Firebird handled phenomenally well, and Herb Adams's suspension work would lay the foundation for the Trans Am.

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