Pure Stock Prep School - Part I: Engine

Dyno Tuning: Carb And Ignition
We prefer, when possible, to dyno any engine we build. Dyno testing helps us to continue matching the entire driveline as a whole or system. This will maximize the power output and address any flaws that are detected before the motor goes into the car, possibly saving work later. It gives a solid baseline for jetting from which to begin track testing. If the motor is well set up on the dyno, we'll need to do little more than change the secondary hanger to address weather changes at the race.

We also find a good base timing setting for each motor. We like to have the timing curve all in by around 2,500 rpm. We're not afraid to push a lot of timing into a Pontiac. Most race best in the 36-40 degree total range.

Dyno testing also gives us the power output and rpm levels at which the motor is functioning. With these two items available, it'll be easier to choose our proper gearing.

Conclusion
Remember not to get caught up in the semantics of the words "Pure Stock." These cars are actually amazingly close to how the factory shipped them, but they're nearing or have already passed their 40th birthday. With this in mind, there are few actual cars that could be, or are truly virgin enough, to be factory fresh. What we're trying to demonstrate is the level of detail it takes to create a fun Pure Stock car like the ones in the Pavement Pounder Shootout article. Whether your car simply meets the spirit of the rules or is a full-out Pure Stock racer, we hope you'll come out and enjoy the venue.

Pure Stock Musclecar Drags History and Engine Rules
It's hard to believe that Bob Boden and I have been hosting the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race for 15 years now. It started back in 1993 when we rented Milan Dragway and invited 20-30 of our friends to bring their musclecars out for some friendly racing.

When we moved the race to Mid-Michigan in 1995, Bob and I worked extra hard to get the word out about our race. We came up with a flyer to hand out, and we courted Tom Shaw at the old Muscle Car Review magazine (MCR) to check us out. Fortunately, he took the bait, and has been a strong supporter of the Pure Stock Drags ever since. Thanks, Tom!

Bob and I believed in the idea of "same place, same time" for our event so people could plan ahead to participate. We think that strategy has worked since we now attract more than 150 cars and more than 1,000 spectators!

We decided to call our race the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race-purposely using the word "Pure" in the name to weed out those cars that were already modified and thus not eligible to participate. Yes, most of the cars that participate at the race are not the literal definition of "pure stock," but you have to remember, these cars are anywhere from 34 to 53 years old now! They weren't bought by speculators, like today's musclecars are. They were more affordable, and bought by young people who drove them like they were intended. It's pretty rare to find one of these cars with the original engine that hasn't been rebuilt today.

To be eligible to participate, the car must be stock, and meet the following criteria:

• Eligible years are from 1955 to 1974
• Cars must have been built in a U.S. orCanadian assembly plant
• Cars must have had a minimum warrantyof 12 months/12,000 miles
• Cars must be factory equipped with aminimum of a four-barrel carb, dual exhaust, and other correct factory equipment that promote highperformance intent and image