[JLMounce]

I watched the thread about Big Chief and his excursion into the Pro Mod series with great interest. There was a lot of speculation about whether he'd continue to run a Pontiac mill or not. Some think it can be done, others think it can't and yet other think that it might be possible but not financially reasonable.

I haven't seen anything else up here, but there's been some interesting items come up through social media. For your consideration I present the following.

Comp Cams post.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKuchWIg...mpcamsofficial

Butler Posts.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKorAsSA...lerperformance
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKorqtIg...lerperformance

The posts from Butler are of specific interest to me because there appears to be two. That second engine in the last post could be anything, so that's highly speculative, as is this whole thing.

But, I think it's fun to speculate and I think it would be really fun to hear that chief is even trying to stick with a Pontiac (or whatever you want to call a modified architecture block) in his Crowmod.

[455TA]

He is putting an all Aluminum 482 from Butler in the crowmod and he's using his cast iron 482 in a new street car he is building. So although people thought he was going to sellout and get a hemi, he is still using Pontiac power. Only lighter and better.

[Nicks67GTO]

Have you seen the all billet aluminum Pontiac block/heads/intake that Rodney Butler is building for some Ben Wilkinson guy? Iv'e seen some of the stuff on Facebook. Its crazy. Super cool....super expensive

[Matt Meaney]

that is chief's new solid aluminum block. scroll down a bit to see the pistons too. he's putting the heads from the iron block on this one.

https://www.facebook.com/thecrow405/

[Kevspontiacs@aol.com]

From the looks of the valve reliefs it doesn't appear that hes using RA V's. Damn

[Tom McQueen]

He needs a pair of these.

[Aaron Quinton]

Warp 6's would make him competitive in NHRA. They would definitely help.

[ponjohn]

I know he is reusing the Butler E-heads.

[BruceWilkie]

Originally Posted by Tom McQueen

He needs a pair of these.

Yes or Billet CV2 or Visner. OR... a break from NHRA allowing him higher boost with the E-head!

[mgarblik]

There are several billet and cast Ram Air V configurations that would provide the flow and port volume for Justin also. They retain a closer association to the Pontiac brand which seems to be important to Mr. Shearer. Otherwise, he would just use a dedicated racing engine like everyone else in Pro Mod.

[Matt Meaney]

my vote would be for the Kauffman hemi heads, but I don't think any of this matters. it is my understanding, that the NHRA has to approve the parts. as far as I know, only the E-heads and IA (iron) block are. correct me if I'm wrong.

anybody know how he did at darlington this weekend?

SGMP is next weekend. there should be some coverage of that somewhere.

[mgarblik]

I do not think the NHRA "parts approval" deal would apply for Pro Mod. This is because this is not an official NHRA Pro Class and even if it were, it's essentially an Open class dictated by the specific set of rules to limit performance and try to keep the cars more or less even. The NHRA parts approval I believe is more for sportsman classes where replacement parts are used . So I think he can run whatever he wants as far as block or heads if it meets specific rules for the class. As far as getting special treatment because he has chosen to run a passenger car engine instead of a dedicated race engine, I don't see any incentive for NHRA to do this. Why would they want to do anything to make a stock block Pontiac, the only stock block period more competitive? If he chooses to continue down this lonely path, he will be on his own along with a couple of other crazy nuts like us.

If he somehow manages to make the show with any kind of Pontiac power, he will add his name to "Pontiac Hero" list.

[LiL Jack]

Originally Posted by Tom McQueen

He needs a pair of these.

A billet head would be better.

[Aaron Quinton]

Agreed. I'd spec KRE billet hemi's if it was me. I see those heads as having the most potential for a Pontiac in NHRA Promod.

Originally Posted by LiL Jack

A billet head would be better.

[Flyin79bird]

https://www.facebook.com/thecrow405/...3516795784091/

Just leave that here...he is knocking on the 3s door.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tom Vaught]

Great Job, Justin, with the 4.01 ET.

Tom V.

[PAUL K]

EHTTFMF!

[ventura7211]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Great Job, Justin, with the 4.01 ET.

Tom V.

Threes are within reach for him.

All the talk about NHRA pro-mod lately, this class is full of NHRA and outlaw promod engine combos and a mix of composite and oem roof/quarters cars.

So far a standard bore space sbc has been 3.88 with twin turbos, 3.9x with a screw, and I'm sure a 4.5 bs sb will be in the 3.8xs this weekend too. All oem shell cars.

The pack is led by 481x twin turbos and a 900+ nitrous combo, a few 526 hemis with roots and screws has the potential to move to the top as well.

A little more variety to compare to than in NHRA where all run one of 3 similar combos....

[dci]

What is the attraction of Billet heads? Do you really need billet heads to run in the 3's? It appears from Justin's performance with the Edelbrock heads which we all know are not race heads. You do not!!!! Justin looks like he is going to make good on his word and be the first one in the 3's with a traditional Pontiac, and he is going to do it with an antiquated out dated under dog. One that everyone including our little group stated it cannot be done. I say he sticks with his street racing roots and uses cast parts, ingenuity, and shearer ( a little play on words LOL) determination to go out and play with the big dogs. To me it fits better than going out and doing like everyone else in that class and building a one off billet loosely resembling power plant that no one outside of Promod racing can even identify with. Are billet parts cool to look at ? Yes, but now you have just stepped away from the main stream crowd and our identity. I support Justin no matter how he decides to go because I respect his determination to stick with an under dog, but if he goes billet. I just won't be as interested in seeing the results anymore. Just my 2 cents.

[J.C.you]

Making the bottom of the field and being competitive is two different things. If Justin is wanting to do that and be satisfied eheads will probably work. I would like to see a set of erics billet heads used. Two tenths in that venue is a mountain.