What class in 65?

I am designing the lettering on my 65 Plymouth Valiant Signet (Ya I know it looks like a Dart but its a Canadian built Plymouth). I'm going for the 60s Drag car look. What my question is: If this car was built in 1965, what class would it have run. 440/727, full interior, no fiberglass. 3129 lbs with the big block in it.
Thanks Rob

 

Not sure whether it'd be an F/X car or Gasser.

 

The 440 came out in 66 I think......

 

If the engine is in the stock location it would have run stock class or maybe FX. I don't think you could buy a dart or a valient with a B/B in it and to have a B/RB it would have had to have had an early 383.

I don't think that they came out with a B/B dart until around '68. At least the '68 GT is the only one that I know of i and it was a low deck motored car.

 

I have a '64 book here, next one I have is '68...
Anyhow, in '64 FX required new model (only) stock parts but allowed mixing said stock parts into other same year and make models...so if rules didn't change much in '65 car could have run as FX, though you'd have to pretend the 440 is a '65 413. From a quick read, in '64 engine and body would need to meet stock class rules as '65's even though actual use of the engine was not stock.
Car could also have run as Modified production or gas class...
In general, FX and SS type cars were very popular at this time and I think FX would have been the general choice for a new car.

 

The 273 was the biggest engine in an A body in 65. I thought Modified Production but was not sure. I'm not gonna need to be bang on the rules, but with the type of car set up and grafix that I want to use, I want it to be in the ball park. I think the big block engines for 65 were the 383, 413, 426 wedge. I'm running 413 heads on the 440 (its what I had) so it can be dressed like a 413 anyway. Just wondering what the engine replacement restrictions were for the different classes so I could narrow it down. Rob

 

Thats what I worked it out to be as well. A/mp Rob

 

A/G. I think the motor size and weight are to much for B/G

 

Sounds like you have it worked out. That's where I would have tried to run it. It was a popular and tough class in the mid 60's.

 

Thanks guys, A/MP it is. Rob

 

in my days, engine change was automatic gas class

 

Hey Rob, sent you a PM.

Thanks!
Tom - Glass_Packs

 

I've seen lots of pics of cars running in different classes at different events. For example NHRA vs IHRA sanctioned events.I saw a pic of the 64 Nationals where Bob McDaniel ran in the B/FX class but his car (64 Dodge Wagon with a Hemi) clearly designated B/MP. confusing to say the least... Rob

 

I just looked at a 64 Rulebook for modified production engine rules: Automobile engine required. However year, make, and model are optional.

And yea, folks jumped classes a lot. If MP looked to tough for the day and no Gas class cars showed up, you could run Gas as long as your car met the rules. I've seen Gassers run in Altered too.

 

FX was kinda a restricted version of the gas and MP rules...cars had to be new, and had to use all stuff from same manufacturer but NOT necessarily same model...the real point was to allow stock-looking new model cars to run big engine in small body to make life more exciting. Stock (as interpreted in stock rules) and late model were BIG driving forces at this time...NHRA wanted factory $$$ to flow into dragging, and hotrodders had moved away from traditional modified cars and first into super stockers, later into muscle and pony cars. Most owners of a car that fit 3 categories potentially would have chosen FX because that was the trend of the day.