A/FX Nova Question

409envy

Well Known Member
I thought I would pick your brains on this one since the usual google search doesnt turn anything up. I am looking for info on the old Factory Experimental Chevy II/Nova race cars with the Z11 engine (or Mark IV). I am particularly interested in the front bumper treatment. What is the piece that they have mounted where the bumper would normally go? It looks like an bumper or filler panel that was turned upside down or maybe it was something made from fiberglass? Any info would be great.

Pic:
http://www.georgeklass.net/uploads/3/2/2/1/3221030/3335451_orig.jpg
 
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mark johnson

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I'm pretty sure those were Bill Thomas items because they appeared on many of his race cars. For a long time I wondered if they were aluminum or fiberglass and I believe them to be aluminum because I have a close-up photo of them somewhere and they are dented up. I only know of one set still in existence.
 

mark johnson

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
BTW, those bumper cut-outs were probably intended for brake cooling ducts as these bumpers first appeared on the road-race intended fastback Novas. They still look cool on the Drag car versions!
 

dm62409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
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The reality is that none of those non-factory pieces would have been legal for NHRA National Events in A/FX. Those Nova's or Chevy II's were used for match racing only...
Although the AHRA had a class for most of the Z-11 Chevy II's , S/SX ( super/ stock experimental ). Don't know if you could use the straight axle there though. Heres a couple pics. of Dick Harrell's car from 1965. Also not sure if the same car had been both red, and black, or if it was two different cars.
 

bjburnout

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 4
..........if you like this era and enjoy stories about match racing here is an excellent book......:appl
just received it thru Amazon for about $40.....:good.......hi quality glossy print photos.......:read
61iuvog0G8L._SX385_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
 

George Klass

Well Known Member
Some interesting side notes on the Factory Experimental classes with NHRA. It was introduced in 1962 at the Winternationals in Pomona, CA. None of the cars entered in A/FX in '62 were factory built cars, all were built (or converted) by their owners. In 1963, only the Chevy Z-11 and the Pontiac Swiss Cheese cars could be said to have been factory built cars, and at the time, they were built to compete in S/S, not in F/X. NHRA disallowed them for S/S so if they ran at NHRA events, they ran as F/X cars. Ford didn't build a factory F/X car until 1965, with the Mustangs. They did offer "pieces" that could be used to build an F/X car, primarily light weight body parts, beginning in late 1962. If I remember, the Mercury Comet F/X car was introduced in '64, and Pontiac introduced the 421 Tempest as an F/X car in '63. And as far as Dodge and Plymouth, I don't think they ever offered a factory built F/X car. They tried with the AWB cars but they were disallowed by NHRA before they ever ran.

There has been plenty of misinformation over the years about the difference between a "legal" F/X car and a Match Race car. Basically, there were no rules for a Match Race car, whereas the F/X cars could not deviate very much for rules for the S/S class. Pulling the front bumper, using a tube front axle, running with non factory light weight parts, cars like that were never allowed to run in the F/X class. F/X was a great class but Match Racing was where it was at. Remember, F/X only ran at NHRA National Events, and I think there was only two or three National Events in the beginning of F/X. Plus, there was no money in it. The money was in Match Racing.

http://georgeklass.net/fx.html
 
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