We all can dream, can't we? Well If I ever get a financial windfall I would like to go super stock racing. The thing is, since I would be starting out I wouldn't want to spend a ton of money.

The biggest question, in SS can you swap the motor that came with the car for an aftermarket unit? If so, here's my "setup:"

A low-cost, late model car like this: Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com

Engine: GM ZZ383 and any required parts for it: GM Performance 12498772 - GM Performance Parts ZZ383 C.I.D. 425 HP Engine Assemblies - summitracing.com

Carb: Holley Performance 4500 Ultra Dominator HP Products

Trans: TH400, I heard that the TCI ones are among the best.

Headers: I would probably go with Hooker long-tubes.

Of course, wheel tubs for some nice slicks.

I estimated a car in race-ready condition with all the goodies listed here (I don't need flashy, just something that's reliable, fast and sounds good) would be less than $20K without anything like a trailer.

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Q: What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?
A: Nacho cheese!

Answers to your Q's...

No on the swapping.You can use any 350 block,but it has to go larger by an overbore,not stroking the engine.


Carb must remain the OEM unit,although superceded units are allowed.

A caliber car will have a Rossler,Turbo Action or other custom built tranny,and not a TH400.The 200R4 is now the hot setup.

Hooker long tubes...Again a caliber car that will run the numbers will get a custom set of tubes made.Some of the custom built stainless headers are $3000.

A race ready caliber car to qualify will be a lot more than 20K.Not trying to rain on your dream,just being honest.What you have outlined is a very nice bracket car,and there is NOTHING wrong with racing brackets.Now..what is cheaper than super stock,but also very fun is stock eliminator.

Get a rule book,you can get a lot of info there.

Going to the Gatornats?? If so I'll see you there.I'll be crewing on a good friends stock eliminator car.

Thanks for the info. My dad and I are going all 4 days to the gators and for some testing.

BTW, what do you think of the reher-morrison motors? The "entry-level" is $12K and I think is the super series 412. Seems like a nice engine....

__________________
Q: What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?
A: Nacho cheese!

I've heard nothing bad about R-M engines,although I've never used them either.(Mopar only here)

I'll be there all 4 days also,the friend's car is a Chevrolet Camaro stocker.

That is great advice from Chris. As a matter of fact, I think my friends are tried of me helping them with their stockers and super street car and convinced me that with their help , I can build me one.
So now I am in the process of building a super stock car and if I had to do it over again, I would buy one complete.
The car I am building is a 1985 camaro Z28 with a 1964 283c.i. motor. This car will fall into the GT class(GT class you can use any motor as long as it is the same make as the car, SS class must have same make and same year). It has to have the carb that came with the motor(4GC $800 rebuilt by Deano) in 1964 and before this year, it had to have a powerglide transmission. They change the rule so that now any chevy transmission can be used(of course they changed that after I brought a powerglide and shifter).
If I didn't have such great friends, my car would be over $20,000 and it is not on the track yet. A friend of mine took my sort of stock camaro and added a 4 link and a 12 bolt rear end, wheel tubs, cage, body work and paint and all I had to do was buy the parts and paint(around $10,000 for all that) Reworked cylinder heads(from 1964 283 motor) and modiflied Victor E intake $5,000. and I have not gotten the bill from the engine shop but have spent at least $3,000 in engine parts and still have headers to order. There are a lot of good complete, ready to run SuperStockers or Stockers way below what I will pay to have mine built.
Also try building a bracket car first but don't cut your car up to much so later you can use it to be a super stock car.
Hope this helps.

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Stock4405
Superstock4342

Building a car may sound like a lot of fun,and it can be. In the long haul you will find out you spent considerably more than if you went out a bought a complete racecar,even if you don't like certain aspects of the car. My advise would be to start looking on racingjunk.com. .....you may be surprised at some of the bargains that are out there just because the owners want out ASAP.

I think if you are planning on a 10 or 11 second SS car you'd be better off not tubbing it. The car will be fastest on the smallest tires that will hook. Not the most consistant mind you but that can be dealt with. Looks at the guys running stockers in SS, 9" tires in classes as high as SS/DA.
That will save some expense and give you more class options including running in Stock with minor or no changes. Since nowadays they don't run all classes at all events you couldn't run a SS car at the Gators last weekend... which sucks... but you could have run a car that fits both D/S and SS/G.