The Procks, where are they going? (4 Viewers)

[nwspeedshots]

Wasn't the Rodeck chevy based?

 

[Litefoot]

When Ford had the 427 SOHC motor, run by Don Prudhomme & others, it was said it made more power than the Hemi. But Ford only made so many engines, and that was that. NHRA some years later banned SOHC and DOHC engines in nitro classes. My opinion is that the Chevy Rat motor wouldn't be able to flow enough air & fuel (cuz of head design) to be competitive in nitro today. In the early 70's, there were some Chevys that were very competitive. Thinking of Lidtke & Zeller, who at one time set the record at the old Irwindale, at 5.87, if I remember right. Maybe Ray Zeller worked for Keith Black, & said they ran the engine like a Hemi, & that is why it was so competitive. There were a rash of Rat motors in that time period. Also, Mickey Thompson ran a Boss 429 Ford Mustang in AA/FC. It was the car that had the monoque (spelling) chassis, really radical car for it's time. I think MT also had a Pinto with a Boss 429. Some teams ran the Boss 429 cuz could not get the SOHC motor.

From what I’ve seen the SOHC had cam chain issues, maybe by the time someone figured out gear drives it was to late for what supplies were avalible

 

[lp66me]

Wasn't the Rodeck chevy based?

I believe it was a tall deck big block. 481 cid.

 

[Dragracer]

From what I’ve seen the SOHC had cam chain issues, maybe by the time someone figured out gear drives it was to late for what supplies were avalible

Pete Robinson and Harvey Crane developed a gear setup for the Ford Cammer that worked perfectly.

 

[tb]

Just a reminder Ford pulled the plug on all racing in January 1970.

 

[Nunz]

I believe Tommy Grove ran a Ford in his nitro FC for awhile too.

 

[J. S.]

Don't forget Connie Kalitta ran Fords (with factory support) during his early Top Fuel years. But they were too difficult to maintain and couldn't be repaired fast enough between rounds in the event of breakage.

In Ed Pinks's book, he talks about the development work he did on the "Cammer" for Lou Baney's dragsters in the 1966/67 time period, also with factory support. Later, he built Cammers for Gas Ronda's early Funny Cars. But when Ford ended the factory support, that effectively ended the Ford era in fuel drag racing.

 

[T.Smith]

I believe Tommy Grove ran a Ford in his nitro FC for awhile too.

I believe Larry Gould out of St. Louis ran the Cammer thru the 80's. Maybe even early 90's.

 

[Cliff]

John Rodeck designed & built the Rodeck, based on Chevy rat motor. It was aluminum. He raced T/F in 1960's & 70's, ran 392 Chryslers. One year, maybe 1972, had a short wheelbase back motor T/F, with the Rodeck engine. I think he later built Rodeck Chrysler engines, the blocks & heads. Smart man.

 

[Cliff]

Photo: John Rodeck | REAR ENGINE DRAGSTERS album | LOUD-PEDAL

LOUD-PEDAL photos: John Rodeck

public.fotki.com

Rodeck in his pre-chevy days.

 

[J. S.]

Photo: John Rodeck | REAR ENGINE DRAGSTERS album | LOUD-PEDAL

LOUD-PEDAL photos: John Rodeck

public.fotki.com

Rodeck in his pre-chevy days.

A great shot of Rodeck in what looks like a very early Woody "front-driver" car, with one of the soon-to-be-obsolete slingshots in the far lane.

 

[Under_Pressure]

Someone on Facebook posted an invoice from the 80s for a couple Rodeck blocks. I guess John Rodeck's main business was working on printing presses or something because the invoice was from Web Graphics Maintenance, Gardena CA.

I am a big tractor pulling fan, and when I was younger there were still plenty of iron block Chevys running, but if you ran a wedge headed Chevy with an aluminum block it was usually Rodeck. The other popular one was the Arias hemi headed Chevy which became Fontana which is now Miner Brothers Racing and is still pretty popular. But like many other blown alcohol motorsports things have gravitated towards the Chrysler hemi design. Ken Veney being heavily involved for the past 20 or so years has probably contributed to that.

 

[Butch]

Someone on Facebook posted an invoice from the 80s for a couple Rodeck blocks. I guess John Rodeck's main business was working on printing presses or something because the invoice was from Web Graphics Maintenance, Gardena CA.

I am a big tractor pulling fan, and when I was younger there were still plenty of iron block Chevys running, but if you ran a wedge headed Chevy with an aluminum block it was usually Rodeck. The other popular one was the Arias hemi headed Chevy which became Fontana which is now Miner Brothers Racing and is still pretty popular. But like many other blown alcohol motorsports things have gravitated towards the Chrysler hemi design. Ken Veney being heavily involved for the past 20 or so years has probably contributed to that.

Arias was popular in the Alcohol Drag boats also.