Was the Vega "Illegal"? Or was it just a clever interpretaion of the loophole when Hemi's had to run 7lb/ci, Canted Valves (BBC and Cleveland Fords) 6.75 and wedges 6.5lb/Ci?

426 Hemi had to weigh 2982
331 chevy could weigh 2151.5 but I seem to remember (nearly 40 yrs ago and I was only 10 back then...so 'cut me some slack' ) there was still a 2300 lb minimum.

I don't believe there was a minimum wheelbase when the vega debuted, but in 75 or 76 the NHRA added different weight factors for cars under/over 105"....hence the G&R Tiujana Taxi and the 70 Mustangs

It must have been a heck of a loophole cause soon after Jenkins showed up... Dyno Don, Gapp & Roush and Glidden & Allen drove their 351" Pintos right through it too

I believe Jenkins 74 Vega was the first PS to use McPherson Struts and I know he 'pioneered' the dry sump for drag racing (though I doubt he claimed credit for inventing it since it was well understood in the Aviation world and likely in indy cars for decades), I think I still have the Old Car Craft magazine somewhere.

Anybody got pics of the Old Dave Strickler Melrose Missle with the JK stickers on it? Da Grump started out with us but switched to Bowties in the mid-60's, some say because he couldn't get any of the factory $$$. If only he did, huh?