Stock or not?

Jeff Erwin · Jun 21, 2021

My ‘71 Superbee was in it’s first car show this weekend and I entered it under the ‘stock’ category. But then I started wondering. To me it’s all stock but I have different valve covers and the 440 is equipped with headers. It’s the headers I wonder about.

Where is the line between stock and modified? I feel like I may be right on it.

slimt · Jun 21, 2021

I dont know. But it sure looks Nice.

WileERobby · Jun 21, 2021

The differentiation may be in the organization & it's "definition" of what's "stock". Stock steel wheels and exhaust manifolds were the first to go into the garbage back in the day.

64BEL · Jun 21, 2021

MoparLeo · Jun 21, 2021

Depends on who is judging and if they are going by a book or just their own thoughts. Normally up to 4 changes are allowed. Tires, wheels, headers, intake, carb, air cleaner, brakes, suspension etc... You just need to check what the judging standards are for the shows you enter. Ask up front what they are.

moparedtn · Jun 21, 2021

It's fine and you have a gorgeous car. Party on, Garth!

Jerry Hall · Jun 21, 2021

Around here they sometimes specify stock as in how many bolt on items are allowed.

Michael_ · Jun 22, 2021

You said it was a 383 originally so i wouldn't call it stock.
Radiator also looks aftermarket.

That said it still looks very nice and i think putting in a 440 six pack was a good choice.

VFilms · Jun 22, 2021

There were a lot of blue colors in '71. Yours looks to be Turquoise Poly? Pretty color, pretty car.

Darter6 · Jun 22, 2021

We call 'um "Day 2 Cars"
I wouldn't worry to much about local car shows.You got a fine looker there.
Mopar Leo is spot on.

MoparLeo said:
Depends on who is judging and if they are going by a book or just their own thoughts.

Bee1971 · Jun 22, 2021

Looks like GA4 Dodge Light Gunmetal Gray

Plymouth called it Winchester Gray

Favorite color

Looks Awesome

Can you provide more details on the car , THANX

I have been at many car shows and sometimes your competitors or competition will let you know if it’s STOCK or not , good or bad when it’s participating car judging

Like mentioned the bigger shows or judged shows (There own judges) will usually have restrictions and should let you know during registration or when there looking your car over

747mopar · Jun 22, 2021

If they don't specify then I say your good. To me I consider stock to be a car that looks stock, maybe everything isn't "original" but the parts are all ones that could have came on the car but you won't notice without a little research? Modified I expect to start seeing custom rim and tire sizes, custom interior, smoothed motor compartment, custom colors, etc.

Nice ride :thumbsup:

WileERobby · Jun 22, 2021

Back then, it was "what's NOT stock" that was the first question or what you looked at. At first, outside you immediately noticed the "mag" wheels (Cragars, Keystones, Ansens, whatever). Maybe a few performance "decals". As you looked inside, you gazed at the Sun super tach, the added gauges underdash next to the 8-track tape player on a slide-out bracket. Open up the hood, see the headers, custom valve covers, Accel super coil & plug wires, and maybe a few other odds & ends. Whether it was just one, a few, or many... we made our cars the way we liked ! "Day 2" was the norm.

Dave6T4 · Jun 22, 2021

I was at a local judged car show years ago. A guy shows up with his very nice restored '69 428 Mustang Mach I. He is very used winning his class and taking home a trophy. Another guy shows up with an immaculate 1963 Chevrolet SS with 409/4-speed. Beautiful black car with red interior. The Mustang guy goes around the car show scoping out the completion in his class. He must have decided the SS was a little too nice. He complained to the judges that this car had chromed hood hinges, and they were not stock. He protested until the judges moved the Chev out of Stock/Restored class into Custom. Mustang guy went on to win his trophy and went home with a big smile on his face. I prefer unjudged car shows to judged ones. There is a whole different atmosphere, with less tension.

Jeff Erwin · Jun 22, 2021

A little history on the car. I purchased it about 5 months ago from a consignment shop in the South. From what I was told it had been sitting for a long time in a protected warehouse. The brakes were rusted and shot, water and oil leaks, the front end suspension and steering were very bad and some of the gauges didn't work. No interior lights. Heater doesn't work. The engine ran very smoothly and transmission was strong. Windshield wipers were gone from the motor up. I spent a few months fixing everything to get it back on the road, able to stop and not catch fire.

It was repainted about 25 years ago, original color GA4. They did a good job on the paint although there are some spots on the front end that look like fluid spills, may have to have that repainted.

Now it runs like a dream, although the #7 plug wire keeps popping off. Not sure what causes that yet. It was in it's first two shows this last weekend and drew a lot of attention. Apparently not a lot of the '71 SBees left out there.

Jerry Hall · Jun 22, 2021

Michael_ said:
You said it was a 383 originally so i wouldn't call it stock.
Radiator also looks aftermarket.

That said it still looks very nice and i think putting in a 440 six pack was a good choice.

They call that acceptable upgrades around here.

Jeff Erwin · Jun 22, 2021

I always figured that replacement parts, like a radiator, didn't affect a 'stock' designation. It's almost impossible to find factory parts for a 50-year old car these days. The headers are the item that put me on the fence, but again replacement factory exhaust manifolds are not easy to find.

I'm not in any super-competitive shows so it probably doesn't really matter anyways...

Jeff Erwin · Jun 22, 2021

To add to the conversation, one could argue that any non-numbers matching car isn't stock any more. That would certainly limit the field.

Where would this stop? Replacement screws ok?

I have red MSD spark plug wires...

MIKESPOLARA · Jun 22, 2021

That show doesn't look big enough to be all that technical on "class specifics" I'm sure they have their guide lines. Very nice car.

Darter6 · Jun 22, 2021

Dave6T4 said:
I prefer unjudged car shows

Yep.

Stock or not?

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