Damn this is a long thread! I don't normally get involved with flame wars,
but I'll throw in my .02 fwiw...
A.) all else being equal, there is no substitute for CID
B.) not all races are in a straight line
C.) in a "run what you brung" 1/8th mile drag, I might be tempted to opt for
a VW over a V8
I used to race VWs, my last race in 1982 at OCIR --
www.calcube.com/bugdoct.jpg -- and there were a couple of turbo VW rails
that were turning 9s that day. This was at a time when VW racers were
beginning to experiment with turbos. And yes, keeping the motor together was
the biggest concern for those engine builders. There's no question that in
order for a VW to be competitive with a V8, it would require a much more
radical approach to engine mods, but because the cars are so light and with
the engine over the rear wheels, they left the line rather quickly.
Having said that, ny favorite muscle car was the '69 Z28 (factory crossram
with dual quads), with the '69/70 Boss 302 (with shaker scoop and rear wing)
a close second. By today's standards they weren't that fast, but they sure
looked like they meant business. We don't need no steenking aerodynamics (or
plastic)...
Love to see the pics of your '69, Bob.