Well Don, the technology has changed so much. Some things could be done easier and faster because of that, or just out right better. But there is a lot of things that still have advanced to the point of being unobtainable to the average guy without a good # of sponsors and/or deep pockets. Jim and Cotton raced out of their own pockets, and each had a wife and kids also. Today, to field a competitive 6 cylinder Comp car, you have to match or equal the pocketbook of Rob Harrison's Igor all billet block and cylinder head, or the AJ billet headed Ford of Steve Ambrose. Simply duplicating Cotton's old powerplant today probably wouldn't even get you into the 4th or 5th alternate spot in qualifying. Its kinda' like comparing an 8 track tape to a CD by comparisons sake.
Today, the engine of choice a lot of racers are using is the Atlas 4200 engine, which several racers are claiming an easy 3 HP/CID in N/A trim. The cost of maintenance and upkeep to get this kind of power #'s out of them, compared to the older 292 style engines is hands down the way to go. You have an engine that can make over 100 more HP with 50 less cubic inch, and in classes that have lb./cubic inch rules, you just cant compete or be competitve against that kind of handicap.
The main expense in Cotton's engines was always the head, everything else was pretty simple to get off the shelf.
Many people might not know, but Cotton was just one of several dozens of well known racers that Headrick's race shop did engines for, for over 20 years, and the many others were all equally famous or successful in their own respective fields, whether it was drag racing or dirt or asphalt round track, or off-shore boat racing. Cotton was probably by far the most profilic and winningest that there was or still is as far as 6 cylinders go.
As far as cost to do it today on a competitive level, I couldn't even guess. I know for some of the V8 Comp guys, the cost is well over $100 grand a year.
The 250/292 style engines still have a huge potential for the Inliner events that the club puts on, and is a pretty economical street/strip engine even for bracket racers also.
