Let’s build a race car

[Speedy!]

These things are why I've always approached my projects with a KISS mindset. Never was the fastest, well held the M6 record for a day once lol, but a lot more fun and less headaches and for what I wanted (fast street car) it was easier.

I reckon you've come this far you'll persevere.

@Marc W I figured a long time ago you just enjoy the build process maybe more so than the racing. Nothing wrong with that if it's your thing.

 

[1971demon]

These things are why I've always approached my projects with a KISS mindset. Never was the fastest, well held the M6 record for a day once lol, but a lot more fun and less headaches and for what I wanted (fast street car) it was easier.

I reckon you've come this far you'll persevere.

@Marc W I figured a long time ago you just enjoy the build process maybe more so than the racing. Nothing wrong with that if it's your thing.

Did that all in the early 70's as an 18yr old...had a good job...but every penny went into the car...(many times had no money for lunch)...it was fun...(4 yrs.)..car ran great...that was a long time ago..and it's over...now I just enjoy watching the amazing things you guys do on here

 

[Speedy!]

I've mentioned a couple times I'm kinda losing interest in racing as well, not sure why, just not motivated to load up all the stuff, drive an hour and a half, switch the tires over, make 3 or 4 passes, switch the car back over, drive 90 miles back home, and detail the car to clean it up. All while HOPING the track is decent or it's all of nothing spinning off the line.

It kinda became work. I haven't been in almost a year, maybe I forgot it's fun. Moparty is coming up in about a month but I don't wanna leave the 170 sitting out over night so I doubt I'll even take it. I looked in to renting an enclosed trailer and found a place that's $120 a day, but they require a 3/4 ton truck to pull it and Crew Chief Greg's is a 1500.

 

[Marc W]

These things are why I've always approached my projects with a KISS mindset. Never was the fastest, well held the M6 record for a day once lol, but a lot more fun and less headaches and for what I wanted (fast street car) it was easier.

I reckon you've come this far you'll persevere.

@Marc W I figured a long time ago you just enjoy the build process maybe more so than the racing. Nothing wrong with that if it's your thing.

Actually…. I do enjoy the project a lot more now than in the past. Some of that has been that I get bored with repeating the same thing anymore and I’ve been racing one thing or another for a long time. Over the years I’ve raced everything from Speedway motorcycles (stadium dirt flat track) five nights a week and Pro Stock motorcycles in the NHRA (top 10 in points four years). Then this never ending project comes along to give me something to do in retirement. I had the car running back to back 8.20’s and could have been very competitive running 8.5 index classes. Boring 🥱. Problem is I have offers from others in the let’s go real fast catagory that have been too good to refuse and ended up taking longer then they were supposed to. I can say one thing…. I have learned a ton.

 

[jonx96]

A lot of this is why modern cars have been a cheat code for 8s or even 9s and how easy it has made it. A few bolt ons and you are don’t. Built engine built trans bolt ons well into the 8s. 15 years ago it wasn’t so easy to go 8s or even 9s.

 

[1971demon]

I've mentioned a couple times I'm kinda losing interest in racing as well, not sure why, just not motivated to load up all the stuff, drive an hour and a half, switch the tires over, make 3 or 4 passes, switch the car back over, drive 90 miles back home, and detail the car to clean it up. All while HOPING the track is decent or it's all of nothing spinning off the line.

It kinda became work. I haven't been in almost a year, maybe I forgot it's fun. Moparty is coming up in about a month but I don't wanna leave the 170 sitting out over night so I doubt I'll even take it. I looked in to renting an enclosed trailer and found a place that's $120 a day, but they require a 3/4 ton truck to pull it and Crew Chief Greg's is a 1500.

For me..It was easier...the 1/8 mile track was 20 min away...the 2 ,1/4 tracks...both within a half hour...my son was born when I was 21.....my wife said NO MORE drinkin beer banging and clangin on that race car in the garage ...you have an infant upstairs...(game over)...kept the car on jack stands in the garage for a year...it was mint...finally sold it to a 21 year old kid who campaigned the car for 10 years...he won the points championship @ all three local tracks one year...and made the cover of National dragster magazine...(with my original motor).....he has hundreds of photos...I have none...he is supposed to send the files to my computer...I just haven't bugged him enough

 

[1971demon]

Actually…. I do enjoy the project a lot more now than in the past. Some of that has been that I get bored with repeating the same thing anymore and I’ve been racing one thing or another for a long time. Over the years I’ve raced everything from Speedway motorcycles (stadium dirt flat track) five nights a week and Pro Stock motorcycles in the NHRA (top 10 in points four years). Then this never ending project comes along to give me something to do in retirement. I had the car running back to back 8.20’s and could have been very competitive running 8.5 index classes. Boring 🥱. Problem is I have offers from others in the let’s go real fast catagory that have been too good to refuse and ended up taking longer then they were supposed to. I can say one thing…. I have learned a ton. View attachment 171507 View attachment 171508 View attachment 171509 View attachment 171510 View attachment 171511

Wow...I mean wow....what a racing career....especially admire your two wheel exploits

 

[Marc W]

Wow...I mean wow....what a racing career....especially admire your two wheel exploits

Fun until it wasn’t 🫣. I crashed the dragbike at 160mph. Fractured my neck, my left hand and forearm, took my kneecap down to the bone and broke my left foot in half. There was nothing left to salvage of the bike. And….. That was that. That’s why now I have a roll cage.

 

[zhc]

Fun until it wasn’t 🫣. I crashed the dragbike at 160mph. Fractured my neck, my left hand and forearm, took my kneecap down to the bone and broke my left foot in half. There was nothing left to salvage of the bike. And….. That was that. That’s why now I have a roll cage.

Ouch! I'm glad I didn't have to learn the hard or tragic way before I went with a 25.3 cage for the speeds I'm going. An extension to Jon's point, it's really easy now to get these cars to run 9's, 8's, and 7's in my case. Often the build outruns the harder to obtain and invasive safety items because of cost, time, or the idea of building a fast street car vs a safe race car.

 

[Marc W]

Ouch! I'm glad I didn't have to learn the hard or tragic way before I went with a 25.3 cage for the speeds I'm going. An extension to Jon's point, it's really easy now to get these cars to run 9's, 8's, and 7's in my case. Often the build outruns the harder to obtain and invasive safety items because of cost, time, or the idea of building a fast street car vs a safe race car.

That was when I was younger and stupider. One consideration I have now is my cage was upgraded to the 25.5 cert from a 1 5/8” tubing 8.5. I can’t go any faster then 7.5 without pulling out the whole thing to increase tubing size. Even with my connections… that isn’t going to happen for free. I’m screwed. We deal with NHRA tech guys that take it more seriously then some others and they really pay attention when you go real fast. We have one of the faster west coast Hellcats out here (you tune for him 🙂). He’s been getting away with running under his cage cert and getting by at some of the track rentals at Bakersfield. I saw where he got kicked out at the recent Redlist race there. I have a feeling he’ll be paying a visit to Jason Carlin soon. My car will be sharing a space with Escobar in the upcoming LA Auto Show 😁

 

[zhc]

He’s been getting away with running under his cage cert and getting by at some of the track rentals at Bakersfield

Maybe I'm not recalling correctly but I think he already did upgrade to a 25.5 cage from Carlin. They got him over his belts being expired at that last event.

 

[Marc W]

Maybe I'm not recalling correctly but I think he already did upgrade to a 25.5 cage from Carlin. They got him over his belts being expired at that last event.

I just assumed he still had the old cage. Expired belts! 😂. I saw the video of Alex asking for mercy and reminding the guy he was the race sponsor. Guy said he didn’t care. I keep saying that’s why we need to check all the boxes out here. West coast track tech guys are dicks.

 

[Speedy!]

For me..It was easier...the 1/8 mile track was 20 min away...the 2 ,1/4 tracks...both within a half hour...my son was born when I was 21.....my wife said NO MORE drinkin beer banging and clangin on that race car in the garage ...you have an infant upstairs...(game over)...kept the car on jack stands in the garage for a year...it was mint...finally sold it to a 21 year old kid who campaigned the car for 10 years...he won the points championship @ all three local tracks one year...and made the cover of National dragster magazine...(with my original motor).....he has hundreds of photos...I have none...he is supposed to send the files to my computer...I just haven't bugged him enough

Mrs. Speedy and I both said "Nope!" to kids, so I don't have that excuse. Just moving on to other stuff maybe.

We just got home from Mexican, and a group of 30 somethings came in all with their kids. What a freaking circus. One Mom ended up taking her daughter to the car and sat in it the entire time. I wanted to tell them they'd have been better off going to Taco Bell.

 

[1971demon]

Mrs. Speedy and I both said "Nope!" to kids, so I don't have that excuse. Just moving on to other stuff maybe.

We just got home from Mexican, and a group of 30 somethings came in all with their kids. What a freaking circus. One Mom ended up taking her daughter to the car and sat in it the entire time. I wanted to tell them they'd have been better off going to Taco Bell.

Well...we only had one...and he was brought up right...he had no say in things...

 

[fumanchu182]

Today's success, fuel system fcks. Not even trying hard and had zero leaks on pump start.

Absolutely abysmal, trying to reuse the booster/mastercylinder with new brake lines. Dodge has proprietary bullshit connections and not normal brake flares. So I get to replace the entire master cylinder now. If @zhc or @Marc W know the bore size behind the booster please let me know before I order something. I'm doing the Summit racing brand to save money, just need to know the bore size to order the right one.

 

[fumanchu182]

@Speedy! I feel this way but the Hellcat is so built now it's not even funny. However I think putting a bigger pulley on it and going back to 10.0 class is probably where it's at. I don't even want to go fast anymore and people still don't grasp how fast 10.0 is. I did the whole 9.5 deal, car is dialed in for sure but it's at that threshold where shit breaks, I'll stick to 10.0 and be happy. I have a tough decision to make soon. If the car is not ready by sept 1st, the Hellcat will live again, but not both. If the car is not ready it will sit till spring of 2026.