Where Did All The Mopar Drag Racers Go!!!

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to pettybludart I WILL SEE IF MY OLD DIG.CAMERA STILL WORKS ,IF SO I'LL TAKE SOME TONIGHT AT TRACK. THANKS GARY.
 
I sent a reply to this very interesting thread earlier but it didn't turn up. Maybe this one will.
You don't see too many Mopars because of the total cost involved. You can build 2 fast Chevys for the cost of 1 Mopar! I'm a Mopar fanatic or I wouldn't be here. The corporation we have supported has repeatedly crapped on us and it has been that way since the demise of "Direct Connection". Look at the cost of the hemi crate engines. Believe me, if they cut the price to half, they would still make money. The aftermarket manufactureres base their pricing on projected sales and Mopars are at the bottom of the barrel. They will sell easily 10 Chevy or Ford parts for 1 Mopar so the unit price of the Mopar HAS to be higher. With Chrysler's pricing and marketing, they are relying on the past before NHRA factored Mopars out of drag racing. Well, those days are gone! The Mopars you see in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock are nothing you can buy or afford to buy!! Guys like Mancini who are old time racers with old time Chrysler roots are also fighting to survive. They pay the price too. The fact is that you can build a quick Chebbie with parts you find laying by the side of the road! With the advent of the lightweight and easy to find and buy 302 HO Fords, things are doubled against us. The preponderance of successful Mopars - especially the S/S and SS/Ah cars - are the ones with such deep pockets that nothing matters! Money changes everything. Ken and Russ at Indy can build you engines no one can beat....if you have the money!! So can Barnett and Hensley and Wescott! I remember when a Reher and Morrison BBC for 10,000 dollars was big money! Chrysler is having trouble but it is by their own doing and in doing so, they have made it really hard on those of us who have supported the marque. We don't have anything but the poopy end of the stick to fight with. Chrysler may not survive. They are not even doing what they promised Don Garlits. You have to be really loving a Mopar to put everything into one and go out and get beat by a bad Chevy that cost half as much to build! I've seen it so many times! In spite of what is against us, I have found on FABO the finest collection of people ever. I am stopping participation on most everything else. It may not make sense but damn it, we are enjoying our Mopars. I am sick of all the Camaros and Mustangs and as far as I'm concerned, if you drive a MOPAR, you ARE a STANDOUT!!!!
Pat
 
HI PAT WELL LAST NIGHT AT LAKELAND MOTORSPORTS PARK WAS GOOD, WITH MY DART THERE WAS 6 MOPARS 4 DARTS ONLY 2 DUSTERS. 2 OF US RUNNING SMALL BLOCKS, ONE WAS A SUPER GAS CAR RAN MID 5s. I WENT TO FAST IN 2ND ROUND BUT HAD A BLAST. I WAS RUNNIG 7.0 98MPH. there was a stroung head wind we had some gusts in the mid 30s . and a Mustang rolled in the traps. the driver went to hospital, thought to have broken ribs form rollcage bending in. THE BIG BLOCKS WERE ALL IN MID 6s, the other small block was runing same times as I was. and your right they do stand out . a couple of people told me they really liked my dart because it stands out over the rest of the race cars. next time I go out I'm going to tri the nitrus sustem on a couple of passes. I only used it once when I first Bought car I had a friend driving it and it went 6.4 if I remember correctly the mph was 105.
 
I went out to LACR for the test and tune a few times. Just when I started getting more confident and was looking into doing a little bracket racing it closed down. Need to look into going out to Fontana now that I got my carb and timing dialed in. Thats the last 1/4 mile track near me here in socal. All the others closed up or went to the 8th.
 
I'm on Vancouver Island in Canada, and here are some pics of the Mopars that showed up the past 2 years at the drags in Port Alberni. For how many cars were there, the Mopars were limited. But still quite a few!

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1968PlymouthGTX440.jpg

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1966PlymouthSportFury440.jpg

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thanks for sharing these pics mike...I love car ****, but drag car ****, especially mopars is my favourite!
 
I LOVE ALL THOSE PICS.,THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Alright guy's and gals. I'm hereing it CAUST A LOT LESS TO BUILD A CHEVIE, OR FORD, BUT I CANT'T BELEAVE THAT. IV'E BUILT BOTH SMALL BLOCK,AND BIG BL CHEVS.& FORDS, SPENT MORE ON FORDS. LISTIN TO THIS, I BROKE A REAR U/JT.AND DRIVE SHAFT IN FEB. ON MY DART, AND IT LIKE ALWAYS BROKE THE TRANS CASE. IF YOU ARE LUCKEY IT ONLY BRAKES THE TAIL HOUSING. GUEST WHAT KIND OF ALUIM. DRIVE SHAFT FITS A DART, 2000 FORD EXPLORER, 52.0 INCH. 50.00 . U/JTS BRUT SOLID 12.00 EACH . LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE 904 CASE ,COMPLETE TRANS CASE 100. READY TO INSTALL. THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART WAS ,THE TYPE 4 VALV. OIL AT 6.00 A QT. i'M A DIE HARD RACER AND CHANGED THE CASE, IT TOOK ME 3 HRS. YES I HAD A LIFT. NOW I'M TIRED OF HEREING IT COST SO MUCH TO RACE A MOPAR!~ BULL ****! IF YOU WANT TO RACE A MOPAR GIVE UP THE BEER AND CIGS. YES IF YOU WANT TO GO EXOTIC WITH SOME VERY BIG INCH. BLKS YES IT CAN COST A LOT BUT IF YOU DON'T BUY THE EXOTIC CRANKS AND WHAT GOES WITH IT YOU WILL SAVE. IF YOU THINK I'M KIDING YOU, YOU NEED TO CK. THE INTERNET. YOU NEED TO GO TO THE RACES, AND QUIT MAKEING EXCUSES. PUT YOUR CHEEKS IN THE SEAT! AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE TRACK
 
flboatman1 said:
I LOVE ALL THOSE PICS.,THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Alright guy's and gals. I'm hereing it CAUST A LOT LESS TO BUILD A CHEVIE, OR FORD, BUT I CANT'T BELEAVE THAT. IV'E BUILT BOTH SMALL BLOCK,AND BIG BL CHEVS.& FORDS, SPENT MORE ON FORDS. LISTIN TO THIS, I BROKE A REAR U/JT.AND DRIVE SHAFT IN FEB. ON MY DART, AND IT LIKE ALWAYS BROKE THE TRANS CASE. IF YOU ARE LUCKEY IT ONLY BRAKES THE TAIL HOUSING. GUEST WHAT KIND OF ALUIM. DRIVE SHAFT FITS A DART, 2000 FORD EXPLORER, 52.0 INCH. 50.00 . U/JTS BRUT SOLID 12.00 EACH . LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE 904 CASE ,COMPLETE TRANS CASE 100. READY TO INSTALL. THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART WAS ,THE TYPE 4 VALV. OIL AT 6.00 A QT. i'M A DIE HARD RACER AND CHANGED THE CASE, IT TOOK ME 3 HRS. YES I HAD A LIFT. NOW I'M TIRED OF HEREING IT COST SO MUCH TO RACE A MOPAR!~ BULL ****! IF YOU WANT TO RACE A MOPAR GIVE UP THE BEER AND CIGS. YES IF YOU WANT TO GO EXOTIC WITH SOME VERY BIG INCH. BLKS YES IT CAN COST A LOT BUT IF YOU DON'T BUY THE EXOTIC CRANKS AND WHAT GOES WITH IT YOU WILL SAVE. IF YOU THINK I'M KIDING YOU, YOU NEED TO CK. THE INTERNET. YOU NEED TO GO TO THE RACES, AND QUIT MAKEING EXCUSES. PUT YOUR CHEEKS IN THE SEAT! AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE TRACK
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I agree with this guy 100%...i think the only areas mopars may cost more is in original repop parts, but even there the other brands are very similar...the whole its more money to build a mopar is b.s....parts might cost more, but you dont need as many of them on a mopar as you do on a chevy or ford lol
 
I just got in from the strip, was a grand total of two Mopar's out of about a hundred cars. A couple Dusters, saw a dragster with what looked like a 440 in it. Were a bunch of Mustangs and Chebby's. Was a little cool and drizzly this morning so there wasn't a big turnout.
 
PFogel said:
Dustery is right. I've been there, done that! You can build two fast chebies for the cost of one good Mopar. The very corporation we have helped to keep alive has crapped on us with their parts deals and since after market production numbers are so much lower for Mopars, the unit prices of the aftermarket manufacturers is higher. I have found most racers with a Mopar who are successful have very deep pockets. You can just about build a quick chebie with parts you find laying along the side of the road! Look at the rediculous prices of the hemi crate engines. Just look what valve covers cost! Now you know I am a died in the wool Mopar man even though I successfully raced chebbies in the past. I wish there was some way that we could unite and protest Chrysler's pricing both from their Performance Parts Div. and the others like Mancini. I lived in St. Pete for a lot of years and raced at Sunshine Dragstrip and of course Bradenton and it was really rare to see a successful Mopar even then. I remember a guy named Sonny Rowlett who ran a dart called "Pride" that was consistent and another fellow with a 340 Duster that consistently won brackets at Sunshine. He was a good friend of Alan Kent and hung out at his garage with the Pontiacs. I guess I'm showing my age! Good luck at Lakeland. I have a friend up here from Brooksville with a yellow 440 Duster, a really nice car, he he will be going there real soon. On FABO he is "jeffro" so you can click search and see pics of his car. If you are the only Mopar there, big guy, you are THE standout!!
Pat
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:bootysha: BULLSHIT !!! You're just not doing it right
 
flboatman1 said:
HI PAT WELL LAST NIGHT AT LAKELAND MOTORSPORTS PARK WAS GOOD, WITH MY DART THERE WAS 6 MOPARS 4 DARTS ONLY 2 DUSTERS. 2 OF US RUNNING SMALL BLOCKS, ONE WAS A SUPER GAS CAR RAN MID 5s. I WENT TO FAST IN 2ND ROUND BUT HAD A BLAST. I WAS RUNNIG 7.0 98MPH. there was a stroung head wind we had some gusts in the mid 30s . and a Mustang rolled in the traps. the driver went to hospital, thought to have broken ribs form rollcage bending in. THE BIG BLOCKS WERE ALL IN MID 6s, the other small block was runing same times as I was. and your right they do stand out . a couple of people told me they really liked my dart because it stands out over the rest of the race cars. next time I go out I'm going to tri the nitrus sustem on a couple of passes. I only used it once when I first Bought car I had a friend driving it and it went 6.4 if I remember correctly the mph was 105.
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I was there and was surprised at the amount of Mopars that did show. I was helping Rick set his wheelie bar on the Black 572 cu. in. Duster. I remember your car. I was also at the end of the track administering first aid to the guy that rolled the Mustang being a fireman. I use to run there and will in the future when I get my 68 NSS Dart done. I added a picture of my last car to see if you remember it. 67 SG barracuda, I sold it to pay for my daughters wedding, It has been a good investment, I have a great son in law.


67-1.jpg
 
What are you guys whining about? Take a look at how many slant six powered Mopars are at the track. Usually just me.

I also take exception to the statement it costs more to build a Mopar. My 66 Valiant 225 slant six, only cost $1500 to build, including buying the car. Do the work yourself, and shop the bargains. The car 60 ft's at 1.78, and 1/4 mile 13.6's at about 94 mph.

I have been to Lakeland, Bradenton, Moroso, Sunshine, Gainesville, Jax, in Florida, with my Valiant or Cuda, when I can afford to go. It costs me more to race, then build the cars. I mostly travel to Mopar meets in different parts of the eastern U.S. Sometimes over 1600 miles round trip, to compete in the "Slant six" racing series.
 
Charrlie_S said:
What are you guys whining about? Take a look at how many slant six powered Mopars are at the track. Usually just me.

I also take exception to the statement it costs more to build a Mopar. My 66 Valiant 225 slant six, only cost $1500 to build, including buying the car. Do the work yourself, and shop the bargains. The car 60 ft's at 1.78, and 1/4 mile 13.6's at about 94 mph.

I have been to Lakeland, Bradenton, Moroso, Sunshine, Gainesville, Jax, in Florida, with my Valiant or Cuda, when I can afford to go. It costs me more to race, then build the cars. I mostly travel to Mopar meets in different parts of the eastern U.S. Sometimes over 1600 miles round trip, to compete in the "Slant six" racing series.
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Damn boy, I'm impressed 13.6 very respectable.
 
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