Last race meet of the season Yesterday.

I haven't posted here for a while.
Yesterday was the last drag meeting of the season. (southern hemispere life)
I haven't raced for at least four years, on account of having a couple of little kids, and the car I used to race in Just got too hard to keep up and running.
So with my extensive fleet of broken down wrecks all being, well, broken down wrecks.,
I did the next best thing. And borrowed someone else's car to race in.

As luck would have it my dad has a '70 aussie valiant hardtop. (Very like a '68 dodge dart from the front windscreen back) It was running a 340.
But he gave it a birthday.
340 block
eagle 4" crank
eagle SIR rods
Incon forged pistons (4.080 bore)
RHS heads supplied by Brian
Comp cam (241'@50)
Pacemaker headers (they're tri Y, but I don't know the pipe size off the top of my head)
Air gap
Carterbrock 750cfm
904 with full manual valve body. (I can't recall the guys who built it off the top of my head)
Stock torque converter, tweaked to a 2800 stall. (Brian said the Cam wanted a 3500)
Borg Warner type 75 diff, with 4 pinion type 78 lsd centre. (2.92:1)
M&H 235/60/14 DOT drag tyres.

It was the first time I'd driven the car since he fitted the full manual trans. And with the crappy column shift, and the tendency it had to get a wiggle on off the line i kept over selecting 2nd. And then clipping neutral instead of third. Plus the car had no rev counter.
But once I dropped the tyre pressure a bit more (We started off at 20psi, Dad was a bit concerned that it might get a wander on if the tyres were too soft) I cut a 13.0 on my last run. And I still did wee blip past "D" too.
Unfortunately For some unknown reason I didn't get a MPH on that slip. (It just said 3.45??)
BUt the run prior which was only a 13.9, I trapped at 105.

Considering I didn't have the feel for the car, there was no tacho, and I had no idea what pressure was in the rears, (or even if they were both equal) 13.0 is pretty good with a 2.92 rear end.
I have absolutely no doubt that there's at least 2 tenths improvement from getting the technique perfected.

Sorry for the essay.

I'd forgotten how much fun drag racing is.
I'm pretty keen to build a dedicated car for the strip.

Good story!

I forgot to add that the car still runs a belt driven fan too.

After the lasts run, there were some undesirable noises coming from the car. Turns out two of the torque converter bolt bosses had been heli coiled, and they pulled out.
One bolt was M.I.A completely. (Might be sitting on the pan rail web?)
And the opposite one wouldn't go tight.
Being as to how mopars don't break down, and we're optimists. (Read dumbass's) we only bought a jack to swap wheels, and a timing light.
So we went and asked one of the comp teams really nicely if we could pretty please borrow some jack stands, and a few tools. (They even less us use their concrete pad, as most of the pits are grass)
Removed the little sheild, and pryed out the bolt that wouldn't go tight. (The helicoil insert was still in the threads of the bolt) Left the inspection plate off so the missing bolt could find it's way out if it had to. And the car made it home.