Back to the basics...

[chryco69]

At the beginning of this month, a few friends and I went to the drag strip (1/4 mile) for a test and tune. There was a decent amount of cars there.

Just in observation, I saw many high dollar cars (mainly GM garbage) that were running in the 10's and high 9's. When I walked past the cars in the, "pits", I was practically blinded by the amount of billet aluminum that was underneath the hoods of these cars. The nitrous systems, turbos, crate motors, etc. These racers also had high dollar RV's, enclosed shop trailers, and 4 seat golf carts. Majority of these cars were running in the 10's and some in the high 9's.

I then stopped to see this guys 1971 Chevrolet Nova (454/automatic). The motor had cast heads, stock charging system, and black rubber fuel line hose. It looked very simple and primitive. The damn thing ran 10.20's consistently on all motor!

It just shocks me how wrapped up people get in spending money on certain parts that honestly really don't make that much of a difference.

Your thoughts?

 

[famous bob]

At the beginning of this month, a few friends and I went to the drag strip (1/4 mile) for a test and tune. There was a decent amount of cars there.

Just in observation, I saw many high dollar cars (mainly GM garbage) that were running in the 10's and high 9's. When I walked past the cars in the, "pits", I was practically blinded by the amount of billet aluminum that was underneath the hoods of these cars. The nitrous systems, turbos, crate motors, etc. These racers also had high dollar RV's, enclosed shop trailers, and 4 seat golf carts. Majority of these cars were running in the 10's and some in the high 9's.

I then stopped to see this guys 1971 Chevrolet Nova (454/automatic). The motor had cast heads, stock charging system, and black rubber fuel line hose. It looked very simple and primitive. The damn thing ran 10.20's consistently on all motor!

It just shocks me how wrapped up people get in spending money on certain parts that honestly really don't make that much of a difference.

Your thoughts?

what gets me is the $ people will pay for a whole bunch of serpentine belt stuff. a simple belt and pulleys looks better to me than all that garbage on the front of the motor.

 

[Big Dad]

Hard to tell home much someone does or doesn't have into a car by just looking at it .

That car that just looks like a ol junker might have nice parts hid just to make it appear that way .

A 71 Nova running low 10's without seeing the car would need to have some nice pieces it would need at least 620 hp

http://www.wallaceracing.com/et-hp-mph.php

More like 650 , not going to make that with "stock stuff"

I don't get too worried about how others spend their money

 

[barbee6043]

the 71 nova guy obviously did a good job with his setup!! the clock tells the story, not the glitter or the bucks in the rig to get there!!?? LOL

 

[chryco69]

Hard to tell home much someone does or doesn't have into a car by just looking at it .

That car that just looks like a ol junker might have nice parts hid just to make it appear that way .

A 71 Nova running low 10's without seeing the car would need to have some nice pieces it would need at least 620 hp

http://www.wallaceracing.com/et-hp-mph.php

More like 650 , not going to make that with "stock stuff"

I don't get too worried about how others spend their money

Yeah, "nice pieces" which are internal!

 

[flyfish]

Hard to tell just by looking what something runs...you can get a pretty good idea, but its tough. Take this picture for example...any guesses on what these mopars run?

 

[flyfish]

Hard to tell just by looking what something runs...you can get a pretty good idea, but its tough. Take this picture for example...any guesses on what these mopars run?

Going from left to right in the back, 1/8 mile times on a typical summer day:

Red Duster (340): 7.6x
Sublime Dart (360): 7.0x
Red 69 Barracuda (440): 6.9x
Red 64 (I think?) Plymouth (real Hemi car): 7.2x
Green Dart (stroked BB): 6.7x
Demon (440): 6.8x

And my car up in front on a typical day (stroked 360), 6.7x

 

[cj391]

I'm a big fan of the sleeper/shitbox look lol. I think my v-belt is from the 90's.......its been picked out of a ditch or two in its time lol.

 

[chryco69]

I'm a big fan of the sleeper/shitbox look lol. I think my v-belt is from the 90's.......its been picked out of a ditch or two in its time lol.

WHY DO YOU HAVE A CHEBBY HOOD ON THAT MOPAR???? You are most definitely into the **** box look lol

 

[cj391]

Haha Thanks, couldn't find a six pack scoop tall enough.

 

[318willrun]

How about a 15,000 dollar enclosed air conditioned trailer, 45,000 dollar diesel dually, all to pull a junior dragster..... I've seen it!! lol. All what a person has to spend. I personally like it when someone tweaks, tunes, and runs off of brains. You talk about a 10.20 454 cast head Nova, I seen a 10.35 cast head, single holley 340 duster. Or how about a cast head, cast intake (stock), Thermoquad all steel Demon go 10.90. It is amazing what one can accomplish if they really do the trial and error task... But you are right, most call and order, by credit card or machine shop, and what it runs it runs.

 

[crackedback]

How about a 15,000 dollar enclosed air conditioned trailer, 45,000 dollar diesel dually, all to pull a junior dragster..... I've seen it!! lol.

Come to Fontana and you'll see toterhomes towing a huge stacker with jr dragsters in it!

 

[doogievlg]

If you got the money and your happy with the power then why not spend some time making it look good? My darts got rusty panels and a stock looking motor with the exception of aluminum heads but I can understand these guys wanting to make their stuff look good. I could care less for it in a 10 second car though.

If I had a door car running in the 8s or faster I would want it to look damn good. Also I think dragsters should always make their engines look clean. I'm not a huge fan of the chromed out big blocks on dragsters but the guys running greasy old nasty parts on a dragster just aren't as appealing for me.

 

[moper]

Chances are that Nova was purpose built to look that way. You fell for it...lol. The thing about racing is - as much as you have to spend if you don't have the knowledge and experience, you can have the best of the best and still look stupid and lose. I have much less respect for the checkbook guys than the guys that can tell you why their stuff works rather than who built what part and what it dyno'd and then go out and run numbers that indicate a much different story. That's usually the guy that gets on the phone Monday blaming someone else for the problems too...lol.

 

[A body]

I might add that alot of people that "hobby" race tend to keep their performance level above that $$ 9.99 $$ number that requires another shoe box of money. I roll into the track with my diesel pickup, enclosed 28ft trailer, and golf cart. I try to make my car appealing to me which is a clean, well kept appearance. If I ever have the ways and means to have a diesel pusher motor home, hell yeah I'll be on board! Nothing better than being at the track for three days and having a nice bed and shower and a little sunday football on between down time.... I could get used to that!