67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
Anybody here ever run this event? I would like to build a low budget car and drag it down from the frozen north and try it... any advice let's have it!
Drag Week
- Thread starter 67autocross
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Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
We went with some friends running last year. Caught the bug and now have our project car.
"Low budget". Hmmm. I dunno. I thought medium budget and that is already pushing it. Lol
Take a look at the classes and results from last year. It's seriously competitive. Even street machine eliminator top 16 qualifying averaged I think 11.0x or less.
Depends on what low budget means to you and what skills you have. ;). And how dependable you can make it. A low budget strictly strip car is much different than one to drive 1k miles + in five days.
The Hot Rod category is cool. Less cars. Not as fast. (Remember all NHRA/IHRA rules).
Do you have anything to start with? Fox and F bodies are less costly to get into shape. You could take LS1 camaro/firebird, toss decent size turbo on it, roll cage, beef up rear and shed some weight. Or. Mustang.
I'd suggest going this year and tagging along. It's absolute blast and you can figure out first hand. People are awesome. You can follow along the route. Just book your hotels now. Lol
Hope this helped a little.
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
Hey thanks for the reply! I Have a 72 Scamp that is about as stripped down as you can get, it is currently sitting in a snow bank waiting for spring. A friend built me a 340 out of mostly used parts before Christmas and we have it off the Dyno and ready to drop in the car.
I also bought parts from Cope Transmission on the Black Friday sale and have a 727 put together for the car....so I guess I have the big 3 taken care of ( car, engine,trans ) I'm also have a bunch of other great parts for the car in my parts collection that should keep the budget in check. What I'm shooting for is to do it for $10,000 Canadian or about $7500 US.
As far as class I'm just going to pick anyone I can get into as my only goal would be to finish the week and not worry about results.
I also bought parts from Cope Transmission on the Black Friday sale and have a 727 put together for the car....so I guess I have the big 3 taken care of ( car, engine,trans ) I'm also have a bunch of other great parts for the car in my parts collection that should keep the budget in check. What I'm shooting for is to do it for $10,000 Canadian or about $7500 US.
As far as class I'm just going to pick anyone I can get into as my only goal would be to finish the week and not worry about results.
Walker434
Well-Known Member
That sounds like fun. I'm hoping to get some sort of overdrive in the Dart and attend within the next few years. That would be a lot of highway time for my 904 and 3.91s
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
I'm just going to switch pumpkins from 4:10 to 2:94....every day.
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
Awesome. Ya - I don't care about where we finish. Just that we do. Lol.
Don't forget about NHRA/IHRA regs. And tech at drag week beyond - the "street" rules: working signals, brake lights, etc. we watched more than few guys trying to get that crap working 2 cars out in tech Lol.
Are you gonna get small trailer?
Hope to see you there
jhnycuda
Well-Known Member
I ran the Hot Rod Drag Weekend in Oct 2015 with my 'Cuda, ran high 10s on the motor. This race was only 3 days/tracks, ( roughly 500 miles) had alot of fun, met some good people. I have driven my car on the Car Craft Anti Tour a couple times already, (roughly 800 mile each for me), so was pretty sure I would make it. I really want to run DW back east, but living in CA. makes it tough, would need a full 2 weeks vacation, then of course the expense there and back on top of the race itself, but it is on my bucket list. I did joke with one of the Gephardt brothers about being a trunk monkey one year, lol.
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
They try keep route off major interstates. For most part. Last year when we followed it was mostly older state 2 lane highways. Maybe averaged 50-55 mph. Lots slow down for small towns.
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
How far are the drives between events? I have 4:10's or 3:91's I could run in the rear and not bother to change gears, the 340 I have will rev to over 7000rpm so driving it at 3000-3500rmp for a few hours won't kill it.
mprhound
Well-Known Member
I have been to the last 4 drag weeks and finished all four ( a couple barley limping in, but finished!). Just an opinion, but switching third members for the drive might not work out so well. By the end if the week you will be exhausted, not to mention the valuable time it would take up everyday. Most of the route is through back roads and short highway stretches that you will be running 50-55mph any way, that should not be a problem for a 4.10 with a small block. My first year I ran 4.10 with a big block, and yes there where a few times the highway gear would have been nice, but it was no big deal, (certainly not worth the effort of changing third members). By the end of the week I was not licking the amount of time I gave up just to change the slicks and frontrunners! getting in before dark was way more valuable, especially if I had problems on the road, which I have, eg. head gaskets- (always fun pulling the whole top end apart in a trailer park!) clutch- nothing like putting a clutch disc in at a motel parking lot! valve train issues galore that ate up all kinds of time. Any way good luck with the project, whatever way you go with it, Drag Week is by far the most enjoyable car related event I have ever done, I recommend it to everybody who is even remotely interested in it!
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
Walker434
Well-Known Member
Wow you guys are about to talk me into it. My Dart cruises just fine from 50-55 MPH. Have they released the dates and what tracks for this year?
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
When: September 10 – September 15, 2017
Where: Cordova International Raceway, IL
Hot Rod Drag Week - Hot Rod Network
HOT ROD Drag Week presented by Gear Vendors Under/Overdrive is the event where street/strip cars are driven 1,000-plus miles on public roads during a trip that includes four dragstrips and five races in five days.
September 10 – Registration, Test and Tune
Cordova International Raceway
September 11 – Day One Racing
Cordova International Raceway
September 12 – Day Two Racing
Gateway Motorsports Park
September 13 – Day Three Racing
Byron Dragaway
September 14 – Day Four Racing
Great Lakes Dragway
September 15 – Final Day Racing
Cordova International Raceway
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
Picking up a set of Caltracs today on the local swap meet site and the leaf springs, so one more piece of the puzzle on getting the car together
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
Cool! Never heard anything but great stuff about them.
If you're experienced with em - nevermind. Lol
If not, I've been researching.
Torque specs:
Front spring eye bolt: 85 ft-lbs
Shackle nuts: 35 ft-lbs
Found this. May be helpful.
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
I have never used Caltracs but the guy who is going to drag week with me has, although he was running a B body.
Seems like there are some mixed reviews on caltracs on A bodies but I paid around $450us for the bars, springs and U bolts so if they don't work l will go back to the super stock springs that are on the car and re-sell the Caltracs
Seems like there are some mixed reviews on caltracs on A bodies but I paid around $450us for the bars, springs and U bolts so if they don't work l will go back to the super stock springs that are on the car and re-sell the Caltracs
Walker434
Well-Known Member
Well I booked my hotels today so I guess I'm going. Got a little work to do on the Dart to get ready. Should be fun!
67autocross
A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel
Cool! If your Dart is not under 4 feet of snow with no power train in it you are way ahead of me!
nwdart
Well-Known Member
Friend of mine I race with won it few years back with a 70 challenger 340 stroker runnin 10.36-7 gear vendor car. Still races with the trailer hitch reciever stricken out the back. Him and his adult son said it was the hardest thing they have done. Took exhaust off and on every day and burned up a crazy amount of race fuel. Get some extra sleep before you go and have a blast.
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
Cool. Good price.
Deucemopar
Well-Known Member
We just did too. It's nice that the tracks and thus routes are out in the country (for most part). But also means. Limited numbers hotels. Closest ones were already booked out.
Walker434
Well-Known Member
Weather has been good here this January. Been driving the Dart quite a bit. Getting ready to move the Battery to the trunk and install a cutoff switch. Other than that I think it's ready to go.
Walker434
Well-Known Member
Yeah the Hotels are already full. We barely got our rooms booked most of the places. I'm really excited about this trip! will be an adventure for sure.
Walker434
Well-Known Member
Someone who has been might have a better answer but I think there will only be a few 13-14 second cars there. Most of the others will be much faster. I am fearful that I will be on the slow end with high 11s. But, the way I look at it.... who cares? Just go and enjoy yourself. I'm on a budget so the car can't be much faster at this point but I think it will still be a blast!
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