Any car drag racers on board?

[Instigator]

Thinking of a slight diversion in hobbies.

Drag racing has been on the top of my list for competition since I quit racing kneel downs........., 25 yrs ago.

Been down the track multiple times on bikes and cars both but prefer car.

In what I call, “fun per dollar”, drag racing is tough to beat.
There are four tracks within an hr of my house.

I also enjoy the wrenching part as much as the driving. Boats too.

Heres what I’m thinking and please, anyone w/experience, suggestions, feel free to jump in.

Have been 12.60’s @ 110 in my old 440/6 pack Super Bee and experts agreed it was a 11.50 car w/an auto and gears.
I remember thinking then that I would probably be happy at that level.

So if I target mid 11’s, naturally aspirated (low cost/maint) for old school points, a stick car, ideally semi street legal, light weight (free speed), easy to work, hi aftermarket/spare parts.......etc, I keep coming up w/a fox body Stang.

Always liked the cars, tons of parts and checks all the above boxes.

My buddy Yammer, has a wicked quick version that was in the low 5 teens a yr ago when saw him at Norwalk raceway.
He likes my thinking and agreed w/ease of hitting target.

Just watched a Hot Rod TV segment where they did just that.
W/a mild motor, stock suspension and 3.73’s went 12.60’s @ 110.

I know they’re are a ton of other options out there but the better ones are more complex motors, harder to work on etc.

What do you guys think?

Thx, Gary

[idvette]

I have seen Yammer's Mustang, top to bottom it's as clean a car as you'll ever find. That would be the perfect platform for you, and is already built to go fast. The border can't be closed forever!

[XstreamVking]

Those lil stangs are not much more than a street legal go cart. Very light. I had an 86 302 EFI and it was quick stock. Parts galore and easy to work on.

[nitro_rat]

You're a Mopar guy already. It should be pretty easy to put together a 2000 lb (no joke!) 63-66 Valiant. Find a 2 door post car. Shortest wheelbase lightest Mopar that will take a bolt in V8. Shove in a junkyard 318 (google 318 build and you'll find several simple 400 hp recipes). Do the math on a 400 hp 2000 lb car. Gear it according to your tire size choice for the ET you want to run. That's going to be my next build after the 67 Dart I'm doing now...

[powerabout]

Can only be one thing Instigator....a 2 stroke in a drag car

[Instigator]

Thx for the quick replies guys

I only referenced Yammer’s stang as what is possible w/o cutting one up or breaking the bank.
I couldn’t afford that beauty as a roller!

To me, one of the strong positives of that breed is how many are sale with, or w/o power that already have the goodies bolted to them.
Ive seen $5k cars for sale w/$5k of bolt ons!

Yes I still like the Chrysler’s but when the market went bonkers for them, that really turned me off.

I would still love to build a small block Duster which could easily made sub 3000 lbs.
Price range would make it a stripped down trailered race car though.
Thats a negative.
I had ‘69 340 Dart that was a rocket.

A 2-stroke Car....,hummmmh, no ��
I don’t want to reinvent the wheel to get to the track.
Done that way too many times already.

I do like the idea of something different and I love the smaller, odd ball motors.
Like an-line 6 or a 4 banger.
Then your finding the weak link every weekend until the car is reengineered to handle the new power.

If it is to also be a street car too, You then need torque.

Oh yah, must also do great burn outs.

[FUJIMO]

Grew up as a Ford guy. Know all you need to know about the 60's/70's/80's Ford stuff. BUT!...have been an LS guy in modern times. A slowback(notchback) Mustang with LS power of your choosing is hard to beat as "fun per dollar" project. 100% streetable grocery-getter as well. Have been bouncing mine off the raised limiter for years & comes back down and purrs like a kitten. Look up an old Hot Rod Magazine article from I think 2011, called "Big Bang Theory" and read it to the very end. The end is the best part. Keep in mind, there is an enormous supply of information, cheap stock parts, & aftermarket parts, since then, as well.

[LakeFever]

Only two rules to racing

#1. How fast do you want to buy?
#2. If you aint breaking? You aint racin'


Cant beat a Fox body chassis for cheap straight line racing. Theres millions of them out there, and loads of aftermarket support too. Put a cage or buy a caged roller and a cheap LS boosted on alcohol, more speed than most can handle. Look up sloppy mechanics on yew tub for examples of cheap fox racing

[CDave]

Gonna be hard to beat a Fox body or SN95 w/5.0 Stang or F-Body w/5.7 for bang for the buck. Both cars will get ya where ya want for the least money and both have tons of parts available new and used. I'm partial to the Stang's but nothing wrong with an F-Body.

Here's my old Fox body GT. I was about a second faster than stock. I put most of my money in it to make it handle better and sound system. It was a stick car so I never got serious about drag racing it. Hard to win at bracket racing with a stick.
I ran it a few times at the Fun Ford Weekend at Baytown, Tx; a.k.a. Houston Raceway Park. http://www.mustangandfords.com/event...-weekend-texas

[Forkin' Crazy]

If you get one without power, you could do like I did and buy a used up early 90s Lincoln M7. It has the same 5.0 HO as the Mustang. I'm going to put it and the OD transmission in one of my small Broncos.

BTW I was talking to a friend (Ford nut), he said they make a stroker crank, rod, and piston kit that almost brings it up to just under 350 cu in. He said it made big difference! I going to check into it.

[Tin Man 2]

How about a fox body Fairmont, too many Mustangs already. My 64 Comet FX clone sure got a lot of attention a few years ago, it was pretty but not real fast.

[CDave]

If you get one without power, you could do like I did and buy a used up early 90s Lincoln M7. It has the same 5.0 HO as the Mustang. I'm going to put it and the OD transmission in one of my small Broncos.

BTW I was talking to a friend (Ford nut), he said they make a stroker crank, rod, and piston kit that almost brings it up to just under 350 cu in. He said it made big difference! I going to check into it.

Yep, 347cu.in. stroker kits are easy to get and install.

[CDave]

How about a fox body Fairmont, too many Mustangs already. My 64 Comet FX clone sure got a lot of attention a few years ago, it was pretty but not real fast.

Yeah, he could build a Bob Glidden clone. Or do a T-Bird clone.

[Instigator]

Killer!

My favorite Pro Stock God.

Paul, you can buy a 480 hp stroker small block, long block Ford at Summit for $5800!
Yrs ago there was a guy around here w/an all steel T Bird that was very fast.

I had $6k in Machine work in my 440 Chrysler, 25 yrs ago!

I like the Fairmont idea.

Not sure I could put a GM in a Ford ��

Paul, I really wanted a WS-6 Trans Am until learning that the guys that work on them pull the motor out the bottom.
Nope.

The Fox body on Hot Rod TV had a ton of room to work on the motor which is another mandatory.

I could have the 440 out of my Bee, by myself and on a stand in 45 mins.

Yeah, he could build a Bob Glidden clone. Or do a T-Bird clone.

[Forkin' Crazy]

How about a fox body Fairmont, too many Mustangs already. My 64 Comet FX clone sure got a lot of attention a few years ago, it was pretty but not real fast.

Pretty funny, I saw one fixed up as a street/strip car. It was sure different!!!