Day Dreaming

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Talking with my wife over the weekend and shared that I really want to get back into drag racing. It was a big part of my life growing up both helping my dad and racing myself in jr dragsters and then the family race car. I hope one of my girls takes an interest in it, but we'll see how they turn out.

Then college happens, dad loses interest, then house, marriage, babies, etc.

While I would love to jump into a 7 second door car, I don't have that kind of cash to drop on anything. But the fun it would be to start with a bone stock car and race it, break it, put something bigger in.

So I day dreamed a little this morning, actually being realistic. Found a 4th gen Camaro, V6, 5 speed for $2500. Seems like a nice platform to start with, tons of aftermarket support for chassis and power. Kind of like the challenge of bracket racing a stick car as I've only shifted a powerglide on the track before.

One day...
 
I bet I would break the rear launching a stick car on drag radials before I broke the V6
laugh.gif


But that would be a lot of fun.
 
Hey, any day at the track is a GREAT day!

We always said "run whatcha brung". Anything can be raced, heck I just watched a vid where they were drag racing those little walk behind tractors!

That Camaro will make you smile. That's a very hot V6 that revs to the moon. Learning to launch it will be fun, good luck and happy racing!

(psst, over 200 passes on my luxo 4 door)
 
It is expensive. I used to dream about doing things . After going over 100 mph enough on boats motorcycles and cars. It really is not a big whoop and probably would have enjoyed investing more of my money and watching it grow more than going over 100mph as much as I did.
 
Originally Posted By: racer12306
It can be, but you can do it on a budget.
Doing racing on a buget isn't as fun as going all out.
 
A buddy of mine bought a 1984 Ford LTD, swapped in a GM 4.8L with a 4L60E and put a turbo on it. From buying the car to putting it on the dyno was just over a month and a bit over $4000 and it makes a legit 650rwhp.

Only bad part is chasing down all the weak points that have come up from increasing the stock hp fivefold.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
It is expensive. I used to dream about doing things . After going over 100 mph enough on boats motorcycles and cars. It really is not a big whoop and probably would have enjoyed investing more of my money and watching it grow more than going over 100mph as much as I did.


Glad you got a few thrills in before you pulled the plug.

I have enjoyed both road courses and drag racing since I was 15. It's still fun. Frequently well beyond 100 mph.

I have many investments, but I cannot say they are even comparable in terms of enjoyment...
 
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Steve, just you wait until I go through my 4th or 5th mid life crisis. I was going to buy a motorcycle last year but I fell off of my wifes horse and messed up my shoulder ! It still hurts but I was having the most fun till the micro second before I fell off.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
A buddy of mine bought a 1984 Ford LTD, swapped in a GM 4.8L with a 4L60E and put a turbo on it. From buying the car to putting it on the dyno was just over a month and a bit over $4000 and it makes a legit 650rwhp.

Only bad part is chasing down all the weak points that have come up from increasing the stock hp fivefold.
Well yeah. It costs to have that kind of fun.
 
Party poopers need not reply lol

One day I'll have a fast car again but for now just getting on the track is a step in the right direction.

I had a lot of fun bracket racing in the low 10s. The only problem was running against cars that have 40mph on you through the traps. I had a hard time judging the finish line. Would be nice to close that gap a little.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
A buddy of mine bought a 1984 Ford LTD, swapped in a GM 4.8L with a 4L60E and put a turbo on it. From buying the car to putting it on the dyno was just over a month and a bit over $4000 and it makes a legit 650rwhp.

Only bad part is chasing down all the weak points that have come up from increasing the stock hp fivefold.
Well yeah. It costs to have that kind of fun.


That is the fun part, seeing what breaks. The trans decided it no longer wanted 2nd gear. So he took it apart and bought all the upgrade parts and put it back in with a new converter. The whole time the car would break traction in 3rd when you stabbed it. Slicks and cheap control arms fixed that, but now the rear doors don't line up.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
A buddy of mine bought a 1984 Ford LTD, swapped in a GM 4.8L with a 4L60E and put a turbo on it. From buying the car to putting it on the dyno was just over a month and a bit over $4000 and it makes a legit 650rwhp.

Only bad part is chasing down all the weak points that have come up from increasing the stock hp fivefold.
Well yeah. It costs to have that kind of fun.


That is the fun part, seeing what breaks. The trans decided it no longer wanted 2nd gear. So he took it apart and bought all the upgrade parts and put it back in with a new converter. The whole time the car would break traction in 3rd when you stabbed it. Slicks and cheap control arms fixed that, but now the rear doors don't line up.


Time for some time on the frame machine and at least a roll bar.
 
Go on E-bay, they have a section for project cars. You'll be amazed at how many projects folks have given up on for one reason or another and you might find something you can afford and most of the hard work is already done. They're are some great buys there, and some guys just want them out of the garage.
 
Originally Posted By: racer12306
Time for some time on the frame machine and at least a roll bar.


Safety first with this build, schedule 40 PVC rattle canned to look like metal meets NHRA requirements. Luckily the LTD of that vintage is a Fox body, so the whole Mustang aftermarket has options for everything.

I kid I kid, but seriously my buddy did all the welding while wearing shorts and flip-flops, and he has the burns to prove it.
 
Originally Posted By: gman2304
Go on E-bay, they have a section for project cars. You'll be amazed at how many projects folks have given up on for one reason or another and you might find something you can afford and most of the hard work is already done. They're are some great buys there, and some guys just want them out of the garage.


Yup, cruise Craigslist too. Always good deals on there for people getting out of projects.
 
Another day dreaming session:


Build a front engine dragster from scratch. An injected 392 Hemi would be super cool, but expensive. I think a 396BBC would be plenty of fun.
 
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