Moparts
Drag Week 2013: The build(up)!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 03:35 AM
Drag Week 2011: The Experience Drag Week 2012: The Preparation Drag Week 2012: The Experience I started the new story on Saturday morning, March the 16th, right after the crazy registration period that saw 250 Drag Week entries filled in a mere 8 hours. I was about 45 minutes into my opening post when my wife came home from work...and promptly went completely ballistic!! Yelling about how I don't make her important, and how mad she is that I've been spending so much on the cars lately. Then, to emphasize her point she started to reach for the freshly opened car part boxes dominating the kitchen table, but with what little self control she had left she turned her anger to a brand new box of saltines from the counter. Hurling them to the floor, she bagan kicking and stomping the poor box into oblivion as she related all the reasons why I am a terrible husband. As she ended her tirade, she stared at me, lowered her voice, and said, "I bet you're on Moparts right now bragging about how you got entered to Drag Week again! You are already starting a new story aren't you!!"
"Uh, no..no honey I was simply reading BangShift", I replied as I frantically moused over the little red X in the corner...click, 45 minutes of typing wasted, but at least I was in better shape than that poor box of saltines!
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 03:38 AM
lol
Posted By: JohnRR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 03:42 AM
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 03:44 AM
Quote:
Drag Week 2011: The Experience
Drag Week 2012: The Preparation
Drag Week 2012: The Experience
I started the new story on Saturday morning, March the 16th, right after the crazy registration period that saw 250 Drag Week entries filled in a mere 8 hours. I was about 45 minutes into my opening post when my wife came home from work...and promptly went completely ballistic!! Yelling about how I don't make her important, and how mad she is that I've been spending so much on the cars lately. Then, to emphasize her point she started to reach for the freshly opened car part boxes dominating the kitchen table, but with what little self control she had left she turned her anger to a brand new box of saltines from the counter. Hurling them to the floor, she bagan kicking and stomping the poor box into oblivion as she related all the reasons why I am a terrible husband. As she ended her tirade, she stared at me, lowered her voice, and said, "I bet you're on Moparts right now bragging about how you got entered to Drag Week again! You are already starting a new story aren't you!!"
"Uh, no..no honey I was simply reading BangShift", I replied as I frantically moused over the little red X in the corner...click, 45 minutes of typing wasted, but at least I was in better shape than that poor box of saltines!
A man has got to have fun 
My wife never talks bad aboout how much time i spend on Moparts 
Wait a minute, maybe there sisters 
Now that I think about it a little, all women thank alike, huh 
Posted By: Twostick
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 04:32 AM
Might I suggest MS Word, the Save button and then copy and paste to Moparts?
Kevin
Posted By: Hemi_Joel
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 04:34 AM
Offer to bring her with. That will solve everything. If that doesen't work, tell her she can have all the prize money you win
Posted By: Twostick
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 04:34 AM
Oh and in the future, just tell her I said it was OK.
Kevin
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 04:47 AM
Quote:
Offer to bring her with. That will solve everything. If that doesen't work, tell her she can have all the prize money you win
Trunk Monkey for the win. LMAO! 261 days Billy. Get them brothers to work.NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 04:50 AM
Have the daughter take them to her work at Kroger and get a replacemnt box of saltines.
She went and had a blast and is in your corner.
Posted By: Chris'sBarracuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 05:26 AM
I got the full un-edited version while at The MATS..
Good stuff Billy..
Keep it up..
Chris..
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 06:41 AM
Glad to see the beginning of your 2013 adventure. As I told you at MATS these are some of my favorite reads on Moparts.
Posted By: BBR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 01:33 PM
looooooooooooooooooool!!!
Epic beginning to an epic trip I'm sure.
Posted By: OhioMopar
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/01/13 01:44 PM
Alright! Story time.
Sorry about your saltines.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/02/13 07:20 AM
Alas, to put the "saltines story" in proper context I must go back cronologically and bring everything forward from DragWeek 2012. When I left off, both cars drove themselves onto the trailer. They returned to Phoenix and were unceremoniously pushed off into the drive and carport without making a peep. They sat while I spent October, and the better part of November crafting my tale, clacking away at the keyboard night after night.
Rachael and I did manage to talk my wife into approving the purchase of "some aluminum heads" for the Belvedere, since it had a blown head gasket for the third time, and I didn't know the history of the 906's on it. I ended up purchasing a set of NIB CNC Stealths from another member on Moparts, saving a couple hundred, and immediately thinking, "Those are too good for the lowly 440, I'm gonna save these and do a stroker". Yep, see how easily we are led astray?
It was within this time frame that Phoenix had their bi-annual "Cruise on Central". As I've commented before, in the 4 years since I decided to convert the Valiant from a drag only car to street use, I've broke it several times, and never once driven it on an Arizona public street, despite completing 2 Drag Weeks, so I really wanted to do this. The day of the event, I pulled the headers off and replaced the blown header gaskets, charged the batteries, and screwed in new plugs, turned it over, and it stopped. tried it again, same thing. I remembered one of the back 2 plugs on the driver's side, looked a little rusty, so I pulled them out and spun it over, sure enough, it spun easily, and then shot water all over the inner fender! Foiled again! This is a standard bore X block, cometics, and 45 year old production heads that had the snot ported out of them in the 90's, and abused ever since...I think I know what the weak link in that chain is.
"The Shop"! Good News, you buy a cheap house, you have money left over to spend on lots of cool cars, and cool car parts! Bad News, you have no decent place to work on said cars, or store said car parts!!
Posted By: quickd100
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/02/13 11:15 AM
Billy; Did we marry sisters????????
Now..... send her to walmart and get to work on the car.Dave
Posted By: Devilbrad
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/02/13 03:54 PM
I'm looking forward to seeing more of that Sweptline! Any way you can get those guys to send you some progress pictures?
Posted By: Duner
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/02/13 04:23 PM
Love it!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/11/13 01:37 PM
Once I realized the Valiant was a dead player, my attention turned back to the Belvedere, but, it was December, and I was helping my son pursue his dream mopar car.
He's had a pair of late 80's 2 wheel drive RamChargers, but as his 25th birthday approached, his attention has turned to a car. Kid has strange tastes but I tried to not influence him too much as he kept leaving up Ebay and Craigslist adds of stuff he was interested in: 76-79 F Bodies, 67-74 C-bodies, 75 up B-bodies, 73 up Darts, M and J Bodies, good grief!!
Finally, we sealed the deal on a 76 Fury Sport in So-Cal. Red, 400, straight, runs and drives decent, for 2600$. We were happy with it, but my wife, watching another old Mopar unloaded at the house, not so much!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/11/13 02:01 PM
Boone, Mom and Dad arrived in Phoenix, December 23rd, bringing with them the Dana 60 I had paid Dale to rebuild for the Belvedere, only problem was he hadn't picked up the wheel seals yet, so the backing plates weren't on it, nor were the brakes done. They also brought the 727 I had paid Dad to re-build for the Belvedere, only problem was he lost the TF-3 equipped valve body and deep pan when he had sold the shop and moved out, so it was without those items, but he promised to look through the 4 trailers and 3 garages full of stuff they'd evacuated, it had to be there somewhere! They also brought with them the 3/8 fuel pick-up, 3/8 fuel line, and Global West sub-frame connectors that Dale was supposed to install on the Belvedere before Drag Week 2012...now THAT ball is firmly in my court!
Other than removing the intake and carb, driver's side head and exhaust, and looking at the very blown 8519 fel-pro head gasket, I hadn't done much to the Belvedere, and with family in town, for the next 2 weeks, it was doubtful much more would get done until after the New Year.
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/11/13 09:00 PM
my first car was a 76 sport fury and I loved that car. Wish I had never hit a tractor trailer, guard rails and a few trees with that car
I did notice a month ago that my guard rails I paid for are still there
Posted By: stockerbill
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/12/13 02:32 PM
Now you know why i quit racin Billy! Now i have a 65 monaco with the old motor from Thor and a stock cam(it's a HOOT)
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/12/13 03:12 PM
I'm lucky that my wife puts up with all car stuff..
she knew last year that I wanted to go on drag week..
big time and she knew I still had lots of work to do
to be ready... I spend almost every day in the shop
working on the car but I am also catching up on my
honey-do list... but when the car is done she wants
to drive it also.. so that helps.... good luck Billy
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/14/13 02:41 PM
Boone has been spending Christmas/ New years in Phoenix for 8 years in a row, and that first year, being a running enthusiast, he forced my entire family to join him in a 5K race. At the time, I weighed around 315, so the chance I would enjoy running was pretty much nonexistent, competition however, well yeah, that's the hook I wasn't expecting! Over the years we've worked our way up from 5K to 50 milers, and now fixed time events, first 12 hours, then 24 hours, and now multi-day events. This year, he did the 72 hour race, and I attempted the 48 hour race. This is done on a 1.1 mile course at one of the major league spring training facilities here in Phoenix.
Running this kind of event is about as crazy as taking a drag car set up to conquer the 1/4 mile, and trying to drive it from track to track! Just like having a front row seat to watch Larry Larsen, and Jeff Lutz throwing down 7.0 runs, and driving around, at this event we were sharing this 1 mile track with some of worlds premier ultra distance athletes, watching in awe as 2 world records, a Canadian National women's record, and an Irish National men's record were all set! Another thing this event had in common with Drag Week? Yeah, just like the two broken cars I loaded on the trailer, I left this event lying on a cot in the medical tent with 8 hours of the 48 left unused! I had checked into the med tent to get the tape on my feet changed out, and during the process, (My feet were hamburger by this point) I remember telling the medic, "I'm feeling pretty light headed"... the next thing I knew, he and 2 concerned looking runners were standing over me saying "Sir, sir, are you Okay?". One of the others commented, "Your eyes rolled up in your head, and you fell out of your chair, and went out for 20 seconds!"
Every time my Wife would have to change the bandages on my feet for the next week, and help me into shoes that I had split the toe boxes at the top just to get my swollen feet in and go to work, she would look me in the eye, shake her head, and say, "You are an IDIOT!"
A cold I had picked up at the race, along with the feet, pretty much precluded me from touching the cars the first 2 weeks of the new year, just as the cold was wearing off, the Flu nailed everyone in the house, so January was pretty much a total waste!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/14/13 04:05 PM
As February rolled around, I turned back to the Belvedere with an eye towards Mopars At The Strip. I hadn't been since 2008, and that was the first time I took part in the MoPower cruise up from Phoenix, which was Dad, Ben and I in an underpowered 360 4 door dually pulling two race cars, so the cruise up wasn't exactly thrilling!
One of the things Rachael had complained about on Drag Week was loose steering on the Belvedere, and we tracked the problem down to the shaft coupler. Darryl shook his head when he saw the slop in it, "Someone put that together wrong, I've got a re-build kit, just drop the column out and change it now, with the head and header out of the way, it'll be easy!"
"Uh, I've never removed a column from one of these cars..."
He looked at me incredulously, "WHAT? You've rebuilt engines, transmissions, rearends, and never pulled a column?"
"Nope"
"4 Bolts or so in the floor, couple under the dash, 15 minutes!"
"You said it would only take us an hour to put the Hemi Leafs under this thing!"
He laughed, "Didn't account for 40+ years of rusted, caked on crap under this car!"
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/15/13 05:38 AM
Late January, I had received 2 50 off 250 coupons from Summit, as I have two different account numbers...so I had to use them right? You'd think it would take some work to put together 2 250 dollar orders, but really it's just as easy as making the Wife mad at me! Or possibly, the boxes showing up at the front door from the former, result in the latter...I do believe there may be a connection somehow.
A set of Cometic head gaskets for the Stealths, new bathtub for the 440, VC studs and gaskets, Lucas oil, couple sets of NGK's, huge tranny cooler for the Belvedere, deep cast aluminum pan for the Belvedere, A TF3 kit since Dad lost my valve body, it adds up quick. Then near the end of February, I noticed that everyone seemed to be clearing out a certain set of Diamond pistons, and I began to understand why. The common 4.15 stroke piston for a 440 is for the 6.76 rod since most of those cranks are mopar pin. this piston works fine with 4.25 stroke chevy pin combos, because everyone just uses the 6.700 chevy rod. Someone at Diamond felt there was a need for a shelf piston, 4.25 stroke for the 6.76 rod, but chevy pin 6.76 rods aren't that common. Fortunately for me, I have a nice set of Manley 2.200, 6.76, .990 rods on the shelf from a previous deal, and visions of a 512 under those Stealths started to take shape! Problem was, I used the wife's Ebay and Paypal account to purchase them...this coming just after the Summit boxes had arrived, she was not amused and had no qualms in letting me know about it!!
I hatched a new plan, it was time for my own Ebay and paypal account! Then, it happened. You all have a Mopar Bucket list right? That car you've always wanted, or that famous part that you've always missed by a day or a dollar?
Well, for me a 67 GTX is probably never going to happen, the Belvedere will just have to work, but another coveted part has always been a Weiand Six Pack Tunnel Ram, and wouldn't you know it, hours after opening my account, there one is, and no-one is bidding on it!
Long story short, 6 days later, the intake, a set of manual secondary carbs, and a GSS breather are on their way to the compound! In hindsight, the arrival of these parts just 10 days after the pistons...probably not one of my smartest moves! It paled in comparison to 4 days later, when I left my Ebay account open on the PC, and she came home and saw what I paid for those parts! She even printed off a copy to stick in my face, or send to her lawyer, I'm not sure which!
Posted By: Twostick
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/15/13 03:43 PM
Some dudes get all the puddin'
http://www3.sympatico.ca/big-d/2X4.htmIf this guys results are any indication you should be happy with that intake. He has lots of old school tech that works.
Kevin
Posted By: rt66jim
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/15/13 03:48 PM
Quote:
I left this event lying on a cot in the medical tent with 8 hours of the 48 left unused! I had checked into the med tent to get the tape on my feet changed out, and during the process, (My feet were hamburger by this point) I remember telling the medic, "I'm feeling pretty light headed"... the next thing I knew, he and 2 concerned looking runners were standing over me saying "Sir, sir, are you Okay?". One of the others commented, "Your eyes rolled up in your head, and you fell out of your chair, and went out for 20 seconds!"
Every time my Wife would have to change the bandages on my feet for the next week, and help me into shoes that I had split the toe boxes at the top just to get my swollen feet in and go to work, she would look me in the eye, shake her head, and say, "You are an IDIOT!"
A cold I had picked up at the race, along with the feet, pretty much precluded me from touching the cars the first 2 weeks of the new year, just as the cold was wearing off, the Flu nailed everyone in the house, so January was pretty much a total waste!
Billy a wize man once told me "if it makes you hurt, don't do it." 
Seriously, that can't be healthy to abuse your body that way. Take care of yourself. Your not getting any younger.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/21/13 08:39 PM
Kevin,
Great meeting you and yours at the Firebird National event! Wished that impromptu bench racing session with you, Al, and Darryl could have continued on, but it cooled off fast when the sun went down.
Joel,
I actually entered the belvedere under the Wife's name this year, think her and the daughter would have a great time together, but it's still gonna be a hard sell.
ksj,
I'll let YOU tell my wife she's the trunk monkey! I'm not going down that path...
Chris,
Enjoyed our conversation at MATS, highlight of my weekend, actually!
Rod,
Thanks to you and the Mrs. for your hospitality and help at MATS. It was great to meet you, and the whole "Team Confusion" gang.
Dave,
She's a big Ebay shopper, so If I don't complain about that, and how much the UPS guy visits the house, she'll be OK!
Devilbrad,
I have a request in for more pics, hopefully in a week or two, although I honestly don't think they have done much since last year.
Ray,
The 76 is a cool car, but I'm starting to call my son, OEM Ben! He has a service manual, and he's already switched it back from an edelbrock to a t-quad, and he's wanting to ditch the chrome breather for a more factory appearing one.
StockerBill,
Really miss racing and hanging out with you, my friend.
Mr P Body,
The Wife handles the car stuff very well, but I've been pushing the envelope of what she can handle for 30 years, and sometimes she decides to push back!
rt66jim,
At the time I went out of the race, little brother was only 10 miles ahead of me, and passed out in bed. That and I was only 20 miles away from a 100 mile belt buckle!
Yeah, I know, who would run 100 miles for a belt buckle? But yes, I need to train better next year, and be ready!
Posted By: cudadon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 04/23/13 02:21 AM
Billy Saw you and your car on Hot Rod TV, dragweek episode!
WOW I sort of know someone who lives and writes cool stories AND is a TV Star. Can I have your autograph?
Thanks for the hard work of sharing these EXCELLENT adventures!!!
Don
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/13/13 07:22 AM
Where was I? Time is moving by faster than my updates that's for sure. I finally finished bolting everything back on the Belvedere two weeks before Mopars At The Strip. I fired it up Sunday morning March 10th, and she backfired, spit and coughed. I switched the front 2 plug wires around after a cursory examination, and tried again. Backfiring in the exhaust on one cylinder on the driver's side. I cursed my luck, If only I had taken that head to the shop while I had it off! Apparently one of the exhaust valves was bent or burnt. I was so angry at myself, I pulled it back down that very day. The machine shop called later in the week with bad news, "Those valve seats aren't hardened, and it's pretty hammered...I can repair this one, but the other one can't be much better".
I decided right then and there, the CNC Stealths and Cometic head gaskets were going to be pressed into duty on the 440. Thursday night, after work, I removed the other head, and prepared everything to get the heads on over the weekend, but HotRod was announcing the tracks for Drag Week 2013, and registration was to go live on Friday. I was nervous, very nervous, that it would fill up quick even though many of the veterans were downplaying the possibility of that happening.
I headed off to work Friday, March 15th with my mind definitely NOT on the duties at hand. HOT ROD was going to send all past participants a 6 hour head start E-mail for registration to begin, before they opened the floodgates to the un-washed masses. The fact that Bowling Green was the host track, and furthest east on the route had dampened my enthusiasm, but Boone said he was definitely taking the truck, so I figured I would at least take the Belvedere as his sidekick. So I told my son as I walked out the door, "Let me know when I get that E-mail, so I will know when the countdown starts"!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/13/13 08:10 AM
My son called me at 11:15 Am, "You got your E-mail at 11:00"!
Great, that meant it would open to everyone at 5pm, and I wouldn't be home until 5:30... I'm probably overreacting, "Calm down, you'll make it" I assured myself.
At 1pm I had a trailer delivery that would give me the option of getting by the house If I needed to, so I called and had the boy check out Bangshift.com to see how many people were registered already. "80 or so by the looks of things", he replied. Sheez, 80 in 2 hours, I was going by the house!
I hit the front door at 2:30, and booted my wife off the kitchen PC, and promptly entered the Valiant. Entry #157! Entered Boone's truck as he gave me his info over the phone, #164, Entered the Belvedere as fast as I could type, #174!
I headed off to finish my workday feeling almost as good as I used to feel after those "Nooners" in college!!
Dale called an hour later, "Why didn't you enter me", he queried. "Figured you didn't want to tow all the way to Bowling Green!" "Well, I'm in, #186.
When I finally got home from work, Boone called to let me know that Darren had entered, and was #228, only 22 entries left!
I decided to call Darryl, and he was feigning disinterest. "Ah, I'll wait 'til tomorrow."
"It's gonna fill up in the next 30 minutes, get on there!"
"The link in my e-mail won't work"
He was stalling for time, I could see right through that. "Just copy and paste it into the address bar!"
I badgered him through the entire process until he finally, reluctantly, pushed the enter button, and was rewarded with entry #249, one to spare!
So 6 mopars entered, only 1 actually capable of moving under it's own power...here we go!
...then, 14 hours later, the Saltines met their untimely end. Was it the pistons? The sixpack tunnel ram? The entry fees? Or a cumulative effect of the whole thing? I may never know!
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/13/13 10:55 PM
I almost didnt enter like 3 times then said screw it I have to do it again. Had to go home and tell the wife how much it cost because I used the debit card.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/14/13 04:17 AM
Ok, so the Wife is furious, but her unleashing of that anger meant she was wore out afterwards, and ambled off for a nap. I was pre-entered for MATS, and the hotel was paid for, so I had to get to work on the Belvedere!
I managed to spend the rest of Saturday bolting on the stealths, and everything else except the headers. Sunday morning I jumped up and finished everything else. 11am was the moment of truth, the 440 fired to life, and immediately started popping through the exhaust on the drivers side, identical to the way it sounded with the 906's! Now, I set about tracking the wires in earnest, and realized someone had dropped the dist. in 180 out, and just built the wires to match, so my previous cursory glance was in error! Switch the back 2, no more problems, except for that nagging feeling that when my wife calls me a moron, she may be closer to being right than I'd like to admit!
With the Mopower cruise scheduled for Thursday morning, it didn't look like I would get time to put the new, deep pan, and cooler on the tranny, but it made a good pass on Rachael's last run, so surely it had one more weekend of fun left in it, right?
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/14/13 04:43 AM
Thursday Morning, I jumped up, and headed out in the Belvedere, 65 miles to Earnhardt Dodge in Tempe for the start of the cruise. 65 miles in the opposite direction of Las Vegas from my house! So, the free breakfast and free t-shirt set me back a half a tank of gas, but I had a good time anyway. I was really enjoying the cars, and not feeling too bad about the belvedere's rough and tumble, down and dirty street racer looks until it happened. Everyone turned to the street as it rumbled into the parking lot, a Turbine Bronze 67 GTX, with oversized RO Superstock hoodscoop, oversized gleaming magnum 500 wheels, and oversized Stage V hemi with a 5 speed, and cage! They parked in the row almost directly across from the belvedere, and there I stood looking from my reality in the form of a 440 67 Belvedere, to my dream of an immaculate 67 Hemi GTX, and realizing quite starkly, "I can't get there from here!"
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/14/13 01:38 PM
The drive up to Vegas was very enjoyable, and it was really the first time I had spent any time driving the Belvedere. It turned out to be a fairly warm afternoon, and on some of the long climbs, I could smell the trans, and feel the temp rising through the floorpan... not good!
The highlight of the drive was playing around with a bright yellow Superbird on the long, flat, straight run from Kingman to Boulder city. We were clipping along at 80 or so, and then would take turns blasting by each other at 95! Just good clean American Muscle Mopar Fun...in 2013.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/14/13 03:48 PM
Glad to see you got it out and playing with the big B..
I should be on the road within a few weeks
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/15/13 03:59 AM
116 days till dragweek 2013
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/15/13 05:31 AM
Quote:
116 days till dragweek 2013
Yep.
Posted By: ZIPPY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/15/13 03:52 PM
Love these threads...please keep the posts coming.....
Posted By: dannysbee
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/15/13 05:20 PM
Quote:
Thursday Morning, I jumped up, and headed out in the Belvedere, 65 miles to Earnhardt Dodge in Tempe for the start of the cruise. 65 miles in the opposite direction of Las Vegas from my house! So, the free breakfast and free t-shirt set me back a half a tank of gas, but I had a good time anyway. I was really enjoying the cars, and not feeling too bad about the belvedere's rough and tumble, down and dirty street racer looks until it happened. Everyone turned to the street as it rumbled into the parking lot, a Turbine Bronze 67 GTX, with
oversized RO Superstock hoodscoop, oversized gleaming magnum 500 wheels, and oversized Stage V hemi with a 5
speed, and cage! They parked in the row almost directly across from the belvedere, and there I stood looking from my reality in the form of a 440 67 Belvedere, to my dream of an immaculate 67 Hemi GTX, and realizing quite starkly, "I can't get there from here!"
Looks like our taste in cars is similar. Unfortunitily the majority of the really pretty cars have never seen a track and won't scatter sh.. with a rake tied behind them. Lol
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/16/13 04:40 AM
Quote:
Quote:
116 days till dragweek 2013
Yep.
Inside joke... These two DW veterans are busting my chops because I'm working on my story, instead of wrenching on the cars!
Literally, the drive up was more exciting than the next day at MATS. I made 3 attempts at running the Belvedere, but it wouldn't upshift out of 1st under full throttle. Rod (Just-a-Dart) loaned me his jack and jackstands, and I tried adjusting the linkage, to no avail. More than 1 fellow racer offered to help me yank it and do an overnight rebuild or swap, but I'm not 25 anymore, and racing the street car at this event just wasn't that important to me!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/16/13 05:21 AM
"but I'm not 25 anymore".Quote of the year.Carry on.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/16/13 05:25 AM
The drive, and playing with the car set my mind at ease as far as the Belvedere goes for Drag Week 2013. The engine runs fine with the new heads, stays cool, and is good to go. I have a fresh tranny, a cooler and deep pan, a 3.54 Dana, a 3/8 fuel line, a 3/8 tank P/U, and global west subfame connectors...it's just a matter of getting all that installed. A daunting task, of course, but not something that I have to mull over and think about a great deal.
The Valiant however, keeps me awake at night, as I plot a course for its future, and I was thinking about that for a good part of the MATS weekend. I'm a Big Block guy... they are what I know, what I'm comfortable with, but the 62 Valiant has a very small engine bay, with a firewall that protrudes further into that bay than it's 63-66 brethren. Still, If I wanted it to be an all out, fast as I can go street/Ego machine, I'd do a low deck/EZ head BB for it that would easily runs 9's on the motor, and well into the 8's on spray... but I can't even decide on that! I mean, anything under 10.0 forces many changes that I feel really hamper streetability. If 10.0 is all I'm looking for a stroker smallblock should get the job done just fine, right? So I spent a good part of my weekend eyeballing some of the better running smallblock combos.
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/16/13 05:44 AM
Hey Billy why stop at the big block/ small block choices, a new gen3 is small blockish in size.
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/16/13 06:24 AM
Gen3? That would just confuse him.
H eeds to consult Racheal to see what to do.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/18/13 07:14 AM
Quote:
Gen3? That would just confuse him.
True, so true!
I've only recently moved past purple shaft cams and ductile iron rockers!
The trip back from Vegas was an enjoyable drive, except for the usual Sunday afternoon traffic back-up into Kingman. I stopped for a drink in Wikieup, and the Bronze GTX drove by, we ran together into Wickenburg...thanks for rubbing it in guys...man, that's a neat car!
As I entered Wickenburg, I downshifted to 2nd, and it was no longer there, 2nd gear had officially left the building! So I eased it on home, doing the quick double slam on the ratchet shifter to get from first to third.
With the Belvedere moving on it's own, the Valiant was pushed into the prime operating bay, er, carport, and teardown started almost immediately, albeit about 4 months later than it should have taken place! Once I got the intake off, it was apparent that water had been tossed around along the bottom of the plenum, all the intake ports were rusty, and 2 had standing water. When the heads came off, there was surprisingly little moisture in the cylinders, and the cometics showed no signs of leaking, so I came to the conclusion that one of the heads was cracked in the intake port.
Allow me to digress and explain what I'm working with, what I have available and what leads to me to some of the decisions (regrettable and flawed as they may be) I've made to this point.
When I purchased the Valiant in 2006, it had been sitting for more than 5 years. It had broke the ring gear in the 9", which had taken out the sprag in the 904 on it's last pass, and the engine had well over 500 runs on it since it had been built in the mid-90's.
I pulled out the broken 4.88's and replaced them with 4.30's, rebuilt the 904, and added a Griner LBA brake, then moved to the engine. It was a virgin 4 bolt X block 4.04 bore, bushed lifter bores, a 3.79 MP crank, stock rods, and the Ross pistons stuck about .030 out of the deck. The J heads had the chambers clearanced for the positive deck height, and were ported within an inch of their lives, with an M-1, and a MP part numbered 750 annular Holley on top. The cam turned out to be a purple shaft, the ubiquitous 296-557.
I simply freshened everything and stuck in a Hughes Engines 260/264 587/594 solid, which I had custom ordered on a 110 LSA.
On the debut weekend, it went 10.89-121 with my fat tail in the car, and later, 10.70-123 with my jockey sized buddy behind the wheel. 1 season, and 120 passes later, it was struggling in the low 11's, and I suspected the ancient Turbo Action converter wasn't up to all those trans-brake launches, and was going away. At the end of the 08' season, my jockey sized buddy bombed the brakes at the stripe and hit the wall.
At that point, I had a Super Street racing buddy who had pulled his W-5 top end off, and went to Indy 360-1s, so he offered me the W-5 stuff. I bought it, and put it on the shelf for a future rebuild, figuring the closed chamber design wouldn't work with my positive deck pistons.
In 09' however, I decided to convert the car to street use, and in conjunction with the exhaust, and tire/wheel swap I also made 2 other changes, a new JW 8" converter, and a 950 cfm Chuck Nuytten carb. Almost a year to the day of the Valiant's brush with the wall, we took it to the track in street trim, and promptly cut the drive shaft in half, trashing the tranny, and destroying the floorboard.
It didn't move again until Drag Week 2011, with 3.89's in place of the 4.30's then again until Drag Week 2012. Looking at those time slips, best of 11.33-116. I've decided it doesn't like that Nuytten carb. On both Drag Weeks, it took huge jet change swings for street to track, and that is 3-4 mph just gone. Another thing, the oil consumption between tracks was a little alarming.
So where do I go from here? That was the question I was mulling over the week after Vegas, as I ripped into the ole girl. 3/29 was Good Friday, and a holiday at my place of employment, so I had it off. I was reading and researching on Moparts, when I took a closer look at Performance Only's Molnar crank sale. Plenty of people had mentioned I make the jump to a 4" stroke combo, but in my mind, I couldn't justify the jump from a 3.79 for that little gain. The 4.125 stuff with the chevy journals however, that was intriguing. As a BB guy, I remember well when everyone started moving past the 4.15/ stock rod strokers to the 4.25 and 4.300 stuff with chevy rods, and that's something I'm quite comfortable with.
I want a rotating kit though, not just a crank, so late Thursday night I fire off an E-mail to Dan, asking what rods and pistons he has available to match the 4.125/340 main crank.
Friday morning, my daughter drops off the 5 year old Grandson, and explains that since I have the day off, and his pre-school schedule is strange on that day, I'm in charge of getting him to class! I plunked his booster seat into the shotgun position, and he went to school in the Belvedere! Lets just say he really enjoyed it, especially all the thumbs up gestures and compliments!
When I arrived home, Dan at Performance Only, had answered my question with a question, e-mailing me back with "let me know what you want for pistons, flat top or dish.
Do you know your deck height? How much compression do you want? Chamber size of the heads? Let me know and I'll put a package together for you."
I decided to let that breathe for a little while, I didn't really have all those answers, I hadn't even decided on a head yet!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/18/13 04:23 PM
I immersed myself in everything Small Block on Moparts, trying to crack the code or wriggle my way into this seemingly secret society. I read DJVCuda's awesome 430 build thread, followed the Bryce Mulvey Air Wolf 408 thread, and revisited IMM Brian's Pump gas 620HP build in Car Craft. Ole buddy J-Body's trials with the W-5 stuff also weighed into my outlook, as well as some of the first hand conversations I'd had with users of Indy -2, and -1 heads, and some of their problem with leaking, and casting flaws. Building another set of headers was really a road I didn't want to go down right now, and I cannot abide dealing with leaky castings or valvetrain issues...that stuff drives me crazy, especially on a street car.
I've ran standard port, solid cam big blocks most of my life, because I just didn't want the added expense of a roller cam, and offset rocker systems. The 2 BB Indy-1 engines I have now are equipped with Jesel's on one, and T&D's on the other, so I understand how much it REALLY costs to step up to those heads with the valvetrain involved, I wasn't ready for that commitment to the smallblock! So, the rough draft of a 10.5 to 1 427-430 inch engine, with a standard style head, either max ported Eddie RPM's or AirWolfs, began to take shape in my thoughts.
Saturday, March 30th, The Wife, and Grandson decided they wanted to go out for breakfast, so we once again loaded up in the Belvedere for the trip. On the way back, we pulled up to a stoplight, and a huge black F250 Powerstroke 4x4, jacked to the moon with monster mudders, pulled along the passenger's side. The Grandson looked over, and is breath caught, "LOOK PAPA, that's a big truck!" his arm immediately shot out the window and he gave the thumbs up that he was already getting used to. The F-250 owner chuckled and leaned his head out the window, "That sure is a nice Hot Rod you have there, young man!" The Grandson shot back a quick "Thanks" as the people behind us honked as the light had apparently changed. I was a beaming grandpa as we drove away, knowing I had already infused a little car culture into the youngster with just 2 outings!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/18/13 08:45 PM
Late on Apr 2nd. I shot the following reply back to Dan at Performance Only, "Dan, deck height is 9.60, 66CC head, looking for about 11 to 1. Drive on pump gas, race on race gas, drag week deal".
On Apr 3rd, I listed the W-5 stuff on Moparts in the race parts for sale section for 1500 obo. With a very brief description, and 1 grainy picture. I've seen similar packages listed in the 2500-3500 range, but I just want to move on, and offset some of the cost of the build to stay under the wife's radar!
"Family Accounting"
With a Dad, and 4 boys all involved in the Mopar hobby, things have always been traded and bartered around, and after 30 years of this you learn that certain members of the group lean on the family aspect more than others! Take Dale, the youngest, for instance. He's a brilliant mechanical mind, great wrench and will help anybody at the drop of a hat. He's also the wheeler-dealer of the group, always looking to score that next great part, or car, that's just out of his reach. So, a couple of years ago, he found a 70 Roadrunner he just had to have, and it was at a great price. Problem was, he needed cash fast to close the deal, and he didn't have any. So he called big brother in a dealing mood. At the time, I didn't think Boone would let go of the Belvedere, and I wanted a nice No-bar street car, so I went on a personal shopping spree through his cars and parts! Red 69 Dart, roller...yeah, I'll take that. High mileage cast crank 416 with hyper pistons and eddie heads, and a flattened cam, yeah, I'll take that but you have to rebuild it first. That cool 340 6 pack setup you got on a recent deal, yeah throw that in too! Big hole disc front end from a 74 duster, and a big hole 8 3/4, sure.
Of course, once he got the money, setting a timetable for completion of the car became a bit problematic! But, Dale is always trying for the next big deal, so I knew he'd be back to the table wanting something again! The latest was atoetly's aluminum world blocked, S/R headed stroker! Dale had been suffering from engine envy ever since I ended up with the aluminum Indy maxx low deck from Darryl, it was just killing him!
I had told him, after I landed the Belvedere, that if he got the chance to move the Dart stuff and recoup my money, that would be fine with me. I also knew the chance of me seeing said money, other than a line on a piece of paper under the heading IOU, would be quite slim! In March he landed a buyer for the Dart roller, and closed the deal right at the first of April. We talk almost every day, bouncing ideas of each other and such, so he knew where I was headed with the smallblock stuff, and I knew he needed a large chunk of that Dart money to close the deal on the engine he wanted!
He asked me several times, "Do you want me to pull the Edelbrock RPM's off this engine, and ship them to Jeff at Modern, or Brian at IMM?" I had refused each time, not because I didn't think that was a viable option, but I figured if I busted up that engine, he wouldn't live up to the promised re-build!
On April 4th I sent a message to Bryce Mulvey, enquiring about the AirWolfs set up for my cam. I also sent Dale links to the 430 build and the Air wolf thread.
Posted By: rt66jim
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 03:59 AM
Billy I'm enjoying this SB tale. Anxious to see where it ends. Jim
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 05:40 AM
I'm wondering why he doesn't just liquidate the big block stuff and roll that money into gen 3, or a little more "exotic" 48 degree project.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 05:54 AM
That first week of April, I drove the Belvedere on the 38 mile round trip to work twice, broken tranny and all. Just the rumble of the 440, the grip of that thin wheel in your hands, and the reactions of your fellow commuters...it's good for the soul!
I was also busy taking pics, and trying to answer questions on the W-5 stuff...man, selling stuff is work! This is why I usually just trade within the family.
"What CC are the chambers? How much have they been decked? What valve springs are on them? What valves? How long since they were repaired (They have epoxy in the floor of the intake ports, at the turn down)? What do they flow? What CC are the intake runners?
I came to the realization... that I really know very little about these heads!
At the end of the week, Dale and I were in one of our hour long phone conversations when he asked, "So, did you get the rotating assembly ordered?"
"No", I replied, "Never got a response from Dan... but after looking at the pics DJVCuda put up of his stuff, I did send a PM to that Bloomer Performance Engineering."
"What's his phone number? I'll just call up and order the kit for you, so you can get back some of this Dart money!"
I knew he was going to work an angle, I knew I would never see cash from him, but hey! This will definitely work!
"Well, you have to PM or E-mail him, I've never seen his number listed."
"I'll PM him my phone number, and hopefully he'll call me back".
I'm a PM, E-mail, Purchase on line, text kinda guy. Dale is exactly the opposite; he's a phone call, eyeballs on the prize, negotiate live and in person type of guy.
I laughed, "Great, lets do it!"
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 06:20 AM
Just-a-Dart, J-Body,
Part of the resistance to a wholesale change to BB, or Gen 3, or 48 degree platform is the urgency of trying to do Drag Week in back to back years. You only have to look at examples such as Mr. P-body, Dj Duster, Boone with the Truck, or Dale with his Gremlin to see how tough it is to build something from scratch in 1 year and make the show. Many guys have done very well even winning their classes, then go home and plan big changes for the next year, only to miss making it, or breaking early with an un-proven combo. I've got 2 cars pre-entered, and I want them both ready to go in Bowling Green come September.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 07:55 AM
The second week of April saw progress on the rotating assembly, Dale had received a phone call from Rod at BPE, and they had agreed on a price, and the parameters of the kit. "He says the pistons are built to order, about 3 weeks" Dale reported to me.
I had an initial E-mail response to my inquiry to Bryce about the Air Wolfs, and I simply replied to that E-mail what I was looking for, as far as CC's and Valve springs.
Then, just like with Dan at Performance Only..nothing back! I was beginning to wonder if my E-mail replies were even getting through!
April 13th was the spring version of the bi-annual "Cruise on Central", So Darryl jumped in his 70 Challenger convertible, and I took the Belvedere, instead of riding shotgun with him as I typically do at this event. We cruised up and down once, parked in the bank parking lot, walked over to Mickey D's to look at the cars, and grab a bite to eat, then pulled out the lawn chairs to sit on the curb and watch everyone drive by. Shortly the curb, was filling up with on-lookers, and a couple walked up with their lawn chairs. I could tell by where the lady put hers, that if her husband sat beside her, he was practically going to be in my lap! Sure enough, that was the plan, I nudged Darryl over for a little more room, and we made it work, it was a perfect night, and we were surrounded by cool cars, and people who really appreciated them, so it certainly was no big deal. 30 minutes later a 4 door 61 Valiant cruised by, and everyone starts with the usual comments about how ugly those cars are. I boom out from my chair, "EASY FELLAS, I've got one of those that runs 11's, and you are hurting my feelings!" Amid the laughter, the guy who had sat right beside me spun in his chair to look at me, "You must be MoparBilly! I've read your stories on Moparts, I'm 6pak2go on there!
Darryl just rolled his eyes at me and interjected, "I can't take you anywhere!" We had a great conversation, that eventually led to machinists in the valley, and I explained that I took anything serious to Brian at IMM, even though it was in Indio. That made me feel a little less guilty about the fact that I was trying to avoid those trips to Indio for this little project. I love Brian, but he's way too good at talking me into spending money on quality parts and procedures! Like I said, my decisions may be flawed!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 09:12 AM
The third week of April, I had what appeared to be a serious offer on the W-5 stuff, the buyer offered 1300 shipped to him, pay by paypal. I figured by the time I lose the 3%, and ship them...geez, I might end up with 1150! But oh well, I was ready to move on. In his last correspondence however, he had questioned the pic I had sent him of the chambers. "Those look like open chambers, I thought all W-5's had heart shaped, closed chambers?".
I pulled them out of the box, for a thorough investigation. No doubt about the open chambers...odd. I also found a small logo cut into the front of the head that said "Batten Heads"?? WTH?
A google search yielded "Batten Aluminum W-2s". Ok, my SB ignorance is really beginning to show! Ryan J's site has pics, with the caption, "All batten W2s were open chamber heads." Ok..so I don't have a W-5 top end to sale, apparently! I had no more energy to put into this, so I boxed them up and put them back on the shelf...someday I'll figure out if they are worth selling or using. Then again, someday my "spare parts" and I will probably be the subject of a Hoarders episode!
On April 16th, I fired off another E-mail to Bryce at Dr. J's Performance, about the AirWolfs, as well as an attempted phone call, to no avail.
Dale had overnighted the money to Rod at Bloomer Performance on Monday, but didn't receive a call until Friday, when Rod stated, he had the money, and he wanted to double check on what our kit was supposed to be, so he could order the pistons. So, apparently the "3 Weeks" started on the 19th, not the 8th, when we thought we had this all set up. I chalked this up to my ignorance about how things work in the Small block Mopar world as well!
Posted By: Chris'sBarracuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 11:12 AM
Hey Billy, that small block stuff confuses me also..
Like we were talking at The MATS, you have to have your plan..
Chris..
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 04:42 PM
April 20th found Dad, Dale, and Dale's stepson Cody at Mopars invade Mokan. Dad, apparently had a good day in his Duster, laying down 10.30's at 130, and going a few rounds before a -.001 red light ended his day. Cody had mounted up Darryl's wore out Goodyear SST Drag Radials, and was finding out why Darryl pulled them off. Running several traction limited 11.50's in his Aspen. Dale's day didn't go that well either, he had loaded up a bunch of spare parts to sell, including some of my Dart leftovers. The last 2 years he had really moved a bunch of stuff at this race, but this year, he couldn't give stuff away.
One of the items that made the trip was my 340 sixpack setup, this thing is complete, air breather to manifold, with linkage. Dale had one guy who seemed very interested and examined everything in detail.
"You know these are 71 service carbs, right?" He told Dale.
"Ok", Dale shrugged his shoulders.
"And this breather isn't correct for a fresh air car".
"OK, fine, your point?" Dale added.
"I'd give you 800 even with those issues."
"No". Dale ended the conversation and moved away.
He came back a few hours later and offered 1000, and got the same response, Dale said he seemed quite agitated as he stomped away.
Back home on Monday, Dale traced the numbers down on the carbs and found that they were indeed the correct 70 TA/AAR carbs for a 4 speed application. "If I ever see that guy again, I'm gonna punch him in the throat!" Dale told me over the phone.
"I did have one guy who wanted to trade a 69 D-100 with a 440 for it? Dale questioned.
"Naw, I'm not interested" I told him, "I've got too many Mopars already!"
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 06:58 PM
Dale called me again late and said Darren had looked at the guy's CL add for the 69 D-100, and was interested.
"Fine", I retorted, "But he has to buy the sixpack from me first, then try to go make a deal, I don't want him shopping my parts, and making deals before I'm paid!"
I love Darren like a brother, because, well he IS my brother, but he takes the whole "Family Math" thing even further than Dale. Dale will owe you forever, but Darren thinks there should be a statute of limitations on such dealings! There is a sliding scale, of course. He thinks you should probably forget about a 20 dollar loan in a couple of weeks, and 500 or so should be forgiven in a year or year and a half! Heaven forbid if you whip out a notebook with all these debts recorded, that puts him into an absolute rage!
"Why does he want a truck, and how is he going to pay me for the sixpack?" I asked Dale, My curiosity was piqued.
"He sold his Dakota RT to one of Cody's friends for 3200", Dale relayed, "and he wants a beater to haul stuff around".
I was shocked, he had owned that Solar Yellow extended cab R/T for 12 years, longer than he had stuck with any single vehicle in his entire life!
On April 24th, I finally reached Bryce Mulvey by phone. He was pleasant, easy to talk to, and we came to an agreement on a set of the AirWolf heads. "I'm about three weeks out" he commented.
"Great, so is my rotating assembly!"
Seems this is the small block mopar time warp. These small block guys are hardcore I thought to myself, BB guys are spoiled and soft, I've never went though this to get anything before.
He took my info and credit card number, and told me he would get an invoice out to me via e-mail in a few days.
2 hours later, I get a brief call from Darren, "I'm sending you a check for 1300 for that smallblock sixpack setup, give me your mailing address".
I gave him my info and added, "The checks good, right?
"Yes", he laughed "but don't waste any time getting it to the bank!"
Probably could have beat him up on the price, but while he's strictly C.O.D., he is still my brother...
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 07:42 PM
hmmm.... he chooses the Airwolf. Actually I kept a pretty good eye on that post and was really close to going that direction, I still had a good set of rockers, and a super victor intake we could make work (spacers), but things change. Look forward to seeing the results.
Posted By: Devilbrad
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 07:46 PM
I want to see the new D100 and I still want updated/progress pics of last years truck!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/19/13 08:45 PM
Quote:
hmmm.... he chooses the Airwolf.
Technically Jay, I made the choice around April Fools Day! Just took me 19 days on the rotating assembly, and 24 days on the heads to actually implement that choice! Now, I guess, I wait.
DevilBrad,
Dale and Darren made the trip to look at the truck, but backed out on it when it turned out to have far more rust than they first thought it had. So Darren still has a nice T/A sixpack on his hands!
Posted By: 6pak2go
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/20/13 06:10 PM
Quote:
April 13th was the spring version of the bi-annual "Cruise on Central", So Darryl jumped in his 70 Challenger convertible, and I took the Belvedere, instead of riding shotgun with him as I typically do at this event. We cruised up and down once, parked in the bank parking lot, walked over to Mickey D's to look at the cars, and grab a bite to eat, then pulled out the lawn chairs to sit on the curb and watch everyone drive by. Shortly the curb, was filling up with on-lookers, and a couple walked up with their lawn chairs. I could tell by where the lady put hers, that if her husband sat beside her, he was practically going to be in my lap! Sure enough, that was the plan, I nudged Darryl over for a little more room, and we made it work, it was a perfect night, and we were surrounded by cool cars, and people who really appreciated them, so it certainly was no big deal. 30 minutes later a 4 door 61 Valiant cruised by, and everyone starts with the usual comments about how ugly those cars are. I boom out from my chair, "EASY FELLAS, I've got one of those that runs 11's, and you are hurting my feelings!" Amid the laughter, the guy who had sat right beside me spun in his chair to look at me, "You must be MoparBilly! I've read your stories on Moparts, I'm 6pak2go on there!
Darryl just rolled his eyes at me and interjected, "I can't take you anywhere!" We had a great conversation, that eventually led to machinists in the valley, and I explained that I took anything serious to Brian at IMM, even though it was in Indio. That made me feel a little less guilty about the fact that I was trying to avoid those trips to Indio for this little project. I love Brian, but he's way too good at talking me into spending money on quality parts and procedures! Like I said, my decisions may be flawed!
LMAO! I still can't believe I ended up sitting next to you at Central after trying to find and meet you at two races at Firebird. It was great to finally meet you and put a face to all your great stories. You have inspired me to try for Drag Week in 2014. I'll be going to spectate this year. My wife's family are in Lebanon, KY, so it was an easy sell. She'll stay with them for the week.
I took your advice and went to Brian at IMM to build the engine for the Barracuda. Great guy who asked all the right questions.
Thanks again and look forward to rooting for you at Drag Week this year in person. 
And your welcome to use my GoPro camera for some in/on car videos. 
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/20/13 08:40 PM
Always great to work on these cars when the temp hits over 100. Seems to be like this every yr. Let me know if you need anything.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/22/13 07:04 AM
Darren's check arrived on 5/1, so that will help with the Airwolfs, oddly enough though, it's been a week and my card hasn't been charged, and I haven't seen an invoice... so have I bought any heads or not?
Dale called me the next day, "Did you hear about Darren's old Dakota R/T? That kid who bought it from him totaled it out in 4 days! Guy pulled out in construction, and ran him into a Jersey barrier, set off both air bags, and then something caught fire under the hood".
That was the kind of thing that would drive Darren crazy, even though it wasn't his anymore....ouch!
On 5/6 I read the unfortunate news that Jeff at MCH was in the hospital, and Robert mentioned that Brian at IMM had given him a time frame of "8 to 12" weeks on his engine, so I was starting to feel that the max ported Edelbrocks might not have happened any faster anyway.
On 5/11 Darryl and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Spring Fling in Woodley Park. I really enjoy that show. We ran into Rod (Just-a-Dart) and he had a set of 360-1s for sale, with valves, and intake...right there on the table, you could touch them, look at them...darn it, if he'd had those in his trailer at MATS, I might've pulled the trigger! I was committed, though, so I walked away despite his best (and very sound) arguments. Darryl and I had a nice contest going in our heads as the day passed; Were there more wing cars in attendance, or more 340 sixpacks for sale in the swap meet? I think it ended up at 7 to 6 in favor of the sixpack setups, but I can't be sure!
As we were winding down our trip through the swap area, the familiar "You must be MoparBilly!" rang out, as I was rocking my Drag Week 2011 t-shirt. Darryl groaned as I started another epic benchracing session with new friend John (johnnycuda) and our departure time moved back another hour.
In the week following Spring Fling, I started to get antsy about the time table, and I implored Dale to call Rod at Bloomer Performance again. He reported back in a few hours, "He said your pistons are stuck in engineering..."
"What the heck does that mean?" I fired back.
"Means that '3 week' clock isn't ticking!" he laughed.
Two days later, I reached out via phone to Bryce Mulvey of Dr J's Performance.
"This is Billy, wondering where we are on the SBM220's?"
"Um yes, still a couple of weeks, we are kinda overwhelmed around here right now..."
"Well, you haven't even charged me yet, or sent me an invoice?"
"Yeah, I'll try to do that this afternoon, like I said, we've just been really busy!"
Friday, May 17th...Dale called, "Just talked to Rod again, he said he has to go out of town for a friend's funeral, but he shipped the crank, and the rest will come when he gets the pistons..."
As of Today, the 21st I've yet to be charged, or invoiced for the heads.
Have you seen the Discover Card, "We treat you like you'd treat you commercials? I'm starting to think that's the situation! I mean, it's hard to bang on these guys when the shortblock is still sitting in the Valiant, yet to be removed from the frame rails, but I'm sure I'd be much more motivated If I was surrounded with new parts!
RIP Yella Dakota!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/22/13 07:09 PM
Billy... I commend you for working on multiple cars
to get them ready... hell I cant get one ready...I will
but it sure takes longer than I figured... best of luck
to you and I'll see you there
Posted By: BradH
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/22/13 07:31 PM
I'm in shock... I think I found a subject that MoparBilly and I can relate to on a very serious level: Marriage.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/24/13 09:38 PM
gotta commend ya Billy... I figured you'd turn and run back to the comfort of some stock rods and W2 heads.
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/25/13 06:53 AM
Quote:
gotta commend ya Billy... I figured you'd turn and run back to the comfort of some stock rods and W2 heads.
W2s require offset rockers, that is way out of Billys comfort zone.
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 05/25/13 07:44 AM
Bazinga.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/01/13 02:30 AM
Tick...tick...tick...
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/01/13 02:53 PM
J-Body,
I've been in OK all this week, helping the brothers and getting update pics for Devilbrad!! That, and dodging tornados!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/01/13 03:09 PM
Quote:
J-Body,
I've been in OK all this week, helping the brothers and getting update pics for Devilbrad!! That, and dodging tornados!
I hope you guys are doing ok out there in OK with
the storms.... stay safe... (they dont seem to get
a break from the storms)
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/03/13 02:56 AM
Rolled into Phoenix today, back home after 7 days in Oklahoma! Yes, it's already miserably hot in the AZ, but I'm not hanging out in storm cellars, listening to alarm sirens, or watching radar screens on TV with "Take shelter immediately" scrolling below. Love the "Tornado alley" of my youth, but it's been a little ridiculous this last week.
Boone's D-100 Gasser Truck has been outside since last Drag Week, so after spending the first day just cleaning up stuff we had already done, it became painfully apparent that we had to rectify that situation, and turn Dales "25X33" storage shed, into a working shop...and that was no small feat!!
Here is Boone's best, "I'm disgusted with this situation" look...
Posted By: RonTheAnnouncer
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/03/13 08:18 PM
That truck is already awesome, and you guys aren't even done with it yet.
Posted By: Devilbrad
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/03/13 09:15 PM
Quote:
J-Body,
I've been in OK all this week, helping the brothers and getting update pics for Devilbrad!! That, and dodging tornados!
Thank you sir!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 04:28 AM
The in-cab portion of the cage is pretty much done, and welded to pads in the floorboard. Since this is a full frame vehicle however, you are required to weld runners up from the frame to match these pads. We bent and welded those at the back of the cab on Sunday, my first full day in OK, before we decided to put our efforts toward cleaning out the shop.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 04:39 AM
The shop was loaded down with 2 race cars, and literally tons of racecar parts... all which are not getting any use when you are trying to put together street cars for HotRod Drag Week!
First car un-earthed from the shed was Dale's AMX which hasn't seen a drag strip in 4 years. Please explain why any person would need TWO BB Mopar powered, big tire, back halved AMCs??
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 04:50 AM
We now had some room, enough for us to realize we still had plenty of work ahead of us!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 05:07 AM
2nd car was finally extricated several hours later. It's a 67 Barracuda, 2x3 box, strut front, 4link Dana 60 car which Dale claims is the finest driving car he's ever piloted down a dragstrip. I hope that is accurate, because I now own it. Problem is... (she's not looking over my shoulder is she?), I haven't stumbled upon a good way to explain that to the Wife yet! Our last serious discussion about my current crop of toys was that she felt 3 was too many, and that 1 needed to go. I'm not the smartest husband on the planet, but that didn't feel like a good time to bring up the fact that number 4 had been hiding out at Dale's place for the last year!
The car has some serious cosmetic issues, but it's a solid platform. After looking at it in the light, the brothers decided it appeared the rear tires were moved back slightly. Good eyes, wheelbase checked in at 109.5.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 05:34 AM
Cars out, didn't immediately correlate to truck in, as serious sorting and re-organizing began. We could've easily filmed a good episode of 'Hoarders', with myself as the harried psychiatrist trying to convince Dale to let go of used, unmarked solid lifters, and assorted other metal mayhem from projects long since forgotten, his 80 dollar payday at the scrapyard was only a small solace. This collection of blocks against the back wall quickly grew to 9, double stacked.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 05:59 AM
The truck would spend several more nights on the pad in front of the garage. Sharp-eyed sweptline aficionados will spy the extended pitman arm, which is a good 3 inches longer than stock, allowing the nose up rake of added leafs in the front, without binding the steering link.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 06:32 AM
.....But Al and Chris have Barracudas honey!! I need one too!
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 07:33 AM
Posted By: Scott58
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 12:54 PM
Better stock up on saltines.....you're gonna need 'em!
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/04/13 06:39 PM
Quote:
The shop was loaded down with 2 race cars, and literally tons of racecar parts... all which are not getting any use when you are trying to put together street cars for HotRod Drag Week!
First car un-earthed from the shed was Dale's AMX which hasn't seen a drag strip in 4 years. Please explain why any person would need TWO BB Mopar powered, big tire, back halved AMCs??
um, I like the amx, how fast has it been. Is it for sale? I could see my engine with a n2o could run some low 8s in a 2500 lb car. Would be fun
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/05/13 02:48 AM
Quote:
um, I like the amx, how fast has it been. Is it for sale? I could see my engine with a n2o could run some low 8s in a 2500 lb car. Would be fun
Tony,
Actually both the AMC's have came from the valley. The AMX was raced by Jeff Lee in the 90's, we ended up with it in 1997 after it had been updated by Comp Chassis. 9.09 best, with a 5.62 best in the 1/8th. I finally convinced my brother that he had reached the practical limit with his BG 280 and Fram HPG-1 filter!! The Gremlin was owned by Jason Cozzolino and raced in Phoenix with an AMC engine, then went to Cali, and got a BBC, then we ended up with it from there.
...and yeah, it's his first love, so he'll never sell it!
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/05/13 03:34 PM
I wouldnt either, Im a hoarder
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 02:56 AM
94 days till Dragweek.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 10:32 AM
We loaded the racecars in Dale's trailer, and hopefully we will be pulling them out, and loading the Gremlin and the Truck in about 100 days...or 90 days, which is it? Dang it Darryl, you were supposed to warn me when we hit double digits in days left, and triple digits on the thermometer...time to get to work!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 10:42 AM
By the time I was loaded up, and ready to head back to Phoenix, the Truck had made it halfway into the shop, and Boone's attitude was vastly improved over where it started when I arrived. Whether that results in the kind of productivity this project needs in order to be ready for DW 13? that remains to be seen!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 10:47 AM
This is what Darren's Charger currently looks like...
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 10:58 AM
Fiberglass bumpers were purchased at the same time as the hood, but he just got around to tackling the install, and was shocked to discover that the actual bumper isn't really all that heavy, it's the reinforcement and brackets that add most of the bulk. So, a day with the plasma cutter was in order.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 11:03 AM
Now they are ready for the Ron Silva hole saw / drill treatment.
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/06/13 03:42 PM
Billy, those roll cage lower bars go to the frame right, not just to plates.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/08/13 11:47 PM
Quote:
Billy, those roll cage lower bars go to the frame right, not just to plates.
He mentioned that they were braced from the underside in an earlier post...
the HEAT IS ON Billy.... not so favorable temps to be wrenching in..
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/08/13 11:56 PM
yeah Billy... I think we are down to 90 days... I
have to get seat belts and put them and the seats in...
then start testing.... finally...... good luck with
your stuff
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/16/13 08:35 AM
Don (KSJ) tells me I'm overdue for an update..
Well, easier said than done. Sometimes this Mopar hobby takes you through some twists and turns that, in retrospect, has you wondering if the tail is wagging the dog on occasion! Maybe that's not it at all, maybe the cars are just a microcosm of what is going on in our journey through life as a whole. My outlook on everything, my hopes, and dreams, are all different as I approach 50, than they were at 30 or even 40, and sometimes situations and circumstances change, and the cars just get caught in the middle.
In 1999 I sold a 73 Cuda race car I had only owned for 6 months, to jump on a 70 Challenger race car that I had actually went to look at for someone else. Shortly after that, I purchased a 96 Dodge Ram 1/2 ton, and combined with my lowly 16ft open trailer, we took on the western half of the United States. Houston, St. Louis, Denver, Sonoma, OKC, Mopar races and NHRA Super Street were the focus, but brackets, and 2 stages of spray in a quest for low ET fun were mixed in as well.
It was great fun, and heady competition and I really enjoyed the chase from 2000-2006.
Then in 06 I went with Boone to our first Drag Week and had a blast. That planted a seed that became the Valiant. A 10 second race car that could compete in SST, weighed under 3000 lbs. but with tags and registration. Sure, I had another 70 Challenger in the backyard, and a 70 Cuda on ice in Dad's shop in Oklahoma, but you can't get an E-body that light in street trim, so here we go!
Things seemed to go sideways from there, or backwards, or in circles, heck, I'm still not sure. I had a decent season in 07 with the Challenger, as I worked on restoring the Valiant to it's former glory, sitting unused does terrible things to racecars. I also had the idea that with both cars running, I may want to compete in 2 different classes at some of the bigger races, so I picked up an old 1 ton Dodge, and 2-car open trailer. This picture was taken at the 2008 Arizona Nationals at Firebird Intl. Raceway. I thought I was on my way to the next level...seems pretty naïve looking back on it now!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/16/13 09:50 AM
When I left the 2008 NHRA Divisional Finals at LVMS, I had a just purchased 93 diesel 1 ton, towing the two car trailer with the Challenger sporting a borrowed engine, the Valiant wrecked, friendships and credit cards strained to the breaking point, and the national economy in a full-blown crisis. I haven't raced an NHRA National or Divisional event since. The Challenger hasn't ran since. It wasn't "the plan", it's not what I expected, it's just... reality.
I've tried to sell the Challenger on several occasions over the last year, even as I've still continued to gather parts and have work done on it for it's eventual return. Race car prices are just terrible right now, and it doesn't help that tracks seem to be shutting down almost daily!
I sold the "restoration project" Challenger out of my back yard, finally admitted to myself that I'm a racer, a street grinder, and that pipe dream of a beautiful restored muscle car would never happen. Through a progression of trades, purchases, and family deals, I gave up the 70 Cuda, and sold a 69 Dart I had acquired in order to get the 67 Belvedere from Boone, and to be completely honest, if the only thing to ever come out of that was sharing Drag Week 2012 with my Daughter, it was worth it!
Last week I was presented with the opportunity to trade the Challenger race car for the 66 Satellite that Dale took on Drag Week 2011, and boot. I tried to dissuade Dale's friend from making the deal, but he apparently wants it more than I do at this point. When he arrives later this week, and the deal is done, I will be without an E-body for the first time since 1985. I will also be without the car that I've made 55% of the passes down a dragstrip in, of my entire life. Both Dale, Boone, and my Wife have all made the observation that I may look back and realize that I'm selling the best racecar I may ever own, to which I answered all of them, "You may turn out to be right...and I think I'm okay with that".
At least I think I will be. What the heck am I doing?
This picture has been my PC wallpaper, since we returned from DragWeek 2011, now I'm going to own all 3...how weird is that?
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/16/13 02:47 PM
So with Darryl's count down clock ticking which car are you taking to dragweek this year?
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/16/13 03:44 PM
Quote:
So with Darryl's count down clock ticking which car are you taking to dragweek this year?
Wow,
So I wax philosophical for 9 paragraphs about getting rid of a car I've had for 15 years, and good ole Rod hones it down to the fine point of the situation in a 16 word sentence!! Tough crowd!
The 67 Belvedere is going, with my daughter on board, and possibly my Wife as well. My choice may already be made as I continue to wait on small block parts to arrive for the Valiant. The 66 Satellite is nearly a mirror to the Belvedere mechanically, and both cars could use the same types of upgrades to improve their performance so it's arrival will certainly give me a viable back up plan.
The Truck
After I left Oklahoma, the brother's decided the engine mounts were the wrong ones (they've been in there since I converted it to a BB in 1991). The right ones moved the engine back another inch or so which required removal of the hood centering piece welded on the firewall to clear the tunnel ram, modification to the homemade tranny mount (they never did find the original one that was in the truck prior to last year), and shortening the driveshaft! One step forward, 2 steps back. This weekend Boone welded up the gas tank hole, and the antenna hole, and cleaned up the bed bars for final assembly. Dale worked on mounting the radiator, and getting the front of the engine all lined out.
My phone call to Boone went something like this, "Are you making progress?"
"Yeah, but Dale keeps running off on me, one minute he's helping Cody or one of his friends work on something, or he sneaks in the house to watch TV, or get something to eat. He just doesn't realize that we are already out of time!"
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 12:37 AM
Sorry if that was a little sharp, was just having a little fun with ya.
I'm sure you will miss the old car, I know I would. But it looks like you are going a different direction with your toys and it is nice to have a back up plan for the valiant & belvedere.
I look forward to where this will go with the Valiant, and hope you get the parts in time to get the new combo ready for this years adventure.
Rod
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 01:19 AM
Quote:
Sorry if that was a little sharp, was just having a little fun with ya.
Right back at you, Rod, it's all good, although I may never forgive you and your son for refusing to teach me the special "Small Block Mopar" handshake while we were at Spring fling! I could really use that info, so I could be an "insider"! Alas, I fear that I wear my big block bias a little too well, and most of the small block faithful figure me out pretty quick!
Dale talked to Bloomer last week, and he told him that I should see the rods, pistons, etc. this coming week. Bryce at Dr J's finally charged my credit card for the Airwolfs on June 6th, but has yet to send the promised invoice to my E-mail, and WhiteDart's report that the castings are on backorder scares me, quite frankly...we will see, I guess!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 02:44 AM
Wife and daughter are riding with you plus your brothers are going?You are a brave,brave man.That or don't wish to see 50. LOL. I kid,I kid,I kid.
Posted By: johnnyrotten
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 03:13 AM
So with the Challenger gone, does this mean you have to "officially" tell your wife about my tube chassis Barracuda? lol!!!
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 03:28 AM
Been doing more road testing. Need to find a way to lean out at part throttle. Tried just running without intermediate air bleeds. Had a lot better manners but would heat up at slight throttle. So it needs bleeds just larger ones. Have not taken time to get into that one today.
Been trying to get a speedometer to work. The Garmin will get me locked up. I look one second and I am running 18MPH. Give it some gas and look again and running over 100MPH. Deal is it was not running 18 when I looked. The Garmin just doesn't sample enough. So actually was running 18 at some time then looked still showing 18 probably 40 MPH. Then gas it pissed going too slow. Then no it is over 70 but surprised when 1~~ shows up. I am sure no cop is going to let that get by.
Some of the guys say I have too much valve spring. I am going to talk to PAC and the cam grinder this week. Need a spring for less lift sense the engine did not run better with more lift. So it should work with springs for .100 less lift. Hope I don't have to buy retainers and locaters again. I am pretty sure PAC said the springs would be fine. But, just don't need this much spring.
Leon
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/17/13 05:56 AM
KSJ,
No, no, no, if they both go, they are in a car together...NOT the car that I'm in!!
Johnny,
Don't have a convincing story made up yet to break the news about the barracuda. When I told her about the Challenger deal, she was like, "That's not gonna work, you won't be happy without a real racecar! You really need to start discussing this with me before you make these kinds of decisions!" Oh, boy, what a tangled web we weave!
Leon,
I've ran the last two Drag Weeks without a speedometer, just running with the traffic around me, and watching engine rpm...but I'm sure my converter is tighter than yours! I have had a couple of situations where I'm running down a 2 lane at 55-60, and come into one of those little one stoplight towns where the speed limits goes 45,40,35 and the local cop is sitting by the 35 sign, and you're sweating it thinking, "I hope I slowed up enough, I THINK that's probably 35!"
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 01:59 AM
Well I am told that a PAC 1330 will work safely in my car where I have PAC 1356 springs now. The real difference is the amount of lift they are rated for.
The speedo issue will soon be resolved. The sensor on the Racepak works great. But, it will only drive the one device as it is. The output terminal on the speedo does not work with the racepak. Now I just need to buy a shielded cable and a three pin female plug and I should be calibrating Friday.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 02:04 AM
Quote:
Well I am told that a PAC 1330 will work safely in my car where I have PAC 1356 springs now. The real difference is the amount of lift they are rated for.
The speedo issue will soon be resolved. The sensor on the Racepak works great. But, it will only drive the one device as it is. The output terminal on the speedo does not work with the racepak. Now I just need to buy a shielded cable and a three pin female plug and I should be calibrating Friday.
Hope it works out for you Leon.... I just use GPS
Posted By: johnnyrotten
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 03:14 AM
Billy, just let me know what it's gonna take and bring it over (or pick it up?). She doesn't need to know!!! Or I'll trade you for a coupe and ???? I have about 50 projects you can choose from, come on down and take a look. Then she'll have her Drag Week car too!
You need an even half dozen in the Gebhart lineup for DW. Still in if you want a co pilot this year
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 04:59 AM
Quote:
Hey Billy why stop at the big block/ small block choices, a new gen3 is small blockish in size.
I'm hoping my new combo is running next week
Posted By: Twostick
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 06:27 AM
Quote:
Been doing more road testing. Need to find a way to lean out at part throttle. Tried just running without intermediate air bleeds. Had a lot better manners but would heat up at slight throttle. So it needs bleeds just larger ones. Have not taken time to get into that one today.
Been trying to get a speedometer to work. The Garmin will get me locked up. I look one second and I am running 18MPH. Give it some gas and look again and running over 100MPH. Deal is it was not running 18 when I looked. The Garmin just doesn't sample enough. So actually was running 18 at some time then looked still showing 18 probably 40 MPH. Then gas it pissed going too slow. Then no it is over 70 but surprised when 1~~ shows up. I am sure no cop is going to let that get by.
Some of the guys say I have too much valve spring. I am going to talk to PAC and the cam grinder this week. Need a spring for less lift sense the engine did not run better with more lift. So it should work with springs for .100 less lift. Hope I don't have to buy retainers and locaters again. I am pretty sure PAC said the springs would be fine. But, just don't need this much spring.
Leon
If you have an Android phone, this speedo app works really well.
http://codesector.com/speedview
It even does a heads up display by setting the phone on the dash and reflecting a mirror image off the windshield. It will also do 1/4 mile times and 0-60 times. Logs mileage too.
Kevin
Posted By: 1967dartgt
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 01:02 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Hey Billy why stop at the big block/ small block choices, a new gen3 is small blockish in size.
I'm hoping my new combo is running next week
Looks good, is that one or two carbs? You in this year?
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 01:32 PM
Very nice Ray, is that the shorter intake from Muscle motors?
I just got the same motor plate and am now cutting the front cover.
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 03:45 PM
Quote:
Looks good, is that one or two carbs? You in this year?
one carb for now but I plan on testing/dynoing with the other dual quad setup also but I'm going for fuel milage this year. I want to drive it to Bowling Green. Hit Pigeon Forge on the way for shades of the past show and show the LS boys up at LS fest
Quote:
Very nice Ray, is that the shorter intake from Muscle motors?
I just got the same motor plate and am now cutting the front cover.
yes, I got the short version because the tall version would be hard to port if I wanted to try "things" without cutting it in half
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 04:14 PM
Looks good Ray
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/18/13 11:28 PM
Just ordered a proximity switch. It is only 45 miles away but will not be here until Monday. How about that. Want to get this thing dialed in.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/19/13 03:12 AM
Ray,
You are embarrassing me! BB to Gen3 and drive to DW? I'd like to say that If I was only working on one car, I could get that much done, but that would be a lie!
Leon,
What is the device that sensor normally runs?
Kevin,
A speedometer phone app, sheez, and I still play with carburetors.
Tony,
What the latest with the Javelin? I've been setting the alarm for 4:30 AM, and trying to dedicate 5-7AM to the cars, as that's about the only time I can stand it outside!
Johnny,
I have no doubt that you have something in Tucson that would interest me, I am a Mopar guy after all and we are easily swayed!! If you seriously want to make the trip to Bowling Green, we will figure out a way to make that happen as well.
Mike,
When does the Rampage get a shakedown?
The rotating assembly arrived from Bloomer Performance Engineering yesterday... and the block is still in the car. So there's another of my lame excuses shot down!
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/19/13 03:36 AM
it hasn't been easy. trying to squeeze everything between torsion bars has been a real task. I like the fenderwell headers much better
and I havn't made it to Bowling Green yet so I'm not counting my chickens
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/19/13 04:51 AM
I lost count Billy, how many days till DW?
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/19/13 05:07 AM
82
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/19/13 03:48 PM
Quote:
Tony,
What the latest with the Javelin? I've been setting the alarm for 4:30 AM, and trying to dedicate 5-7AM to the cars, as that's about the only time I can stand it outside!
The rotating assembly arrived from Bloomer Performance Engineering yesterday... and the block is still in the car. So there's another of my lame excuses shot down!
Billy I have been getting the fuel system straightened out, added a tank for race fuel in trunk and a second pump for just street driving from stock tank. Lightened up the back seat and replaced fronts with some Kirkey ones, down to 3390 with me in it from 3700 before.
Been real hot, I should have done this before it got hot
Still need to add the cowl scoop and do some testing, maybe down to Tucson in a few weeks. Debating whether to remove the roller cam and put my old flat tappet in it to avoid valve train issues, would be slower though. I may do it as I dont really have a chance in the class with leon and Ray and you anyway so a mid to low 10 should be ok.
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/23/13 02:37 AM
Just went to a cruise in about 45 miles from the house. For the most part 70 MPH highway driving. Run into rain twice. I have no wipers. And the water was puddled pretty bad in the first rain. But, no issues with that. I am trying to get a better tune on the dominator. It is great until the secondaries start to come in. Then it gets rough and the temp wants to climb. Gonna have to work this out somehow. The engine usually uses a little oil on the street. Today it burned nothing. I came back early as the show rained out early. Took a detour over about 20 miles of back country roads. Just a step above dirt. Went to the cookout my family was at. Then came home. All total 100 miles. Then my speedometer quit reading the sender. Should have bought the expensive one from Racepak. Temp will stay at 190 until you get into the secondaries then it wants to get to 205. Down the country roads never got over 180. So some tuning should fix this. Just not sure where to start.
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/23/13 02:52 AM
Quote:
Just went to a cruise in about 45 miles from the house. For the most part 70 MPH highway driving. Run into rain twice. I have no wipers. And the water was puddled pretty bad in the first rain. But, no issues with that. I am trying to get a better tune on the dominator. It is great until the secondaries start to come in. Then it gets rough and the temp wants to climb. Gonna have to work this out somehow. The engine usually uses a little oil on the street. Today it burned nothing. I came back early as the show rained out early. Took a detour over about 20 miles of back country roads. Just a step above dirt. Went to the cookout my family was at. Then came home. All total 100 miles. Then my speedometer quit reading the sender. Should have bought the expensive one from Racepak. Temp will stay at 190 until you get into the secondaries then it wants to get to 205. Down the country roads never got over 180. So some tuning should fix this. Just not sure where to start.
sounds good Leon, need a carb with external linkage that you can change the ratio
did you check your fuel milage?
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/23/13 03:19 AM
I thought about that external linkage. It would help as I could just cut the secondary out altogether. The carb Bob had has that but it is a dedicated Q16 carb.
I see guys running high 11:1 compression on pump gas. I wonder if on the street I could get away with a blend of 112/pump. Then really screw with the carb. I am going to get a guess on mileage tomorrow although I noticed the speedometer had quit when I left the cookout. I can figure that in with the GPS.
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/23/13 06:55 AM
Quote:
I thought about that external linkage. It would help as I could just cut the secondary out altogether. The carb Bob had has that but it is a dedicated Q16 carb.
I see guys running high 11:1 compression on pump gas. I wonder if on the street I could get away with a blend of 112/pump. Then really screw with the carb. I am going to get a guess on mileage tomorrow although I noticed the speedometer had quit when I left the cookout. I can figure that in with the GPS.
my BB is 12-1 and ran and raced on 91 but had the timing turned down
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 09:09 PM
Well...
It's 114 now, on it's way to 121 possibly, and I'm out in the carport pulling the engine out of the Valiant. What us Gebhart boys lack in motivation, and foresight, we more than make up for in sheer stupidity!!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 09:42 PM
^^^^^^ 70 days.
Posted By: ross
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 10:06 PM
Well Billy I don't know if you boys partake in the odd beer but I do. I am going to have one right now for you after reading that post. Still wearing long pants up here. Cheers
Ross
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 10:08 PM
But its a dry heat.
Posted By: Chris'sBarracuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 11:15 PM
Quote:
But its a dry heat.
So is an OVEN..
Chris.. 
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 11:28 PM
LMAO! True.
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/29/13 11:31 PM
No worries Billy..It is 116 here and we are getting ready to load up and go racing. I'm not very smart huh
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/30/13 12:46 AM
Took the car out for a little carb baseline drive, about 10 miles real rich at cruise, 10 to 1. Was pretty hot out,119 where I was. Engine temp good, fuel pressure good. Going to add transfer slot jets and work frombork there
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/30/13 01:34 AM
10 to 1 Tony? in 119...you're lucky the car didn't spontaneously combust! I came in at 2pm, took a shower, watched NHRA qualifying, I'll head back out when the Sun drops down. Yes that's a capital S on days like today.
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/30/13 02:26 AM
My tuneup is way lean with any load now. Went for a 100 mile drive with a true mixture of roads and traffic. Much like DragWeek, I suppose. The car ran pretty hot as the humidity was 90% and the temp was 84. The temp stayed around 210 while cruise and 210 quickly when pulling hills or accelerating. Was down 2 jet sizes in the carb. So hoping this will help.
I need to do something with this noisy fuel pump. When you stop and everything engine wise gets quite you still hear the fuel pump raising He!!.
But, hey checked mileage. Filled up to 1" below the filler neck before I left and again when got home. The car only too 8 gallons. That is 12.5 MPG and 4 lane highway, two lane highway winding through the hills and Roanoke city traffic. 12.5 MPG. ALL RIGHT.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 06/30/13 02:53 AM
I got my intake back on yesterday and ran it in the
shop for a hour or so and shut it off each time the
fan came on to let it heat soak... then finally ran
it so the fan would cycle to see the temps... all that
looked real good.. I'm taking it out for a cruise tomorrow
and get it up on the E-way... I pulled the O2 sensor
plug and it had carbon on it so its still rich..
as soon as I get some miles on it and get the exhaust
cleaned out I'll put the O2 sensor in and start checking
the carb.. I'll drop the jets 4 sizes to start with
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/07/13 06:56 PM
Dale finally sent some new pics of truck, of course he made them too small in his E-mail.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/07/13 06:58 PM
You just can't get good help these days.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/07/13 07:00 PM
Test fit of the hood for clearance.
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/07/13 08:23 PM
Progress
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/07/13 09:33 PM
Quote:
Test fit of the hood for clearance.
Looks good... closing in on it.. I hope you have it
on the road within a month to get some testing in
Posted By: BBR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/08/13 06:03 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Test fit of the hood for clearance.
Looks good... closing in on it.. I hope you have it
on the road within a month to get some testing in
Gebhart SOP dictates they will be wrenching on it in the registration line. Haha
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/08/13 06:27 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Test fit of the hood for clearance.
Looks good... closing in on it.. I hope you have it
on the road within a month to get some testing in
Gebhart SOP dictates they will be wrenching on it in the registration line. Haha
You would be right.LOL.BUT they are at least going. LOL.
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/08/13 03:38 PM
Nice!!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/09/13 04:53 AM
Quote:
Gebhart SOP dictates they will be wrenching on it in the registration line. Haha
Of this, there can be little doubt, they are engineering this thing on the fly.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/09/13 05:05 AM
This is Dale's brainchild/frankenstien fuel system: A1000 electric in the back, carter mechanical in the front, moroso return style regulator, and a bunch of T's and a one-way valve... The idea is to drive on the mechanical, race on the electrical. He tried to explain it to me, but it made my head hurt.
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/09/13 05:24 AM
Quote:
This is Dale's brainchild/frankenstien fuel system: A1000 electric in the back, carter mechanical in the front, moroso return style regulator, and a bunch of T's and a one-way valve... The idea is to drive on the mechanical, race on the electrical. He tried to explain it to me, but it made my head hurt.
Paying for all those pretty blue fittings would make my wallet hurt!
Posted By: Bad340fish
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/09/13 12:10 PM
Looks like the truck is coming right along!,
Mine is together and running but it smokes, I did nothing with the rings other than take the pistons out and put them back in. So I am hoping its an intake gasket leak or something. I haven't been able to drive it yet to get a good idea.
Posted By: BBR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/09/13 01:41 PM
That's crazy looking. lol I would run on the A1000 all the time and keep the mech as the backup. Plenty of guys run the A1000 w/o a controller and have had no problemos. (me included)
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/10/13 01:56 AM
OK will they let a crew cab dually in Daily driver. It should run 13 in the quarter. Will that make the 32 car field?
Leon
Posted By: Bad340fish
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/10/13 02:16 AM
Quote:
OK will they let a crew cab dually in Daily driver. It should run 13 in the quarter. Will that make the 32 car field?
Leon
They will let whatever in daily driver, but the last few years the cut for the quick 32 has been around 12.50.
Bring your car I want to see it! Whats keeping your car from the pro-street NA class? I think your trying to run MOD NA right?
Posted By: Leon441
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/10/13 03:05 AM
Pro street has the same rule on floor boards.
I actually bought a boat to make trailer with and everything. Just got incredibly busy at work and no time to work on car. Trying to change springs and replace the broken rocker arm. Pulled the engine apart trying to find the lost lash cap. Hasn't showed up yet. I really need a set of pistons that have decent rings. These NASCAR rings and big clearance pistons burn a lot of oil when cold. R5 guys say this is typical.
Leon
Posted By: furious70
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/22/13 04:56 PM
BTT, wow this had dropped to page 5!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/23/13 07:13 AM
Pulled the Belvedere out of the trailer yesterday, so I could get the Valiant put away. Figure it's going to be the 2 B bodies for me this year.
Of course, it's one of the 5 rainy days a year we get in Phoenix!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/23/13 07:25 AM
So, the Belvedere needs a tranny swap at the very least, (no second gear), but also on the list are: 3/8 tank pick-up, 3/8 fuel line, 3.54 Dana 60, etc. We will see how it goes.
The Satellite needs a stiffer rear gear as well, for whatever reason my brothers equipped both of these cars with 2.76 8 3/4s. Which is fine on a four lane interstate at 80+, but suck on the track, and suck when you are tooling around on two lanes at 55 with 800lbs of stuff in the trunk!
Posted By: stockerbill
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/23/13 08:37 PM
Easy on the Bro's Billy ! I like 276 gear. Works good in my 65 monaco at 4700 lbs
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/23/13 10:30 PM
Well Billy.. I SHOULD be up and running with a new
engine if things go as sorta planned(but most of the
time it doesnt work that way for me) on Aug 2nd..
so I should be testing then... hopefully I dont find
any MAJOR problems
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/29/13 05:20 AM
Well, July is pretty much in the books, and we are well into crunch time. So I guess a look around to take stock of where we are is in order.
The Valiant It was loaded in the trailer last week, and the new BPE rotating assembly, along with the X block are at my machinist/ co-worker's place. Below is an excerpt from my posting on the "Airwolf" thread:
"MisterBee,
My timeline has went like this:
April 4th First inquiring e-mail, got a reply from Bryce in 12 hours.
April 16th e-mail, and phone call, no reply to either.
April 23 phone call no answer.
April 24th e-mail reply from Bryce in the AM, to e-mail I sent on 16th
April 24th reached Bryce by phone in the PM, hashed out the deal, set the price, and he promised to charge my card, and send an invoice via e-mail. Said he was "3 weeks out" on the heads.
May 16th reached Bryce by phone on my second attempt. He explained he was overwhelmed with demand, and explained he was still probably "2 weeks out". I explained that I hadn't been charged, or received an invoice, so I was worried that we didn't really have a deal. He promised to "take care of that this afternoon".
June 6th The charge for the purchase price appeared on my credit card statement.
I have not had any correspondence with Bryce since then, I have still not received an invoice, or the heads. I have 3 cars to work on, and I have yet to assemble the short block the heads are destined for, so I haven't made any efforts to contact him in the last month, figuring my time is better spent on the stuff that is in front of me."
So that is where I'm am with that. I've pretty much moved on from trying to take the Valiant this year. I still have a laundry list of improvements that I wanted to make, and those would have to be pushed off once again if all I did was try to get the engine completed and in the car.
The Belvedere Got Rachael's ride up on jack stands last week, but just crawled under it today for a 'get aquainted' cruise on my creeper. I grabbed my 3/8 wrench to pull the drive shaft, but it was too big...man, the strap bolts on a 7260 yoke are tiny! Amazed that a 3650 lb car can go 11.50's on that spindly stuff! After loosening the shaft, I couldn't drop it down enough to clear the rearend, because it was hitting on the driveshaft loop. Now I know most of you are thinking "my loop doesn't get in the way" and you would be correct if your loop is anywhere near the NHRA legal position! Boone had told me in 2011 before we left on Drag Week, "I was worried about a loop for the Belvedere, but it already has one in it!" Well technically it does...
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/29/13 05:50 AM
mines down with a few pistons out of their proper holes waiting for some new ones to be made
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/29/13 05:52 AM
I jacked the rearend back into ride height position and pulled the driveshaft clear, then let it back down...hmmm, not as much travel as I would have thought, seems as though those "new shocks all the way around" Boone was telling me about when he sold me this boat, may be a bit on the short side. 741 case, darn it! not a good candidate for a new gear ratio. The driveshaft was not a factory unit, and appeared to be a very nice piece, with exception of the small joints.
The Satellite Ever since Dale bought the Satellite from Stock Eliminator engine builder Jimmy Lewis in Vian Ok, and decided to take it on Drag Week 2011, it has been the "little brother" to the Belvedere. The Belvedere gets the new parts, and the Satellite gets the hand me downs. My plan is no different. The Belvedere will get the Dana 60, and a new 1350 driveshaft, and the Satellite will get the best parts from the two 8 3/4's and whats left. So I jacked up the rear end to take a look at what I had to work with. First thing I noticed was, despite both cars being equipped with the staggered leaf hemi springs, the competition engineering shocks on the Satellite let the rear end travel much further. 2nd thing I noticed was a big yoke 489 case third member...now we are talking! Next thing, combination u-joint in the back with one of those hideous stock drivelines that is skinny on the ends, fat in the middle, and has that funky looking piece at the rear, with small yokes again, sheesh! 12.40's on that stuff? My brothers are far braver than I am!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/29/13 06:08 AM
The Truck
Boone's truck was transported to a header builder's shop on Friday. So Boone spent the weekend cleaning the shop, and assembling the dash, and the steering column so they will be ready when it returns.
The Gremlin
Dale hauled his Gremlin to yet another chassis/header shop to finally get it done properly, so he is going to races and working on side projects like he has another 6 months to prepare!
The Charger
I haven't talked to Darren directly, but Dad has told me that he has been grumbling about having enough finances to make the trip, even if the car is ready, which is pretty much the same story we've heard since we were all wet behind the ears teenagers trying to take our street cars 70 miles to Mokan Dragway for a day of test, tune and trophy class.
To be perfectly honest, If someone told me could only take 1, the Truck must go this year, so Boone better get to it, or DevilBrad and I will never forgive him!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/29/13 01:42 PM
Saw your bro at the Tulsa MidnightMadness Sat night.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/30/13 03:21 AM
Here is a shot of the truck on it's way to the shop to have headers built.
.JPG "7795062-boones_camara_700(1).JPG")
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/30/13 03:37 AM
Quote:
Here is a shot of the truck on it's way to the shop to have headers built.
Looks good..... the White Ghost
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/30/13 05:41 AM
In the shop, work about to be started, hopefully they finish up with it quick!
.JPG "7795177-boones_camara_706(1).JPG")
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 07/30/13 02:48 PM
Still have my foot brake trans from the Mirada laying here Billy. Big block 727 t/a manual valve body. If you're in a pinch its here! I'll be down your way next week on business.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 02:30 AM
Still got the trans laying here Billy, AND a set of 1009 head gaskets that I'll never use. I'll be in Phoenix again next week.... let me know.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 04:13 AM
Jay, I'll send you a PM, sounds like stuff I can probably use, the tranny in the Satellite may be a little "soft"!
Dale's Gremlin has headers now, as pictured below, before the trip to the coaters.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 04:39 AM
ok, I'll be down your way Wed night thru Fri. Torque flights fit well in rental car trunks!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 06:22 AM
Headers on the Truck
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 06:48 AM
Another look. Will have caps built, and has 3" exhaust tucked up underneath.
Posted By: urdustd
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/12/13 07:23 PM
I've got to say, that truck is way too cool! Hope you guys get your stuff done in time for Drag Week.
Not sure how I can help, but I'm not too far down the road if you need a hand with anything....
No big block parts, but lots of small block stuff and a couple of decent converters if necessary.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/14/13 07:54 AM
Dale's Gremlin headers are back from getting coated. He still hasn't figured out what he's gonna do about lexan side windows that don't open, and a 5 gallon fuel cell however...
The Satellite got an MP Chrome box ignition in place of the generic parts store version, and is currently at Arizona Differential Specialists getting 3.55's in the 489 case.
Posted By: rt66jim
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/14/13 03:14 PM
Nice coating job on the headers.
Posted By: Dragula
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/14/13 05:30 PM
Quote:
That's crazy looking. lol I would run on the A1000 all the time and keep the mech as the backup. Plenty of guys run the A1000 w/o a controller and have had no problemos. (me included)
2500miles on my prostreet truck with that pump last summer alone. No controller on it. The key is in the fuel system design!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/21/13 01:33 PM
Quote:
Easy on the Bro's Billy ! I like 276 gear. Works good in my 65 monaco at 4700 lbs
Got the Satellite switched over to 3.55s...
Pulled it out on the street, hammered it, 5200, 2nd 5600, 3rd to about 5000 and let off, this is much better than the 2.76s! Love the way it drives on the surface streets to get parts, and to work.
Pulled out on I-17 to go home...
What-the-heck? 3 grand to keep up with the traffic? What was I thinking?
New rotors and pads on the 93 1 ton, now Rachael won't think I'm trying to kill us when I drive down a mountain with two B-Bodies in tow! I should've done that 2 years ago.
Posted By: cudadon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/22/13 02:08 AM
Quote:
Nice coating job on the headers.
Billy I love that coating on the headers!
Who did it and what did it cost if you don't mind me asking?
Looks like chrome, does it stay that way after running?
Thanks again for letting me share this DW adventure with you and your brothers. 
Don
Posted By: sixpackgut
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/22/13 03:08 AM
I WANT THAT TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/22/13 04:58 AM
Posted By: vindicator
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 08/22/13 06:49 AM
May be for sale just to pay for building it.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 05:36 PM
Wow...
It's September already??
The Gremlin Dale ran into a major problem trying to put a set of my old ductile iron Isky rockers on his Indy SR heads. The stands are too wide to give the Isky bodies room to set over the valve tip, not to mention the fact that someone had ran these without hardened shims, and the separator springs had dug into them pretty bad.
In a last ditch effort to save them, he grabbed an extra SR head and went to Gene Carter's place. Gene is a Tulsa legend, still racing an 8 second 59 'Vette well into his 80's, and still able to work circles around a shop full of younger machinists. 5 hours later he told Dale to come get the stuff. When Dale arrived, he found that Gene had machined down all 16 rockers, and his 8 spares, as well as building spacers to separate the rockers. "Ever heard of Billy Ray's Catfish and BBQ, Dale?" Gene asked. Dale affirmed that he had. "Call them up and tell 'em to send ole' Gene a 2lb catfish dinner! Now get out of here and get that car done!"
They fired it yesterday, and a test drive is scheduled for later today, but it's still got a long ways to go to be ready.
The Satellite New windshield installed finally, oil changed, full 15 lb. bottle of nitrous on board, Chrome box added. I'll decide in OK whether to swap the 255/60 drag radials on, or put them on a set of police wheels to bring along. Other than that and a fresh set of plugs, she's ready to haul 800lbs and finish 33rd in Daily Driver!!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 08:24 PM
Darryl's-Demon Darryl loaded up his 69 W-2 408 Dart and left Phoenix 2 weeks ago on a 1 month vacation. He stopped in Tulsa to visit my brothers, but skipped racing at the midnites. He then headed to Northern Michigan, so he could play with the Dart in his old high School stomping grounds. He's had good results at an 1/8 mile track up there, 1.51 60ft 7.01-98.5. Then some low 11's the next weekend at a track he hasn't raced in 31 years, but the 10 second pass he so covets is still just out of reach!
The Belvedere The new transmission is installed, but not happy...drive is MIA! Dad says bring it to Oklahoma as is. He air checked it, so he thinks the problem is in the valve body. Few other loose ends to tie up but I'm loading everything to get out of here!
I've hauled an A body and an E body on this trailer, I've hauled an A body and a B body on this trailer. Now 2 B bodies, and I'm just about out of trailer!!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 08:40 PM
Cool... looks like you got a good 3' to play with on
the trailer... looks like the truck is squatted a bit..
might want to check the tongue weight.. might want
to back them both up a bit... good luck on your trip..
see you there
I just pulled the heads off the Rampage to plug the
oil supply to the top end... I changed my mind and
went with push rod oiling... but they are back on...
I just have to put the rockers and intake back on
Posted By: 85_Ram_4speed
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 09:51 PM
So exciting. Billy, I love reading your updates. Have a safe trip to, during, and after the trip.
Mr. P, so sorry you couldn't get the Rampage going in time, and so sorry to see DJ's Duster won't make it again. To all those that gave it a shot and couldn't pull it off, please try again next year. To all thos that are going---good luck!!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 10:04 PM
No air in the airbags yet, Mike!
Still have about 1500 lbs. of tools, spares, and provisions to load though.
The Truck They stopped working on the Truck to concentrate on the Gremlin, because the headers won't be back from the coaters until Wednesday, and Boone flat refused to put them on and run them raw. When I called this morning they were trying to re-install the glass in the truck with new rubber...by themselves! I don't have a family doctor on call, but you absolutely must have a Glass Guy with classic car experience in your phone... hope they don't break the windshield!
My poor homely 1 car carport looks like a bomb went off in it right now...Black Cat still on guard duty...
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/01/13 10:12 PM
Quote:
No air in the airbags yet, Mike!
Still have about 1500 lbs. of tools, spares, and provisions to load though.
The Truck
They stopped working on the Truck to concentrate on the Gremlin, because the headers won't be back from the coaters until Wednesday, and Boone flat refused to put them on and run them raw. When I called this morning they were trying to re-install the glass in the truck with new rubber...by themselves! I don't have a family doctor on call, but you absolutely must have a Glass Guy with classic car experience in your phone... hope they don't break the windshield!
My poor homely 1 car carport looks like a bomb went off in it right now...Black Cat still on guard duty...
You got that right on the glass guy... I wouldnt even
think about that... the next windshield for me is
in Iowa and they wont ship it
Posted By: Just-a-dart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/02/13 12:53 AM
Can't wait to hear about the thrash that is going to happen in OK. Thanks Billy for taking us along for the ride!
Posted By: G_bob
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/02/13 04:35 AM
Quote:
Can't wait to hear about the thrash that is going to happen in OK. Thanks Billy for taking us along for the ride!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/02/13 06:09 AM
The Brothers better be ready to work.LOL.
Posted By: Chris'sBarracuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/02/13 08:08 AM
Just have a great time Billy.. That's what it's all about..
Chris..
Posted By: Cappy572
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 04:42 PM
On Dale's log-in, Just quick update. Arrived in Oklahoma with only one blown tire on trailer. The thrash is on in earnest! Wish us luck...we are going to need it.
Posted By: Triple Threat
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 04:49 PM
Good luck Boys
Posted By: Al_Alguire
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 04:55 PM
Best of luck to the Gebhart clan on dragweek this year!!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 05:03 PM
My buddy and me are headed out tomorrow morning..
I'm pulling his truck for him... I'm riding 2nd seat
with him.... see you there Billy....
I just got done swapping on my W-2 heads on the Rampage
so as soon as the get the trailer out from in front
of the shop I'm gonna test these heads/intake to
see if the oil problem is gone
Posted By: BBR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 05:07 PM
Good luck Billy! Wish I could have been there for you to pick on this year! haha
Keep us updated and hope to see you on the live feed!
Posted By: topfueldart
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/05/13 05:46 PM
Tear em up boys! Can't wait to see it all play out!
Posted By: johnnycuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/06/13 04:34 PM
In the immortal words of Brian Johnson,"For those about to rock,we salute you!"
Good luck Billy, Daryl and all the rest of the DragWeeker's!,be safe,have fun and we're all rooting for ya!
Posted By: furious70
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/06/13 04:43 PM
My dad and I are going to be watching at least in Indy, we may road trip with the cars over to St. Louis and watch that day as well. I don't think we'll be in my Fury though, probably my 2012 Charger.
Jeremy
Posted By: slantzilla
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/06/13 06:06 PM
Good luck guys and have fun!
Also, let us know if the much touted Elvis vs. CAPSLOCK match race happens, or if they even show up.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/07/13 04:21 AM
Darryl has already arrived in BG. The Satellite and Belvedere are loaded up, and ready to leave OK, with 2 new tires on the truck and trailer each. Dale has test drove the Gremlin on the street with the new 4 inche exhaust, and bullets...we could hear him 2 miles away. Broke in the cam on the Truck...getting close!!
Posted By: Bad340fish
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/07/13 04:25 AM
Awesome Billy, see you there!
Posted By: slantzilla
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/08/13 10:40 PM
Leon just posted on the Bullet that they would not allow him to run in Elvis' class because of his floor, but let Elvis in.
Posted By: furious70
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/08/13 10:46 PM
All the Gebhart cars are in it appears, all in the registration gallery, truck and 71 charger included.
Posted By: J_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/08/13 11:46 PM
Quote:
Leon just posted on the Bullet that they would not allow him to run in Elvis' class because of his floor, but let Elvis in.
That's because Edwardo put lipstick on his pig and showed up.
Leon asked if he could put lipstick on his pig, and how much, and what shade....
I think Leon could have made the appearance after the discussed mods and been ok..... but like he said, it's not up to us moparts lounge chair brew chiefs to make that call. On the flip side he could have spent the money, time, effort to show up and get blackballed. I respect his decision..... but sure wish he'd been there!
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/09/13 01:08 AM
Id be drilling some holes in the Gremlins lexan side windows for ventilation.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/17/13 01:47 PM
Home at last! Mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially drained. Off to work to recharge! First pic is at the gas station in Flagstaff. 140 miles into the trip, and the back straps on the Belvedere are already hanging loose from the trailer...a sign of things to come!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/17/13 02:05 PM
180 miles after re-strapping the car down, we were on the side of the road, using up our only trailer spare. If you look at the top of the picture, you will notice tire tread caught by the Satellite's rear bumper!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/17/13 02:12 PM
I blew one trailer tire on the way down... I stopped
at a Discount Tire and replaced that one so I had
another spare... uneventful after that
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/18/13 09:31 AM
We rolled into Albequerque in the afternoon, and tried in vain to buy a replacement trailer tire...just nothing available on Labor Day Monday. As the sun began to set, we ambled up to Moriarty, and went off in search of "Amarillo by Morning".
We actually stopped just short of there at a little truck stop, and bailed into the camper shell for a "small nap" that turned into 5 hours. Left there before dawn, with Mr. Hooker telling me about change. "
One of these days
Things gonna change...You'll try not baby
Afterwhile gonna be mine, gonna be mine
One of these days I'm old and lonely baby
Cry Cry Crying. Wont be long long Things gonna change, You're singing to the choir John Lee! Help him out Carlos. If you remember the old MTV video, he was wearing the same outfits, and riding in an outdated Limo.
Sometime, in the middle of the night
And you're so long, and so long and so long
Things gonna change, things gonna change
Change change change
Things gonna change,
Further on up the road baby, things gonna change
Change change change
Change baby
You'll try not to leave
But after while Gonna be mine
My time my time baby
Things gonna change
Change change change All the Gebhart boys are well into their 40's and climbing relentlessly towards 50. When we were in our teens, and staying up all night to finish a car, people used to ask, "When will you guys learn?" They don't ask anymore...
"Dad, you've been listening to the same 15 song compilation CD since we left Phoenix!" Rachael rolled her eyes.
We rolled into Casa de los Owasso, at 2pm Tuesday 9/3. We had just shut the truck off when Boone announced that his headers were ready to be picked up at the coaters, 140 miles away, and my truck was the only suitable transportation. Dad volunteered to make the trip, and turned to me, "You want to ride along, Son?"
"I'd love to spend time with you dad, but I just spent 26 hours in that thing, and I'm not about to get back in it right now". I helped him disconnect the trailer, and off he went towards Joplin. "One of these days", I thought to myself, "Things are gonna change!"
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/18/13 03:03 PM
Great meeting all you guys and gal. Cool people for sure.
Posted By: Scott58
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/19/13 06:11 PM
Heh heh, "Casa de los Owasso", very funny.
Glad to hear you made it home OK!
So, I'm guessing "Chill Out" was one of the songs on the CD. To get the full "build(up)" experience I must ask what the total contents of the compilation CD is, so I can play it in the background (over and over) while reading the posts.
Scott
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/20/13 05:58 AM
I walked into the shop for a quick assessment, because when Darryl rolled through two weeks ago, he had told me he doubted if either the Truck or Gremlin would make it. First look didn't instill any confidence in me, either. The Truck was ready to go from the tailgate to the back of the cab, but the cab was virtually empty. The front of the truck looked fairly complete, even without the headers, but the more I looked the more concerned I became. The master cylinder was dry, and nothing was attached to it on the outside. No lines, no line lock, no proportioning valve. There wasn't any throttle linkage. Boone was in the cab laying down hushmat on the bare floorboard.
"Boone, you gonna use the manual linkage, or cable for the throttle?" I held up the two examples lying on the fender.
He never even looked up, "Don't know yet, that's a decision to be made later."
"Later?", I lifted one hand and counted my fingers, "Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday... not many laters left!"
Mom walked out to the shop about that time, and gave Rachael and I a hug. "Boone, what did you want me to take to the UPS Store?"
He came out of the truck like a shot, "Oh Yeah! We've got to get Dale's balancer shipped out!"
Dale's initial test drive of the Gremlin a week earlier ended in a wrrr, Kunk-klunk sound each time he shut off the engine, and a vibration while it was running. He had tracked it down to his 440 Source fluid style dampener, which was year old, but had never been run before. Subsequent conversations with 440 Source had led to the solution that they would ship him a new one, as soon as he could give them a tracking number for the one being returned.
I walked over and looked at the Gremlin, with it's front clip thrown upside down on a table, the radiator sitting on wooden blocks, and half of the front of the engine torn off. The shiny new headers have no exhaust attached to them, the interior has only one seat, no seat belts, and a river of wire in the floorboard. The overwhelming thought in my head..."Get in your truck and head to Bowling Green, NOW!"
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/20/13 02:20 PM
Billy do you have a pic of yourself so I can see what
you look like... also WHICH of the 47 cars/trucks that
you brought were you driving... I thought you were driving
the white truck but I guess that was your brother...
I THINK... sure did want to meet you but didnt
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/20/13 06:02 PM
Im sure the local Post Office has Pics of all the brothers.LOL.I saw Billy the first day and that was about it.My concern was asphyxiation for those in the Gremlin.Talked in the staging lanes and help them figure out side window removal.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/21/13 02:24 PM
Boone and I were off work for the rest of the week, but Dale still had to work through Thursday, and Darren was scheduled to work through Friday.
"How's the Charger coming, Boone?" I questioned.
"Don't know, Darren keeps calling us for advice, and help. We tell him to bring it over here to work on, so we can just walk over and tell him what to do, but he keeps refusing!" Boone shook his head slowly, "We've got too much on our plates to be driving over there to see what he's doing!"
Dale showed up about an hour later, and to be blunt, looked terrible. Sleep deprivation was already kicking his butt, and there was no relief in sight if he was to finish either of these vehicles.
"Hey, Dave! How was the trip?"
"Not too bad, actually."
"Where we at Boone?"
"Wiring, brake lines...Do you want to attempt the windshield again?"
"Too tired for the windshield, and we need more hands for that!" he concluded.
I interjected, "What's left wiring wise, that would allow us to get the dash in this thing?"
"That's a good question." he shrugged, and walked to the back of the shop, and settled into one of the chairs.
"Bring me the dash". He motioned, as his head rolled around on his shoulders, seemingly looking for the nearest pillow.
Boone handed him the dash, then grabbed a notebook, and started reading off wire colors, and the corresponding accessories each went to. I walked over and looked into the truck. They had attached a 1/8 inch piece of aluminum from the firewall to the dash bar of the roll cage. The igniton was mounted to the top, and would be accessible through the glove box door. On the bottom was a ten pin connector on each end, and a Painless wiring fuse box in the middle. A Painless wiring switch panel would have made this infinitely easier, but Boone had decided everything had to be on individual toggle switches for the gasser vibe. In addition there were a group of wires routed under the hushmat to between the seats for more toggles on a "yet to be built" console. All the wiring throughout the truck had been completed, and wired to each of the connectors on the dash bar plate, now it was a matter of hooking the toggles on the dash and console, to the fuse box, and the other side of said connectors. Did I mention the relays, the infinite myriad of relays also mounted to the plate? Relays for every toggle, relays running relays, relay groups taped together for the turn signals. Now I understand why the printed circuit board was the greatest achievement of the 20th century, or at least that's how I felt, looking inside the truck!
Dad finally arrived back with the headers, talked with us for a while, then called it a night. Dale finished up the backside of the dash, and we chased him off to bed as well, or carried him, I'm not sure, the details are a little fuzzy now.
There is that time in every thrash day where you weigh the benefits of working late into the night/am without distractions, against how slow you start to move without sleep. At this point Boone and I were just enjoying the fact that everyone else had turned in, and we could concentrate on the task at hand. We bolted on the passenger side header, but held off on the driver's side in deference to getting the brake lines routed over there. Then we tackled mounting the dash. Getting the dash in the truck was not difficult or time consuming, but it certainly looked like a huge accomplishment! We turned out the lights and called it a night, and after a shower, my head hit the pillow just after midnight.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/21/13 04:02 PM
Scott,
Rachael is prone to exaggeration! I had 3 cds with me, I just played one about 80% of the time. "Chill out" with John Lee Hooker, and Carlos Santana is actually on a blues infused cd I put together with stuff like a "Gloria" version with John Lee and Van Morrison, and a "Thrill is gone" version with Willie Nelson helping out B.B. King that I pop in for change of pace. The MotherStation Brand New Bag cd also made the trip, and got more than one circulation.
When I want to chew up miles though, The cd "Dad's Rock Anthems" goes in, and doesn't come out for far longer than a poor 24 year old girl can stand! Good thing she had her smart phone and ear phones!
Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd
Carry on My Wayward Son- Kansas
Boys are Back in Town- Thin Lizzy
You Shook Me all Night Long- AC/DC
Turn Me Loose- Loverboy
Renegade- Styx
Born to Be Wild- Steppenwolf
Bad Company- Bad Company
Hold on Loosely- 38 Special
Slow Ride- Foghat
Sweet Child o' Mine- Guns and Roses
Panama- Van Halen
Back in Black- AC/DC
Fat Bottom Girls- Queen
Hot Booded- Foreigner
Flirtin' With Disater- Molly Hatchet
Ridin the Storm out- REO Speedwagon
The ole' 93 CTD 1 ton dually extended cab has two 10" subs and 3 boxes from Rockford Fosgate and MTX where the jump seats are supposed to be. I'm not a car audiophile, but apparently the previous owner was, I just play that cd over and over again until my ears start bleeding, then I back the volume off, and plug in one of the others!
Tony,
It was great to finally meet you! Too bad you and Darryl, and KSJ, and Mike, and Ray, were all on the first shift, while we worked the second shift all week long.
Mike,
Gayle (JnkGal, Moparts) got some good shots of me on the first day that she posted on the "Dragweek" thread. The one below was taken by Randal (silverbuick, BangShift) I was in the "Worn" yella 66 Satellite.
Posted By: 6pak2go
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/21/13 05:42 PM
Here's a shot of Billy(right), Darryl(left), and Dale(middle) in Memphis. Can you tell it was hot?
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/21/13 05:54 PM
Quote:
Here's a shot of Billy(right), Darryl(left), and Dale(middle) in Memphis. Can you tell it was hot?
Thanks for the pic.. now I at least have a clue...
and yes it sure was hot... I could have gone through
3 shirts a day
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/22/13 04:13 AM
I woke Wednesday morning, and realized Rachael hadn't came back to Dale's last night. She had went partying with 2 of her male cousins on her Mom's side of the family, and my feeling was, she had probably drank them under the table.
When I walked out to the kitchen, everyone was sitting around having breakfast, so I felt as though I hadn't slept very long after all.
"We waited for you as long as we could, son", Dad commented. "I've already been up for 3 hours."
I looked at my phone, "10AM! How did that happen?"
When Boone arrived, I conned him and Dad into looking over the transmission in the Belvedere. Boone re-adjusted the shifter, they added 3 quarts of fluid, then test drove it and declared it good. I had brought an extra RMVB with me, because earlier they thought it may have a valve body issue, but they assured me it was good to go. Since that hurdle was over, I installed the trans cooler on the Belvedere, something I had been procrastinating on for 6 months and changed the oil on it.
Rachael arrived about the time I buttoned it up.
"Where have you been?"
"Had to wait for one of those losers to wake up so they could bring me back over here!"
"Show those lightweights up, did ya?"
"Sure did, when the jagerbombers got flowing, they couldn't hang!"
That's my girl, sheesh! I sent her on an errand run, wash and vacuum out the Belvedere, fill it up with 91, pick up some ice for our coolers, and a small list for the parts store.
I made my way over to the garage to check on Boone's progress. I helped him with the driver's side header, and noticed Dale had installed the hardline for the rear brakes, up to where he installed the proportioning valve, then had stopped on that job. He must've done it last night, because it wasn't on there when I arrived yesterday...wow, I missing stuff already! Since I need to re-do the hard brake lines on the Valiant, and need some practice, I thought "hmm, why not screw up someone else's lines before I tackle mine!"
I was well into that project when Dale finally rolled in from work, dragging a two wheel trailer, which looked far too big for it's intended purpose. He had given the builder very specific instructions, but this guy decided to expound on those instructions, and build it his own way! It'll make a good trailer for pulling around behind a truck, but is a bit overwhelming for the Gremlin it was intended for!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/22/13 07:25 PM
If you look real close at the attachment in the above post, you will notice the carpet roll on top of the Gremlin...that was scheduled for use in the Truck. If you look at the cab of the truck you will see 4 pieces of tape holding in the new windshield gasket. It still had a large droop in the middle.
"I had to cut a piece out of the back gasket", Boone commented, "It was just too big...I may have to do that to the front one."
That just didn't sound right to me, and I was concerned these guys were going to end up breaking the windshield. So I made a phone call to my glass guy in Phoenix.
"Do not let them cut that gasket!" he implored. "Just work it into the corners really good. When they lay the glass in at the bottom, make sure they work the sides in evenly before they start at the top. Most windshields get broken because they have the bottom and one side completely in and are pushing hard to get the other side in place as they work across the top!"
Adam really gets into his glasswork, especially on older classics, it took me another 15 minutes to get him off the phone so I could relay the info to Boone.
Rachael returned from her trip to the parts store with 2 cans of Charcoal grey metallic paint, and I went behind Dale's shop and grabbed a set of white police wheels with dry rotted slicks on them. I gave dad the task of repainting them. Boone had promised me a set way back in 2011, and now I wanted them to mount the 235/70 street tires currently on the back of the Satellite on. The plan was to put the new set of 255/60 MT Drag Radials on the Convo Pros for Drag Week, despite Dale's warnings that "They'll Rub!" and his constant statement that "Those street tires have been 12.40's, they'll hook just fine!". I knew I had to make an aggressive move to get my hands on 2 of the police wheels, because between my 3 little brothers, they have about 10 of them, but if you ask, each one will claim that HE owns all 10!
Another item I had Rachael pick up on her trip was seat covers for the Satellite. The seats had been recovered in an inferior grade vinyl 12 years ago, and the driver's seat was in pretty bad shape. She had called me from the store to tell me the options. I chose the grey sheepskin, and she told me it was 55 bucks, for the pair.
"For 2", I asked, thinking that was way too cheap. what could the quality be like.
I put her on the task of installing them when she returned, and she came over after a while and said, "Dad, there was only 1 in that box!"
I chuckled to myself, "That's fine dear, did you put in on the drivers side?"
"Yeah, do you want me to go back and get another one?" she asked.
"Nope, that will work." I love that child, but she constantly reminds me that the red hair is a dye job.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/22/13 07:35 PM
Thats a nice looking trailer but it is LARGE... dont
tell me you filled it up with parts and tools.. LOL
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 04:25 AM
Wednesday afternoon trudged on, and the brake lines eventually ended up mated to the master cylinder, albeit not without drama. It seems the 9/16 to 3/16 line fittings in the cast iron MCs are not readily available. Luckily Dale has a mopar buddy who manages an O'reilly store and is aware of this situation, so he crawls through junkyards on a regular basis to build up a stash. We were thankful, it's the little things that trip you up when you're in a time crunch.
I threw the shredded spare, and the worst one of the remaining mounted tires, in the 1 ton, and decided Thursday morning was going to be tire day for me, just didn't want to continue this trip waiting for the next problem to show itself, I needed to be pro-active at this point.
As I walked back into the shop, I noticed Dale had taken up his normal spot, on his back, under the dash of the BarnYard. Boone was busy bolting the exhaust under the truck. He had painted it all high heat white earlier in the day. The idea was for the 3" exhaust to run high up next to the floor pan, and virtually disappear, allowing everyone to only notice the large, bright headers exiting the fender. This was easier said than done, Since a sweptline cab hangs considerably lower at the back than the floor pan and bed, it required drilling 4" holes in the cab to snake the exhaust through. The headers end about 6 inches short of the fender, then an extension is V-banded on the end of the 4" collector that sticks through the fender and features the signature pentastar 5 bolt cap with the Mopar M plasma cut into the center which quickly became the feature point of the whole truck when it went public. The exhaust attaches to another 3" V-band coming off the back of the collector as it turns for the fender. Great care was taken when collaborating Boone's ideas to the header builder that as much of the header tubes as possible needed to show between the gap of the tire and fender. The design for the cap came to Dale in a dream after a session with the header guy and Boone, he had sketched it out the next day as seen in this attachment.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 04:38 AM
Speaking of the tires... I forgot my 4 way lug wrench
at my up north house and didnt remember to get something
to change the trailer tire with... we had to dig
through the 52 for the tool box and get a ratchet
and assorted stuff to get that tire off and back on...
in the mean time breaking the extension..I either
need to buy another or bring the one back home for
the trailer.. I think I'll buy another
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 04:57 AM
The header builder had marked the extensions left and right with marker, but that didn't survive the coating process, so Boone had frantically moved them side to side to get it right, and at long last the header and exhaust installation was a success. Boone and I turned to bleeding the brakes, and nearly every union and fitting I had screwed in leaked! We always give Dale a hard time about "Strong-arming" every bolt he tightens, but on this night he was able to give it back.
He was literally falling asleep under the dash, but told Boone, "You better work me as much as you can tonight, I'm spending all day tomorrow on the Gremlin!"
"I thought you had to work tomorrow?" I interjected.
"Nope, took it off, only way I could see us making it", he surmised.
My phone rang, it was Darren, "Dave, what's the number or e-mail where you tell HotRod you aren't going to make it?"
"DragWeek at HotRod.com, I believe", I deadpanned.
"Alright...I'm just not gonna kill myself, this is ridiculous, I've spent 2 hours just to build one fuel line! I'm not going to stay up every night this week just to half do this thing!" he exclaimed
"I understand, I don't blame you...just send them a maessage so they can let someone else in." Dead level, no emotion, he could shake that worm in front of me, I wasn't biting.
"OK, talk to you later", he hung up.
"Who was that?" Boone asked.
"Darren", I stared at him, "Said he was giving up!"
"Blatant call for help!", came Dale's muffled voice from under the dash, "Did you fall for it?"
"Not this time", I sighed, "maybe tomorrow".
I excused myself and headed for bed. Boone grabbed up his pile of papers and proceeded to call out wire colors and pin numbers to Dale.
The header caps, the chief inspector approved.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 01:20 PM
Thursday morning found me up early, but Dad was already on the back porch reading his Bible.
"You want to help me get all these tires over to Robertson?" I asked him.
"Sure what do you want to do?".
"You take the 1 ton over, and I'll follow you in the '66".
We pulled into a packed parking lot, and went inside. I explained to the salesman that I wanted 2 trailer tires, mounted; two new tires on the rear of the 1 ton, mounted(rain in New Mexico had convinced me a little more traction might be beneficial); and 4 tires swapped to different wheels on the 66 Satellite.
"You may want to leave it all with us, if possible", he smiled, "You're about the 10th ticket in line already".
"What are we talking, 30 minutes, an hour?" I feigned disbelief.
"Naw", he laughed nervously, "You may want to get a ride, it's going to be longer than that!"
Dale picked us up about 45 minutes later, and we popped into O'Reilleys for another of the seemingly endless runs for shop consumables, paint, fluids, and hardware. Back at Dale's house, Mom and Rachael were putting the finishing touches on a massive breakfast, and we sat around the table contemplating the best uses for the last 60 hours of available time before we had to be on the road for Bowling Green.
Below is part of the background of another photo I shot on Wednesday afternoon, which shows the Barnyard's doors leaning against the fence, one still in primer, vitually untouched since last year.
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 05:24 PM
Damn, its amazing you guys even made it at all, you're nuts, that why I like you all
Posted By: johnnycuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 06:21 PM
Hey Billy,gotta say those exhaust caps are very cool,and so far it seems like DW prep is standard operating procedure!..Always look forward to your DW exploits,great writing,{and reading}.
You and Daryl coming up to Fall Fling?
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 06:30 PM
Quote:
Damn, its amazing you guys even made it at all, you're nuts, that why I like you all
Yep... I agree... seems this DW build is always a
last minute thrash ... sooner or later they will have
MOST of the work done way before DW... of course if
they stay with the same rides.. but more than likely
they wont and start on a pile of new ones... and
the thrash will just start all over again... LOL..
I couldnt even get my one junker right to make it
this year
Posted By: Bad340fish
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/25/13 07:32 PM
They are not alone in the last minute thrash. Frieburger often refers to drag week as the "Largest collection of cars that weren't running 3 days ago"
Posted By: 85_Ram_4speed
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/26/13 01:16 AM
Awesome write up as usual Billy. I love the play by play you give. Very well written.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/26/13 04:34 AM
Thanks for the comments guys, Thursday morning was actually the last time things seemed normal and orderly! Pretty much after that it was "all hands on deck", and we started talking in code! Things on the To-Do list were getting shuffled to AT (After Tech) and ADW (After Drag Week). Expediency overruled diplomacy, polite behavior, and good taste.
As promised, Dale assumed the same position under the dash of the Gremlin, that he had previously occupied on the truck.
For Boone, the Calvary showed up on a gleaming black Harley. Terry Vicena had helped Boone work on the Truck last weekend, and decided to come back for another round. He was one of Boone's co-workers that he had been crying to about not making it without some help. Terry is not a master mechanic, or a master fabricator, he's just a guy that's not afraid to jump in the middle of a project, and tackle what appears in need of doing. Thursday, he decided that black roll of carpet needed to find it's way into the floorboard.
He was well into that project when Boone finally decided it was time to tackle the windshield! That brought me in from changing the oil on the Belvedere, Dale out from under the Gremlin dash, and Terry put down the carpet knife. Boone equipped 2 of us with plastic knives from a picnic set, and the other with a spray bottle full of soapy water. We wrestled with it for a good 45 minutes before we had it in place, and more importantly, without cracks! Boone decided to put the locking ring off another day.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/26/13 06:05 AM
Next up, Boone delegated the remaining painting to Mom, and Rachael. He handed them 3 rattle cans of satin white to finish off the door, and then 2 rattle cans Cobalt Blue Metallic and the stencils he had made up, to put the name, cubic inch call-outs, and class designation on with. "Don't worry about exact measurements", he implored them, "Just put it on there and spray it." I guess the best way to emulate a backyard built Gasser of the 60's, is to build it in the same fashion, with family and friends doing the work that should be left to professionals!
Dale's new balancer showed up via Fed-ex around 1pm, so at that time he really began to re-assemble the Gremlin in earnest. At 4 pm, we stole Rachael away to take Dad and I back to pick up the 1 ton, and the Satellite at the tire shop.
When we returned from there, Darren's truck was parked behind Dale's house. Dad used to try and hide the fact that Darren was his favorite, but as he approaches 70, it's much more blatant than ever before. "What do you need, Son?" he asked as soon as he pulled up.
"I need to use Dale's truck, and a trailer to bring my car over here...they've been saying If I'd bring it over here they'd help me, so I guess that's what I need to do!"
Dad sprung into action, and in a matter of minutes, the two of them headed out in Dale's truck, to pick up the Charger.
I was mad enough to chew nails. Boone and Dale spent 24 hours straight last year to get the Charger done, after they had given up on their cars. Now, with 1.5 days left, and both of them under the gun, he expected them to do it again?
Once the Charger arrived, Dale pushed the Gremlin off the concrete pad, and allowed Darren to put it in that place, so now it was not only forcing Dale to work on his car in the grass, at his house, but it had the BarnYard blocked in the garage. I just shook my head in amazement. To my way of thinking, EVERYONE's chance of making it, just took a step back...
Posted By: Scott58
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/27/13 12:15 AM
Now that I know the status of things Thursday night, I think I'm even more impressed that everyone made the show Sunday. I can't wait to hear about the next 36 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scott
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/28/13 04:59 AM
I gave Darren's Charger an appraising look, and was appalled at how far he had taken the disassembly. The gas tank was off the car, the front bumper, grille, and supports were off the car, and much of the underhood wiring was missing.
Last year, the car had a Racepump manual pump with a deadhead regulator, and an orange box ignition system. He had ran a 13.0, then ruined the starter. Later the car went 12.80's, but was plagued by vapor lock/ fuel delivery problems, and burned up 3 or 4 blaster coils. So he went 180 degrees in the other direction in an effort to deal with those issues. A Mallory Comp 140 electric fuel pump replaced the manual Racepump, and A MSD 6AL and new wiring were called upon to eliminate the coil problem. The problem now was that both of these conversions were only about 50% done.
Then I overheard him telling Dad, "When I'm at work tomorrow, I need you to change the brake cylinder on the right side. It's been leaking, and there is a new one in the trunk."
"Ok, I'll get to that." Dad agreed.
"Then, I've got brand new polyurethane spring mounts to replace the old rubber ones, and a pair of traction bars that will have to be modified to fit."
"Alright", Dad nodded his head.
I had to walk away to keep from losing my cool. He had major problems with axle wrap up last year, and I had told him to buy an iso-delete kit from Firm-Feel Inc. to take care of it. Now he was intent upon using a band-aid for the problem, and expecting Dad to install it?
Dale fired the Gremlin, checked to see if reverse was working with the tranny brake, then shut it off. He hooked up the trailer, and tried all the lights, it appeared that all the wiring inside The Gremlin was ready to go! He still had to wire the front clip, as it was not yet mounted on the car, but he had a pigtail already on the car for it to plug into.
I had already mounted the two new tires on my trailer, and moved the spare back to it's spot. I sat in a folding chair at the back of the shop, and watched Dale bounce between wiring on the Truck, and helping Darren on the Charger. I finally headed for bed and left the three of them to it.
Posted By: mprhound
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/28/13 06:17 AM
Great write up Billy, I met you after memphis at a gas station I was in the gold 71 challenger. It was my first Drag week and it was a whole lot more than I expected (and hoter!!!), can't wait for next year, already started tearing my motor apart, not only to fix the valve train carnage from this year (i did finish, and to me that was an accomplishment!!) but to go faster next year! Dragweek was one of the best experiences of my life, as well as my brothers(my copilot this year). he finally got motivated to put his Cuda back togather for next year, that is how much this event will get you fired up!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/29/13 05:23 AM
Friday, the 6th was a whirlwind of activity from the very start. My alarm clock was the roar of an un-muffled 440 as Dale loaded the Gremlin for a trip to B&M Muffler in Owasso. The same shop that had finished off Darren's exhaust on the Charger at the last minute last year, and had just finished up the under-truck portion on the Barnyard Viper. By the time I had my shower, ate breakfast, and made my way outside, Dale had already returned and was wiring the Gremlin front clip.
"Is he going to take care of it?" I asked.
"Well", Dale paused, "I reminded him that he said the 4" stuff was available, and he could do it, he agreed to that, but wasn't happy he was only given 6 hours to make it happen!"
"You told him it had to be done today, right?"
"Yeah, he told me to come back for it at 5pm, he also asked how the 'Celebrity Truck' was doing", Dale laughed. "Said he's never had a vehicle in his shop that had that many admirers stopping by to look at it!"
Terry walked around the corner on his way towards the D-100, "We didn't run you off already?" I joked.
"Naw, I figure I've got another day of this left in me", he smiled. "Boone hasn't made it in yet?"
"We were out here until about 3:30AM, and then he's 22 miles to his new place in Tulsa, so I wouldn't expect him too early!" Dale interjected.
I pointed at the Charger. "Darren knocked off about 2:30 AM", Dale added.
Dad came out and started on the Charger, and I helped him get it up on jack stands under the body. He had the tires off of it, and replaced the wheel cylinder pretty quickly. It wasn't until he started on the springs that Boone showed up, almost exactly at the same time as one of Dale's buddies, Michael, and a 10AM Powwow began to plan out the rest of the day.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/29/13 08:07 AM
Rachael came out as I was bolting a fresh 15lb bottle in the trunk of the Satellite.
"We going to be loading up and leaving soon?"
"Doubtful", I shook my head, "These guys aren't even close".
"We could just go ahead ourselves." She had lobbied to spend Saturday at Beech Bend since the first day I showed her the overhead view on Google maps and she spotted the amusement park.
"It's just not that easy", I lamented. "Hey, I need you to take the Satellite into town, and give it a wash and vacuum like you did the Belvedere."
She looked at the Satellite's worn and battered flanks and scrunched her nose up, "Why bother?"
I ignored the sarcasm, "fill it up with fuel, and grab 5 gallons of 91 for Boone, hopefully we can get the cam broken in on that thing today!"
She held up her hand like a bellhop, and I produced my card..."And grab some more ice" I begged. The heat was already on the rise.
Terry was making serious headway on the interior, he had the seats and seatbelts in and out several times. Finally he was happy with the fit, and finished up the installation with the seat covers while Boone fought with the locking lace, completing the windshield install at long last. The 2 of them collaborated on the passenger's side door install, then Terry wished us luck and headed home. Without his 20-25 hour contribution there is simply no way the Barnyard Viper would have made Drag Week 2013.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/29/13 09:03 AM
When Rachael returned with the Satellite, I decided it was time for me to get organized and ready to leave. I figured with my rig ready to go, and all loose ends tied up, I could better concentrate on what help I could lend to the brothers' cause.
I went through the 1 ton, sorting out what was staying in OK and what was making the trip. Next, I loaded the Satellite, then the Belvedere on the trailer. Finally I sorted through all my tools, spare parts, and belongings and loaded them into the cars and truck. I stopped short of hooking the truck to the trailer, since I still might have to run some errands in it.
Boone had brought the remaining Holstein cowhide print material he had used for the seat covers over, and had coerced Mom and Rachael into covering the door panel inserts and the headliner in it.
At some point around 11:30 AM, Dad had received a call from Darren that he had overslept until 11 and was late for work. Several hours later we learned that he had decided not to go in at all, but he still hadn't made it over to work on the car. When I grilled Dad on it, he commented that Darren was at his place getting all the other parts ready to put on the car...All while Dad and Dale were working on the rear springs, and modifying the traction bars to fit!
Posted By: 340Cuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 09/29/13 05:33 PM
Day Five at Bowling Green says a lot...
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/01/13 03:51 AM
Two burning questions that remained unanswered by 2pm Friday were: Will the Barnyard Viper fire to life today, and will Darren ever show up to work on his own car?
Boone finally pulled Dale away from the Charger, and put him back under the dash of the Truck, for hopefully the last time.
I dumped the fuel Rachael had picked up into the Barnyard's 15 gallon cell, so we would have enough to make it through the break-in process.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/01/13 05:30 AM
Finally, it was determined we were ready to see If the beast would run. I crawled underneath, and clicked the transmission into neutral, so we could get fluid flowing through the fresh 727 right away. Boone rolled the starter over a few times and hit the ignition. It kicked back on the starter so hard I was sure it had broken it. Same result the second and third time.
"Good grief Dale, pull some out of it!" I admonished.
"Should have been closer than that", he shook his head.
He had to back it off 2 more times, to get it right, and by then the starter sounded horrible.
Finally it fired to life, and he set the idle to hold the desired rpm, as we still had no carb linkage. After only 4 minutes, I gave Boone the kill sign.
"What'd you do that for!" Dale gave me an inquisitive look.
"You are burning the plug wire clamp on the front header", I pointed out on the passenger's side.
One of Boone's biggest complaints throughout this entire build was that Dale, in his effort to have everything fit perfect, cuts everything too short, plug wires, wiring, fluid lines, everything. This was a case where the plug wires had no slack to allow how far he had to retard the timing to get it running.
Dale tugged on them enough to get it away from the header, and grumbled, "I'm going to have to move that gear a tooth, so they will fit right!"
"How long did it run?" Dale asked.
"4:26 to 4:30, only 4 minutes", I answered.
"4:30? Dang it! I've got to go pick up the Gremlin!"
He jumped in his truck, and headed off to town without another word. Boone got out, and started cleaning up around the shop, which is what he usually did when he wasn't sure what to do.
"Boone, let's get some time on the cam!"
"Well...Dale.."
It drives me crazy when both he and Darren constantly defer to Dale, and lean on him for everything mechanical. They are more than capable, it's just became a habit. We fired the 508 to life, and Boone checked over the gauges. The Barnyard only has 4 gauges in the dash, 2 2 5/8" mechanical gauges in the middle, oil pressure and water temp. , then a 2" inch electrical gauge on each side of those. 1 is for fuel, the second says "oil temp", but it has 3 separate sensors running to a 3 position toggle, allowing him to choose between engine oil temp, trans fluid temp, and a back-up water temp. He was giving it a work-out for the next 13 minutes as we ran the cam in.
Darren made his grand entrance a few minutes later, and crawled under the Charger to install the fuel tank. He immediately began to find fault with the work Dad had done.
"The traction bar is rubbing the inside of the tire! I told him to check for that, darn it!" He started pulling the tires off as another guy I'd never met walked up.
"This is my co-worker Eric", Darren introduced him, "He decided to lend a hand tonight".
I thought to myself that it was a good thing he brought reinforcements, because he definitely needed all he could get!
Note: This pic of the Barnyard's interior is much later in the week, at this point on Friday afternoon, it still had no throttle, no steering column, no mirrors, no headliner, no shifter and no driver's door!
Posted By: RonTheAnnouncer
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/01/13 07:10 PM
More please.
Posted By: Dart451
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/02/13 12:35 PM
Posted By: Hemi_Joel
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/02/13 01:27 PM
Quote:
Quote:
More please.
+1
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/03/13 04:02 AM
Dale pulled into his backyard a little later, put down the ramps, and backed the Gremlin down them until the rear tires were on the ground. We used what little daylight was left to check out the new "exhaust". My observation was that a 4" 90 degree bend takes up too much room! Part of his brand new collector had to be whacked off to allow the exhaust to suck in and snake past the trans mount, once that was accomplished (more like a 60 into a 60) it had about a foot of straight pipe into 16" bullets with turndowns just in front of the ladder bars. I backed up and looked at the door opening, "Those turndowns are before the back of the door!" I exclaimed.
"There just is no room", Dale shook his head, "He said if I want to buy some oval pipe later maybe he can get creative!"
James Gilliland walked in the back yard with a large gym bag under one arm and asked when we were leaving. He was greeted with an equal dose of laughter and icy stares. James had foolishly agreed to be Dale's trunk monkey/co-driver on this adventure. Equally foolish was his decision to come over to Dale's on Friday afternoon instead of some 24 hours later! If you are concerned about James' judgment at this time, let me confirm your reservations! We kind of consider him an unofficial 5th brother, not because of the closeness of his relationship with us, but because of how many car and car part trades he has had within the family! Dad's Duster, used to be his, the 508 short block in Boone's Barnyard Viper...yep. He had both traded for, and traded away the worn yella Satellite that I took to Drag Week this year, and yes he has seen the "Family Math" in action, and for some unknown reason keeps coming around!
I helped Dale get his front clip slid into place on the Gremlin, then left James to help him with anything else, because Boone motioned me over to the drivers door. Heavy lifting is not my favorite part of building a car, especially not when you are being yelled at to hold still while someone lines up bolts, but I've done quite a few lousy things to him in his youth, and guilt is a strong motivator!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/05/13 02:58 AM
Dale had barely finished securing the front clip, when he decided to take the gremlin for a test drive. James jumped into the floorboard on the passenger's side, and looked forlornly at the kirkey seat laying on the workbench. Dale had removed it earlier to allow himself room to work under the dash. They idled through the back yard and out onto the street, carefully avoiding the gas until he exited his neighborhood. Once out on the main road, he whacked it pretty good, and standing outside of his shop, we could pretty much hear every move he made on the throttle.
"He's going to get us all arrested", I surmised
"Probably in some little town in Tennessee", Darren added
"Probably tonight, in Owasso!" Boone chimed in. We all laughed, and went back to what we were working on.
Dale's friend Tom, had stopped by for the evening's festivities, and he decided to help Boone stab the steering column back in the Truck.
I made my way over to the Gremlin when they pulled back in.
"Front is too low", Dale shook his head, "We scraped the crossmember under the pan about four times in a mile and a half".
"Well, If you hadn't wanted the engine in there so low..."
"I wasn't going to let it end up like the AMX!" He interjected in a low growl.
We bought the 70 AMX backhalved racecar in 1997 with a BB Mopar/Glide combo already installed. The engine sits fairly high in it, forcing the Glide to run downhill to clear the stock tunnel. Dale has never been happy with it, but not so much that he wanted to invest in a new engine plate and new headers. The Gremlin was a 401/727 car, then converted to BBC/Glide, so Dale started with a clean slate by putting the crank/tranny centerline level, and making everything work around that, so now his dragster pan, and newly made crossmember were dangerously close to the road.
This is a pic from a couple of weeks earlier in the build to show the front suspension that was a concern to Dale. The hacked out upper arm, the cheap CE coil-over kits, and the modified support rods on the lower arm might last forever bracket racing, but driving through pot holes? A 440 source front-of-engine kit was modified to mount the alternator to the engine plate.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/05/13 07:20 AM
Dale had barely been able to keep the 440 idling when the Gremlin had returned back into the yard, so he tore into the 1050 Ultra HP almost as soon as the hood was off. Air bleeds, jets, and removing some odd looking petroleum jelly looking crap from the fuel bowls seemed to help a great deal, and soon it was sounding much better. Next he stuck James in the car, and shuttled the welding leads inside. The current seatbelt mounting tabs were not going to work with his new v-belts, so they had to weld on new ones, no small feat in a finished car, which is why he had saved this task for a professional! Unfortunately Dale didn't equip him with any welding gloves, so the language coming from the car made one think something was going horribly wrong! The tabs looked great, and the interior of the car suffered less than James' hands, so Dale was happy with the results!
While the under dash wiring was complete on the Truck, The turn signals, horn, and several other accessories were ran from toggles on an aluminum plate center console, and that had yet to be finished. Boone had been working on it for quite a while with mixed results. I had retired to a lawn chair in the back of the shop, where I was having a great conversation with Tom, the elder statesman of our little group. He is an interesting hot rodder with one foot firmly in the past, and the other boldly striding forward into the future, so any time spent in a benchracing session with him is always time well spent, even in our present situation!
Dale came in from playing with the Gremlin in the dark, and joined Boone to finish up the wiring, soon they had Tom and I out of our chairs, watching the signals on each end of the truck. Once that operation was deemed a success, and I realized the clock was quickly approaching midnight, I excused myself from the madness and headed to bed, certain that Saturday was going to be a very long day!
This is a pic of Tom, in one of his many toys, giving Dale's son a history lesson...
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/05/13 03:03 PM
Despite the nervousness and anticipation of the impending trip, I managed to get a full 8 hours of sleep. Truth was, all the effort to finish up in the unseasonably hot and humid Oklahoma weather was wearing me down to the point that sleep came very easy. By the time I had a shower and made my way to the breakfast table, Dad, Mom, and Dale's Wife were already there.
"What time did everyone knock off?" I questioned as I grabbed a cup of coffee.
"I think Dale said Boone left at 3AM", Jacque spoke up, "Dale and James went to bed at 6:30...and Darren is still out there!"
"Wow, I guess it's crunch time now, finally a little sense of urgency around here!" I laughed, but no one laughed with me. "Dad, you and I are going to have to go get Dale's truck and trailer ready, and get it over here. These guys are going to work on their cars until they are finished before they ever think about how to get them to Bowling Green."
"Figured they'd just drive 'em to Bowling Green, they're street cars, right?" Dad's joke went over with about the same affect as mine.
Dad and I headed out to my 1 ton after breakfast, and I mentioned to him, "You know Dad, Darren can't even find the keys to Dale's Kodiak. He's spent several days looking for them, with no luck, so we'll have to get Jamie to help us dig for them when we get over there."
"Well", he had a surprised look on his face, "I grabbed some stuff out of the car trailer several weeks back, and then I found a set of keys in my truck that I have no idea what they go to...maybe I should bring them with us."
"Yeah, maybe", I agreed, and he shuffled back in the house. "This day is not going to end well!" I mused to myself as I surveyed the back yard through the windshield.
Darren was draped over the fender of the Charger, and only the faint movement of one arm led me to believe he might be conscious.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/05/13 10:46 PM
We drove through the back gate into the 3 acre pasture that serves as the Gebhart family salvage and storage center. Dad jumped up in the '89 Kodiak, and fired the 3208T to life.
"Yep, those were the keys!"
We opened the door on the 48ft Gooseneck and surveyed the work ahead of us. The 67 Barracuda, and 70 AMX Racecars were sitting on flat slicks, so I headed after Darren's air compressor.
"See If you can get the straps off, Dad!" I hollered back as I made my way to the shop.
Jamie brought me out a small round mirror, "This is Boone's door mirror, he asked me to find it for him."
I plugged the compressor in and chatted with her while it filled up, wondering what else might be hiding in the shop that he needed. I decided to give him a call, as I drug the compressor back across the pasture to the trailer. He answered with some incoherent babble that let me know I had just woke him up, and finally told me that he had not yet found all the inside door handles for the Barnyard. Two trips with the compressor aired up the tires enough to unload the cars, then we unloaded the remaining stuff from the trailer as well as the stuff I had decided to leave in Oklahoma. You know, pawn shops and fences have "cool down rooms" for stuff they think may be hot. I have my brothers' garages for stuff I don't want the wife to know I've purchased yet, same basic concept!
By the time we made our way back to Dale's house, it was crowding 11AM, and Darryl called to check on our progress.
"Are you guys rolling this way yet?"
"Ah...no, not even close what are you doing?"
"Stopped at a truck stop nearby last night, now I'm here at the campgrounds outside the track, hanging out with Tony Sanchez", Darryl countered.
"What are you doing?"
"He just pulled his trailer out of a side compartment of his motorhome, and they are assembling it. We've got a nice spot in the shade, got the cars washed up, it's really nice!"
"Yep", I was officially jealous, "I'll let you know when we get out of here...IF we get out of here!"
Posted By: Bad340fish
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 03:24 AM
Great write up Billy! I don't know you you remember all this stuff. I had done a small writeup on bangshift covering my trip and I had to refer to my facebook posts to see what day things happened on. My post was up for a day and then the sight got hacked and it was gone
Keep it coming
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 04:53 AM
Dad parked Dale's truck and trailer in front of his house, while I drove my 1 ton into the back yard, and lined it up with my trailer.
Dale and James were draped over the interior of the Gremlin trying to get seats and the new seatbelts in the car.
"Thought you had that whipped last night?"
"Just the bar tabs up top", Dale shook his head,"now we have to get the floor mounts in, and the exhaust guy used one of my passenger seat mounting holes to bolt in the muffler bracket".
James was beating on one of the floor tabs for the seatbelt with a small ballpeen hammer so I went to my truck for my 2lb. sledge.
"Thanks", he smiled, "The belt is too thick, when it's in place, the seat won't fit, so I just needed to massage it a little!"
"Where is Boone?" I asked.
"Haven't heard from him yet today", Dale shook his head.
"What did you get done to the Truck last night?"
Dale thought for a second, "Well...we decided to use the duster cable throttle pedal again, and got it mounted in the floor...we still have to get a cable bracket modified for the engine. All the electrical and wiring is good...Oh! I went ahead and pulled the distributor, and backed that intermediate shaft a tooth, so we will have to reset the timing when we finish breaking in the cam."
"Boone got the shifter in", James added,"and I think your Mom and Rachael finished with the interior panels this morning."
"Cool, what's Darren doing?"
"Walking around like a zombie!" James interjected.
"Think the fuel system is good to go," Dale shook his head, he's under there now putting a fuel pump block off on the engine. He's re-adjusted the springs, because the tire is closer on one side than the other, and was actually rubbing the front of the spring...problem is...he still hasn't finished up the ignition, so we still don't know if it's gonna run!"
"You got this thing figured out?"
"Well...I'm going to take it for another test drive, and see how it acts after the changes I made to the carb. I need to reset the front ride height, set the toe, and adjust the tie-rod ends, as one is only in about 4 threads, but all that is probably going to wait until after-tech!"
I helped them until they finished up and jumped in the Gremlin for a test drive, as they idled around the house, Boone stepped out of the back door with a soda can in his hand.
"Where are they going?"
"Test drive. Where have you been? Darren took Friday off from working on his car, and now you just took Saturday off!"
"Whatever!"
"It's after noon!"
"I had to get all my clothes and stuff ready to go, make sure the house is locked up, hit the bank and try to figure out how I'm going to pay for this! Besides, I've been here for a while..."
"What were you doing?"
"Eating lunch, Jacque, Rachael, and Mom have had it ready."
"Dang it!" I glared at him, "That's where Dad disappeared to!"
"You know it! He was first in line!"
I went in the house and grabbed a plate, only to have Rachael take it away from me.
"Have a seat, I'll fix it for you". She shoved me out of the kitchen, and I sat down beside Mom and Dad.
"Boone brought the clippers over, I'm going to cut his hair before he leaves", Mom gave me an appraising look, "You are looking pretty shaggy yourself, and I can fix you up too!"
"Drag Week isn't a fashion show mom, I'll be fine", I said, as I ran my fingers through what little hair remains on top.
"Well, it's plenty hot, so you'd at least be cooler!"
Dad gave me a sidelong look that confirmed my suspicions, some battles weren't worth fighting, even after all these years!
Rachael brought my plate over and asked what I wanted to drink, saving me from the conversation with Mom.
When Mom was painting Boone's stencils, she asked me for something small and heavy to hold the stencil against the door...now I have a set of cobalt blue half inch drive impact sockets!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 10:12 AM
As I stepped out the back door after lunch, I heard Boone yelling at Dale about the carb linkage, and tossing something across the yard. "Oh Boy" I thought to myself, "here we go"!
"You can't hold it with just one bolt!" Boone blurted.
Dale wasn't backing down for an instant, "That wasn't what I said! James can cut this one and add to the other bracket! You aren't listening!"
James looked like a person who didn't want to be where he was, as he skirted around the back of the Truck.
Darren poked his head out from under the Charger, "Get back over there James!" he hollered with a laugh, "You wanted to be in this deal, now you're in it! You can't run away everytime we get in a fight!"
Dale picked up both brackets and began to show James what modifications to make, while Boone fumed in the back of the shop. I walked out towards the Gremlin with Dale when he handed off the project to James.
"What the heck was that about?"
"He got mad because we've spent all day on the Gremlin! So now he's on edge about everything, he sees everyone else near ready to go, and he thinks the Truck is falling behind!"
"How did the test drive go?"
"It swapped lanes when I let go of the trans brake...like right now!"
"Your test road is not exactly The MotorPlex!"
"I know, but I need to spend some time under that front end when we get to Bowling Green!"
Darren was trying to burn up another starter, so Dale and I walked over to see what was going on.
"Don't think it's getting fuel..."
Dale pulled off the breather, and stroked the Dominator, the squirters were spraying fuel everywhere.
"Nope, you aren't getting fire! You did something wrong with that box!" Dale told him.
Darren pulled out the instructions and mused, "It said something in here about a switch...".
I looked down and realized I was mistaken about the 6AL, he had installed a Digital 6+ like I have in the Valiant. He crawled back under the dash for a few minutes, and then tried it again. It was hitting, but no where near starting.
"Sounds slow to me", I told Dale.
"You never touched the distributor?" Dale asked Darren.
"Nope, right where it was last time it ran", he assured us.
Dale pulled a little more timing into it, and cylinders began to pick up.
"Still slow", I commented.
Dale added more timing again, and it would start, sound like it was hitting on about 5, then die.
"Darren, you need to pull the plugs and see what they look like...", Dale ordered.
"The plugs are a pain on this thing", Darren started in, "and besides, I've still got quite a few wires that need to be finished up, and the bumper brackets have to be put on..."
Dale's voice rose sharply, "Dang it, Darren." If the engine won't run, all that is just a waste of time! We need to see if it's going to run, so change the darn plugs!"
I was losing my patience with this whole deal, in retrospect I guess everyone was at about this time. So I jumped into the conversation.
"Darren, just push this piece of junk out of the way, so we can get Boone's truck out of the shop, and ready to load." I had everyone's attention now, "If you idiots want to sit around here and finish everything on all three of these cars we'll be here until Wednesday morning and miss Drag Week completely!"
Darren pointed his finger at me, and matched my tone, "Oh,...I'm going on Drag Week! It might not be with you, it might not be with them, but this Charger will be there! So you just go ahead and leave if you want, I got this!"
Classic Darren, defiance for no other purpose than defiance itself. The truck he's been driving back and forth to work, wouldn't pull that Charger ten miles down the road without vapor locking and overheating. Dad's truck is broke down, so the only option for him to get to Drag Week is to put the Charger in the big trailer. Then Dale has to put his Gremlin on the small trailer and pull it behind his 1 ton. So here is Darren, the one with the least equipment dedicated to this operation, the one with the least investment into getting these five cars to go on this trip, the one who's been up 26 hours straight, and couldn't possibly drive to Bowling Green tonight if his life depended on it, trying to dictate terms to the rest of us! 35 years ago I'd have knocked him down and held his face in a fresh cow patty! 25 years ago, I'd have punched him square in the throat...
Dale grabbed Darren's shoulder, and focused him back on the engine, "Get that #1 plug out, so I can look at it!"
Darren complied, and I stomped off in the direction of my rig. Rachael came out, and I had her help me hook the truck up to the trailer. Then I spun the whole thing around in Dale's yard so I would be ready to just pull out and go the next time I was this tempted to leave them all behind.
Posted By: tboomer
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 01:35 PM
Great reading Billy!! Think I told you that you should be writing for a magazine!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 08:33 PM
Mom came out on the back porch with a towel, black case, and a folding chair. "Boone get over here, it's time!" He dutifully walked away from the front of the truck where he and James were discussing the final fit and finish of the throttle cable bracket, which was on it's fourth revision by this time.
I watched Darren hand Dale a black lump that I could tell was massively carbon fouled from forty feet away. I also knew he had been trying to get us to order him plugs for three days in a row earlier in the week, so he certainly didn't have an extra set. I pulled a tool bag out of the Satellite which had my extra parts in it. I had a brand new set of NGK 6s that I had already promised to Darryl, but I thought I had another set that had only been fired once. I found a set of four 6s that had a little corrosion on them, and a set of four 7s that were perfect, but the packaging was beat to heck.
"Hmmm, he's been up all night, doubt he'll even notice", I thought to myself. Should be a nice little experiment to see which heat range handles the street, and the Nitrous later on...what do I care? I walked over and placed the 7s on the passenger fender. "Try these", I said as I took the set of 6s over to the wire wheel. Once they were cleaned up, I laid them on the driver's side, confident he would just screw them in without looking.
Dale moved from the Charger to the truck, and hooked up the timing light, his snap-on doesn't read well through the massive taylor 10.8 wires, so he rigged up an 8mm for #1. James fired the 440, and Dale re-set the timing while running it for another five minutes to finish cam break-in. Then we idled it down and played with the throttle linkage. Once the engine was shut off, James complained about the linkage sticking and not returning over center.
"Thing hasn't been used in 10 years, maybe a little lubrication would work?" Dale questioned.
I grabbed a can of spray silicone lubricant, shot all the areas that moved, and it cleared up any hesitation in the return action immediately.
"Dave, it's your turn!" Mom hollered.
"I'm not 12 any more Mom!" I retorted.
"Get over here and get your haircut, right now!"
I dropped my hat on a table, pulled my shirt off, and walked head down over to the folding chair.
Boone rejoined the fray, and convinced Darren to push the Charger back to allow the Barnyard to get free from the garage. Once they had it out, the hood was bolted on, and the old girl was ready for a test drive. I looked at my phone, 2:45 pm, sheez, we were never getting away from here!
Posted By: 85_Ram_4speed
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 09:05 PM
Keep it coming. Damn I can't decide what I like better, Your Valiant or the truck. Both are super awesome looking--to me anyways.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/06/13 11:12 PM
Dale jumped in the passenger seat, and Boone idled the barnyard out to the street. They returned in about ten minutes, and Dale guided Boone into the front of the 48' trailer.
"How'd it go?" I asked Boone as I helped him tie it down.
"Seven degrees caster might be too much, it was working the front springs pretty hard when you turn it!"
"Did it run okay?"
"Never really got on it, just wanted to make sure it shifted out okay, we only went four miles."
The Charger finally fired to life, and after a few minutes of Dale working his magic under the hood, the 440 started to sound pretty crisp. The next thing I knew Darren drove it around the side of the house, but instead of lining up for the trailer, he headed on down the street.
I cornered Dale, "What the heck is that about?"
"He's driving it over to his house to get all his stuff packed and ready, then he'll be back..."
"We'll be lucky to see that car in five hours!" I spat back through gritted teeth. I spun around and walked into the house before he could answer. I decided to lay across the big bed in Mom and Dad's room, rest my eyes, and give this frustration a chance to subside...
Rachael came in a few minutes later, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, uhh, did I fall asleep?"
"I guess, Dale and Boone have been asking where you went. I've been washing up our laundry, figured now was the best time."
"What time is it?
"Little after 5."
"Yeah, I guess I did get a good nap, gonna need it for what we are facing tonight. Anyone heard from Darren?"
"They've been calling over there...Jamie says he'll be here in an hour."
I walked outside, Dale had already loaded the Gremlin on the small trailer, and was sorting through the shop to decide what to take.
"You using the hitch on the back to take your Gremlin trailer?"
"Nope", Dale shook his head, "Not gonna take it this year, you guys would just overload me anyway!"
"Probably a smart choice, we have our hands full as it is", I nodded.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/07/13 06:45 AM
By the time Darren returned with the Charger, there was barely enough light from the fading sun to load it in the trailer.
By the time everyone showered, packed, and headed out to load up, it was well and truly dark. Dale was behind the wheel of the Kodiak, with James in the jump seat. Darren landed on the couch in the sleeper/lounge area of the Kodiak, and was snoring before they got out of the neighborhood. Boone and Dad ended up in the 1 ton pulling Dale's Gremlin, while Rachael and I were handling the double b-body rig.
After a fuel stop, we jumped on US 169, and I handed Rachael my phone, "Text Darryl and let him know we are finally rolling".
That text went out at 8:30pm, and we had 680 miles between us and Drag Week Tech in Bowling Green. As I had expected they would do all along, they pulled away and left me before we even jumped on the Muskogee Turnpike. Forty-five minutes later, my phone went off, it was Boone.
"Dale blew out a trailer tire, just after he got on I-40...and he doesn't have a spare. So we need to see if yours will fit."
"I guess I'll be there in a bit", I answered as I drove past a five miles to I-40 sign. Typical of my brother with a 48ft. enclosed, three axle, mini-fifth wheel trailer on a 1360 mile round trip, and no spare, brilliant! I pulled up behind the Gremlin, and 1 ton, which was behind the big rig. The blow-out was on the drivers side, and they had pulled over enough to have most of the shoulder to work with.
Boone came back to me as I was removing the spare from it's perch, "Do you have a jack that'll lift that thing?"
"Great, I don't know, I had a bottle jack in here last trip, but it's probably buried under all this junk. I don't know if this 3 ton floor jack will lift it or not!"
"Do you have that break-over bar and socket handy that we used on yours?" Boone asked.
"Good Lord! Did they bring anything to change a tire?"
"Apparently nothing that is within easy reach", Boone laughed.
After driving the front axle up on boards, and using both my jack, and Darren's 1.5 ton aluminum jack, they finally got it up enough to change the tire. Once we got rolling again, I was out front, with Boone and Dad following me. Three miles later Boone called, and told me the straps looked loose on the Belvedere. Rachael and I pulled off on an exit as they went ahead, and of course, everything was fine! I passed them again just after we entered Arkansas, as Dale appeared to be driving more conservative now. Boone and Dad started following me again, and my phone rang after about five miles.
"Your trailer is walking around a bunch."
"Yeah, If I try to run faster than 60, it isn't happy...the cars are a couple inches further back than when I came out here, so apparently I don't have it balanced well."
"Do you want to pull over and re-adjust them?"
"No...no I don't...I want to get on down the road!" I was getting perturbed, "Look, if you don't like following me, you are more than welcome to go around!"
He hung up, and then backed off. Eventually I lost sight of how far I was ahead of them. A couple hours later, the phone rang again, and again it was Boone.
"Dale blew another trailer tire! Exit 124 in Conway...I guess they've decided to unload the Charger and drive it, then just leave the tire off the middle axle and try to limp on...But they want you to scout out the truck stops and try to find another tire when you get into Little Rock."
"I'm in Little Rock already, but I'll look around".
I stopped at one truck stop, and got the same answer they gave me in Albuquerque, which was nothing smaller than a nineteen inch rim. My mindset at that time was just to cut the cord and get my tail to BG! At exit 193 I pulled into a small fuel stop and filled up the truck, then pulled over on an empty lot and thought about it. Finally I called Boone, with my plan.
"I'm going to unload the Belvedere, and Satellite. Then when Darren get's up here, we'll load the Charger on the front of my trailer, then load the Satellite. Rachael and Pops can take the Belvedere with it's 2.76 gears, and get on to Bowling Green while we work our way across here."
"Sounds solid to me", Boone decided, I'll call them and set it up."
Posted By: Hemi_Joel
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/07/13 12:31 PM
It just keeps getting better!
Posted By: 1967dartgt
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/07/13 01:37 PM
Nuts, you guys are completely nuts, and I love it.
Posted By: dannysbee
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/07/13 02:35 PM
Who was Murphy riding with?
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/07/13 03:47 PM
Oh man reading this kills me. We were having drinks and washing the cars, taking photos etc, then cooked some nice steaks. Then Darryl says they haven't left yet I thought wow they are 12 hrs away.
The story is great though
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/08/13 03:09 AM
Boone and Dad rolled in to our location about twenty minutes later, so we sent Rachael and the old man ahead in the Belvedere. Darren showed up with the Charger about twenty minutes after that, and Dale gave a honk as they stayed on I-40 and kept rolling. He pulled directly onto the trailer and shut it off.
"It was actually doing pretty good!" He smiled when he jumped out.
I loaded up the Satellite behind the Charger, and went to the c-store to get one more 24oz coffee for the road. They had both of them tied down when I got back. It seemed to tow much better, until the coffee starting wearing off. We ended up passing the big rig with James behind the wheel on the other side of Memphis. The sun, fatigue, and the need to get rid of the 48oz of coffee all caught up with me at Jackson Tennessee. I pulled into a Loves, with Darren and Boone in the 1 ton right behind me, but James kept the hammer down. We had put another 183 miles away, but I was a shot fighter.
I came out after paying for my fuel, with another coffee, and Boone was making himself comfortable behind the wheel of my truck. "I got some sleep on the last pull, why don't you ride with Darren for a while". I didn't need anyone to twist my arm!
I woke up to the sound of Darren laughing.
"What's up?", I looked around to gather my bearings, a sign proclaiming 12 miles to Nashville was my first clue.
"Boone is getting abused by that trailer, it's the tail wagging the dog!" He explained.
I looked ahead, "Good Greif! It didn't look like that while you guys were following me did it?"
"Nope, not even close"
It took me two calls and fifteen miles to get him to pull over and let me take over again.
Dad and Rachael were already at Beech Bend, and had already put the Belvedere in the tech line. That's the first hurdle of Drag Week. The car must be in the tech line by 2PM., doesn't matter if they can't tech you in until 5, doesn't even matter if it passes tech, they'll let you fix the problem before you run Monday, but it must be in that line! 1 down, 4 to go... I was breathing a little easier.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/09/13 06:06 AM
Dale and James pulled into Beech Bend Raceway Park about forty minutes after Rachael and Dad arrived, and a good twenty minutes earlier than us. Dale swears they pulled in at 12:05, everyone else in our group that I have interviewed are much more vague, and only feel comfortable putting it in a two hour and a half hour window between 10:30 and 1:00 pm! We were a pretty ragged group by then, and the drive though all the LS crap, then through all the Drag Weekers all the way to the return road where they had directed Dale to put his rig, felt like an interminable procession.
Boone's Barnyard was already unloaded, so he went straight up to tech. I grabbed everything I needed to wire up the horn, and headed into line with the Satellite next. There were two lines for Daily Driver class, and two lines for The Class cars, so when Dale and Darren came around I motioned them into the appropriate lanes. When we went in 2011, Dale had wired the N20 relay to use the horn button for activation, and since he did this after tech, the Satellite had been without a horn ever since. So I sat in line, with a big ole starter button, a curly cord off a dead switch from years gone by, a handful of butt connectors and a universal stripper/crimper tool. In a matter of minutes I had used the tool to nip the inside of a knuckle on the opposing hand, and was bleeding all over the interior! In an hour or so Boone, Dale, and Darren had disappeared down the hill and started up the line towards the tech area, I had moved forward 3 spots. In the next hour I had kicked it in neutral a few times and moved maybe another 3 spots. Finally, my line started to move, and I hit the key...Click, click, click...apparently the battery in the Satellite was so weak that sitting in line with the door open and my foot on the brake pedal for 45 minutes was enough to drain it! This is not the NHRA, there is no honor in a Drag Week line, so the remaining cars drove around me before I could even get out and open the hood! A gen two Camaro that had already went through the gauntlet gave me a jump, and I pulled up into the very back of the line.
Boone finally walked down to check on me, "What the heck, we all finished up forty-five minutes ago?"
"I'm just a lowly daily driver, so we don't get the express lane service like you big guys."
Darryl and Tony came over and were talking to us, and Boone mentioned, "Dale pulled it off, he got the Gremlin teched down to 8.50!"
Tony looked surprised, "That thing has a current cert? He has a license?"
Boone and Darryl tried to swallow their tongues, and I certainly didn't want to lie to Tony, but they are in the same class..."Uhh, he's had his license for awhile, and I'm sure the car has certed before,...I'm not sure about current".
"The Javelin is certed, but I haven't had a chance to get a license" Tony shook his head, "Maybe once Firebird re-opens, I doubt I'll need better than 10.0 for this trip though!" he smiled.
"Dale shouldn't either, but it's nice to have it", I added. Dale's best computer simulations have shown 10 teens with this combo, but I had told him to try to get the 8.50 box checked, and apparently in the few minutes he had spent with the tired track tech inspector, he had been convincing. It's sure a much easier process to deal with Finnegan for 90 seconds on which class you want to run, and a local tech guy for 2 minutes on how fast you can go than it is to post pictures and threads all over the internet boards for the whole world to sort through your junk....just saying!!
I finally cleared tech with a weak mmeeap from the horn, and then had to go to the registration tent.
"Gebhart", the lady said as she checked off my name and handed me my numbers, "Thought we had processed all of you guys already!"
It was after 4 pm by the time I joined everyone on the return road, and the last of the LS Fest was wrapping up eliminations through intermittent sprinkles. Dale and James were working over the front end of the Gremlin adjusting the tie rods, adjusting ride height, and setting toe. Darryl was standing by, "Well, I wanted to make some test runs tonight, but this weather doesn't look promising!"
"Nope", I shook my head, "I think this LS thing just screwed us out of our Sunday test and tune!"
Posted By: bigdad
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/09/13 06:14 AM
You clearly have a knack for telling a story ..
You should look into doing a blog or a twitter account for 2014
Your family looks like a great group to be involved with ..
I bet you could get a lot of sponsors to help with the project ..
it is exactly what kind of press they would like to have to promote their products..
Hats off to you sir
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/09/13 06:46 AM
I expect everyone other than you and your daughter to be tMopars In the Park on nov 2nd in Tulsa.Just saying.If they have to do more than ONE event a year maybe they will catch on.LMAO!
Posted By: tsanchez
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/09/13 03:10 PM
"The Javelin is certed, but I haven't had a chance to get a license" Tony shook his head, "Maybe once Firebird re-opens, I doubt I'll need better than 10.0 for this trip though!"
What I meant is I doubt that my car would be faster than 10.0, it needs some time at the track to get the tune right. You guys are troopers though, damn I love reading the story even though I was sorta there.
Posted By: johnnycuda
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/09/13 08:36 PM
I agree with BigDad,great story telling,about a experience that most won't get to have,{I hope to in the next couple years}.I met Billy and Darryl at the Woodley Park show,both very cool people.
As for the sponsorship,I would agree to that as well,the Viper got alot of attention,saw pics on several people's Facebook including Hot Rod's.
I look forward to these writeups,keep them coming Billy!
Quote:
You clearly have a knack for telling a story ..
You should look into doing a blog or a twitter account for 2014
Your family looks like a great group to be involved with ..
I bet you could get a lot of sponsors to help with the project ..
it is exactly what kind of press they would like to have to promote their products..
Hats off to you sir
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/10/13 02:24 AM
Quote:
"The Javelin is certed, but I haven't had a chance to get a license" Tony shook his head, "Maybe once Firebird re-opens, I doubt I'll need better than 10.0 for this trip though!"
What I meant is I doubt that my car would be faster than 10.0, it needs some time at the track to get the tune right. You guys are troopers though, damn I love reading the story even though I was sorta there.
Another case of the written word not always conveying the spoken word. I knew exactly what you meant, Tony, but when I read it, I see where it could be construed that you were implying 10.0 was enough to win!
Drag Week is an event where being in the middle doesn't often allow you to see or feel what those around you do. I've had to watch the Live Feed, and read other's accounts just to get a broader scope of what happened! That's why I enjoy writing about it so much, it's almost like therapy, and helps me grasp ahold of what happened, and prevent it from becoming a big blur!
johnnycuda,
No fall fling this year, but spring fling for sure. I was very happy with the reception the Barnyard got, even though it was far from being where we wanted it to be.
mprhound,
Loved the Challenger, would've liked the opportunity to visit more...
Cuda Don,
The headers were coated by a local guy in Joplin Mo., pretty much look, and hold up like those I have had done by jethot in the past.
Dannysbee, Murphy was jumping from car to car, he rode with all of us by the end!
bigdad,
Moparts provides me with a great venue, I enjoy this format, and the interaction. Thanks for the kind words!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/10/13 03:46 AM
Darren was re-assembling the front bumper and grilles of the 73 Charger, while Rachael, Darryl, and I were carefully helping each other apply the Drag Week windshield banners on each car. Dale finally finished up the Gremlin, and then had moved on to help Boone with the Truck. One of the tech guys had pointed out that the #1 plug wire was hanging loose on the Barnyard, so apparently Dale had never put the 10.8 wire back on the plug after setting the timing at the house. This led to excessive pinging on Boone's test drive, and Dale had just backed it off. Now they decided to re-time it for the race fuel it would see Monday morning.
Boone was behind the wheel, apparently waiting for Dale to tell him when to fire it up, when Darryl walked over and told me to grab my camera. I snuck over for a peek, and Boone was completely out on the wheel! I came back with the camera and went for this tricky shot which I didn't pull off quite as well as I liked. I tried to get a closer shot but he jerked awake, "Hey, what are you doing!" he complained, "I was just out for a second!"
"Yeah, is that why you have a permanent wheel mark on your forehead?" I laughed.
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/10/13 04:00 AM
Quote:
You clearly have a knack for telling a story ..
You should look into doing a blog or a twitter account for 2014
Your family looks like a great group to be involved with ..
I bet you could get a lot of sponsors to help with the project ..
it is exactly what kind of press they would like to have to promote their products..
Hats off to you sir
SPONSORS that's what I need, I will start a list of parts I want-or I mean need for next year!
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/11/13 03:39 AM
The sprinkles increased, and it became clear there would be no T&T for the drag week crew tonight.
"I'm going to go ahead and load my car", Darryl decided.
"Why? We've got room if you want to ride to the motel with us, and just leave everything here."
"I just figured I'd take everything to the motel."
I was too tired to argue, I've always felt stuff was safer at a race track than it is in a motel parking lot, but maybe all these LS freaks were making him nervous!
I looked over at Dale leaning against the Barnyard Viper's fender, and heard James complaining about nothing to eat all day, and realized at this point, we weren't going to make any more progress tonight. We needed to get some food, some sleep, and get back out here in the morning.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/12/13 03:11 AM
Getting everyone on the same page was a little more difficult than I thought.
"Where's the motel?" Darryl questioned.
I pulled out the Hotels.com confirmation sheet and gave him the address. The last two years I've always printed a map from each track, to the motel, but this year my printer went on strike before I finished.
"Ok, yeah, I think I know where that is", he sounded somewhat confident, and he had been in town a day longer than us.
"And stop if you find somewhere decent to eat at!" James added.
"What does decent mean?" Darryl wanted clarification.
"Not a chain fast food place!"
Well that certainly narrowed it down.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/13/13 05:18 PM
We decided Darryl would lead us to the motel in his rig, and the rest of us would load up in the Belvedere and Satellite. So we started towards that goal by securing all the tools and spare parts in Dale's trailer, and loading all the luggage in the cars. Dale decided to load the Gremlin in the back of the enclosed trailer, and we left Boone's Truck beside the trailer. We had most of this done, when I realized I hadn't seen Rachael in a while, I finally found her in the lounge of the Kodiak passed out asleep.
Once she was up, she went straight to the Belvedere, and jumped behind the wheel, Dale and James jumped in with her and they were ready to roll. Boone was about to join me in the Satellite, when he hollered at Dad, "You coming with us?"
"No! I've got to stay here and help Darren finish this Charger!" Dad retorted.
"We'll finish that stuff in the morning!"
"No...you guys promised him if he just loaded it, that you would help him when we got here, now you just want to forget about him!"
I wasn't about to stand around and argue this point, "We've got no more left to give, Dad, everyone is at the end of their rope, and we're leaving!"
We fired up the Satellite, and Darryl headed out the gate with us in tow.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/13/13 06:21 PM
We had drove about 1/2 way through town, and it was becoming increasingly evident that Darryl had no clue where we were, it was completely dark, and the intermittent rain made street signs difficult to read. Finally he came up to a large intersection and he motioned me along side. Boone just happened to notice a Cheddars restaurant across the intersection, and said, "that will work over there!"
So I told Darryl to follow us and we would re-group after eating. The six of us had a great meal, great conversation, and even though it took the pretty blonde waitress ten minutes, and help from her bus boy, to explain how to get to the motel, no one seemed to mind. We were just finishing up when Boone's phone rang and Dad was asking how to get to the motel!
"Where are you guys at right now?" I heard Boone ask.
At that moment, I heard the sound of an overcammed 440 coming to an idle through 3 inch exhaust, and I looked out the window, "They are at our intersection", I told Boone, "So just give them the same instructions, the waitress just gave us."
"I think I can pare it down a little bit" He assured me.
Dad, and Darren were already at the motel when we arrived, milling around checking out all the Drag Week cars and people in the lot. I grabbed my bag, and headed straight for check in, straight to the room, straight to the shower, and straight in bed, oblivious of what any one else was doing to get situated. I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.
2:30AM, I was wide awake, tossed and turned a few times and was luckily able to go back out. When it happened again at 4:30AM I knew it was futile to even try. I crawled out of bed took another shower, dressed, packed all my stuff, and walked out of the room. At 6:00, I called Dad, who was in the other room, and he answered on the first ring.
"You the only one up?" I asked.
"Yeah...I'm ready to go, should I get these guys moving?"
"Probably better, we need to give ourselves time to get organized before the driver's meeting."
"Ok son, I guess I'll take my stuff out to the car after I get them up."
"I'll meet you out there", I confirmed.
We walked out in the parking lot, and Dad pointed to a gold 71 Challenger in the corner.
"Did you see that car last night?" he asked me.
"Not really, I just went to the room".
"Those guys were out here under the dash...I think they practically re-wired the whole car last night!"
The sun wasn't up yet, but the Challenger was under a light, "stick car" I commented. "I like it Dad, but what the heck is a Fratzog?"
"I don't have a clue, son!"
Posted By: MRMOPAR
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/13/13 06:35 PM
WIKI:
Fratzog: Dodge's logo from September 1962 through 1981 was a fractured deltoid composed of three arrowhead shapes forming a three-pointed star. The logo first appeared on the 1962 Polara 500 and the mid-year 1962 Custom 880. One of its designers came up with the meaningless name Fratzog for the logo, which ultimately stuck.[15][16] As the Dodge Division's logo, Fratzog was incorporated in various badges and emblems on Dodge vehicles. It was also integrated into the design of such parts as steering wheel center hubs and road wheel covers.
Posted By: Darryls-Demon
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/13/13 06:37 PM
If the fine city of Bowling green did not change the name of the street in mid stream I would have gotten us to the motel with no problem.
Posted By: MoparBilly
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/14/13 01:25 AM
We finally got everyone up, organized, and ready to roll towards the track, of course everyone had to pick on me because the Courtyard didn't have a continental breakfast!
We ended up at a McDonald's, and halfway through eating it was announced that the "yellow impala" in the parking lot had left his lights on.
"Plymouth!" I groaned
The shift leader turned to the guy in the drive through window and said disgustingly, "I told you it wasn't an impala!"
As we left Mcd's, Dale jumped in the back seat of the Satellite, and moved James to the passenger seat. Once we got onto the undulating road leading to the track, I noticed he was moving around from side to side in the back seat. When the tell-tale sound of rubber rubbing on metal was finally evident, he beamed, "I told you, I told you those 255/60's were going to rub, but you wouldn't listen to me!"
"You are a sick Puppy", I exclaimed looking at him in the mirror, "Tossing your three hundred pounds around back there just to prove a point!"
Monday morning, with the 5 gebhartmobiles lined up against the back of the pits, plus Darryl's Dart, was a fine achievement, we felt. I believe this picture is the perfect place to move past this chapter, and start on the next journey!
Posted By: mprhound
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/14/13 05:19 AM
Yes, I practically rewired it in the hotel parking lot. I have driven the car for the last 20 years, put an inspection sticker on it a week before bowling green, go through tech and the blinkers decide to go crazy. Ended up burning up a light switch before it was through. They were good at tech, said to fix it, and they would check on Monday to make sure all was good. Got it fixed, but there is a lot of red wire going every where now! I still have to straighten all the one color out! They came by Monday right after the drivers meeting to check, all was good. I had a ton of people ask me what FRATZOG meant, gotta love a unique tag.
Posted By: ksj
Re: Drag Week 2013: The build(up)! - 10/14/13 07:04 AM
Love your car.As most are to busy to stop and introduce.
