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Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) #1838364
06/01/15 01:05 AM
06/01/15 01:05 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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MoparBilly Offline OP
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Hot Rod Drag Week 2014: The Experience

Drag Week 62 Valiant's small block

Drag Week 2013: The Experience

Drag Week 2013: The Build(up)


Seems like I'm missing one... or two. There are links to eleven and twelve on the 13 build up story. With the website upgrade, it's more difficult to go back and read the threads.
Let's be honest, it's more difficult to do many things on here since the upgrade, and it looks like the board traffic has slowed considerably.

I just returned from a week visit with the brothers, so I figured it would be a good time to touch base with everything that has happened since the Hot Rod Drag Week 2014 edition came to a close last September. Some of this will be a re-hash of things posted on other threads, but indulge me please, as I attempt to tie up loose ends, and start the push for Gateway this coming fall.

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"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1838408
06/01/15 02:26 AM
06/01/15 02:26 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,586
Topeka Kansas
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ksj Online content
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K

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Topeka Kansas
That's it? WTH? LOL

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1838414
06/01/15 02:47 AM
06/01/15 02:47 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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MoparBilly Offline OP
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Don,
I have to start somewhere!

Mopar Muscle gave the family a little love with their "top 11 mopars from Drag Week" article in the latest issue.

mrgrecpt0002.JPG (1500 downloads)
mrgrecpt0003.JPG (1494 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1838501
06/01/15 10:55 AM
06/01/15 10:55 AM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,978
Hilltown Pa
1967dartgt Offline
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Hope to be able to find and read this thread as this contunies.


Brett Miller W9 cnc'd heads
STR Chassis fabraction
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1838566
06/01/15 12:00 PM
06/01/15 12:00 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 142
Chattanooga, TN
KDY Offline
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KDY  Offline
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Chattanooga, TN
That Gremlin amazes me. A stock block, crank and mains 440 surviving a 400hp hit and asking for more...makes me want to spray mine!

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1838631
06/01/15 01:05 PM
06/01/15 01:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 368
michigan
turbo toad Offline
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michigan
Id love to see some pics of the chassis and suspension. It might give me some ideas. How does the qa1 k member fit?
I tore apart my slant turbo car which is a toad also. Im building a 470 stroker turbo motor for the car now and was looking to eliminate the torsion bars and and a set of coilovers with the stock sterring.
Thanks Aaron


Check out my build on Facebook Ttoad Hurley its updated regularly
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839488
06/02/15 03:17 AM
06/02/15 03:17 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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Darren, and the Dakota.

After the smoke cleared from our epic effort to drag Darren around drag week with tape and bailing wire, the Dakota got the same treatment all his cars get... shoved up next to the garage, and forgotten about! He fired it up once in October, then attempted to go to the Mopar race at Tulsa in early November. The E-85 that had been left in the carbs for two months had other ideas however, and he leaned it out and burned up what was left of the poor, tortured 500 inch Zeeker motor in about 4 miles!
To add insult to injury, his freshly painted and modified tail gate inherited a few dents thanks to overanxious helpers loading it on the trailer.

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015.JPG (1287 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839494
06/02/15 03:23 AM
06/02/15 03:23 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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I've made several attempts to buy it from him, and give it a proper big block, but so far he has resisted the idea. He did, however manage to bring home two more basket case Road Runners, that he will never work on, and a nice Dodge Ram R/T, but I can't help to imagine what that 33K would have done for the Dakota, and Charger he already has, both sitting around forlornly with tore up engines!!

005.JPG (1345 downloads)
002.JPG (1306 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839499
06/02/15 03:32 AM
06/02/15 03:32 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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Some more of his yard art collection, in it's current form. Did you notice Oklahoma had a very wet May?

010 - Copy.JPG (1330 downloads)
014.JPG (1340 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839501
06/02/15 03:37 AM
06/02/15 03:37 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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On the last day of my visit, Dale came over and helped Darren remove the engine/trans from the Dakota for a post Drag Week/ E-85 autopsy. Since he bought the truck with the 500 already in it, we really didn't know what to expect.

060.JPG (1228 downloads)
061.JPG (1266 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839631
06/02/15 12:16 PM
06/02/15 12:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,002
Joplin, Mo
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Any idea why some of the pics display and some don't?

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839657
06/02/15 12:37 PM
06/02/15 12:37 PM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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LOL... some of them do wait to the last minute..
actually this is a early start.... I sure hope my
junk will be ready.. this health issue sure set me
back.. but it should be ready. hope to see ya there
Billy... and the whole crew thumbs
wave

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MR_P_BODY] #1839905
06/02/15 06:19 PM
06/02/15 06:19 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,135
my own world
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my own world
that photo of the grem looks like a little extra tow out

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1839957
06/02/15 08:01 PM
06/02/15 08:01 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 209
Mesa, Arizona
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Mesa, Arizona
Didn't he have some really nice Billet Specialties bead lock wheels on the rear for Drag Week, or am I imagining things? Looks like Cragar Super Tricks on there now.

Good to see them starting a little earlier this year, lol.

I finally got my 'Cuda to the track and as expected the Drag Radials won't hook a clutch car, but I got it to 129 MPH. The ET streets are ordered but they don't ship till Jun 8th. I just might make it this year.

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1840207
06/03/15 01:04 AM
06/03/15 01:04 AM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 15,118
85086
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Lil Herman
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85086
Oh no more roadrunners! no


56 Plaza 63 D100 step side 67 Coronet, 68 Roadrunner, 69 Super Bees, 69 Coronet 500 convertible, 70 Roadrunner Post, 79 D150 360, and a severe case of Mopar a,d,d
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1840225
06/03/15 01:33 AM
06/03/15 01:33 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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MoparBilly Offline OP
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Theraif,
The location of the rack in the Gremlin, and the fact that the tie rods are too short, result in massive toe-out on drop out. So far it hasn't been an issue on re-entry.

Robert,
Dale "borrowed" the Billet Specialties wheels for mock up on his AMX in the chassis shop, the Super Tricks were originally on the Dakota when Darren bought it.

Mike,
Get well soon, buddy this WILL be the year!

KDY,
The huge amounts of N20 the Gremlin's 440 has been ingesting, haven't been without consequences...as I will reveal as the story unfolds, but so far so good!

So far, Darren's engine has shown about what could be expected. The ancient Zeeker heads have been rode hard and put away wet, many times. They have 2.25 intakes, and 1.81 exhausts, and the exhausts are sunk into the head so bad that the valve tips set quite a bit higher than the intakes. The pushrods were all the same length, so they had attempted to make up the difference in adjustment. Super thick shims under the rocker shafts, and one pedestal completely milled off, and replaced with a handmade block...all in all, not too pretty. The large intake valves had required large valve reliefs, and the small piece of piston top left between the relief divot and the edge was blown out of every single piston!

So, we will see how he decides to carry on, he only has a set of small EZ's and a set of Stealths at his disposal currently, and niether of those are going to flow what these hogged out Zeekers would. Hopefully the block, crank, and rods check out OK...

10711136_813069858730835_8764576756543479988_n.jpgengine_005.JPG

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1841154
06/04/15 03:05 AM
06/04/15 03:05 AM
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Phoenix, AZ
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The 62 Valiant

I gotta say, I was thrilled with the outcome of Drag Week 2014, considering I had zero time on the engine before arriving in Oklahoma. But I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish with the car once I arrived back in the AZ.

First up, was driving it back and forth to work, which I managed to do about two weeks after I made it back. The morning drive went off great, but the 19 mile trek through city surface streets didn't go quite as well in the afternoon, as I had to pull over twice, and allow it to cool down.

Next, was the bi-annual Cruise on Central, Phoenix's largest all inclusive car event. Darryl and I made the trip to downtown, and one shot down Central, with only one stop for a cool down, although I was shutting the engine off and leaving the electric fans on at long stop lights. We parked, and enjoyed the views as we grabbed a bite to eat, then headed home as festivities began to wind down. Heading North on Central the traffic began to thin out, and I spotted a 64 Falcon ahead of us, the requisite down bars clearly visible in the back glass, and eleven inches of rubber tucked under the wheelwells, were all the visual clues I needed to see. "This will do quite nicely", the lowdown dirty street racer of my youth whispered into my left ear. The mature CDL truck driver on my right shoulder just shook his head and sighed. The mature CDL truck driver in the passenger's seat gave me a sidelong look and said, "Billy...what are you doing??"
"Nothing Darryl...nothing at all", I explained, as I pulled alongside the Falcon, gave a blip of the throttle, then pulled ahead and into his lane. I thought I detected a knowing grin from the grey headed Falcon driver as I passed him. "Challenge...made!" The young street racer whispered in glee. At the next mile section, I turned on my left signal, and pulled into the turn lane to head west on Northern Ave. and the Falcon followed suit. "Challenge accepted"! The street racer was now dancing on my left shoulder, nearly unable to contain himself!
Northern expands to three lanes just before the 7th Ave intersection, and the light turned red as we approached it. A full on Cal Bug was in the middle lane, so I took the left and reflexively killed the engine when we pulled next to him, and the Falcon took the right lane.
The bug driver looked over at us, with his arm hanging out the window, "That thing sounded NASTY! How quick is it?"
"Tens, on motor!" Darryl shot back
"Dang...that's serious for a street car!" the VW guy exclaimed.
"It's the real deal", Darryl explained, "just completed Drag Week a month ago."
"Cool! That's a real test!" he smiled and gave us a thumbs up as the light turned green, and the Bug and Falcon both putted away in lockstep, while I was sitting there dead in the water.
Embarassingly, I reached up, fired the engine, then dropped it in low, and I decided to give them a little fly-by, calculating that I would be done with 1st gear about the time I pulled along side them again. So I jumped on it, wide open, and sure enough, the tach was swinging past 65 hundred when I went by them, so I clicked it into second and lifted completely.
Honestly, I think the Falcon driver was just late on the uptick, but he timed it perfectly. At the exact instant the Valiant's front end dropped, I heard the Falcon's engine screaming in full song, and he was two cars out before I could even react, despite the little guy on my shoulder screaming GO! like his hair was on fire...or was that Darryl?
Fortunately this 4.125 stroke small block has no qualms whatsoever about being called to arms from an idle in second gear, and the Falcon's advance was halted immediately. Still, it took all of second to reel him in, and I felt compelled to put about five cars on him in drive, just to make sure he understood that he was over matched!! So, we were well over a hundred in a forty-five zone when I started working the brake pedal over, and the opposing traffic coming from the light at 19th, a mile away, were quickly approaching. "You know... if there is a cop in that group coming at us...we're going to jail, right?" Darryl admonished.
My hands were still shaking when the Falcon pulled beside us, gave us a thumbs up with a toothy smile, and exited to the right, into the darkness.
"Good Lord, that felt good", I thought to myself, even as I felt guilty and ashamed at the same time. I'm a responsible adult, a licensed NHRA driver with National Event experience and thousands of passes on a legal drag strip...so why do I still get such a rush from an impromptu acceleration contest on a public road?

001 (3).JPG (829 downloads)

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1841251
06/04/15 10:32 AM
06/04/15 10:32 AM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 158
Canada north shore lake Ontari...
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ross  Offline
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Canada north shore lake Ontari...
No lectures from here but you are bad. lol

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1841260
06/04/15 10:48 AM
06/04/15 10:48 AM
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Posts: 4,002
Joplin, Mo
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Billy to answer your last ? Because it is still fun. Jim

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2015: The Build(up) [Re: MoparBilly] #1841354
06/04/15 01:03 PM
06/04/15 01:03 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 235
Gilbert AZ
tsanchez Offline
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Gilbert AZ
Haha, I can hear Darryl, "what are you doing Billy, thats illegal"

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