As many here know, Ted aka tboomer, has a 1964 Dodge 330, that he has raced for quite a few years. He's won a footbrake Championship with it, during that time. Unfortunately Ted has not been able to drive the car himself because of medical reasons. Like most hot rodders, it's not easy to just walk away from the sport/hobby that you love, so Ted has kept the car, while hoping to one day get the OK from the doctor to drive it once again. Ted has also become a big promoter of the local Mopar Race at Cedarfalls Raceway, and would like to see the Race/Show grow. Knowing Ted wanted to see his car go down the track again, He and I contacted one another, and made a plan to run his car at CFR, since my Road Runner is down and out for the year. My good buddy Mike and his Daughter were planning on going to the event to race, so I loaded up my extra race gas, jacket, and helmet. I told him, I'd cover the entry fees, just get the car to the track. He had already sent in his seat belts to be updated, and they were on the way back. Ted then said he thought the fuel pump was going out. Asked a few questions, and was pretty sure what it needed, so I brought along my electrical supplies as well.

Ted arrived at the track on Friday maybe 45 minutes before Mike and I did. I could tell through the text messages he was excited to be at the track with his car. We all parked next to each other, that way If the car needed anything, we have plenty of tools and people to help. After getting the car unloaded, I adjusted the new seat belts and made sure they were ready. Upon firing the car up, the fuel pump quit working. Earlier in the week I had asked Ted if the pump had a relay on it, and he said no it didn't. Knowing that, I brought with a somewhat prewired 40amp relay, and quickly got it wired into the car. The pump worked perfectly from that point on. Ted gave me the layout of buttons, and switches in the car. One of the hardest parts of driving someone else's car is the orientation of switches. I'm so used to my own stuff, it's just muscle memory. the 64 is somewhat similar to my car, so not much of a problem. Fire the car up, and the 512ci Super Victor headed Big Block fires right up, and sounds pretty good. I wheel the car around the pits a couple times, then head to tech. They know the car, so tech isn't really much. Thanks for showing up...

Drove the car up to the staging lanes, and told Ted, I'm just going to make a foot brake 330' hit to see what the car does, and make sure everything is working properly. Pull into the water box, and do about a 3 second burnout, and the car dies. Remember that part of muscle memory and switches? I forgot to turn on the fuel pump... Flip the switch, and fuel pressure goes right to 6lbs. Car fires right back up, so I pull it into the beams. Now I'm not RainMan, and I don't have the time slips in front of me, so I'm going off memory here. The car leaves decent from foot brake, and does a mid 1.40 60' time. At the top of second gear, it has a miss, and it's time to get out of it anyways. Did I get into the Rev limiter? My limited experience in running a car with a automatic is pretty clear at this point. Just not used to the shifter, and maybe pulled it late?

Good to see Ted and the car out again!

Thanks for doing some driving duties for Ted. I knew he was excited just having the car at the track making passes. Your car looks great Ted.

Awesome! It's great that Ted was able to go back to the track w/ his own car and have someone as capable as you drive it! Even if you don't know how to drive one of these faster transmission cars.
Good job Jeff & Ted.

I have always wondered why someone in the area didn't jump in Ted's car and run it for him, I believe he had extended that offer on here before. Now for the rest of the story...........

Working on it! Trying to pay my respect to the legendary story teller MoparBilly, by writing it his way.

Dont let it drag on like one of Joels builds.

Look up his last Drag Week story, and it’s much like his projects in his shop.

You didn't tell me you were going to Iowa. I was at Eddyville saturday for the Fuel Altered Nationals. I coulda stopped by CFR on Sunday

Anxiously awaiting part II!

Thought I told you I was going when we were at Jay's?

It's a cliffhanger!

I want to see that giant sized check and trophy they gave you at the end, and your picture with the trophy babe!

Since it poured for most of Saturday , that would have been a good plan.
If you had the road runner , I would have known it was you.
I came over to Ted's pit looking for him and wound up talking to you..............since it's been quite a few years since I last saw you , I didn't know that you were you.............or words to that effect.
I had a swap space and there was very little walk up trade.
I don't know how much rain they got , but it had to be closing on a couple inches after round four.
One of my friends got one lap in Friday night and his 471 "B" motor ate itself up , so in retrospect , I got off cheap.
But there were some really nice cars there.
I hope they got a full show in on Sunday.

Thanks Jeff,Mike,and Mikes daughter Becky! What a good group of people you are! And Jeff...I got a phone call this morning...

Ted , is a great Guy, wish I would have seen him when we were there last month, that's a real hemi scoop on that car !!!!

very cool.....

So I get the time slip, and know it's really just a throw away, as I lifted after the 330'. Only ran 14.14 @ 57mph. Brakes worked well, and zero leaks. One thing is for sure, and it is HOT and HUMID out. DA was over 4000'. Twenty minutes later, I pull the car back into the staging lanes. Things are moving fairly fast for a test night. Decide that I'll try one of these fancy Trans Brakes out, and see what all the over glorified hype is, and see if the "It leaves as hard as a clutch car" is true or not... Bump the car into the beams, push this ridiculous 4" long button, and as the tree comes down, I try and put the engine up on the 2 step, and it starts leaping forward... I just let it go, and the car has a poor 1.47 60" time. I drive it out to almost the 1/8th mile, and ease out of the throttle. The car goes through the traps at a easy 11.98 at only 109mph. It feels good. Steering is tight and brakes work well, although not really needed at Cedar Falls, as the shut down area is over a 1/4 mile long. But the car still felt like it had a miss in it... maybe I'm over thinking it after my great first impression of a trans brake?

Another half hour rolls by, and It's time to pull the car into the water box. I try and do a slightly bigger burnout, and the 512 sounds crisp. I'm getting more acclimated with the car at this point, and more comfortable driving someone else's car. The M/t slicks bight hard out of the box, and I bump the car into the lights again. This time I decide to just foot brake the car to make an A to B pass. the car responds well, and does a 1.43 60' time, and 4.33 to the 330', but after that the car is clearly missing at this point, and will hardly go over 4800rpm's. Not the best for a car with a 5200 convertor. I lifted around the 1000' mark, and coast to a 11.28 @ only 98mph. Better, but no where near where the has or should run.

Back at the pits, I decide to open the hood, and check a few things. The Firecore plug wires are all in the proper place, and holding tight. The I pulled the distributer cap, and found a problem. Inside the cap was full of corrosion. Ted has a billet distibuter in the car, but it's not a MSD, so the caps are slightly different. It uses a HEI style cap, but the ones for a MSD are shorter. We carry a spare, but it wouldn't work. A little bit of emery cloth, and the contact points were now cleaned up the best they could. Fire the engine back up, and it sounds a little better, so off to the staging lanes we go. By this time is 9:00 at night. The sun has gone over the horizon, and it is DARK out. Not even a trace of moonlight around. The track has lights, but I'm not sure any of the burned out bulbs have been replaced since the early 80's? I stage the car and water temp is at a decent 160*, and oil pressure has been holding steady all night at 70lbs. Decide to try the trans brake once more, and see if I can be let down again, but this time it works, and the car goes 1.42 60'. It's running cleaner, but now still breaking up around 5200rpm's. I run it out the best I can, and take the right hand turn, off the last exit on the return road... I can't see squat... There are zero lights on the return road, and remember, it's a 1/4 mile until you get to the ticket booth... Oh boy... As I'm coming down the return road, another pair of cars are coming down the track, but are slow street cars. They can make the first exit no problem. As the car in the nearest lane makes the exit, he almost doesn't see me coming down the lane. I dynamite the brakes, and at the last second so does he. Thankfully I don't have to tell Ted his hot rod has been hit, and I pick up the time slip.11.06 at 117mph. Still not where it needs to be, but better. Not liking the lack of lights, I call it a night, and grab a beer out of the cooler...

Good story!