The Official Hot Rod Thread

[ChristianPatriot]

Yes. Sadly those days are over.... What a time it would have been to be alive... I hear the stories all the time...

We missed out didn't we....

 

[thunderchicken]

Yes. Sadly those days are over.... What a time it would have been to be alive... I hear the stories all the time...

10-4. Been listening to dad's stories my whole life. Street raced more than a few times myself but nothing like they did. Too many cars on the road and too many cops....& I prolly wouldn't do very well in prison lol

 

[thunderchicken]

The Camaro was a back half car.
The Biscayne had a full Hotchkis suspension in the back with a heavily modified rear frame but the rails were basically factory. It had a storming High Stall converter in it. Reverse valved T-400 with all the bracket electronics. It also had power adder plate system. It saw the street a lot.
The Chevelle had close to the same suspension mods but more towards road course. It was driven to work by the spouse several times.
Both were very fast by street standards but mid 11's was the best either would go. The Chevelle was a low 12 car due to traction limitations and it was a 3 peddle car.

I see what you are pointing to. Thing is, to go faster some of the things on that list have to be done.
I have driven a back half full cage 4 bar car on the street a lot. It was a 69 Camaro I built in the early 80s. Tunnel rammed 366 small block. Really not a big deal.
When I was very young and did not know any better I had one of Norm Paddocks 40 Willy's gassers that was a daily driver.

If I had more self control I would have a back half car with just enough guts to justify it but still be daily driveable. That is what my Mustang build was going to basically be. Mini tubs and healthy small block...now it will be mini tubs, 9" with 4:30 gears, 588cu in big block with NOS pro race fogger backed with a glide...how easily the lines can be blurred. That same combo in the 'Bird when it was a true 2×3 back half 4 link went 9.76 on motor first time down the track. Again I lack the self control. One more reason I won't street race now

 

[Jeff]

Not trying to be a prick but based on this logic then any car with modified suspensions (lowered or race inspired), or super charhed or turbo xharged shouldn't be on the street?? How about factory mod'd cars like a Shelby Mustang or Dodge Hellcat?? Those have crazy HP and are too often driven by people with just good credit and no experience with fast cars which is very dangerous.

Not at all. I mean you and Mouse have way more experience on the street and track than I.

I guess what I am trying to get across is how can the NHRA Pro Stock cars cut almost 3 seconds from their elapsed times years ago with all the rules that NHRA puts on them. I mean getting all that power from a 500 CI engine with no power adders.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I got my aluminum Radiator, alum shroud, Spal 16" fan and Spal 185 degree switch wiring kit in on Friday. I took it to my mechanic just after getting off the phone with Monster Transmission to place my order for the HD 700R4 conversion kit. After I placed the order Monster Transmission told me it would be 3-5 weeks before I would receive the Transmission. I told them not to process the order until I spoke with my mechanic. I told him I would call in an hour.

My my mechanic said it was too long of a delay to wait that long. He has a Chevelle, two camaros and the orange Vette in one of my pictures to do.

The sales rep from Monster Transmission said I could bump up to VIP for an additional $299 when I was on the phone with him earlier. I told him that priced him out of the market if I had to pay $300 more.

Just as I walked out the mechanic shop MT called me and said they would bump me up to the front of the line for $150. I chose to do it since I would have to probably pay storage if he was idle on my project for 5-6 weeks.

Project 1966 C-10 is coming together. My Grandfather would be impressed to see the old farm truck he bought brand new getting all fixed up. He would also say I was crazy for the amount of money I'm dumping into it. He lived through The Great Depression so he would always say "Spending money on things you can't eat is a waste of money"

 

[thunderchicken]

Not at all. I mean you and Mouse have way more experience on the street and track than I.

I guess what I am trying to get across is how can the NHRA Pro Stock cars cut almost 3 seconds from their elapsed times years ago with all the rules that NHRA puts on them. I mean getting all that power from a 500 CI engine with no power adders.

Well until last year they had been under dang near the same rules for years. Everything ties together, they just continued tweaking cylnder heads by changing valve angles, intake and exhaust port designs, cam shafts..guys buy 4 or 5 different cam designs and beat motors to death on the dyno to find what works, and of course they played with carbs. But also everytime a good gain is made in HP it effects chassis set up so that has to be tweaked on. Everything has to work together. Lots of test test test. Then last year pro stock went to EFI and had most people scratching their head and butts trying to figure out how to tune it effectively. Also shock adjustments are HUGE in making a car go down the track

 

[thunderchicken]

I got my aluminum Radiator, alum shroud, Spal 16" fan and Spal 185 degree switch wiring kit in on Friday. I took it to my mechanic just after getting off the phone with Monster Transmission to place my order for the HD 700R4 conversion kit. After I placed the order Monster Transmission told me it would be 3-5 weeks before I would receive the Transmission. I told them not to process the order until I spoke with my mechanic. I told him I would call in an hour.

My my mechanic said it was too long of a delay to wait that long. He has a Chevelle, two camaros and the orange Vette in one of my pictures to do.

The sales rep from Monster Transmission said I could bump up to VIP for an additional $299 when I was on the phone with him earlier. I told him that priced him out of the market if I had to pay $300 more.

Just as I walked out the mechanic shop MT called me and said they would bump me up to the front of the line for $150. I chose to do it since I would have to probably pay storage if he was idle on my project for 5-6 weeks.

Project 1966 C-10 is coming together. My Grandfather would be impressed to see the old farm truck he bought brand new getting all fixed up. He would also say I was crazy for the amount of money I'm dumping into it. He lived through The Great Depression so he would always say "Spending money on things you can't eat is a waste of money"

Right on it all adds up but it will be worth it when you get to drive it for the first time

 

[Gluemanz28]

Right on it all adds up but it will be worth it when you get to drive it for the first time

Thats what I keep telling myself. My mechanic has had it since mid July. I haven't been putting pressure on him to get it completed because its not the time of year to be driving it anyway. Hopefully I will get it back in February so I can enjoy the $12,000 I have spent in the last five months.

 

[thunderchicken]

It maybe unfortunate but many mechanics/fabricators tend to not get into a hurry when working on a project vehicle. The Mustang I am building as an example was dropped off at the chassis shop Thanksgiving weekend to have a 12 pt cage, subframe connectors, torque boxes installed, mini tubs installed. I supplied allvthe parts when the car was dropped off & paid half the cost in cash upfront. The chassis guy got it done and returned to me in mid December the following year. Almost every shop I have ever used has taken their time getting things done

 

[churchmouse]

Well until last year they had been under dang near the same rules for years. Everything ties together, they just continued tweaking cylnder heads by changing valve angles, intake and exhaust port designs, cam shafts..guys buy 4 or 5 different cam designs and beat motors to death on the dyno to find what works, and of course they played with carbs. But also everytime a good gain is made in HP it effects chassis set up so that has to be tweaked on. Everything has to work together. Lots of test test test. Then last year pro stock went to EFI and had most people scratching their head and butts trying to figure out how to tune it effectively. Also shock adjustments are HUGE in making a car go down the track

This is the ingenuity angle right here.

 

[thunderchicken]

Thanks CM too often people forget it's a machine and all the pieces have to work together. I have been guilty of overlooking/forgetting on occasion myself. Some of the best advice I ever got in racing is 1. You have to know your individual car better than anyone else. Two cars built the same way by the same person on the same jig can respond differently. 2. Everything has to work together. 3. Don't try to turn the world instead be consistent. And I believe consistency is the biggest key

 

[RustyHornet]

Had a Quadrajet stumble into the shop today. Claimed it wou don't idle below 2000 RPM. My mentor started taking it apart and called for me to come have a look. All kinds of screwed up. Whoever had their hands on that carb has no business fixing anything! No wonder those carbs get such a bad rap.... It will be right when it leaves.

 

[ghitch75]

Had a Quadrajet stumble into the shop today. Claimed it wou don't idle below 2000 RPM. My mentor started taking it apart and called for me to come have a look. All kinds of screwed up. Whoever had their hands on that carb has no business fixing anything! No wonder those carbs get such a bad rap.... It will be right when it leaves.

how could anyone screw up a Quadrajet?.......i think i could rebuild one blind folded......

 

[RustyHornet]

Would like to pass on a little information. If you ever happen to be looking for a new exhaust and want a bolt up, no hassle or an OEM system for an old car, look up Waldrons Exhaust in Centerville, MI. I put one of their stainless OEM systems on a '69 Torino Cobra last year and it was the single easiest exhaust I've ever installed. Didn't have to cut or modify anything. Bolted right up. Reason for posting this, we got a new stainless system for the old 37 Buick today, going on tomorrow.

Waldron's Exhaust, car exhaust, truck exhaust, exhaust pipes, mufflers

 

[RustyHornet]

how could anyone screw up a Quadrajet?.......i think i could rebuild one blind folded......

All the springs were in the wrong places. Threads close to being completely stripped. Body was epoxied to the throttle plate. Secondaries were not closing fully because of the epoxy. This person may have actually been blind.

 

[ghitch75]

All the springs were in the wrong places. Threads close to being completely stripped. Body was epoxied to the throttle plate. Secondaries were not closing fully because of the epoxy. This person may have actually been blind.

WOW!!!!!! what a bone head......be better off with a new one good used one and rebuild it....

 

[RustyHornet]

WOW!!!!!! what a bone head......be better off with a new one good used one and rebuild it....

It happens to be off a 70 camaro. Original carb to the car.... It will be like new when it's done.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Thanks CM too often people forget it's a machine and all the pieces have to work together. I have been guilty of overlooking/forgetting on occasion myself. Some of the best advice I ever got in racing is 1. You have to know your individual car better than anyone else. Two cars built the same way by the same person on the same jig can respond differently. 2. Everything has to work together. 3. Don't try to turn the world instead be consistent. And I believe consistency is the biggest key

I bought a rolling 64 chevyII that was back halved. It had a narrowed 9" with Detroit locker and 486 gears.

It still had the leaf springs under the rear. When the car would launch the frame was hitting the leaf springs.

I cut all of the stuff out of the rear of the car and bought a coilover kit. I got it all put together with a long rod 400 with Iron eagle angle plug heads, big roller bump stick, 2 speed glide and 8" 5500 stahl coverter.

I ran it down the road in front of my house with open fender well headers and it was running like a dog as in not tracking straight. (My neighbors loved me)

My brother-in-law that had building race cars his whole life said he would help me after work. We put it up on the lift and he went to work on it.

He backed off everything then with a fold up wooded measuring stick. He would measure then adjust, measure then adjust again and again for about an hour. He added preload and set the pinion angle.

The next day was Friday race night at Bama Dragway, just north of Birmingham. I went to mostly just test and tune since the entrance fee was just $10.

On my first time trial I asked the track worker if I could make a pass byself. He said we need to go two at a time even though they were not that busy because I had gotten there early. I told him I had just put my car together and had not made a pass on it. I didn't want to cross over to the other lane and take out another car. He said he didn't want me to hit his wall either, but did let me go by myself.

The car went straight as an arrow and hooked up like a beast. It was totin the front wheels about 12-18" off the ground and going straight. I had a trans brake but it wasn't hook up so I was leaving off of the brake pedal. It was called foot brake class down in Alabama. I made it down to the final two cars that night. When I pulled around to the staging area the same track worker asked if I was the guy doing test and tune, I said I was the same guy. He said "I wouldn't adjust anything if I was you."

I asked the guy I was racing if he wanted to split the pot of $800 no matter who won. He declined and said he wanted to race for the full pot, $600 for the win and $200 for 2nd place.

I cut a .502 light and ran just under my dial in. Their was a whole lotta fist pumping when I saw the win light on my side.

Knowing how to setup a car is the key to getting all things to work together.

 

[thunderchicken]

Glueman when it's done right it is very scientific but relatively easy to learn. Glad you got the help you needed...hate seeing a car dog tracking and bonus you got the win

 

[Gluemanz28]

I miss that car. I sold it when I moved to Indiana.

I brought my 68 Camaro and 73 Z28 with me when I moved to Elkhart. I have since sold them both and got into Harley's.

Now I'm restoring my Grandfathers 1966 C10 truck that he bought new.