New best, and I've arrived at the crossroads

[LemonWedge]

I made some changes this past winter, revising my entire fuel system. I removed my trusty old 830 double pumper in favor of a brand new 1000 annular booster HP. I also jettisoned the stock 5/16" fuel line and went overboard, installing 1/2" hardline all the way up, and added an electric pump to run in series with the current Carter mechanical pump up front. I also swapped out my old summit brand shocks for Calverts front and back. (Car already had Calvert split monos and bars)

The changes appear to have been in the right direction, as the car went new bests this past weekend, shaving a full tenth off of its previous best, 2 tenths faster than it typically ran last year. The car had been a best of 11.62 @114 previous, but the closest backup to that was a .69, and typically it was in the .75 - .80 range. Sunday we made 5 passes, all between .54 & .59 at 115. 60ft best was 1.581.

I'm sure there's some left to find as it sits also, as the carb literally came out of the box and went onto the car with only idle mixture adjustments. So now I stand squarely in front of the great roll-bar debate. This car boasts a really nice stock interior that I'm hesitant to change. But I'm having fun racing the car and intend on continuing to do so. I am also increasingly aware that even though I'm currently legal, I really should be thinking safety first.

Anyway..... it was a good weekend.

 

[Banzaiii67]

Congrats my friend! I seem to remember you having engine trouble this past season and you had to tear down. What did you find?

I hope to meet up with you sometime. I'm down in Portland. Your car is a inspiration for mine..Putting in a 470 someday.

 

[LowDeck451]

Nice car! I myself wouldn't want a roll bar, and always liked the stock looking, full interior cars like yours. I've wondered, if I ever had a car that ran at the roll bar rule, if I could make small changes that would make the car more street friendly, maybe a little less gear/shorter dia. track tire, then try and tune it back to 11.50. Easier said than done I know (I don't know how!) but those are the kind of cars that attract me. Anyway, great job!

 

[Dodge 330]

I wrestled with this as well as I drive mine often. I finally gave in this winter. I just finished painting it and re-installing the interior. I actually enjoy driving it in traffic as I now have a 5 pt. harness and feel much safer should I get in an accident. The shop that did it did a great job in accommodating the fact that it is primarily a street car.

Painting it red helps it "blend in" as does the fact they installed the main hoop to perfectly match the angle of the B pillar.

Congratulations on the new best!

 

[Dodge 330]

Here are a couple of shots of the bar before the interior went in.

 

[VANDAN]

Nice work LemonWedge on your Winter Mods. Hope they keep you headed Straight in the Fast lane ! Dodge 330, did your shop build the cage to your needs, or was it something available as a kit, to mod it for you ? I was considering putting a cage in my '63, but I do know I will definitely be adding one to my '65 when that day arrives...

 

[mmissile]

Put it in. It can be cut-out, later. I was always concerned about not having one in my old wagon....and I had already been thrown outta a couple places for being too quick. Just make sure that it's built to NHRA specs. Safety, over comfort or appearance,

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Decision time.You can stay at 11.50 if your happy with that.Most of us want to go faster than that.If you feel the car is "too nice",stay at 11.5 and be consistent.I just transported a VERY clean Duster to Farks for a roll bar.It can be removed if a future caretaker wanted it out,but that small block might just go in the 10's.
Bottom line,,,,,how FAST do you want to go??
I have an excuse,,I have HEMI-ITIS,It is full blown and there is NO CURE!

 

[Dodge 330]

Nice work LemonWedge on your Winter Mods. Hope they keep you headed Straight in the Fast lane ! Dodge 330, did your shop build the cage to your needs, or was it something available as a kit, to mod it for you ? I was considering putting a cage in my '63, but I do know I will definitely be adding one to my '65 when that day arrives...

A local race chassis shop fabricated it from scratch.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Yep, I've been struggling with this question for a couple years now. I'm street legal, but not track legal

 

[LemonWedge]

Congrats my friend! I seem to remember you having engine trouble this past season and you had to tear down. What did you find?

I hope to meet up with you sometime. I'm down in Portland. Your car is a inspiration for mine..Putting in a 470 someday.

Gorgeous car, Banzaiii! Looks like we have the same car in different colors. Mine was orig. a 383 2-bbl car. Good plan with the 470; if I had mine to do over, that's the only change I'd make. Are those USMag wheels? (Mine are, in black) And what size wheel and tire combo are you running?
The trouble I had last year was just a popped head gasket. I found a spot where it was too close to the chamber. Went with a larger bore gasket, all good since then.

 

[LemonWedge]

Here are a couple of shots of the bar before the interior went in.

View attachment 411414 View attachment 411415

I like it! And I know that if I put a bar in, I would like it as I love the no-nonsense performance look.... I'm sure I'd dig it. It's still hard to take that step. My car is a hardtop, so the bar would be much more "visible" at a glance than in a sedan like yours, as I always drive it with all the windows down when on the street.I have a buddy that's a really good fabricator, builds dragsters, he's willing to fab it up. I like your door bars. Looks like they may not be to the letter of the law legal by the NHRA verbiage, but I doubt you'd ever get held up at tech for them. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[dieseldazzle]

I say leave it and stay 11.50s. Get you another car to cut up and build if you want to keep progression. At what point does it stop?

 

[Dodge 330]

Decision time.You can stay at 11.50 if your happy with that.Most of us want to go faster than that.If you feel the car is "too nice",stay at 11.5 and be consistent.I just transported a VERY clean Duster to Farks for a roll bar.It can be removed if a future caretaker wanted it out,but that small block might just go in the 10's.
Bottom line,,,,,how FAST do you want to go??
I have an excuse,,I have HEMI-ITIS,It is full blown and there is NO CURE!

I like your door bars. Looks like they may not be to the letter of the law legal by the NHRA verbiage, but I doubt you'd ever get held up at tech for them. Thanks for sharing!!

They build a lot of racecars so I let them have at it and this was what they come up with. One of the owners of the chassis shop runs our bracket program at the local track so I'm sure there won't be an issue there. I'd rather have these than swingouts.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I wondered about your door bars as well.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Here'a few of the duster.ME,,,I'm no competitor,,just an exhibitionist or as a friends call me,,tunerfish

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I say leave it and stay 11.50s. Get you another car to cut up and build if you want to keep progression. At what point does it stop?

It never stops from my experience....once you hit 13's you want 12's. You hit 12's, you want 11's

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

Your legal to 11.49 so it's not like you can't still race it. If it were to get faster, you would then have to decide to either put a roll bar in or just dial it back for racing. I do get what your saying about safety, the roadrunner is kind of like that. It really should have a bar, but it doesn't.. lol

Congrats on the new best!

 

[Banzaiii67]

Gorgeous car, Banzaiii! Looks like we have the same car in different colors. Mine was orig. a 383 2-bbl car. Good plan with the 470; if I had mine to do over, that's the only change I'd make. Are those USMag wheels? (Mine are, in black) And what size wheel and tire combo are you running?
The trouble I had last year was just a popped head gasket. I found a spot where it was too close to the chamber. Went with a larger bore gasket, all good since then.

Thank you, that means a lot! Mine was a 318 2bbl. Still have the original KK-1 paint.

Yep those are US Mags U102's. 15x7's in the fronts on 215/70 and 15x8's on 255/60 in the rear (rubs a little bit on the drivers side ridge in the wheel well when turning)

 

[Shorthorse]

It's a bit too far for some of you guys but at this years Monster Mopar Weekend race at Norwalk, Oh, Gentry Auto is sponsoring an 11.50 index shootout. It's a pretty cool idea that I haven't seen in this region before. I hope it's a success.