DP #24 Engine failure....

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Originally Posted by MYRONARL1119

Chris, As a "class racer in remission" I would like to ad my thought as to another avenue that I think might well be worth considering. Having gone thru the same thing that most stock and super stock racer have at 1 time in their racing career,engine failure, I would like to suggest this option to you. Please consider finding a very good local or regional engine builder that has the means and knowledge to build your power. I think that if you are under a time limitation, you must consider buying your power. At least consider buying 1 good "bullet", and if nothing else, try to duplicate it. Talk to a good engine builder for his input. You have several in the area that can either help you or advise you where to find power. I would suggest talking to someone like Gary Russell, Joey Wilkes,and even consider buying a good "bullet" from one of the players like Johns, Duel, Tueton. Or consider Mopar power builder out of state , even if it is on the "left coast". You need to explore your options..Just because you can build a 15,000 rpm motorcycle engine doesn't mean that this is your cup of tea. Outsourcing power is not a bad think, if it were guys like Woodro Josey and bulders of that caliber won't have been building for years. Also if you can buy at least 1 good motor, you would then have a spare if you must continue down the path you are on. Someone once told me, just pile your money on the kitchen floor and light it, then you'll still have your free think. I don't claim to be an engine builder, just having owned and raced stock classes since 1966 of and on. Not trying to "bash you" just giving you another point of view. You owe it to yourself to explore all of the options. Your schedule will lighten up, and you can take a lot of the load off of your shoulders. Myron Stutes X class racer and IHRA record holder.

No bashing thought, a very good clear point , so clear and so good, that well.....we were already on that, we had 3 more motors slated for this year. 2 5.7's and 1 more 6.1.

A "phased" approach as it were, each with better components as they came available, the first 2 motors bottoms were "as delivered" from Ma Mopar....that didnt work so well This one, well its my "stab" at it, I am under no illusions it will be good or even survive. It is what I want to try however, that is part of the whole adventure for us.

We have gathered 85% of the parts for the 3 motors, now the first will go together, the second the old man wants his "stab" at, we him and I are and always have been in a good and friendly (obviously) competiton with each other....it is one of the things that drives us personally the inside competition. We chose to do the 5.7's because we had 2 new ones sitting here for this project for almost 2 years collecting dust we paid nothing for (actually when we sold the FI equipment etc off them they have paid us) So...it is a low dollar venture, the rods and I got better pricing as a dealer now, well....they are the single most expensive item the total bottom end cost will be around 4k now, parts, labor, etc.

We have talked with several of the builders, Indy, (and duell himself and considered buying his "old" motor from Indy) as well as a few of the others like Irvs builder and some others. That is "underway" but what we would "like" to do is .... well heres how it plays out.

Most are running the 6.1 now.....it will get factored up and we cant compete directly with Duell or Johns at the moment , we knew that all along and as many many posts here will say planned to go with the 5.7 after Gainesville. That was why.

Here is the reason and "Zeeee Plan before Zee Germans get here"

But well be the first to the track with the 5.7 , anything and everything we learn specific to it, well well apply to the second 5.7 as well as some "new" ideas , if our baseline moly and ceramic coatings worked, then well add some DLC's and others, if not then well adjust our plan on the second 5.7

Meantime We will be playing "ahead" of the established curve on the 5.7, different header configs I had made (a 3 step instead of the 2 that Johns and Duell and others are running) Soooo.....F-B? Will be our playgound while they are smacking at each other in AA and A......

Plus as others learn and share on the chassis/converter/rear and other combos and share with us and we with them....well, the rest of the car will move forward as well...

When we have learned as much as we can about the combo as whole....

Well take what we learned works, what dosent, and have a builder do a 6.1 for us, the third and final for the year. At that point, well its gonna be dicey and tight in AA with these, and I wholly expect that the car will be AA only by then, but with what we learned at relativly low dollar investment in the 5.7's we will get the 6.1 "bullet" and Im also under no illusion that especially by then that will be what is needed with a 6.1, also by then, the 5.7's that will be hitting the track will be playing in OUR field, a field that we have already been in and pissed on as it were.

They will be in some ways playing our game and catchup with us, not us with them.

That is "Zee Plan" , I dont know if its a good plan or not, but right now and all along it has been our plan, only time will tell.

You didnt bash in any way....and youre idea is so good.....its part of "Zee Plan"