Stick Dime Rockets
 

Is is possible to build a stick dime rocket ?

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Yes!! It would just be minus chassis and motor.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Just carry a lot of cheap transmissions and rear ends because they are going to pitch parts on the ground.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

no word from Billy on this ?

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

It would be possible for someone who REALLY understood clutches and transmissions. There are not many inexpensive transmissions that will stand up and inexpensive clutches would have to be smoked over to make them work well. That being said, if you happen upon obsolete race stuff for cheap, there is no reason to shun it. Before the advent of modern race designed manual transmissions, we all ran modified stock stuff that worked okay and could still be used.

Part of the situation that creates obstacles for the budget is that there is not a prolific number of common mass produced OEM transmissions that can be used. T-5s are not very stout, though they could be used in low HP applications. T-45s were never built with gear ratios that are very useful. And T-56s still command $1000+ prices. Then the required bellhousings are $500+ in most cases. Your best bet would be old race stuff.

If you have a good basis with a bellhousing and decent transmission to start with, you could do it. Starting from scratch would be very hard to keep it a bottom tier dime project.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

I`m sure Paul Wong said all. Mark Yacavone could tell some things as well.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Vince Hazel ran a mid 80's camaro with a 2.8 and factory 5spd in V/S a couple years ago, I think it was -.500 or a bit more.

A stick dime rocket would probably fall to fwd cars though, I'd think. Not much power and if you keep a box of axles handy until you learn how hard to hit it off the line, could work?

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Dwight hit the nail on the head!

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Maybe. I'd rather discuss specifics here.
What did you have in mind?

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

2.3l Turbo Coupe Thunderbird 1983-86 would probably be my choice. Can be done on a pretty tight budget with T5 trans.Phillip Bush ran one at 2005 Sportsnats with stock T5 and O'Reilly Auto Reman clutch assembly with factory ECM. I/FI Phillip Bush, D'iberville MS, '88 Thunderb 13.420 13.65 -0.230. Blew a head gasket on this pass., I/FI Phillip Bush, D'iberville MS, '88 T-Bird 13.208 13.65 -0.442. I/FI Phillip Bush, D'iberville MS, '88 T-Bird 13.172 13.65 -0.478.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

A car in the shop uses a Liberty prepped T-5 that has the synchronizers removed and dog ringed. Car has went 9s at 3200#. They changed the rules for the class to allow the G-force 101a in so everybody is unloading the T-5s for those. Could pick one of those up cheap used.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Please school me on this. lets say a 3400 lb car 4.88 rear liberty4spd {autogear case,proshifted} older trans 2.52 low approx.500
tq. Assuming clutch grabs with release of pedal [like a converter locking up at stall speed] Assuming a somewhat inexperienced stick driver[drag racing] using an inexpensive clutch . Whats the best scenario feathering the pedal or spinning the slicks [no dead hook]? Also do you feel this old liberty is up to the task and would you prefer a fiber disc vs. sintered metal one as far as controlled slippage goes. As in old school before there was adjustable clutches.

thanks Joe

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

In Scott's car with the liberty T-5 class required a diaphram style clutch. Used a solid hub, no marcel springs and made to a certain thickness as well as a pressure plate made for a certain amount of force to be applied. Would shim the pressure plate until we received the slippage that we wanted based on the torque gauge that he made and calculated force he wanted to apply. Car is a NA modular 4.6 which means low torque but good HP. Car weighs 3200+ with 5.13 rear gears on a 26*10.5 launch at 7k+

It was hard to get that car to go through the clutch without puckering up the disc after 2-3 passes. Not enough slippage and it would pull the engine RPM down. On a small tire car it's easy to get up on the wheel speed. There were others in the class that the best we can figure is using a sintered iron disc instead because they were able to slip the clutch way more then us without spitting out clutch discs every pass.

IMO sintered iron and slipping the clutch in a controlled fashion(ie not the drivers foot) to control the RPM, tire strike and wheel speed is the only way to go in a serious stick car. However on the budget that may not be an option. Then it will be a controlled spin with the tire and let the engine do the work with a broad trq/power curve.

Re: Stick Dime Rockets
 

Not a dime, maybe a quarter, but the neon turbo could run under the index with no mods and run very well with some better tires wheels and ecm from mopar. Not sure what years they were made, but I bet some used ones are still roaming around. They were all stick shifts