Stick Dime Rockets

doglover44 · 10-31-2014, 07:07 PM

Is is possible to build a stick dime rocket ?

J.R. Haddad · 10-31-2014, 09:33 PM

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

Paul Wong · 10-31-2014, 10:30 PM

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

farmco r/sa · 11-01-2014, 09:14 AM

no word from Billy on this ?

Dwight Southerland · 11-01-2014, 09:51 AM

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.

The Hawk · 11-01-2014, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmco r/sa

no word from Billy on this ?

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

goinbroke2 · 11-01-2014, 10:51 AM

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?

Billy Nees · 11-01-2014, 12:47 PM

Dwight hit the nail on the head!

Mark Yacavone · 11-02-2014, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doglover44

Is is possible to build a stick dime rocket ?

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

Ron Middleton · 11-02-2014, 10:11 AM

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.

10-31-2014, 07:07 PM	#1
doglover44 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New Carlisle OH Posts: 1,386 Likes: 4 Liked 489 Times in 227 Posts	Stick Dime Rockets Is is possible to build a stick dime rocket ? __________________ Jake Biermann

10-31-2014, 09:33 PM	#2
J.R. Haddad Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 784 Likes: 936 Liked 1,465 Times in 307 Posts	Re: Stick Dime Rockets Yes!! It would just be minus chassis and motor.

10-31-2014, 10:30 PM	#3
Paul Wong Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 384 Likes: 101 Liked 419 Times in 85 Posts	Re: Stick Dime Rockets Just carry a lot of cheap transmissions and rear ends because they are going to pitch parts on the ground.

11-01-2014, 09:14 AM	#4
farmco r/sa Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: lakewood, co Posts: 558 Likes: 302 Liked 147 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Stick Dime Rockets no word from Billy on this ? __________________ Randy Hyman. Lakewood co. stk 5394 P/SA Last edited by farmco r/sa; 11-01-2014 at 09:16 AM.

11-01-2014, 09:51 AM	#5
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,001 Likes: 64 Liked 779 Times in 193 Posts	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.

11-01-2014, 10:51 AM	#7
goinbroke2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NS CANADA Posts: 888 Likes: 1,607 Liked 387 Times in 151 Posts	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?

11-01-2014, 12:47 PM	#8
Billy Nees VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: On a hilltop in Pa. Posts: 4,493 Likes: 3,595 Liked 7,716 Times in 1,738 Posts	Re: Stick Dime Rockets Dwight hit the nail on the head! __________________ Billy Nees 1188 STK, SS I'm not spending 100K to win 2K

11-02-2014, 10:11 AM	#10
Ron Middleton Member Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Jackson, Ms. Posts: 350 Likes: 183 Liked 12 Times in 4 Posts	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. __________________ #4892 J/SA. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle Last edited by Ron Middleton; 11-02-2014 at 10:18 AM.