What do you guys think? Drag car or Street car?

[dragster2006]

Originally Posted by goinbroke2

Fox body stripped down for racing should be 2700 or so. (less if using fibreglass or chromemolly etc) So I would say 300-350hp should be enough to have fun with. A 5.0 with cam and aftermarket heads/intake/headers on a stock 5.0gt shortblock will give you enough.(5.0gt's come stock with forged pistons,roller cam, bottom end good for 6500rpm) or you can run a 351. Chevies can be cheaper but the cost of sbf to sbc is really minimal now.

So, you got a sbc, glide or t350, 4:11 rear gear. Don't wind it too tight as that will eat your budget. Sub frame connectors, update the rear arms(axle?) all the standard fox tricks and you'll have fun. When you want to go faster build the motor up a bit, but don't go crazy as it's a bracket car. You'll have more fun in a more consistent reliable car if you run a bbf or bbc at 5500-6000 all day long then 7500-8000rpm small block and changing springs etc every half season.

Yeah I'm a big ford guy and don't like to see crossbreading as there is no excuse for it anymore, but I'm not going to scream and jump up and down about what somebody else is doing....unless they're in my face about it.

im most def gonna find a t350 tranny for sure i found a decently priced one and its a B&M TH-350 street/strip automatic because its only like 840 bucks i believe. also my friend mentioned to me that i should get some ladder bars so im gonna look into buying those.

[MattConte]

I was not going to get into this thread. I am also not going to start bashing anyone. But when I first started reading this thread. I did not take it as hard as the thread starter, but I did think that the first replies were inappropriate at least until some positive replies were made, first. Then some kidding can happen. Why start out on someone new right off the bat.
Now if any of you knew me. You would know that I am one of the harshest $#!^ talkers you'll meet. I find it fun. All of my close friends are the same. We are to the point that outsiders think that we are about to throw down. I am 43 years old and have some friggen miles on me. A single dad with a smart *** talking 14 year old girl. but one thing that I have taught her in being a good smart *** and make people laugh. Is to know WHEN to do it.
I am done with that and could give a crap what anyone thinks so do not start with me.
NOW dragster2006
I got to say kid. You got some spunk. You do need to let some of that crap roll off ya pal. You will be better for it. Thicken up that skin, buddy. You will. With age. But God Bless ya. You do what you are doing. GO FOR IT!! I am 43 years old and have let everything get in my way to ever getting to build the race car I have always wanted. Just always worked on other people's race cars as my 71 Camaro stays in pieces for 13 years.
As for cross breading. Do not listen to anyone of those guys out that that goofs on that and tells you that you will not get any respect. I think these 3 examples would QUITE disagree with that kind of thinking.
FIRST
Just ask this guy here in Phoenix with this killer Camaro . Do you see what is on the hood scoop? This guy is a long time racer that if any of those guys would say that crap to him. He would just laugh at um. He gets a kick out of it. Oh yea. he gets plenty of respect. If you are a fan of Pinks All Out. Picture this car red. He made it to the final round in one episode and got air time on a second episode. I do not think that there are many racers out there that have been on the air on any of the Pinks shows, twice. He is also a very nice guy. He gets respect.

SECOND
There was this killer looking and running West Coast Super Gas 68 Mustang that was owned and driven by a long time racer named, Jim Israel. Jim had a BIG BLOCK CHEVY under the hood and he taunted the " purists" with a little quote of his on the deck lid that said, " Built FORD tough with CHEVY stuff." He made it in a few finals in his day. Also seen that car in a few issues of the late great magazine Bracket Racing USA.
...and LAST
Back in 1974. there were these three unknown boys out of Texas that took there "Chevy" powered "Ford" Maverick to the Winternationals and won Modified Eliminator. I think they got some respect. They really got allot of respect when they dominated in NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock in the early 80s. There names were Buddy Morrison, David Reher and Lee Shepherd.
Kid, I think your car is going to be kick ***. Do it when you can. I cannot wait to see it finished.
Matt

[dragster2006]

Originally Posted by MattConte

I was not going to get into this thread. I am also not going to start bashing anyone. But when I first started reading this thread. I did not take it as hard as the thread starter, but I did think that the first replies were inappropriate at least until some positive replies were made, first. Then some kidding can happen. Why start out on someone new right off the bat.
Now if any of you knew me. You would know that I am one of the harshest $#!^ talkers you'll meet. I find it fun. All of my close friends are the same. We are to the point that outsiders think that we are about to throw down. I am 43 years old and have some friggen miles on me. A single dad with a smart *** talking 14 year old girl. but one thing that I have taught her in being a good smart *** and make people laugh. Is to know WHEN to do it.
I am done with that and could give a crap what anyone thinks so do not start with me.
NOW dragster2006
I got to say kid. You got some spunk. You do need to let some of that crap roll off ya pal. You will be better for it. Thicken up that skin, buddy. You will. With age. But God Bless ya. You do what you are doing. GO FOR IT!! I am 43 years old and have let everything get in my way to ever getting to build the race car I have always wanted. Just always worked on other people's race cars as my 71 Camaro stays in pieces for 13 years.
As for cross breading. Do not listen to anyone of those guys out that that goofs on that and tells you that you will not get any respect. I think these 3 examples would QUITE disagree with that kind of thinking.
FIRST
Just ask this guy here in Phoenix with this killer Camaro . Do you see what is on the hood scoop? This guy is a long time racer that if any of those guys would say that crap to him. He would just laugh at um. He gets a kick out of it. Oh yea. he gets plenty of respect. If you are a fan of Pinks All Out. Picture this car red. He made it to the final round in one episode and got air time on a second episode. I do not think that there are many racers out there that have been on the air on any of the Pinks shows, twice. He is also a very nice guy. He gets respect.

SECOND
There was this killer looking and running West Coast Super Gas 68 Mustang that was owned and driven by a long time racer named, Jim Israel. Jim had a BIG BLOCK CHEVY under the hood and he taunted the " purists" with a little quote of his on the deck lid that said, " Built FORD tough with CHEVY stuff." He made it in a few finals in his day. Also seen that car in a few issues of the late great magazine Bracket Racing USA.
...and LAST
Back in 1974. there were these three unknown boys out of Texas that took there "Chevy" powered "Ford" Maverick to the Winternationals and won Modified Eliminator. I think they got some respect. They really got allot of respect when they dominated in NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock in the early 80s. There names were Buddy Morrison, David Reher and Lee Shepherd.
Kid, I think your car is going to be kick ***. Do it when you can. I cannot wait to see it finished.
Matt

Matt, I couldn't thank you enough for your post! lol im really not a little punk like these guys say i am lol im actually quite a nice person haha but anyways. Pinks All Out was originally where I got the idea to build my car because I saw one that was a little bit newer than mine. i think it was like a 92 i believe that thing had a 350 or a 383 in it and it was tearing everybody up on there and I was like hey. i could build one of those for real cheap and that thing could be a really fast car! so here i am today 1/3rd through the build. roll cage done, engine HALF WAY paid off lol but still a lot of parts i have to buy which really sucks because i dont have the money to pay for them so im tryin my best to save what little i have after bills are paid. lol

That camaro in that picture, most definitly i saw that episode because I'm a die hard pinks fan! that camaro was hardcore on that episode! (kinda looks like my old 75 camaro (i'll post pictures of it)) so did he paint it blue after that? or was this picture before he painted it red? either color works for me LOL! like em both! oh and gotta add this too GOTTA LOVE THAT REHER-MORRISON POWER!!!!! (which i wish i had) LOL!

heres the pictures of the 75 camaro me and my were working on about a year and a half. maybe 2 years ago but he sold randomly... lol looks way to similar haha.

again Matt. thanks for the encouragement friend!!!

[Ed Fernandez]

Years ago a guy from Pa (I think his name was Bob Hall) bracket raced an early black Camaro in Div 1
Super Pro with a 440 Mopar.He had a Direct Connection decal on the front fender.I liked that car.

[MattConte]

Dragster2006
I took that photo last Saturday night at Firebird International Raceway. That was taken in the staging lanes, but earlier that night. I was walking around the pits and I had seen the car earlier. Me being a very big Camaro fane. Especially 2nd Gens. Also love the color Blue. I had to go look at that car. When I was the guy just walked up to me and asked me something about an announcement over the PA. I recognized him right away and I just asked him if this was the red car he ran on "Pinks" and if he still had the FORD in it. He smiled and said ,'Yea" then told me that the red paint was falling off the car. I think he told me that he saw a Toyota truck that color blue with the stripes and liked it. So he painted the car that way. Just wanted a change. Real nice guy. I saw that he had a name of transmission shop on the car. I should have asked him if that was his shop. If so. I might go to him for the tranns for my 71 Camaro.
On another note about that episode of pinks. You remember the winner. The guy with the green 86 Firebird S/G. That is the dad of a racing family here locally. the Dolezal family. You remember that his wife was on that show in the final 8 cars with a S/C dragster. You remember their son adn daughter in the lanes with them? Well they all have race cars. I see them at all the races at Firebird and sometimes at our other track on the other side of the valley, Speedworld Raceway Park. The daughter use to run the mom's old s/c Vega, but at this years Div 7 opener at Firebird. They had a new family car that I think the daughter was driving. So I bet this is where the "Pinks" money went into. LOL This was a really well built , very pro looking race car.

This just shows what the show "PINKS ALL OUT" is doing for our sport for the little guys. I think that it is one of the best things to happen to Drag Racing. I hope to maybe one day have my Camaro done and be able to get a crack at being on that show.
Hey, I like your Camaro. Do you still have it?
Oh yea, Disturbed is one of my favorite bands, too. Saw them on this tour. AWESOME live band. Dan Donegan is one of the best Metal guitair players today in my opinion. They are a close 2nd to my favorite band. SlipKnoT. I was thinking about naming my Camaro when it is done, "Psychosocial"
I would post some pics of my Camaro, but there really is not much to see right now. LOL!
Race On...
Matt

[dragster2006]

Originally Posted by MattConte

Dragster2006
I took that photo last Saturday night at Firebird International Raceway. That was taken in the staging lanes, but earlier that night. I was walking around the pits and I had seen the car earlier. Me being a very big Camaro fane. Especially 2nd Gens. Also love the color Blue. I had to go look at that car. When I was the guy just walked up to me and asked me something about an announcement over the PA. I recognized him right away and I just asked him if this was the red car he ran on "Pinks" and if he still had the FORD in it. He smiled and said ,'Yea" then told me that the red paint was falling off the car. I think he told me that he saw a Toyota truck that color blue with the stripes and liked it. So he painted the car that way. Just wanted a change. Real nice guy. I saw that he had a name of transmission shop on the car. I should have asked him if that was his shop. If so. I might go to him for the tranns for my 71 Camaro.
On another note about that episode of pinks. You remember the winner. The guy with the green 86 Firebird S/G. That is the dad of a racing family here locally. the Dolezal family. You remember that his wife was on that show in the final 8 cars with a S/C dragster. You remember their son adn daughter in the lanes with them? Well they all have race cars. I see them at all the races at Firebird and sometimes at our other track on the other side of the valley, Speedworld Raceway Park. The daughter use to run the mom's old s/c Vega, but at this years Div 7 opener at Firebird. They had a new family car that I think the daughter was driving. So I bet this is where the "Pinks" money went into. LOL This was a really well built , very pro looking race car.

This just shows what the show "PINKS ALL OUT" is doing for our sport for the little guys. I think that it is one of the best things to happen to Drag Racing. I hope to maybe one day have my Camaro done and be able to get a crack at being on that show.
Hey, I like your Camaro. Do you still have it?
Oh yea, Disturbed is one of my favorite bands, too. Saw them on this tour. AWESOME live band. Dan Donegan is one of the best Metal guitair players today in my opinion. They are a close 2nd to my favorite band. SlipKnoT. I was thinking about naming my Camaro when it is done, "Psychosocial"
I would post some pics of my Camaro, but there really is not much to see right now. LOL!
Race On...
Matt

yup! most certainly i remember that episode now! that green firebird hauled *** on there. but i was thinking that the red camaro was a different episode lol just proves i need to watch pinks all out more (been watching Pass Time way too much! I LOVE THAT SHOW!) lol so they used their 10k on that chevy 2? damn. 10k can sure go a long way! i could halfway build a comp eliminator car!!!! haha (I wish...) that 75 camaro of ours... we dont have it anymore my dad sold about 2 years ago cause hes a jackass and never finishes anything he starts lol damn shame. that thing was set up for nitrous and had a 10 pound empty bottle of nitrous in the back of it lol so yeah the person who started building the car had intentions of going VERY fast lol and the radiator in the car apparently was very expensive. all of the front clip was fiberglass, the fenders, the front end, the hood. so yeah the guy who put it all together was wanting to go very very fast. and i couldnt stop playing with the hammer shifter it had in it lol that thing was cool! but i tell you what... my dad could not make up his damn mind on what color that car was gonna be. he was thinking about painting it yellow with black racing stripes like the transformers camaro (since that camaro was the same year as ours) but he didnt paint it that way. he painted it blue with white racing stripes as you can see. but that didnt last he painted it white with orange racing stripes (which i thought was nice... but i liked the blue with white racing stripes better...) So you like Disturbed and Slipknot?! Dude so do i. lol i saw them at the mayhem festival in Bonner Springs, KS THEY KICKED ***! EPIC CONCERT.

[MattConte]

I do not know the Dolezals , personally. So I do not know for a FACT that this car is what they spent that 10k on. I was just speculating because it popped up at the track in their pits with their name on it after that episode. They are a racing family with a bunch of race cars. So they have the "Scratch" to play. They use to have this really nice little blue Vega that i think the mom ran. then the daughter ran it. Then I saw this Nova with, I think the daughter's name on it. Like I said. I do not know them personally. I am just at most of the races around here and see them run all of the time.
Man that Camaro was sweet. Your dad not only should have kept it, but also should have ran with the "Transformers" theme. My daughter is way into the Transformers and LOVES the 75 Bumblebee Camaro. I am putting black stripes on our Camaro because she wanted them on there because of Bumblebee. She is 14 now and has already told me that when she is 16. She wants a yellow 75 Camaro. She even wants to make it all "Junked" up to look like the movie car. She had me take her to a car show a few years ago that had one of the 75 camaro movie cars. I was all over that car with my camera.
Yea we were at the Mayham show last summer. Then we went to see Slipknot again last March. We were going to go to Cali to see them in Hollywood tomorrow, but funds are tight. I raised her on Metal and drag racing. She did not take to the drag race, but went way on the metal side. She is a drummer because of Slipknot and wants to be in bands. That is cool. I use to be in metal bands in the 80s. She said that she will drive the car if we were to get it built and start racing it. But she will not watch the drags at all or go to them anymore. She helps a little on the car. But her choice is to go to her room and play drums. I'm ok with that.
I do not have the cash to tub my Camaro. But I am thinking about in boarding the shocks and mini tub it. Just to get a little more room. I want to race it when we are done with it, but I am not going hard core with it like I was first going to do. I want to keep it street legal and I want to enjoy going to the cruise hang outs. It is going to pull double duty. My first engine is not going to be much. I can only build what I can, but I want the car to be built so that I can up grade to a stronger engine later. So my car will be a bit overkill for the first engine. But that is better then having to cut the car up every time I get a new engine for it. So it is getting a cage and sub frame connectors. The mini tubs yada yada yada.
When we took it off the road back in 97. It was only running high 15s. That was great, seeing that it started out when we first took it to the track to pull a 17.5 LOL. I just kept messing with it. I think it got faster more because I kept making the car lighter and lighter. I also made my own tracking bars that really worked. Hey the X wife and I just had a kid and she stayed home for that first year. I had to make my traction bars if I wanted a set. They worked great. They also looked like I went to LOPER'S and bought them. The good kind, not the "Strap-on" show ones. They worked so good that I will be keeping them. I made them adjustable and the way I would want them. They work great and I can tune them. Later I can go to something like Cal-Tracks if I want to. but I am not so much of a "I got it because it is the gotta have stuff" kind of guy. I am just into having fun with my car and I like building and fabricating most everything on the car myself. I am not much of a store bought parts, car builder. Again, I do this all in fun. I am an old man with a 38 year old car. I ain't ever gonna be taking Jason Line's job from him.
One day the car will be my kids. I do not plan on ever selling it. It was the car that brought her home from the hospital. She will never let me forget that. LOL! It is HER'S. Se told me so. LOL!
matt

[dragster2006]

Originally Posted by MattConte

I do not know the Dolezals , personally. So I do not know for a FACT that this car is what they spent that 10k on. I was just speculating because it popped up at the track in their pits with their name on it after that episode. They are a racing family with a bunch of race cars. So they have the "Scratch" to play. They use to have this really nice little blue Vega that i think the mom ran. then the daughter ran it. Then I saw this Nova with, I think the daughter's name on it. Like I said. I do not know them personally. I am just at most of the races around here and see them run all of the time.
Man that Camaro was sweet. Your dad not only should have kept it, but also should have ran with the "Transformers" theme. My daughter is way into the Transformers and LOVES the 75 Bumblebee Camaro. I am putting black stripes on our Camaro because she wanted them on there because of Bumblebee. She is 14 now and has already told me that when she is 16. She wants a yellow 75 Camaro. She even wants to make it all "Junked" up to look like the movie car. She had me take her to a car show a few years ago that had one of the 75 camaro movie cars. I was all over that car with my camera.
Yea we were at the Mayham show last summer. Then we went to see Slipknot again last March. We were going to go to Cali to see them in Hollywood tomorrow, but funds are tight. I raised her on Metal and drag racing. She did not take to the drag race, but went way on the metal side. She is a drummer because of Slipknot and wants to be in bands. That is cool. I use to be in metal bands in the 80s. She said that she will drive the car if we were to get it built and start racing it. But she will not watch the drags at all or go to them anymore. She helps a little on the car. But her choice is to go to her room and play drums. I'm ok with that.
I do not have the cash to tub my Camaro. But I am thinking about in boarding the shocks and mini tub it. Just to get a little more room. I want to race it when we are done with it, but I am not going hard core with it like I was first going to do. I want to keep it street legal and I want to enjoy going to the cruise hang outs. It is going to pull double duty. My first engine is not going to be much. I can only build what I can, but I want the car to be built so that I can up grade to a stronger engine later. So my car will be a bit overkill for the first engine. But that is better then having to cut the car up every time I get a new engine for it. So it is getting a cage and sub frame connectors. The mini tubs yada yada yada.
When we took it off the road back in 97. It was only running high 15s. That was great, seeing that it started out when we first took it to the track to pull a 17.5 LOL. I just kept messing with it. I think it got faster more because I kept making the car lighter and lighter. I also made my own tracking bars that really worked. Hey the X wife and I just had a kid and she stayed home for that first year. I had to make my traction bars if I wanted a set. They worked great. They also looked like I went to LOPER'S and bought them. The good kind, not the "Strap-on" show ones. They worked so good that I will be keeping them. I made them adjustable and the way I would want them. They work great and I can tune them. Later I can go to something like Cal-Tracks if I want to. but I am not so much of a "I got it because it is the gotta have stuff" kind of guy. I am just into having fun with my car and I like building and fabricating most everything on the car myself. I am not much of a store bought parts, car builder. Again, I do this all in fun. I am an old man with a 38 year old car. I ain't ever gonna be taking Jason Line's job from him.
One day the car will be my kids. I do not plan on ever selling it. It was the car that brought her home from the hospital. She will never let me forget that. LOL! It is HER'S. Se told me so. LOL!
matt

lol yeah that camaro you got is gonna be bitchin when its done! i was looking about a 70 camaro on racing junk that was for 750 before i got the mustang but that thing needed so much work to it. the body was great and all and it had all the parts but i dont think i'd have the time nor the balls to attempt finish it lol heres the picture i took of it... i doesnt look too great but the body was pretty much flawless. just dirty as hell...

[Charlie Yannetti]

I was just sitting around and watching this fiasco.... HEY KID!!!... do yourself a favor... get in touch with some people that race seriously.... Divisional Event and/or National Event style racing.... get on a crew and learn the sport... it really is fun and by doing this you'll see exactly what it is about and get a good direction on where you want to go... and how much it might cost to be competitive...

I HATE all these young guys talking about street cars or street/strip cars... if that's the way you wanna go, you will end up hurting youself, or God forbid, some innocent bystander or pedestrian.... racing is meant to be done on a track... a safe environment... STREET IS NOT NEAT!!!!!

If you wanna cross breed parts and cars, have at it... I'm all about working with what you have... and it sounds like you could put together a really fun bracket car if you stick to it and keep asking questions... you will never know it all, so keeping asking... I'm still learning after 30+ yrs of this stuff...

AND please don't call anyone out... you will learn really fast that there are some of us racers out there just waiting for the opportunity to hurt someone's feelings... RIGHT ED!!!... OK, me too... LOL

Take advantage of those willing to help you on this forum... we are all serious about what we do and would love to help... GOOD LUCK with your project.....

[dragster2006]

Originally Posted by Charlie Yannetti

I was just sitting around and watching this fiasco.... HEY KID!!!... do yourself a favor... get in touch with some people that race seriously.... Divisional Event and/or National Event style racing.... get on a crew and learn the sport... it really is fun and by doing this you'll see exactly what it is about and get a good direction on where you want to go... and how much it might cost to be competitive...

I HATE all these young guys talking about street cars or street/strip cars... if that's the way you wanna go, you will end up hurting youself, or God forbid, some innocent bystander or pedestrian.... racing is meant to be done on a track... a safe environment... STREET IS NOT NEAT!!!!!

If you wanna cross breed parts and cars, have at it... I'm all about working with what you have... and it sounds like you could put together a really fun bracket car if you stick to it and keep asking questions... you will never know it all, so keeping asking... I'm still learning after 30+ yrs of this stuff...

AND please don't call anyone out... you will learn really fast that there are some of us racers out there just waiting for the opportunity to hurt someone's feelings... RIGHT ED!!!... OK, me too... LOL

Take advantage of those willing to help you on this forum... we are all serious about what we do and would love to help... GOOD LUCK with your project.....

i wasnt planning on calling anybody out i was just very offended and pissed off earlier when those guys were saying all of that nonsense because it was uncalled for and i know i said some stufff too but like i said a bunch before... i posted in the bracket part of the forum because i didnt think people would really care much about a chevy engine in a ford know what i mean?

crossbreeding... i dont really refer to it as that... i call it wat you said... working with what i have... just sucks right because of the financial crap... the car is just sitting there... its quite depressing LOL