Hot Rods Project X project headed to the Duct Tape Drags

This is it. I'm registered to go to the Duct Tape Drags next weekend in Tucson with the 57. I've been working the last two weeks to get ready. I installed a set of safety harnesses, dual return springs on the carb, battery hold down, hooked up the line lock, overflow can, gathered up my helmet, mounted slicks, tuned it up, checked pinion angle, and tightened everything I could think of. I believe I've covered all the bases. Sorry I don't have enough confidence in the car yet to drive it the 1600 miles there and back yet, so I'm wussing out and trailering it this time. I suspect by next year I'll feel better about driving it long distances. I've got 240 miles on it so far, and it seems good. I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time. I am not comfortable traveling, and this is going outside of my comfort zone, but I've got to overcome these fears and get some life experiences built up before I'm too old. I can feel time getting away from me. I expect to have a great time. I'll take a bunch of pictures and give an account of the trip when I get back. If I can figure out how to do it during the trip, I'll post stuff then, but as of right now, I don't know how to do that. If any of you guys are there, come by and say hi.

 

You built this beautiful car! I would say that takes a large degree of confidence in your self. Walk through your fears. Traveling will be small potatoes in comparison.
Go kick**** at the drags, have fun!
Dan

 

I hope it runs as good as it looks for you.

 

This car is going to stir up some memories, Enjoy it to the maX!

 

David Freiburger and Lucky Costa will enjoy it.....

 

Good for you. Enjoy the ride.
My brother has driven his home built sixties hot rod alll over the country. 40,000 miles and counting. Some of his favorite memories are related to mechanical breakdowns. He lost a front wheel bearing in West Monroe LA and had the most awesome experience with the gal on the tow truck phone line, to the ex wrench tow truck driver to fixing the car with his help with it still on the flatbed in the NAPA parking lot. Great people all around.

 

hope to see you there!

The only way to build confidence in the car is to drive it, and deal with whatever happens. You still have a couple days

 

Good luck! What kind of times are you shooting for?

 

The real car at this point of it's evolution ran low 12's and dipped into the high 11's. If my***** dyno is still accurate I think I'll get into the 11's. That is IF it's still accurate. I've found that when you haven't driven anything powerful for a while, you're more easily impressed. Also, there is no good place around here to fully test your car, so I don't know if it will even make a full hard pass.

 

Relax and enjoy. Some things you never forget, but they might take a second to acclimate. Hey, I hope it takes 11 seconds to acclimate

 

It's Show Time..... great looking, a flash back to the magazine cover years ago.

 

Gorgeous car, best of luck!

 

Best of luck to you and all the racers! Be safe and load the trailer with all the bits you still haven't sold off (tied down properly). You might come home with a FREE car! Aren't you down to something like 2 grand as of now?

 

Since you're keeping such good records of what you're down to on selling off parts, what have you spent to get the car where it is ? An itemized list maybe ?

 

I was off a bit. He says it's 3K here.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/project-x-project.1311167/page-12#post-15665196

 

Relax and enjoy the trip. You built an awesome hotrod.

 

In his last video, Lucky still has the original parked in his shop.

 

That awesome! Heading that way in a few hours from now.

 

Beautiful car! Who cares if you trailer, you're gonna be racing it!!! Great build and best of luck!!!

 

SO MANY projects like this get started with great enthusiasm but never get even close to finished, great to see this one not only finished out but going to do the thing it was built to do. I'll be following along.

 

Looking forward to seeing your run report, good on you for stepping out & taking on those worries.

 

Found
Nice talking with you.

 

Me too!

 

Spotted on I80 heading home.



We were in Vegas for a swim meet and making our way home as well.

 

So how did it do? Where’s our report?

 

Yep, inquiring minds want to know.

 

Here we go! I borrowed a truck from my friend to pull the car to Tucson. An 07 Duramax. She's a little rough in the looks department but has a fresh trans and runs good. Knowing I was going to take a bunch of equipment with, I wanted some amount of security when the truck was in the Hotel parking lot overnight. Behold the $50 camper shell. With a couple of hasp latches on each side that I could lock with 2 small padlocks, I was about as secure as could be expected without spending too much. With everything loaded up, jack, tools, spare tires, 2 bikes, E-Z up, chairs and cooler, I then took an old rug and spread it out over everything and threw some actual trash in on top of it. A crushed cardboard box, dirty old bucket, broken chair, filthy towel, an old broom, and a used furnace filter. If anyone were to look in the back they would just see garbage. Combined with the outside of the truck it looked pretty undesirable.

 

Here is the schedule for the event. We left on Wednesday and drove 400 miles to Mesquite Nevada and stayed with a friend that night. That broke the trip up into 2 fairly equal parts, allowing us to get to the track before it was very late Thursday. I messaged the track and found out they were accepting cars and campers that night because I wanted to park the car onsite. I did not want the car in a hotel parking lot overnight! After a local church chili cook off dinner and a good night's rest, we headed out the next morning.