Event Coverage Official 2016 Meltdown Drags Thread - What are you doing to get ready?

Whoa Dave! That looks awesome!

 

Now that's what it should look like Dave can't wait to see it carrying the front wheels

 

That small block looks an awful lot like a big block.

 

Are those bee stings on your ass, or where you pinched yourself to stay awake?

 

Tightened some things on the Falcon that were starting to settle in. Did some more test runs. Found that you can't rely on the steering wheel to be perfectly straight in the car. I think that's why I was heading for the ditch the last couple times. Today it launched straight as a arrow. The tires with the heat were biting pretty hard so now there might be a new problem. When I shifted into second the front end pulled off the ground a little. Wasn't expecting that one!!!! Also it was real windy here today. With the cross wind it made the car a little bit of a challenge to handle at speed.

 

We just got our car back from Don Dennis the lettering guy. I'm going to do a little shameless plug here and recommend him to anyone needing lettering. He's an old school guy that digs old race cars. I couldn't be happier with what he's done for us.

 

Motor in, running, gonna do a little street dyno...

 

Now that's what I'am talking about
Don't need no sticking Dyno

 

Getting closer. Hope to finish the wiring tomorrow. Need to build a new throttle pedal, and throw the glass in it.

 

You meltdown guys should be happy. My 13 yr old bought his first car and he has been studying the southeast Gassers rules. It's a little rough but he bought it with his own money. He already has it gutted and plans to make it a street driven gasser. Wants it to be small block Ford powered and faster than my model A. I see a father son grudge match coming in 2019

 

That stinking dyno is gonna save me a ton of time (like hours vs weeks),and maybe prevent my jam-fisted tuning skills from accidentally hurting something real bad in the first decent motor I've ever had in the car.

Fred says he hasn't let one out the door in years without running it on the dyno anyhow,so it was pretty much a predetermined thing.

I'll be sure to post lots of photos and video of the dyno pulls.

I'm confident that we'll be well over 400hp,which should be good enough to get our 3100lb car solidly into the 11's.

Scott

 

Better take the condom off the front of that scoop before you hit the ol street dyno Jeff.

Scott

 

Ran into a problem with my new headers. Hooker welded the collector flanges on upside down, (compared to my old headers). Unfortunately, I didn't catch the mistake until after they were Jet Hot coated. So much for nice white headers.

Pulled them back off so the flanges can be cut off and rewelded correctly. It'll be done for The Meltdown, but not sure about The Heads Up Drags. Although they are the same model and part number headers as my old ones, the new ones don't fit nearly as well.

 

Sorry to hear that.Speed equipment has always been hit and miss on fit,and sometimes quality and/or completeness of the item when you initially open the box,but when you order EXACTLY the same part number,from the SAME manufacturer,you would think you'd be able to have at least a half-assed amount of faith that they would fit correctly!
Thats really disappointing.Im guessing Hecho En Mexico has something to do with it,too.

Scott

 

Ps:Where did you find a Jet Hot place that would do white?Ive been all over the place,and people look at me like I've got two heads when I ask for white.[emoji15] lol

 

They are brand new in the sense that the had never been installed. However, I got them off of Craigslist. I would have bought a set from a local speed shop, or Summit, or Jegs, etc. Unfortunately, Hooker discontinued these headers about 10 years ago and no one had any left in stock.

My first set of these headers were installed in 1997, which is when the rest of the exhaust as built. The original set was replaced in 2003 and the second set bolted right in, without any problems. This third set has just been a little bit off in their fit. Perhaps they are factory seconds???

Course, I should have test fitted them first. But since the second set fit so well, I didn't. The cold weather at the time, (early January), didn't help my ambition, either. LOL.

Jet Hot in Oklahoma City Oklahoma is who did the coating.

http://www.jet-hot.com/contact/

They turned out very well. However, it does cost more for white, since white has to have three coats, instead of two. In addition, they get dirty REALLY fast.

 

They quoted me $900 plus shipping to do mine white.

 

That's really not a bad price compared to the $1600 I heard at another company that had some proprietary coating....Guess I should have saved more for the headers budget,cause as broke as I am right now,we're gonna have to settle for VHT white this year!

Scott

 

Only 48hrs til the 289 goes on "The Humbler", as Fred calls his dyno....lol

 

Yes Scott I agree with Fred it is a "humbler" numbers don't lie lol it's just like you thinkin your car is a real badass on the street and then you take it to the track and the ET is not what you think it is lol but I hope you get some good numbers

 

Better bring a diaper

 

Like back in high school,when everybody and their brother had a "12 second car"....That turned out to be a 15 second car in most cases....lol!

Scott

 

Cause I'm gonna shit my pants when I see it only makes the same hp as my wore-out 302 roller motor made with a $40 Craig's list X-cam?[emoji15]

Scott

 

Off early this morning to finish breaking in the clutch...we had 515 depressions by 11 a.m. then broke for lunch. Headed back to finish up (100 more) and then to STEP on it!

 

Hmmm.....Mine cost about $525, including shipping. The price did depend on the size of the headers, though. Primary tube and collector diameter, overall length, etc. Perhaps being just typical small block Chevy headers helped with the price.

 

That's a much nicer number.I will have to give them a call.Thanks!

Scott

 

I'm gonna break mine in on its very first pass.....While I'm driving around you.[emoji6]

That things not gonna have many miles left in it when you're done breaking it in....This is just my opinion,but I'm 100% positive it's going to be just fine.It would be time better spent at the track making sure it goes half-ass straight when you launch,sorting out jetting,etc.

Go have fun with that thing instead of hot-lapping a parking lot![emoji16]

Scott

 

Yeah, sounds like a good way for a clutch disc manufacturer to sell lots of clutch discs...

 

Sure hope you guys don't tired of this view

 

All done 1250 depressions. And then this half hearted 2500 rpm launch. Crappy parking lot, zero traction and 25 pounds in the slicks...but she went straight. I made about 10 or so of these little launches just grinning my ass off!