$15,000 to build a drag car, what would you buy?

fiveohpatrol · 05-02-2002, 06:42 PM

well I've recently descovered that my shool Rose Hulman has a motorsports club, but this year all they were concerned with was their mid 80s RX7 as an autocross car.

But next year, they have a budget of $15,000 to buy and build a drag car.
Knowing this, I will soon be a member

anyway, a friend of mine that is in the club says they are looking at a 73 mach1 to build up. And I was like "well you got the model of car right this time, but the year wont be too great for drag racing" thats one of the heaviest stangs ever built (and pretty darn ugly too).

Being a stang freak like I am, I will try to convince them to stay with a mustang, but go after a different year.

What year/model would you buy and what motor setup would you have with $15000

I'm thinking about starting off with a clean-straight bodied 87-93 4 banger coupe and stripping all of its guts out.
Probably get a really clean one for about $2000-2500 right?

Stroked 351 built shortblock, AFR 205's
Unsure on carb or EFI. Carb'ing it would probably be better suited for the budget.
C-4 tranny? built 8.8" or 9" ?
It will need a full cage ofcourse.
Hopefully there will be enough leftover for a 250shot

What do you guys think? Think a bunch of college boys can break into the 9's.
Ofcourse I'll be posting about the buildup all next schoolyear for help and pictures of the progress.

Lets hear your ideas

1BAD89 · 05-02-2002, 08:05 PM

I'd get a notch 4 cylinder for about $300, you can get one with bad paint, bad interior, bad motor, or tranny, etc... You won't need those things anyway. Chrome Moly cage, Ford 9 inch, Powerglide tranny, a complete(carb to pan) 850hp N/A "Hardcore Racing"(thats the name of the company) engine for $10,000, Gut interior, get race weight to about 2650, then buy all of the other things to go with it. You'd have an 8 second car. There are many possibilities, what I just listed would be the expensive way to do it, it'd be tough to get all that under 15k, but you could do it. Or you could go with a all forged 393 shortblock, nitrous AFR 205's, powerglide, built 8.8/ 9 inch preferred, gutted interior, 13:1 compression, 300 shot, chrome moly cage, etc...what's really going to put you over your limit is all the little things, they add up to alot

PKRWUD · 05-03-2002, 08:21 AM

I'd start checking out the Classifieds in National Speed Sport News. $15k will get you at least $30k worth of car.

Take care,
-Chris

Dark_5.0 · 05-03-2002, 10:16 AM

I think buying a 10,000 dollar crate motor would take the fun and the point out of the project.

If yall do get to do a domestic car definitely go with a 4 banger notch and swap to a mean V-8.

If for some reason you get outvoted and you have to do something else.

A chevy monza with a 400 sb
chevy S-10 v-8 swap

PKRWUD · 05-03-2002, 10:31 AM

...or a '78 Fairmont.

Take care,
-Chris

SurfaRiver · 05-03-2002, 07:40 PM

I've been tinkering on a crazy idea to get sweet *** times, but I've had not the money to do it. It involves twin turbos on a carbed 351 ... direct supplementary fuel injection under boost .... its in the really rough stages but i'd be all over it if I had $15K layin around. I dont know if your class is working on the tech end or just building from existing technology tho. If you want to discuss it more, drop me an E-mail or IM SurfaRiver@neo.rr.com or SurfaRiver I've got Mono right now so just gimme some time to wake up

Mark

bccorrupt · 05-04-2002, 11:24 PM

I would say an 87-93 4cylinder car w/ a 429-460 swap.

05-02-2002, 06:42 PM	#1
fiveohpatrol I'd rather be basketweaving Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,551	$15,000 to build a drag car, what would you buy? well I've recently descovered that my shool Rose Hulman has a motorsports club, but this year all they were concerned with was their mid 80s RX7 as an autocross car. But next year, they have a budget of $15,000 to buy and build a drag car. Knowing this, I will soon be a member anyway, a friend of mine that is in the club says they are looking at a 73 mach1 to build up. And I was like "well you got the model of car right this time, but the year wont be too great for drag racing" thats one of the heaviest stangs ever built (and pretty darn ugly too). Being a stang freak like I am, I will try to convince them to stay with a mustang, but go after a different year. What year/model would you buy and what motor setup would you have with $15000 I'm thinking about starting off with a clean-straight bodied 87-93 4 banger coupe and stripping all of its guts out. Probably get a really clean one for about $2000-2500 right? Stroked 351 built shortblock, AFR 205's Unsure on carb or EFI. Carb'ing it would probably be better suited for the budget. C-4 tranny? built 8.8" or 9" ? It will need a full cage ofcourse. Hopefully there will be enough leftover for a 250shot What do you guys think? Think a bunch of college boys can break into the 9's. Ofcourse I'll be posting about the buildup all next schoolyear for help and pictures of the progress. Lets hear your ideas __________________ NMRA O/C 9516 NA pumpgas stickshift 347 10.65@125.6, 6.73@100, 1.41 60ft

05-03-2002, 08:21 AM	#3
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	I'd start checking out the Classifieds in National Speed Sport News. $15k will get you at least $30k worth of car. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

05-03-2002, 10:16 AM	#4
Dark_5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Staging lane Posts: 4,337	I think buying a 10,000 dollar crate motor would take the fun and the point out of the project. If yall do get to do a domestic car definitely go with a 4 banger notch and swap to a mean V-8. If for some reason you get outvoted and you have to do something else. A chevy monza with a 400 sb chevy S-10 v-8 swap __________________ 92' LX-Big brakes, Lots and lots of suspension, GT40X heads, Ported cobra intake, stock cam, Vortech SC trim. 00' Lightning-Stock 88'CRX-13 second ego killer

05-03-2002, 10:31 AM	#5
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	...or a '78 Fairmont. Take care, -Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

05-03-2002, 07:40 PM	#6
SurfaRiver Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 54	I've been tinkering on a crazy idea to get sweet *** times, but I've had not the money to do it. It involves twin turbos on a carbed 351 ... direct supplementary fuel injection under boost .... its in the really rough stages but i'd be all over it if I had $15K layin around. I dont know if your class is working on the tech end or just building from existing technology tho. If you want to discuss it more, drop me an E-mail or IM SurfaRiver@neo.rr.com or SurfaRiver I've got Mono right now so just gimme some time to wake up Mark __________________ 1979 Mustang ... 12K Holley 600 CFM 4 bbl Edlebrock Performer RPM Comp Cam 8.8 Rear end with posi from 88 stang Next Projects AFR Heads Stroker Crankshaft and new Pistons T5 Runs 15.0 now, need more traction

05-02-2002, 08:05 PM	#2
1BAD89 Tubbed and Juiced Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Posts: 1,861	I'd get a notch 4 cylinder for about $300, you can get one with bad paint, bad interior, bad motor, or tranny, etc... You won't need those things anyway. Chrome Moly cage, Ford 9 inch, Powerglide tranny, a complete(carb to pan) 850hp N/A "Hardcore Racing"(thats the name of the company) engine for $10,000, Gut interior, get race weight to about 2650, then buy all of the other things to go with it. You'd have an 8 second car. There are many possibilities, what I just listed would be the expensive way to do it, it'd be tough to get all that under 15k, but you could do it. Or you could go with a all forged 393 shortblock, nitrous AFR 205's, powerglide, built 8.8/ 9 inch preferred, gutted interior, 13:1 compression, 300 shot, chrome moly cage, etc...what's really going to put you over your limit is all the little things, they add up to alot

05-04-2002, 11:24 PM	#7
bccorrupt Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 13	I would say an 87-93 4cylinder car w/ a 429-460 swap.

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