Whats a good N/A 6 banger car for drag racing.
 

I wanna build a car to compete in the 6 cylinder naturaly aspirated class here at my local track.

All I can think of are 300zx's off the top of my head. I want something I can buy cheap like 1,500-2,000 dollars it doesnt have to look that great.

Any suggestions,

something with a Chevy 4.3 liter would be good. They're pretty easy to mod.

The 70's 240 Datsun Z's are quick and fun to mess with. Straight six and they can take a beating. Also there pretty cheap and they have good communitys of enthusiasts.

You can get a dual weber, or single holley carb set up for the straight 6. The 240's were the lightest, and the aftermarket is straight huge for these cars. Very light, good torque. Try to find a 2.8 block and work the crap out of the head. I've seen these cars hold up to a 350 swap no sweat, so torque is no issue. :)

The only thing you'll have to figure out is how to swap in an 8.8, because you've got IRS issues here. I never noticed hop with mine, but then again I was only making maybe 140bhp.

Ford's 4.0L is pretty potent for a 6banger.

Does the engine have to be in its original vehicle?

I'd use an inline-6 3.3L Jaguar engine with a longer rod, polished head, and custom manifolds. JMHO. :)

Is it bracket racing you're entering or are you trying to actually go fast with a 6?

For a bracket racer i'd look for like a V6 camaro (i know...ugh...but they are VERY cheap and have a V6) or maybe an S10 truck, most vehicles with the 2.8L V6 go pretty cheap. You could also get any Fox Body Ford (LTD, Thunderbird, e.g.) from the mid 80's with a 3.8L for VERY cheap as well. If you want a budget racer i'd probably stick with something domestic, import parts can get expensive if you happen to blow something important that was only offered a certain year on a certain model for example.

Just some ideas :D

Do you want something sporty, or something just with a V6?

It is heads up racing and the typical car in this class is running in the 15's.

The engine doesnt have to be in the original car. The thing is my mustangs are not fast enough to compete in a heads up racing event. The N/A V8's are running 9's:o

If I could get a 6 banger in the 14's I would be very competitive.

I would go for an older Z car like some others suggested. You can put the 2.8L from a 280ZX in an older 240Z. I had one with dual webers, cam, header, hi-flow cat and catback, lightened flywheel, centerforce, close-ratio tranny from a 260, and a few other odds and ends and it moved pretty good for an N/A 6. I never ran it down the track but I'd say it was around a high-14 second car judging from some of my friends' cars that I raced. You can also get stroker kits to bump the 2.8L up to 3.1L.
Or if you want to be a bit more unique, I knew a guy at the local track here with a '63 Nova with the old carbureted straight six and he was running solid 13's on motor only! Don't know much about what it takes to build the power with those motors, but I know it can done.

You only need to run 14's?

Easy money. Find a pinto, drop in any 6 you find and get some gears.

Actually a breathed on 4.0 Jeep i-6 would be a real good idea.

Man, I cant do a pinto. I am going to go with a regular cab S-10 truck with a 4.3 liter V6.

Thanks for all of your replies,

friend of mine had one of those before he bought his 95 GT. he had 3.42 gears, intake, exhuast and ignition and it was a stick and it was fairly quick. i dont know times though. Ill ask him next time i talk to him.

Build a Chevette w/4.3. Works the heads, run high-a*s compression/race gas w/5 speed and tall gears/drag shocks. It's a chevy, but I'm sure it would definitely cruise.

Heck man Get ya a old pinto and I'l lsell ya a good 86 model 2.8 and auto to go in it...

Bradley

I know your not going to buy this stuff I just need it gone to pay for my toys.

did anybody say bimmer?

We would have, had he not put a $2,000 cap on the idea.

if you are lucky (just like finding good deals on all cars), old bimmers can be had for next to nothing......

i picked up a running bimmer for $200

how about a grand national :D