Drag Truck ???

[bighead]

I'm thinking about putting together some leftovers into a little drag project. I'd like to run low 7's in the eighth with a 454/th400 so putting the truck on a diet is going to be important. I don't mind cutting this stuff up. Gutted doors, lexan, glass hood, etc. I'm wondering how much weight can be pulled out of a swb and what a race weight might be. Any good ideas on how to get the most pounds out of this diet? big

[Evans]

I know I'm pulling my inner fenders out soon , one of the guys on here (DjRacer) has fiberglass doors ... I'm gonna watch this thread.... very interested , seeing as how i'll be small block powered for awhile .....

[streetstar]

Plexi back and side glass, eliminate the bed floor, lighter a arms, aluminum dash and firewall, aluminum radiator and cylinder heads. use a magneto to eliminate the battery, drill the hubs to 5 x 4 3/4 and use lighter, drag specific wheels, and slicks are much thinner than equivalent sized street tires. a single racing seat is lighter than a stocker

Ditch the inner fenders, use an aluminum driveshaft, and bolt on as many fiberglass body panels as you can find --- the weight savings will be a little offset if you have to put in a cage

Its late and i'm tired -- thats all i can think of right now without going to a cromoly chassis with mustang 2 type frontend. Wilwood single puck brakes are lighter than the factory crap.

A powerglide is lighter than a TH400. An aluminum headed large bore small block on a healthy dose of spray would weigh less than a big block (but would be more $$$ per hp)


How much do you have to spend?

[DieselEater]

Save yourself some time and just put in a 632 CUBED BEAST!!!! You can weigh whatever you want and hit the times you're looking for....

A.........

[PanelDeland]

Porterbuilt dropmember should shave a few,as will tubular control arms,and fibreglas frontend.Aluminum firewall and such would help.Move the battery,fuel cell and whatever else you can to the back of the bed.Build an aluminum radiator/core support.A crate 820 hp 572 with a warranty and a built TH400 should get you in the ball park.Just gotta figure out how to get it hooked up at the line.Might want to set the engine back a few inches when you do the firewall and stuff.

[stumpy]

Will this be a trailer queen, strip only truck? Heads up or brackets?

You can get light weight 5x5 15" wheels if you call Center Line direct and ask for Tellstars. I think Summit even sells them under their own name now as well. Lightening the front end is probably the most important, esp. reducing unsprung weight. Then you can add weight to the back a maybe 4 link to get it to hook. I'd tub it for sure. Sometimes the best suspension is a good tire.

BBC would be cool. Or, perhaps a blown SBC instead!

[streetstar]

I hope i'm not stepping on Bigheads toes, but when he stated he was putting together a project out of odds and ends he had laying around---- that usually means a budget project -- and a 15,000 $ crate motor might not be the right answer (although it would be cool)

[streetstar]

I had a significant fogger setup before --- with a twin bottle setup and all the plumbing involved, the weight is not too far off a blower setup

[bighead]

Good information guys. Yep, a 632 is not in the cards on this project. I've got one but it's going in this other project of mine:



I'd like to put this truck together and have it running and racing brackets this summer. Money is not a problem but I'd rather not turn this into a Jeg's mail order deal. Just build it out of what I've got laying around and add only what's needed. I intend this to be my sons when he is old enough to drive in two years. Can't see spoiling the kid with too much of the good stuff starting out. Let him learn and have fun building it with me and driving it for a while. I started out in a Vega beater and had a ton of fun with it. The car was light (2550) and needed only a mild 327 to run mid 7's in the 1/8th. Fast enough to be fun, light and mild enough to be easy on parts and cheap to maintain. That's what I've got in mind here. Weight reduction is at the top of the list, I hope this one can be brought in at 3000 pounds or less.

OK, here's the list of ideas so far:
no inner fenders or bumpers
lexan windows all around
glass or gutted doors
glass hood
remove bed floor or just use bed side skins w tubs
tublar ft. suspension components
no dash
tubular core support
lightweight radiator
aluminum heads (not sure about this one but might be able to justify it due to the weight savings)
not sure on the mag, still need lights and power for the fuel pump. I'll think on this some more.
Glide would be a good saving over the th400.
I'd rather not cut the firewall out
Centerlines/ race tires
A roll bar or cage will have to be added.

Thanks for the feedback and post up more ideas for weight savings and low cost bracket car building if you have any. big

[92306HO5]

might wanna keep the inner fender wells.remeber watchin horsepower tv and they took their nova to roy hills drag school.roy said put inner fenders in it and seal the carb to the hood.roy said the car was getting lift on the front end do to the air getting trapped in the engine compartment and it also slowed the car down some.

[streetstar]

whew --- 3000 lbs on a truck is a tall order, but maybe 3500 or so is do-able, i dont know

You mentioned this being your sons first truck -- do you mean first driver, or first dragster?
All the lightening makes for a less durable finished product on the street- so that might be something to keep in mind if it sees occasional street use too

[bighead]

That's an interesting idea HO, would have never guessed. This one will be a racer, never to be on the street. It's actually not even a truck now, just a pile of parts from various trucks waiting to be hauled off or sold. Maybe I'm getting a little too concerned with weight. I guess it's ingrained in me to watch every ounce. I think around 550-600 hp should get the job done at 3500. big

[SCOTI]

Light wheels w/skinny tires up front, fiberglass bumper, hood, alum radiator, heads, set the motor back as far as possible. Add a glide, solid-cammed 468 w/the medium sized blue bottle. Add some 10" rear wheels & slicks & you'll be knocking on that goal w/tuning.

I've seen a 66swb truck get low 1.6X's 60ft so trailing arms can hook. You just need the right gear & tire combo for the drivetrain/power you're making.

Sounds like a fun way to get the young-one started. Make sure he turns the wrenches!

[streetstar]

You dont need to be on the bottle to get 650 hp's out of a 454, but it sure wouldnt hurt. A 650 horse 454 would have to have sky high compression and a butt-load of work done to the heads (providing they are an appropriate casting) plus a roller cam to get it ----

however -- a 400 horse 454 with a cheater system would have it right there without such a radical build --just build the heads with oversized exhaust valves and use a nitrous specific cam, and you'll have a motor that will live a long time

[67c-10Texas]

leave the inner fenders - or go with alm. plate or something

i removed the inners from my old drag truck (87 SWB) and it would lean out at the top end due to turblance under the hood -

and in all the inner fenders dont weigh a ton to begin with

lighten up the front - cut up the front crossmember and box it with square tubing -

cut the front frame horns off and go with a rool pan - at least 20lbs saved

skin the fenders, doors, and bed and leave enough to attach

there is always a hole saw

good luck

[bigjimzlll]

I'm running 6.10's in da 1/8th with a LWB C10. You can remove the inner fenderwells...just seal the carb to the scoop. My truck weighs 3150 without driver.
Just bed sides and a glass hood. Lexan windshield and back glass.
It's back and front halved.
it does have a 850HP 540 in it though.
Unless you get the weight down to 3200 or less with driver...stay with the th400 over the PG
any questions you can PM me

[PanelDeland]

I know a guy in Houston who gat 3 tenths in the 1/4 just by making an aluminum block plate for his grille.Said he wasn't overheating because he would pull it at the end of the 1/4.Something about trapping the air in the grille causing air to build up.It's cheap and worth a try.Just watch the temp guage and have someone to drop it in just before the staging area.

[468BIGBLOCK]

I had a daily driver full weight 72 swb with a stock 502 crate engine,400 turbo and 3.73 posi went 8.21 with micky t drag radials.

[Super73]

Anyone want to chime in here? http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=271417

[bighead]

Super, thanks for the heads up. I think that would be a great idea!

Darrell, what times were you getting out of your truck? I'd love to cut some weight out of the front end. Every part of it weighs a ton. Ever seen any swaps to something lighter like a mustang 2 or something?

Thanks for the words of wisdom and the offer of advice Big Jimz! Sounds like your truck hauls!!!

Panel D, sounds like an interesting idea.

[71Dragtruck]

Hmmm, light weight isn't everything, I'm 4373# with driver and run 10's in the 1/4 mile leaving off the foot brake.