[ponyakr]

this tip is about batterys. ever have a corroded batt term cause your vehicle to not start til you got out(wherever you happened 2 be) & cleaned it, or at least wiggled it back & forth 2 get a better connection? sure, we all have--ain't no fun is it? & somehow it seems even worse & more embarrasing if it happens on your race car when anybody else is watching! well, here's what i like 2 do. 1st, buy a batt w/both top & side posts. 1 is called a 34/78 series. a smaller 1 is called a 75/25 i believe. the trick is 2 hook up both sets of posts. wal-mart sells all the top & side terminals you'll need 2 accomplish this. you can probably find some old batt cables around your shop 2 cut short pieces from 2 connect the top & side posts--if not, you can buy it by the foot at most parts stores. this will give you twice the chance of not losing connection because of cruddy posts/terms. for all race only cars i recommend using 2 of these double post batts, mounted in the trunk area. the '74 vent 2 i bought off racingjunk.com had 2 double post red top optimas mounted in the trunk, but only the top posts were connected. i got some side terms from wal-mart & connected the sides 2 tops on both batts. then i had a good positive connection which i did not have 2 worry about, + had the extra weight in the rear for increased traction--a double whammy all around! for racing, where you'll be draining & charging the batt a lot, the yellow top optima is probably a better choice--its a deep cycle type. i think its # is a D34/78. no, they ain't cheap--$185 from amazon--but they could easily pay for thenselves at 1 race, if your car won't start for the final round, because of a cheaper batt.

[ponyakr]

before we leave the subject of electric power, i'll mention this. it takes a lot of power 2 operate electric fans, water pump, ignition system, gauges, lights, starter & fuel pump. most racers don't run an alternator because it siphons off some of the engines power. & although it is true that it does take a small amount of horsepower 2 turn the alt, i think the benefits of running 1, more than overide the small power loss. it won't raise your et that much--so for bracket racing, won't really make a difference. now, especially if you run cooling fans & /or electric water pump between rounds, you have no choice--you must run an alternator & hook up 2 a good charger when you shut the engine off. if not, you will sooner or later(probably sooner) run into low batt power problems. here's 2 tips about the alt. use a 1 wire alt--it simplifies the wiring. they are avail cheap on ebay/amazon. also, i'd consider a deep groove racing pulley std equipment. they slow the alt so that they draw less engine power & more important, it helps keep the fan belt on. if you haven't experienced it yourself, you've probably heard of someone else having the problem of the belt coming off as the rpm increases. the deep groove pulley will stop this, even if the pulleys are not lined up exactly, precisely in line as they should be. the most popular deep pulley is probably the moroso brand. you can buy 1 & add 2 your alt or buy an alt/pulley combo from speedway motors for about $100. so, 2-rear mounted D34/78 optimas with both top & side posts connected, being charged by a 1-wire alt w/deep groove pulley & being hooked up 2 a good charger in the pits, should provide enuff power 2 get any bracket racer thru the final round of comp & back on the trailer. now don't forget 2 install external charging posts thru the tailite panel so you don't have 2 raise the trunk lid 2 hook up the charger. kits for this are avail at summit & elsewhere. also don't forget the external kill switch(required by some tracks)

[ponyakr]

before leaving the subject of elec power, i'll mention this. in order 2 reduce the amount of elec power you need 2 operate your racer, you can eliminate the elec fuel pump. as you know, cars with carbs, came with manual pumps-not elec. many of the old musclecars would run well into the 13 sec range with only a manual pump. i'm a witness--my ole goat was 1 of em. today there are manual pumps avail that can eliminate the need for an elec pump. the 6907 carter will probably do the job well into the 12 sec range & the robbmac pumps will supply your racer for much higher power levels. dirt trackers are doin it every weekend--cause elec pumps are illeagal--for obvious fire hazard reasons. now, this i picked up from a chevy racer. a few years back as i was strollin thru the pits, checkin out some of the rides, i noticed this guy pourin fuel in under the hood, instead of at the rear. so i eased on over for a closer look. he had a small vertical fuel cell mounted in front of the engine. so, with that set up, you have gravity & the forward exceleration of the vehicle, forcing fuel down, out of the cell & back toward the manual fuel pump. that means it will take less suction power 2 get fuel 2 the pump--so, a less efficient pump, such as the 6907 carter may feed a racer on down into the hi 11 sec range, or maybe even quicker, especially if you're runnin a holley with the big fuel bowls on each end &/or only run 1/8 mile instead of 1/4. there are options. hey, its food for thought, ain't it?

[ponyakr]

here's some tips for race only cars. if your car still has the 40 year old hood & trunk latches & they haven't failed yet--they will. for race only--don't even take the chance. remove the latches & use hood pins. i do suggest retaining the safety catch--i've seen hoods blow up goin down the track, because somebody forgot 2 put the retaining clips back thru the pins. you can buy all sorts of hood pin kits. i prefer 2 use lanyard wires so that i'll know where the clips are when i need em. you can buy kits with the lanyard wires or without. i prefer 2 make my own lanyards. you can go 2 the hardware sec of wal-mart & buy the covered wire, then cut it the exact length you want. the soft plastic like covering will be easy on your paint job. you can use elec wire type ring terminal ends with the correct hole size you need, 2 connect each end. i use wal-mart metal key rings 2 attach the hairpin style(my choice) retainer clips. small bolts will secure the other end 2 the top of the radiator support. when you drop em, they'll fall down over the bumper & be rite there at the end of the wire when you need em. lots of guys like 2 make their own parts when possible--some for $ reasons--some just enjoy it. hood pins are easy 2 make if you have the time. just cut the head off a proper size & length bolt & drill a hole in the top for the retainer clip. most dirt trackers make their own. but if you want the nice shiney chrome 1's, you'll have 2 buy--but they're cheap. 2 secure a snug, rattle & flop free fit, you'll need 2 put something over the pin 2 hold the hood or trunk lid up 2 the correct height. i used old valve springs with the steel hoods. for glass boods & lids, you'll want something a little lighter. you can buy light springs or do what most do--just cut off a length of rubber hose & slip it over the pin. you can use large fender washers if needed, 2 shim for proper fit. i like 2 use a similiar setup on the trunk lid. notice on the bird pics--somebody else had rigged these lanyards--i attach the ends 2 the top of the radiator support, so that the lanyards will help you lift the hood enuff 2 get your hands under it--the lid has lite hinges on the outside, but i had'nt got around 2 riggin the lanyard wires yet. if you want 2 remove every bit of weight possible, you can remove the stock hinges, springs, lid bracing &/or buy a glass lid if you have the $. all this may seem like far 2 much detail 2 some--especially if your an old hand & have done this a lot allready. but i can tell by some of the posts that there are several guys tuned in who are just gettin started & don't know all these details. so if i can help 1 guy with one small detail, it'll be worth the time & trouble 2 me. i sure wish i'd had somebody 2 tell me all this stuff when i was just startin out! would'a saved me lots of time, problems, $ , disappointing results & dumb, stupid mistakes!

[ponyakr]

nowdays, everybody seems 2 run 2 the hi $ braid covered hose, everywhere on the car they can. if you got the $--go for it--they look great! but they are not necessary. we won lots of races & i never bought 1 piece of braided hose. you can get by with cheap rubber hose if you follow a few simple guidelines. 1st, if your afraid the cheap stock fuel hose ain't strong enuff, you can buy the stronger type thats rated for use in fuel injection systems. but keep in mind, it does cost more. the main tricks 2 using rubber hose safely are: avoiding sharp bends; keepin it away from sharp edges; keepin it away from hot stuff(like headers); & using the correct clamps. you can use large wire retainers 2 route the hose away from heat & sharp edges. for the clamps--don't use the common narrow type clamp--buy the extra wide kind. they cost a little more, but they will spread the clamping force over a wider section of hose, which will provide a better seal. also they are not as prone 2 cut the hose as are the narrow type. i've seen the narrow type clamps which were tightened 2 much, cut the hose, & cause a fuel leak, which caused a fire under the hood--not good! so use the wider clamps & tighten them only enuff 2 seal the connection & prevent leaks. if you're in a hurry & don't have any wide clamps--use 2 narrow type as close together as possible, tightening them together--1st one & then the other, a little at a time so as not 2 cut the hose. you'll need 2 use at least 1 metal inline filter. i like 2 use 1 between the cell & pump & 1 between the pump & carb. if your carb still has a filter in the inlet, carefully take it out & chunk it. there are all sorts of super hi $ filters out there. i recommend a simple inline metal filter, such as the fram G15 or the wix 33033. they cost less than $5, on down 2 just over $2 with some volume purchase deals. i've found that most parts are cheaper from ebay/amazon unless you can get a free ride for them on a larger summit order. i always use 3/8 alum line from the cell forward, making all connections 2 cell, filters, pump & carb with rubber hose & wide clamps. most connections have either barbed fittings or expanded ends(like on the filters), so that extreme tightening is not necessary 2 seal them. but if this cheap, old school method gags you--pull out your wallet & shell out the green for braided hose & alum a-n fittings from front 2 rear. also check out the hi $ filter selection while your at it--mite as well go all out if you can! the choice is yours. also be aware that some tracks require braided line & a-n fittings for fuel & sometimes other items also. check the track rules before you decide which way 2 go. if the good stuff is required at your track, the front mounted, vertical cell set up i mentioned will save many $ on braided hose. well, thats all the old school tips i've thought of for now--so i'll back on outa here. good luck 2 all with whatever your wrenchin on!

[ponyakr]

as i looked back over the flack i got from the race forum boys, i noticed 1 item that i forgot 2 comment on(i think). somebody pointed out my obvious lack of intelligence, indicated by my sacreligious use of a '68 bird for dirt racin. well, as i pointed out in my story, i did not convert the car 2 dirt racin. i bought(or inherited) it after it had won many races & made lots of chevy boys mad, 2 the point, as i mentioned, that they protested his use of a second rad behind the seat, which caused him 2 stop runnin that track. so, when i got it, it was a veteran of many sat nite dirt battles against the chevy boys. i've mentioned this, but its hard for younger folks today 2 realize how thangs were back then. nowdays, almost any scrap of usable metal off an early bird is considered almost precious metal. but back then, they were just old wore out, rusty, beat up cars that nobody(except me) wanted. the most i ever remember givin for 1 was $350 for the very 1st 1 i bought 2 build TJ's 1st racer with. after that, the price was $300 for a runnin 400/th400 & less for those not runnin or less motor/trans. so, i wound up with an early bird junkyard. sure wish now id'a took some pics of it. but at the time, who wanted pics of a bunch of old junk cars? i ask TJ 2 look thru some of our old pet scrapbooks--we may have a few pics with glimpses of a junker or 2 in the background. mb's 2nd dirt car was a 2nd gen. he'd found out from the chevy boys that the suspension on a 2nd gen was much better suited for dirt racin than a 1st gen. this is the car he won 3 point titles in. i'll show the pics again. these old 2nd gens were just as cheap as the early birds, so i stacked em up in my yard as fast as i could. we raced em, sold em & used em fur parts--nobody cared. i had so many birds settin around that when i sold "oogene" the '68 i have now, he said i gave him a couple of '68 parts cars 2 go with it in case he needed em 2 help get his car on the track. i know a man that bought a super nice '68 a few years back. it was very streetable & ran 12's in the 1/4. but he cut it up & had it backhalfed. i think its been in the 10's & goin lower. i personally, nowdays, would not consider cuttin up a '68 that nice, but people still do it. i suppose, 2 some extent, history repeats itself in every generation. whats trash 2 some is treasure 2 others. ps: 1 more thought on the '68 dirtbird. i put a 428 out of a drag goat i bought, in the bird. it won its 1st heat race, easily whuppin all the chevys. but it apparently blew a seal in the mallory dual point dist that was in it & got oil in the cap, which as you can imagine, caused a significant misfire & smoke(which i thank you can see in the last pic), resulting in a poor finish in the feature.

[ponyakr]

featuring "speedy" & "barney", our resident speed barn "tigers"