Whats the best type of car to start out with?

[nova7415]

Hi all...Rob from Toronto here :) . I have been looking over the postings here and am looking to buy my 1st drag car. I got hooked watching Pinks and really want to buy a turn key car and start racing it next spring. Problem is how much hp should I start out with. I don't want to loose it on my 1st pass and hit the wall :( . I'm not too concerned with make, ie. GM, Ford or Mopar, all though I do own a stock 1968 440 GTX auto, don't want to chop it up...strictly a stock muscle car. I ran it at my local strip and loved running it all out! From what I'm seeing 10,000 should get me a decent starter car. Any help/advice you pro's can give me would be greatly appreciated. I'm open to trading my GTX for a bracket car if anyone is interested.

[Tod74]

Find you a good big block camaro or chevelle etc...just a good basic BBC..,. flat tappet cam it will have .plenty of torque and you will have a good foundation to build on later. jmo

[john858]

2x

[mopar1968]

*** MOPAR ****

[Oldewalnut]

Just a couple randome thoughts here.

First question I'd ask. What are your basic mechanical abilities?

That goes a long ways in determining what kind of car to look at. If you have never been into this sport at this level. You buy yourself a car that is above your ability to maintain it. Well, you'll have a headache somewhere down the road. Even the most reliable of these cars are going to break or develope a bug sooner or later. Here again, I'm not insinuating anything about your abilities, lord knows, I'm one of the least mechanical persons out here, LOL! Just giving you some food for thought.

Second question, following Tod74's line of thinking. As a starter car, do you envision improving this vehicle? Or is this a step, use it to learn and perhaps sell or trade it in the future? If you intend to use it as a base to build on, you want a GOOD base.

Just trying to give you some avenues. Especially if you have "hard cash" just laying around for this purchase. Do some solid reseach on what YOU want to do with the car.

Nothing worse than buying something, getting it home and it not be what you wanted or expected. Better yet, WHEN you find that car that you can't live without, take a few of your buddies along that have no vested interest in this venture. They'll find the flaws and problems that your eyes either don't or refuse to see.

Good luck in your search.

[bbchevy]

Go to your Local Track and FIND a Car that Interests you???Then go from there...........
If its a Car that you Like,and its F/Sale?I'm sure that some type of Passes could be Arrainged with the Proper (BANK STATEMENT)?
Later
G 8)
Although-10 GRAND?
That Might be a Strech............Cause you could'nt get My Vega for that,its a Mid 9 second 1/4 mile car.The $$ you want to spend show get you into the 11's.......................?

[Tod74]

10-12 grand can get him a pretty good start and get him in the 10's IF he shops carefully I bought my car in 1996. It had no wiring,no fuel cell or fuel line..no fuel pump or battery..no motor or trans.

It DIDhave; 12 pt cage,fiberglass hood,bumpers and deck lid.Lexan Windows,
12 bolt with strange axles with 5/8 wheel studs,Strange spool with a new 5.14 Richmond Pro gear, ladder bars/coil overs, adjustable shocks on front (brand unknown). It also had new Moroso front runners and a set of 32 x 14 goodyears with 6 passes on them. The wheels were ugly and the paint was near new but nothing to brag about.
I paid $3200 for it. I have never touched the suspension it goes straight and would probably hook in a snow storm...You need to find a car like this one. meaning,get one that some OLD Fart that knows what he is doing has set up and has it working well..that way it will at least be close when you get your motor and tranny in it...So $3200 - $4000 spent..you would still have $6000 left to build a motor and trans. You can build a decent base level BBC and a glide with that if you shop wisely for a few used parts.I was in the same boat as you..I had raced trophy with a street car but knew nothing about building a drag car from scratch...so I found one already halfway there.
JMO


http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff253/Tod74/novapic2-1.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff253/Tod74/novapic1-1.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff253/Tod74/8-4-2007S-1.jpg

[bbchevy]

10 Grand could get you in the 10's?the Economy is a S#!T Situation,the Deals are out there?Digging them out is TUFFFF Part.........?
Tod,
Your Yard looks like Mine!
In Othere Words,it LOOKS like it SNOWED C H E V I E S !
Later
G 8)
ThaT Duece is LOOKING SWEET!

[nova7415]

Tod.......Very nice Nova 8) . Just wanted to Thank all of you for your advice. Maybe buying a roller and getting a good deal on the drive train is my best way to go :? . I've noticed quite a few motors, in the classifieds, for real cheap prices. One started out, in July, for 12,000 and is now down to 6,000 obo.....so there are some great deals out there.

[zipper06]

I personally am a little predjidce toward Chevy, but that's not to mean that Mopar and Ford does not figure into the picture. It just cost less to make a Chevy run the same #'s. I'm with Todd find a decent Roller car/chassis that will certify and buy a basic motor and trans, something close to stock/mild, big block for sure has more power for the money. Get acquainted with the car and how it drives and handles. It doesn't have to be fast in the beginning just consistent. Once you get there then move up a little at a time as you can afford it or as long as Canada lets you run fast, i think they are cutting out importing Racing gas and Alcohol in 2009 :?: , i certainly hope not :?

JMO

Zip.

[eddie1963]

AD 1357108 this is a friends car and trailer [ paint is different] great turn key package deal. call him 1-937-372-2178, tell him EDDIE emailed you. this is a great car not exactly a starter car but a simple operation goes straight solid dependable consistant car.... you couldnt build the drivetrain for asking price. thanks , tell him EDDIE SAID TO CALL HIS NAME IS RICH. HIS SON HAS THE CAR LISTED BUT RICH IS THE BEST CONTACT PERSON HIS SON IS THE DRIVER. HE IS LOOKING FOR A STREET CAR TO REPLACE THIS CAR. I THINK YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT WHAT THIS CAR AND OPERATION ACTUALLY IS.

[zipper06]

AD 1357108 this is a friends car and trailer [ paint is different] great turn key package deal. call him 1-937-372-2178, tell him EDDIE emailed you. this is a great car not exactly a starter car but a simple operation goes straight solid dependable consistant car.... you couldnt build the drivetrain for asking price. thanks , tell him EDDIE SAID TO CALL HIS NAME IS RICH. HIS SON HAS THE CAR LISTED BUT RICH IS THE BEST CONTACT PERSON HIS SON IS THE DRIVER. HE IS LOOKING FOR A STREET CAR TO REPLACE THIS CAR. I THINK YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT WHAT THIS CAR AND OPERATION ACTUALLY IS.

Surely don't like the paint job, but if everything else is good it doesn't sound bad.

Zip.

[Tod74]

10 Grand could get you in the 10's?the Economy is a S#!T Situation,the Deals are out there?Digging them out is TUFFFF Part.........?
Tod,
Your Yard looks like Mine!
In Othere Words,it LOOKS like it SNOWED C H E V I E S !
Later
G 8)
ThaT Duece is LOOKING SWEET!

That was right after the floods this summer...had to empty everything into yard and cleanmud out of garage and such.

[cepx111]

Anything Chevy because their cheaper to build, more plentiful, more reliable, easier to work on etc, etc.
Plus and you won't feel like a black sheep or the lone ranger when you pull up at the track. You'll get more help and ideas from fellow racers with a Chevy too.

Keep the GTX, it might just be a good IRA choice later.

Now is the time to buy, don't wait till racing season starts, everybody and their mother is selling a racecar now.
Goodluck, Charles

[vega34]

for 8,000 you can run in the 6.70s in the 1/8 ad # 1359714 all it needs is a driver,if you want to see more pictures look at my racespace profile,,,steve

[ashtrak]

charles is right, if you have cash you have people out of work and holidays coming so cash talks a good deal now

[jim383]

Rob.buy yourself a front eng.rail dragster if you want to have some fun and go fast cheap.that was my first car it ran 6.50@103, 1/8 mi. If you can fire a rifle you can drive one,[just aim it and hang-on]

[bjuice]

Rob.buy yourself a front eng.rail dragster if you want to have some fun and go fast cheap.that was my first car it ran 6.50@103, 1/8 mi. If you can fire a rifle you can drive one,[just aim it and hang-on]


i agree 100%..thats why i would not have one.( no offense to dragster owners)..they are just plain boring to me (imo)..i don't even watch them at the track unless they are a 4.50 or quicker ...not to mention ya can't store them in a normal garage or haul them on a normal car hauler !..again just my opinion


If i were you i would go with a Door car ( stock suspension) ..you can still find 2nd generation camaro's out there resonable.....just like building the foundation of a nice house..i would sink most of money in the running gear..good rear housing,axles,drive shaft,slapper bars or Caltracks,Slide a-link ( bolt on sstuff)......you can always grow into your running gear...
go with whatever motor comes with car or some cheap chevy small block and learn how to drive (strip) and track manners....up grade engine as you grow into sport..


Just my opinion..

Brian

[fla1976]

I would go with a mid-size Chevy as it is the easiest and cheapest to build and race. Preferably with a small block. After you run the car awhile you can add a big block and pick it up some more. My reasoning is that too much car too soon is dangerous for you and your fellow racers. You can run 10's with a SBC but, nothing wrong with starting slower to learn how to drive it. It's alot easier to control a car that gets loose that runs 12's than to try and learn how to save it in a 9 second car. There is no replacement for experience. Just my opinion.

[desoto30]

there is some Very good advice in the previous posts.i have had a few race cars & a lot to do with several others.My observations are the many or even most people that get into drag racing do so because they go to a "street meet" & find it quite thrilling as I did.Then they spend a fortune hotting up that car,to eventually getting a purpose built car.IMO for expedience & cost I believe nothing will compare to purchasing an operation(the problem being not getting junk).The next is a roller of your chioce & go from there.You will know the car fairly well once completed.If you choose to build you will know the car intimately,but this is a slow & expensive exercise(believe me I know).We now race an altered(purchased as a roller) for the reason that you get the very best bang for the buck IE very best power to weight,lighest tow package,good storage,great car to drive & relatively inexpensive.& of course you can start Small block & end ??? AA/FA! Madness .with all that said most people race door cars but personally after I raced a chassis car that was the end of racing door cars for me.But each to their own.Good luck & I hope that you have as much fun as I have had.