Drag racing Rox0rz

I'm not a complete stranger to the drag strip, I've even gone down it about a half a dozen times, as a passenger though. It is fun as a passenger but it doesn't even come close to driving. Over the last few weeks I've been stealing away evenings, hence the lack of posts, to work on a car with Tristan from work. He had an 80 chev malibu with no motor. He also had a 350 from the junk yard so for about $500 total we put together a low 14 second car. Well I helped build it that is, I didn't put any money in. It was a great learning experience but I don't know how much I actually helped, I probably just slowed down the whole process. Either way I had fun.

So tonight we went out to the Friday night street legal drags and got a few runs in. Tristan did a couple of shake down runs and then it was my turn. I was nervous and sweating and shaking but I got up there and did it. I even cut a good light and if I wasn't a moron I would have beat my first competitor. I saw the mph trap line and let off... too bad the finish line is another 60ft after that. Damnit. Here is my time slip from my first run (I was in the left lane both times)*:


(I ran a 15.366 @ 89.473 mph with a 0.128 light)
* the dot matrix printing doesn't scan worth a shit but you can still make out the numbers if you squint and tilt your head to the left a bit.

OK I'm primed now and raring to go. I've got all the starters signals figured out, I can keep the car running and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm still shaking but for a different reason now. I'm not nervous at all. I'm pumped. I pull up beside this neon and destroy him on the tree, at 60 ft I've still got a narrow lead and I beat him by almost a full second at the other end. Man this is fun.


(I ran a 14.864 @ 95.838 mph and a 0.207 light)

After all this all Tristan can talk about is what needs to be done to the car. It's got tons of power from 3000 to 6000 but is a real dog off the line. The next steps will be some 4.60 gears and a 10" converter. He figures that the car can get into the high 12's. I can't wait to see that.

So what have I learned from all this? Well you can put a car together for $500 and a few evenings and go run with almost anyone out there. I think this really burns some of the guys asses but others are impressed at how well the little oxidized yellow malibu runs. The other thing I figured out is that I'm going to have to ride my uncles ass to get his '64 belvedere 440 sixpak running. I'm shaking already.