DragRacingOnline.com - Drag Racing from a different perspective!

Sometimes you just have to change your attitude.

By Jok Nicholson
7/22/04

That is exactly what I did. I was not inspired to stay racing in No Box brackets for smaller payouts and since the Vega was not the most powerful car around, it was pretty much basically boring. In the end that is why I needed a change and I wanted to get back to where I have always been (or at least since Ike Hamma first invented the delay box) and that is Super Pro, Box, Top or whatever you want to call it. Wire up the delay box, tighten the belts and let's see who "has it today."

I found a gentleman in Oklahoma who was looking for a Vega to run in 10.90 races and he had a slip-joint dragster he was trying sell. Looked like a match made on the Internet to me. It was a done deal in about two days. I rolled the Vega into the trailer and took off for Oklahoma. We had it unloaded and the dragster tied down in about 15 hours. A little "camping" at a local Super Wal-Mart and we were back home the next day.

I am going to continue this column under the same name "Back-2-Basics" because it is still just that, back to basics. We traded even up so the value of the dragster is the same as we had put into the Vega, about $12,500.

The dragster is a 1996 Danny Nelson Racecraft slip-joint 220-inch moly car. It's a little "rough around the edges" but overall is ready to race. It came turn-key with a 431-inch big-block Chevy and shorty powerglide.

We decided to rewire the car and replace some things we didn't like. This is probably a very common thing to do to a used car for two reasons. First, it lets you really get a close look at the entire car stripped of the body panels and you will "know where all the wires go" when you are done. I covered the right way to wire a car a couple years ago in "Project 4-Link" and we used those same

ADVERTISEMENT

principles to wire this car. Take your time, use a different color wire for every circuit and use the best wire, connectors and tools for years of trouble-free service.

I do want to say thanks to Johnny at RCI for getting us a set of their trick new Platinum Safety Harnesses and an SFI jacket and pants for Andy on a moment's notice. The RCI Platinum Series are the only ones with a 4-year certification. When you receive your Platinum series harness you get a registration card that allows you a free two-year update to the SFI tags. Priced about the same as a standard set from other manufacturers, RCI has stepped up to save racers some of their hard-earned money. They are available from Jegs and other race part suppliers.

These are the new RCI Platinum Series safety harnesses. Besides meeting all the SFI specs, they look great and are the ONLY belts that can be certified for four years at no additional cost. That is a good way to save some money.

The engine is pretty much a mystery right now, but we measured valve lift, adjusted the valves to .026 (just a guess but it runs great) and changed oil after cutting open the oil filter to see if there was any debris in it (there was not).

We just returned from the first weekend and I think we have just what we wanted. An easy to maintain race car that will run all day in the 8- second range and be easy on parts. We put a small 750-alcohol Race Demon carburetor on it and left the BG 400 electric pump that came with it. The small carb is probably holding us back some, but we ran 8.78 to 8.83 over the three-day weekend at 149 to 150 mph.

We do know the converter is way too tight (only flashes about 5200) and the electric pump needs to be a belt-drive to give us the extra pressure the alcohol carb needs at the finish line. Andy did the driving and I think he "staked a claim" on the car. It handles great, rides smooth and will make a great car. He made it to the semis Sunday and lost with a .001 break-out to eventual winner and good friend Tom Roschen and his wheel-standing, bad-ass Duster.

In the coming weeks and months we will take you through the process of maintaining and improving a "Basic Dragster." No exotic 4-link suspension, chrome plating, trick wheels or parts and what I like best: no expensive engine.

Some readers will think I am nuts and others will think I finally regained my senses. However you feel about the change is your own opinion. I know that I will be happier entering both cars in S/Pro every week.

Keep an eye on our "Back-2-Basic" articles that will be coming -- Quick Pit Tips, homemade tools and more. We are here to get you thinking while having some fun.

Best of luck to all of you and GO RACE SOMETHING!