Hello

dragcars

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I stumbled on this page doing some research on current labor pricing for race engine building. I am finishing up a build on a 572 Chrysler (now 580) Mega Block for a customer in his 68 Road Runner drag car and was trying to figure out what to ultimately charge him for my services.
I lurked through some threads here and liked what I saw so I registered.
My name is Frank, I reside in South Florida. I have been a professional auto technician for a little over 30 years (I'm 52 n0w), and have owned my own shop for 17 years. I started out small and now have a 5000 sq ft shop with several techs and a service advisor. I have been a drag racing addict for 25+ years in many different forms from junior dragsters to nostalgia top fuel as either owner, driver, builder, crew, or crew chief.
I am growing tired of the general auto repair industry and have been making plans for an exit for the wife and myself.
I want to go back to work by myself in a nice shop in my back yard, take on the stuff I like to do, (turn away the stuff I don't want to do), specialize in welding/fab, classic and custom repairs/mods, engine/trans/rear end building, etc. I take on some of these jobs now but it is very difficult to do this kind of work and run a business this size at the same time and give those kinds of projects the attention they need.
Thanks for having me on this board, I look forward to meeting members here. OK, I have a shameless plug, if anyone is interested in purchasing an established, successful, auto repair facility in beautiful, sunny south east Florida (property and all), I have your place! Thanks
Frank
www.tropicperformancefl.net
 
Welcome to the forum Frank!

Your experience will be most welcome here!!! But we do require photos as proof of such
experiences as a driver, crew chief or other related doings. hehehe !!! :):)

Tell us more about this 572/580 Chrysler, Oh and photos of course.

What is the next project for yourself?
 
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yes welcome to the forum! I'm looking forward to any pictures, tips, stories you might care to post,
as you'll obviously have dealt with a couple hundred interesting situations and rather unique, customers by now with that back-ground!
 
Thank you everyone and I will post some pics as soon as I figure out how. I may know cars but I'm not that great at downloading stuff!
 
yeah theres bloody trails along the tile floor , where my bloody finger tips failed to grasp the tile floor where I was dragged kicking and screaming, into the modern world,
but ever so slowly I'm getting a tiny bit of computer skill, I still stand 12 feet away and poke at it with a stick from behind the wall, but hey its a start
images


http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/taking-and-posting-clear-photos.5595/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-the-rabbit-hole-with-alice.10933/#post-66925
 
Ok, I think I have posting photos to here off my phone figured out.

The crankshaft flange broke after 500 passes. Fortunately, no damage to the block but it was time for a complete overhaul. New Molnar crank and rods, Venolia pistons, Total seal rings, King cam, main, and rod bearings, Comp roller lifters, Smith Bros push rods, Harland Sharp rockers/shafts, Pac Springs, Manley valves. The block was bored to 4.530 (.030 over), decked, and crank balanced By J&J Balancing. The Brodix B1/BS heads received new guides, a shave, and valves done by Engine Works. Everything else was done by me. The .753 lift Comp cams was reused. This engine is 14.2 : 1 cr I'm just waiting for Summit to deliver the intake gaskets Monday. Engine is back in the car and only needs a couple more hours work.
 

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Welcome. Looks like the owner of that car has a lot better luck than me! I would have hurt somebody in the next county!
I’m a front engine dragster fan.
 
Big Block RB Mopars are Fast on the Street. If you can hookup.
Street Raced my best bud Mopar many days & nights in the past.
Guilty as hell Street Outlaws we are.
 
Welcome. Looks like the owner of that car has a lot better luck than me! I would have hurt somebody in the next county!
I’m a front engine dragster fan.
Hi John and thanks for the welcome. Years back my first FED that I got to drive was a 69 RCS (Race Car Specialties) dragster my friend had bought and updated to current chassis requirements. It had a Hilborn stack injected 475 BBC w/ a glide. Ran 8.0 and would wheel stand like crazy. I don't care much for door cars, I like fed's, altered's, and funnycars
 
Big Block RB Mopars are Fast on the Street. If you can hookup.
Street Raced my best bud Mopar many days & nights in the past.
Guilty as hell Street Outlaws we are.
This was actually the first RB engine I built, I was really impressed with the Mega Block, I wouldn't hesitate to build one, put a 6-71 on top of it with 90% in the tank
 
Pics of my 23T altered I bought back in 1999. I sold it a year and a half ago and it now lives in Maine. It underwent different transformations when I owned it. I initially bracket raced it but I really don't care for bracket racing so eventually I turned it into a nostalgia racer.
 

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Fun to Race against with a Pontiac V8.
I like those poncho bullets, I built a 421 tri power for a co worker many years ago and that thing put a lot of BBC's on the trailer. Actually that engine was the first where I degreed my first cam and started really getting serious about learning how to build engines. That was around 1996
 
I like those poncho bullets, I built a 421 tri power for a co worker many years ago and that thing put a lot of BBC's on the trailer. Actually that engine was the first where I degreed my first cam and started really getting serious about learning how to build engines. That was around 1996
Pontiac 455 here.
1970 RAIV 400 614 heads.
Full Drag Race Cam to pull to 8000+.
Filled with Titanium.
Built NHRA Super Stock F.A.S.T. way.
 
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