Projects 9 sec. 38 Dodge truck build

I'm going to try to stay on top of this build and post accordingly, but it will take some time to complete. I have had some of these parts for awhile now, and others I have picked up on the way, but it is all starting to come together now. All of this is being built on a 1938 Dodge truck with a boxed frame. I will be doing most of the work myself, but accepting help where needed. I have never built anything like this and have a lot of questions, some that I don't even know yet. I do have a few people that are pointing me in the right direction, and answer my questions, weather they are dumb ones or not, sometimes I just don't know. My goal is to have it at my Daughters wedding in September, the day after Dragweek.

Here is the plan to get into the 9's. I have a 354 hemi, that will be stroked to a 392. It has Hotheads aluminum heads that have been ported by the best in the business, Roger, same one that helps racerx out. I will be running a 8-71 littlefield blower, on top of a Hotheads magnesium intake. Fuel will come from a 4 port Hilborn injection ( not happy with them right now) which I already have and is polished, or a 1250 dominator, which I don't have. I have Missile rockers, and oil pump. It will be running a Bryant billet crank gun drilled and knife edged. Connected to that will be a set of GRP aluminum rods. I have a MSD distributor, but not sure what I am going to fire it with yet. The exhaust will be coming out of zoomie headers if I can get them to fit properly. Also not sure if I am going to run a crank trigger or not. My fuel pump has not been sorted out yet, but water pump has been.

I will be running a straight axel front with a dana 60 in the rear, either 3.73, or 3.55 gears. The trans is a Gforce 5r that I already have. It will mate to the hemi with a wilcap adapter. I am running a Mark willams billet chrome molly yolk. I have a set of 16 x 11 magnesium Halibrand wheels for the rear, but still looking for the fronts, but they will be magnesium also.

I am open to opinions and any positive info the H.A.M.B community can give me. If you see something in my build that is not right or you think could be better let me know. I would like to say this is a budget build, and it is just not a super low budget. This is the Hotwheel that I always wanted, loud, wild, and fast.

I did have to evict the local resident's .
Tony

 

I plan on no fenders, (already sold), but I might get some and, put them on so I can run A/gas on drag week. I have a slow start on the frame but it has been sandblasted, and I have some of the boxing plates.

 

You can't run a blower in A gas, you know...

Interesting induction choices. I ran a 9.89 with a pair of Carter 9755S carbs last September

 

I just read the rules the other night and must have them mixed up, B/gas then it is. I don't believe I can run the Hilborn injection in B/gas either. I didn't even know the difference in the classes until a week ago. I have a lot of learning to do but I am ready.

Roger recommended the carb, and said 1 was easier to tune than 2. Im not set on what carb yet if I go that way. What makes ya say interesting induction choices? The blower is the size that Lee recommended.
Tony

 

If you run the hilborn make sure efi is legal. I don't think it is for the gasser class
Hilborn was just bought by holley.

 

You are right, I had brain fade. I thought you said b gas. You are fine in a gas.

Sent from my Trimline

 

Before you start boxing that frame make sure its square and true. Personally I would build a tube frame for it.

 

Having had a 37' Dodge pickup (with the same frame), I can tell you there is very little gain in boxing the OEM truck frame due to the height of the frame rails which were of course meant for withstanding heavy loads. The OEM frame is already pretty heavy so unless you cut a bunch of "lightening holes" afterward, you're going to end up with a very heavy frame. oldiron's suggestion is valid for a number of reasons.

- EM

 

VERY COOL TRUCK!

 

Dig deep in your mind and determine exactly what end result you wish to achieve.
After realizing that end result, research the parts/path needed to accomplish it.
Potentially a lot of wasted energy/dollars could be spent (notice I didn't say invested) only to change direction at a later date.
Those early Mopar p/u's are cool.
Good luck with your project.

 

Get the NHRA rule book out and plan on building the truck to there rules and the gasser rules just keep in mind that the track sanctioning body rules trump whatever race that's being run.
It much easier and cheaper to build a 10.0 car than a 9.99 car.

 

The biggest issue with the stock frame it was not designed for the weight or power of a blown hemi. I boxed my stock Chrysler frame and used that combination. It's not that it couldn't run down the track but was not safe during a crash. The stock frame rails can't handle a impact. Remember your cage is being welded to the stock rails. A house is only as good as its foundation.

 

You are a wuss if you don't drive it to the HAMB Drags.

-Abone.

 

Sum bitch! Has a TV!

 

I was already there with my 37 and you and me bullshitted a lot. I will be coming after that Yahoo cup, even though hrp didn't think I was going to be fast enough. It wont happen this year but I will be there, with all 3 pedals. I believe you are in the background of this pic, and the winners car that year with a little beaner.

It looks like I should be looking into a tube frame by what people are saying. To put it to everyone, it has and is being considered. Problem with a tube frame is it takes me out of a lot of classes I want to run, but on the other hand if I crash and die im out of all the classes anyway. I thought I would start by getting it on the road for a year or two, then a tube chassis, but I will look into it more. I was hoping to get low to mid 9's around 140 to 150 mph, and build a cage for 8 or 8.5's so I can go faster if I want. This is part of the reason I started this thread, I never thought that I would have this many people tell me to build a chassis.

 

You left out a little detail for everyone reading this thread. The engine that won the cup in the green car is now going in your truck. Now we can see exactly were you are going.

 

That is why people tell you to have the end desire in mind through the whole process. Building the factory frame is probably OK for a street use ride, but when you add a cage and sub 9 sec quarter time slips, everything is different. Probably very few true 9 second rides get much real street use, other then a few limited things like the Power Tour, HAMB drags, or some other once a year trip.
I traded going really fast for many long road trips, and that makes me happy, your thing may be completely opposite then mine, and that OK, but its pretty unrealistic to think one ride can do both. Those rides often fail on both ends. Gene

 

I seriously disagree with the statement about cars that can't put on big street miles and go fast. Drag week and other drag and drive events show it's very possible to do both. Several hamb members do these events. Hemi joel; tricky steve; squirrel; tony mcmopar; myself and others are proof its possible. Tony did drag week last year so he knows what it's all about. I plan on assisting him achieve his goal along with his other drag week brothers.
Drag week will be coming to Illinois for one of its stops I encourage you to come out and see 400 plus fast street driven cars run. Then drive 300 miles to the next track.

 

I also disagree with the statement in post #18. My coupe is now running in the 9's and I drive it on the street all the time in the summer. Have driven to the track, raced, and driven home. Hundreds of miles have been put on this car in one shot. Street Strip car? You bet your ass it is!

 

It can be done, street and fast.

Have a friend with a 590 inch big block chevy with a single 4 barrel, no blowers, nos, efi in a 77 Camaro thats just rear framed with ladder bars that runs 9:20 all day and he drives it all over joplin in the summer months and surrounding towns.

Just takes deep pockets.

 

The 400 plus drag week number is for those that got in not the hundreds that didn't make it. There are more nine sec and faster street cars than any time in history. A nine second street car today is pretty much entry level. That's fast.

 

Dragweek is a true test of car and driver. Lotsa miles no sleep , but alot of fun.

 

I like your plan. This one went 9.85 @ 142 on my 5th pass ( I know it had a lot more) 582 Chevy with an 8/71 pump gas and only 5 lbs of boost. I drove this thing everywhere. It’s completely possible.

I’m curious how a 2x4 box tubing knows if it’s 80 years old or it’s brand new. What I’m saying is i don’t see how you couldn’t use your stock frame boxed. Maybe I’m crazy but I see no difference.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Several issues here. The frames not that thick. They are also narrow. This provides no safety as the frame rails are providing no protection in a side impact. To add bars for the protection increases weight. For the main hoop some kind of outward extensions need to be added to get the main hoop to the outside of the driver. The narrow frame makes it difficult to service the engine. The rails come close to the starter. The rails get in the way of removing the headers. Hemi heads angle the exhaust flange downward. Getting a hand and wrench in the tight confines can be a bitch.The front cross member is heavy and wide. This gets in the way of the lower blower pulley. I could go on and on
I have been there.

 

Atta'boy Tony, great project! My advice: Consider weight on every single part. it's a lot easier and cheaper to go light on stuff as you build it than to try and lighten it later. On my Hot Rod, I changed gears mid stream a few times to make it lighter as my ET goals dropped. If I was starting over, I's use a gen 2 Hemi. It's way easier to make power with them naturally aspirated. In your case the blower will cure a lot of that issue.
The faster you want to go and still be a street car, the more effort it takes. Power adders help a lot, because you can use a milder valvetrain set up and still make the power. Good luck!

 

What are those back wheels? Magnesium Halibrands? Very pretty! That original tail pipe is in good shape.

 

Don't have a race car.......never built a race car so what the hay do I know but.......sometimes a picture is worth a
bunch of words.
I wonder if this is a tube chassis?
Without a doubt......you will make this much torque or MORE! If you're gonna run 9's you need to be able to hold it skrate! Regardless.......looks like a super cool build.
6sally6

 

Thats a x frame car. they all twist like that.

 

Couldn't you fix that with a good rear anti-roll bar?