Event Coverage The Official 2014 Meltdown Drags #5 thread, vintage drag meet, July 18,19&20 Byron IL

This was by far one of my top three cars at Meltdown last year. You really need to see it in person to understand the build quality, the proportions and just the overall bad-ass-ed-ness of it all.

Goes a long way that Kip is a pretty cool guy as well.

On a personal / nostalgic note. Paul Z was the first guy to officially welcome us to the Meltdown events back at Meltdown 3. Kip was the first guy from the HAMB board to wander over and introduce himself to us. (Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it...sniff)

 

Geez Sappson, you gonna need to come over and watch "Stand By Me" in the motor home?

 

I sold a bunch of the stock parts to a restorer...he couldn't understand why

Meltdown Drags
July 18-20 2014

 

Yeah, eventually it will be silver with black fenders and all lettered up.

Meltdown Drags
July 18-20 2014

 

But I like the show as well as the go!

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We get just as much of a kick out of it as you guys...without this event I would probably have never seen saxons Farm Truck, the Moonlighter, Yesterdays child, the evil twins or any of the guys from the southeast gassers in person. Everyone I have met Joel, Quain, Donovan, Mitch, Dave and even Johnny rotten. I know there are lots more too.

Meltdown Drags
July 18-20 2014

 

My name is Jackson and I'm responsible for the flatcad bonneville car I built the car and have helped on the engine side as well. There is a thread here on the hamb for it you should check it out as that flatcad is a work of art but my engine is more of a budget build I will be starting on engine assembly in the next couple weeks


Chrome don't get ya home

 

Howdy Jackson,

I have kept up with Flat Cad, here and there....really cool ride

And that also means that we have another connection....I got the lower portion of the intake from FlatRoy, and made the latest blower manifold out of it....small world

The first engine in the FED was a budget build as well, used bearings and all....haha....got into the 10's with it

 

...also one of my favorites from last year, here's a couple pics...

 

I think them Pie Crust's is about to get "tanning"!

 

Did some work on the Falcon this weekend, adjusted the valves, new plugs and some other stuff. Looking forward to getting it out and making some noise.

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I'll be there #342, and yes, I'll have more appropriate front tires before then, lol.

 

Yeah, I love the look of them though.
What do you recomend for real slicks? I know Quain runs Hoosiers.

Meltdown Drags
July 18-20 2014

 

They are all pretty good, but more NHRA Stock & Super Stock 4 speed racers seem to run M/T's or Hoosiers, doesn't hurt that they are the cheaper brands either. Make sure you tell the guy your buying them from, that you're running a manual trans, they need different compounds & sidewall construction. I understand, that Racer X is able to get his coupe down the track with his pie crusts pretty good after "pickling" them in a secret concoction, maybe you can get him to share his recipe. I would imagine it would also take some pretty good clutch savy and or killing some power down low with a programmable ignition box.

 

I ran M/T last year and was very happy with them. I probably will be purchasing another set good this year

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I see your talking about tries. Anybody know about these for my 55 it's 331 four speed car?
I posted a few pages back. Thanks Ron

 

I dunno how those would hook,but I can't think of anything that would look more perfect on a hot 55 than those tires...!

Scott


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I'll second that.
I'm running M/T's on mine,and I was pretty shocked how hard they hook,even when inflated for street driving with way more pressure than you would run at the track.

Scott


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Sticky little buggers....

Scott


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My '55 with the M&H tire on a 7" wide rim.
Meltdown 2012.

 

Thanks B gas 55 looks great. Still using the tires? I wouldn't mind a good used set. Ron

 

That is one badass looking Chevy...

It's classy looking,but dangerous looking at the same time!

Nice enough to win a car show,but tough enough to cut choo so bad joo gonna wish he ditin cut choo so baaad!


Scott



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And if Ric doesn't catch that reference I'm gonna be disappointed...

Scott


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Carpok sorry but the slicks still have a home on the back of my '55.

 

carpok what is the durometer reading on those tires. that info should be available from them. some things to consider and experiment with is running inner tubes or not. with out tubes gives you more sidewall flex. in a heavy car a tube can be of some benefit by stiffening the side wall. the stiffer side wall has some benefit for street driving also. i prefer to get the car to work without them to reduce rotating weight. a proper burnout can do wonders for traction also. if you want to star in the upcoming event video set the line lock and go crazy for a few minutes. all you really need is a crew member with a temp gun to record tire temp. the ideal temp is one of the same or slightly higher than track temp. in july this could be 150 degrees or higher. compare temps with 60 foot times to dial it all in. i do use a home brew tire softener. i jack up the car and work in the brew with a rag. the longer it sit on the tire the more effect. putting it on the night before a race and wrapping them with plastic multiplies the effect also. at the track people ask why the tires are wrapped pulling out of the pits going to the line all i say is i don't want my tires to get dirty. its funny how many people buy that story. we treat the dragster tires with the same brew. i can drop my durometer readings by ten points easy. any one that wants the recipe can pm me. it works very well. i can twist the 1/2 inch studs with this stuff. i updated the coupe to 5/8 studs last summer to stop bending the 1/2 inch ones over. I'm doing my thing on radirs.

 

Neat 55!

 

Ever try paint rollers and pans (one pan under each tire)?

 

i have and don't like it. the stuff i mix up is far more potent than available tire softener. i fill a old gear oil bottle up with the tip still on it. i can control the amount going on the tire better while rubbing it in with a rag. you don't need to pour it on or roll it on by the gallon. two tires takes about 6-8 oz. the tire absorbs the brew and it will change the color of the tire. if you watch a car like our dragster do a burnout the tracks it leaves are more black than the track itself. its very obvious something is going on. the tires have a very distinct look to them also. they have the most perfect black look to them and perfectly smooth. this stuff all comes from guys that race carts. those carts have a lot of power and tiny tires. those cart guys are light years ahead of drag guys when it comes to tire technology. they have been working on getting more out of their tires for years. the guy that does the clutch and tires on the dragster is a tire master. the guy has his own tire oven to shrink and stretch tires. he is very particular about proper tire prep. i got the brew formula from him. his back round includes drags, stock cars and carts. there is a lot to be learned from other forms of motor sports.

 

...looks like this will be the year of the TRI-5's...very nice!

 

Hey....whadda ya mean?.....we're gonna have 4 or 5 go fast Flatheads there.....OH, that's right you're gonna have 150 tri 5's....hahaha.

And I'm looking forward to it all

Good looking 55, btw