What's on your "to do" list for this winter on your race car?

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RockinRobin

RockinRobin

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I enjoy the extra long season we have down here in the south and now it's time to pull the drag car in the shop and take care of a few things.
Not including normal maintenance, here is my list for this winter:
1. Send converter off to be freshened. It's been 7 years :eek:
2. Have the transmission gone through.
3. Take care of small nagging leak from oil pan on motor. I forgot to put rtv in the corners when I put it together. It puts a small spot of oil on the floor of the trailer after a week of sitting. I'll pull a main and rod cap or two while I have the pan off and see how it the bearings look.
4. Helicoil the one header bolt hole that is stripped.
5. Install new upper control arms/ball joints.
6. Install new digital shift light.
7. Considering using the 2 step in my ignition box. Maybe wire it to the brake pedal switch. I'm a footbraker.
8. Bleed the brakes.
9. Consider having another bung welded onto the radiator for a temperature gauge. The one for the EFI only displays when the unit is on. I'd like to see the water temp when it's cooling in the pits.

What will you be working on??

TeamFinals2024.jpg
 
I have to put my junk together and get it on the pump.

I’m stuck because I’m considering using some Ti intake valves I have, but that means putting seats under the intake valves and doing another valve job.
 
RockinRobin said:
I enjoy the extra long season we have down here in the south and now it's time to pull the drag car in the shop and take care of a few things.
Not including normal maintenance, here is my list for this winter:
1. Send converter off to be freshened. It's been 7 years :eek:
2. Have the transmission gone through.
3. Take care of small nagging leak from oil pan on motor. I forgot to put rtv in the corners when I put it together. It puts a small spot of oil on the floor of the trailer after a week of sitting. I'll pull a main and rod cap or two while I have the pan off and see how it the bearings look.
4. Helicoil the one header bolt hole that is stripped.
5. Install new upper control arms/ball joints.
6. Install new digital shift light.
7. Considering using the 2 step in my ignition box. Maybe wire it to the brake pedal switch. I'm a footbraker.
8. Bleed the brakes.
9. Consider having another bung welded onto the radiator for a temperature gauge. The one for the EFI only displays when the unit is on. I'd like to see the water temp when it's cooling in the pits.

What will you be working on??

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To finally get the gen3 hemi installed in my 96 dakota before the snow starts. I just got the 360 magnum pulled out last Sunday
 
RockinRobin said:
I enjoy the extra long season we have down here in the south and now it's time to pull the drag car in the shop and take care of a few things.
Not including normal maintenance, here is my list for this winter:
1. Send converter off to be freshened. It's been 7 years :eek:
2. Have the transmission gone through.
3. Take care of small nagging leak from oil pan on motor. I forgot to put rtv in the corners when I put it together. It puts a small spot of oil on the floor of the trailer after a week of sitting. I'll pull a main and rod cap or two while I have the pan off and see how it the bearings look.
4. Helicoil the one header bolt hole that is stripped.
5. Install new upper control arms/ball joints.
6. Install new digital shift light.
7. Considering using the 2 step in my ignition box. Maybe wire it to the brake pedal switch. I'm a footbraker.
8. Bleed the brakes.
9. Consider having another bung welded onto the radiator for a temperature gauge. The one for the EFI only displays when the unit is on. I'd like to see the water temp when it's cooling in the pits.

What will you be working on??

View attachment 1716332351
Click to expand...
Would the back heater hose spot on the timing cover work for a temp guage spot? I need another spot too for my hemi. Need one for the efi gold box and another one for my temp guage. I know I would have to run a tap in the hole to cut threads. Here is the hole I am talking about.

20241019_165713.jpg
 
I want to rewire the AMX. The wiring works but it looks like a wasp nest.

Going to install the engine, transmission and build the headers for the Dakota.

20240902_104852.jpg


FB_IMG_1699412864750.jpg
 
New Comp Cam, new solid roller lifters, new Smith Bros pushrods, new set of Harland Sharp rocker arms, somehow figure out how to drill out and re-tap a broken valve cover stud in the passenger side W5 head, swap converters, get rid of the weak two piston brake calipers on the front wheels and install four piston calipers, swap out the Holley pro dominator tunnel ram intake/dual venom 850 carbs and give the Mopar Performance M1 W5 intake with Dominic Thumper built 1050 carb a try and finally re-plumb brake lines to put the manual brake bias adjuster in the rear brake circuit instead of the front.
 
New build this past spring.
I put 118 passes on it this year.
Tear down and inspect everything. If it's good, I'll put it back and probably leave it alone for another 3 years...
So far I like what I see up top.

20241123_123809.jpg
 
Les Gibson said:
New Comp Cam, new solid roller lifters, new Smith Bros pushrods, new set of Harland Sharp rocker arms, somehow figure out how to drill out and re-tap a broken valve cover stud in the passenger side W5 head, swap converters, get rid of the weak two piston brake calipers on the front wheels and install four piston calipers, swap out the Holley pro dominator tunnel ram intake/dual venom 850 carbs and give the Mopar Performance M1 W5 intake with Dominic Thumper built 1050 carb a try and finally re-plumb brake lines to put the manual brake bias adjuster in the rear brake circuit instead of the front.
Click to expand...


I’ve run both and the Pro Dominator will kick the crap out of the M1. Won’t be close.
 
Not much ... I just got my carb back from AED after a rebuild and calibration and I just put it back on about an hour ago. I have to redo my exhaust again as the TTI H pipe I bought last year is junk ... the mufflers are hitting the driveshaft even after having the pipe rebent to move the mufflers away. One of my racing friends custom builds aluminum mufflers and exhaust systems I am probably going to go to one of his systems . He can do 3 1/2 inch.. my TTI collectors are 3 1/2 inch I might just have him do a complete 3 1/2 inch system for me including mufflers . The TTi h pipe and my current mufflers are 3 inch. I have to install a new shift light and I am considering having my rear wheels converted to bead locks

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My plans are mainly to get ready for passing tech. Long wheel studs, driveshaft loop, etc.
I have some carb tuning to do, and would like to make adapters to run my 1-3/4" w2 truck headers to replace the 1-5/8", and to get it to halfway hook. This is for my 414" with offset rocker ProComp heads.
 
Mopar Sam said:
My plans are mainly to get ready for passing tech. Long wheel studs, driveshaft loop, etc.
I have some carb tuning to do, and would like to make adapters to run my 1-3/4" w2 truck headers to replace the 1-5/8", and to get it to halfway hook. This is for my 414" with offset rocker ProComp heads.
Click to expand...

I’ve made my own adapters. The used 3/8 aluminum.
 
Need to figure out my alternator/ charging issue on my pull truck. And find some 6” rear leaf springs. Right now it’s got that Carolina squat.

IMG_0824.jpeg
 
mopardude318 said:
Need to figure out my alternator/ charging issue on my pull truck. And find some 6” rear leaf springs. Right now it’s got that Carolina squat.

View attachment 1716332588
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I bought a Tuff Country 6" kit.
The rear springs do not require the factory blocks, so they have alot of arch, and with that I can already say the truck is going to ride like ****.
 
sireland67 said:
I bought a Tuff Country 6" kit.
The rear springs do not require the factory blocks, so they have alot of arch, and with that I can already say the truck is going to ride like ****.
Click to expand...
I have skyjacker 4” lift springs on my other street truck w200. Ride seems to be okay, but I don’t really know what to compare it to. Ignorance is bliss I guess lol.

But having the correct spring, or rather one with more arch, and removing that factory 4” block under the rear spring appeals to me.
Rear blocks aren’t good especially with a sled pullin truck, I’m not at the “make the rear solid” stage yet. Still new to pullin, so leafs springs are it for now. lol
 
mopardude318 said:
I have skyjacker 4” lift springs on my other street truck w200. Ride seems to be okay, but I don’t really know what to compare it to. Ignorance is bliss I guess lol.

But having the correct spring, or rather one with more arch, and removing that factory 4” block under the rear spring appeals to me.
Rear blocks aren’t good especially with a sled pullin truck, I’m not at the “make the rear solid” stage yet. Still new to pullin, so leafs springs are it for now. lol
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear you have the 4" shyjunker lift. First thing is to scrap every bolt. Because they broke on that lift kit I had.

Blocks are bad, but I believe Dodge used them so the springs would be fairly straight, so they would ride good.

I know the rear springs on my 2017 3500 Ram are arched pretty good from the factory, and it also rides like ****.
 
Didn't get out much in 2024 so just change the oil and go over the rocker arms in the spring and I should be good to go for 2025.
 
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