57 Ford Custom running Drag Week

[JPotter57]

Michael, from the time that someone posted on here that there was a 57 Custom running drag week, I watched it either live or the replay in the evenings just to see that car run.  Im probably the only guy in the country watching DW that didn't give a crap about the unlimited class and all the 6 second ets.  I don't relate to that kind of racecar, because, a. I can never afford that kind of racecar, and b., they're all Chevrolets.  I like the classes and Daily Driver.  I hope to run in DD next year.  I would run the BB NA or SB NA class but my car has glass fenders, hood and trunk lid, and the rules state only a glass hood is allowed for those classes.  I guess they didn't take into account how hard it is to find a rust free trunk lid for a 57 Custom.  I believe most of them were fitted with rust from FoMoCo.  Anyway, great job on completing Drag Week, and congrats on the 11.95, that is awesome.

[michael m]

A word of caution should you do Drag Week. It can be quite addicting!
DD is a fun class with a good bunch of guys, and it's the only DW class that actually races at the end of the week.

Keep an eye out on Hot Rod's web site as there will be new rules coming out for 2015. I doubt there will be any major changes,just some minor tinkering here and there. They will post them up for discussion before they wright 'em up for the next 3 years.

At the moment I'm on the fence about going next year. I've done five and finished four (two in the '57 with one fail) and it takes a bit of commitment in time and money and I have a couple of other projects that could use some of that time and a lot of the money.

If you have any questions about DW don't hesitate to ask. I'll try to help.

[JPotter57]

I've done the power tour long haul, and I imagine the drag week to be the same, except with racing and possibility of breaking stuff.  Ideally, that won't happen, but you never know.  Heck, I could break something leaving work today, truthfully.  I also know about the addicting part.  I took my son on Power Tour last year, and he is eaten alive with it now, lol..He is planning a trip in his 79 Mustang Pace Car when it is done.  I will download the rules as soon as they become available, should be a blast.
By the way, did you run your car at Columbus a couple years back on Labor Day Weekend?  If so, what did you have in it then?

[michael m]

My first DW was 2009 with the '57. Columbus was our fourth track that year and was an afternoon race. Unfortunately I lost a good portion of my valve train somewhere en route in rural Ohio and arrived via roll back,so that probably wasn't me. At the time I was running an A-429 headed 521.

I've had a series of stroked big blocks in the car,prior to the small block. The first 521 then a 521 with Al SCJ heads and even a 557 Boss 429. That last one was a lot of fun. Short lived but fun!

[JPotter57]

wow..I'd love to have one of the Boss 9 style motors in mine..Are those Cal Trac bars on the car?  What caused you to switch from the big block to the small block?  My last Custom had a stroker windsor, 427 inches.  It went 11.31 @ 121, had more in it, but like an idiot, I sold it in a pinch.  I regretted it som much that i bought another one within 5 months, and started over.  I am getting closer now, it is wired, bodywork almost finished, trying to start getting it together now.  Just need to finish up some projects on my kids Mustangs so I can get back on my car.

[rmk57]

Hi! Tom P was telling me about the Boss 9 in your 57. I'm putting together a 502 Eddie headed BBF for my custom. Should be done next spring.
Missed meeting you out at the Pro mod races at Mission a few weeks ago.
A quick question with your 521 swap, what oil pan did you use assuming your front end is stock? Was looking for something with a extra couple quart capacity.

Randy

[michael m]

Yes those are Cal Tracs. Some of my planned improvements will be in the suspension. Shocks and Cal Tracs mono leaf springs.

Cause of the switch from BBF to SBF? Frustration! That Boss is cool as hell and makes terrific horse power but it's so large it does not fit into much. I pretty much built the front end around the engine, which made it almost impossible to work on, without dismantling the front end. I had a 302 (in trade for some BBF parts) cluttering up my garage for some 20+ years and went Hmmm. Now in order to make up for the horsepower I was used to in my big blocks. Turbocharger! You know how people talk about SBF's splitting the blocks at around 600 hp? I can attest to that. Good excuse to buy that Dart block. It is turbo ready, but after DW I'm going to work on getting it to run as close to 11.50 (no bar) as I can with what I've got.

I've used two oil pans with the BBF's. Canton T-pan,however you have to lose the sway bar or clip/round off the edges of the pan. Second is a Moroso deep sump pan.