Drag Racing

[57bracketracer]

Hi Jim,
Just looked at your post on drag racing and there is a lot of things you can do to your car. Just drag racing a 57 is a easy project. At slower speeds all you need is a catch can for the radiator and a working seat belt.
This is a strip I race at , Portland Int Raceway and this is the tech page for the drag cars,
http://www.portlandraceway.com/docs/Basic20 Tech 202009.pdf , should be the same for most drag strips that are NHRA. Here is my web page that I show a lot of mods that can be done to 57's.
http://home.comcast.net/~57bracketracer/    email  57bracketracer@comcast.net   

The 57 third member is good to about high 11's with slicks and 4.56 gears. With a 312 probably last forever. 
When I did the trunk and frame I also removed all the window cranks, windows on the doors and side windows, then I trimmed all the metal out of the doors and window areas then covered them with aluminum. Both doors and side windows now have plastic windows with only the door opener still functioning.
I replaced the windshield with 1/8th in Lexan a long time ago. Only the back window is still glass.
Still other stuff I have removed to make it just a bracketracer. Have no intentions of ever driving it on the street again, Now 5000 rpm converter and will be wiring in a MSD Launch Control.
I am in the process of making the frontend into a tilt and remove front. I am copying Albert Schaper's way of doing it. I will have pics when complete.  Also sometime or the other I would like to put a straight axle of some sort under the front to help lower the weight and give it the old gasser look.
Any questions ask away!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob Lewis  57bracketracer@comcast.net   

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   Thought I'd write back and let you know I couldn't find a 57 that I liked. Sooooo, I bought a 63 Galaxie XL Boxtop out of New Mexico. Absolutely rust free and with newer interior and rebuilt no's matching 390 Z code and COM transmission. Just got the 3.25 Trac-Loc installed today. I've already put a set of MadDog full length headers on it. ( They fit nice, but you have to remove the splash pan from under the generator ). The Xpypes are coming tomorrow along with the Hooker Maximum Flow mufflers. The headers are 2" primary/ 3 1/2" collectors. They may be big but I wanted something that my engine could grow into if need be. Other than some cheap traction bars and soft tires I should be ready to go. I don't plan on setting the world on fire, just melt the ice a little bit. I'll see how this works out before I get too involved. Besides, the MX transmission isn't going to take too much torque to begin with. Jim