Mark Eckert
Member
- Joined
- May 9, 2024
- Messages
- 22
So, a few months back, I decided to build a drag-and-drive car, meaning it gets raced at a drag strip and driven to another track and repeat, up to 5 times in 5 days. No trailer, no support vehicles, no nothing. You break it and can't fix it in route? You're done. Get caught trailering from track to track or missing assigned checkpoints along the way? You're out. True test of making a car go fast AND live on the highway. I've dabbled in drag racing for 30+ years doing no-prep and grudge racing. So I can make a car go reasonably fast. Problem is, my new knee isn't working right (2nd one in 5 years on the same leg,) and my wife proposed I build something I can actually get into and out of. A cruiser would save me the hassle of climbing over a roll cage (Needed for the speed I want to run in the quarter.) She doesn't like the idea of cage-climbing either. So, I'll just build a cruiser instead. The first picture is the general look I'm after, and the second picture is my starting point. I wish I knew who to credit for the build in the first pic, as it really speaks to me. I made a post about this in the introductions section.
I plan to document this on my YouTube channel once I clean up the extra BS vids a bit to simplify things, and I have to sort out my new lapel mikes and camera. I was filming with a generic GoPro, and it was ok, but I feel I can do better. I'll post a link once I get a first video up this weekend. I want to keep this as pure as possible, since I cannot stand the checkbook-carrying "Car builders" who can't even check their own oil, yet drive perfect examples of 34 Fords and spend all day polishing and not diving their stuff. I like the simple, "grab-your-buddies-and let's build a car" mentality, using stuff sourced from bone yards and used stuff from Marketplace. So far the only shiny thing I have that will get used are my Fatty and skinny Centerline Convo-Pros (I've been after a set since Pro-street was a thing in the late '80's.) BUT I have regular everyday wheels for just tooling around and doing burnouts lol.
Not sure about the powerplant yet. I am a Holley-trained EFI tuner and have a pair of 5.3s in the garage. But they don't fit the theme of the build. I'm thinking of maybe using the 216 six out of my donor truck, or maybe a gen-one SBC with old-style tinwork and a fat cam. Maybe a fat BBC with a blower? I have a 3.42 S-10 10 bolt for out back and a 400 turbo slushbox to turn raw horsepower into lost hopes and dreams. One thing I know I HAVE to have is a Killduff shifter to mimic the Hurst Lightning Rods I loved seeing as a teen. Other than that this thing is an open slate. I am a painter, and so I expect some bass-boat metal flake on the dash, but the outside will remain in its mother-nature-supplied au-natural state.
Follow along as I fumble through yet another one-car-garage build masterpiece of innovation (not really) and mind-boggling baffoonery as yet another old discarded project gets a new life at the hands of yet another geek with a MIG welder!
-Mark
I plan to document this on my YouTube channel once I clean up the extra BS vids a bit to simplify things, and I have to sort out my new lapel mikes and camera. I was filming with a generic GoPro, and it was ok, but I feel I can do better. I'll post a link once I get a first video up this weekend. I want to keep this as pure as possible, since I cannot stand the checkbook-carrying "Car builders" who can't even check their own oil, yet drive perfect examples of 34 Fords and spend all day polishing and not diving their stuff. I like the simple, "grab-your-buddies-and let's build a car" mentality, using stuff sourced from bone yards and used stuff from Marketplace. So far the only shiny thing I have that will get used are my Fatty and skinny Centerline Convo-Pros (I've been after a set since Pro-street was a thing in the late '80's.) BUT I have regular everyday wheels for just tooling around and doing burnouts lol.
Not sure about the powerplant yet. I am a Holley-trained EFI tuner and have a pair of 5.3s in the garage. But they don't fit the theme of the build. I'm thinking of maybe using the 216 six out of my donor truck, or maybe a gen-one SBC with old-style tinwork and a fat cam. Maybe a fat BBC with a blower? I have a 3.42 S-10 10 bolt for out back and a 400 turbo slushbox to turn raw horsepower into lost hopes and dreams. One thing I know I HAVE to have is a Killduff shifter to mimic the Hurst Lightning Rods I loved seeing as a teen. Other than that this thing is an open slate. I am a painter, and so I expect some bass-boat metal flake on the dash, but the outside will remain in its mother-nature-supplied au-natural state.
Follow along as I fumble through yet another one-car-garage build masterpiece of innovation (not really) and mind-boggling baffoonery as yet another old discarded project gets a new life at the hands of yet another geek with a MIG welder!
-Mark
