Where is the pride? Is it just a checkbook?

[Harry 6674]

Wade I'm with you on this. No way could I have a race car or street rod built by some one else. To me it's just as much if not more fun to build them as drive them. I think some people think it hard to do by how high shop rates are but it's really not. I think theres more home built cars out there than people think. Way more bang for your buck.

[denbreeden]

Herb Jr has the right idea. Do what you can do and stop worrying about the other guys. I have a new DP and no, I can't afford to have everyone in the country work on it and paint it, etc. I would rather do it myself anyway. I built my current car even painted it the first time. I've always built my own motors but have a shop do the machine work. After 10 years I had some extra money so I paid a body shop to replace the quarter fenders and do a nice paint job. My Dp has been to a chassis shop for the cage and rearend because I want it done right and I don't have all the fab tools needed. I will assemble the motor, wire the car, install a trans, gauges, etc myself. I'm also painting the cage, trunk and underside of my car to save money and again because I like doing it myself. Don't put everyone with a DP or Mustang in the big checkbook catagory, I race because I like the sport and I have the ability to do it. I wanted a new DP and to get one and put it together I sold 3 cars I owned, one of them a Super Bee I've had since 1985. I'm not a checkbook racer but I love cars and drag racing so I sometimes give up something to move on to another. Everyone has a different needs and ideas but we are all racers, not enemies.

Dennis

[Carl Weisinger]

Originally Posted by Casey Miles

HerbJ: You have hit a point that alot of people seem to miss, but there are still some of us out there who still answer the question " Who is your engine builder?" , you are talking to him. Granted, personaly I can't be as competitive as the check writers, but that $5. bottle of shoe polish makes up for that in a big way. It's disapointing that people don't do as much of there own work as it used to be, but time moves on, along with the sport. It's the same as our country, it's service oriented versus manufacturing based now.

Has anyone esle do the math on the Mopar's V-10, it can be as big as 532 cubic inches in stock rules. Rated 450 HP, yah hoo!

Casey Miles
248H Stock?

Who is your engine builder? .....That's usually a question asked just after you kick
a connecting rod right out the side of the block.....

[Wade Mahaffey]

Herb, it's funny that you say that, Sox and Martin were my favorites when I was a kid. They were great pioneers, they learned how to do it, I don't think they just bought it! And Mr. Barone races, drives himself and does very well. I'm sure he paid his dues working on his stuff. I just think that we all would enjoy a win (more), driving a car that we built and/or had alot of hard work in. Having said that, however much you spend and however much you do, it will be my pleasure to sit beside you and compete. We are all competitors, just at different levels and different view points. Sorry if you were offended

Wade Mahaffey

[herbjr]

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

Herb, it's funny that you say that, Sox and Martin were my favorites when I was a kid. They were great pioneers, they learned how to do it, I don't think they just bought it! And Mr. Barone races, drives himself and does very well. I'm sure he paid his dues working on his stuff. I just think that we all would enjoy a win (more), driving a car that we built and/or had alot of hard work in. Having said that, however much you spend and however much you do, it will be my pleasure to sit beside you and compete. We are all competitors, just at different levels and different view points. Sorry if you were offended

Wade Mahaffey

I wasnt offended at all, but if you look at the big picture there are alot of owners that dont drive. I for one own 2 jr dragsters and have quit racing myself so my kids can, so I'm sort of a car owner now and when my kids won IHRA iron men it was a better feeling than any race I have won.

[Ed Wright]

I don't care what they spend, or who does it. As long as those bogus hp ratings get fixed.

[Jeff Teuton]

I kinda like the hp ratings the way they are. I think I had one heads up in eliminations this year. But then yall know how that memory stuff is.

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

As I read the threads on the new Mustangs and Challengers. I see that the cars are factory built as a race car. Then taken to a chassis shop, then a body/paint shop, then an engine is purchased from a builder, etc,etc and then in some cases someone else drives it! If you take that senario and win with it, Do you feel like a winner? If you do, I'm happy for you and to each his own. I guess I'm just old school, but I see that as a fan with a check book or a sugar daddy. It tickles me to watch sports on TV and see the fans screaming for their team to win. They feel, that they are a winner if their team wins! When they did'nt throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the ball, etc, nothing, notta, no effort at all, just watch! How can you be a winner, if all you do is watch what somebody else did to win! "The glory belongs to the man in the arena". Now I know there are many out there that would say it's a team thing. I respect that, and agree somewhat, (being a retired career firefighter) and know the importance of the team concept. In the big game, if I'm on the bench or in the dugout all game and the team wins....I'm a winner.....but I sure don't feel like one! (my opinion only) Where has the pride of building your own car gone?

Wade Mahaffey

Thank you....enough said...