Where is the pride? Is it just a checkbook?

[Ed Wright]

I always end up having a few more than that with Lloyd.

[Peter Ash]

In a closed in carport, somewhere up north! Proudly being home built.

http://www3.telus.net/prash

[Ed Wright]

Looks good.

[CBS]

We are in the Pride/Satisfaction/Checkbook group.......We buy what we have to and build the rest......

and I kinda like the current HP factor too....lol

Rock Haas

[Bill Edgeworth]

I would say it’s unfair to classify 99% of the guys who have work done for them as checkbook racers. This is 2011 not 1970 were talking 9 second cars now not 11-12 second cars. The skill set required to build a new car compared to yester year is very different. Some examples; look at the chassis work on the new cars how many home builders have the skill to properly tig weld chrome moly tube? How many have a $4,000 welder and all the other fabrication equipment at home? How many guys are willing to try and lay down a paint job with $500 per gallon urethane paint? How many guys are fuel injection gurus? Capable of building a fast durable transmission? AND the new engines are extremely sophisticated compared to the old carbureted ones. I think most do what they are comfortable doing and leave the rest to the experts. You need to be extremely proficient in many more areas today to build a new car without compromising safety, performance or the quality of the build. I don’t think for most that it’s a question of the pride of DIY but the fear of DIY.

[71mavlouisville]

I don't know of anyone that actually builds a complete car in super stock. You have to start with a stock body, you didn't build that. What about stock glass? Tires? Wheels? Original front suspension? Brakes? Engine Block? Cylinder Heads? etc. etc. None of us start with a blank sheet and engineer and manufacture an engine. I think Formula One is about the only race cars that are completely engineered, manufactured and built from the ground up, and they even farm stuff out. We are modifiers by nature. We take things that others have engineered and modify for our specific use.
As far as winning, I would gladly take a win any way I could get it. If it was in my car or anyone else's. I would imagine (considering I have no personal experience with this) that when you cross the stripe and your light comes on you aren't thinking about who painted the car or who welded the cage. You won - time to celebrate! Ashton Hudson SS 4373

[Jim Bailey]

I wonder what the out come would be... IF... they sealed your engine at the scale, and you drove it to the barn. Then, after tear down, you reassembled the engine, and it was again sealed, and you drove it back to your pit.... Here's the catch... the only person allowed in the barn was the driver? Just a thought. JB.

[hemidup]

Our 2009 5.7 DP is a team effort as far as the old school way of building it. Don is the driver, Denny's the tuner and crew cheif and Denny and I work the wrenches. We did buy the MPR rear end kit cause we couldn't make the brackets for the labor, materials or the R&D for the price that Mike was selling it for and we only wanted to do it once. Mike's kit fit the bill and was flawless. (Thanks again Peter) Other than that, we're doing the rest from buiding the roll cage, rear end, engine assembly, header's, wiring, EFI tuning, paint, interior, yada yada. We're just 3 broke guy's trying to build a competitive DP. Our DP car is a labor of love. Doesn't cost us nothing for labor, just parts and material. Like Peter and Mack, we know every nut and bolt on this car. We're to the point of needing money for the transmission and suspention. Anyone interested in an oringinal, fresh restored 64 Dodge Polara 426 Max wedge hard top? One of 5 ever built and only one in this color. I just finished up the long block today.

[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.....

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Jim Bailey

I wonder what the out come would be... IF... they sealed your engine at the scale, and you drove it to the barn. Then, after tear down, you reassembled the engine, and it was again sealed, and you drove it back to your pit.... Here's the catch... the only person allowed in the barn was the driver? Just a thought. JB.

A lot of the touring drivers cant change a spark plug. I remeber when A.B. couldnt tear his engine down at the IHRA finals at Bristol after winning Modified elim. in his G/ED (super stock engine in a dragster) many years ago. He didnt know how to even start. Another racer A.B. had beaten in an early round said he would do it for him. The job was done quickly and he passed and he got the win. Not all who race are mechanical wonders.