Project Junkyard Dog

[Joe Toller]

Quick update: it's cold, snowy, and it sucks!!! I haven't had a good day to work on the car since last time, and we have more snow and -20 (straight) temps for the weekend. I can't even get motivated at this point, I am so discouraged by the nasty weather. The build plan is still in place, although I did go ahead and call Comp about a cam. My home track has a test and tune weekend the week before the Divisional, so June 14th is my target to be on track, unless it's still freezing or the weight of the snow collapses my carport and crushes the car lol...

[pontiacchuck]

joe i had that happen in mich car port fall on 4 pontiac 78 79 80 grand prix and 82 bonnie wg all pontiac power

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by Joe Toller

Quick update: it's cold, snowy, and it sucks!!! I haven't had a good day to work on the car since last time, and we have more snow and -20 (straight) temps for the weekend. I can't even get motivated at this point, I am so discouraged by the nasty weather. The build plan is still in place, although I did go ahead and call Comp about a cam. My home track has a test and tune weekend the week before the Divisional, so June 14th is my target to be on track, unless it's still freezing or the weight of the snow collapses my carport and crushes the car lol...

Originally Posted by pontiacchuck

joe i had that happen in mich car port fall on 4 pontiac 78 79 80 grand prix and 82 bonnie wg all pontiac power

Man, sorry for your loss. Let's face it, this has been a real winter. Here in the lower Midwest, we haven't had any real bad weather for a few years. I'm in the same boat, I have heaters for my building, it's hard to get it warm enough to accomplish much. Have a rare Friday I took off, have things that need done, working on the race cars (once again) takes a back seat.

Afraid in my case as well. Getting the car ready and out, going to be later than I'd hoped. In addition, I'm on "Gatorwatch" to see what Gary Summers does to the Mustang II combos. If he's converted to U/SA, imagine he'll dust the record, then this combo, probably and rightly so, takes an AFHS hit. In my case, may have just poured a bunch of money down a rathole for a combo that suddenly is dead in the water.

Paul Wong may have been right in a comment he made on my car. Maybe I just wasn't meant to be in stock. Just don't seem to have the money, time, knowledge and luck to get a combo together (boo hoo, I know, lol). I've got work to do, sittin' on a MB is not productive time.

[Joe Toller]

It's a bummer, but it was one of the risks we took looking at the refactored 302's. I was kinda waiting for the ball to drop on other combos too, especially since my race season doesn't start until late May, making my project equally unsustainable. I will hope for nice weather and wait and see I suppose, and have a plan B in mind...

I sent you a PM, I have an idea that might help us both...

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

Afraid in my case as well. Getting the car ready and out, going to be later than I'd hoped. In addition, I'm on "Gatorwatch" to see what Gary Summers does to the Mustang II combos. If he's converted to U/SA, imagine he'll dust the record, then this combo, probably and rightly so, takes an AFHS hit. In my case, may have just poured a bunch of money down a rathole for a combo that suddenly is dead in the water.
Paul Wong may have been right in a comment he made on my car. Maybe I just wasn't meant to be in stock. Just don't seem to have the money, time, knowledge and luck to get a combo together (boo hoo, I know, lol). I've got work to do, sittin' on a MB is not productive time.

You've got to stop worrying so much! You've got other options.

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

You've got to stop worrying so much! You've got other options.

Billy,

This is the problem with internet communication. We can talk but can't properly display emotion or expression. I'm not as concerned as my whining here on the net may make it appear.

Whatever Summers does, I have no control over that. I'm already scratching around and searching for alternate year parts for this combo, if that becomes the necessity, that's what I'll do. Yes, there are options. Truly, I want to see what comes out of the Gators. I'm primarily a local boy anyway. Combos, the NHRA points meets and maybe the IHRA regional meets will be the only places I'll take this car. It'll likely never venture more than a state away from home.

I really wish I had taken more time up at the Nationals this year and searched Matayas and yourself out and introduced myself. The information I've gotten from you, Mark, Bob Shaw and Dwight Southerland and I'll add Ron Seibenek and Art Leong also, has been invaluable. Just need to get off my dead a%& and get the car done.

I apologize for hijacking Joe's thread. We are trading some of the same information and building a form of the same vehicle, just different bodies.

[Joe Toller]

No worries, we're in the same boat. My worry is I am doing this on such a tight budget that if my particular combo gets hit I may be in trouble. I know I could do much more on my build, but that means either it sits longer while I save up, and then get zero track time, or I do the minimum now, and upgrade as I can, and I at least see the track. Waiting for it to thaw out with little to do is my enemy right now...going stir crazy, wondering what will happen, overthinking things, etc...

[bob3240]

Fear not 302 guys. The way the AHFS is set up a car that gets hit will still be 1 second under or faster after the horsepower is added.Whereas an overrated car will only be .65 under at best; that's where the gifts stop.

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by bob^3240

Fear not 302 guys. The way the AHFS is set up a car that gets hit will still be 1 second under or faster after the horsepower is added.Whereas an overrated car will only be .65 under at best; that's where the gifts stop.

At the current level. Even if the combo gets wacked, there's still a little left in the tank. Plus there are still different years to move around. It will take awhile to legislate the cars out of existence.

I'm with Billy, need to look at other 2 barrel combos. I already have a friend that has asked me about a 318 Mopar for his 71 Dart. Told him I'd look at the options and see where a "best fit" for the car might be. Which might entail changing sheet metal, he's onboard with that. Told him we need to sit down and build the various combos on paper first.

[Joe Toller]

Awhile back, I did score a particular carb and intake combo for a not as controversial "dime" Ford, just in case