Dragfreak Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) Some may remember my post a while back about when I finally was able to afford a 1971 vega panel express tube chassis drag car. From there, I continued to work and save to buy things like a distributor, waterpump, oil pan, little nickle and dime things I needed before I could drop the small block chevy my dad helped me put together in the car. It took us two weeks to get it running and driving in the race car. It's nothing special, just a 357 out of a 360 sprint car, it has iron heads, 12:1 compression, and makes about 600 to the flex plate, it's backed up to a TCI super street fighter turbo 350 and 3500 stall continental converter. By the time I got my car together, there was only 3 races left in the season. By the last race after some fine tuning and hiccups that slowed us down, I was racing in the high school class running 11.20's at 120 mph against kids in their Hondas or mom and dads Jeep Liberty running 17's at 80 mph. Bracket racing against a car 6 seconds or so slower than you is a learning curve especially when you're running them down and meeting them around the finish line moving 40 miles per hour faster! I ended up going going rounds and winning the whole event my third race out in a brand new car running low 11's! To top it off, I cut a perfect light ( reaction time of .000 ) and my worst reaction time of the night was .054. I'm rather proud of myself having not drag raced in two years and only making a total of 9 passes in the car total before that race. Being successful in the car after all the hard work I put in to buy the car and everything else I needed to get it back on the track after sitting for 3 years, really feels good. The car still has some issues, mainly the engine has a really weak bottom end so its a ticking time bomb, I need new slicks, and a higher stalling converter. My goal for the winter is to buy a short block and throw a bigger solid roller cam in it, put my heads, intake, and carb on it, and have a bullet proof motor to get me in the 10's. I really have to give a big thanks to my dad, he has been here helping me along every step of the way, if it wasn't for him getting me hooked up with a friend who has some parts I need for cheap and even being there standing behind the car every pass I make I wouldn't be here right now talking about this. Anyways, here's some pictures of the car (Click on the pictures to make them bigger) Edited October 10, 2014 by Dragfreak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 That is way cool! You even got the trophy and the chick in the end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Congrats. It sounds like your having fun. That's a good thing. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt LeBlanc Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Congrat's!!!!Your hooked forever!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o-man Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Congrats. It sounds like your having fun. That's a good thing. Scott X2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltsr Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 X2! x3 - you must be over the moon - well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berr13 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Take a bow, my friend, take a bow. Very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragfreak Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Everybody who has commented, Thank you! I cannot describe how proud of my self I am in words, to look back and see how I saved every dime and worked my a$$ off to buy the car and to build the engine and such to have what I have is just amazing. Your normal 15 year old can't say that he has a race car that he put together buying everything himself and did all the work on running low 11's in the 1/4 mile. I can say that, and I know how hard you have to work, and I know what its like to work towards something you want and not just get it handed to you. All in all, I'm happy with what I've accomplished Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W. Verts Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 That's FINE right there! Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 You are doing great I'd love to be your age and have a race vega like that. Best part imho is the fact your dad has been supporting your (addiction lol) the whole way. You have every right to be proud I am 36 and have raced at BIR and never pulled a perfect light. Not to mention I haven't hit 120 in a 1/4 mile but I only have raced an 87 Camaro, 70 roadrunner, 85 monte and a few other classic full body cars at show and go races. No tube chassis for me. I did get in trouble once in the roadrunner for breaking out and being faster then the safety equipment I had on the car at the time. Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Congrats Jason. Great accomplishment for a young man and you worked for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 most excellent sir! jb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixx Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Woohoo!!!!!!! Right on Jason!!!!!! Congrats man!!!! Wicked wagon too!! Keep kicking butt bro!!!!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Way cool!!!! Congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpletcher55 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 that,s cool ,like your car vega,s are cool little cars .i use,s to race back in the day a tubbed out pro street falcon [65 ] and a 68 ss/rs camaro ,the falcon ran mid 9,s and the camaro high 9,s both on pump gas , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemodeler Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 It feels so much better when you can proudly say "I did it myself" than "My dad bought this". You will go far in life if your work attitude stays the same, and I am sure you will do well with your racing career too! Thanks for sharing and best of luck next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagedragcrazy Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 congratulations jason for a 15 year old to do what you have done is awsome and i'll bet you also have one proud pop he should be strutting around say that's my boy over there. vince Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragfreak Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 Thank you Dale! Dave, My dad has been supporting me and my racing addiction since I started racing outlaw go karts at age 4, it's all his fault! Thank you Carl, I am overjoyed with accomplishment Thank you William! Derrick, I hope this is just the start of my success Thank you Fabrizio Blair, they sound like they were pretty wicked cars, especially to be running 9's on pump gas! Much appreciated Mike, not only can I thank him for supporting my racing, I really have to give him the credit for my work ethic and drive! Vince, I think my dad is extremely proud of me, I've worked very hard to try to do so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Great job Jason . You have a long life to race and you are off to a great start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragfreak Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 Great job Jason . You have a long life to race and you are off to a great start. Thank you Andy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kron Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 That's great! The Vega is a good looking car and with a good engine / drivetrain / chassis combo it runs very consistent ETs. I bet that you'll be a nightmare for other High School Racers in their regular cars. It's very hard to run bracket against a car that runs much faster, I ran against an eight second car with the Stock Eliminator Chevelle last summer. It was really hard to slow down just enough but not too much. And when the speed difference is even bigger (as in your case), it's even harder. So you're doing a really great job. I know how hard it is to build that kind of a car... We just brought home a project car for me, 1960 Impala. It needs some work and new spare parts so I must work hard to get the money, too. Plus that my Impala will be much cheaper to build than your Vega, as it will be just a street car. So I can imagine how hard it is to build a car like that at this age. Keep it going and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robberbaron Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Jason, very impressive! Nice to see all your hard work pay off, and the fact that you've worked, earned, and bought it for yourself makes all the difference. Your also very fortunate to have a father that's involved and that you share a common interest with. Keep up the hard work and the positive attitude - it will serve you well throughout life. That's one of the keys of the American dream: instead of waiting to have something handed to you, go out and earn it and get it for yourself. Really wish we could get more young people with your work ethic. Keep us posted how things are going. (Oh yeah - cute girl, too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartpix Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 A big thumbs up, Jason. It's not easy to be the quick car & wait. It takes a cool head & you pulled it off. All that hard work paid off. I'm impressed. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragfreak Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) Niko, it is quite hard having to wait, as much as I want to run in our tracks high school class, if I were to transfer over to the 'Hot Rod' class I'd be racing adults running in cars ranging from low 9's to 12's so it would be much closer racing. It's just up in the air right now, who knows what ill end up doing, but I have all off season to figure It out Robert, You couldn't be more right, most of my peers expect things to be handed to them, kids are jealous of my car and think its not fair I have something they don't. The reality of it is that they just expect their parents to buy them a cool car, pay for their gas, their insurance, and the usual maintenance without them having to lift a finger, I bought my race car and now I've sold the little chevy luv I had to work towards getting a 3/4 ton truck and flatbed trailer so I can tow my car to and from the track without my dad having to drive his truck and use his trailer which cost money. Kids these days are best described as lazy. Jeff, thank you, if I continue to race in the high school class, it is something I'll really have to get used to, the fastest car out there besides me is still only running 16's. I have a buyer on the line of my other vega panel I am forced to sell as I'm in dire need of some funds, if It does sell for what I'm asking for ($4500), then that should put me closer to buying a 427 small block that a friend may let go to me pretty cheaply. If I were to get it, it would get me running 9.90's or so. I would no longer be able to run in high school as I cant legally run faster than 11.00, and I'd have to get my NHRA license to run faster than 10.00. that being said, I may set a throttle stop where it would only receive about 3/4 throttle and still run low 10's. Edited October 17, 2014 by Dragfreak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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