Building a Drag Truck, what to do, help me guys,,,

[Gary C]

I am very pleased with all the upgrades done to my 2001. 5 by DD but I want to build another truck for drags, so please help.



My thoughts, it has to be an auto(Bill K. you are on a mission) should it be a short wheel base with standard cab? Extended cab with short or long bed? Dually? What year? 12v or 24v?



It will have a four link.



Want it to be stock appearing, that is half the fun, IT HAS TO BE BARELY STREETABLE.



Just want to thank everyone in advance.



Tonto



BTW, we are looking at 750 hp to start with on #2, no drugs.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

gary



i have thought about this also. imo you need a tube frame and then put what ever body you want on it. scrap the dana 70 for a ford 9inch. if you could get the truck to weigh under 4k you would be set. 750 hp. you will have to have a good running p pump to do that.



goodluck it sounds like fun.



jim

 

[Todd T]

half ton 2WD regular cab Long bed and go to town



a little frame flex, is good for the posture.

 

[Gary C]

What about a Pro Stock truck or a Nascar truck or better yet, a funny car???????????????



Rollers are about 10 to 14k used.





hmmmmmmmm



I guess we wouldn't be talking about a streetable deal.



Well I talked my friend in canada and talked some sense into me, looks like a stock truck with some mods.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

gary



that's the problem i was having with a drag truck. a new body style 2 wheel drive is going to cost around 12-15k. then you figure another 8k- 10k for motor and chasis work. i can buy a 9 second drag car for 20k. but it's not as cool as a smoker runnin down the track.



jim

 

[HVAC]

Tonto, you got the bug real bad don'tchya?



I bet your just recovering from all the sun last Saturday



I don't believe your going to get to 750 hp with just #2. Trying to get close is going to mean a lotta lotta heat. I think a guy is better off with LPG and Nos since they don't add the extreme heat that #2 does.



Tonto's sidekick

 

[JR2]

What ever happened to the group of guys that was going to try to break the land speed record for a diesel pickup???



That might be a fun thing to do with your dragster... .

 

[Ram4Sam]

$$$$$$$$$

Gary, what is the budget?



A short bed might be hard to find that is both a diesel and a decent price.



You could always try and find a sb gasser truck with a blown engine and/or trans and gut it, sell off the good parts. Get a trans from Bill. Call Currie Enterprises, they do rear ends for all the high horsepower off road trucks. Or talk to one of the Nascar rearend suppliers.



Are you going to use a properly valved motor or an undervalved one?



I'm not sure if the frame on a 1/2 ton truck is different than a s/b diesel truck. if a gasser frame is different and too wimpy, you could roll cage it and strenghten it up.



It's a start.



Sam

 

[Ramafid]

I would go the 2wd standard cab shortbed route. The least amount of weight as possible. I don't think a ford 9" rear is going to come close to holding the torque of the Cummins. Ford uses a 10. 25" inch rear and Dodge uses a 10. 5" rear as minimums. I'm not sure what that setup would weigh but if you could keep the weight to 5400 and made 550 hp you would be looking at approx. a 12. 5 et. Good luck!

 

[R.Brooks]

Smokin Dragster!

There are Fiberglass bodies available that would help this project immensly!!! Tube Chassis, 1500 front suspension, Ford 9" or Dana 60, (Lightened, braced, etc) 4 Link with coilovers all the way around. I don't know how much the Cummins weighs, but I believe that we could build a streetable tube chassis fiberglass body truck sans motor that would weigh around 3000. Just happen to know a chassis builder that would be interested in helping you with this project! (See sig)



Rodney

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

a ford 9" should take everything you can through at it. in a high 7 second race car that lives near lives a 9". he's making around 1100hp on the motor and uses a 500hp tune up. his car weighs 3500# .



the reason for the big rearends in our trucks is for load carrying. i hope the drag truck isn't going to tow also.



jim

 

[Gary C]

Thanks for all the help, I am looking for a gas truck to strip and cage.



Does anyone know if the gassers have less of a frame under them?



Calling a guy tonite about a price on a full cage and 4 link.



This WILL NOT be a tow rig.



I am on a budget.

 

[drawson]

Rear end Dragster

I have thought long and hard about doing a rear engine dragster. It is probibly a couple of years out for me doing this(maybe more if the stock market keep diving )



I think 750 is possible if you can rev it to 5200 and use water injection to cool the EGTs.

 

[MY6EATSV8'S]

std cab long bed 4x4 3/4 ton

good luck

 

[Gary C]

Diesel Dragster

 

[Sled Puller]

If you get the suspension set up to hook, with enough tire, no way is a 9 inch Ford or even a Dana 70 going to take it.



It will twist the yoke right off.

If the tires spin, they would last, but that is not what you want on a drag car. . Remember, we are talking over a 1000 pounds of torque here,not just hp. . JMHO.





Reg cab long bed, 12 valve auto. It will have a Dana 70, and when it breaks, swap in the 80, or something with enough yoke.



Should be able to find one under 10,000. Kondolay trans, and Piers fuel system would be a good start.





The LSR died from lack of interest/funds.



Gene

 

[drawson]

Gene, a race set up 9" ford Rear end will take any thing that can be given it. My 71 mustang has a top alcohol 9" center section that is larger than the Dana 80s.



The hardest part will be getting traction with all of the torque, Top fuel dragsters and funnys slip the clutches 300 feet or so and if 750 HP is attained the torque output will be close to that of a top fuel car.

 

[R.Brooks]

I am sure that a properly built 9" will hold. I use a Dana 60 myself, and have over 2000hp, and around 1700 ft/lbs tq. Either rear, properly equipped will take it.



Why not start with a 1500 shorty truck? Cheaper to buy, lighter, etc. . Beef up the front springs for the weight of the Cummins that you purchase elsewhere. When you have the cage and 4 link installed, be sure to do front and rear "kickers" to stiffen the chassis. That would seem to be a better answer to me. If your local chassis shop has not done much with trucks, please contact me. At Performance Unlimited we deal primarily with mud and drag race vehicles, and have the knowledge to design a truck chassis that will work. What works in a low profile car, will not neccesarily work in a truck.



Rodney

 

[EOliver]

RBrooks,



I didn't know you were on this list... this is so weird. You are the owner of Performance Unlimited? I was just looking at Performance Unlimited's Bullet Proof Steering system for my Jeep TJ. Looks like the ultimate setup for me, I need to get rid of that damn bump steer. Got a special deal for your fellow TDR members??? Your prices are actually very reasonable. Hope to be doing business with you soon.



P. S. It looks like one of those Missle Proof Ford 9" axles would hold up to a Beefy Cummins

 

[R.Brooks]

UH OH!! Looks like there is more then 1 Performance Unlimited! My Performance Unlimited is a custom racecar / chassis business in Vermont. We primarily build mud race and drag race cars. I am not familiar with the OTHER Performance Unlimited. (Just checked out their site though, looks like some good stuff!) Sorry i can't help on that one.



Rodney