Well, after Bowling Green and watching cars run at BIR, seems the race bug has bit again. This time, I may do something about it. Would a 62 Skylark hardtop make a good candidate for the drags? No real frame, but it is light. I have it sitting out back, so it is a cheap start. No rust and really not worth any money. My plans would be a strong 455 with an auto. trans. Guess it would need the wheel wells opened up too for a good rear. I don't want to start off on the wrong foot. This question is well in advance of me actually spending money on it, so let me hear from you.
John i think you've got a good idea there. i'm thinking of installing a blown 401 in a 63 special. the only drawback to the 62-63 that i can see is that there is no frame like with the 64-72 cars ,so that means some extra fabrication for strength is going to be needed. Bob
John, Its great to hear that someone else other than myself has been bitten by the drag racing bug. If your serious about racing and building the car you have, the first thing you must do is determine your budget. Most of us who have already done what your thinking of doing know to take our budgetted amount and triple it. Then you will be into your race car. It also depends on your mechanical abilities. Do you weld? Do you port cylinder heads? Do you paint car? All of this adds up to some serious $$$$$. If you do know weld, port, or paint them my sugestion is to find a car that has been started and not completed or a car that has already been a race car and may need some updating. You will save THOUSANDS doing this. For example Len Benderbrew has a 68 or 69 Skylark shell that is tubbed with rearend in the car and many other things done to it. He was asking $5900. To do the work that has already been done on that car will cost you $15,000. Its not cheap to build a car that you want to race so I agee you must do your homework in advance. Good Luck
Thanks for the info. I can mig weld rather well. My mechanical knowledge is reasonable and growing evertime I come on here. I do hate body work, but have done some. I swear, I would enter the cheese line before I did body work for a living. Budget is yet to be seen. Depends on how bad I want to run good and not so-so. I might start out with a rather mild car running 11's or 10's. That way I can enjoy racing and learn from my mistakes. So looks like I have 1 saying use the little 62 and one saying not to. What if I took the 62 and put a mildly built Nailhead in it for starters. I do have a couple of 425's. One is 60 over and might run pretty well with some porting, cam and headers. Or, I recently talked to a builder in Kentucky that said he would put me in a nicely prepared 455 for the right amount of money. Decisions?
John, I have been seriously contemplating a bucks down approach to the drags. How about this: Your 62, lightly freshen one of your 425's with an auto trans and about a 2500 stall converter and some gears that put you through the lights around 5000 RPM. This light little car should run high tens or low elevens with the right gearing and cam selection. Sounds like a ton of fun to me. Put whatever kind of chassis strengthening into the car it will need along with an appropriate roll bar and some slicks. You are off and running!
John, the 62 is a light car, but being unibody,no frame, it can be somewhat expensive to hot rod it. I have a 62 specail pro-street car now that was slated for a 535 incher, but I am holding off for the new 573 inch motor. The car has a full tube chassis ubder it. We also built a 62 lark many years ago with a 425. The problems you will run into are the steering box location and the stupid location of the heater box assy. If you want ,go to my site and look at Jim's pictures of my 62 special. Jim Burek www.paeenterprises.com
John, the 62' would be really kool I think but when you start building a chassis for it I am thinking the final money total is gonna be up there. Ask any of the builders on here about building a frame. Jim and Mike at Trishield just did an awesome tube frame car. Jim Burek has his tube 62'. My point is if you are looking to get started on a budget, building a tube frame isn't really logical. Benderbrews lark' is a KILLER deal would get you wayyyyyy ahead in the game right off the bat. The really hard work is done and there is NO way you could copy that for the asking price. Why that car is still available is way beyond me. Also watch the boards for good deals. Thats what I did and it would really surprise some folks if they knew what I actually had in my car. Granted I am just low 11's now(on a good track in good air) but I am looking for some good 10's this summer. If I may be so bold as to offer a couple ideas that I have had lately, maybe you could consider............ Any regal. Find one that has a V6 in it and give a call to Burek about his recent 500 hp 350'' he did for Rob. Motor mounts are there, cars can be lightened up easy. And there is a market for fiberglass body parts there. Or......perhaps a Monza. I have one sitting im my back yard now that I plan on doing the rear work too. And its is sitting with a V6 in it now. Meaning the motor mounts are there, once again, for a Buick 350''. But that is gonna mean building the back half to live in it too. Meaning more $$$ . But in the end, it'll be a really light car. Just a couple ideas I have had lately. And both are 350''s. I was more than impressed with the 350 JB did and it really got me wheels a turning. Not as powerful as a 455'' but they are quite a bit lighter. And your aiming at a lighter car soooooo o No: . Light weight car is free HP I have always been told. Just some ideas to feed your need for speed,lol. later...................
John, You seem to be getting some differing opinions on what you should do. Its always easy to spend someone elses $$$ and say build the 62. Typically to back half a car is $5000. You will need to do more than just back half it so you can start with a 10,000 bill. Then add at minimum a $5000 engine to get you into the 10s. Guys... building a race car is serious $$$$$. I would ask a guy like Jim Burek how much did it cost him to build his 62? Also ask guys like Gary Kubisch who built his own car along with the help of a friend. Ask him how many hours and how many dollars he has into it. Just food for thought.... Good Luck with your decision!!
Thanks for all the input. More info. than I thought I would gain with this thread. Maybe the 62 is not the way to go. If I do attempt something with it, maybe just a nice running street engine and take it to the track to have some fun for a short while. Here at BIR there are many people racing twice a week. I don't want to take a Buick over there that is not pretty strong and get my lunch eaten on a regular basis. It would be bad for me and Buicks in general. I will consider a possible purchase of a car and chassis in the future, then worry about funding an engine for it. I have several projects that are on the stove cooking right now. Maybe a mild and ugly 62 wouldn't take up too much time, and get me to the track once a week. Staged70Lark, your car was one reason I got this burning desire anyway. Thanks
Benderbrew's car looks nice! Wished it was a little closer to me so I could consider it. Ok, back to the 62. Any opinions on what an old farmer like me with some metal and mig could do to strengthen the underbody and tubbing ideals? With my 60 over bottom end 425 and a nice top side, what do you think this thing could run in the 1/4? Gear, rear and suspension??? If it would not crack the 12's, I don't want to fool with it. Heck, many cars off the street do that now.
I will. Nope, don't have a clue about anthing. Just thought it was cheap and looked wierd. So, I got it.
Cool, I was watching it but was late for the end of the auction. Could be a super rare stage 3 factory piece!
pooods - Your comment about a rather mild car that runs 10's or 11's scares me to death. A 10 or 11 second car is not "mild" and can kill you in a heart beat. If you are a rookie I would start out a lot slower than that and think about a full roll cage and safety equipment first. Just my .02 and good luck. Mike D.
Thanks for the concern. I have had some 12 second vehicles that were awesome at first, but just didn't do it after driving them for a while. My friend has some fast street cars. One is a GN that runs 10.70 on slicks at BIR. It made me weak when I first drove it, but after a few spins in it, I loved it. His wife drives it to get groceries on occasion, so that is why I called it mild. I know that even a 12 second car is not mild, but just used that word directly after seeing the 8 second runs at BG! Now running 8's, that would be fun after getting over the OH S&!T factor! Heck, driving 30 through town can get you killed at the next red light. These narrow mountain roads without guard rails here are worse than some tracks too if you are driving fast. When god wants me, he will take me, I guess.
