I never got my Merit badge. WTF?

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
RIP

Can you go a day without talking about ED.

quote:

Originally posted by RacerVX54:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
RIP

Can you go a day without talking about ED.

If he can go a day without proving like with this thread, he's a know nothing poser.

Maybe

Ah yes. Another reminder as to exactly why bracket racing even exists. You only need to spend what you want to spend. Otherwise, why do we lose when we go too fast? Take care. Tom Worthington

1320Racer great job on the 6.90s and sorry about my numbers. I dont know what I was thinkin except for maybe 4.30s and just typed in 7.30. Nice piece for sure and depending on driver weight has to be somewhere in the 1150+ range for sure. You are correct in my opinion as to having time and tools as to building an all new engine. To baby sit all the processes (pistons for the chamber of the heads,valve clearance but not too much,deck height,bushed lifter bores,line hone,valve spring,push rod length,on and on)takes alot of time. If someone is working 40-50 hr. a week thats where it might be better to have it down for them. If I lost all my equipment and (or down sized to condo) I would certainly have to have someone else do for me. APD is east of me about 45 min. and John would be my go to as we go back 25 years and I trust his talent and attention to detail like he was my twin brother. If I was in Florida, in a condo (no equipment) I would have no problem looking up MIKE REITOW as I think he would pay attention to details and do me good. But as to alot of racers as you say 1320racer it might and just maybe in their best intrest to order and pick it up when done. People can justify $5500 worth of new wheels and tires on their ride but bulk at the labor to assemble the thing that makes those tires turn. Hammertime is about 1.5 hrs north west of me and he also has experience and pays attention to detail and has tried and owned alot of big h/p motors. On another note it will be interesting to see in the next five years what happens with the prochargers as they make big h/p and are getting extremly reliable and consistant.

So if someone chooses to build their own engines, and they have no business staging their car, does that mean that about 75-80% of the bracket racers out there shouldn't be racing? Stupid statement if you ask me.

to each their own

I built all my stuff including machining the heads. I do not own a machine shop either, rather borrowed.

My peers highly respect that fact.

It is (or was?) respectable to build your own stuff regardless of what the moron says. But he's better than you/I--which is an attitude that is cancerous to this entire forum. I've been all over this country and haven't seen this guy race yet. Maybe I ain't been to the right track. But as big as his mouth is, I haven't seen anything actually back it up. I don't care how fast someone is as long as they can get to the finish line first w/o breakout. Is that not what this site is about? Or are we comparing the size like teenagers?

Awesome 1st post, clearly a hater registered under a different user name and you obviously ain’t been anywhere other than your local duck pond.

quote:

Originally posted by SLICKSTER:
1320Racer great job on the 6.90s and sorry about my numbers. I dont know what I was thinkin except for maybe 4.30s and just typed in 7.30. Nice piece for sure and depending on driver weight has to be somewhere in the 1150+ range for sure.

I figure 1280HP, dyno’d well over 1300.

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
So if someone chooses to build their own engines, and they have no business staging their car, does that mean that about 75-80% of the bracket racers out there shouldn't be racing? Stupid statement if you ask me.

Mark...

1. That is not what I said. What I said is if you can’t afford $950 to have your engine assembled by a professional you have no business staging your car because....

You can’t afford to fix it when you blow it up. and

2. It’s the year 2021, 75-80% and probably more have professionals build their engines. $950 is the equivalent of pennies in this sport.

Just wanted to mention why I built my race engines.
1- I found it satisfying to specify the parts and machinist directions and have the tools and skill to verify and assemble. I took credit when the work paid off, but also eliminated the stress when mistakes are made. It was always on me.
2- I totally dislike dependence and I was always first in line to work on my junk.
Just my 2 cents and certainly not for most.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:



Mark...

1. That is not what I said. What I said is if you can’t afford $950 to have your engine assembled by a professional you have no business staging your car because....

You can’t afford to fix it when you blow it up. and

2. It’s the year 2021, 75-80% and probably more have professionals build their engines. $950 is the equivalent of pennies in this sport.

I know you'll be sure and make me sorry for doing so , but I have got to call you out on that estimate. 75-80% of today's bracket racers have their engines professionally built? Maybe 75-80% of professional bracket racers have their engines professionally built . And obviously, professional bracket racers are not in the majority.

Yes, this is just an opinion, as is yours. Tough to pin down absolute facts on something like this. It comes down more to personal experience, and I have never and likely will never enter one of these truly big dollar events where I suspect the percentage of professional built everything is much higher than at small $40ish entry fee events. Take care. Tom Worthington

quote:

Originally posted by adv ET 266:
Just wanted to mention why I built my race engines.
1- I found it satisfying to specify the parts and machinist directions and have the tools and skill to verify and assemble. I took credit when the work paid off, but also eliminated the stress when mistakes are made. It was always on me.
2- I totally dislike dependence and I was always first in line to work on my junk.
Just my 2 cents and certainly not for most.

I like owning most of the responsibility too. Respect to you sir.

406 sbc TT
1.04
4.450
6.96/194

quote:

Originally posted by Bucky:

I like owning most of the responsibility too. Respect to you sir.

406 sbc TT
1.04
4.450
6.96/194

Does that 406 sbc TT indicate you are running twin turbos? Take care. Tom Worthington

I have a question....

WHY PAY SOMEONE $1000 TO DO SOMETHING YOU CAN DO YOURSELF?
Those that can DO, those that can't WRITE A CHECK
Neither one is wrong or right

I designed and assembled all of my own engines until I moved to Florida. After a year or so I needed a new engine and didn't know anybody. So I called R&M and got a 502. Then it was back to rolling my own for a 468 and a 540.

When I needed to freshen the 540 I realized with all the construction around here I couldn't keep things as clean as I Like.

As Kevin Willis was doing my machine work, he got the nod. I still specify parts and goals. I'm happy with him but, like all guys that are good builders he has a long list of other clients. With this latest ClusterFowlk regarding my lifter problem I had considered doing my own again if I had succeeded in wasting the engine. I checked R&M and they had nothing in stock that would fit my needs.

We're all here trying to go fast. How we get there probably doesn't matter much. I spend the money because I can. I humbly understand not everyone can do that.

I can assemble anything however I don't assemble racing engines for a living . It cost too much to buy parts , time to assemble , get to the racetrack , make a pass to check it ...etc... My money is better spent paying a professional and having it dynoed and my time and money is saved in the long run . Sunset Racing Engines and Joe Jolley suit me very well .

EXACTLY!

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:



Mark...

1. That is not what I said. What I said is if you can’t afford $950 to have your engine assembled by a professional you have no business staging your car because....

You can’t afford to fix it when you blow it up. and

2. It’s the year 2021, 75-80% and probably more have professionals build their engines. $950 is the equivalent of pennies in this sport.

I know you'll be sure and make me sorry for doing so , but I have got to call you out on that estimate. 75-80% of today's bracket racers have their engines professionally built? Maybe 75-80% of professional bracket racers have their engines professionally built . And obviously, professional bracket racers are not in the majority.

Yes, this is just an opinion, as is yours. Tough to pin down absolute facts on something like this. It comes down more to personal experience, and I have never and likely will never enter one of these truly big dollar events where I suspect the percentage of professional built everything is much higher than at small $40ish entry fee events. Take care. Tom Worthington

Tom i can only think of a handful of guys that i know that actually build there own stuff anymore. I think Ed is pretty close on numbers of guys who builds there stuff..

quote:

Originally posted by 68TSCAMARO:
I can assemble anything however I don't assemble racing engines for a living . It cost too much to buy parts , time to assemble , get to the racetrack , make a pass to check it ...etc... My money is better spent paying a professional and having it dynoed and my time and money is saved in the long run . Sunset Racing Engines and Joe Jolley suit me very well .

Dead on i don't have the time or the will to build my junk. Dyno to engine bay no testing to worry about.

quote:

Originally posted by RacerVX54:

Tom i can only think of a handful of guys that i know that actually build there own stuff anymore. I think Ed is pretty close on numbers of guys who builds there stuff..

Heck, if I'd have been smart enough and quick enough, I'd have bought that 396 you had for sale several years back. Who built that one? Take care. Tom Worthington