Thunderbird Ricky Smith Tribute Car

My Thunderbird build. Sorry for the big pics. Should have paint this week

  now whats going in it?   

cool40, the 532 from my old Bird. The old car was 3647# with me in it and this car should be 2300# with me. Same motor ran a best of 6.10@114 in 1/8 and 9.60@140 in the 1/4. So we are going to see what real weight loss is good for. Stay tuned, will have more pics after paint. Steve

Nice project! Keep up with every ounce, a 2300# ride is no easy task.   

cool40 wrote:Nice project! Keep up with every ounce, a 2300# ride is no easy task.   

That's no joke. I saved weight everywhere I could and didn't get there. It was sure worth the effort, though.

That's gonna be a super nice car.  

bigblock t-bird wrote:cool40, the 532 from my old Bird. The old car was 3647# with me in it and this car should be 2300# with me. Same motor ran a best of 6.10@114 in 1/8 and 9.60@140 in the 1/4. So we are going to see what real weight loss is good for. Stay tuned, will have more pics after paint. Steve

Steve if you are ditching 1347lbs, and the combo stays the same, your gonna be in the low 5.20's   

nuts and bolts and seatbelts and fluids and zipties etc etc adds up fast lol.

richter69 wrote:nuts and bolts and seatbelts and fluids and zipties etc etc adds up fast lol.

....and batteries and fire bottles and big manifolds with 2 carbs and 80 lb. crankshafts and block filler..... 

Trying to build it light as possible,chromoly chassis and fiberglass should help and some light weight batteries. Thanks guys it should turn out good. Can't wait for my first pass.

Looks like it's going to be a damn nice ride.     

Is it going to be a NHRA/IHRA 8.50 & slower cert, or a faster SFI full chassis cert (like 25.1, 25.2, or 25.4)?

Looking at some of the build pics if it's going to be one of the SFI certs it might also need 2 extra gussets added (gusset bars #39) since the 6A, 6B, & 6C foot bars are offset. The #39 gussets might/might not be needed with an offset #6 (ABC) foot bars depending on which SFI cert is used, and how much of the OEM body & inner structure is left (roof, rear quarters, rockers, full door jambs), and if the driver & passenger floor is steel & welded in. I have to check but not needing the #39 gussets might also depend on having a steel firewall welded in as well, but I'm not 100% sure.

IIRC all the SFI door car certs do require that at the very least the driver floor has to be steel & welded in.

maverick wrote:

richter69 wrote:nuts and bolts and seatbelts and fluids and zipties etc etc adds up fast lol.

....and batteries and fire bottles and big manifolds with 2 carbs and 80 lb. crankshafts and block filler..... 

and helmets, and fire suits, and shoes, and brakes.....

AZFairlane wrote:

maverick wrote:

richter69 wrote:nuts and bolts and seatbelts and fluids and zipties etc etc adds up fast lol.

....and batteries and fire bottles and big manifolds with 2 carbs and 80 lb. crankshafts and block filler..... 

and helmets, and fire suits, and shoes, and brakes.....

....and overweight drivers....  

maverick wrote:

AZFairlane wrote:

maverick wrote:

richter69 wrote:nuts and bolts and seatbelts and fluids and zipties etc etc adds up fast lol.

....and batteries and fire bottles and big manifolds with 2 carbs and 80 lb. crankshafts and block filler..... 

and helmets, and fire suits, and shoes, and brakes.....

....and overweight drivers....  

HEY!, I resemble that remark!

Yea, me to. 

Looking good, like seeing builds like this. Lightweight, big tire, tube chassis cars are my favorite style of drag car. What are you looking to race, Super Pro, or something quicker like Top Sportsman??

514F-1 I mostly run with www.classicgearjammers.org but I will run my local tracks aswell. Top and super pro are the faster class around here.

Cool deal. What trans do you run? Liberty?

Yes a Liberty with a Ram 10" Billet clutch that Tim Hyatt Racing set up for this car. Not many BBF guys run a stick car with our group. I will get to leave at a much higher RPM than the old car. Can't wait to drop the clutch on this thing. Steve

Cool. Always thought a Liberty would be fun to drive, basically the same trans as a Pro Stock Car Right?

That's right, Limited Z transmission with a first gear 3.14-2.11-1.54-1.21 and 1.1 5th. Gona start with a 5.00 gear for the 1/8 and see where that put's me. Steve

Fast car + 5 speed + 1/8 mi, = busy driver.

I hope so, just row threw the gears. Most of the cars in the gearjammes pull 2nd way before the 60'.

Any updates Steve????

Will bring it home 1-1-15.  Still some work to done. Been working seven 12s and no time for race cars. Looks like your ready to run yours.

ok Steve its 1-1-15 lets see some pictures