Fast Wagons! Circle your wagons here

Whatcha building? Anybody race their wagons?

I'm new here and asked in the newbies area if there is a performance area so i started this thread at CatModelT's request.

I have two wagons, both are street cars.

First one is a 1966 Nova Wagon, twin turbo, drag radial car. Just got it going this summer and have only been to the track a few times, lots left in it. best run so far was 8.20's at 173mph. Have a few changes to make (including a wheelie bar so it doesn't drag the bumper) and i hope to run it in Vegas mid november in the psca.

My "slow wagon" as i call it is a 1963 nova wagon, daily driver in the summer. 235 drag radial is all I can fit. Haven't made any full passes down the track as i don't want to put a cage in it. But i might have to. Small block made 842hp on pump gas, put a fogger on it last week and made some test launches at the track. Tracks are closed for the season as of last week.

Interested to hear what's out there - wagons are great cars for drag cars and super sleeper street cars!

 

Good luck on this thread. If everyone is asleep bump it back up now and then by posting something here. My wagon probably is just a little slower so the race is off!
Still my grocery getter gets me to the grocery stores here in Floriduuuh! Keeps up with most Kia's and Prius's!
PS Gainesville raceway is just a short drive from home. Been a few fast cars over there.

 

I have been down to Florida/Orlando for the World Street Finals a few times but haven't brought a car down there as it is about 4 days drive to get there.

 

bueller.... bueller...

 

I'm a wannabe - I raced mine for the first time this past fall on an autocross course and fried the wiring harness but it was a blast. I'm going to spend some $ this winter on the engine; new aluminum heads, cam, intake manifold, 4bbl carb. Currently have a stock 302 with 2 bbl carb. As Ricky Bobby said "I wanna go fast!"

 

My wagon is a lame AMC Pacer wagon. I built it 6 years ago,, has 2:87 gear with a spool, so the Salt Flats would be in order for me.
Bone stock 500 cid Cadillac with bop transm. A good street car, kinda heavy at 3600 lbs, but ample torque at 3000 rpms.
My game is: "the element of surprise"

 

nothing lame about a pacer wagon! LOL

Sleepers is where it's at.

Scout, with a big wagon why not go with a bigger engine rather than upgrading the 302 you have?

 

Lump - I've been thinking about that option as well. What would you recommend? My wagon is mid-sized and weighs about 3300 lbs. I have a $5000 budget. OK, who am I kidding? I would like to keep the spend at no more than $5000 for the engine upgrade. I would also like to put a 5 speed trans in it - I want to shift!

 

3300lbs - i'm already jealous. my slow wagon, the 63, was 3590 with driver and a full tank of gas and i just have a small block in it.

Since you are relatively light, it would be a big expense to go big block and change headers etc etc, you might as well stay small block.

I'm no SBF expert, but there is arguably more parts for them than SBCs now, so you have lots of options. i'm also no good at doing things on a budget LOL.

How much power do you want to make?

 

jrwscout: I would look for a late 80s 351 from a police cruiser. Stock, about 215 horse, 390 lb/ft at 2200. With an Edelbrock Performer intake and carb, the numbers are better yet. With overdrive behind it, you'll be astounded at the highway fuel mileage, too. It is a combo that makes a big, old wagon an economical proposition. The 351 also has but a 50 pound weight penalty over the 302.

 

yeah you better listen to Mike and not me... i was already thinking 604 BBF with twin turbos lol 5 grand per cylinder LOL

 

The fleet 351W only made 180hp @3600 and 285 ft-lbs @2400. Stock compression ratio is 8.3:1 thanks to some of the worst heads ever produced. I wouldn't throw one away if I had it, but I wouldn't plan on just slapping one in a car and calling it done. I've got D0 heads, and Edelbrock RPM intake, a vac secondary Holley 650, and a mild cam in mine and it woke it up a little. I honestly didn't notice that much difference in highway mileage between the 2.73's and the 3.55's. Pretty much around 14 to 16mpg on a good day.

 

8.3:1 ewww I wouldn't run less than 9.5:1 in a turbocharged application and less than 11.5:1 on a pump gas street car...

With some decent heads and compression - how much power can a mild 351 produce? 350? 400hp? Either way, a mild 351 will be way more fun to drive than if you spent a bunch of money upgrading your 302.

 

I don't know what was up with the American 351s! The Canadian 351 in my 89 Grand Marquis was 215 horse, 390 lb/ft, with the factory 2bbl VV carb. With the performance ratio of 2.73 and limited slip, it was sub-7 seconds 0-60, and returned 40 miles to the Imperial gallon, or about 33 or 34 to the U.S. gallon. All on regular gas, by the way. It was still doing that when it was totalled at 302,000 kms, or 185,000 miles. With an Edelbrock Performer intake and 1401 square bore 4 bbl, the numbers climb further.

 

In case anyone is doubting those fuel mileage figures, the car had a 70 litre (18 U.S. gallon) tank. I regularly drove almost 900 kms (550 miles), and my fill ups were about 16 U.S. gallons. That is a bit over 34 mpg (American). On a trip to Florida, slogging through snow and ice, I left Toronto with a full tank. Topped up in Toledo, Ohio, and then in Atlanta, Georgia and Orlando, Florida. Less than 3 tanks, and as I said, slogging through some pretty rotten weather on the way.