Derby Cars

[Angus Cattle Shower]

Anyone do demolition derby's? My brother and I are getting our cars ready. Today is the two week to derby mark. Any tips on building the cars? I learned last year that you need to move your tranny lines, and I'll be making another direct linkage shifter. Two beams, fan pulled, 31's all the way around the car, bending the frame in the trunk and I know to use my corners. Anyone have any advice and/or stories?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

You should do pretty good as you have been training for this for years.

Be careful you know your injury prone. :roll:

 

[per]

Keep your body parts inside the car as the derby is no place for pedestrians.

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

BMR, I haven't crashed anything this year, that was 2010

I heard today someone stripped down a 69 impala two door for the derby... I nearly filled my shorts. It's one thing to put in an '82 delta 88 4 door, but a 69 Impala... :cry2:

 

[Hayguy]

that's bad, almost like calling a '66 corvette an old chevy. had a '68 SS 427 impala once, doing that to a 69 is just bad :cry2: :cry2:

 

[per]

that's bad, almost like calling a '66 corvette an old chevy. had a '68 SS 427 impala once, doing that to a 69 is just bad :cry2: :cry2:

My midlife crisis might just require one of those old muscle cars.

 

[Hayguy]

that's bad, almost like calling a '66 corvette an old chevy. had a '68 SS 427 impala once, doing that to a 69 is just bad :cry2: :cry2:

My midlife crisis might just require one of those old muscle cars.

that new hemi not quite the same?

 

[per]

that's bad, almost like calling a '66 corvette an old chevy. had a '68 SS 427 impala once, doing that to a 69 is just bad :cry2: :cry2:

My midlife crisis might just require one of those old muscle cars.

that new hemi not quite the same?

It's OK but a 426 hemi in a Roadrunner might be a little more fun.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Am I to old to have a "Mid life " crisis? :?

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

Im too young to have a mid life crisis, but im trying to buy myself a late 70's trans am. Now that would be a car.

 

[loomixguy]

For Smokey & the Bandit, maybe the late 70's TA would work.

I'd just as soon have a car like one of my high school buddies had.....a 1970 Z28 Camaro. That thing would run over 150mph, and smoked a Vette on more than one occasion. It had one of the last high compression engines, and was a bona fide ticket machine.

I had a '66 442 for a short time that would give a good account of itself, too.



ACS...if you REALLY want a derby mow-chine, get an old Imperial, if they are legal up there.

 

[Denny]

Make sure to bolt your sub frame up through the floor of the car and put some bigger pieces of sheet metal as washers on the floor pan. We also run ready rod up through the frame and the trunk lid as you crush your car keep tightening the bolts if you can after your heat's. Direct shifter,tranny lines, if your distributor is on the rear of the engine make sure to cut out the fire wall or else it will get broken.Weld up your spider gears,we only ran cryslers and would crank up the torsion bars all the way.I'd move my hood forward and bend it down and bolt it to the front bumper. wire the ignition on switches on the dash one for the points one for the ignition.I would'nt run anything but a crysler or a Chevy wagon. No matter what you run make sure it runs good I've seen alot of guys come with a rough running car they don't last very long and it's expensive just as well have one that runs good and has some power to put on a show.I get the itch if I go watch but it goes away when I can sleep that same night without pain. I always wore a backbrace and a neck brace I'd sugest you do that also.And learn to sandbag for awhile don't hit other cars very hard little love taps every 30 seconds gets you to the winners circle. The guys who win have cars built to win but they also have enough sense to conserve their cars until they need them. Another thing weld two pieces of rod in a V shape around your valve stems.Put tubes in your tires. etc etc etc. You can tie up alot of money and time in derby cars

 

[Hayguy]

Make sure to bolt your sub frame up through the floor of the car and put some bigger pieces of sheet metal as washers on the floor pan. We also run ready rod up through the frame and the trunk lid as you crush your car keep tightening the bolts if you can after your heat's. Direct shifter,tranny lines, if your distributor is on the rear of the engine make sure to cut out the fire wall or else it will get broken.Weld up your spider gears,we only ran cryslers and would crank up the torsion bars all the way.I'd move my hood forward and bend it down and bolt it to the front bumper. wire the ignition on switches on the dash one for the points one for the ignition.I would'nt run anything but a crysler or a Chevy wagon. No matter what you run make sure it runs good I've seen alot of guys come with a rough running car they don't last very long and it's expensive just as well have one that runs good and has some power to put on a show.I get the itch if I go watch but it goes away when I can sleep that same night without pain. I always wore a backbrace and a neck brace I'd sugest you do that also.And learn to sandbag for awhile don't hit other cars very hard little love taps every 30 seconds gets you to the winners circle. The guys who win have cars built to win but they also have enough sense to conserve their cars until they need them. Another thing weld two pieces of rod in a V shape around your valve stems.Put tubes in your tires. etc etc etc. You can tie up alot of money and time in derby cars

sounds like you graduated from the school of hard knock's :lol: :lol:

 

[Denny]

Make sure to bolt your sub frame up through the floor of the car and put some bigger pieces of sheet metal as washers on the floor pan. We also run ready rod up through the frame and the trunk lid as you crush your car keep tightening the bolts if you can after your heat's. Direct shifter,tranny lines, if your distributor is on the rear of the engine make sure to cut out the fire wall or else it will get broken.Weld up your spider gears,we only ran cryslers and would crank up the torsion bars all the way.I'd move my hood forward and bend it down and bolt it to the front bumper. wire the ignition on switches on the dash one for the points one for the ignition.I would'nt run anything but a crysler or a Chevy wagon. No matter what you run make sure it runs good I've seen alot of guys come with a rough running car they don't last very long and it's expensive just as well have one that runs good and has some power to put on a show.I get the itch if I go watch but it goes away when I can sleep that same night without pain. I always wore a backbrace and a neck brace I'd sugest you do that also.And learn to sandbag for awhile don't hit other cars very hard little love taps every 30 seconds gets you to the winners circle. The guys who win have cars built to win but they also have enough sense to conserve their cars until they need them. Another thing weld two pieces of rod in a V shape around your valve stems.Put tubes in your tires. etc etc etc. You can tie up alot of money and time in derby cars

sounds like you graduated from the school of hard knock's :lol: :lol:

Yes I have. I'd jump in one anytime if I did'nt have to spend the money. a $1000 in a derby car is what you'll spend if you do it right and you'll have a 100 hours in it also. I only ever ran in the heavy modified classes.

I buddied up with a guy one time and the 1st chance he got he took me out. That was his mistake the next derby he wanted to buddy with two of us we said (SURE) we'd take turns holding him while the other pummeled his car needless to say his fresh car was totaled and he never asked again.

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

Thanks Denny!

I've got an 82 Delta 88, ran the same car last year. They hold up pretty good just have to remember to use your corners and trunk. I like going for the wheels, it's a dirty move but when you've got a newer car then most you've gotta do what you've gotta do. Looking into an old Polara for a derby later on in the summer. I'm painting this one like a trans am and calling it the Delta Fire Pelican. Sheldon's got a 79 cougar and called it cougar bait