31st July 2006 - No updates for a while (and this is brief as were off on holiday in about 30 mins!!) but keeping the car and only spending money as and when I have any spare :-) also may have another engine, which has the potential for an easy 700bhp....should be fun! Also have another TH400 sitting in the garage, which appears to be in very good condition, which I got for a bit of a bargain.
18th February 2006 - Not much to update, most of the engine and drive train has been sold. New rollcage to tag the car to 8.50 spec is being installed, then the rolling shell goes up for sale, along with the remaining engine and Autometer bits.
13th November 2005 - Well, I didn't expect to round the year off in this fashion, or indeed to been writing this. After a considerably crappy year with the car and engine, things have taken a serious turn for the worse at home.
So..... to finish off what has been a very emotional year, everything that I have poorly financed over the last few years is up for sale, from the smallest MSD chip to the complete car, everything is going, as quite honestly I would rather have my wife and kids over a car anyday :-) Check out the Parts for Sale here and on Eurodragster for further details. To everyone who has offered help / guidance / words of wisdom or indeed sold me bits over the last few years, thankyou :-) and see you at the track in 2006..... now who needs someone to crew for them!!
27th August 2005 - Nothing to report, have had a few bad weeks where my hearing decided it didn't want to play ball - so I suffered in silence. Took everything up to Peter Knight and found that while I have bought parts that would spec a brilliant drag engine..... a few miles of road use would kill the valve train - at much cost. Back to the drawing board for me then, another expensive lesson learnt. Haven't seen the car in months - so cant give an update on that either! All in all and few really poor months, where is this year going?
07th June 2005 - Time passes, birthdays come and go, and its been an extremely long time since my last update (for which I apologise). Not much has happened, car is still at Crap, engine bits are at Pete's, I made an ill-fated purchase from Summit (which is costing me dear) and not much else really. Will add further news over the next few days..... so keep checking back - this bit WILL be expanded on, as well as a few items going up for sale!
22nd January 2005 - Wow 3 months have passed since I last updated the site. Looks like we totally forgot how much time a baby takes up, if only he would sleep a little! Car is in the workshop for the final time, engine is having final machining at Peter Knights decided on a line bore after all, and I've managed to strip a TH400 box - putting it together could prove more interesting though. All being well the car should be featured in the next issue of Practical Performance Car as a garage feature, though I cant see a road legal dragster as being practical (apart from blowing the doors off the Max Power boys and gals!). Still acquiring bits ever so slowly - but I can see a glimmer of light at the end of tunnel - its hard to explain how much I really want to get down the track this year, even if it is only a shakedown at a RWYB. I have also added a new section for the motor build and hope to upload a video of the car racing over the next few weeks.
18th October 2004 - Well, the latest addition has landed :-) Taking after his big brother Alfie Douglas arrived on the 02 October weighing in at 9lbs 8! Had a bit of a nightmare money wise, washing machine threw a wobbly, MOT, Tax and car insurance due this month (its been a tad expensive) so sold off all the engine spares 'on mass' for an absolute bargain. On the car front, not much movement - still waiting for progress down at Crap Racing, while on the engine front -I just need to pay the balance and go and collect the bits now - not sure how im going to raise the money though! One bit of good news - the cam I ordered from Summit reached the UK without any problems - so that turned into a bit of a bargain!
09th August 2004 - Only a few weeks to go until the families new arrival, so funds are being diverted from the car fund to the baby fund! (of course). Huge thanks to Peter Knight of knight racing services who recently responded to a wanted add I placed on Eurodragster. This means the original 396 block and heads have been sold, and I have purchased a 454 2 bolt main block. The original '781' open chamber heads and 396 crank are currently residing in Peters workshop awaiting machining & balancing, this all hopefully coming together to make a 427. Also spent way too much money on a new induction system - funnily enough I found a load of Chevy bits at the Mopar Nats of all places!, so I am now the proud owner of a Holley Dominator, which matches the Victor manifold I purchased ages ago. Have also picked up a new set of Weld ProStars to fit the front hubs, just need to get the tyres mounted, then they can be fitted to the car - is this a sign of things slowly coming together? Will I make it to the track in 2005?
30th June 2004 - Well, where to start, spent last weekend at Santa Pod with Colin and Anne-Marie Lazenby and their CCSE 56 Chevy. Much fun was had and a rather steep learning curve for me. A detailed (and rather lengthy!) race overview is available from the Race Reports section. I have also managed to purchase an engine, not the 454 I originally wanted - a 396 to be exact. Only problem now is finding parts - as these aren't as prolific as a 454. Not much more to buy now (famous last words!) - 2005 is looking good for its first run out! Spoke to Kevin earlier, next slot in the workshop is in 4 weeks, so the car should be in for a week - then she comes home. Yippee!!
16th May 2004 - Had my first magazine feature (now available as a Adobe PDF download from the L/H side menu). On the car front have found out the wheels that were originally purchased don't fit the brand new billet hubs, so they are up for sale. Now to raise more funds for a new set of wheels. Otherwise not much has happened, Kev is still busy working away when time allows, so that's much appreciated - and I still appear to be addicted to E-Bay!!
20th March 2004 - Popped down to see the car today, loads of progress made from when I last visited, actually looks like a drag car now, the larger engine really fills the engine bay, shame the headers I took down didn't fit though! It also appears that I need to be a bit more flexible, trying to clamber over roll cages and into a rather tight bucket seat is........ interesting! Have updated the pics section with a few of the ones I took today.
12th March 2004 - No news for a while, mainly due to the cash situation and a change of circumstances at home, looks like a new arrival to the household is due in early September! Should be going down to Uckfield next weekend, all being well the engine and box will be mocked up, and a bit more of the work shall be completed. If everything goes to plan the car should be back around the end of March which will give me time to sort the bodywork out, while I attempt to raise funds for the engine and box. Look out for a pic update over next weekend.
12th January 2004 - Yet more updates! Have re-written a lot of the pages (with help from a few others) along with the addition of a few pics. Its also looking un-likely that I will be out for the first half of the season due to the money situation, at least this gives me the chance to get the exterior and interior to a 'show' condition. If your interested in sponsoring the car I would be more than happy to discuss :-) Ideally I am after someone to help with the cost of an engine and TH400 rebuild, but anything would be considered.
10 January 2004 - Happy New Year everyone. Have added a little more content to the site, along with updating the links section. Anyone who tells you that Drag Racing is cheap is lying :-) Although the car is due to come back from Crap Conversion beginning of February - its unfortunately minus an engine. At the moment I appear to have made a total mess of our finances, and am having one of those 'why did I do this moments' especially with the $ to £ exchange rate as it is currently - to say I am annoyed is an understatement ! Hopefully things will improve soon - either that or I go bankrupt! (literally) eek...
28th December 2003 - currently attempting to raise funds to complete engine purchase, which around Christmas time is not easy, a few weeks ago took a trip up north to see Smax - decided on a rebuilt short block BBC and rectangle port heads, along with a TH400. Have also been collecting various items, rods, sump, crank trigger, inlet manifold & roller cam - so things are starting to come together !!
19th October 2003 - quick update on the comings and goings !! Have decided after many sleepless nights to sell the Rover lump, and go for something with a few more CC's. Though I really should go for a Mopar lump - have decided on a Big Block Chevy and Powerglide setup. Hopefully depending on the spec we settle on it should see me into the Low 10's.... we shall see. Therefore everything I have related to the Rover is now up for sale.
11th September 2003 - slight updates too the site, hopefully the content should increase as soon as I get the HTML to how I like it, car is progressing well - but a lack of cash is slowing progress. Engine, Gearbox and suspension are currently installed (and hopefully staying installed this time) which just leaves the transmission tunnel, rear brakes, exhaust and a few other odds and sods... im sure I have forgotten something though !!
19th July 2003 - As you can see the sites moved along really well..... nearly as well as the car in fact! Between April and now have got married, spent way too much money, and seen my car get taken to pieces, rebuilt and then taken to pieces again. This drag racing malarkey is working out to be VERY expensive. General update to site, new colours and I've started to add more content.
30th April 2003 - Well I've actually got around to starting to put content up, not much at the moment but things should improve soon..... I hope !