1978 F-250 Pro-Stock Sled Puller/Boss 400

[NIsaacs]

Since I didn't pull this year I will share my brothers truck. He has been pulling this truck for 35+ years with a 400m, in one configuration or another, from box stock to Pro-Stock. He lost #7 rod on the first pull of the season this year so he missed most of the pulls. His current engine is 434 with CHI top end, about 600 hp. Keep in mind this class allows 565 cid. 1000+ hp engines. I think we can all relate to being the underdog at some time or another in our quest for fun in motorsports.

This video is in Bozeman, Montana 08/26/17. He pulled to a 4th place finish with a field of 9 trucks, the 10th truck broke down unloading it. If anyone is interested after clicking on the link, click on the uploads of the poster and you can see all 9 videos of his class.

He wants to get back up to the top of his class so he has ordered a 565 from a vendor on this site.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKOqwjdWekg

Nick



 

[blykins]

Nick, I may post some build pictures of the new engine as it progresses.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Sounds good. 

Was just at local fair pulls last Saturday night.  Jr Pro stock Tractor,  modified tractors(jet, multi eng), Modified 4x4 truck, Pro stock tractor, and Pro stock Semi.  They are all fun, but I like the semi's the best(just cause I'm a truck guy).  Of course they are last to pull and makes a long night sitting on those alum bleachers!!!  The competition was tough in Pro stock tractor and Semi.  Just when one would get a good lead, the next would put 5 ft on the last.  Had the crowd going!

Here is a friend that used to run 4x4 truck with 410 ci limit(this is a windsor motor).  The chevy guys just hated him as he would dominate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Oz5Yyt9XE

I used to be see the dyno pulls.  It would to 10K rpm and tip just at 800 hp with single carb.  That motor is now resting in my friends drag car and hope to make some shakedown passes this fall.

[cjshaker]

He wants to get back up to the top of his class so he has ordered a 565 from a vendor on this site.
Nick

FE or 385?

That 10k rpm smallblock sounds wicked!

[cattleFEeder]

That 10k rpm smallblock sounds wicked!
That baby is hitting some high notes, nasty.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Ya.  You should have been in the shop when it was on the dyno!!  That motor was cubic money.  Trick Flow Jr prostock heads.  Titanium rods.  Money no object=anything to beat the chevy boys.  In truck pulling rpm is everything.  The higher you spin it the more wheel speed=more momentum=more distance.

[machoneman]

Ya.  You should have been in the shop when it was on the dyno!!  That motor was cubic money.  Trick Flow Jr prostock heads.  Titanium rods.  Money no object=anything to beat the chevy boys.  In truck pulling rpm is everything.  The higher you spin it the more wheel speed=more momentum=more distance.

Now those are some mighty rare SBF heads! Would love to see a pic or two.

[NIsaacs]

Nick, I may post some build pictures of the new engine as it progresses.

Thanks Brent, I would like that and the dyno sheet when it is done, that would be cool.

CJ, it is a 385, he is blind loyal Ford all the way but not an FE fan, lol

BG, that is one nasty little Windsor, I figured when I watched the video it would bog on the big end but it didn't. Thanks for the post/video.

Nick

[blykins]

He wants to get back up to the top of his class so he has ordered a 565 from a vendor on this site.
Nick

FE or 385?

That 10k rpm smallblock sounds wicked!

385 series....Profiler heads, Oliver rods, Bryant crankshaft, titanium valves, sheet metal intake with two Braswell 1400 cfm Dominators, Jesel rockers, all dry sump, etc. 

[mbrunson427]

Pulling has always been interesting to me. I have a few friends that do it and it seems like they find more performance in unique changes. Example : My one friend took and modeled the frame of his truck in solidworks, found a few places that seemed to be flexing too much, welded some gussets in, apparently made a HUGE improvement.

[BattlestarGalactic]

Now those are some mighty rare SBF heads! Would love to see a pic or two.

When Brian Kungle built a newer version, they sold that motor to a friend that put it in a drag car about 7? yrs ago.  He wanted to get out of racing and my buddy bought the motor last fall.  He got a big pile of parts, including another set of bare heads.  Yes, there were only about a dozen sets of those made back when.  Crazy, tall looking small block head.  Rick Smith used to come around back in the day to the shop I use. 

Here is my only shot at truck pulling.........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z5imOgfVhM

It was a fun run kinda thing during a local truck show.  They put the sled up on the race track and the vintage trucks took a turn at it.  It was a blast, even with the stock, normally aspirated 187 hp the old Mack had back then you could really feel the sled dig in at the end.  My truck pulled as far as friends Small Cam Cummins, so I was happy.  I definitely see the fun in pulling.  Just don't have the funds for another money pit hobby!!  Besides breaking my trailer pulling vehicle is not in my best interest  .  I put a 237(turbocharged) in it a year ago and it has MUCH more gumption then it ever had.   

[machoneman]

Ya.  You should have been in the shop when it was on the dyno!!  That motor was cubic money.  Trick Flow Jr prostock heads.  Titanium rods.  Money no object=anything to beat the chevy boys.  In truck pulling rpm is everything.  The higher you spin it the more wheel speed=more momentum=more distance.

Thanks! Didn't know that rpm is life in truck pulling.

[BattlestarGalactic]

From what little I have learned, that seems to be it for most classes.  Get wheel speed, that translates into momentum for the truck/tractor.  That momentum is what carries the sled down the track.  The faster you get it going, the farther it will go before stopping the vehicle.  All that "Newton's Law" stuff.

If you listen to pullers, they get started, wheels spinning, then once they feel the truck moving, they go WOT.    The more usable RPM you have, the more wheel speed you can carry.  The hard part is making a motor that will turn enough RPM.  They don't really make peak HP at that high rpm, but it lets the truck pull down into the power band at the end of the track when it gets tougher to pull.   I'm sure all the classes have different approaches, but you don't really want to "stall" the tires at the end of the track.

[cjshaker]

It's definitely a balance between wheel speed and grip. Too much grip and parts start flying everywhere!

[BattlestarGalactic]

At 10K rpm........LOTS of things can go wrong........