7 Second CJ's

[Nightmist66]

Sorry not FE, but still Ford.

https://youtu.be/nBNilSJseqA

[cjshaker]

Still amazing cars, and just getting faster. But a Turbo 400? 

A couple things about that video that I noticed; the cars basically drive themselves. They look like they are on rails and the driver is just there to stop the car after the run. Kinda boring to watch. And WHAT is with all the people on the starting line?? I counted 22 people just in his lane at the end (counting people in the middle and left wall of his lane), including some lady in shorts just leaning up against the wall. And they were all in front of the burnout! What track allows this?

[machoneman]

Still amazing cars, and just getting faster. But a Turbo 400? 

A couple things about that video that I noticed; the cars basically drive themselves. They look like they are on rails and the driver is just there to stop the car after the run. Kinda boring to watch. And WHAT is with all the people on the starting line?? I counted 22 people just in his lane at the end (counting people in the middle and left wall of his lane), including some lady in shorts just leaning up against the wall. And they were all in front of the burnout! What track allows this?

I'll guess that driving then one is no different than a 'self-driving' auto-equipped Super Gas car or Super Comp dragster. Launch, shift, stop.

[JamesonRacing]

I suspect it looks a little boring to drive when you get it all dialed in correctly and there's no drama.  If they weren't so well prepared, they could be a really entertaining trip down the track!

[machoneman]

Forgot to add this above.

I do remember buying and reading an old Super Stock and Drag Illustrated mag long ago now. On the cover was Dyno Don's Pro Stock Mustang with that wild and very tall Fomula 1 scoop at Atco or some other East Coast strip. He had turned that night the first 7.99 e.t. in a not legal for Pro Stock setup. Believe it was the very rare all-aluminum 351C based 400+ CID engine.

Found a pic. It was at Englishtown in match race trim:

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/unseen-vintage-photos-from-the-life-of-dyno-don-nicholson/

Think about that: a otherwise NHRA legal Pro car (with a 351 cid engine) at legal weight for the era would have lost a race to a factory supplied 2018-2019 Cobra Jet Mustang! 

Amazing...................

[Katz427]

Dyno Don's car that night was first door slammer in the 7's , but we were told a 429 with aluminum wedge CJ heads. Dyno probably had more than 429 cubic inches, ( everyone else did) .

[machoneman]

Dyno Don's car that night was first door slammer in the 7's , but we were told a 429 with aluminum wedge CJ heads. Dyno probably had more than 429 cubic inches, ( everyone else did) .

Yah know, you may be right!

He had been running, at first, the all-aluminum 351C based block in match race trim only as it was not allowed at the time in NHRA rules. In IIRC a SS&DI magazine article , Don was depicted holding an empty aluminum 351C block at waist level in the pic to show how light it was (98lbs. IIRC). 

But, I now also remember a a 385-based match race engine using a Can-Am aluminum block as well.

Not sure now and I cannot find any reference a to which engine series set the 7 second record.

Edit: Found it! It was a 385 series big block per this article.

http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/news/3770-dyno-don-nicholson-15-mmps-all-time