good, i'm not tring to take personal bashes, i like a good solid arguement everyonce and awhile!! lol the simple fact that all americans can argue about in they're cars defence is "ohh i have TQ" well wooopty doo. a 800hp 2j still has 700ftlbs of tq. i mean, the nice puch in the back boost creates is just as good, and no stupid squeeks and rattles from a crappy chassis to deal with!!! my ideal POS desighned american car has to be the 93 and up Camaro/firechicken. i mean come on, have you ever sat in one of these things? i'm been in 80's hyundai's with better build quality. look at ponticraps line up, the only 2 cars worth a dam they don't even build. the GTO and Matrix. i kow the motors are good, but i mean come on how long has chevy been building v8's? i give them credit for getting one thing right. i really don't have alot of gripes with ford except for the fact that they build their cars absolutely to hard to work on or service. last time i checked you could make a mustang handle well too, mine would just be a 2.3 turbo coupe.

 

Hold on a second. How did the SVO get in the list? The SVO is absolutely EVERYTHING you bashed US cars for doing wrong. Same engineering as any other 80's mustang with a low reving, completely cast iron 4-cylinder motor engineered in the 70's with a 7.5" 4-link (on the later models) solid axle and the usual 80's Ford engineering quirks.

Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved my SVO, but it is essentially no different than a base model 4-banger Mustang with a turbo and some minor suspension upgrades. Why does this, in your mind, make the SVO an exception to any other Mustang?

 

First of all I don't doubt the ingenuity of people working on TopFuel dragsters. Honestly a lot of the great minds have left the sport because of NHRA's habit of banning some of the greatest ideas. The first guy who comes to mind is Bob Norwood, then ther was a guy in the 60's and 70's from the Kissimmee area who built some really interesting wheel driven rocket powered machines.

Also, not one of the top level rearends came from ford. They may share their architecture with something ford designed 40 yrs ago, but but a Strange Engineering titanium rear axle with a Lokar spool and all Strange axles, gears etc. IS NOT a 'Ford' 9inch, just like the "Mopar" engines they use... I chanllenge anyone to find a single Chrysler piece on one of those motors....

It truly wouldn't surprise me if what I'm talking about is actually banned, but you guys are really demonstrating a huge inability to think outside the box. You think IRS is always wide???? It's doesnt have to be:



And that setup could easily be narrowed another 12 inches or more, plus it's in the back of a tiny 510.

Anyway's a DeDion is what I would really use for a drag car, seriously go look it up, It can be bolted in as a 4-link, it can be as narrow as you want. Like I said the point is to isolate drivetrain torque, IRS and DeDion do this because the diff and the engine are mounted to the same piece (body).

DeDion setup with a normal TopFuel type diff, narrowed to just the housing around the carrier, and some Tatra halfshafts.....

 

True but it is still the same basic design.

 

http://www.montanabros.com/ray-vetteunder.jpg if the pic does not show.

This is a pro mod 59 corvette. Notice that the tires/wheels are ALOT wider than the picture you posted and that the rearend is alot more narrow. There is barely room for the 4 link and shocks. This setup is light weight, simple and effective.


http://www.montanabros.com/john10.jpg if the pic does not show.
This is a more street oriented (ie pro street) Nova. Again, another good shot of how little room there is for all of that extra complication.

 

Here's another one than from factory can handle easily over 1000HP BMW M5 from e34 3.8liter straight six, as a matter of fact the stock crank and block can handle close to 2000 HP from factory, how many mustangs or vettes can say the same, wait I know NONE. This arguement is done the fact is that going straight is mostly done by solid axles and actual racing (road racing, scca, drifting etc) is better of with IRS. Mustang with a solid rear axle is not competitive at the track against corvettes. Name one V-8 pushrod engine that you can rev higher than 9k. I guess what Bill is trying to say is that HP per Liter in Japanese or Europian engine is not even comparable to American pushrods. When 4.6L V-8 pushrod engine makes 215HP and 2L S2000 engine makes 244HP see the difference. name any japanes engine that makes under 50HP per liter from the factory.

 

[QUOTE=Fordified]
I live in the US, where we have to get our kicks 1320 feet at a time. [QUOTE]

hahahah, welcome to the forum- Vin Diesel - "I live my life 1/4 mile at a time"

sorry i just HAD to say it. lol. but on topic, i say if you can MAKE IT WORK go with it. seriously, there is always a better way to do something and until its proven no one accepts it. why not make a giant go cart style drag car with no susp at all? haha. ok im gonna go back to my hole

 

you guys hate and hate and hate on pushrods, that's fine, BUT.


have you looked at the physical dimensions of a 4.6L cobra motor dohc , and a 5.7L LS1 ? the pushrods allow the cylinder heads to be MUCH, MUCH smaller. a phsyiscally smaller engine that can sit very low and very far back and be easier to work on.

just my .02. each one has its goods and bads. moving to general car chat.

 

DOHC doesn't have pusrods. Cams sit on top of the head.
Name one pushrod engine modified or not that can rev higher than 9k one thats all I need.
As far as cost I can get you M5 drivetrain complete for $4000. Tranny is good for over 1000hp from factory as well as the differential. so only thing you need is clutch which I can get you for $700. Turbo setup probably around 4-5 g's drop this into 2002i and you'll be dropping 7s. times.
How much will it cost to build 7s. mustang?