I am more confused now than before.

[Meteor]

I have been trying to read all the forums and dad gummit I am even more confused on everything.

Car is a 1963 Mercury Meteor, (Intermediate sized) i.e Fairlane chassis.

Still has the original motor and running gear.

Cal I increase brakes? Drum to disk on the front. Small drum 9inch to large drum 11 inch on the rear. Or does this put me in an other class?

Next would be the motor in this care a 260 v-8 was the largest available, can I use a non oem block? i.e Dart block? Fairlane had a HP 289, same block size sbf.

Next can I go from a 2 speed automatic to a 4 speed or even a late model 5 speed?

Last but not lest is the front end suspension on these cars is pretty much unsafe at over 100 mph, I have own  these cars since 1971 and know it inside and out. Can I change the A-arms and the lowers arms or does that put me in another class also??

I could upgrade the front end to a Fatman system for a mid 80-90 Mustang.

Yea lots of questions Iknow.

Thanks John

[jacksoni]

I am not an official so with grain of salt:

You can use any brakes.
You can use aftermarket block as long as basic dimensions are same.
You can have any displacement in that block, just puts you in the appropriate class. A different block puts you in modified rather than production- see "engine swap"
You can use any transmission in any class. There are no transmission rules (other than blankets, shields etc),
You can use any suspension, safe is better. LOL

Good luck, Have fun. Be safe

[4-barrel Mike]

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/bville-cars-1/146-2006.html

Ty Baxter, Baxter Autoparts (a fairly large organization), Portland, Oregon

You might be able to get some info on his car: http://baxterautoparts.com/

Good Luck! 

Mike

[LittleLiner]

First a few questions.  Is the car street registered with all the required street equipment?  If it is you can consider running the Real Street or Super Street categories.

Is your goal to just run or do you specifically want to set a record?  If a record is your goal you need to go to the ECTA website and look through the records for Super Street, Real Street, Production, and Altered for your engine size.  Your 260 cu inch engine fits into the E class.  The 289 or 302 will move you to the D Class.  One other factor is the age of the Meteor.  As a 1963 you will probaly be able to run in the classic category.   Example - the current ECTA record for E/CPRO (Classic Production) is 107.879 

http://www.ecta-lsr.com/RecordsCars2.php

Once you pick a class get a rule book and read it several times.  This will answer many of your questions and will lead you to come up with a few more questions. 

You have a lot of freedom with mods to brakes, suspension, and drive train (even in the production classes)

[mr48chev]

That car has the same basic suspension that the 65/69 or so Mustangs have and a lot of the upgrades for those will work on that car if you do a bit of searching.  If you don't want to cut the car up an do huge changes you might look into that avenue.  There are some brake upgrades using factory pieces that are cost effective too.  I'm not a Post flathead Ford guy so I don't have the info but it should be available on some of the Ford forums.

[Meteor]

Thanks for the help. And as far as cutting the cars suspension up and changing parts, It is not  one of the great classics so to speak.



Its just a 2dr ht., factory bench seats. Yes street legal, In my state I have a lot of leeway for street legal . Like no state inspections of any kind, of course zero emissions.

Our safety inspection was a joke, lights, turn signals and horn, start and stop, wipers. Anyway the state did away with it some years ago.

The 260 being a  beginning of the 302, external block specs are the same, the 260 has 4 inch bores.

Thanks for the help and the wife just said go for it!!!

I love my wife!!!

[Cajun Kid]

Meteor,

I have a custom FatMan front stub and suspension on my Studebaker.
(we built the chassis from scratch once we had the FatMan stuff on site, my opinion it is a good way to go for your car)
It is very good, easy to install and works great.  Mine has the S.S.  A arms and coilovers.

Good luck with your build.

Charles

[Meteor]

m going to go with the strut front end, due to the way the midsize fairlanes were desgined.
http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=37
Keeps the body correctly stressed as factory designed. Build some subframe connectors, since this is a unibody car. Then with the roll cage it should be more than stiff enough to handle what I need to do.

Odering the rule book this week, then will figure out how to go with the motor.

Will use a main bearing girdle over four bolt mains, not going to have this one walk and split the block.

I have races 1/8 mile a lot AHRA , dirt track and driven wide open throttle on the Autobahns of Germany, I loved living 20 miles from post and getting there in 12 minutes and that included driving through town.

Nothing like running down the road ! 135 mph and asking the kids to hand you a coke!!! then having your buddy pass you and he was driving a stinking Renault wagon.

Had the opportunity to take a state cop car for a test drive and showed the cops how fast it will run.

So yep I have the speed bug, just this time doing it for a record in this car!

Meet Jimmie Norcross this weekend he runs Bonneville in A Dodge Dakota (red) with a 240 motor and we had a long talk about this.

I dont trip over my pockets and already know "speed cost how fast can you afford to drive" is the motto!

I appreciate any and all help. I do like the idea fo the classic run and at under 108 MPH I think I can do that.

Thx Meteor man.

[Cajun Kid]

Meteor,

That setup is nice.  Fatman's shop is an hour from me, I have seen his fab area and his entire shop and retail area.  Great folks to deal with.  Remember you have a few choices when it comes to brakes.

Have fun, make sure to post a build diary with pictures.

Where do you live ?

Charles

[Meteor]

I live in north Arkansas about an hour south of Branson MO. 3 hours north and west of Little Rock, in the middle of the Ozark Mountains, yea some people say these are not mountains but if you are at the bottom of one of the many three mile grades and having to walk up them, they are mountains.

A diary might be slower than the build and its going to be slow. To much month at the end of the money.

[55chevr]

Very few land speed projects are completed to Charlie's schedule. Most take a year to two or more. I have one in the works for 2 plus with at least another to go. The lack of progress is directly related to cash flow and the damn job getting in the way. Which without there is no cash flow. You are not alone. The build is not the race. Take your time and limit your mistakes. A build diary will help as there are often suggestions from experienced builders that will provide insight.


Joe

[RidgeRunner]

If you haven't made it to Maxton yet it would be well worth the trip if you can in Oct for a recon mission.  It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, if so one trip will be worth a thousand pictures to you.  Unless they are involved in a major thrash on their rig or immediate pre or post run activities most everyone will be friendly and willing to help you with any questions you might have.  Great opportunity to pick brains and borrow tech ideas.  Will save you a lot of unecessary aprehension on some things as you pick up on the more important areas to focus on.  Could even enter the daily driver and make a few easy passes just to get a handle on how things work and a bit of seat time, it's been done before.

                              Ed

[Meteor]

Cannot make Maxton in Oct. Going to Detroit to a seminar, already paid for it. But you know planning!!!!!

Ok have the rule book ordered from SCTA-BNI Hope thats the one I need. I seldom get excited about things. But I wish I had the book now. Its going to be one of those I cannot put down until I have things figured out.

Wife ask me what I was going to do to the car first. and I said Sell the upholstery thats setting in the spare bedroom. OH man did I get a look, you guys know the look.

I will keep it and figure out how to use it when the car is not prepped for racing, yes she wants to drive it to school. Somehow I thin the first burnout in the parking lot will ban her from showing off in front of the kids.
7/8th grade science teacher I told her it could be a great science introduction to the kids.

Air+fuel+heat  horse power x mass = velocity she laughed and said I might have to do a day of classwork with the kids.

LOL

[RidgeRunner]

SCTA book for Bonneville and El Mirage, ECTA book for Maxton, LTA at Loring uses ECTA book.  Books are very similar but there are some differences.  Meet procedures and other relevant info are in the respective books.

              Ed

[Dan Stokes]

Here's the deal on engine swaps.  IF you want to run in production classes the PORT CONFIGURATION must be the same as an engine that might have originally been installed by the factory in that chassis.  For example, my Camaro runs a 250 in-line six.  The stock engine was one of those abortions with the integral intake and exhaust manifolds.  I'm running a '70 250 six with removable manifolds and have installed headers and an Offy 4 barrel intake, both legal.  And the ports are exactly where they were from the factory (same centers, etc.)

Now, I also could run a SBC or a BBC.  I can't run a V6 because the car never came with that port configuration.  Same with an LS - a "modern" SBC but different port configuration.  I'm not up on my BBC aftermarket heads but I'm guessing some of them have had their ports shuffled and may not qualify though some might.

Displacement is pretty strict.  The E/CPRO record mentioned is mine.  If I do a rebuild I can't go more than 0.040" overbore or I'll exceed 260 CI and POOF - I have a "D" motor.  I don't know the exact measurement on the little Ford but there may not be much room there.  On the other hand, Charles' (Cajun Kid) E motor is a destroked SBC and WOULD be legal in my car for E/CPRO.  It's just out of my budget (I lust for his motor!).

Hope this helps.  I'm not the ultimate authority but this is what I've picked up from hangin' around at the track for a few years.  Keith Turk is the guy if you need more specific info.

Dan