building a 1992 Ford explorer Bracket machine!!

[Ben Harper]

well i ran across a good deal on a 1992 ford explorer the other day, I bring it home today. gonna strip it out and make a bracket racer out of it. I have both a 351w (carbed) and a 86 shortblock 302 from a mustang (roller block). I'll build the engine out of one of these and throw in a C-4...my question is this the thing weights 4163 curb weight, how low of weight can I get it down too??? Can I get it to #3200???
Ben

[Stephen]

well i ran across a good deal on a 1992 ford explorer the other day, I bring it home today. gonna strip it out and make a bracket racer out of it. I have both a 351w (carbed) and a 86 shortblock 302 from a mustang (roller block). I'll build the engine out of one of these and throw in a C-4...my question is this the thing weights 4163 curb weight, how low of weight can I get it down too??? Can I get it to #3200???
Bennice Ben, I have a fast 97 superchargerd explorer

[Ben Harper]

i probably wont supercharge this one, but I may install some nitrous on it to play with some of the shevy blazers lol

I'm basically building it so my children can enjoy going to the track, and so they can get the thrill of racing in their blood! :-D
Ben

[qwikhuh]

Sounds like a good way to spend money you could be using on your F/S ride :)

[Ben Harper]

well lets put it this way....my children can't travel with me everytime....when I do NMRA factory stock stuff.........(to expensive) so...I'll invest a little in a bracket SUV....and take them locally to have fun. I'll keep on investing in my FS car, that won't change. Now if sponsors come onboard...the FS car will thrive. If not then I'll work my budget as I have in the past, and continue to improve upon it.

I have a buddy who's ran a bracket car at 3800 lbs..(crazy aint it lol).....for over 15 years on the same engine. He finally broke a crank shaft dampner snout and stripped the crank bolt out. He's also ran the same transmission for the last 8 years......sounds like a cheap alternative to play around with. And plus I have nearly all the parts to put the bracket ride together. Its all about consistancy......not how fast it will go. I plan on making it go fairly quick, then just keep it running...thats my main goal.
a 3000 to 3200 lb SUV with a good set of tires, gears, exhaust..(remember I dont have to have limitation rules on tires, cam, heads, intake etc etc. so it will be EASY to run high 7's to low 8's in the 1/8 mile with it. The trans can be rebuilt for less than $250......the engine can be replaced with an used explorer V-8 for less than $500 ......the most expensive thing will be the cylinder heads...and I already have those and a ton of left over mustang parts to use....
Ben

[DynoJoe]

I'm diggin what your doin with the Explorer, I bet you can shave a alot of weight of that thing. My daughter is a speed junkie and when she's a little older I wanna build her a JR.

[Ben Harper]

I hope to get the Xplorer down to around 3000-3200 lbs. I think that weight can be reached easily with the exterior staying exactly as it came from the factory....appearance wise. It won't take much to get it to hook...if a mustang can hook with a radial tire...the X should hook hard with a little weight transfer and a small slick. I may actually go oversized on the tires a bit just for extra insurance.

consist's is the key. I want to run 7.99 or faster and it stay together for at least one to two seasons!
Ben

[Ben Harper]

Here is a picture of my "bracket SUV" project....
power will be by EFI 302 engine, trans will be a automatic C-4 with reverse manual valve body, rear gears will be 4:10's or 4.30's (maybe more). weight to be determined. (hopefully around #3200 lbs).

http://www.geocities.com/xtremben/bracketsuv/DSC06196.JPG

[5.0_RAY]

Sounds like quite a project there! I'm building a fairmont wagon to do a little bracket racing with instead of using my daily driver.

Only problem I'd see with using an Exploder is all the air you are going to be pushing at the finish line, and little change in the wind speed/direction is going to have a larger effect than it will on a smaller vehicle which will be a disadvantage. But, if you are mostly running 1/8th mile tracks, it shouldn't be too bad.

Good luck with it, and keep us updated!

[Ben Harper]

Only problem I'd see with using an Exploder is all the air you are going to be pushing at the finish line, and little change in the wind speed/direction is going to have a larger effect than it will on a smaller vehicle which will be a disadvantage. But, if you are mostly running 1/8th mile tracks, it shouldn't be too bad.

thanks,
i agree it isnt the most aero thing ever built. But really it would push no more than a pickup truck with a camper. There are several trucks in NMRA tough truck (full size) that run well in the 1/4.....and plus our track is only 600ft long...not the normal 660ft of most 1/8 miles. If I can get it to run 7.99 I'll be happy for a start. If I luck up and am able to purchase a good set of cylinder heads for it...then I believe 7's wont be to far out of reach. Especially with a good cam.
Ben

[5.0_RAY]

I'm a firm believer in building something different, so you have all my support in your project. Normally for bracket racing though, you want to minimize anything that could change your dial from round to round, and pushing less wind would help that out considerably.

That being said, I'm building a station wagon with a roof rack at the moment for my new bracket car, so even I don't listen to my own advice. :-D

[Ben Harper]

lol.... hey its all in fun anyway. I remember an older guy telling me to make sure everything was the same...temp of engine, tire pressure, launch rpm, shift rpm, burnout, 60ft, everything...he even used a garden sprayer with cool water in it to cool his car down. Then he warmed it up thru burnout, and stageing to the exact temp as the run before..(i.e. digital temp gauge) so remember that it could help your wagon. (the digital temp gauge that is).

I'm leaving the roof rack too. lol I just want it to be consistant...if it runs 8.00's then it just does, ...I'll keep diggin. I love to try and figure out how to get the last little bit of power out of my combo, and all that but the way i exicute it will be the low budget way. ITs the only way I can race. so whichever is cheaper ....thats the fun way lol
Ben

[5.0_RAY]

I'd hang out with that guy and get some tips if I was at that track! :-D

I've been racing a couple of years now, and you can def tell every little thing can change from run to run. Biggest thing (as long as you have tration) is engine temp. A change in 10-20 degrees will change my car over a tenth, and you need to be able to be withing a hundreth or two to win consistently. Good luck with it, and let us know how it turns out.

Here are some pics from my weekend racing.

http://www.erikandersondesigns.com/images/2006/052806-MemorialDayAtMokan/Sportsman/index.html

I'm in car 199 and my daughter is in 1981. We faced off in the finals Sat, and she red lit, and I got runner up on Sunday as well. Pretty good weekend for the Ray household! :-D

[Ben Harper]

awsome job! working on this bracket suv today...pics to follow!
Ben

[Quick88Tbird]

Sounds like a really fun project...I think the hardest thing you'll encounter will be getting the weight down to what you want...keep in mind you're adding a little extra weight with a larger engine. If you can tolerate it, I would take out the radio/speakers/and related wiring, HVAC controls and related equipment, and as much carpeting/sound deadening material you can. I'm assuming that you plan on taking the kids with you in the Xploder...so you'll need your back seats unless you don't mind them sitting on milk-crates...lol.

Good luck!

-Don

[Ben Harper]

i have another explorer to pull the 92 with (which already has a V-8) and 3.73 gears...so no problem there. The heater/ac, radio stuff's speakers, everything that isnt needed will be gone. I promise you...(all) that it will be a lot lighter than you will believe when I get thru. I am maybe not the master of weight reduction on a race car but....close ;) . I will remove everything not nessary to race with. However the outside will remain "stock appearing" the windows will be tinted "limosined out" so other than the drivers (race seat) I dont care for any interior...that will all be deleted. If the lightweight interior panels don't weight much they will also be retained as will the main carpet (if light enough). The rest will be removed. It doesn't have to be the fastest thing in the south....just consistant. So with that in mind...I'll be plugging away at it as time/money permits until I get er done. Pics to follow.

[Ben Harper]

today I removed the seats front drivers side with console -50 lbs, charcoal canister other under hood items -11 lbs, battery -45 lbs, spare tire/heater blower motor -59 lbs, passenger side seat and rear seats total weight -100lbs...currently the weight is down to 3938 lbs.....only 738 lbs to go to projected weight.
Ben

[Quick88Tbird]

You only need 1 light front/rear for night racing right? lol...more weight! Sounds like you're off to a good start, I'd love to see some pics as you work through the project. I wonder how it will look with Draglites and slicks/skinnies lol...keep us posted, please!

Good luck,
Don

[Ben Harper]

Sounds like you're off to a good start, I'd love to see some pics as you work through the project.

thanks!

yep only one taillight required. I'll probably keep the taillights in place but I may remove the headlights and do covers in place of those.

I have a set of BFG' Drag radials on the way. 275-50-15's. Hopefully I'll be able to get a set of draglites for it soon (skinnies for front). I can't hardly wait for the wheels up launch....hopefully I'll have someone there snapping pictures...

the fun part is gonna be when the crowd first see's it pulling into the staging lanes...their reaction, then the reaction during and after the burnout. Then of course the reactions when it makes it's first good pass...on a little gas! :)

not sure the offset will be right but hopefully the offset is the same or close on a mustang wheel. the bolt pattern (or so I'm told is for a 5 lug mustang) so hopefully I can find a set of cheap used drag lite wheels for the front! and maybe some for the rear as well.


IF anyone runs across a set or has a set PM me!
thanks
Ben

[Quick88Tbird]

I noticed you said you were going with EFI? That might prove to be much more expensive and complex. A nice carb, 150 shot, and some 4.88's would get ya there quick.

[Ben Harper]

true! Carbed would be easier and less expensive in most cases...but. I have a left over bunch of mustang parts, EFI complete bumper to bumper harness (i may not use all of it, just the EFi engine control parts.) I'll have a lot of figureing out to do, but it should be pretty simple, Plus I have mass air meter, tb, injectors, fuel pressure regulator, injector rails, dist, etc etc.
muffers:
I also have laying around a pair of dyno max super turbo mufflers, which I probably will run.
X- pipe:
I want to build an X pipe (custom and probably home made), and dump it out the mufflers.
computer:
I do however have to figure out which computer I can run. I know I could run a 9AL but if possible I may run a computer from a 94-95 or even an explorer OBD II if I can figure it all out.
fuel pump/tank:
Of course it will have an intank mustang style fuel pump, the lines may be a little trouble but if they are I'll run new stainless tubing (i use to be an instrument fitter, so bending new line won't be a problem.
rear end:
i'll probably stick with a 4:10 gear in case I decide to run it quarter mile in NMRA or FFW events.

like i say...there are many things to figure out. I do know for one I will stay with EFI fuel injection..and later upgrade all the go fast components of it. injectors, mass air meter, tb, etc etc. pretty much anyone can run a carb...I just want to build this one EFI from the start.

i'll get started more on it this weekend..and I'll keep you all posted with pics as I go alone.
Ben

[Quick88Tbird]

Yeah, sounds like you have the bases covered pretty well...Having all those EFI parts around will cut down cost significantly. I have dynomax super-turbo's on my and they sound awesome...I think you'll be happy with the sound. I am incredibly interested with the weight shaving...lol.

Good luck!

Don

[Quick88Tbird]

Any progress over the weekend???:drool:

[Ben Harper]

not really. I did happen to go cave dwelling, beach combing (in gulf shores alabama)with my metal detector, sight seeing at Dauphin Island (fort Gaines), sight seeing at Fort Morgan.

here is a picture of my boys and me at the cave.

http://www.geocities.com/xtremben/Lionsden/bLionsden065.jpg

For more cave pictures go to http://www.geocities.com/xtremben/Lionsden.html

[Quick88Tbird]

Sounds like a fun filled weekend, you're boys look like they don't ever want to leave that cave...lol.