Wheelies and A Destroyed Oil Pan Result from First Test of Sick Bastards Racing Mopar – Can the Crew Repair It in Time for the MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge event?
After dipping her toes into the drag racing pool by completing Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes, Sick the Magazine’s own EJ Naegeli will do her second stint of racing behind the wheel at this Saturday’s MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge.
EJ had never made a single pass down the racetrack, nor completed a drag-and-drive event. But that didn’t stop Tom Bailey, EJ and crew from converting an ex-bracket race ’57 Chevy station wagon gasser into a drag-and-drive finisher.
By completing her initiation, Tom signaled that EJ was ready for the next challenge.
A ’65 Belvedere was purchased, then readied to be part of the Grudge Matches to be staged at Roadkill Nights by plucking the existing engine, transmission, fuel system and wiring out if it.
Mopar provided a 797 horsepower-rated Redeye Hemi crate engine, and Billy Briggs upped the ante with a smaller blower pulley, hotter camshaft and upgraded valve springs.
The Sick crew installed it with a Holley ECU and dash to control the functions, while an Aeromotive fuel system and Redhorse Performance hoses and fittings keep a steady supply of E85 fuel pumped to the Gen 3 Hemi. Be Cool whipped up a custom radiator to keep the potent engine cool, and XS Power provided the batteries to give the Hemi its go go juice.
Motion Raceworks got us one of their new Operator shifters to select the gears in the automatic transmission, and several of their signature items were used throughout the build, including their billet catch can.
The suspension was updated with AFCO coil over shocks at all four corners, and fresh Mickey Thompson tires provide the hook.
Summit Racing Equipment Sick Powerfest Presented by M1 Concourse comes to Pontiac, Michigan this Friday - August 11, 2023! For more information, click HERE!
The Belvedere came to life with the Redeye Hemi less than a week to go before Roadkill Nights, but enough time to get it to a chassis dyno, as well as a test session at Milan Dragway Wednesday afternoon.
Before her first pass yesterday, EJ was excited as she suited up to take her place in the revamped Plymouth. “It’s a whole different challenge than the gasser wagon, but I’m ready,” she said.
The first pass was done on minimal timing to allow EJ a chance to shake down the Plymouth, and after reviewing the run on the Holley software, the thumbs up was given to add a little more power to spice things up.
EJ rolled into the beams for her second pass fresh from a smoky burnout, but this time when she released the transbrake, the Belvedere delivered a one-way ticket to wheelie town!
EJ tried to bring it down from the wheelstand softly, but the oil pan got some abuse upon meeting the concrete surface.
Back in the pits, oil pressure was still rock solid despite the oil pan’s recent alteration, so EJ was given the green light for her next pass, and the tune-up was changed to pull out some timing to try and tame the launch a bit.
The third pass found the Plymouth leaving the starting line with the front end staying down, and despite the rear end moving around a little bit, EJ rolled to an early shutoff 6.29 at 91 mph eighth-mile run.
A post run inspection found all to be solid, so a little timing was added back in to try for improved performance on the next run.
The fourth pass would have EJ rolling out of a perfect smoky burnout, stage up and ready for her fourth shot at Milan Dragway. But when EJ let off the transbrake this time, the Belvedere was airborne once again, higher than the first time.
EJ pedaled out of the first wheelie, but when the front end came down, it bounced back into a second, and higher, wheelstand, getting the Belvedere all the way up to scraping the rear bumper.
The front end came down much harder from the second wheelstand, resulting in further damage to the oil pan, a clean-up on aisle one, and ending the night earlier than desired.
UPDATE: A video detailing EJ track’s outing is below:
Can the Sick crew get it fixed in time for Roadkill Nights?
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Massive amounts of smoke will come from the burnout competition, as well as the style and engine-screaming sounds of the drifting competition, with $5000 on the line for each!
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Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com