By the way, I've always been a fan of altereds. A guy i knew raced one. It was quick, but he said it could be handful. Another fella i hung with raced an alcohol dragster in the AHRA, East coast. Damn near sent him to the poor house, and he had disposable income.
frenchyd said:In reply to 03Panther :
I'm sorry you're so negative about this. I am looking for more. Not just I can't do it!
When I first started working with Hilborn Injection, it was a steep learning curve. My only prior experience was what I saw my neighbors do with their Offenhauser. Yet I had it running on the engine dyno and quickly sorted out to start on the key and pull cleanly to 8300 rpm.
So yes I can learn. Why do you believe I can't?
Your attitude is why, and self explanatory here:
NO ONE told you you can't do it. Just gave advice that it will be a lot more expensive than you continue to brag about planing to do.
I fail to see any relevance to you bragging about Hillborn Injectors, but you seem to start threads just to brag about all the wonderful things you did, back when.
I never said anything about you not being able to learn, so asking me that shows the confrontational attitude that started the downhill slide.
I will try to remember how poor you communicate, but it does get tiring, when almost everything you post goes the same way
TLDR: you asked how much. You did not like the answer, and did your usual. You do not want individual prices, because you plan on using parts you constantly brag about how cheap they are, so you would be disagreeable with whatever anyone told you.
In reply to 03Panther :
Don't get yourself worked up. Relax......Just be entertained. A lot of these posts are:
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:frenchyd said:Nope! I'm hoping to build/ buy a chassis for 1/10th of that.
I don't think you can buy the tube and welding wire for that.
I think we're a little over $300 for the cage in the Jaguar. Jeff's coming over and I'll ask. Jeff TIG welded everything we only just got my MIG welder running a couple of months ago and we haven't started yet on the patches. But I still have a roll or two of wire.
Dirtydog (Forum Supporter) said:Hey Frenchyd, Just for sugar and giggles, check out this site. May give you inspiration, or shudders.
Thank you!! That was exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.
I'm trying to figure out how much of that price is material. And how much is overhead, labor, and profit.
But even if I assume 1/3 material. It's more than I had thought.
Plus obviously that person has done it enough so that he's efficient as heck. Probably running a batch at a time. Everything all set up.
What about a straight front axle gasser build using a cheap 70's or 80's Jag? Like Steve Magnante did with his altered wheelbase Fairmont;
In reply to frenchyd :
Those are you-weld-it kits of basically just cut and bent material only, bought at bulk discounts, and probably CNC cut/bent in batches. The labor per kit is pretty minimal but there would sitll certainly be a bit of overhead and profit in there. I'd be surprised if less than 50% of that is their material cost, an would expect you're probably looking at more like 2/3 of that in straight stick material alone at consumer pricing... Although admittedly that does inclued the 9"axle housing as well, so it might skew things a bit too.
Alternatively, you can buy just the blueprints for $225 and SFI Chassis Spec 2.6C (Front Engine Dragster – 7.50 Seconds & Slower) for another $38, then start adding up the cost of material based on your local steel suppliers full-stick pricing.
It looks like high-teens to mid-20's gets you a complete current FED. Low-mid teens less drivetrain. And mid-high 5-figures for rolling chassis...
This one is probably a good starting point...
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
Great Idea but a Jaguar sedan is extremely heavy. They start out over 4200 pounds and while a lot of that can be removed. Getting it to 2700 pounds is going to require replacing a lot of steel with fiberglass.
I've got a lot of Jaguar XKE molds. And that will get down to about 2000 pounds. But I'll build that for vintage racing group 6.
Driven5 said:In reply to frenchyd :
Those are you-weld-it kits of basically just cut and bent material only, bought at bulk discounts, and probably CNC cut/bent in batches. The labor per kit is pretty minimal but there would sitll certainly be a bit of overhead and profit in there.
Alternatively, you can buy just the blueprints for $225 and SFI Chassis Spec 2.6C (Front Engine Dragster – 7.50 Seconds & Slower) for another $38, then start adding up the cost of material.
It looks like high-teens to mid-20's gets you a complete current FED. Low-mid teens less engine. And mid-high 5-figures for rolling chassis...
This one is probably a good starting point...
Great thoughts. I sure appreciate your input. I'd like to chat a bit further. But it will have to be later.
Thanks very much for your input.
frenchyd said:I think we're a little over $300 for the cage in the Jaguar.
I would start measuring, a dragster (even a stubby FED) is a lot of tube.
In reply to Dirtydog (Forum Supporter) :
I try to remember that, but he traps me quite often. I know he is much smarter than the drivel he posts, but I have some personality faults that cause me to fall for it often. 
In reply to frenchyd :
Something tells me getting an XJ40 standard wheelbase sedan to 3,000 lbs race/street ready wouldn't be nearly as hard as you're making it out to be. But I won't be finding out as it's not really something I'm interested in doing.
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
How streetable? If you want HVAC that's close to 400 pounds. Right there and undercoating is at least 100 pounds. ( ask me how I know) 
Add windows instead of plexiglas and you've added 50 pounds per door.
In reply to Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) :
Driven 5 and Dirty Dog both posted some good information. When I get a chance I can look in their posts and get exact measurements without the guessing.
03Panther said:In reply to Dirtydog (Forum Supporter) :
I try to remember that, but he traps me quite often. I know he is much smarter than the drivel he posts, but I have some personality faults that cause me to fall for it often.
Gotcha
03Panther said:In reply to Dirtydog (Forum Supporter) :
I try to remember that, but he traps me quite often. I know he is much smarter than the drivel he posts, but I have some personality faults that cause me to fall for it often.
What you have to remember is he's been working on the XJS for what two years now? Saying that he's going to the Challenge for 10? Then he has to build his XKE. This build is after that? Angry will finish before this happens. Just ignore him and let him chase his windmills.
In reply to Stampie :
I always remember Ron White: I had the right to remain silent, I just don't have the ability
He has such a rich history; sometimes I think he does all this on purpose, and other time he just seems oblivious.
I KNOW he could build an exelent challenge car. He proved to us he could not do it his way, in current economy. Lots has changed sins his racing days, year he argues with everyone that answers his questions.
I KNOW he can build a rail from scratch, to satisfy his meager goals. Just not as cheap as he wants... at least and not be a death trap.
But he asks, and gets pissy about the answers.
At least we are not muddying up someone else's thread!
I pointed out before. I freely admit I have a problem letting things go, and continue to allow him to bait me Just can't tell if he does it intentionally 
03Panther said:frenchyd said:In reply to 03Panther :
I'm sorry you're so negative about this. I am looking for more. Not just I can't do it!
When I first started working with Hilborn Injection, it was a steep learning curve. My only prior experience was what I saw my neighbors do with their Offenhauser. Yet I had it running on the engine dyno and quickly sorted out to start on the key and pull cleanly to 8300 rpm.
So yes I can learn. Why do you believe I can't?
Your attitude is why, and self explanatory here:
NO ONE told you you can't do it. Just gave advice that it will be a lot more expensive than you continue to brag about planing to do.
I fail to see any relevance to you bragging about Hillborn Injectors, but you seem to start threads just to brag about all the wonderful things you did, back when.I never said anything about you not being able to learn, so asking me that shows the confrontational attitude that started the downhill slide.
I will try to remember how poor you communicate, but it does get tiring, when almost everything you post goes the same wayTLDR: you asked how much. You did not like the answer, and did your usual. You do not want individual prices, because you plan on using parts you constantly brag about how cheap they are, so you would be disagreeable with whatever anyone told you.
Well $20,000 is a silly number. I can buy a pre-bent, notched, kit for as little as $3600. If I'm willing to eliminate the prebending, notching, etc Then all I'm buying is tubing.
I checked with Jeff and we spent somewhere between $300 & $400 building the Jaguar cage. Probably 80-90 feet of DOM tubing. Now we have 15-20 feet left over. Mostly shorter lengths.
Tubing is expensive if you order it retail and then pay shipping to have it delivered.
I buy surplus. We have several places to buy from here in the metro area. They sell steel/ aluminum / Brass etc by the pound. They don't care if it's chrome Molly, DOM or ERW. The price is per pound. Same with Aluminum and Brass etc.
Someone mentioned they are paying $8 a foot for DOM. I'm buying the same thing for around $4 a foot but then we go over and pick it up. Take less than full, odd lengths. We go over with a list of required lengths and take whatever they have that we can get to work. And they charge by the pound.
Perhaps you're starting to understand why I challenge your answers?
But that's not the way you were talking. You sounded like I didn't know anything At least that was my take. I only mentioned my achievements to show you that wasn't the case.
In reply to 03Panther :
In all fairness, the only one who actually seemed to get 'pissy' about anything here was you. Frenchyd continues to take your frequent and generally uncalled for beratement, personal attacks, and rudeness with far more grace than I could have ever mustered. No matter how technically right you might be about something, so long as you choose to direct your attacks at the person rather than the problem and are unwilling to engage in constructive and considerate conversation with somebody, nothing you say regarding them or their endeavors will actually be worth listening to. You've long since past the point where your residual feelings about past disagreements with him has obviously clouded your judgement when reading and responding to his posts in the present, such that your resulting posts are no better (and quite possibly worse) than that which you so loudly proclaim of his.
Much like you said of him, I believe you're capable of better... And hopefully someday soon, I'll get to see it.
In reply to frenchyd :
I mentioned $20k as what I was finding for a used dragster with the 90% of the expenses besides the chassis, already certified.
If you don't think you need gauges or brakes or a rearend or an SFI seat and harnesses or any of that, then of course you can forego it.
But bear in mind, if your goal is 8s, you are not going to be using a junkyard TH400, you need a certified bellhousing (not sure if they allow over-shields anymore). You also, IIRC, need to be certified as a driver.
This is why there are so many stories of modern hypercars getting kicked off of the track for being too fast. Once you get into the single digits it gets a lot more expensive.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Last I looked the "blanket" was legal. But would I even need one on a rear engine dragster?
I've got a Whole shop full of gauges etc. but I don't know what a useable parachute would cost if I go over 150 nor a lot of items. Some of which I have some I'll buy.
This may very well be a pipe dream. As others have pointed out. I have yet the finish the XJS or start on the XKE .
If costs out of hand exceed $3000 I'll give it up. And maybe I should. But so far I think I can do it.
My son in law found a dragster chassis hanging from the rafters of a garage he cleaned out from a repo'd house. When it sat on the floor it broke in half from rust in the tubing. He and I both thought it was junk. Maybe the front and rear axle could have been saved? Steering? It went into the dumpster and I forgot about it. But it's been working on me ever since. 
In reply to Driven5 :
You do have some accurate points there.
I do dislike it when he misquotes me.
And I always try to compliment his past achievements. He ignores that, and...
There are many things I respect about him.
He has, unlike others that have disagreed with me, never descended to the level of cussing at me. Despite the level of agrivation that comes out, I've never cussed at him either. I've mentioned many times I'm sure we'd never have any problems in person
Your probably right that I am now worse.
frenchyd said:If costs out of hand exceed $3000 I'll give it up. And maybe I should. But so far I think I can do it.
You are way over with just the first few pieces of metal and a rear. Maybe if you count investing 3k in 1942 and building it with whats amassed but that seems like cheating.
I'm not a racer, but I've turned wrenches on some pretty fast cars. Back in the mid 1990's a friend of mine had a Fox body Mustang that he put a 454 in. Auto trans, and caged. Second run at Englishtown NJ, he broke into the 9's. Proud moment, got booted because his safety equipment was not legal for 9 second runs. Joe went on to say that Drag Racing is like an earthquake. To go faster (safely), each click on the Richter Scale leads exponentially to the damage to your wallet. Racing is fun, whether involved or watching. But it ain't cheap, no matter how you slice it.
Frenchyd, I say go for it, if you can. But personally, I'd love to see that Jag completed. It's cool in so may ways.
I'm in the shop daily building "stuff" and the price of tubing alone will eat up a big portion of your budget. I just completed 4 cages and buying in bulk(400-500'), 1.5"x0.125 and 1.75"x0.095" DOM was $10/foot delivered to my door. With mounting plates, gussets, wire, rods, tungstens, grinding discs, gas and other consumables, I figure most cages have $1000 in materials alone.
You'll need to log in to post.
