Keith Richards

Spent this weekend changing motors in my 9 second tube chassis '70 Dodge Challenger R/T, former motor was a 501" 14.2/1 compression and ran a best of 9.04 built around an aftermarket iron block and Indy cylinder heads. New motor is a pump gas 11.0/1 compression 572" but also weighs in a around 100#'s less (World aluminum block) so looking forward to see what it does.







Last year we won our 2nd super pro track championship st Sonoma Raceway (formerly Sears Point or Infineon) and am currently in 1st this year thus far so a bit of a gamble but had this motor built last year and wit 400 plus passes on the 501" and having a converter take a powder at the last race thought I would change it all out, a bit of TNT in the next few weeks before our next 2 point race and we will see how it goes................

C5 Pete

Aluminum blocks are nice. You'll have a bit of suspension dialing in, I'm sure...

Congrats on the championships. Good luck with the new build.

Are you planning on running a vacuum pump?

Keith Richards

No vacuum pump, the breathers on the front of the valve covers are capped off underneath and the back breathers go to evac tubes on the headers.

99ZX9R

Best of luck with the new build. I'm curious to see what a bunch more cubes offset by lower c/r and some weight savings will get you.

Do you have any concerns with pump gas quality and consistency? I know in this area fuel additives are changed in the summer. And the carb in my last pump gas motor was ruined by the alcohol in the fuel.

Congrats on your 2nd track championship. Love to see door cars getting it done in super.

Keith Richards

I run 4 gallons of Chevron 91 to 1 gallon of Sonoco 114 and did that with a 501" pump gas motor 2 years ago and never had any issues fuel wise. That motor with these same heads ran 9.60 in 90 degree heat through bullet mufflers, the best I have done with the 14.2/1 compression motor that just came out which is 505" was a 9.04. My best guess is that they will be fairly equal but 100#'s lighter and a bunch more low end torque so am anxious. I sold the 501" pump gas motor 2 years ago to finance the new block and rotating assembly for this new engine. I am also thinking playing with my stop and hopefully doing some 9.90 or 10.90 racing later this year in addition to just brackets.

Just for fun here is a video I made from 2010 when the 501" pump gas motor was in the car and I did some work for Dodge, it sounded pretty nasty........... for 10.5/1 anyway, the end of the video is my favorite part when I got paid extra for a burnout as many of the photo staff never had been around a car like this.

C5 Pete

"Yeah, it's got a Hemi, but I pull it with a Chevy"... lol

Keith Richards

Took me a minute to figure that out LOL, The production company used there dually to get it to the track as at the time they didn't want Dodge to see my truck or me associated with it since they were renting it from me for the shoot. They wanted a black car and were going to photoshop my car black with that maroon / gold truck pulling it but decided that day they would make the photshop the truck black instead since my car is an original color from back in the day "Hemi Orange"

Here is the 2 page pic ad they ran for over a year in quite a few magazines.

99ZX9R

I've seen that pic. Had to be in either Hot Rod or National Dragster.

Keith Richards

IT'S ALIVE!, click on the pictures for video..........

C5 Pete

What a beast!

Keith Richards

Well TNT went well Friday night given the conditions with virtually no track prep, 60' times were slow and I know there is just a bit more left. Here is the best and last pass of the night with a safe tune for the Chevron 91 pump gas, 9.20 @ 144 with a 5/100 off 60'. Ready for 2 back to back 2 day race weekends.

Fuzzy Dice

Congrats on the new motor...great looking car too...I run pump gas in my BBC junk as well...