Turismo 225

[Rob Simmons]

My church youth group (GodsRods) in McDonough, GA started a project on a 1985 Plymouth Turismo in the Spring of 2003...

The original plan was to lighten it up by gutting the interior and race it in local SCCA races with the original 2.2 N/A engine and automatic....

As we got further into the project and the kids were getting more interested in drag racing, they began to look at the Turismo in a different light. That little 2.2 with no turbo just wasn't exciting enough.

One thing led to another and we decided to do a RWD conversion in order to build a Slant 6 powered drag race car. We had a beat up '73 Duster with a new engine and transmission (See "Rob's '73 Duster. Trying to get involved...) http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5217 and the plan was to race that until the Turismo conversion was complete. Then we'd swap the good engine and transmission into the lighter car.

We found a person willing to help us (Thanks Joel) http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14438 and started the conversion. I bought a Jeg's 8 point roll cage, some 2X3 square stock, and a narrowed 8 3/4 (Thanks Doug) and carted the whole mess up to Joel's place in North Georgia. He worked his magic by installing the roll cage and rear end on A body leaf springs and modifying the front suspension to fit the Slant 6.

Shortly after that, in June 2004, the Army moved me to Germany. So Joel rolled the Turismo over in a corner of his land and threw a tarp over it, saying it would be there when I got back.

Fast forward to July 2005. I'm sitting here in Iraq and I check into the forum one day to find a post from Tom Drake (See "Hey Rob, This would make a cool Slant 6 Car) http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13811 pointing me to a TC3 project for sale that had been converted over to a 360/904. I didn't buy the TC3, but it got me back interested in making some progress on the Turismo. I called Joel and he agreed to continue work on it if I would order the parts.

More to follow...

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

Okay, Joel gave me a list of things to order for the Turismo project. Check out "Drag Car parts choices" http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14441

He sent me some pictures of the work he had already done since I didn't get a chance to see it before I left the states.

It feels good to be making some progress on it again.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

A little update...

Well, I've been taking part in that glorious invention called "On Line Shopping" and having parts sent to Joel's. When he finds the time in between his other projects he'll get around to installing them.

Here's what's sitting in the corner of his shop so far.

Fuel cell with fuel line kit
Battery relocation kit
Wheel tubs
Ladder bar kit

There are a couple other odds and ends I can't remember right now.

When this thing comes together it should be a pretty neat little Slant 6 drag car! I'll be visiting with Joel in May and I'll take some digital pictures to post.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

Well, I wasn't able to make it up to North Georgia while I was "home" on leave like I wanted to. I did talk to Joel on the phone and he assured me that the Turismo is still sitting there under what's left of the tarp and the parts are still sitting in the corner of his shop.

I wound up mailing the ladder bars to him so they could go in the "parts pile".

So, the Duster is still the main GodsRods race car for the time being. We did some upgrades to it for the Slant 6 Points race in Valdosta, GA and got it down to a tire spinning 15.85. Once the smaller, lighter, more aerodynamic Turismo is ready we should have a pretty neat little race car.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

Well, I was updating the Duster thread, so I figured I would give what little there is to update on this one while I was at it.

The Turismo and all the parts are still pretty much where they have been for the last couple years.

Norm Foster went by a couple months ago and said there was still a lump that resembled a car under what's left of the tarp, so hopefully it isn't just a pile of rust by now...

I spoke to Joel on the phone and he is planning on getting out of the Hot Rod business. He just put a roll cage in the Duster I bought from Norm and said he would finish up installing the ladder bars and wheel tubs in the Turismo before he hangs up his welder for good.

I'll update again if anything more changes...

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

It's been almost a year since the last update (which really wasn't an update... )

Frank and Cinda have the "Original GodsRods Duster"
http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5217&sid=f4376a69deed069c4a64524ad1dea02d

They are racing that, so it's now in good hands. They haven't gotten it to go as fast as the 15.85 we ran at Valdosta two years ago, but at least Frank has actually WON A ROUND with it! Something I could never do.

They plan to pick up the white Duster I bought from Norm Foster. (The one he raced before getting his Mitsubishi Challenger) The plan is to swap the engine and transmission from the blue car to the white one.

So the white Duster will become the new "GodsRods Duster" once I get back to the states and pry the keys away from Frank and Cinda
I will start a new thread for that one and plan on calling it "GodsRods Duster II" or something similar. The moderators will likely converse some behiind the scenes on that one

Cinda gets the blue Duster which will be (or already has been ) renamed "Quail Duster" after their poultry and pheasant business.

So, with the Duster(s) taken care of, I have started thinking about "Turismo 225" again. It has now been sitting at Joel's place untouched for over 3 1/2 years! How time flies when you're traveling the world and protecting America from tyranny! (Just kidding )

I call Joel every couple of months and he always assures me that he will get around to installing the ladder bars and tubs. He knows I won't be back for a couple years still, so there is no hurry.

With that part still at a stand still, I have started talking with Gerald Wright about building a drivetrain for it.
http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8866

Gerald does great work and I highly recommend him! He has had my '72 Dart for several months and has been doing some performance and handling upgrades for me. That car is nearing completion (for now ), so I'm setting my sights on getting "Turismo 225" as ready as I can for when I get back.

Gerald's main business is building performance Mopar engines and transmissions. He has built several really impressive stroker motors (both small block and big block), but this will be his first foray into building a complete Slant 6 race engine. He ported the head that is in the blue Duster now and helped us degree the camshaft along with offering tons of advice and guidance along the way. Look for Gerald to become one of the premier Slant 6 engine builders in the near future! He's that good!

I just sent Seymour a letter and warned him that I am aiming to build a car that can unseat him as the A/Gas and/or B/Gas record holder! It will take mid 11's on nothing but motor to make it happen, but I will have the aerodynamic advantage of the Turismo body style to compete against his stylish, but somewhat aerodynamically challenged '62 Valiant. I'm sure he will appreciate the competition.

That's all for now from way over here in Germany!

Tune in again next year for the continuing saga of, "Will Rob ever REALLY build this thing, or not!?"

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Dart270]

Thanks for the update, Rob. I would love to see you and Seymour go heads up in a coupla years! You have your work cut out for you...

Lou

_________________
Return of the 64 Dart. Hang on...

[Rob Simmons]

Hey Lou,

You got that right! I can dream anyway...

I've got some questions for you about angle milling heads and things you've learned about porting Slant 6 heads from Cameron Tilley.

I'll shoot you a PM. Would email be better?

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

Well, it's been over a year since the last update. Once again there is nothing much to update on this one. Joel may have stumbled over the ladder bars and wheel tubs a few times and what was left of that tarp is surely gone by now... "Patina" is really in these days, so more rust is just a bonus I guess. Does patina count on a car built in 1985?...

Gary Bruner is building a race engine that I plan to put in the white Duster (GodsRods II). We're using the new K1 rods and soon to be released 3.504" Wiseco pistons. It should be a pretty good performer.

The engine and tranny from the blue Duster (GodsRods I - Now "Quail Duster) will probably wind up in Turismo 225 or some other car at some point.

Tune in again next year....

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Dart270]

Well, you're making some progress remotely. Keep it up and we'll see you in the burnout box.

Lou

_________________
Return of the 64 Dart. Hang on...

[Rob Simmons]

It seems like every year about this time I start getting "Spring Fever" and begin to think about Slant 6 drag racing (even though I haven't touched a Slant 6 in several years ) In truth, I think about it all the time. It's just this time of year I actually post something (anything) about it

I guess it's reading the posts about the annual banquet and people getting ready for the first race of the year in Vegas...

So, I called Joel the other day to let him know that I would FINALLY be coming back to the states after 6 long years. He said he would fire up his welder and install the ladder bars and wheel tubs in the Turismo once it warms up a little. He also mentioned that he could splash a coat of paint on it if I wanted him to. I'll probably hold off on paint for awhile since I know there will be quite a bit more tinkering needed before it gets close to running.

So, not much to report other than the same thing I've been posting for the last 5+ years, "So, I called Joel..."

But, it gets this thread back up at the top and makes me feel better about being a world away from what I'd rather be doing.

I'll see you all soon...

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

"So, I called Joel... "

I'm beginning to think I will be picking up the Turismo, ladder bars, wheel tubs, etc in pieces rather than put together. We'll see...

I was able to connect to the site and just wanted to post something.

See ya in a couple months.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

So,... I called Joel again...

Frank mentioned the other day that there was quite a bit of conversation at the Knoxville race about the white Duster probably having some significant rust issues after sitting out in the elements in Georgia for the last six years. If the Duster had rust issues, then surely the Turismo had the same or likely worse.

I'm from Arizona where we aren't used to rust issues, so his comments made me a little concerned and let the wind out of my sails a little bit.

I pouted around here for a couple days and then decided to call Joel and ask him if the Turismo and Duster had rusted into piles of unusable muck.

He said they have the normal surface rust you would expect (along with a little mold), but that there is not worrisome rust issues that would give him any pause in using either one as a race car. Granted, he builds Rat Rods for a living, but he made me feel better that the two cars I've been pinning my hopes on these last six years are probably still okay.

I guess I'll find out in a couple months...

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

I'm back in the states now and getting settled in here in Elizabethtown, KY.

I attended the Clay City race this past weekend. What a blast! It brought my "Slanted Addiction" out of remission.

So, I called Joel the other day...

I need to make a trip down there to either help him install the ladder bars and wheel tubs (him directing and me learning), or just pick up all the pieces and find someone else to help me finish it up. He mentioned that he has had some health issues lately and can't do some of the things he used to do.

This one is going to continue being a Loooong Term Project I'm afraid, but I'll keep plugging away at it.

More later.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[Rob Simmons]

I got down to TN this weekend, but not all the way down to GA.

I will try and make a trip down there after the new year to pick up the Turismo along with the various pieces and parts.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...