Hello everyone. I am new to this group but have been following articles for a few years now. My slant six journey is probably similar to most of you. That is long, full of gaps, includes high and lows, love and hate, but ultimately renewed respect and admiration for the venerable hunk of iron.
I won't go into any of the long history, suffice to say I have become deeply interested in these engines since I picked up and restored a 1967 D100 with a 225, of course, and followed that up by building an ""accessory" for the truck. A from scratch, new "retro" digger, sling shot, rail job, call it what you want, front engine dragster powered by a slant six.
It's done and ready to run, but the block and head are bone stock and I am in the process of building a "race motor" to swap in at a later time.
I guess what I am wondering, has the slant six boat sailed? I mean I search forums and articles regarding slant six topics and more offen than not, the articles are, well, OLD! Or event pages haven't been updated in years, or photo albums are 10 or more years old.
I get it, I am no youngster, soon to be 69 (my family thinks I am out of my mind, maybe so) so like any other antique/ collectibles, they have their time and ultimately fade away as those who grew up with them sadly dissappear.
Is the interest still there? Or are we seeing the slow sunset of the slant six?
Please encourage me. Thanks for your thoughts.

Realistically, we probably are. After all, the old girl hasn't been built since 1987, so engines are getting scarce, and new parts are following right along, being as the profitable market is drying up.
That doesn't mean that we have to give up on it. This is our powerplant of choice, and it does have a good history. In case you haven't discovered it, Australia has a current large following, too, and there's aftermarket parts a-plenty available from there.
It's all going to be or already is, a bit more expensive and difficult to keep them going.

I hang around with a small group that pursues brass era cars (1895-1920), and we've got it pretty good, compared to parts supplies for their engines.

Roger

Where are you located? Some of us still are interested in racing for sure. But not nearly as many as even 5 years ago. We will try and have a race in Maryland in May. Probably a race in Kentucky sometime later in the year. Let us know where your at and we will go from there. Love your ride for sure. Post up some pictures.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I have 5 Slant 6 hotrods/racecars/streetcars. I'll be racing/driving and working on these engines til I'm dead. I'm only 54. Where in VA are you located? I'm in Blacksburg.
Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I recently moved to Toano Virginia. I was previously splitting my time between Salem NH and Clemson SC.
I am planning on sticking to 1/8 mile tracks. There were a bunch in South Carolina, not so much around here.
Nearest 1/8 strip is Colonial Beach Dragway/ Custom T's Motorsports Park, Colonial Beach, VA. Next closest is Northeast Dragway, Perquimans NC. I heard that Virginia Motorsports Park (Dinwiddie) also runs 1/8 mile events but don't see that on their website.
Thanks for the replies, I will post photos when I figure out how.

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Occam's Razor applies to mechanical things too.

Well, we would love to have you join us at Mason Dixon Dragway in Hagerstown Maryland. We generally run 1/4 mile there.

Have you raced your dragster yet? How fast did it run?

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

I currently have 6 slant six vehicles. Only my 84 D-100 , and 66 Valiant race car are running at this time. I don't know if I'll ever get them all done, as I'm 84 years old next month.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

I drive a 65 Valiant wagon almost every day in the summer months. It has a warm slant in it. Im 53. I plan on keeping this car slant powered forever.
I had a guy in his 20s call me last weekend asking for slant advise. Sounds like Ill be doing some machine work for him in the next few months.
So it seems there is still at least some interest from the younger folks.

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I make rusty parts go fast. Norm
71 Road Runner
65 Valiant SW
79 Lil Red Express
78 D-300 Club Cab

Mr.Norm, we have a couple others over your way. You should try and come to our race in May at Mason Dixon.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

The dragster has not been to a track yet. I actually have no idea how fast it will be. The last time I took a car down a dragstrip was almost 50 years ago and that car, a 68 Camaro with a junkyard 283, 2bbl ,headers and a Turbo 350 automatic. Did a 16.1 et. I think the dragster will be faster than that. Especially once my "race" motor is done and installed. Maybe you all could give me an idea of how fast it will be in current form, stock top and bottom end of unknown condition (bought on Marketplace, seller said it was recently rebuilt, of course, does run well though.)
Otherwise, I have not weighed it yet but I suspect it could be under 1200 lbs less driver. The rear end is a Dana 44 that I narrowed 18 inches, installed a locker with original 4..27 gears. 29 inch slicks. The transmission is an A904 with a Transgo reprogramming kit. Chrysler factory electronic ignition with a performance module. Offenhauser 4 barrel manifold, and here is a curve ball, a Weber (clone) 38 x 38 DGES carburetor and 16 inch " zoomie" pipes/open headers
It runs and sounds great as is.
So based on all of your collective knowledge and experience, how fast could it be on a 1/8 or 1/4 track in current format?
Thanks again for your thoughts

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Occam's Razor applies to mechanical things too.

Thanks for the invite Rick. I may try to do that. I haven't drag raced anything in over 15 years. Be fun to run the little wagon.
What are your rules regarding scatter shields and flywheels? Mine is all stock stuff. Car might turn a 16 second quarter. Maybe.

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I make rusty parts go fast. Norm
71 Road Runner
65 Valiant SW
79 Lil Red Express
78 D-300 Club Cab

For a street car you won't need much. You need an overflow bottle on your radiator, Seat belt, no bald tires....etc but your car won't need a blow proof or anything like that.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Excited to meet you guys!

I bet that dragster will run 14s or 15s with that mostly stock setup, assuming things are tuned up, etc. Would waste that Camaro... 12s-13s should be about right with a warmed up 225.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Depending how warm, and at 1200# you may blow right by the 12's with ease.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Well there's still people on places like FABO daily telling others to "toss that slant 6 into a ravine".
So they're not dead yet.i have an 85 D150 that's still slant 6 powered although I went thru the one that's in the here now and made some (hopefully) improvements to, remember that during the mid 80s a 318 or a 360 weren't really all that "powerful" during those years either.. I plan to get that one out and on the road finally this spring. My goal when building my engine was to hopefully end up with about as much power out of it, somewhere between what power that same truck would have had if it would have come with a 318 or 360 instead//. Which was somewhere between 130 and 165 HP //// or so the automotive manuals of the day claimed they were.
While I'm not gonna pay for it to be put onto a Dyno the good old butt Dyno should tell me.