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Thread: The JPT NHRA Dakota

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    Lightbulb The JPT NHRA Dakota

    G'day guys.

    I figured being as we're way off topic for an introduction thread I'd start a new one on my Dakota.

    I just got off the phone with Jim Paquet who built the truck and he cleared a lot of things up so I figured I'd document it here for you all (and more still to come as I follow a few more leads up).

    So here's the thing - Chrysler gave Jim this truck. It started life as a 1997 turquoise 318 Dakota that was intended for race use only. Jim was telling me there were a few trucks given to teams, and he exchanged his for a bunch of transmissions and other race parts which went into the other trucks. He told me there is a tag underneath that identifies it (which I'm thinking is the tag on the race-chassis which identifies the customer as Chrysler). There should also be a decal on the front and rear windscreens with an X on it, which was used to identify it as a race only truck.

    The drag pak tag? He's not sure but right now we're leaning heavily towards the idea of it being put on for export to Australia - more research needed, but its highly likely that though this was a "Drag Dakota" it isnt an official "Drag Pak Dakota". I'll keep following some leads and try to find out when the tag was installed......

    The paint - the truck was originally turqoise (as mentioned before). One of Jims buddies turned up at his house with a covered transporter and told him "Your paint sucks - I'm taking it away and painting it". Jim didnt have the money for paint and hadnt thought about changing color so when the guy asked him what color he wanted he pointed to a calender on his wall with a 66 mustang and said "Can you paint it like that?". And thats how the truck ended up with with the double blue stripe AKA Shelby Mustang.



    To be continued.
    Last edited by snappy; 09-20-2012 at 01:51 AM.

  2. #2


    nevr2fast01's Avatar
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    more info on motor and trans set-up, i see stock front suspension and it still has leaf's under it!
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    uwntsumrtII's Avatar
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    I believe it's a super stock class truck. For the most part its a stock motor with all the cheats and tweaks. I know Jim. Good guy but man! He can tell some stories. He's been tryin to sell that thing for years.
    Fu·ror noun \ˈfyu̇r-ˌȯr, -ər\ : an angry or maniacal fit

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    This truck is HEAVILY modified.......its a real work of art.

    The front hubs have been made by Jim and are aluminium. Front springs are from a 1970 chevelle, and adjustable shocks are fitted. Brakes are quad piston caliper with lightened race rotors.

    Rear axle housing is from a 1970 road runner and was modified to suit. It runs 4.88 gears and a lightened spool. Caltracs and adjustable shocks fitted at the rear.

    The cage was custom built and is fish plated, and tied into the frame of the truck.

    Engine is a 360 with mex heads which have been ported and had a valve job by Modern Cylinder Heads. Lightened and balanced crank, Eagle rods, Venolia pistons, chev floating pins, perfect circle rings, and more. The cam is a custom grind roller cam designed by Jims brother Ray and he said its one of the big secrets to the trucks performance. Headers were hand fabricated by Jim then sent away for welding and ceramic coating. The car runs no mufflers - straight out of the pipes. The motor mount is a custom made by Jim. Fast injection, MSD, and a logger fitter. There's more but thats the basics.

    Trans is a JPT full roller trans with aluminium drums and a reverse manual valve body.

    The truck was forced to carry weight due to HP being outside the class and Jim told me he was weighing in at 4630lbs to race - the tray was lined with lead and he carried a "heavy spare wheel". He told me that with the ballast removed the truck weighed in around 3200 lbs - a quick search tells me that a stock 97 Dakota weighs in around 3797 lbs!


    More to come when I can sneak it in between work

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    Steering info please...

    My RC weighs 3292 and it's a tin can. What is left that of trucks interior?
    11.27 @ 118.23
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    Dodge gave Pat Storey; SMR Transmissions a 97 RC....
    11.27 @ 118.23
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  7. #7

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    Interior still seems to be mostly there.


    Its curious because remember Chrysler built and delivered this truck to Jim. Now he tells me he didnt change any panels but my buddy who has the car at the moment is adamant the front panels are light weight, and he believes the only way to get them so accurate would be for them to go through the factory presses. Again lets see when the truck gets here....

    I'm going to weigh the truck out of curiosity when it arrives in a couple of weeks (and take a load of pics for you chaps as requested). .

    It sounds like the truck has run a best time of 11.4 (without the ballast) but that's how I'll be racing it so we'll confirm it once she's been sorted and set up for our weight.

    Jim sold the truck to Hodges Dodges who put mufflers on it and ran a best time of 12 flat on old slicks. Jim tells me he's run the 11.4 in the past, but the truck mostly ran weighted around the 12.5 in Stock Eliminator. He also said everything was built to comply with NHRA though like all racers it sounds like she's pretty borderline, and it certainly doesnt sound stock

    Last edited by snappy; 10-10-2012 at 12:21 AM.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adobedude View Post
    Dodge gave Pat Storey; SMR Transmissions a 97 RC....
    Interesting - was it white?

    One comment he made was that "his was the only one like it" but that Dodge gave trucks to a few other racers and he's pretty sure they were all white.

    This one was turquoise, though maybe the color was the only difference - who can say.

  9. #9

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    Really like seeing those front saucers piss on the laws of gravity
    They put people in wood chippers up here apparently

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    grapejuice1998's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by snappy View Post

    Wow! Look at it dig in!!
    Last edited by grapejuice1998; 09-20-2012 at 01:16 PM.
    Alan Short
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    nevr2fast01's Avatar
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    all that wieght they made them add was put on the rear bumper to make that pic possible!
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    Always Annoyed

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    Good to know Jim's truck found a good home. Like Rob said Jim had been trying to sell that truck off for years. Jim's a great guy, you could build you one heck of a transmission. He's got a story for everything and when you could catch him on the phone you had better be ready to listen.
    Paul
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    I have a set of those Chevelle coil springs. He's given me quite a few suspension ideas.
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    SB440R/T's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by uwntsumrtII View Post
    I have a set of those Chevelle coil springs. He's given me quite a few suspension ideas.
    Are they longer? Better for racing?
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    BluRT00's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ADakotaRTGuy View Post
    Are they longer? Better for racing?
    X2. This secret shit needs to stop!

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    uwntsumrtII's Avatar
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    I don't remember the exact specs, but yes they are longer and a smaller inner/outer dia. They are for a BB Chevelle. I forget the exact part number.

    http://www.moroso.com/catalog/catego...?catcode=26001
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    Quote Originally Posted by uwntsumrtII View Post
    I don't remember the exact specs, but yes they are longer and a smaller inner/outer dia. They are for a BB Chevelle. I forget the exact part number.

    http://www.moroso.com/catalog/catego...?catcode=26001
    I need #47175. 1979 lbs on the front end.

    http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-47175/

    MAKE & MODELS
    Buick Apollo 1975-79
    Chevrolet Camaro, 1970-81
    Chevrolet Nova, 1975-79
    Oldsmobile Omega, 1975-79
    Pontiac Firebird, 1970-81
    Pontiac Ventura, 1975-79
    FRONT END WEIGHT (LBS.)*: 1910-1970
    COIL SPRING RATE (LBS./IN.) 230
    Last edited by Adobedude; 09-21-2012 at 02:16 PM.
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    I bought the same ones Jim had. At least i think so...
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    There isn't a BB Chevelle listed that's close to 1970 lbs

    Are they all the same length with the spring rate being the only determing factor?
    11.27 @ 118.23
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    Bringing this back from the dead....

    Where did the guy go?
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  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adobedude View Post
    Bringing this back from the dead....

    Where did the guy go?
    Still here - figured I'd wait to post till I got my truck, so I can put up the pics requested.

    Catch is she's still on the East coast. We had some issues with how she was being shipped so I sent a tilt tray around and had the truck delivered back to my buddies. We'll probably strap her into a sea container for the trip west (which is around 4500km's).

    Frustrating - I want it here now

    Will update the thread when I have more but it till take a little time (sadly).

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    Quote Originally Posted by snappy View Post
    Still here - figured I'd wait to post till I got my truck, so I can put up the pics requested.

    Catch is she's still on the East coast. We had some issues with how she was being shipped so I sent a tilt tray around and had the truck delivered back to my buddies. We'll probably strap her into a sea container for the trip west (which is around 4500km's).

    Frustrating - I want it here now

    Will update the thread when I have more but it till take a little time (sadly).
    Thanks....
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  23. #23



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    Quote Originally Posted by snappy View Post
    Still here - figured I'd wait to post till I got my truck, so I can put up the pics requested.

    Catch is she's still on the East coast. We had some issues with how she was being shipped so I sent a tilt tray around and had the truck delivered back to my buddies. We'll probably strap her into a sea container for the trip west (which is around 4500km's).

    Frustrating - I want it here now

    Will update the thread when I have more but it till take a little time (sadly).
    That's how things go sometimes, especially when you have to ship something like that so far. Best of luck!
    Alan Short
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  24. #24

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    So here's the deal.

    I shipped the truck with a specialised vehicle mover. They assured me it would be kept in a race transporter etc......it wasnt.

    The truck made it 30 k's to their depot. They tried to transfer it to a covered car carrier... it wouldnt fit on the lower deck so they decided to drive it up the ramps to the top deck. It basically sat there on cold slicks doing a burnout until the fuel ran away from the pickup n the fuel cell and it stalled.

    So then they turned it over until the battery ran flat. And then they put the jump pack on which fried the FAST injection system.........and then they panicked, denied everything, and called me to pick the truck up.

    SO..... after calming my rage I've explained to the manager of said company just how badly his boys screwed this up and he's expressed remorse........and will be paying the bills.

    The truck is being sorted now... I'm on the other side of the country which doesnt help so its at a buddy's shop in Sydney ( http://www.fabiettiracing.com.au/ ) and they're setting up the new computer, upgrading the MSD, and retuning the truck to suit Australian temperatures.

    A but of a frustrating disaster....but we're making headway again. Just thought I'd explain why things are quiet.....

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