Big Red Ram (NSS Drag Car)

Big Red Ram 2005 at the Lonestar Shootout

Background:

Big Red Ram is a 1965 Dodge Coronet that is raced by Dave Schultz in the faster FX Indexes of Nostalgia Super Stock. It is one of the very few 4-speed Nostalgia Super Stock cars currently campaigning.

History:

Big Red Ram -- before it was Big Red Ram

The car was originally raced by Dave Schultz in 2002 and 2003 as a low 11-second bracket car with a 451 and automatic. In September 2003, Dave bought the Texas Big Bird to the Monster Mopar Weekend as an exhibition -- and saw the Nostalgia Super Stock class for the first time.

Upon returning home -- Dave immediate sent the Coronet to Texas Thunder Performance in Frisco, TX to be rebuilt as a NSS car. For the 2 years that the car was being transformed -- Dave raced a black 65 Coronet in Nostalgia Super Stock.

Mark Artis at Texas Thunder ripped out the old cage and installed a modern Chrome Molly cage; back-halved with a coil-over Ford 9" ladder bar rear; replaced the glass with Lexan; and replaced the metal bumpers, hood, front fenders, and deck lid with fiberglass. The motor was a 540 CI Wedge built by Damon Kuhn, the transmission a [[Jerico 4-speed[[, and the clutch a Boninfante. The car was painted "Texas Thunder Red" with the Texas Thunder checkerboards.

Big Red Ram prior to being named and acquiring the graphics.

The yet to be named car was raced in the A/NSS Index of Nostalgia Super Stock for 2005, and then sent back to Texas Thunder for the Big Red Ram graphics at the end of the season.

Class Champ at the 2006 Monter Mopar Weekend

The car was raced in the faster C/FX class for 2006 and 2007. At the end of the 2007 season, the 540 motor was pulled in favor of an aluminum block 580 CI Wedge motor. It is currently running in B/FX (9.5 seconds in the Quarter) -- but intends to run in the AA/NSS (9.0 second 1/4 mile) soon.

Driver(s)

• Dave Schultz

Owner(s)

• MoparStyleRacing

Make/Model

1965 Dodge Coronet 500

Sanction Body Competed in

• NMCA
• Texas Outsiders
• Dave Duell Classics

Class/Index

• 2005 A/NSS
• 2006 A/NSS
• 2007 C/FX
• 2008 B/FX
• 2009 B/FX

Accomplishments:

• C/FX Champ - 2006 [[]Monster Mopar Weekend]]
• Top Qualifier - 2008 Mopars At The Motorplex
• 4th in Championship Points for NSS Class for NMCA in 2008
• 4th in Championship Points for NSS Class for NMCA in 2009

Sponsors

• Schultz Family Partnership
• LOOKING!

Technical:

Motor

• Block - Indy Aluminum Wet Wedge (580 CI)
• Crank - Callies
• Pistons - Weisco
• Rods - BME
• Cam - Bullet Solid Roller Custom Grind
• Water Pump - CSR
• Heads - CNC Ports Indy 572
• Rocker Assembly - Jessel
• Oil Pan- Milidon
• Oiling - External
• Intake - Indy NSS
• Carburetion - Pair of Diamondback Prepped 800 CFM AFB
• Vacuum Pump - Moroso 4-Vane
• Headers - Ceramic Coated 2 1/4" Custom Made by Tin Man
• Ignition - Crank Trigger, MSD 7AL3

Transmission, Clutch, Rear Axle, Other

• Transmission - Jerico 4-speed
• Clutch - Boninfante Single Disc
• Rear suspension - Coilover Ladder Bars
• Rear Shocks - QA1
• Rear End - Back-braced Ford 9", Strange Axles, Richmond Gears
• Rear Brakes - Wilwood Disc
• Front Shocks - QA1
• Front Brakes - Wilwood Disc
• Shifter - Long V-Gate
• Front Suspension - Stock K-Frame
• Steering - Stock Box
• Gauges - Autometer

Updates

2008

Parachute Added

New shifter, seats, and steering

Over the winter of 2008, the car went to Texas Thunder Performance for the following upgrades:

• Parachute added
• Removable Steering Wheel
• New wider seats
• New Jerico Transmission
• Boninfante clutch rebuilt
• New Long Pro-Stock Pistol Grip Shifter
• Minor body work attended to
• New Double-action QA1 Rear Shocks

References:

• Mopar Essentials - June 2008

External Links

• Big Red Ram
• Big Red Ram Fan Page on Facebook
• Big Red Ram on Competition Plus Magazine
• Old Hippie, Keeper of the Flame - Featuring Big Red Ram
• NSS Racing Rules
• NSS Forums
• NSS Racing Photos

Videos:

• Wheels Up
• In Car Video 1
• In Car Video 2
• 9.4 on the T&T
• Against Texas Thunder
• Against She's Furious