Umjaho we-DRAG uwumdlalo odumile e-Australia. Abanye bathanda ukugijima izimoto zabo kuyilapho abaningi bethu bejabule ngokuwubukela eceleni.

Ngeshwa, umjaho we-drag e-Australia unezinkinga ezimbalwa: iMelbourne ne-Adelaide. I-Calder Park yaseMelbourne ibamba imihlangano yasemgwaqweni kuphela kanti i-Adelaide's AIR ivale amasango ayo ngokuphelele.

Ungaphikisana ngokuthi kungani nokuthi kungani kuze kube sebusuku kodwa kwanele ukusho ukuthi abagijimi be-drag ezindaweni eziseningizimu ye-Australia bakwenza kanzima okwamanje. Okusho ukuthi abagijimi be-drag abanjengoSimon Lazarevski kufanele bahambe izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha ukuze nje bazame.

USimon uthanda amaMopar akhe futhi uthanda ukugijima ngakho-ke kungokwemvelo ukuthi angahlanganisa lezo zinkanuko ezimbili abe ngumshini wokugijima weMopar ohlakaniphile. Nokho, lesi akusona isithuthi sakhe sokuqala esindayo; wayevame ukwenza ama-laps ne-VJ Hardtop engavamile kodwa lokho kwase kuqala ukushesha kakhulu uma ubheka ukuthi yayingenalo 'ikheji'. Namuhla i-VJ Hardtop iyifa lomndeni eliyigugu — “Ngikhumbula ngihamba noBaba ukuyoyilanda ngineminyaka emine ubudala,” kusho uSimon — ngakho wayengafuni ukwenza into efana naleyo.

Kodwa-ke, wayazi ukuthi kukhona igobolondo elidala le-Pacer Hardtop eliqinile elingenanjini noma ibhokisi ngakho waliqothula. Manje, ngaphambi kokuba sigcwale iposi lenzondo elivela kubalandeli baseMopar abalungiselela ukubulala uSimon ngokumsika abe yi-Pacer yangempela, ungase ufune ukumlalela.

“Imoto yayingcolile ngesikhathi ngiyithola. Yayisendleleni eya emgqonyeni futhi ngingathanda ukucabanga ukuthi ngiyilondolozile,” uyachaza. Kungcono ukuzalwa kabusha njengomgijimi bese uphinda usetshenziswe kabusha.

"Ngiyayithanda indlela i-Pro Street ebukeka ngayo futhi bengicabanga ukuthi enye yalezi zizobukeka kahle kakhulu yakhiwe ngale ndlela. Zinokubukeka kwaseMelika kodwa zisese-Australia futhi abantu bangaziqonda."

Ekuqaleni yayimhlophe ngomugqa obomvu, igobolondo le-Pacer ladonswa layiswa eshedini likaSimon ukuze kwenziwe umsebenzi omkhulu wensimbi owaqalwa ngokusika amashubhu amasondo nokususa ukumiswa kwenqola-intwasahlobo yangemuva.

USimon, ngosizo lomngane wakhe omuhle uMarino Prodan, wenza konke emotweni eshedini ngaphandle kopende kanye ne-rollcage. Lokho kwakuhlanganisa ukushisela emathinini amasondo amakhulu ngokwanele ukuthatha ama-slicks angu-30×12, ukwelula unqenqema lwangaphambili lwezimbobo zamasondo angemuva kanye nokufaka isethi yokumiswa kwe-ladder-bar kanye nama-coil-over e-Strange/AVO.

Kwafakwa nezixhumi zohlaka, kwabe sekufakwa igobolondo kwathunyelwa eZagari Engineering ukuze kufakwe ikheji lensimbi elithambile elingamaphuzu ayi-10 elihlanganisa konke ndawonye. Ukusuka lapho iHardtop yaya eJohn Walker Crash Repairs ukuze ilungise upende. Amadoda lapho amboza amaphaneli amade angama-angular ngeProtec Chrysler Mercury Silver.

“Banginakekele kakhulu,” kusho uSimon ngoJohn Walker noProtec Paints. “Ngibonga kakhulu kubo.” Labo bantu baphinde balungisa indawo yenjini futhi bahlanganisa imigodi engadingekile, okusho ukuthi akukho lutho oluzokuphazamisa kusuka endaweni ephakathi engama-cubes angu-470.

USimon wakha injini ngokwakhe. Wakha izinjini eziningi (ikakhulukazi izinto ze-GM) ngebhizinisi elincane eliseceleni alibiza ngokuthi i-Hippo Race Engineering (0412 440 472). Igama elithi Hippo livela ku-VJ Hardtop endala futhi manje selinamathele.

Ngenhloso yokusebenza ku-bracket ye-ANDRA ye-Super Stock, ngaphansi kwesigaba esincane se-Modified Sedan, uSimon wakha injini ngaphakathi kwemingcele emincane yencwadi yemithetho. Lokho kwakusho ikhamera ye-tappet eyisicaba, ibhlogo nezihloko zefektri, kanye ne-carb eyodwa engenawo i-nitrous, i-blower noma i-turbo.

Ama-cubes angu-470 amahle kakhulu eMopar — ungakhohliswa yizimbozo ze-rocker ze-Indy Cylinder Heads; uSimon uyazisebenzisa ngoba azivuzi

“Abafana bakwaFord banamabhulokhi e-SVO; abafana bakwaChevy banamaBowties; mina nginamaMopar ka-1967,” kuhleka uSimon. “Kuzokwenza ukunqoba kube mnandi nakakhulu.”

Leyo bhulokhi ye-'67 440 isebenzisa i-crank yensimbi yefektri engaphansi komhlaba kanye nezinduku ze-Eagle ukuze ikhiqize ama-cubes angu-470. USimon wenza iningi lomsebenzi wakhe wokugaya ekhaya - okuwukuphela kwento ayengenakuyenza kwakuwukubhoboza ibhulokhi bese egaya i-crank kodwa wasika ama-piston e-Ross ngendiza wafaka amakhanda e-Mopar Stage-VI egaraji lakhe lasekhaya kanye nesitolo semishini. Ukuba ne-lathe, umshini wokugaya kanye nezinye izinto eziningi ezinhle kuyasiza, akunjalo?

I-MSD 7AL2 yavela kuScott Geoffrion's Pro Stock Dodge Daytona ngemuva kokuba uSimon esize umnikazi wamanje wemoto, uMatt Sawyer. “Nginezinto ze-7sec emotweni,” kusho uSimon. “Ngizothatha iMars kodwa uma ngifika enyangeni kuphela ngizojabula.”

Lawo makhanda agcwele izinto ezinhle: ama-valve e-titanium, iziphethu ze-Manley kanye nama-retainer nama-lock e-titanium angu-10-degree, kanye negiya le-Crane ne-Indy rocker elisebenza konke. Yakhelwe ukuncintisana, uSimon's ngokusobala ngeke anikeze imininingwane yekhamera kodwa singakutshela ukuthi iyiyunithi enkulu eqinile futhi injini isebenza ngophethiloli we-Sunoco race. Konke kuphelele, yenza amandla angu-720hp ku-crank. Ukuphefumula kunakekelwa yi-Mopar M1 intake kanye ne-HP-series 1050 Dominator carb edonsa i-scoop enkulu efakwe kwi-bonnet, kuyilapho ukuphakela isilwane kukhona amaphampu amabili aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka e-Holley aguquliwe ukuphatha ibhethri le-16v Turbostart ebhuthini. Kukhona nebhethri le-12v lokushayela izesekeli.

Iningi labantu licabanga ukuthi uSimon uthukuthele ngokusebenzisa amaphampu amabili ashibhile kodwa ucabanga ukuthi sebewulungele kahle umsebenzi kuze kube manje. Kodwa-ke, unephampu enkulu yobunjiniyela bomkhiqizo ehleli eshalofini, elinde nje ukungena. Kodwa ngokumangazayo, uSimon akacabangi ukuthi injini ikhanya kakhulu.

“Kimi le njini iyinjini enhle kakhulu efakwe esibayeni,” usho kanje. Kukhona ibhulokhi enkulu encane ehleliwe, ezosebenzisa amakhanda angcono nezinduku ze-aluminium futhi kufanele ivuseleleke kakhulu ukuze ikhiqize amandla engeziwe. Inzuzo eyengeziwe yedonki encane ukuthi izokwazi ukudonsa i-lead engu-120lb emotweni okumele iyisebenzise njengamanje ukuze inciphise isisindo (7.5lb/ci) ngedonki engu-470ci.

Ngakho umbuzo ozibuza wona ukuthi isebenza kanjani. I-9.82@137mph ikubamba kanjani? Akukubi ngenjini engadingi ukudonswa kwezimbozo zayo ze-rocker ngemva kokugijima ngakunye futhi eyenza amandla ayo amahle kakhulu ngesivinini esingu-6400rpm kuphela. Futhi lokho kuwukuqala nge-footbrake!

Umshini wokushintshela obukeka uthakazelisa, akunjalo? I-Turbo Action SCS Cheetah yayitholakala kukhathalogi ye-Mopar Performance futhi uSimon uyayithanda. “Bengilokhu ngisebenzisa lawa ma-shifter kusukela ngo-'94; ayamangalisa. Uma uthenga owodwa, uzoba umshini wokugcina ozowuthenga.”

I-Hardtop enkulu isebenzisa i-727 Torqueflite egcwele ngesandla ene-transbrake kodwa inezikhawu ezimbalwa ngaphansi kwamathayi, i-converter isadinga ukusethwa - ukuqaliswa okusebenza ngezinkinobho kuyawashaqisa kakhulu amathayi. Uma ucabanga ukuthi usevele usebenza ngaphansi kwenkomba yekilasi yamanje (inkomba ye-A/MSA ingu-9.84sec) uSimon ufuna ukucheba izingxenye ezimbalwa ezengeziwe zeshumi. Uma eseyilungisile i-converter futhi amabha e-wheelie evuliwe, uzokwazi ukuqala ukukhipha izinombolo zangempela.

I-GRUNTEInjini: I-Chrysler big-block 470ciCarb: 1050 HP DominatorOkuningi: I-Mopar M1Heads: I-Mopar Stage VI portedPistons: I-Ross 12.9:1 eyenziwe nge-Crank: Ifektri yensimbi engu-4340, umhlabathi ongaphandle, i-stroke engu-3.88inRods: I-Eagle 7.1inCam: I-Secret SquirrelIgnition: 7AL2, i-HVC coil, ama-lead angu-8.8mmI-Exhaust: Ama-header amane kuya kwelinye, ayinhloko angamasentimitha amabili

I-SHIFTUkudluliselwa: I-Torqueflite727, iphethini ebhalwe ngesandla, ebuyela emuva. Isiguquli: I-TCI eyi-intshi eziyisishiyagalombili. Umehluko: Ama-intshi ayisishiyagalolunye, amagiya angu-4.11, ama-axle angu-35-spline, i-spool egcwele.

NGAPHANSI Amabhuleki: Amadiski aqinile nama-caliper (f), amadiski e-Commodore nama-caliper (r)Iziphethu: Ezijwayelekile (f), Ezingajwayelekile (r)Ama-Shocks: 90/10 (f), AVO alungisekayo (r)Ukumiswa: Okujwayelekile (f), ibha yeladi (r)

Ama-ROLLINGRims: I-Center Line Convo Pro, 15×4(f), 15×10(r)Irabha: I-Moroso 175 (f), i-Goodyear 30×12 slicks (r)

I-InteriorTiller: WoodgrainIzihlalo: Umjaho we-Jaz, izembozo ze-vinylIzilinganiso: I-Auto Meter UltralightI-Stereo: Pioneer, izipikha ezingama-intshi amaneI-Rollcage: Insimbi encane engamaphoyinti ayi-10I-Shifter: I-Turbo Action SCS Cheetah

UMarino Prodan; UGunna; UZagari Enginering (08 8369 1888); Ukulungiswa Kwezingozi ZikaJohn Walker (08 8344 9299); Upende We-Protec; kanye nomkami othandekayo, uMimi

UMardi Knight wathenga i-VG Valiant yakhe eminyakeni eyi-11 eyedlule futhi manje njengoba isifakwe i-265 entsha eyakhiwe ngonyaka odlule, unethemba lokubuyela endleleni maduze nje.