Dyno-Challenge at the MOPARs

Story & photos by DM Sole.

Our trip to MOPAR Muscle Magazine's Dyno-Challenge at the MOPARs at the Strip Show Las Vegas, Nevada.

I wish I could say that preparation for, and the trip to, Vegas went smoothly. First, Len had to rush some friends out of his shop who were working on their car and 'borrowing' tools, lubricating and cleaning fluids, and parts that Len used as tools (those they installed on their car), also expecting assistance, advise, and Len to paint their car hood. They had hopes of using the shop while we were gone to continue their work. "Not likely," Len said. They were not pleased.

On the way down we had two incidents of people doing the swoop and squat, where they swerve in front of you and then slam on the brakes in traffic, hoping you will hit them and they can collect on insurance. The first one, a couple of men, didn't get us. We managed to stop the 8 ¼ ton + Dodge Power Wagon and Challenger-loaded trailer accompanied by great squealing and much tire smoke, just in time.

The second one, a woman in a Geo, we managed to swerve away from to our left into the other lane, also while squealing and smoking the tires. We still don't know how we did not hit her with the truck's front bumper or the trailer wheels.Sometimes, someone is riding on your shoulder it seems. The woman's family would have had to collect on her insurance. The loaded rig would not have noticed the Geo or its driver.

In the morning we went directly to the strip (Las Vegas Raceway) and unloaded the Challenger. We would leave the truck and trailer at the raceway during the night as they locked the gate. We had parking for the three-day event. But, not doing this sort of thing before, we did not know the 'ropes.'

Len went to enter his car and get everything set up. When he came back, he took the Challenger and set out to find the dyno. A young man took a look at the shiny car and pointed to a place outside the raceway saying, "Go over there behind those buildings." When he got 'there,' Len found they were dynoing blown and turbo-diesel trucks. His thought was: 'I was nuts to enter this. There is no chance to compete with them'. However, since he had paid for the test, he was anxious to see what his car could do. He already knew how precious each horsepower and each foot-pound of torque is.

The result: 448 ft lbs of torque and an even 400 horsepower to the ground. He came back grinning. Though he knew the numbers would be high, he didn't expect them to be that good. Still, no competition to the trucks.

It was time to park in the show. Without time for much detailing he did get a third place for modified cars. The judges didn't think it was modified enough since it looks quite stock on the outside. Stock, show car shiny. Later, he found out that we were supposed to write a paper and put it on the driver's seat explaining the modifications. Who knew?

While we were there, lots of things went on including drag racing, the running of the Hemi-Under-Glass (They were kind enough to set up, separately, for Len to take some pictures of them)

And, Len got to help a guy named Kelly repair and set up his ill performing carburetor and set the advance curve on the distributor of the car so that it later won the Trophy class at the drag strip.

The '69 Roadrunner with a 440 big block went from doing 14.50s in the quarter mile to the mind blowing (Kelly's mind) 12.20s which he managed to do consistently for the rest of his runs. He got a trophy over 3 feet high for that win. (Awarded in the late evening after the picture was taken.)

Len said that was the most fun of the whole three-day event. Kelly is a really nice person and had been struggling with the ignition problems for the past two racing seasons. A good thing he had not given up. The practice had made him an excellent drag racer.

Len only took the Challenger down the strip once. The weather was extremely hot, even in March. The altitude at Vegas is 4000 feet and the racing was so disorganized, the wait so long, Len did not want to burn himself and the car up. It had done 11.63 at 117 mph at Sacramento Raceway, so he knew how quick it could go, even though it's a numbers matching naturally aspirated show car that weighs 3,825 lbs. (race weight).

Toward the end of the show, Len explained he had noticed a dyno on the grounds at the strip. They wanted $80 to run a car on it, but it had an air-fuel ratio analyzer that would let him know if the car was tuned properly. After some discussion he decided that there might not be another chance to check the Challenger, so he headed for the dyno test. The operators set up their equipment and backed the car up onto the dyno that is affixed to a diesel trailer.

From this point in the story I wish I could make the sounds that accompany Len's telling of the events. Some of you have heard him. Writing does not work as well.

As he was standing at the dyno, the same young man who had sent Len and the Challenger to the truck testing dyno asked if he was going to test 'that.' Len nodded and the young man handed him a paper and said, "Well, fill this out." It was pretty long. Len sighed and started writing. After his name and address he handed it to me and went to pay attention to his car. I finished the lengthy paper with the specs for the build of the engine. Len reviewed, corrected and signed it not really caring if people knew what was in the engine, then handed the paper over. The young man looked at the question that read: What do you think the horsepower is? Len had put in 400. Asking, " What did you say the horsepower is?" Len answered, "400." The young man sneered at the shiny car, rolled his eyes and saying, "Well, OK," tossed the paper onto the table holding the computer.

Then, the young man, standing with his back to the dyno, started asking Len some questions while they were tying the car down. Len answered courteously, wishing the guy would get lost. He stepped aside to let the dyno man know how to shift the car, and to press the throttle hard. Saying, " . . . that's what I built the engine for." Doing as he was told, the car went BVROOOWP!!! BVROOOWP!!! Spinning up in mere parts of a second and startling the driver. As the engine roared, heat was visibly bending the air surrounding the rear tires.

The young man, with his back to the dyno and head by the rear wheels, ducked and grabbed both ears, bellowing, "JEEEEZ!" Turning around and stepping back, his eyes huge, the young man started darting about yelling, "What are the results?!? What are the results?!?" Then, when he heard them, "I have to make a call."

The read-out indicated 393 horsepower and 453 ft lbs of torque.

The young man said, "You got the jacket. Will you wait here?" Since the car was still on the dyno, Len said, "OK." He actually didn't hear the young man. He was far more interested in the air-fuel ratio readouts and went to study them with the dyno operator, who told him the car was running a little lean.

When they drove the Challenger off and parked it, Len came over and said, "That guy asked me to wait here, right?"

When I asked Len why, he didn't know. "The car needs to cool, anyway," he said.

"He mentioned something about a jacket," I said, "What's that mean?"

"I don't know," Len said. He had launched into an animated explanation of how well the car was running, when the young man returned. Dashing over to look at the car again, he said excitedly, "That's what I'm talkin' about! That's what I'm talkin' about! You can build a car like this!"

He held up a jacket and said, "You are the Small-block Dyno Challenge winner.You've beat all but one big block, too. I'm Marco a photographer for MOPAR Muscle Magazine. I need to take your picture, OK? The Editor will be here shortly."

When they ran the article they listed the car as Len Sole, the owner as a Dodge Challenger. They have no idea how close they were to correct.

The picture shows how Len was feeling with that surprise. He didn't even know he was in a contest when he paid to have the car analyzed. Not until Marco brought the jacket.

Before we could leave Las Vegas, Kelly graciously took Len to a tire store to buy new tires for the truck. The lugs had literally ripped off of both front tires during the panic stops. Len bought tires all around just to be sure we were safe.

We haven't been back to MOPARs at the Strip, yet. But, someday . . . and MOPAR Nationals, the Power Tour, etc., etc., . . .

That's the dyno in the background. Hemi Pic: Len Sole, other Pics and story by DM Sole