white_cross Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 (edited) Hey guys, On Friday a good friend and I started a project we had been planning since My wife and I moved to our new place. I had to pull the car cover off of my 1972 parts car to move it to the new shop on our new property. I was out side looking at the parts car thought how about a low budget autocross car. I texted my friend and said "how about a race car out of my parts car". His reply: "Then we need to put a 302 into it" He is a ford mechanic. I said sounds good. So for the last couple of months we have been talking different ideas for the build, but each having our own car and truck projects already (he is building a 1951 Merc grain truck onto a newer f250 truck frame with its motor and suspension making a tonne of hp) never had time to actually do anything with our race car. He had a wrecked 2015 Ecoboost Mustang write off he bought. He was going to put all the 2015 mustang Goodies into his Fox Body Mustang. One day he said if our race car was 1600 lbs and we threw all the eco boost stuff into it it would be a riot! and so it began. The car is a budget build so cosmetics are not a priority. If it makes it fast on a budget then it is a winner for the car. This means using what we can find for free or cheap or repurposing stuff we have. The rough dead line for this build is not this summer but next summer where we can put more time in to the build next winter. So updates are going to be a while for one to the next. I had to smile at how light the car is. We could literally slide it side ways in the garage by lifting it with our hands and sliding it over no floor jack needed. I could not stop smiling on Friday while we were working on the car! Here is the Part one of this build: Thanks for checking out our build. Edited March 26, 2022 by white_cross Title change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 here is the part 2 video. we are starting to build the new subframes. the old ones are toast: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Eh. Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 With the amount you guys cut sheet metal and the cost of cutting disks these days, a good used plazma torch would pay for itself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 20 hours ago, Jim Eh. said: With the amount you guys cut sheet metal and the cost of cutting disks these days, a good used plazma torch would pay for itself. sure would be nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 Here is part 3 of the build: On Friday we got together to finish fabricating and installing the Riverside subframe connector. It came out really well and is super strong. Was a bit of a challenge welding the heavy gauge steel upside down on my back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRDTurko Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 another ambitious build... good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 On 2018-04-08 at 12:10 PM, TRDTurko said: another ambitious build... good luck Thanks. Our goal is to race it next season and build it over next winter time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted May 29, 2018 Author Share Posted May 29, 2018 So two videos very similar but for two separate projects (miata and celica): 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 Tony and I are getting back on this build and pretty excited for it. We are calling it Project Snake Charmer. Trying a new feature on youtube that allows you to premiere the video. So it will be airing this Friday at 4:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesi92 Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 Wow! How many projects can you juggle? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 Actually a friend and I are doing this one together so it is kind of a once a week hang out and build a race car enjoy a drink or two kind of deal. I take turns between the two work on one while I wait for parts for the other . I would like to be fitting the 1/4 panel on the other celica but Canada post not shipping stuff for their strike is keeping my door pins from Thailand from getting to my house. Need the door pins to line up the door to get proper gaps for the 1/4 panel. Hopefully we can have this car running by spring. Wont be pretty (think General Mayhem) but would be cool to get to an autocross or two with it this summer for a couple of shake down runs to see what will need improving over the winter after this winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted December 8, 2018 Author Share Posted December 8, 2018 Part 6: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted December 14, 2018 Author Share Posted December 14, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 1990 miata front suspension is almost completely installed. Fabricated up new strut towers and frame rails to tie it all together: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Engine monts and trans cross member are done: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Snake Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 How did I never notice that title for your build before?? 11.5 @ 127 mph is the time to beat at the strip on street tires, after driving there with the AC blasting... just to set the bar, you know. I'll work on getting you a proper TA lap time this summer. I'll have to pay more attention to this build now, you've got my attention. Looks like you're doing a killer job so far! Dason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 On 1/22/2019 at 3:27 PM, Rare Snake said: How did I never notice that title for your build before?? 11.5 @ 127 mph is the time to beat at the strip on street tires, after driving there with the AC blasting... just to set the bar, you know. I'll work on getting you a proper TA lap time this summer. I'll have to pay more attention to this build now, you've got my attention. Looks like you're doing a killer job so far! Dason Sweet Dason! Thanks for the statistics! I imagine on street tires traction is a challenge in your car for sure! We hope to be running it some time this summer. Probably not fully completed but finished enough do have some fun with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 the engine is mounted and strut tower/ engine brace is done: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 more progress on the "SC" (sc is what Tony and I have been calling this car) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted May 4, 2019 Author Share Posted May 4, 2019 The SC is getting closer to a test start of the ecoboost. Today Tony and I are test fitting the wire harness and front end: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted May 20, 2019 Author Share Posted May 20, 2019 John came down and programmed our key to the car it runs!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted July 25, 2019 Author Share Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) Edited July 25, 2019 by white_cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted August 2, 2019 Author Share Posted August 2, 2019 (edited) took a day and a half out of my holidays with Tony to get big progress on this car Edited August 2, 2019 by white_cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted August 14, 2019 Author Share Posted August 14, 2019 Time for the next update. we are aiming to have this car at the last autocross events of the season on September 21-22 I think? Tony is finishing engine bay plumbing and I am getting ready to get the 2015 IRS installed. No idea where this car will class but don't care at this point just want to rip it at the track!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Snake Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 I promised you a proper lap time this summer, so here it is. You may have to think about changing that name. I hope the project is going well. Dason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebly Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 @white_cross looks like @Rare Snake has raised the bar a notch or two. I watched Dason's runs on Saturday and I don't think "charming" this snake with a flute will work. You'll need to bring a big club to this snake fight. I always cheer for the underdog and I can't wait to see the completion of project "Snake Charmer" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebly Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Devin/Tony, I've been following your Snake Charmer project since day one and can't count the number of times I've said "are you kidding me?" You guys take on the impossible and somehow make it happen. The latest rear suspension swap (putting a 2015 Mustang suspension into a 1972 Celica) seems to defy the laws of physics. But, again, you somehow managed to get it done. Even the little things, as detailed in your last video on the intercooler plumbing, would bring mere mortals to their knees. Snake Charmer is a cool name, but I think you guys should rename this project, or at least the car, to "PERSERVERANCE" PS - never got a chance to talk much on Sunday but would like to get the back story on the Fiesta ST. Seems like it's a dragstrip car that could easily be turned into an autocross beast. Looked like you and Tony we're having a blast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donrolandofurioso Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I, too, am following this build with interest. One of my questions would be: Are you still within your budget? Of course you can't put a price on man hours. But in my past I have tackled a few projects, and I have learned that my estimations as to how much something cost to build were always wrong. I am probably not the best mathematician, but at the end I often spent twice as much than what I thought it would be (which was already three times as much as I told everyone else I could do it for ;-) Realistically speaking, while including welding wire, cutting discs and pizza & beer, do you think you are still within your financial projections? It definitely is a cool project, and it makes me wishing back my '76 Celica with the 2.0 TwinCam and four poorly adjusted 45mm Weber on it. To this day I still don't know why I sold it... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_cross Posted January 24, 2021 Author Share Posted January 24, 2021 (edited) Hey guys, I have been finding posting on here and keeping up with youtube videos is a bit much. So I currently I only post updates on my Instagram and youtube channel. so I have not been on the forums much. My Instagram @dadstoyfabshop you will see the most current updates on my builds. My you tube will have the same content just more in depth and typically a few weeks-months behind what I post on Instagram. My builds are still in progress! Covid has put a halt to the snake charmer build for like a year as Tony and I have not connected much. We had planned on being done last summer but covid hit and the car cover went on and it became a parts bench. Tony and I have made plans to start up again and hopefully get it out for testing this spring/summer. Not working on the snake charmer allowed me to make a tonne of progress on my other celica show car build which should be ready for paint hopefully in spring time. @weebly thanks for the complements. Tony and I both agree that the "snake charmer" name needs a change but we just have not come up with a better one yet. @Donrolandoforious budget is at about $6800 right now. Totally right probably double the initial thought when we started the build by the time we get it on the track. As far as hours in it I have lost count probably north of 600hours at this point. did your 76 celica have the twin cam 18rg? I would love an rg! Edited January 24, 2021 by white_cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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