So you want to go fast for cheap. No, let's put that another way. You want to go real, REAL fast for super cheap. Build a big incher? Nah, that only makes you a slave to your engine builder, and a mere 1000 or so horsepower just won't cut the mustard. Big incher on nitrous? C'mon, get serious! You can spend a fortune on the price of admission alone, and then you've got to join the trick of the week club. For what, a paltry 1500 ponies? Forget it!

No, dude, if you really want to generate some steam, impress your friends and make the ladies go gooey, there's only one way to fly and that's on nitro! Yeah, you read right --- nitromethane --- liquid speed in a can. Sure, the stuff costs a fortune and it disappears quicker than a cool breeze, but inch for inch and pound for pound, a "nostalgia" or "outlaw" blown fueler (one fuel pump, one magneto, small supercharger, iron cylinder heads) is about the most effective way there is to go scary fast for cheap!

The trick to getting the most from a blown fueler without going completely broke or getting your fool ass killed is to understand the basic function of the beast and follow a few simple operating guidelines. Armed with that knowledge, anyone capable of racing a successful Super Comp dragster can rock and roll like the big guys for about the same amount of time and effort as the bracket car.

The first step is to overcome the fear factor or, more precisely, the ignorant assumption that nitro automatically destroys anything it comes in contact with. Truth is, given the slightest opportunity, a blown fueler will perform ritualistic self destruction on a biblical scale, but only if you piss it off.

In this respect a fueler is a lot like a woman. If you don't respect her, treat her like an individual, tend to her specific needs and learn to communicate using her language, she's gonna be out the door. The diference is, when your woman goes she won't burst into flames, oil the tires and burn everything to the ground --- at least not if you're lucky.

The second big obstacle to nirvana via the combustion of oxygen bearing chemicals seems to be the most difficult to overcome. It's been said that the best fuel racers in the world are those who never touched any other type of car. This is because the fueler operates in an environment suspended from the realities of all other race cars.

In other words, the habits, techniques and even philosophies one develops when working with other types of engines become obstacles when attempting to tame the fuel-burning beast. You have to approach the concept of fuel tuning with an open mind and a fair amount of wide-eyed innocence, more or less prepared to re-learn everything you know --- or think you know.

Bottom line, if you think you can attack a blown fueler with an armload of arrogance and the juevos of a great ape, you're in for one way-rude experience. Dealing with one of these suckers WILL make you a humble man.

Okay, with all the philosophical stuff outta the way, we can dig into the nuts and bolts and see how these things tick.

If you're planning on a straight-forward nostalgia-type AA/FD (like "Nitro Neil" Bisciglia's), keep everything in the "can" (bellhousing) as simple as possible. A three-disc Crowerglide clutch with very conservative (counter)weighting is the best starting point.

As we refer to the clutch throughout this story, we assume it to be a typical 11-inch, three-disc Crowerglide. If you progress to the point where you're actually screwing a combination together, spending time on the phone with the various clutch manufacturers is the only way to get a real handle on the requirements of your particular package.

Though there are a small number of Chevy-powered fuelers out there, if you're just starting out, go with the proven 392 or 426 Chrysler Hemi. Virtually all of the fuel racing hardware developed over the past 35 years is keyed to these engines. Aside from their obvious hemispherical combustion chambers, these engines have tall decks and relatively high piston heights which can accomodate the long rods and soft bottom end geometry a fuel burner thrives on.

Also, while there a few real sicko hard cases who prefer an iron block (myself included), there's no good reason on earth not to use either a KB or Donovan aluminum block in any fuel-burning application (rules permitting). The first and most obvious reason is the high quality alloys used in these blocks exhibit a greater tensile strength than cast iron and will resist cracking in the critical main web area for a much longer period of time. Secondly, these aftermarket alloy blocks feature removable cylinder liners which can be replaced between rounds and are much stronger than the cast cylinder walls of a production block.

If you're just getting started, it's always best to avoid any variations of these blocks that deviate from the stock Chrysler dimensions. Stay away from raised cam, raised deck, big lifter blocks. These features offer no benefits at the power levels we're dealing with in a nostalgia-style combination and will only confuse matters from a hardware standpoint. In any event, the block should be treated to all of the usual clean-up and preparation steps that apply to any engine, and it should be thoroughly inspected as often as possible for cracks, pulled studs and any other damage.

Y'know, you'd be surprised at just how strong a stock Chrysler crank really is. We've seen stone stock forged steel shafts live for upwards of 50 passes in nostalgia fuelers and show no obvious signs of distress. If low initial costs are a priority in setting up your fueler and you can lay your hands on a solid stock crank, it probably won't hurt to use it providing the rod journals are massaged to provide at least .003" oil clearance and the mains between .0045-.005". The loose bearing fit should be considered a necessity on any fuel motor because of the contortions the block and crank assemblies go through when loaded. Also, the large rod clearances provide additional cushioning against the hammering effects of detonation.

If you've got a few more bucks to kick around, an aftermarket billet crank is an obviously better choice and they're usually set up with large oil clearances. If you're going to use a billet shaft, avoid too big a stroke increase. In fact, if this is your first fuel motor, build it with a stock stroke and enjoy the benefits of slower piston speed and soft geometry. Unlike gasoline and alcohol motors, a fueler loves a load. In this respect, a short stroke fueler can be amazingly efficient.

This is one place where you can't afford to cut corners anywhere. The oiling system on a fuel motor is probably the most highly taxed in all of motorsports. The combination of fuel dilution and insane shock loading are enough to turn the stoutest oil film to fudge in the blink of an eye. A good pump, big pickup, big lines and a good quality 60 weight "nitro" oil are the only things that will keep your bottom end alive.

Oil quantity is another important factor when dealing with a fueler --- you want to deliberately overfill the crankcase with oil. Typically, 10 quarts will meet the needs of a shallow pan 426-style engine while 12 quarts is required for a deep pan. An early-style 392 will require a full 14 quarts (mostly due to poor drainback qualities). The reasoning is that by submerging the crank in oil you are creating a vibration damper that helps suck some of the more evil harmonics from the reciprocating assembly. That's one reason dry sump systems haven't become popular within the big guy fuel ranks.

As stated, you want to incorporate the longest connecting rod into your fueler as practical, and in the case of both the 392 and 426, rod lengths of better than 7" are the norm. There are a couple of reasons for wanting to stretch the rod out, piston stability being one. The higher the pin placement, the less tendency for the piston to rock and cock when subjected to combustion chaos.

Geometry is another factor. A longer connecting rod --- actually a longer rod ratio --- slows a piston's acceleration and deceleration rates, adds dwell time to TDC, and creates less piston side loading due to excessive angularity which makes life easier on rings and cylinder walls.

Using any type of steel connecting rod regardless of quality is an absolute no-no because they offer no dampening effect against detonation. Forged aluminum rods are more forgiving than the more exotic billet pieces the big guys use.

The oil rings in a fuel motor are especially important as any oil finding its way into the combustion cahmber causes a hammering detonation that absolutely wrecks your day. Above them, a combination of cast scraper and stainless top ring work nicely. Keep the gaps on the large side, approximately .025-.028".

Compression height is another important consideration. You want a static compression ratio around 6:1 in a mild combination. Early 392 motors should have their slugs set .200" "down the hole" at TDC and late-model 426's achieve the same approximate squeeze .100" "out the hole".

If the iron head engine you're assembling happens to be a 426 hemi, just O-ring the combustion chambers and replace the exhaust valves with quality pieces intended for the purpose. The stock intakes work just fine. The same can be said for the rocker assemblies, the stock exhaust rocker being the weak link. Other than that, a quality valve job, minor cleanup of the exhaust ports and a decent set of valve springs are about all that's needed to make them race ready.

The 392 requires a bit more work as the stock exhaust valves are way undersize and need to be replaced with pieces of at least 2" in diameter. Also, major port work is required to make the Chrysler Firepower heads come alive, and this should be left to somebody who really knows his way through these castings. Used 392 fuel heads can be scrounged pretty easily, are inexpensive, and are definitely the way to go.

Here's a little knowledge to save you a small fortune in wasted castings. All stock Hemi heads will exhibit cracks between the spark plug hole and valve seats after just a couple of passes. This is NORMAL, and the heads can be run this way indefinitely, or at least until the cracks "torch out" and become deep crevices. If you keep your tune-up on the fat side, you can keep these cracks in check forever, not to mention forego the use of cooling water.

Basically, all the major cam grinders offer a selection of "fuel" cams. Stay way conservative when setting up a nostalgia fuel engine. Any fuel grind with lifts in the .650" range and actual duration around 295 degrees is a good starting point.

When installing a fuel cam, we've found the simplest way to achieve an accurate baseline is to install it "straight up" or at "split overlap" and go from there. One of the interesting quirks of fuel motor cam timing is retarding the shaft creates more power by opening the exhaust valve later in the power stroke. A couple of degrees of retard, or even opening up the valve lash on the exhaust side, makes a suprisingly large difference in the way the engine runs. Be forewarned however, this act increases the fuel volume requirements of the engine, and can lead to bottom stroke detonation. Too much retard will get you into big trouble.

While you'd think a nice fancy magnesium supercharger would be the hot setup due to it's light weight, an aluminum huffer will exhibit less case expansion during a run, stay consistent for a longer period of time, and be much more resistant to damage should you accidentally "sneeze" the thing.

Also, if you're just getting started, go with a blower that's been run in a few times. A fresh blower will pump a bunch of air and generate a lot of heat. After just a couple of passes though, this efficiency tends to drop to a point where the blower "settles out" and provides consistent performance for many passes. Don't establish your baseline tune-up around a super fresh blower, because then you become a slave to the re-stripper (the guy who puts those Teflon seals on the rotor blades). Leave the tight blowers to John Force and those banzai guys who just have to get to the finish line first.

If you plan on running by "legal" nostalgia rules, you're limited to fuel pumps like the Enderle 1100 and Hilborn - 4, and no overdrive unit of any sort. Both pumps are reliable pieces, but because they play such a crucial role in the car's performance, they should be checked and serviced on a regular basis. Treat the fuel pump like it's gold and always keep a fresh spare on hand.

If your car is to be used strictly for match racing, a conservative overdrive unit (around 10%) ensures you'll always have adequate fuel volume.

An Enderle "bug catcher" and barrel valve assembly is the most user-friendly injector on the market. You can use one of the bigger "hats" if you really want, but the typical nostalgia fueler will get all the atmosphere it needs through a standard "bug".

Your first fuel system should be simple and straightforward. Forget about "wet valves" and "high speed leanout" systems until you know your basic combination intimately. All you need for basic plumbing is a #8 line from the pump to the barrel valve, two metering blocks, joined to the outlet side of the barrel via a pair of #8 lines, that feed eight lines in the hat and eight lines in the port (intake manifold), an idle return line with a check valve, and a port check valve to keep the lower half of the fuel system dry during low-speed operation.

There's a huge number of possible fuel system combinations a builder can choose from, but a simple deal like the one we're describing gives you the best possible starting point from which to hone your skills.