"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
04/12/2017 at 19:09 • Filed to: None | 5 | 29 |
I get it now
The other day you made a comment somewhere to the effect of “I don’t like seeing Raptors out on trails only to find out the owner doesn’t know what a locking diff is” and I took some issue with the remark.
At the time I couldn’t understand what I perceived to be closed mindedness. While I still don’t totally agree with your view, I understand where you’re coming from now.
The Demon is pretty impressive. 9.65 1/4 mile? 0-60 in 2.3 seconds? All from the factory*?
*with proper stuff installed after taking delivery and 100 octane fuel
For some reason that’s not sitting well with me, and I think I know two reasons why
First of all, that sounds really, really dangerous. At a track is fine, but why do I get a sense that it won’t be long before I see a portrait mode video of a Demon on slicks and skinnies wrapping itself around a pole on Woodward?
More importantly for this post, this feels too much like an ‘easy button’
I don’t like drag racing. I don’t really get it, it’s not my thing, but I at least can appreciate a well built drag car. While I don’t understand the motivations, I can give an obamanotbad.jpg look at a car that’s been modified to run a fast quarter.
The Demon has all of the work normally done by a Bobby Drag-Racing-Enthusiast with the help of his friends Bud and Light in his garage already completed by Jan on the assembly line in Canada. While it’s kinda cool that Dodge had the balls to make a car this dumb for the street, it’s also pretty lame that Joe White-Collar can now go buy this thing and go elbow his way into hardcore drag racing groups at the strip.
More power to Joe W-C, but it sure seems a little unfair to Bobby D-R-E that he now has to compete against this both for times on the slips and thumbs up from the stands. Just like for HFP out on the trails after a long time of following his passions and gaining experience has to watch other people jump into his hobby with a factory Pre-Runner get all the YouTube views with none of the real enthusiasm.
I don’t like myself much for feeling that way, after all I respect all builds, but I get it now. I feel ya, HFP.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 19:13 | 0 |
Took me about fifteen seconds of intense thinking to realize what HFP meant.
vondon302
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 19:25 | 0 |
If you wanted to buy your way into drag racing just get a copo Camaro or cobra jet Mustang. This thing isn’t even legal to run it’s number safety wise and a independent suspension drag car is kinda ridiculous anyway.
Textured Soy Protein
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 19:27 | 1 |
I don’t care about someone being able to buy a sub-10 second car. It’s more just that people are doing stuff without bothering to know how it works. I get where he’s coming from, but in a different context: the gym.
Anyone can sign up for a gym membership and do whatever they want there. I’m no expert. I taught myself to lift from looking up workout plans online and watching videos talking about correct form for those lifts, and practiced in the mirror to get it right. I’m always trying to get my form done right.
I don’t actually care if people do stupid stuff around me, but there are constantly people at the gym doing shit that if they just took the time to do a tiny amount of reading they’d realize is the wrong way. I don’t say anything to them though unless they’re going to hurt themselves. I’ve gone a long time without saying anything to anyone but I broke my streak the other day.
This dude was trying to do machine rear delts on the fly machine. You’re supposed to put the handles all the way back and face in to the machine, instead of sit with your back on the seat like if you’re doing flys. Like this:
But this guy still had the handles set for doing flys, he was starting in the finishing position, and pushing his arms awkwardly all the way behind himself. Like even farther than this, the handles would touch together like when you do flys.
I watched this for a while, and he was only able to move the machine because he had practically no weight on it, but the urge got the better of me and I showed him how to move the handles to where they need to be for a rear delt.
I felt dirty afterward.
Spoon II
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 19:40 | 1 |
That’s kind of like disliking people who track a Porsche GT3 for being able to go really fast around a circuit. They’ve essentially bought their way into a particular sport as well. The way I see it, is that this car will increase the audience of drag racing. Just like being able to buy a Wrangler increases the ease with which someone can enter the world of off-roading.
Spoon II
> vondon302
04/12/2017 at 19:41 | 0 |
“was” ridiculous
vondon302
> Spoon II
04/12/2017 at 19:53 | 1 |
Two words wheel hop.
lone_liberal
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 20:00 | 2 |
I’m torn. That car, with all of the driver aids and electronics, takes what is a pretty difficult thing to do-launch a high powered car and get to hook up, go straight and cut a good time, and turns it in to pedal mashing. Still, it has to be a kick in the ass to drive and would plaster a mile-wide smile on my face and you can’t ask for more than that.
Shoop
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/12/2017 at 20:16 | 0 |
Clue me in?
Spoon II
> vondon302
04/12/2017 at 20:27 | 2 |
You know the Demon doesn’t wheel hop though
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Shoop
04/12/2017 at 20:34 | 2 |
Hammerheadfistpunch I hope
vondon302
> Spoon II
04/12/2017 at 20:50 | 0 |
We’ll see .
Die-Trying
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 21:45 | 0 |
i dunno, i’m just torn on the whole mess.......
WE ALL, try to buy THE best starting platform that we can afford, no matter the build. and then throw the best combination of the most potent performance adders that we can afford at that platform.
these guys JUST SO HAPPEN to be able to afford a REALLY nice starting platform..............but thats ALL that they have. a really nice starting spot.
it just means that you have to improvise to keep up, go lighter, move weight, make adjustments. figure out what is holding you back, and change parts that dont work. INNOVATE.
9.65?......... thats the BEST it can do...... and its not enough........
the maths is there to figure out what its gonna take............
Milky
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 21:48 | 0 |
TLDR for this post: #BuiltNotBought is better
Also people don’t actually drag race on Woodward.
PatBateman
> Textured Soy Protein
04/12/2017 at 22:07 | 0 |
You did him a service. Now maybe his back will thank you when it doesn’t get jacked up in a few years.
I saw a video not long ago with some Russian guy doing moves with a weighted barbell that will guarantee him multiple blown disks AND messed up knees in the very near future. It was painful to watch knowing the injuries he’ll have soon.
HammerheadFistpunch
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 22:13 | 0 |
Yup, pretty much this. I should say I don’t look down on anyone for buying any car for any reason...it’s the existence of cars like this and the inherent lack of discipline to dollars conundrum that vexes me
CobraJoe
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 22:14 | 1 |
More importantly for this post, this feels too much like an ‘easy button’
I’d bet it’s not as easy as it looks, even with the “easy button”.
Fast cars need fast reflexes, if anything goes funny you have to act quickly and correctly.
Besides, who’s to say if all the fancy electronics will work after a few simple upgrades.
HammerheadFistpunch
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/12/2017 at 22:16 | 1 |
High fructose pancakes
HammerheadFistpunch
> lone_liberal
04/12/2017 at 22:17 | 0 |
Pretty much where I sit with the raptor: so cool and yet...
HammerheadFistpunch
> Spoon II
04/12/2017 at 22:18 | 0 |
Is making the entry exam easier the best thing to do? That’s up to each of us to ask I guess
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> HammerheadFistpunch
04/12/2017 at 22:19 | 0 |
That’s like saying wet liquid moistened water
Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
> Jayhawk Jake
04/12/2017 at 23:54 | 0 |
The Demon is a car that I would never buy, for a lot of the same reasons you list. I canrespect a well built car, no matter it’s purpose, but I’m not a drag race guy. Life has curves and my street car should be able to handle those. The Demon won’t do that very well. I do expect a lot of them to be wrapped around trees everywhere.
nafsucof
> HammerheadFistpunch
04/13/2017 at 07:53 | 0 |
More like cliff notes. The test is bringing it home in one piece. All these cars do make it easier but we keep seeing raptors jumping and breaking doing dumb things. FAIL.
nafsucof
> vondon302
04/13/2017 at 07:55 | 0 |
But all it needs is a cage. And you can drive to the track unlike the copo or cobrajet.
vondon302
> nafsucof
04/13/2017 at 08:05 | 2 |
True but to install a legit certified cage is gonna require a lot of surgery. Front bars should go through dash and mount on frame points. Also the top bars must be really tight to the roof. Most guys I know cut the roof off for fitment then reinstall roof. It’s not just a roll bar.
Jayhawk Jake
> CobraJoe
04/13/2017 at 09:23 | 0 |
That’s why it’s scary, though. The work is done and you’re a wheel change from a 9 second quarter mile. Someone that has never drag raced before can take this car, swap the wheels, mash the go pedal and go stupid fast.
CobraJoe
> Jayhawk Jake
04/13/2017 at 10:42 | 0 |
That has been possible for a long time. Buy a Cobra Jet or have a pro build it for you.
Having more money than skill has long been a problem with performance cars. The Demon is just another version of it.
StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8
> Jayhawk Jake
04/13/2017 at 11:50 | 0 |
Meh, if you have the money to buy a car from the factory that is better than a lower priced modified one, good on you. Its much easier, and allows you to have more just as much or more fun, as you’re less worried about stuff breaking / having to fix issues. Kinda like built up XJ’s vs. a bone stock Rubicon. Warrenty’s are nice.
Jayhawk Jake
> CobraJoe
04/13/2017 at 12:43 | 0 |
The Demon lowers the barrier to entry compared to a CobraJet because it’s streetable. The streetable part makes me the most nervous for safety, it won’t be long until a Demon owner pulls into Cars and Coffee in full drag set up.
CobraJoe
> Jayhawk Jake
04/13/2017 at 13:39 | 0 |
Again, nearly 100k could get you a lot of power in many other forms. For about half of that can get you a Roush stage 3 Mustang with 670hp or for roughly $80k you can get a 730hp Saleen Mustang or there’s the unpriced 1000hp Hennessey Camaro. These are all streetable and easily sourced if you have the money.
The Demon isn’t some mythical car that no mortal can handle, it’s one in a long line of overpowered drag specific cars. It’s not even the first street legal one available from the manufacturer either. The Fairlane Thunderbolt and Hemi Dart, to name a couple, were built for the dragstrip but were “street legal”.