(Click here to go to my personal Home page, with links to all my children's web pages, and my other projects.)

Dad's Turbo Mini Van!

I think the Mustang just pissed
          his pants!
This is my 1989 Dodge Caravan SE Turbo.
I bought it for the grand total of $800.  It has the blow through Turbo I engine.
It is equipped with power windows and locks, rear window defogger, power brakes and steering, AM FM Cassette
and had over 129,000 miles (now over 138,000 miles). It is my daily driver!
I have improved the performance of this van along the lines of Gus Mahons Van.
I  reached my (1st) goal of getting into the 14's in the quarter mile, last year.
I feel that any car running in the 14 seconds is faster than most cars on the road, but
this speed stuff is like a drug. You always think of some little thing to make it a little faster.
If a 14 second mini van will beat most of the cars on the road, a
12 Second Mini Van
mini van will beat almost all the cars on the road!
Record as of 6/6/00 is 12.65 seconds!  See below:
I remove the seats and spare tire to race. Race weight is 3060 with 1/4 tank.
If you see a Woody mini van full of kids with a big guy in bib overalls driving it, look out!
(click here for my home page, pictures of my and my family)

Racing at the track is a truly unforgettable experience! To pull up to the track entrance with
a Van Load of kids (6 of us all together!) and ask for a run card to race, talk about stupid looks!
Then to pull into tech inspection with all the Mustangs and Camaros and watch all the kids pile out.
The tech inspector will normally not give it a close look until he notices the helmet in the seat and
the slicks in the back. When I say I run 12 Second 1/4 miles, they do a double take.
"You got a drive shaft loop?" Sorry, its front wheel drive.

To pull up at the start line, next to the guy that just dropped $4000 in the engine of his Camaro,
and see him laugh and shrug me off, then get him by a full car length in the first 60 feet,
and be ahead of him by 4 or 5 car lengths at the end, still pulling away!
All of my kids are jumping up and down in the stands yelling "that's my dad"!!
Then after the run, pull over to park, and the crowd starts to gather around my van,
and my boys come running up "you won!!"
I open the hood and everyone is surprised to see a 4 cylinder!
I explain that is the factory, un rebuilt engine, with 137,000 (now 138,300 141,000) miles on it!

Click Here for list of Other Turbo Van owners!

Click here for a list of the modifications done to this van

Click here for a total DOLLARS SPENT to build this van!



 
 
 
 

VIDEO
The Mini-van Burn out Video
(Listen to that turbo whistle)
 

VIDEO
Clocked at over 100 MPH!






I am a member of two Great Car clubs, which have been of great support and help in building, racing and enjoying this van and the sport of drag racing. If you want to learn and participate in local (to me) front wheel drive Chrysler events, racing and meet other crazy people like me, join the Chicago Land SDAC. Memberships is cheep, and if you own a FWD Chrysler including Neon, the help, experience and fun of being around other members is worth the cost. Click here for a membership form, or contact me for more info.  For info to the National club of the Shelby Dodge Car Club, please click here.

 

The interior of the van in race (and street) form. On the A pillar is the 20 psi boost gauge and Air Fuel meter, The white thing directly in front of the steering wheel is a 30 psi, 3 1/2 inch dia. boost gauge, and a 5 inch tach with shift light to the right. Above the radio in the center console is a water temp, oil pressure and fuel pressure gauge. On the dash in front of the Fuel Gauge is a picture of Robin, with me every race!


Above left (#764) is my fastest run,  I am in the left lane. Car 764
This run was 12.651 seconds at 105.44 mph.
I made this run and got confused, I thought I made the 13.87 run, Racing a  LT1 Z 28.
I new I beat him, but it did not make sense. I had to get out to check the number on my car!
The ticket on the left is the only other run made on 6/6/00, just to confirm the first time.
I am in the right lane, (still car 764) and race a Mustang with a 6inch tall cowl induction hood.
He was laughing at me at the start, but at 12.722 at105.03 mph, I got the last laugh!
The times are with the van running slicks, and two gallons on 110 octane fuel. 24 psi of boost













Where is that Mustang?I run
        12.72, the mud stain ran a 14
This is the 12.722 time slip run (on left above). Right pic shows both me and the 5.0 Mustang, On the left is my final time.
The Stang had a BIG hood scoop and BIG exhaust.....  and a 14.648 run :-)
 
 

My Fastest Race to date:
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO CLIP OF THIS RACE!
 
 
 


Staged and ready, The Z28 just did a massive burn out. Big Show!
This is going to be FUN! Little does he know the show is just about to start!
Why does everyone laugh at me in my helmet?

Off like a Prom Dress!
The Party has Started! I hope Mr. Z28 doesn't hurt his ankle pressing on the accelerator!

12.65 seconds at 105.44 mph!
There it is. 12.651 Seconds at 105.44 MPH. Now where the hell is that 13.8 Second Z28?
(I wish I had a better picture, but video capture is all I have)
 
 
 

Looks like the Rat is afraid of the
          Ram
Bad Ass Mini Van!


Please E mail with any suggestions to:  spaul@krausonline.com

 

 
 






















This Web Page has been viewed

times since 5/17/02
















Updated 2/10/01



Links to my other web pages:

Click here to go to My Personal Main Page

Axle Changing on FWD Mopars

Checking Cam timing

The Enforcer 2 turbo

The Big Ass Ford intercooler

The under drive pulley

The Automatic Transmission

Brass Blow Off Valve

2.5 liter Balance Shaft Removal

A complete list of TIRE SIZES for the FWD Chryslers

The April 2002 Club meeting
 
 



 

Links to my Friends and people who have given me advise:

Paul Fosen, a close friend and fellow racer

The man who showed me what a Mini Van could do: Gus Mahon!

The fastest FWD Chrysler, period!  Gary Donavan!

The Technical page

Russ W. Knize's Mini Mopar site

My Brother

My Cousin Mike, Another Drag Racer

Jeff Chojnacki's Home Page

Dempsey Bowling

M and M Racing

TurboDave Tekampe



More links:
Helmet City, where I bought my Helmet
Cliff Sebring, used parts
Mopar Performance Catalog
A list of 1/4 mile times for Muscle Cars of the past
A list of 1/4 mile times of LOTS of cars
Other mini Vans
Fuel Pressure Regulators

Route 66 Raceway, where I sometimes race
Byron Dragway, The Play Ground of Power!
Route 41 Raceway.
Hahn Racecraft

Selecting the Proper Fuel Injector
 American 4/6 Cyl Performance!
A proud member of SDAC-CHICAGOLAND
And The National SDAC
Forward Motion (where I got my Turbo!)
Auto Zine tech school. A great online info sight on automobiles

http://www.relentlessracing.com/
Shifter Bushings
Kens Turbo Header
http://www.allpar.com/
http://turbododge.com/
http://www.vulcantire.com/ Cheap tires!
http://WWW.AKTIRESUSA.COM/ More chep tires and wheels
Diamond Racing Wheels
Cummins intercooler install in a Shadow

A Basic Concept of Compressed Air
PRESSURE LOSSES In Compressed Air Piping
 

2.4 Stuff
http://www.sales@turbosystem.com/ (Hahn racecraft)
BSX01 http://www.geocities.com/jcronk23/brian.html
Chad's 2.4 http://www.extremepsi.dns2go.com/HTML%20Documents/24DOHC/24DOHC.html
http://www.anderson-nelson.com/jtpics/
2.4 engine pics
TurboDave Neon
Turbo Specs
Yahoo Group Files
Bstockum
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 



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