Thoughts on Dodge's 2021 Dragpak?

[Mike Jesse]

Take the time to look at the various "Kits" offered in the catalog and you will see that it is quite complete minus the engine/trans and driveshaft.

 

[Marc W]

Take the time to look at the various "Kits" offered in the catalog and you will see that it is quite complete minus the engine/trans and driveshaft.

Damn! First time I’ve gone there. It certainly looks like you can purchase everything to simply bolt together a DragPak including the engine and trans. The engine at $64k is a bit pricy 😳. Everything else is good! The way I read it the complete car is $148k which is exactly what the original 50 were priced at. I couldn’t tell if that is completely assembled or just all of the parts including the body in white with the cage and you put it together. I see a couple pieces (that air intake) that I could use if anything can be purchased separately. 🤑

 

[Mike Jesse]

The average guy probably can't afford to buy the complete Drag Pac and then have to tear it all apart and sink at least another $100k into it.
The "kit" approach makes sense to me.
It would be a bracket Rocketship with that big crate engine and dare I say a Powerglide.

 

[Marc W]

The average guy probably can't afford to buy the complete Drag Pac and then have to tear it all apart and sink at least another $100k into it.
The "kit" approach makes sense to me.
It would be a bracket Rocketship with that big crate engine and dare I say a Powerglide.

I think the value here is the caged and race prepped body in white. That eliminates the cost of a donor car (let alone starting with a hellcat). The entire package is around $80k for everything except the motor. The DragPak engine is overly expensive and that much hp can be built for much less in a larger displacement package. The crate Hellephant would be cool and would haul ass in that setup. The one thing that is just wtf priced is the graphics package for $6k. I just got a quote from a wrap shop that does incredible work and they will duplicate that for $1600.

 

[Mike Jesse]

Absolutely! Having a BIW with the cage already welded in is half the battle.
All of the suspension pickup points are welded in and ready for the "KIT"
suspension to be bolted in. Your choice of wheels/tires and you have yourself a basic roller.
Imagine how it would run with that Hellephant crate engine and only weighs about 3000 lbs.

 

[Marc W]

Absolutely! Having a BIW with the cage already welded in is half the battle.
All of the suspension pickup points are welded in and ready for the "KIT"
suspension to be bolted in. Your choice of wheels/tires and you have yourself a basic roller.
Imagine how it would run with that Hellephant crate engine and only weighs about 3000 lbs.

Wish I was just starting! 😝

 

[DavidKFla]

I think the value here is the caged and race prepped body in white. That eliminates the cost of a donor car (let alone starting with a hellcat). The entire package is around $80k for everything except the motor. The DragPak engine is overly expensive and that much hp can be built for much less in a larger displacement package. The crate Hellephant would be cool and would haul ass in that setup. The one thing that is just wtf priced is the graphics package for $6k. I just got a quote from a wrap shop that does incredible work and they will duplicate that for $1600.

Does that price include all of the electronics?
I would have no interest in the graphics. They're not sponsoring me.

 

[Marc W]

Does that price include all of the electronics?
I would have no interest in the graphics. They're not sponsoring me.

I’m about to go revisit the Direct Connection website. I only had a chance to check it out on my phone. It looked like everything was available in packages that if all put together would be a complete DragPak. I’m astounded that they would have such a comprehensive offering to build a car for the track. The complete Holley Dominator package with all the necessary harnesses was one of the “kits”.

 

[DavidKFla]

I’m about to go revisit the Direct Connection website. I only had a chance to check it out on my phone. It looked like everything was available in packages that if all put together would be a complete DragPak. I’m astounded that they would have such a comprehensive offering to build a car for the track. The complete Holley Dominator package with all the necessary harnesses was one of the “kits”.

I can just see all this stacked up in my garage with me sitting there thinking, WTF did I just do...🤣🤣

Pretty sure that you can get this in any available color?

 

[Marc W]

Well blow me down! 🤯 It’s all there and available to purchase. A basic DragPak roller is $70k. The electronics (Dominator ECU) with all the harnesses and the fuel systems kits combined are another $20k. The race trans/converter/driveshaft is another $20k. So in reality you’re looking at a complete rolling DragPak, minus the engine, for $110k. The aluminum block Hellephant crate is priced at $30k, so a ready to race 426 HellPak would end up being right at $150k. There you go 👊

 

[DavidKFla]

Well blow me down! 🤯 It’s all there and available to purchase. A basic DragPak roller is $70k. The electronics (Dominator ECU) with all the harnesses and the fuel systems kits combined are another $20k. The race trans/converter/driveshaft is another $20k. So in reality you’re looking at a complete rolling DragPak, minus the engine, for $110k. The aluminum block Hellephant crate is priced at $30k, so a ready to race 426 HellPak would end up being right at $150k. There you go 👊 View attachment 65477 View attachment 65478 View attachment 65479

It has to be setup anyway so that can be pretty much done during assembly.

 

[vortecd]

Well blow me down! 🤯 It’s all there and available to purchase. A basic DragPak roller is $70k. The electronics (Dominator ECU) with all the harnesses and the fuel systems kits combined are another $20k. The race trans/converter/driveshaft is another $20k. So in reality you’re looking at a complete rolling DragPak, minus the engine, for $110k. The aluminum block Hellephant crate is priced at $30k, so a ready to race 426 HellPak would end up being right at $150k. There you go 👊 View attachment 65477 View attachment 65478 View attachment 65479

Like putting together a model kit you can drive

 

[DavidKFla]

Like putting together a model kit you can drive

I could probably do it but it would take me 5 years...

 

[Marc W]

Ike

Like putting together a model kit you can drive

IKEA drag car. 😂

 

[Mike Jesse]

Common sense will tell you there will always be some welding involved when tackling such a project.
Same for all of the wiring.
Window glass, we don't need no stinking windows since I have a full faced helmet on.
I wouldn't bother painting it, just have the entire body wrapped the way "you' want it done.
And who said you have to run a modern hemi engine either?

 

[Illegal_Demon]

I think the value here is the caged and race prepped body in white. That eliminates the cost of a donor car (let alone starting with a hellcat). The entire package is around $80k for everything except the motor. The DragPak engine is overly expensive and that much hp can be built for much less in a larger displacement package. The crate Hellephant would be cool and would haul ass in that setup. The one thing that is just wtf priced is the graphics package for $6k. I just got a quote from a wrap shop that does incredible work and they will duplicate that for $1600.

The 6K for graphics is absurd but FCA knew most would be like welp, I'm in this deep might as well go whole hog! lol

Reminds me of the Demon 5K sunroof option...our compatriots from up north in Canada paid $1500 I think(?!!)

 

[Illegal_Demon]

BTW...did you guys get the email from Mopar Garage/Tim K. saying that they are PAYING racers who outfit their car using MP equipment and win (and runner up) at NHRA events? Reminds me (what I've read anyway since that was well before my time) of the early 1960s when the big three were going balls-out racing. Only now it's pretty much just Dodge, lol.

 

[DavidKFla]

BTW...did you guys get the email from Mopar Garage/Tim K. saying that they are PAYING racers who outfit their car using MP equipment and win (and runner up) at NHRA events? Reminds me (what I've read anyway since that was well before my time) of the early 1960s when the big three were going balls-out racing. Only now it's pretty much just Dodge, lol.

Who runs NHRA events? Is there any class that our Hellcats fit into?

 

[Illegal_Demon]

Who runs NHRA events? Is there any class that our Hellcats fit into?

Not sure. That’s a bit out of my 🏊‍♀️ lane!

 

[DavidKFla]

Not sure. That’s a bit out of my 🏊‍♀️ lane!

I went to the baby gator nationals on Saturday. Nothing there even close to what we have. Pretty much all classic race cars and all old guys like myself.
Nothing like other events like FL2K where I was the token old guy and everyone else was younger with much more current race cars.