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Harbor Freight Turbo Predator 670cc Dragster Blows Up on Racetrack

Yes, you read correctly. A Harbor Freight dragster is the topic where readers are treated to a slow-motion view of a Harbor Freight dragster powered by a turbocharge-modified Predator 670cc motor you can buy at Harbor Freight blows up on a speed track after reaching an estimated 8,500 RPMs.
Creative Harbor Freight Engine Use by Mechanics

Harbor Freight V-Twin Modified Engine Hijinks?

Remember those days when it came to DIY race-related projects where some dad with just a little too much time on his hands would decide to soup-up his riding lawnmower with a VW engine just for the hell (and fun) of it?!

Well, that was yesteryear. But today we have intrepid souls doing even wackier (and admittedly pretty impressive) things where Harbor Freight engines are modified and used in home-made dragsters.

From a recent Cars and Cameras YouTube channel episode you will bear witness to a team of mechanics who took a 670cc (approximately 55 HP) Harbor Freight V-twin engine with modifications that included adding a turbo to it, and watch it blow up on a racetrack as it powers a DIY dragster.

Affordable Automotive Race Tech Experience

I’ve said this before and I will say it again, when it comes to regrets in life, I believe that the most commonly shared regret is having been born in the wrong time period. There are so many cool things that happened in the 50’s and 60’s with automotive race tech that was a special period for the uncommon common man. In other words, back in the day you could scratch build some impressive cars using scavenged parts when spark, fuel, compression and close-enough timing was all you needed to send you hurtling noisily down a road with something you built with your own hands and a bit of luck.

Today, it’s not so easy…or cheap to do.

Which brings me to the point of the topic and the value in watching these type of videos---if you can dream it, you can build it. And these guys are proof of the fact that if you cannot be born in the time period you covet, you can bring the time period to you…and make it affordable.

The value behind these kinds of activities is that there is a lot of tech knowledge involved and practical automotive learning experience that you can enjoy and share with a young mind needing direction with this kind of innovative fun.

‘Nuff said, here is the video posted below, but to gain a real appreciation of the Harbor Freight dragster blow up, be sure to check out the pre-show video made last July where the mechanics do a show and tell of adding a turbocharger to their Harbor Freight engine.

THE PRE-SHOW VIDEO

We Turbocharged our Harbor Freight 670cc Dragster

THE DRAGSTRIP VIDEO

Turbo Predator 670cc Dragster BLOWS UP after 8,500 RPM Pass

And finally...

For some exploding engine-related articles, here are a few for your consideration:

Consumer Reports Analysts Reveal the Used Cars Most Likely to Need an Engine Rebuild and What to Buy Instead

Chevy Engine Autopsy Reveals $20 Engine Killer

The Littlest VW SUV Could Be the Biggest New-Model Deathtrap

COMING UP NEXT: Best Gloves for Automotive Work Reveals How Harbor Freight Gloves Compare

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pixabay

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