Mike Finnegan, well known for his automotive exploits on his popular show, Finnegan’s Garage, faces a time crunch with his beloved 1955 Chevrolet. The Tri-Five nicknamed Blasphemi is a regular at Hot Rod’s Drag Week.
If you are not familiar with Drag Week (or drag n drives in general), the event features a grueling test where street-legal cars compete at multiple drag strips. Every participant must drive their vehicles from track to track during the said event. The best average e.t. from each track wins.
What Happened to Blasphemi?
Recently, Blasphemi suffered a major setback. The Hemi engine experienced significant damage during a prior event. Finnegan explained the issues, “This thing makes 1,000 at the tires on a good day, and yet I managed to cave in the dome of several of these pistons.”
He found multiple damaged pistons when he inspected the car thanks to an extra-spicy tune-up from their last dyno session in SoCal.
Is He Going to Make It?
The start of Sick Week is close. Finnegan found himself without a working engine just seven days before the event. He shared some of his concerns, stating, “It’s 7 days before Sick Week. I don’t have a motor, but I heard it’s finished.”
Luckily, a new engine arrived, and a team of his buddies were there to help with the rebuild. A new custom trailer, designed with help from Craig at B&P Manufacturing, added to the time crunch.
Finnegan mentioned, “basically rough drew it on a whiteboard during a Zoom phone call.” The trailer offers better storage and easier access to tools since it replaces their older, worn-out trailer.
Will Mike Finnegan Get His Tri-Five Drag N Drive Ride Ready in Time to Make the Race in FL?
Despite the challenges, Finnegan and his crew worked tirelessly, tackling several repairs and upgrades. First, they installed the new engine. Next, they reworked the wiring harness. After that, they fine-tuned the clutch.
After finishing the repairs and upgrades, other unexpected problems arose, such as having to re-mount the master cylinder and modify the car’s floor to accommodate new fittings.
As of Saturday, the day before his departure to Florida for testing, the car was still not running. Finnegan frankly admitted, “It’s 4:45 on Saturday… does it run? No. Is it complete? Also, no.” However, he also stated with resolve, “But is it Tuesday? No, it is not, so we’re not late.”
Finnegan, with his team, aimed to complete the car and begin testing on Sunday. The results of those tests are still unknown, and the tight timeline leaves little room for error. While his chances are uncertain, Finnegan’s determination is clear, and he still wants to compete at Sick Week.