Andrew, when you say:
"I also get the same "you need to know what your doing" type responses from some forums, or send me $20k and I'll build you one. I really with those people would provide me with a "why" response instead of just dismissing me, because they have no idea on the commitment I have in getting something done, and done right."

This response is quite common on the forums and in real life with the manufacturers/racers/and other professionals in the business. To give you some background, many of the forums have a constant stream of people who present themselves as those who have a legit project and the funds for such.....and they turn out to be something else. When someone asks about some specifics regarding building a supercharged fuel flathead, the alarm is triggered in most of our heads....is this guy serious? That spawns a bunch of replies about the high cost, etc.

I was friends with a ProStock racer in the 70's (will not mention names). Whenever he was in public, he was constantly harrassed with questions about race cars...most of the questions were pretty dumb. He was much more patient that I would have been. However, when you get a kid that is 18 telling you that he is building a race hemi or is going to spend his lawn mowing money to buy a minor part to build that race hemi, it makes the pro want to slap the kid into his senses.....we all dream about the bucks up stuff be we shouldnt be wasting other people's valuable time by presenting the project as more than a dream.

I'm not saying that you are dreaming; rather I am trying to explain that the cam guys, the forum guys, and whatever are pounded by questions and they have a difficult time separating the people like yourself with a real project (and with the money to pull it off) from the tire kickers. Most of the time, intelligent, concise questions help convey to the pros that you have done your research, intend to go forward, and are real.

Asking a question like "I'm buiilding a top fuel dragster to set the national record and I need to know the color of the parachute to use" will get you a bunch of rebuffs.

Hope this helps.

Mike in Tucson