FrontEngineDragsters.Org Forum
Social => Your Builds / Photo Gallery => Topic started by: ricci32 on April 22, 2013, 12:12:02 PM
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Hi guys Larry Ricci, this is my first dragster, drag anything build I met a few cool guys in recent years and decided to build a vintage front engine dragster to do some nostalgia events with. Im a former eastern dirt modified racer for 25 years and a good buildrer and fabricator. Five years ago i lost my father to pancreatic cancer he and i worked together on race cars and motorcyles my entire life with him gone i just walked away from it all. In the last year and a half i have met some really cool people and it has ignited my desire to get back into the fold . I met and have become friends with Brian Darcy the comp driver ,met Ray Helger Helger bros racing ,Terry swampdonkey Knosic All FED guys. I had a large inventory of parts left over from 40 years of circle track racing and decided to build a car with what was in the shop. I contacted David Beard From dragster supply and david beard race cars to build the 4130 moly chassis david is a great guy to do buisness with and has become a great friendcheck out his web site . The car has some non conventional parts and is styled after a early 60's kent fuller car with a five point cage plan for a fuller car were given to me by Roger Riceman Lee and were used in the construction. I called and spoke to Roo man over a year ago what at great guy and super source for advice. I have been to a few nostalgia events and this sport is fantastic and most of all fun everyone is friendly and helpful. The car is now a roller and im currently working on the body it will have a chute tail body simular to the addict top fuel car all aluminium. Here are some build pics.
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A few more pics
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This is the style body only engine forward exposed.
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Cool build Larry, love the lightweight circle track components.
Will you be able to shift the transmission during the run?
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Its got first and reverse to get around the pits. you will launch in second pull back for high one shift i had the tranny face toothed very little clutch or throttle blip to shift to high.
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Sweet lookind FED. What's the tranmission?
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The transmisson is the big saginaw threespeed with the tail shaft removed the back of the case has a flat plate with a seal the main shaft is resplined its a old dirt modified unit from the 80's before we went to the internal clutch transmissions.
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Built a cool set of headers today from emt thin wall conduit and jegs flanges .
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Wow a 2 speed stick now that's something I havn't seen in a long time ! bangin gears in a dragster !
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Picked this up at the Rhinebeck ny swap meet over the weekend
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Got some work done on the body this weekend.
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Nice build. What's the wheelbase? Engine CI?
My car is a short chassis and looks similar.
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The car is 125" wheel base the engine is 358 cid dynoed at 500hp will be injected alcohol chassis is 4130 so its super light looking to run nostalgia events and vintage drags.
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What size Hilborn pump is that? It kind of looks like a "-4" to me.
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The pump is an s0 it was on a limited sprint car on alky
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That's cool. I was afraid that it was a -4 and would be way too big.
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A few more body pics bellypan is done working on the short body and then the chute pac tail.
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A few more body pics bellypan is done working on the short body and then the chute pac tail.
Very nice, I have the very same sand blaster in the background of the second shot.
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I like the wide 5 rims and hubs. Not traditional but neat and a very cool idea. I don`t think I`ve seen that before at the drag strip. Looks sharp.
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Im an exdirt modified racer the rear hubs are magnesium light and strong full float . the goal of this project was to use up all the eqipment left over in the shop from 50 years of circle track racing .The car wil be used for vintage and nostalgia drags .
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I really like your project.
Don
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Thanks Don watching your builds on the hamb were a big influence for me to build this car. You remind me of my father he built everthing himself when he was racing chassis motors entire drive line and ran very competativly he took alot of pride in doing it all himself. This build is in that spirit there is alot of good components in this car but all left over from two long racing careeres and its my first dragster, well first drag anything.
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Well all the best. I hope you enjoy drag racing. I find it very peaceful and relaxing. I have been known to sit on the couch in the dark after a day racing just thinkng and grinning. I can see from your build your Dad brought you up well. Enjoy.
Don
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Worked on the chute pack tail trying to make it simular to the addict top fuel car. a few pics
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The body continues hope to be done this week.
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I thought a lot about a second panel on my dragster extending up to the first set of 1 ' bars which are about where yours are. I like it on yours . I may try it in blue bristol board on mine to see if the look holds.
Don
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Larry,
What's a big Saginaw 3 speed? Out of a large truck, or?
I'm considering going the manual route instead of a powerglide.
Keeps with the early theme and there are plenty of dragsters with powerglides already.
Thank you,
Ken
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Ken i call the saginaw trans used in 70's chevy trucks and mid size cars the big saginaw. this is not the little three speed in late 50's trucks and cars. the older trans was used alot in drag cars but they are kinda weak.
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Back in the late 60's and early 70's we ran a 2 speed trans . It was a side shift out of a Chevy truck . It was very short and used the same main case as a t 10 4 speed . I think it was a t 89 trans . Not 100 percent shure though . If you really want to do something fun why don't you try to find an old clutchflite trans !
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That car is bad . cool dragster
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Ken i call the saginaw trans used in 70's chevy trucks and mid size cars the big saginaw. this is not the little three speed in late 50's trucks and cars. the older trans was used alot in drag cars but they are kinda weak.
Thanks Larry!
Wasn't sure if there was a Saginaw 3 speed I wasn't aware of.
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Back in the late 60's and early 70's we ran a 2 speed trans . It was a side shift out of a Chevy truck . It was very short and used the same main case as a t 10 4 speed . I think it was a t 89 trans . Not 100 percent shure though . If you really want to do something fun why don't you try to find an old clutchflite trans !
Whoa, more pics please.
Love the low slung look.
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Unfortunatly I only have a couple of pictures of that car .That was my first dragster around 69 and 70
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Body to be complete this week have a look
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The Body is finally complete and look what else followed me home yes two front engine cars i must need theropy.
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A few more.
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You bought Agent Orange?
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Did not buy it got it in a trade deal for a car and some parts. Going to let my nephew do some 1/8 mile stuff for fun he is 14.
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Cool, I noticed the for sale ad on the car (Agent Orange) had disappeared and wondered what become of it.
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Larry nice meeting you this past weekend
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Larry, I just figured out who you are! It was great meeting you and BS-ing in Brian's trailer during the storms at the NEHRR.
Chuck
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your right masracingtd1167 , we ran Chevy truck T-89 B's in our digger's back in the 60's, early 70's