Messages

31

Front Engine Dragsters / Dragster flys at Picton Airfield

« on: September 21, 2014, 03:49:37 PM »

First run yesterday was against my friend Pat Doornbos and his hot injected BB Fed FEd. The slant six was on kill and I treated the crowd to a John force style bun through. I backed up and staged at about 3800. The armdrop girl was a tall red head with short shorts but I choose to ignore that and laid a holeshot on Pat. At about 1/3track he got me as the new 454 on hilborn really cooks. When I lifted nothing happened and by the time I killed the ignition I was already about100 feet passed the finish line going faster then I ever had in my whole life. I tried for a long sloping turn onto the east west runway but there wasn't room. At about 100MPH I hit the grass and weeds and was in for the ride of my life.I slid for a long ways then hit something and the car became airborn. When it landed I felt my lower back kiss itself . PAt somehow was there as the car came to a stop having hard brake jumped out shedding his jacket and helmut as he ran. He reached inside the cockpit and began undoing my harness and arm restraints to get me out. The track crew and a first responder were there in minutes . I had blood coming out my mouth but they quickly determined I had just bitten my tonque. They got me out. man was I stiff. They almost carried me to the waiting truck making sure I was ok. I actually was other then being sore.  I said to the driver. "I must be in here a couple of hundred feet." He laughed. "try about 1000" he said. Since I was not in any medical emergency they threw a tow strap on my car and one of the track crew jumped in a steered it back to my pits. My buddies wife is a nurse so after they checked me over and took my vitals they said "just sit there for awhile and if anything odd happens call us immediately." The car sustained absolutely no damage of any kind and the harness kept me in the car. I didn't even bump my head. There is grass and weeds hanging of it but nothing is broken. What happened to the throttle I don't know. I have run it all this year with no problems but now it feels gritty like a carb shaft broke or something.   My pals just put it in shop and I will look at it after I recover from my bruising. I didn't expect the power this tunnel ram header combo makes and am probably in over my head now so it is time to quit shoeing it.
Anyway I am resting till the pain subsides.
don

32

Events / Re: Picton Airfield Fall Race Sept 20

« on: September 16, 2014, 05:26:55 PM »

You may be able to hear my scream as I cross the finish line way down there!
Thanks
don

33

Events / Picton Airfield Fall Race Sept 20

« on: September 16, 2014, 06:07:42 AM »

Today I begin checking over the car for Saturday and the Picton Airfield Armdrop Drags. Weather report is good. Three of us FED pilots had a chinwag on my porch last night right into suppertime. Apparently there is a few coming from down east Ottawa too. Ours are old school. Their's are more early seventies style and hi $$$$$$$ but we all have fun. Hard to say which part is more fun. Racing or shooting the breeze in the shade. It is a great venu. You just run when you want who you want and come up paired. They are very good about us realizing we can't start move and restart or sit there running waiting and we are too old to push so we roll up and they let us run immediately. They keep a "hot lane"
for us  with a fellow (Jake)tending it at all time. Bob Beazer is right there too most of the time. He has spent so much time around a starting line since the 1960s that he is a real asset when a new driver car combo shows up and knows exactly what to do how to calm them down and what to say. He goes to races all over the USA and Canada still but has been known to fly home for two days just to attend these. Since there are only a couple dozen of us so called hot cars or so we try not to abuse the privilege  and don't make a nuisance of ourselves but run enough to have fun but not so much other don't get a chance. Typically there will be over 600 passes made between 11 Am and 6 PM. You are staging while the last run clears the traps. Lots of vintage stuff of every description. New stuff as well.
I am hoping for a good solid pass and my fuel delivery problem at the very top of first will be gone.

34

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: September 11, 2014, 09:41:31 AM »

Was beating on mine this week. Motor is done. Intake and headers are installed in the car. Here it is awaiting.
don

35

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: September 09, 2014, 12:04:45 PM »

People who build stuff like that are a gift to us all. Outside the box? No. More like "What box?" And like many it is not something I would aspire to but it is never the less well executed and not cookie cutter.
Finished the engine for my Bug today. Don't know how that happened . I wasn't even planning to build it this year but it just came together. Expect about 270 hp at about 5700. Bill weighed his and it came up at 2237lbs without driver. Mine should be close, perhaps a bit lighter.
don

36

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: September 09, 2014, 06:05:16 AM »

My friends Bill and Rita Vilneff took their VW Chev V8 powered gasser to the Ottawa ONDR race. Bill came home with a second. He had just put together a more traditional 355 short block rather then his usual 383 stroker and was trying it out. Word is it is a go.  Hardest part of running this car is putting his race face on. Says it is difficult when you are grinning from ear to ear. Crowd ie spectators love the car. So does Bill. Says it is the most fun car to run he ever had.
They gave me this photo from the Otttawa race to use. More coming. To the left you see the Hilborn injected BB Chev rail of my nemesis Pat Doornbos and you can just see the blower of Mo's Poncho rail behind the VW. I run with these guys at the great Picton Airfield races. Next one Sept 20BTW
 

37

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: what 60 foot times

« on: September 05, 2014, 08:49:32 PM »

60 ft can often be the most significant piece of info you can have.
MPH speaks to Horsepower but little else . What happen in the first 60feet can be the difference between  killer car and someone elses cannon fodder. The easiest place on the whole race track to get the biggest bang for you buck is the launch and the first 60ft. Why? because for one thing you are moving at the slowest speed here so most improvements will cost you little $$$$$. When I am running a serious car I spend almost all my time working at this. I ask do I have too much gear, Do I have enuf converter. Am I lifting the front end too much or too little. Am I leaving straight or sort of sliding out of the gate with a slight sideways march. Things I have learned along the way. Everything has absolute limits. Even traction. Biggest mistake I see and I see it often is a light weight car , like our FEDs running gearing suitable for  door slammer . Bluntly put that would be  4. anything or higher.  With my little six at 1706 race weight including me I run  3.91 with a 29.5 tire. I should probably move to an actual 30 tire as I don't need quite that much even. On Mikes car the Hemi we run a 3.55 and really should up its tire size an inch dia  as he doesn't need that much either. 
I buy the best converter money can by from one of the best there is,Frank Lupo.  I currently use a 4700 stall 8 inch behind my little six and if I have my witts about me  stage using as much as the track can handle that day I can leave on almost anyone , even some of your procars . I have been involved with Frank since the 1990s. He is my secret weapon. If you think any good converter will do may you be in the other lane on race day. Tire setting for the track I covered  few days go so I wont redo it. Which trans gear or which low gear. If I run a tiny cube engine then I use the big gear. With a PG I believe you have a 1.82 or something. Also on the 904 torque flight which I run the lock up cases use a lower first gear and I would use that for a small cubed engine but not  big cubed one. Once I get above 400 cubes I would start to consider the lighter gearing in first.  I try best I can by shifting weight or balance in the car to keep the front end off on the launch but less then 6 inches with about 3 being ideal. I spend  lot of time at this.  I watch my short times like a hawk and if I do something that produces a neg to me result I swallow my pride and undo it. (You can laugh but many don't) Now I know at this stage of my life I am not as serious about this as I once was but we did field a lot of track champions from this shop  in various forms and this is how. Far too often folks are consumed about the engine and forget the small stuff.  We concentrated on the launch and worked to leave you sitting hoping we could hold off your top end charge. Most of the time it was a very successful approach.  As to the simulator results. Write the figure down it gave you. Assume that to be ideal and work towards it.  Use it as ideal yardstick as it were. You wont get their overnite. You may never get there but if you use it that way you will always beheaded in the right direction.
My 2cnts
don

38

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: M/T's tires on fed

« on: August 28, 2014, 07:34:58 PM »

Well I run from a hobby style econo car but I use MTs on my FED. I get just excellent traction. They seem to last for ever and always have that nice furr showing they are getting good hook. When I go to a new track say like when I first started running at Picton Airfield I go with too much air first. I watch the wear pattern on the tire and the black spot on the ground when I launch. I lower the pressure bit by bit till I get it all the way to the edges of the tire then I stop and run it. Seems to work well with these tires. While others are whining about can't get no bite I am leaving on the hind quarters carrying the front up about 3 inches through most of first gear. Traction like anything on  race car does not come by accident. Sometimes  that old saying "Old age and treachery beats youth and exuberance every time" includes things like this.
don

39

Gassers / Re: What did you do on your Gasser TODAY?

« on: August 27, 2014, 07:04:09 PM »

Block assembly is finished except for oil pump which should be here tomorrow. A friend gave me a perfect trunk lid so I changed that. Then I radiused the rear fenders for tire clearance and for a moment I could actually see the end of the major body work. There may be hope for this project yet.
don

40

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: August 27, 2014, 07:00:31 PM »

He is not having much luck with transferring the video. He said he will find someone who can do it for him so we will just have to be patient I guess.
don

41

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: August 25, 2014, 08:32:53 PM »

Back at the Green VW.
Over the last month he took the 383 stroker short block out and did a 355 for it. At my coaching he removed a lot of the shiny stuff and made a good solid serious bracket short block. Over the weekend he took the car to the Ottawa track and came home with second place money. got treed on his last run of the day or he would have had a first. He called to tell me.  Said he is still pinching himself. Said the car was very popular at the track. We have heard from some who were there on our Ontario Rodders board. The fellow said the crowd loved the little bug gasser and he said it was just flying. He also said he had taken some phone video but didn't know how to download it to a computer. Hopefully that will happen but whatever the case Bill is about as excited as I have ever seen him.
don

42

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: 10.20's and tech guy says don't come back without chassis cert

« on: August 23, 2014, 07:21:07 PM »

I had a fellow with what is called a silver ticket go over mine. He has spent a lifetime as  track manager or employee in some form or another. He said mine was fine and would not should not raise any flags. One thing I know they look for is the K or diagonal bracing and a "foot box" And then there are from time to time tech guys who are not techy and easily influenced by someone who doesn't want you playing in their sandbox. Or putting it another way. Some fellows in tech scramble to appear knowledgeable and others are knowledgeable. Sometimes  if they are unreasonable just don't go there. I remember two times in my career when I ran into idiots. Once in NY State a tech guy hassled me because I had a 7/16ths bolt on the battery hold down tray and the rule book said minimum 3/8ths. I talked my way through it that day but NEVER returned. Another west of here hassled me with our very successful Door slammer (in the book Old Reliable) because I had made my 5 point roll bar  from 2 inch Dom .120" instead of 1 3/4". He was sure we were not going to run and went and got the NHRA tech guy (he was track owner or manager)   The NHRA tech explained to him at least twice that my BAR Exceeded minimum specs and was properly made as per the current rules. He did the Well I dont know thing but reluctantly let us run that day. He never got a second chance from me as I never returned. As a sign in my friends machine shop says "Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever" Sometimes you just cant win. So you could get it teched which is up here about $140 and that would put an end to it or you could just avoid the place if you have another option. I carry a rule book right with me when I go to tech and make sure it is in plain sight just so they realize I am familiar with it in case they are not. For the most part we are welcomed and well treated but occasionally we meet a "donkey". Problems at the local track were traced down eventually to a personal hate of six cyl drag cars and the track manager eventually stepped in and  crushed the nonsense. I had supplied a 300 ford six power to one of their track champions from my shop and he regular smoked the tech  and starting line guys friends and brother so I was just getting that crap as payback. The track manager, even though we were never great pals saw through that and one day when they were hassling me and my car just stepped in and told them that was enough. Let Don run right now. And that was the end of it.
don

43

Front Engine Dragsters / Current Chrysler Power Sr dragster article

« on: August 23, 2014, 03:24:43 PM »

Just out. new issue Chrysler Power magazine. (at many Walmarts ) Pg 36 Senior Dragster article.
don

44

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: FEDs on trailers

« on: August 20, 2014, 02:14:00 PM »

I had to cheat on mine to get good tonque weight. I forgot even my short dragster has substantial engine set back. I made a Gas can support for the tongue from 1/2 inch steel and run to the track with a full spare fuel can . On the return I sub my spare water cans if the fuel one is empty. I brought me into the range where it is good. without it it is livable but annoying at slow speed. I should have put the axle back farther, even a few inches. However this was a practical work around.
other don

45

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: August 16, 2014, 12:25:08 PM »

I put the crank bearing and pistons in the experimental today. Looks like it will work well.
After .008" was cleaned from the deck actual Accidental deck height is -.050"
Stock slant six is -.140" (when I say - I mean down the hole at TDC)under NHRA stock specs minimum. Production is always more. Occasionally much more. with the piston .090" higher in the bore even with the mild dish in the piston, coupled with the .100" over bore , compression ratio is smartly improved , cubes is now 237 cubic inches instead of 225. Compression is still in a range that can use good Hi test fuel. (We have 94 available here in places) Since the slant six cannot not stand too the moon RPM with its 4.12" stroke cam duration which is what determines RPM of peak power is not that high. Since duration has a large effect on Compression ratio needed (Nothing happens till the intake valve closes at the beginning of the compression stroke) The need for extreme compression in this engine is more imaginary then necessary and a build like this has good potential to be a great performer.
don