FrontEngineDragsters.Org Forum
Drag Racing Discussions => Front Engine Dragsters => Topic started by: Dolmetsch on September 21, 2014, 03:49:37 PM
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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
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Hey a wreck of any kind that you walk aways from is not that bad and if the car is unhurt even that much better. Glad you both got out ok. Car probably not in as much pain as you are and will be for cpl days.
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So sorry to hear about the incident, glad to hear that you are not hurt and car is ok.
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Don I'm glad you're OK.
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Don glad to hear you are still around to tell us about your weekend......
Take it easy for a few days and let us know what you find when you get back to the shop and car.
I use 3 different return springs at 3 different locations on my fuel system for this reason.
Again glad to hear you are still vertical..........
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I already had two at two different locations plus the carbs are loaded return as well. Anyway glad to be alive. Gonna be sore for a week or so I imagine. The track had a drone copter videoing all day. The track organizer phoned again to check on me and said he will see of there is video of the whole deal. He said I was so far out in the weeds many didn't think it was anyone from the track. Wife says I am moving better already. We will see what tomorrow brings.
don
here is the run
http://www.netquickposse.org/photos/index.php?album=events&image=27+sep+2014+031a.jpg
(http://www.netquickposse.org/photos/cache/events/27%20sep%202014%20031a.jpg_595.jpg)
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Don, what a wild ride! Glad to hear you're OK.
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Phew! Glad you are able to tell us the story. Hope you find the problem quickly.
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What a ride, glad your OK!
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ME too. It was an adventure for sure! Tis a tribute for the safety rules though as I built the car by the book. I never bumped my head or hit any of the bars with anything and absolutely nothing is broke on the car despite the wild ride. it is interesting to note despite the 96 inch wheelbase even when the car became a runaway and was still building speed directional control was never even a remote issue. If I was to add anything to the car I think it would be some laundry. A chute might have saved the day.
don
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Don - hope you're mending well, and all else going smoothly. Must give you a big smile when you look at your dragster and know it kept you safe. Alan
p.s. I recommend not making any hasty decisions, just take some time for yourself : )
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Thanks, I am still pretty sore but a bit better each day..
Yes , The fact that I have no bruises other then my spine from the bonecrushing landing and the car is intact and nothing broken makes me think perhaps the rules are good ones. None of us intends to crash and I have been at the drag racing game since 1966. This was my first mishap.
Other factors then the crash figured into my decision. I am just not good at the speeds I am now reaching. I didn't intend to cross the finishline under power about usually quit about 100 feet out. I knew I would probably not race next year in it and thought of that as I climbed in. I just wanted to complete the development on the engine combo with the tunnel ram. It had a wee problem top of first gear as it would almost empty the float bowls just before the shift. I figured I would give Er just to make sure that was gone and retire from shoeing it. The burnout was awesome as we both burned through the lights. It feels like a big block, not a 246 six. I was smiling as I staged as I had done a long enough burn though I had made the shift and knew the problem was gone. Pat has a new motor now a hi compression 427 (I was saying 454 but apparently this motor is a 427. My error.) and it just loves it hilborns so I knew I had no hope. However I staged up on the converter and held him off till somewhere between a third and half track. I will never forget the hard, strong launch and pull as the little slant six gave its all to run the big Chevy. That feeling alone brings a smile right now even. I got far more back on the design and build of the tunnel ram and headers that I ever even dreamed. That will not go away. I am happy and satisfied.
There is a picture posted up on Quintecars.ca of me leaving him off the line. Time to switch to my gasser which at least I can get in and out of without groaning.
don
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Your new gasser, logical direction. Quintecar.ca picture certainly tells a story.
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Thanks. I have forever in my memory the feel of the burnout as we both burned through the line and then backed up. It was really working nice and I thought to myself how can a six make power like this. Mike was there to help me stage and he was and always is a big help on the line as he has been at it for years. I was able to come in at just under 3800 and set with the brake on full as Pat bumped in. That is fine I have learned because it warms up the trans a bit. When she dropped her arms I left. I was shallow staged but it didn't matter. The Converter , a lil 8 inch 4700 stall Frank Lupo made for me launched like a bullet. Bill from Quinte cars.ca caught it just at the leave. I opened the hole a fair distance right there and it got better till his top end charge took over. We are only 70 lbs difference in race weight, me being the lighter. I could feel the lil six pushing hard and could hear it roar. It has a deep distinct roar with this set up and not so much the old bumblebee sound sixes usually have. I use an A&A trans governor kit for autoshift at 6100 and it clicked off nicely. I could perhaps have left higher on the converter but it was early in the day and I wasn't sure of how much bite was out there as they are not allowed spray or resin. I am more then happy with the engines performance. It is far better then I would have expected from this induction/exhaust set up. Several have commented both on line and in person since on how hard the lil six leaves and its sound. I am more then content with it. What to do with it I haven't thought about much yet. And the fact the the chassis kept me safe despite the speed and danger and flight also pleases me. I am tagging the whole deal a "success". I am working on a scrapbook , digital, of the day from early rising to the race. I had an idea that if all went well on the run I would hang it up Saturday so I took pictures from the moment I got up till right up before I ran. And I have the two pics of the run. One on the leave you just referred to and one just as he caught me. The track videos every single run and has from their first airfield race so I have that coming too. They also had a guy with a video equipped drone filming Sat . I don't know if it was up in the air or not when we ran. He could chase the cars down track so I heard some of the video was awesome. We shall see hopefully. Also a friend in TO was there and was using his go pro in hand held mode and videoed the run from the starting line. Said he would let me know how it turns out. So I have a lot of good memories. The crash was not fun however takes nothing from the strong run and it looks like the pain is going to go away. The whole experience from building the original six carb intake then the four barrel days and now the tunnel ram days has been a blast. Got to design two of my own camshafts and discovered much to my joy I was right on, on what I thought it needed. The two different heads were very interesting with the last one being phenomenal. The bottom end of the engine has never needed any service. Over the years the car has appeared in 8 magazines and been on TV (Gearz) as well. And I just built it so I could have a bit of fun and experiment in my retirement. Life is good. I have no complaints from the whole experience. And I met a lot of you folks as well.
The gasser will be a bit toned down power wise as it is time to exercise some restraint. But I wouldn't have missed this experience for anything. Soon I will be 65. I have nothing to complain about.
don
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Sounds like quite a ride. I've enjoyed following your progress and am glad you and the car both recovered :D.
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...I've enjoyed following your progress and am glad you and the car both recovered.
X2
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Thanks all!
The Promoter Glen Conway just showed me a photo taken of the race by Shane Featherstone Photography. It is on Facebook (and I am not) probably on the Armdropdragracing.com Facebook page but that is just a guess. It is the best action photo of my car I have ever seen. It is from the opposite side of the track in the restricted zone with the sun behind him. I am still leading from the large holeshot the slant six laid on him but Pat Doornbos and the injected BB Chevy are on KILL! You can see the torque ripple in his tire and he fights to catch me with everything he has. I want to shout GO DON GO!!!!!!! It would actually make a great Magazine cover it is that kind of a picture. For a few seconds the pain goes away and I remember once again the thrill of it and feel the adrenalin rush of the race. Suddenly the crash doesn't matter. This lil slant six has given me more back then I ever could have hoped for. I can retire from driving it with a huge grin. I will NEVER forget this moment in the picture as long as I live! I must find the photographer and order a huge print, perhaps 24 x 36 or something. It made my day!
don
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN884RoUB8g&feature=em-share_video_user