Messages

76

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: DRAGSTER LENGTH

« on: January 08, 2015, 02:02:45 PM »

Hopefully folks with more experience will chime in, but there are a bunch of 200" or less cars running mid 7's.
Mine is at 196 and my next one will be 196-200, mainly due to trailer configuration.
Would the 225" car be more stable? perhaps. Longer is better but I suspect there is some point of diminishing returns.
lots of short 150 cars out there that go straight, but are a handful when they get out of shape.

77

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Push throttle

« on: December 28, 2014, 11:21:09 AM »

I do not have pics, but both of my cars have been push set ups.

78

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: How to paint body

« on: December 20, 2014, 01:55:33 PM »

I was thinking about this today, glad it came up.
My last one was mill finish and I could hit it with a scotch bright pad and WD-40 if it got nicked, dirty, or stained.
Think the next one (starting on chassis after Christmas) may get a pretty paint job on the exterior, and nothing on the inside.

79

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Support equipment to field a vintage style fed..

« on: December 12, 2014, 06:25:42 AM »

I crewed on a team for a season or so before I built mine and the most valuable thing I learned was what not to bring. Easy to go over board and I hate to work on my stuff at the track. I have an air tank, not a compressor. If I have to break out the impact I probably will not be working on it at the track. May come in handy for trailer tires if you have the room.

I have a small 5 drawer top box just with track tools, jack, stands, ramps, 5gal bucket half full of assorted fasteners and hose fittings. Timing light, spare Vertex, (if you have it you may never need it, but if you are without a spare your primary will die) Oil, filter, trans fluid, drain pan, EZ up, lights, generator, batt charger, spare starter (see mag reasoning) 5gallons more fuel than you think you will need. I use a 30 gal plastic drum and keep an empty 5gal racer jug in the trailer. In the tool box i also keep a terminal end kit, soldering iron, shrink tube, and some wire. Bunch of spark plugs.

A dry erase board for those "next time I need to remember to bring......" moments.

Chairs, cooler full of water is more important that you might think. Snacks and I use a collapsible trash can with a bag. 

80

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Just for fun little guy FED combos

« on: December 09, 2014, 04:38:50 PM »

Before I got stupid and plugged a blown BBC in and then bent the chassis.
Fairly low buck build. Old chassis with a few updates, tired 383 from a street rod with a Hilborn from a roundy rounder, 10:1 flat tops and had a flat tappet cam ground with little to no overlap to make the motor think it had more compression. A little money in the trans and converter, some in the heads, and a little help from Frank and Scott Parks telling me what to fix.

Had more fun with this configuration running 5.50's with a best of 5.20 (light weight driver and below sea level air).
Car weighed 1425 with me. Kid driving in the pic was 60lbs lighter.

81

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: The boys from Kansas are at it again

« on: November 05, 2014, 03:20:40 PM »

Glad to see Frank poke his head in here.
May be too busy to post much, but now he knows we are talking about him and Scott.

Welcome Frank.

82

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Velocity Stack Covers

« on: November 04, 2014, 02:29:52 PM »

Wife made mine. Very simple and I bet you could find a local seamstress that would take it on for a few bucks.
Or go to the fabric store and ask around, look at the bulletin board there.

83

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: The boys from Kansas are at it again

« on: November 04, 2014, 02:26:26 PM »

Thanks for posting that. They are amazing.

84

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Front End Caster on a FED

« on: August 15, 2014, 07:00:16 PM »

I run 13 degrees. 

85

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: Spark plugs for blown combo

« on: July 31, 2014, 03:35:00 PM »

Thanks, that is the kind of info I need.
Yes 14mm and I will have to ck on the reach but that is probably right.

More boost needs colder plug?
Any advantage to longer reach plugs that are indexed vs a short reach?

86

Spud Miller's Cave / Spark plugs for blown combo

« on: July 30, 2014, 04:39:40 PM »

I searched and read a couple different threads on spark plugs, but did not see this addressed and would like some guidance.

Finally got to make a few passes this weekend with a 496, alky, Merlin iron heads, 8:71, around 6 lbs of boost, SM3 (hopped up by Spud) and built enough heat to read the plugs. (a little lean)
Not sure if I am ahead or behind.

Running a Champion  670 v59c picked up cheap from one of the guys with a similar combo.
Not a fan of Champion and always ran NGK with my inject small block.
Gapped at .016

I do not know enough about heat range to pick what I need, so what heat range do I need? NGK R5674-10 or do I need to go to a hotter -7?
Are the heat range number standardized between brands? bigger# is colder?

87

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: high Speed bypass hookup

« on: July 11, 2014, 03:40:07 PM »

Sorry just realized I said HS not pump saver.... HS will now use return that was in use by the pump saver.

88

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: high Speed bypass hookup

« on: July 11, 2014, 02:11:25 PM »

Spud, my brother and I were just having this conversation about the high speed you set up for me and where to plumb it.
I like the idea of running it back to the distribution block. Saves me a good length of hose on a boat, and my brother is one of those that does not want to plumb it back to the front of the pump.

Great timing! Thanks.

89

Events / San Antonio TX Nostalgia

« on: July 10, 2014, 08:07:44 AM »

For those of you in Texas, we have one coming up on July 19th that will be a good show.

I know the outlaw fuel altereds will be here, a handful of funnys and all manner of nostalgia cars.

http://www.sanantonioraceway.com/

90

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: Help with stack injection

« on: June 03, 2014, 09:46:17 AM »

If you had it running for 30seconds I doubt it is the starter.  I suspect you have an air leak in a line.
You may not ever see it leaking fuel either.  I have had this happen several times, especially at the first of the season after the lines have set.
Many times it was the fitting at the bottom of the pump not allowing it to draw fuel because of a small crack or just the line itself developing a leak.

Right or wrong, I start mine on Berryman just about every time.  Too many episodes worrying about a primer bottle and I always have Berryman around.
You can keep up a spray till it pulls fuel, but be very careful of backfires.