Messages

16

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cooling

« on: August 28, 2016, 03:48:37 PM »

VW Rabbit radiator here. 12"x 24" two 10" fans sitting on top sucking the air through. Stock aluminum water pump with electric moroso type motor. We run a BBC on gas in Las Vegas, running in two bracket classes super pro & pro each event.

We always run the water pump and fans. Stage at 170. Drive back to pits 180-190. When we start hot lapping in the heat in booth classes, we put the charger on and run the water pump between rounds to cool it. 

17

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: More on tyres

« on: June 08, 2016, 10:24:27 AM »

We run the M/T 3062W. The W is for stiff sidewall tire. The next size down from the 3068W your liking.
We've put almost 500 passes on  them over 3 years on a 10" rim and there amazing. This weekend in Fontana, Calif. temps from a low of 103 and high of 111. Track temp from 130 to 145. In nine passes car ran from a 7.211 to a 7.196 1000' numbers.

We just got a new set of the 3062W to run on 12" rims. Ran them one tnt & race in LV so far. Race was called after 4th round because it was cold and guy's were having a tough time getting down the track. Our 3rd (left lane) & 4th (right lane) round wins were the exact  numbers to the 1000'. 9th & 10th pass on new tires.

I went with the 62's over the 68's because of the shorter sidewalls, for less movement. Same as stiff sidewalls, less movement. 
And throw gear at it to make her happy RPM wise. The 62's put a lil more tire on the ground and weight less. 12" rims this time around puts a extra 1/2" of tire on the track and will have less tire growth to control it.

You'll like the 68's and more importantly the car will. just keep her on jacks when resting

18

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: 1/8th mile gears

« on: April 21, 2016, 08:24:43 AM »

I'm with ya Van.

We've always run a t400. Bracket racing we launch in 2nd gear, shifting into high right at the 330' cone. Pro tree, leave in 1st.
I like a tall gear also but I like a shorter tire. We're using M/T's 29.5x10.5x15 w/stiff sidewalls on a 12' rim with 5 1/2 lbs. air

Last race I added 1 pound to each tire for our first practice pass. Track is normally at it's worst, first time run. Much like the very late rounds. So wanting to check how close to the edge we were I added the air and moved her to the outside edge of the groove that was forming.
Car spun, taking her out to the wall at the hit. She stayed init way to long not being a final. But on the video it's amazing how little rear tire roll there was when she got out of it, and the car swung back around when straightening up.

Short stiff sidewalls have less movement in them on the hit. Less is more when trying to be consistent for us. Just add more gear right

19

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: 1/8th mile gears

« on: April 19, 2016, 08:26:46 PM »

Yes with putting a big fuel tank and two batteries and what ever else you can as far forward on chassis as possible.

wideopen,

More/Taller gear meaning, going from 4.30 to like a 3.90 gear. Calmer launch more MPH.

I like the 4.30 gearing retoboy has now, just a lot of tire 31/13/15 M/T for 400hp. I'd try airing the tires up around 7-8 lbs. to try and get some tire off the track and see if it can spin them. If not keep airing up 1/2 pound till it starts to spin a lil on launch, then back down 1/2 pound.

20

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: 1/8th mile gears

« on: April 18, 2016, 07:23:21 PM »

You just playing or trying to get round wins in, will determine gearing right.

Bracket racing works best rolling the front tires thru the staging beams for consistency in any conditions. Not the easiest of things to do with a front motor cars. That's why ya don't see many bracket racing, let alone getting wins in. More gear less tire for brackets. 

21

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Means Racing & Budget Bender @ the 2016 Nostalgia Reunion

« on: April 12, 2016, 09:13:33 AM »

 
Thanks Greg. Best of luck!

22

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Change gears or tyres?

« on: April 11, 2016, 01:53:22 PM »

Race cars are like females, as we know. What we think she wants is not what she wants at all. Give her what ya got, be astute & run it. Give her what seems to make her happy as ya go, weather it makes sense always or not.
I love setting back after the races thru out the week reading the log book and watching video trying to understand what the car (Victoria) is telling me makes her happy. Making adjustments for next race and running it.
My daughter Kayla log's all our data at the track. As all I focus on at the track is the moment. Track, Wind & D.A. and so on.
As we know also that what made her happy last time, my not result the same next time. (to close to the edge!)
It only took us 3 years to finally get ours happy to the point of just draining the carb and put her on the stand for the next race. Lot more accountability on the driver when the car is happy which makes it a lot of fun.

Enjoy your digger 

23

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Change gears or tyres?

« on: April 11, 2016, 08:40:10 AM »

13" is a lot of tire to have to pull for sure. We have a lil 500hp BBC in our car. We run MT3062w, 29.5x10.5x15 tire on a 12" rim w/stiff side walls and use a ford 9" w/3.90 gear.
I hate to spend money on the car, because it has to be accountable. It's my Daughters car and she pays all the costs, so ROI is very important for me.
What about putting it back together with what you have already and getting in a few pass to see what the car wants and likes. Maybe try airing up the tires then as you go, to get tire off the track and see if it makes it happy. Always nice to have a good spair set of tires around that's for sure.

Best of luck

24

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: M/T slicks

« on: November 14, 2015, 06:39:15 AM »

We run the 3062W's. It's a 29.5/10.5-15W M/T. Great working tire for us. R/T & 60's very very consistent. 

25

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: A arm vs straight axle.

« on: October 07, 2015, 08:12:34 AM »

When I built my daughters Front Engine car I went with bolt on A arms. So I could set the car up with 0" roll-out, 1" roll-out or 2" roll-out.

So at 0" roll-out, I added tabs 1" back to move the A arms on one side back. On the other side of the car I added tabs 1" forward.

We mostly bracket race in the Pro no-E class with a .500 full tree here at LVMS. So we need the 2" roll-out.
If we run the .400 pro tree I set the car up with 0" roll-out.

Also we run 25" fronts on the .500 full tree leaving in second gear with a turbo 400. When racing .400 pro tree I put on your normal 17" fronts and leave in first gear.

I would never ever use a electronic delay aid as a crutch for the driver. As I have way to much fun bringing the car to her.
When she raced Jr.s I had a straight axle front end that I could set-up anywhere from 0" to 2" roll-out


Good luck.

26

Front Engine Dragsters / Another one for the good guys!

« on: June 09, 2015, 07:00:59 AM »

Front Engine Dragster wins!!!

Loved it in 1970.
OCIR Bracket 1.

Still loving it today.
LVMS Pro bracket.
5/17 & 6/7

Fontana bracket race coming up next weekend. Traveling for the first time with the car. I'm sure we will be the only Front Engine car there. Hopefully not.
Our ace in the whole is the driver. She knows how to take advantage of a Front Engine Dragster!

27

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Is it Monkey see Monkey do ?

« on: May 20, 2015, 07:01:59 AM »

I would agree with the thinking that a FED has advantages over a RED in the comp ranks Jon. (got the tire yesterday . Thanks)
We won 74 Sports Nationals running a turbo 400 in our B/ED setting the then record in the final at 8.87 152.00

Daughters lil front motor car got the win in again this weekend in the Pro bracket at LVMS on Sunday for the good guy's.
Semi's on Saturday. .003 breakout, ahead .010 on the tree. taking 3'.5 at the strip. Good race.

Enjoy

28

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Is it Monkey see Monkey do ?

« on: May 18, 2015, 05:45:52 PM »

We run a turbo 400 with a trans brake. We can leave in first or second gear with the brake.
We bracket race in the no-electronics Pro class here at LVMS and leave in second gear to slow down the vehicle reaction time to go off the bottom bulb. Works great, two tenths slower with same MPH.

29

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: 18" spoked wheels?

« on: March 29, 2015, 11:58:38 AM »

I bought my wheels and tires we run threw Jon. I'm looking for a spare to have with us.
So i'm looking for a odd ball or some older ones someone might have laying around. After all who wants those heavy things on there car.

Thanks Jon I'll give you a call, so we have a spare by the fling.

30

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: How to figure proper ackerman with a 2" offset front axle and FORWARD arms

« on: March 28, 2015, 10:03:40 AM »

We run our right side long.

Our track (LVMS) turns off to the left. So the car turns left much easier with the right side long.
It was that way with her (Kayla) Jr dragster. First thing we did when we got the Jr. was take advantage of the 0-2" of roll-out. Making the right side long. After the end of the year made a lot of changes to the car. One was making the left side long. She didn't like the way the car was harder to turn left. So I went back to having the right side long and she liked it much better.

So when we put her front engine car together we made the right side the side I could make long and all has been good.