Messages

61

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cage/Helmet Clearance

« on: January 01, 2023, 07:47:16 PM »

If the track we plan to race would ever enforce a 3" helmet to cage rule I guess my planned driver would lose a ride. That would leave me (5'9"-ish) or selling it to someone who doesn't have a long torso like the planned driver. He rarely shows up to help with the car anyway. I'm getting pretty frustrated since that was in the original plan.

Did anyone see my post about parachute pack and tether mounting? Something went goofy when I tried to add a couple photos and the only way I can see my original post is to click on "Reply". Maybe check it out and offer some experienced guidance. Doing it through this thread would be fine by me!

Lynn

62

Front Engine Dragsters / Posting Question

« on: December 30, 2022, 07:46:23 AM »

I just posted a question regarding parachute mounting and now it doesn't even show up when I click on it. I tried to post 2 photos with the text. What might I have done wrong? I'm pretty much computer illiterate.

Lynn

63

Front Engine Dragsters / Parachute Mounting

« on: December 30, 2022, 07:34:32 AM »

So far through searching I haven't really found any good instructions or guidelines for mounting a parachute to my FED. I know there are dangers to having the tether mounted too high or too low. One suggestion was to have the tether mount on a plane that would run through the camshaft. That seems reasonable.

I just bought a new Stroud 401 Chute and do have a 4-hole mounting plate that came along with some assorted parts I bought from someone on this forum. I guess 4 holes get punched through the chute pack to mount the pack to the chassis? Of course the tether would have to mount to a separate strong "pull point" at the appropriate height on the rear of the chassis.

Hopefully 2 photos of the rear of my chassis will appear below. Perhaps some recommendations can be made regarding mounting points for the pack itself and the chute tether. I will be installing wrap-around shoulder belts to the horizontal tube that's about 6-7" long located just below the shoulder hoop with the belts going over the shoulder hoop. I'm guessing that area would be good for the placement of the pack so the chute would be deployed (spring deploy) into an area with good airflow. Suggestions on the tether mount and what type bracketry would be appropriate in terms of tube diameter and wall thickness and bracket tab thickness would be appreciated.

I'm learning a lot through building this car and I'd like to think I'm smart enough to ask for guidance when I run into safety related questions. Thanks, in advance!

Lynn

 

64

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: December 29, 2022, 05:54:40 PM »

I finally got my FED up on 4 wheels today. I think for the next couple days it would take plastic surgery to get the smile off my face! All of the "little things" that have gone into building from the ground-up are now worthwhile.

Lynn

65

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cage/Helmet Clearance

« on: December 29, 2022, 06:28:39 AM »

Belts should be here in a couple days. I ordered UltraShield 3" belts but with a 2" buckle so there's less bulk right in the driver's lap. Also, ordered them with pull-up adjusters on the lap belt so the driver can tighten it well themselves in the confines of the cockpit.

I've begun an initial assembly of the car just to see that everything is going to play nicely together before blowing it apart again for paint, etc.

Lynn

66

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: sbc spark plugs

« on: December 10, 2022, 03:06:18 PM »

If the plug wire connection "nipple" on the end of your plugs unscrews from the spark plug (some do some don't) would that come off first to add a bit of clearance for the rest of the plug? Just a thought......and in my case that can be dangerous or useless.

Lynn

67

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: December 02, 2022, 07:52:19 PM »

Thanks again. Yes...MAR....I can still hear the ads on AM630 KXOK yelling "SUNDAY! SUNDAY! MAR, where the big one's are!" Yeah, that was in the 60's so I'm probably somewhat giving away my age.

Lynn

68

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: November 23, 2022, 07:02:04 PM »

Thanks for the compliment and suggestion. It's 145" wheelbase. FWIW, I built the car by plans from S&W Race Cars, but since .058" 4130 was difficult to get in all the quantities and sizes I needed, I built the car with .120" D.O.M. (to meet .118" wall NHRA specs)......and yeah, she's a plump thing. I don't recall a diagonal in the forward "box" on the 200" car plans I used and abbreviated to 145", but I will take another look to see if I missed something. Certainly easier to add now than to repair.

Your profile lists Gateway as being your track. Is that the St. Louis' track which is now Worldwide Technology Raceway, or whatever it is called now, or is it a Gateway somewhere else?

Lynn

69

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: November 22, 2022, 07:35:38 PM »

FINALLY finished up the welding on my chassis and cage. Now I can start putting the whole puzzle together to see if anything works out the way I hope.

There were some challenging positions this 70 year old had to get into to get to some of the welds! Actually.....I'm not finished, I still have to finish weld the MC bracket that's already tacked in place, and then when the whole engine and drivetrain go in place I'll finalize the engine mount brackets. I built using an alignment bar, but things move when welding. I had been very careful to stagger welds from side to side. I wonder how many times I slid the TIG torch to the opposite side and walked around the car?

I hope to get it done by Spring!

Lynn

70

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Throttle Linkage

« on: October 23, 2022, 02:14:20 PM »

Man, time really flies! I asked a question about throttle linkage back in May and I'm finally at the point of needing to source the throttle cable. My desire is to use the cable to "Push" to open throttle, and then, if the springs fail or the cable sticks I intend to use the loop on my pedal to positively "Pull" the throttle closed. Here's a link to what I'm considering, and yes, I do realize it's listed as a shifter cable, but it has the rigidity on the ends to work as a true "Push-Pull" cable. I like this particular one because it has "bulkhead", threaded ends to tune the adjustment of the cable, plus one threaded end to use a rod end and provide adjustment too.

https://www.jegs.com/i/B%26M/130/80735/10002/-1?gclid=CjwKCAjwzNOaBhAcEiwAD7Tb6MOHM_3Q2CxafUAdFpqGTMwk0l8xdfLVzMwysIlAX-WzadqmYvW2CxoCPL0QAvD_BwE

Also have a question on chute release. Chute cables with and without the handle are ,in my opinion, way out of line on price. I have a cable housing that has an I.D. that could serve as a "Pull" cable to pull a .070" "wire" out of the chute loop to deploy it. I will need to source the wire and was wanting to use stainless steel for the obvious reason to resist corrosion. The housing will have some bends in it to get from point A to point B, and I wonder if I need to be concerned about what alloy the stainless steel solid wire is so that it wouldn't work harden. The  one source of wire I'm considering says they make springs and sell a 302 alloy stainless wire, so I would think it would work out OK. I think the tightest bend would still be at least 6" radius.

FWIW....The track I plan to run has a 3000' shut down area for a 1/8 Mi. track and I really doubt the chute would ever get used except just to test that it actually works, so maybe questioning work hardening is not an issue at all. Then again, maybe my thinkin' is stinkin'.

As always....thanks for input.

Lynn

71

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Blown sbc lit for the first time.

« on: October 11, 2022, 08:06:00 PM »

Sounds great! But, I don't think I even saw a smile on your face?! If I fired up something like that in my driveway I'd have to have plastic surgery to get rid of the grin.

Lynn

72

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cage/Helmet Clearance

« on: September 22, 2022, 05:02:46 PM »

Did a 2nd fitment today with the driver wearing a driving suit (3 layer Sparco) over jeans. Decided to shorten the back "spine" tube of the 5-point cage by 1/2" which will leave 1"-1 1/2" clearance after allowing for the thickness of SFI roll bar padding.

I am going to bend a different spine tube with a bit tighter radius which will allow a longer tube between the front and rear hoops without the cage sticking W-A-Y forward of his helmet. With the rear tube I had the connector between front and rear hoops would have only been maybe 2" long. Leaning the rear hoop back a bit further by having a tighter bend radius on it will also put the rear hoop in a better position, like more out directly to the side of his helmet. I plan to have the front of the front hoop 3-4" out from the front of the helmet, measuring at about the top of the visor opening. I think I read somewhere in regulations that 3" is a minimum, and I believe that was to the front of the front hoop.

If you read anything wrong into what I have tried to describe, please call me out on it and correct me. I want to do this right. To me, it's the most important part of the whole chassis.

Lynn

73

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cage/Helmet Clearance

« on: September 16, 2022, 10:54:49 AM »

Thanks for the replies. Based your examples of closer fitting cages, I might "tighten up" my cage a bit. Your examples verify what the tech at S&W had to say.

I can't stand the looks of a big tall, gangly-looking cage, but certainly didn't want to compromise safety by thinking too much about only looks. My driver is a tick over 6' but I'm only about 5'9". In talking it turns out both of us wear 34" inseam pants so his extra 3" of height is mostly in his torso which made sense considering the headroom I had sitting in the car. When I sat in the car with the rear cage tube mocked up I had a GOB of headroom and would have looked like a gnome sitting in it.

Thanks gents. Now I have some info the move on in an informed way.

Lynn

74

Front Engine Dragsters / Cage/Helmet Clearance

« on: September 15, 2022, 07:17:08 PM »

Started constructing and planning the roll cage for my FED. Driver was here today and we mocked it up with him in the car, helmet on, with 2" of clearance over the top of his helmet. To that we added the thickness of SFI padding to be installed. Called S&W race cars where I bought my chassis plans and talked to a tech. He said there's no actual minimum but to have enough clearance for some head movement, and not so tight to hamper doing a quick get-out in an emergency. So, am I on the right track with 2" between the helmet and the roll bar padding? It seemed to me that too much clearance would be as bad as not enough.

I'll appreciate thoughts.

Lynn

75

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: September 13, 2022, 03:55:22 PM »

Ouch! One step forward and two steps back?

Lynn