Messages

16

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Overseas new members ride

« on: June 11, 2019, 05:13:17 AM »

Very nice car; I presume there's a similar tab with another two bolts hiding behind the caliper???
Interesting shifter mounting, as well. The shifter in my car is center mounted with the base offset a bit to the right of the steering shaft, and slightly inclined to the right such that the knob is about in line with the right grip. Do you have any other pictures of your shifter mounting?
Seeing your setup has me thinking of doing something similar. Might get a bit more kneeroom in what is a very tight cockpit. I gather you haven't run the car yet, are you gonna let us know how it goes?
John, Houston TX

17

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Ed Mabry 71 Jr. Fuel

« on: May 24, 2019, 07:52:21 PM »

Well, that's reassuring, though everything does NOT have to be aligned to the extent that I would think it would need to be with couplers. The u-joint interface would tolerate some left-right and / or up-down misalignment as long as the yoke bearing centerlines coincide at the u-joint trunnion centerline, where, as you say, the u-joint cups slip right into place. Mine do as well, but on my car, there is evidence that there has been at least one other drivetrain combination in the car at one time or another, because of visible mounting holes in the rearend upright that are not currently filled. I have no idea whether a line-up bar was used to set up my present combination.
 Thank you very much for your input on this. I'll worry about it a lot less now, hearing you've run the same thing with no driveline failures.
John Williams

18

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Ed Mabry 71 Jr. Fuel

« on: May 24, 2019, 12:02:08 PM »

I believe I saw in one of your earlier pictures that the connection from trans to rear is yoke to yoke through a u-joint. Is that legal? Is that considered safe?
Obviously couplers would be optimal. I'm asking because I have the same setup. Shielded within a steel tube guard cover.
John

19

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Control cable contact info

« on: May 09, 2019, 04:40:33 AM »

For a second I thought that was a micrometer you are using to hold the lever on the right.

20

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: reason you choose a FED?

« on: May 04, 2019, 05:17:49 AM »

I was born and grew up in New Orleans, and just before 1980 while I was still in high school, went to Laplace Dragway and saw a FED in person, and was intrigued and impressed. That was at the LAST DRAG RACE at that track. Some few years later I had a '66 Chevelle that I ran at  State Capital and Gulfport, later I moved to Houston for work, and ran at Eastex Dragstrip, until it closed, and then at what is now Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown.  A buddy turned me on to a FED that was offered for sale, and I traded my Chevelle and trailer for the FED, and its trailer.

21

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: GOT MY LICENSE...FINALLY

« on: May 04, 2019, 04:50:17 AM »

Hi, xlr8, congrats on getting your license! I too am curious as to what tire pressures you might be running, from the first pic on the post the rear tire is wrinkled a bit which suggests pretty low. I run about 10 psi in my similar car running similar ET and MPH. Someone posted above what front tire pressures might be as far as contributing to bounce, I don't see that as relevant, but I could be wrong and am willing to be schooled if need be. Do you have a parachute on the car? I do, and I do use it every pass, at 125 MPH or so it won't try to pop your eyeballs out of their sockets, but you CAN feel it helping to slow the car.

22

Roo Man's Room / Re: Advice on building a new fuel tank

« on: April 13, 2019, 05:41:51 AM »

Onlinemetals.com
Very good and quick service, choose your sheet size, UPS delivery.
I highly recommend them for small amounts of material needed in a few days.
They are a division of Thyssen-Krupp, and they ship from several metal service centers they have in the USA.
McMaster-Carr is another good option.

23

Roo Man's Room / Re: Steering ratio.

« on: April 03, 2019, 03:55:05 PM »

If I may contribute my two cents, I will say that on my car, 150" FED, 1/4 turn of the butterfly gets you about 10 degrees of front wheel movement. I would say that is quite quick enough and far enough for any steering inputs you may need to make going downtrack. That's one grip up and one grip down, probably if you need to steer much more than that, you should have been off the gas before you got to that point, or should have corrected earlier. Definitely you should have to pass the grips hand to hand at the turnoff, but definitely NOT going down the track. In any out-of-control situations, well, do what you gotta, do what you can.
 But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong...

24

Roo Man's Room / Re: running cable thru cage?

« on: January 28, 2019, 06:22:49 PM »

I would appreciate some pics, if you're willing, thanks.
John

25

Drag Racing / Re: mask/breathing apparatice - warmup

« on: January 26, 2019, 05:32:03 AM »

Breathing apprentices are hard to find. Thinking apprentices even more so. Those that will show up to work are exceedingly rare these days. And those that are literate and can spell? Practically nonexistent. Evidently.

26

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: I'm outta here

« on: September 29, 2017, 05:29:35 AM »

Yeah, what Jon said! Sorry you feel like you want to go, I for one will miss you being here.
John Williams

27

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Front engine digger wheelie bars

« on: September 17, 2017, 07:37:51 PM »

What I built.

28

Roo Man's Room / Re: Building New FED 170" Need a little help

« on: August 28, 2017, 09:49:37 PM »

Hello, Scott, hope you're OK through this storm in Houston. I'm to the Northeast side, in Porter, near Kingwood. How bout you?

29

Roo Man's Room / Re: Welding Moly Tube?

« on: August 01, 2017, 08:54:28 PM »

I asked a similar question in the past, and got a similar answer. We got a similar answer this time. Tack it up good on the jig, and cheat every chance you get on positioning for the best possible weld joints. Thanks much to all who share their expertise and experience.

30

Roo Man's Room / Re: Anti-Rotation Bracket Ideas - 57-64 Olds

« on: February 27, 2017, 05:40:37 AM »

What will the kidney bars look like?