286
Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: 183" build for customer
« on: August 03, 2018, 06:57:42 AM »
Looks really swoopy. Will the chute pack be contained inside?
FEDs Forever!
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287
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Howdy - prepping for SHRA 2019
« on: July 18, 2018, 04:48:02 PM »
What is SHRA?
288
Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: K-88 / 6 Cylinder
« on: July 13, 2018, 05:33:52 PM »
Here's one I put on my vintage replica champ car.
289
Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: K-88 / 6 Cylinder
« on: July 11, 2018, 07:05:42 AM »
Countin Carbs,
Don't just rely on that steering box mount to hold the box - add a diagonal brace to stabilize the box. That box takes a lot of stress, not only from the twisting forces put on it by the steering wheel but also from leaning on it like when you are getting in and out of the car. You sure don't want that bracket to crack and break off.
Stay safe buddy.
Don't just rely on that steering box mount to hold the box - add a diagonal brace to stabilize the box. That box takes a lot of stress, not only from the twisting forces put on it by the steering wheel but also from leaning on it like when you are getting in and out of the car. You sure don't want that bracket to crack and break off.
Stay safe buddy.
290
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What little things you do to make your car easier to work on/more reliable?
« on: June 22, 2018, 10:13:55 AM »When welding chassis - drill small hole to vent hot gas - especially important on small dia./length tubes - if well thought out you can do this so then next tube covers the hole. Prevents the hot gas from blowing out the weld.
My friend's altered chassis builder located each vent hole under the next pipe welded on. Then after all was complete he added a Schrader Valve (tire stem) to the rear of the chassis.
Pressurize the chassis with air.
Holds pressure = no cracks in chassis.
Doesn't hold pressure = cracked tube / weld somewhere.
291
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Sixties front engine dragster owner/builder
« on: June 18, 2018, 06:27:55 AM »
Thanks rooman for another very informative post.
This question of front caster has been on my mind a lot since one of my vintage altered roadsters - The Last Logghe - has had a quirkey issue with wheel shimmy since I front-halfed it. It liked to launch with the left front wheel a few inches in the air and dangle it there. Kinda like a sprint car coming off turn two. And on the (bumpy) return road it would start to shimmy. I made three changes: add corner weight (more coil-over preload) to the right rear, stiffen the right rear shock rebound, and changed the front caster angle from 14 degrees to 10 degrees. And it DID eliminate the shimmy on bumps and kept the left front lower on launches. BUT - Now the left front shimmies momentarily as it touches down whereas before it was steady with no shimmy going down the track. I think what is happening is the LF meets up with the pavement at a slower mph now and it takes a bit of time until the car builds more speed and cancels out the shimmy with more trailing load on the tire. I think I am on the right track but not quite there as far as optimum.
I apologize to the original poster for hijacking the thread, but I learned a lot from this discussion and hope it will help both you and me on future chassis tuning.
This question of front caster has been on my mind a lot since one of my vintage altered roadsters - The Last Logghe - has had a quirkey issue with wheel shimmy since I front-halfed it. It liked to launch with the left front wheel a few inches in the air and dangle it there. Kinda like a sprint car coming off turn two. And on the (bumpy) return road it would start to shimmy. I made three changes: add corner weight (more coil-over preload) to the right rear, stiffen the right rear shock rebound, and changed the front caster angle from 14 degrees to 10 degrees. And it DID eliminate the shimmy on bumps and kept the left front lower on launches. BUT - Now the left front shimmies momentarily as it touches down whereas before it was steady with no shimmy going down the track. I think what is happening is the LF meets up with the pavement at a slower mph now and it takes a bit of time until the car builds more speed and cancels out the shimmy with more trailing load on the tire. I think I am on the right track but not quite there as far as optimum.
I apologize to the original poster for hijacking the thread, but I learned a lot from this discussion and hope it will help both you and me on future chassis tuning.
292
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Sixties front engine dragster owner/builder
« on: June 12, 2018, 02:48:27 PM »
Just out of curiosity, what is the down side to taking some caster out of a FED? Why is so much needed? If removing some to keep the wheels from flopping over in reverse gear and lessening the wheel shimmy on bumps and launches, there must be an up side to running twenty degrees. Enlighten me please. My experience is with gassers and altereds so I look forward to being informed.
293
Matt Shaff's Engine Shop / Re: Dragster Radiator
« on: June 09, 2018, 06:07:35 PM »
On a newer S/Pro altered I use a lay-down Sirocco style.
Both have electric fans.
294
Matt Shaff's Engine Shop / Re: Dragster Radiator
« on: June 09, 2018, 05:44:54 PM »
I just had one built for my nostalgia Logghe altered.
Superior Radiator, Mt. Clemens MI
https://superiorradiator.net/
Five day turn around time. About $300.
I highly recommend visiting them in person to iron out the design details. Short of that, I'd make a cardboard, dimensioned facsimilie and send it to them.
I run my altered up through the staging lanes and back up the return road without overheating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG6tOzJHOdw&feature=youtu.be
I'll post close-up pics soon. The rad in the video was my old one that burst over the winter from freezing up. The new one is identical in size but the fin spacing is tighter.
Superior Radiator, Mt. Clemens MI
https://superiorradiator.net/
Five day turn around time. About $300.
I highly recommend visiting them in person to iron out the design details. Short of that, I'd make a cardboard, dimensioned facsimilie and send it to them.
I run my altered up through the staging lanes and back up the return road without overheating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG6tOzJHOdw&feature=youtu.be
I'll post close-up pics soon. The rad in the video was my old one that burst over the winter from freezing up. The new one is identical in size but the fin spacing is tighter.
295
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Sixties front engine dragster owner/builder
« on: June 09, 2018, 05:50:24 AM »
Based on the photos it looks like the front end had waaaay more caster than is needed / desired. I'd look at taking most of it out. Keep seven degrees for a start.
296
Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: K-88 / 6 Cylinder
« on: May 25, 2018, 06:58:55 PM »
Nice project. I love inlines. I run one with a crossflow head in an altered.
297
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...
« on: May 14, 2018, 06:49:55 AM »
I also put a Schrader valve on the rear of my (six cylinder) head to purge the air there since my engine sits nose-down in the car.
298
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...
« on: May 13, 2018, 03:49:30 PM »
I'm surprised nobody has suggested putting a Schrader valve in the radiator.(That's a valve stem valve like on a tire) I have one on my altered with a similar radiator. Mine is actually remotely mounted hear the front strut, connected to the rad with 1/8 tubing. That way I can purge it after refill without even popping the top panel. Schrader valves are vavilable at heating and cooling supply houses and better hardware stores.
299
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: FED front spindles
« on: March 24, 2018, 10:23:08 AM »
It would seem to me that two different kingpin inclination angles would have come about because the scrub radius is different between a typical 17" FED tire and a 15" Funny Car tire. I think you'd be best served to keep the intersect line of the kingpin near the center of the tire contact patch. So on a digger that may well be the smaller 7.5 angle. I'd mock both up on your existing axle to see what looks best.
Truth be told, either would probably be OK, but one is probably more optimum than the other.
I once was looking over my buddy's new altered. Apparently when the fabricator welded on the bat wings for the 4-bar front he did it with the axle upside down resulting in the kingpin bosses being canted in the opposite direction from normal. I pointed this out to my buddy and he insisted that it was supposed to be like that, even when I explained that the steering geometry was all catty-whumpus like that. He went on to win two IHRA season championships - so what do I know?
Truth be told, either would probably be OK, but one is probably more optimum than the other.
I once was looking over my buddy's new altered. Apparently when the fabricator welded on the bat wings for the 4-bar front he did it with the axle upside down resulting in the kingpin bosses being canted in the opposite direction from normal. I pointed this out to my buddy and he insisted that it was supposed to be like that, even when I explained that the steering geometry was all catty-whumpus like that. He went on to win two IHRA season championships - so what do I know?
300
Front Engine Dragsters / Re: SWJFA
« on: March 21, 2018, 08:17:40 AM »
I just googled "SWJFA" and learned it stands for SouthWest Junior Fuel Association.