Messages

31

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Some basic simple questions

« on: September 28, 2018, 11:43:06 AM »

Have you tried raising the pressure? Every car will react differently depending on the combination and while lowering the pressure might help increase tire speed and minimize dead hooking, raising the pressure will also result in increased tire seed and minimize dead hook. Might be worth a try.

32

Dan Dishon's Transmission Den / Re: converter fallback

« on: September 17, 2018, 07:47:15 AM »

Think of it like this. If you had a clutch car with a 2 speed transmission with a 1.76 first gear ratio and shifted at 7500rpm, then the engine would drop to 4260rpm after the shift (7500 /1.76 = 4261). Now if you take the clutch out and replace it with a 1.76 first gear Powerglide and a 6600rpm stall convertor and then shift it at 7500, you would not fall back to 4260 but rather drop back to the 6600rpm convertor stall speed. Raise the shift point to 8500 and it wouldn’t fall back to 4830 (8500/1.76 = 4830) as with a clutch but to the 6600 stall speed. The only way you can get the Powerglide car to fall back to an rpm over the 6600 of the convertor stall speed would be to shift the car at 11,700rpm and watch the engine fall back to 6650rpm. And that’s only IF you can get the engine to reach well over 11,000rpm to begin with.

33

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: Fuel Contamination

« on: September 12, 2018, 03:44:00 PM »

Check out this previous post on cleaning the system between races. Good information there, alcohol and aluminum do NOT get along worth a darn.

http://www.frontenginedragsters.org/forum/index.php/topic,2560.msg18402.html#msg18402

34

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: don't get and and one thing I like about most everyone here

« on: August 27, 2018, 08:50:15 AM »

The original thought was why would folks spend money and time to build a race car and not work on it much. It’s my belief there are a dozen responses; some good, some sad, and some poor. Not everyone is as talented as many folks on this board are so they have to reply on hiring outside help to give them assistance. Or maybe they are lazy or any other number of reasons. Same deal with folks that don’t want to travel, there are a dozen reasons; some good, some sad, and some poor. Not everyone has the “go for the jugular” attitude at every race in a 300 mile radius of home. Or again, maybe they are lazy or any other number of reasons.

My point is for whatever reasons folks chose to behave as they do, then as long as they continue to pay their cold hard cash to the racetracks and to the suppliers then all is good. In order for our sport to survive, for the racetracks to stay open, and for all the different suppliers that supply parts and services of all kinds to continue in operation, they must bring in revenue and stay in the green. I’m not one to look a gifted horse in the mouth if someone is willing to shell out the dollars that helps keep the sport afloat, even if they don’t work on the car much or travel a lot. Sometimes it’s not about understanding, but rather about acceptance.

35

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

« on: August 25, 2018, 07:17:37 AM »

Those are some good numbers from a little engine with a small flat tappet cam, low compression, and small heads. I'm glad everything worked so well; those fellas in the SHRA NE/3 might want to start looking over there shoulders to see if you're coming after them:) Enjoy and stay safe!

36

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Down force and zoomies

« on: August 22, 2018, 07:28:24 AM »

From Alan Ellis after switching from headers to zoomies on his Pro Stock 500" engine in his AA/A last year:

"The down thrust from the new zoomie style headers proved to be a tremendous advantage to the launch of the car. It allows us to apply more power early in the run which equates to quicker ET's."

37

Jon's Wheel House / Re: Proper Slick storage

« on: August 15, 2018, 03:26:21 PM »

If my car is in the shop, then it’s up on stands. I also cover my tires while in the shop because my lighting is by fluorescent fixtures, along with several machine tools with electric motors. Here’s a quote from the Goodyear "Aircraft Tire and Maintenance" manual, page 12:

“Ideally, both new and retreaded tires and tubes should be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Temperatures should be between 32°F (0°C) and 85°F (30°C). Particular care should be taken to store tires away from fluorescent lights, electric motors, battery chargers, electric welding equipment, electric generators and similar equipment. These items create ozone, which has a deteriorating effect on rubber.”

38

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

« on: August 04, 2018, 09:16:39 PM »

Glad it's all coming together!

39

Matt Shaff's Engine Shop / Re: SBC Enderle Cover

« on: July 25, 2018, 04:40:22 PM »

One step closer to firing it up:)

40

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Chute lever installation in FED

« on: July 20, 2018, 12:15:08 PM »

Here is a cable clamp from Neil & Parks that works really well. The mounting screw also protrudes into the cable-end hole of the clamp and locks the retaining grove in the cable to the bracket. Aluminum are $8 each, $13 for magnesium. Frame tabs are a couple of bucks. Frank & Scott also have everything else you might need, give them a call.

41

Altereds / Re: New roadster

« on: July 17, 2018, 07:47:48 AM »

Probably should have done this update sooner:) Last summer I installed a 300hp street SBC I had in the roadster while I worked on collecting parts for and finishing the race engine. Since I hadn’t made a pass in an altered in 40 years, it was a good way to start and it gave me the opportunity to find out what I didn’t like about how the car was set up and to fix it. Well, to make a long story short, the little engine worked so well that the engine is still in the car. At this point I’ve won enough money to pay for half of the little engine and had a good time doing it. However, the car is s-l-o-w and I need more speed, so I have one more race in a couple of weeks with the little engine and then I hope to put in the new 383 race engine.

In the fall of 1980 I sold my entire racing operation and used the proceeds to go to college (along with student loans) and became a high school shop teacher and special education teacher using the shop classes I taught as a behavioral change lab for students with behavior disorders. The last race I won before returning to the sport was in the summer on 1980 in my FED at my local track and I’m glad to say that after a 38 year wait I won S/P at the first race at the same track this year. How sweet it is! Thanks to everyone on this board for their input, suggestions, and encouragement in helping me get the car going. I’ll update when the new engine goes in. The pictures are of my current roadster and my deuce coupe altered from 1978. The doors on the 3-window were tack welded shut and you got in the coupe the same way you get in the roadster...you climbed in from the top:)

42

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Rear gear with a 3 speed

« on: July 15, 2018, 10:39:29 AM »

Have you tried leaving the line in 2nd gear and see how it reacts? Back in the ‘70s my first fed came with a 350 Turbo trans. and convertor that I put my engine into. I took it to my first AHRA (remember them?) national event and in my youthful excitement I made a time trial pass with the trans. mistakenly in 3rd gear. It ran 3/10s quicker using high gear only than my best ever previous pass using all 3 gears. So the next and last time trial I started in 2nd and shifted into 3rd. Ran the next to the quickest time, running about 2/10s quicker. Starting in 2nd will probably soften the launch on your car I’d think but would need the torque convertor stalling at about max torque to be really efficient. Would probably work better with the later style 904 with the 1.54 second gear ratio. My opinion for what it’s worth:)

43

Drag Racing / Re: Sportsman License....

« on: June 20, 2018, 09:53:25 PM »

You might want to contact your NHRA Divisional office and tell them what you're looking to do. They should be able to help you or refer you to the person that can answer your question. This is what I did a few years ago when I had questions about getting my new license and with their help things went a smoothly as they could.

44

Roo Man's Room / Re: Basic question

« on: June 20, 2018, 11:16:14 AM »

Here's a picture of my last car. Warm-up stand pinned to tabs on the frame, and a cart for the stand to sit on for movement around the shop. Something similar for the front.

45

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

« on: June 15, 2018, 05:17:29 PM »

Your digger is looking much closer to heading for the track:) Keep it up old fart!