Messages

1

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

« on: January 14, 2017, 06:50:43 AM »

HAPPY NEW YEAR, I hope this is a great year for everyone. Last year I decided to retire from racing as I'm not able to handle the heat any more, so the outfit is for sale. you can see it in the recent issues of the National Dragster, it's the short wheelbase car with the 25inch wide cage, or craigslist Minneapolis at cars and trucks. Put in dragster and it will come up. All my best to everyone for this year and I hope some racer my size is interested. Mark Midler

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: New Guy love FED but clueless and scaried

« on: May 05, 2015, 05:53:40 PM »

I agree with most of the others about time. If you could draw them you can make them. Get a set of NHRA rules to keep in the safe part of design and build and start collecting parts. I'm 67 I stared working on mine in 2009 and I finished my car in 2011 and it certified. Between then and now It's been changing and tuning and getting used to the sensory overload one experiences when driving a fed. Consider a few things: safety, what you want it to look like, how long, wide enough for comfort, how much room do you have for it, do you want to have fun or run so fast you scare your insurance agent. Right now is when you can decide on a lot of these questions and save yourself some grief later on. Mark Midler

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: looking to get started

« on: May 05, 2015, 05:38:09 PM »

There are all kinds of things to consider when starting on a dragster, but, the first thing is to get a copy of the NHRA rule book and study it every time you think of something new or see something unusual. Even though our cars have that great old school look doesn't mean they don't have be safe. If the car you are buying or building is certified by NHRA you'll find it easy to run anywhere. Don't let the certify word scare you, they are there to help get your car right so it'll be fun instead of tragedy. Mark Midler

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Larry Sutton's take on "real" race car drivers

« on: May 05, 2015, 06:56:45 AM »

In 1969 I became involved with a AA/FD out of Minneapolis called " somthin else". It was a Don Long/Hanna masterpiece of front engine streamlining that at the time was considered up to date, and yet all the things you relate in your story are more the norm than the odd. If we ran a 1000 feet we could just check a few things, fill the fuel tank, and run the next round. If we had to run all the way to the finish line to win we knew the number one piston would have a hole in it, and 55 minutes in those days was a real thrash. Nothing was made to come apart easy, there were only three of us and I was just the big, unknowing beginner, who could only help a little. So the main part of the rebuild in 55 was done by the driver/owner and the mechanic. But, once you've been involved with that sort of adventure it hits you like an incurable desease and you become a front engine dragster fan forever. Yes, I built my own and enjoy even the bad times, thanks for your stories. We all have a lot of them. Mark Midler

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: How did they build those early jnr fuel cars so light?

« on: April 27, 2015, 06:55:04 PM »

They didn't have the regulations we do. The tubing was thinner, the differential housings weren't reinforced, they race prepped the entire car, you get the picture.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Front End Designs / traction issues

« on: April 27, 2015, 06:51:50 PM »

You didn't say what length your car is. If it is a long wheelbase car you need to go to as narrow a front end as you feel comfortable with while still staying legal. This makes the car easier to steer then ad some weight to the front. Then try launching it at 4000 instead of 5500, you'll find it having real control of traction at the moment of power attack and it won't take any time after the start to get to where it usually runs, but, these things should help. Additionally, it is always a good idea to remove the front suspension on these cars. You can weld on the axle if you include two braces that are  welded. This keeps the lift of the front axle setup from promoting chassis lift. You mite not think it can do much of that, but, on our old Top Fuel car it was all we had to do to prevent another terrible wheelie up on the chutes, and change that to a controlled carry of the left front wheel just an inch off the track for 100ft or so. Remember the less power you have and the higher you stall the more likely you will lift the wheels. Good luck.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Fuel injection too rich

« on: April 27, 2015, 06:41:33 PM »

Without even ready the entire story I can tell you from my own experience change to Nitrode spark plugs with the ittrium bridge. After I started using them I went 14% richer and now the dragster starts and runs like so easy it's stupid.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Racing together for fun

« on: April 27, 2015, 06:37:22 PM »

I completed my 1960 lookalike front engine dragster in 2011, it certified and has proven to be fun and reliable. If you want to see it go to Houston Kiteboarding Dragster, there's a video of the first time I ran the car. You have no doubt noticed that most tracks are concentrating on the full body classes to keep people coming in. I understand it, the general public just can't spend any time figuring out how bracket racing works, so the track owners push the classes that they can understand. This however leaves us dragster people out in the cold. What I have finally come up with is this, I built it for fun so why not find some others running similar cars and meet just to have fun.  This is short notice, but, I'm running at Grove Creek Raceway May 16. It is 5 miles west of Litchfield MN on hwy 12. It's a clean NHRA 1/8th mile strip, and getting better all the time. I don't care if you're faster or slower, it would just be nice to run against dragsters. If you have other questions give a call, 507-382-4391. See ya.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: How fast with short wheelbase?

« on: February 14, 2013, 11:34:10 AM »

It depends on the type of chassis you want to build. If you go with the a-tipical narrowing front that gets really narrow up front you're in for trouble. Funnycars are 125 inch and except for the outragious power they will steer and handle very well. If you want to run a short wheelbase it is going to be stiff and wider, and if you want to be able to steer it run funnycar front wheels and tires.My fed is 127 just finished in 2011 and with the stouter tires on the front makes it drives and steers like a dream. Check it out at the Nostagia Nationals at Denton TX april 6. The XL-Kites car, see yea. Mildsteel.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: cooling the fed

« on: February 14, 2013, 06:32:24 AM »

It really depends on wether or not the engine is capable of being cooled. If your build is really hot like fuel or a high output supercharged setup cooling isn't going to be easy.  My setup was designed into the build. I went to Universal Inc of Humbolt Iowa, told them it had to be 25 inches wide and not too high as it is going into a front engine dragster with a 360 Mopar that, depending on the class could run as high as 500hp. The unit they suggested they said could handle up to a high output 429 in a full bodied Mustang and should take care of my setup . The outfit works fabulous! It has a 185 thermostat and you can run it all day long and it runs 185. The electric fan that came with it comes on when it needs to and shuts off when it isn't needed. I hope this is a help. see you at the Nostagia Nationals at Denton TX, Mildsteel.