FED guys...school me.....direct drive's and clutches?

When did FED's start using direct drive?
What parts are needed? It's just a clutch between the engine and rearend right.....no driveline???? What kinda clutch???
Other than direct, were there other drive/trans setups used in FED's from '58 to....oh say, '69????

Trying to learn all I can on the early diggers....

Thanks!

 

Dragmaster blast can with B&B 2-disc on a steel Weber flywheel, CAE early ford pattern box, torque tube with shaft inside. '35 Ford 4.11 rear.

Year was 1962.

 

We were using direct drive as early 1955. They were not new then

 

Do you mean a Crowerglide?
This what you need, so read up !!
www.crower.com/pdf/189-196.pdf

 

SinisterCustom:
A Crowerglide is what your looking for.
I use a 2 disk unit with 10" disks.
I also use a 2 speed Lenco.
High gear only works good with nitro. Anything else needs gear reduction.
You'll need a full time clutch guy on your crew for high gear only. [been there,done that]
Post more information about your application.
Good luck: Matt

 

Can this stuff still be had or is it being bought up by "cacklefest" cars?

 

Thanks so far for the info guys....really just curious at the moment....no real application.
But I'd like to know every facet of early FEDs.....fuel cars, nitro cars, etc...equipment used and what is still available...for a "period" car and not what is normally run in "nostalgia" events....
I could never afford to run or build a nitro car, but I do see a shorter gas car sometime in my future.....maybe a Ch***is Research style with a small, carbed motor to get used to it and go from there.

One of my goals before I die is to drive a FED......

 

Roothawg:
My Crowerglide is new. Not old stock. Crower is alive and well and they have a large clutch department. The main guy in the clutch department left about 2 years ago and started his own business. There are about 4 companys making "Crowerglide" style clutches.
Lencos are always for sale. Are you looking for a set-up?
Matt

 

Early Ford (Long style), Borg and Beck, diaphragm (I saw one in a home made deal), and centrifugal (glide) clutches have all been used with direct drive setups. The Crowerglide's been around since the 60s and works best with a fuel (nitro) motor, where you don't need a high rpm leave. With a glide, once the rpms come up, it's engaged, and there's no pushing the pedal in until you shut it off or bring it back to idle.

 

So you leave with the clutch already engaged with the engine at idle, as opposed to side stepping the clutch?

 

Yes. You let the pedal out before staging and hold it with the brake, more or less like an automatic. You set it up with an air gap (we're usually in the 040-.070" range) in the clutch pack, and the levers close it up as rpm comes up. In the early 80s we were using a much lower idle speed, and depending on how we were set up, sometimes I could let off the pedal, release the brake, and the car would just sit there until I raised the rpm a little to make it creep forward.

 

So your just "footbraking" the car then.....hmmmm.....sounds easy enough in theory....

Does anyone have an exploded diagram or know of where I can find one, showing the engine/clutch/rear axle ***embly? Of a typical setup on an early car.....

 

Beep are you back in Texas?

 

So this is the same clutch (except with more discs and sliders), that a modern fuel car uses?

 

Well..."handbraking" since there's no brake pedal. With the idle at 2600-3000 the clutch will try to pull the car forward, so you use the brake to keep it from creeping while you stage.

 

More or less. The big cars have staged lockup levers that are controlled by timers and hydraulic pressure on the T/O bearing. The one we use in recycler's nostalgia TF car is like the old ones. Three discs, two floaters, six stall springs, six levers, and no timers.

 

Same basic clutch. The modern fuel cars use lock-up levers and a cannon style release but yes, same thing. I use a Crowerglide with my alcohol injected motor. It's just for fun, I won't put a powerglide in the car.
Matt

 

I am guessing this stuff doesn't come cheap....

 

Looks like a 2 disc Crowerglide is over $2000......

 

That's what I figured.......

 

And you still need a lenco behind it because direct drive only works with nitro?

 

Depends on what you're trying to do. I had an injected SBC on gas in the 70s that was direct drive with a Schiefer pedal clutch in it. Didn't e.t. worth a ****, but it would smoke the tires to about half track and ran faster than the NHRA mph record a couple of times. the guys I ran against who had 3 speed Lencos usually had about a whole second quicker e.t. than I did.

 

Good info guys.....

Let's just say that a guy wanted to build an early-style digger....WB @ 125-135 (maybe less?), something like that....with an injected B Mopar engine on gas, nothing TOO radical....what would be the best choice (or period correct) for the drive setup???? Direct?? A 727???