Hot Rods 1960's Vintage Dragster Find

awsome, glad you got it home, did you get your afterburner kit?

thanks
jeff

 

Do you know if the engine that was run was an early 283? I've got a '57 283 without the side motor mounts, pressed front pulley steel crank and single pyramid heads here in Fargo. Really cool build, I hope to see it at Interstate!

Cam wise, are you sure it wasn't a 3/4 Duntov?

 

I have a pair of heads that are 1958 I think with two small vertical rectangles coming out of a large horizontal rectangle. I can post a pic if you think they sound right.

 

Ya, it was an early 283, hope to find a built short block. Not much luck on having them rebuilt.

3/4 race cam, Duntov is what they said it was.

Oh, I did get the afterburner stuff so I should be putting it on soon. Thanks Jeff!

I'll be at Interstate for Hot Rod Drags, with it if all goes well!

I'm going to take more pics now...

 

Ya, I found a set I had in storage, Just what your are talking about, they end in 7, so not sure 57 or 67? But small valve though. I also found a set like Henry said it had, but they are off a '70 400 sbc. Thanks for the info! Mike

 

More pics!
I made some water pump block off covers and fuel pump cover out of 1/4" alum. Ran fuel line and fixed linkage.

Put rad. cap mount on the intake and had to made it look used. Had to buy new carb fittings and made them look used too.

Waiting for distibutor cap so I can get plug wires on, need to bolt intake on it in the morning.

Put a factory dual point dist. maybe 57-60 Vette? (Notice the oiler tube) on it.

Mike

 

Is that 283 a runner or a core?

May need some parts?

Do you know where I can get a Duntov cam?

 

I am running a Duntov 30-30 cam in my 301. I will find the cam card for you. I think the 30/30 cam is 3849346.

Here is some block info for you also.

 

Thanks good read!

Here are before and after pics of engine.

Oh, NOT running these air cleaners! It had 3-4" stacks, but not sure what to use. Need 3" ID tubes, what them to look used.

And a sign I found that looks kinda likes my car! But had to make the bullet holes look real!

 

Got the fuel tank hooked up last night. Tank here, doesn't look very straight in picture?

The retangle tank next to fuel tank is a homemade over flow tank for water, with cockpit in the bottom.

 

DO NOT use copper lines !

 

I am running a Duntov 30/30 solid cam made by Sealed Power/ Federal Mogul.
# CS-118r
int ext
.050 duration 254 254
valve lift .485" .485"
lobe center 110 118
lash .030" .030"

Here is some discussion on the Camaro site about it:
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71994

And some Hamb discussion:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399506&highlight=duntov+30



.

 

Just resealed the tranny.

The yoke had some deeps cut in it, from a torch, must of had to cut the u-bolts off, at one time.

I fixed it to keep the strength in the yoke.

 

is the case cracked back there dead center top ??

 

OK why not? It was what they ran it back then and was on the car. It is from the pump to the tank for pressure? Not for the fuel lines? I'm not racing it this way. Just for show.

 

Well racing they won't let you,,also have always been told do not use for fuel or brake lines,,Also cooper is a softer metal so under pressure I would think it would burst sooner than steel..

I'm sure different people have different feelings on teh subject

 

Cool, I'll be check on the tech side before we race it. Thanks for the info. Mike

 

Might look like it, but it checked out close and no cracks, looks mint!

 

Cool, more great info!
Thanks Mike

 

Here's the bellhousing I'm going over to clean it up and check out for cracks. I'll post more on it soon.

If you look close, could it be a magnesium bellhousing, the color inside looks just like the rims?

 

Car looks like its coming along. Keep up the good work.

 

copper line will work-harden and crack much more easily than solid steel or flexible braided.

 

I just saw this great vintage video & thought you might like to see an in-ground roller starter in action...it's at about 8:20 in the video. Video also has rare footage of Pete Millar's Drag Cartoons Chicken Coupe and other notables.

http://www.ina.fr/media/entretiens/video/CPF04008049/les-dragsters.fr.html

 

Hey Mike. Congratulations on the dragster. I have no doubt you will keep it perfectly as it was just as you have with your Chevy II Gasser. Your excitement for this project shows. I hope to see you down here for the Hunnert Car Heads Up this spring.

Ryan

 

WOW Very cool! The good old days! All cool cars from the past!
Thanks for sharing that with us.

 

As long as you remind me and invite me, I'll try to make it!
Thanks Mike

 

If you're making plans to show off the car this summer, a thought occurred to me. Our local club puts on the Eddie Cochran weekend car show with usually 350 cars or so (and a trophy class for race cars)...in Albert Lea...just a few miles from Austin where your car was reportedly 'born'. This year the show will be June 12.

If you were to make it here for the show, it would be fun to see if the car could be reunited with any former owners/members of the Thumpers Car Club. What a great scene/photo op that would be. Just a thought.

 

Ya, that's a good plan! I'll keep this in mind too. Thanks, keep me informed!
Mike

 

Here we cleaned and resealed the tranny. Welded up the yoke and cleaned up the bellhousing.

 

My son Dakota and l, last night we put the tranny in. That's us in the first pic.