Projects Eagle Field A Gas Dragster Class Build

The more I look at the bends that were put in the frame the more I see some "bowing", I need to get it all apart and on our jig to make a decision. We are definetly on our way though. Rocky

 

Hummm the body panels would sure fit mine also, also , also..............
I kinda like the foot brake pedal also, cause at my age I can't remember what to do with my hands.......l......

Damn Rocky you have a jig,...........we use a big hammer and dolly

 

Rocky, I hope you don't mind me using your thread to post pix of my progress, I didn't want to start a build thread till it was almost done. anyway we started to mount the diff last night, can't wait till it's down on it's own wheels.



the block is almost ready to start****embly.

 

Wait till you put the engine in and see how much it bows.

 

The bow is with the engine and didn't change much if any when we pulled the engine out. It does seem like someone engineered the bend in their design. Tim NO Worries, use this thread all you like, I'm glad to see the progress. Rocky

 

Had a 296 (283 + .090) Chevy given to me last night It ran but started bending push rod, we'll tear it down and see if we can just freshen it up! The engine also has early Corvette valve covers When you start a build friends get involved and start helpin' out, now I need a friend with a 3x2 manifold Photos soon, Rocky

 

Rocky, I forgot yours is a short car. Our 225 in flex's just a tad more than yours probably. I did the front half on our chassis and used string. I also used string and weights to check for straightness from rear to front. I had about five or six strings tied on the exact middle of the bottom cross tubes all the way to the front torsion tube, with nuts tied on the end of the strings for weight so they would hang straight. It was up on sawhorses. I opened the shop door, went out in the yard and sighted down the strings from front to rear. They all lined up. Just my hillbilly way.I called it my laser string. Lippy

 

Love it! I'm thinking we are going to replace the front "1/3" just in front of the 1st upright going frt to back. Thanks Lippy, Rocky

 

Don Ewald sent me this after asking him if he could ID the car.............."Bergler body and Logghe chassis. No clue whos. Don" I'm gonna repair the front end install the 297 SB with 3x2 Strombergs, run the T350 with 10" convertor, and 9" slicks all within the C/GD rules (Lee wants more...um SORRY son).
If Tim, Carl, myself are ready and I can get Elmer to show up we'll have a 4 car show......Woo Hooo, Rocky

 

hay rocky i dont think the power glide has any speed advantage at all at that stall. if you remmber power glides have been around a long time and they were never used till they came up with the newer ultra high stall converters couldnt give a power glide away in the 60-70s it had to be a turbo 400. not till the small 8 inch high stalls came out and woke that trans up. Also take a look at stock car racing if you want a true bugget class. go to the wrecking yard type of class put a clame rule on the motor and trans. if you dont expect the same guys to win every race. if you want to talk 559-289-9724 thanks jim

 

I thought they might and to level the field just allow the 3 speed only, if the glide has an advantage it gets exspensive to buy adapters. Thanks for your imput Jim and I'm calling you now Rocky

 

I think Jim is right on the stall. For a chevy on a chevy p/g it's cheap, but a Ford with a p/g or chrysler with a p/g the JW and other adaptor bells are expensive. A three spd with a clutch would be way cheaper and let you adjust to off the line rpm as you saw fit. BTW, you were talking about high stall convertors and such. We have a p/g in our car, different animal I know, but we had the 5500 stall tightened up to 3,000 with the nitro deal and a 3.55 gear. oh, and you don't want to try a trans brake either on nitro. LOL. Lippy

 

Lippy, was the outcome expensive

 

I drug it out in the FOG today for some better pics...............

I measured the caster and it's around 15 degrees, I removed the radius rods and with the axle straight up its aroud 40

More shots that might show my concerns with the chassis

Previous owner put new Wilwood brakes on it

Lucked out on the shorty T-350 Trans

 

The more I look, the MOOOORE I love her!

Some shots of the back 1/2 with more detail of the frame

 

sure looks good Rocky, you gonna eliminate the ujoint and use a coupling?..........

 

Rocky, to answer your question....not expensive. Exciting is more the word. Am I seeing things on that front axle? Is that axle tilted forward? Lippy

 

That's what I thought too.

 

They use to run them at upward of 40deg caster. But it's a finger breaker. Lippy

 

Yep, someone redid the front axle mounts I belive as it only has about 15 degrees caster. Carl I'm gonna stay with the ujoint.

 

That is by far the weirdest front axle I've seen in a while.LOLI'd be real tempted to front half that chassis.

 

Rocky,
I just had a second look at the front half of your frame and i think that it originally may have been quite a bit shorter than it is now. I think that you will find that there is a join in the rails just behind where the top one bends. If you project the line of the rear portion of the top rail to where it intersects with the lower that is probably where the torsion bar was originally.
That is the most logical explanation for the shape of the top rail.

Roo

 

I believe your right Roo, the bends are symetrical although bowed, I thinking because of the stress put on the top rails by the front end laid forward forcing the radius rods back. Although not legal the chassis looks fine from the area of concern back.

 

Shorten the chassis, set the axle at 40 deg.+ and go for it!!

 

I agree make it about 124" and run the***** out of it.

 

Rocky, I'm no expert on chassis but I showed your pix to my friend helping me and he agreed that you need to re-do the front half or shrorten it as Royal said.

 

And now a little progress.

Motor plate was cut today and got some diagonals and rear-end mounts in. Moving right along.

 

Lookin good Rocky! I keep getting these two cars mixed up. LOL. Lippy

 

40deg. looks old school,but don't try to operate it by your lonesome cause if you ever let it get on a lock 1 way or the other you gotta have help to get it back to center.LOL
20deg. is quite sufficient.

 

AND I guarantee you backing up very fast is out of the question. You better have a foot brake and BOTH hands on the wheel, then it might, I say MIGHT not break your fingers. Plus you will need a crewman to straighten the font wheels up so you can continue backing. A hand brake and a lot of caster is very interesting at times. I have 17 deg in ours and drives like a caddy hands off at the finish line. Yes I did it for a second she just sailed on. Lippy