Projects Eagle Field A Gas Dragster Class Build

I've also been working on our C/GD and Lee welded all the brackets, Spindle arm and Radius' rods for me.



The only thing left is moving the spindle trailing arms, shortening the draglink, "O" and mounting the wing, then it's time to pull the engine (gonna put in my twin) and start on the "Legal" 292.

 

It doesn't look much different from the photos above but I finally got all the radius, steering rods completed after bending the Anglia trailing arms.

I hadn't said anything about it before but since I have the body off I thought I'd mention what a kicka$$ battery we have. I purchased a XS Battery because it was small enough to put in the drivers compartment (under the interior I haven't built yet) so I didn't have to mount it in front of the engine.

Also since I'm still runnig the u-joint I fabbed up a cover out of 5" sq tube, it's all I had and thought I'd change it to round BUT it will be a good place to mount the shifter......

....as this location ****s....

The plan is to mount the ****er and then redo the steering support to allow 2 rods to come thru it, 1 for the rev lockout and the other to shift.
Tomorrow Tamara drives the car around the yard to check the steering then it's back in the shop to yank the engine (using it in the twin),("O" said that already) and start building our 292.

 

I'm shifting attention back to this build as I really want to be legal at the May event and show Lee what the little 292 will do in the 1/4. Here are some photo's of the engine build.....FINALLY! The engine is a .060 over 283 that Bell & Gaines of Modesto cleaned and prepped for me. Bob had these old TRW's and machined off the tops to be Legal and freshened up a set of better rods he had with new bolts, nothing special just attention to detail. Bob did a hell of a job, adding hardened washers to the main bolts, deck the block .025, chased all the threaded holes, deburred the sharp edges, chamfered and turned the crank .020-.020 on the low side, honed the cylinders (didn't bore at my request)and the block was final washed and ready for me to put together.

The Rings are Cast, Clevite Brgs (think it's just a name anymore), Neoprene rear seal, Double Roller Timing chain (used but tight), and a Crower cam I'm pretty excited about! The cam has a 107 Lobe Sep. with 248I & 257E @ .050 duration, .507I & .525E lift Hydraulic Grind.

I Lubed the cam and installed then laid the crank in and alls well in the world Next I'll start putting the slugs in and check the cam.

 

pics gone.....

 

Also since I'm still runnig the u-joint I fabbed up a cover out of 5" sq tube, it's all I had and thought I'd change it to round BUT it will be a good place to mount the shifter......

That is how I did my sr dragster. I made the cover but it is basically 5 inch square tube about 12 inches long with the shifter build right on it on the left side. Rod with a single joint runs through the floor directly to the trans. I made a gate shifter that has to come back towards me before it can again be shoved ahead for reverse so a reverse overshoot is impossible. It is also spring loaded. There is absolutley no way to get in reverse accidently. You must go to neutral then almost back to drive then back through neutral to get reverse. So it worked for me and should be no trouble for you.
Don

 

Yep, photobucket had them hostage until Jan 2, I stepped up.

 

Roc do you ever sleep?

 

The following stands out for me, and I bet there is some misconception about dragster 3'rd members from by gone days. Tom S. in Tn.

03-28-2010, 01:57 AM
" The poor old car has had some "cobbled" additions over the years including the rear end, they mounted a safety strap that didn't even cover the ring gear.... and it wasn't pretty "

That 'strap' was never intended to cover the ring gear.
These cars had conventional or 'open' non locked differentials, and the strap was to prevent the spider gear cross shaft from injuring the drivers jewels in the event the wheels broke loose, the engine went toward the outer limits, and the itty bitty pin that held the cross shaft inside the diff failed, allowing that shaft to become a powerful and very destructive projectile. (I've personally witnessed 2 come out, one an early Chev rear under a Henery J g***eer, and the other an Olds in an altered)

While on the subject, I feel there is some misconception about dragster differentials back when these were 'high gear' cars, which I'd bet this one was patterned after.
Bear in mind, some of the finer notable strips of the day were paved with the same pea gravel asphalt like any county road leading to the track. (don't ask what the pit areas looked like), and these cars were grossly over horse-powered and under weighed.
If one tire made any traction over the other, the car became highly unpredictable, not only on the starting line, but even more so down range at speed; even with an open diff. In the outlaw south, locked dragster rears would be suicide.

I can be wrong, but I can't recall a oem style posi, locker, etc until later with the advent of slider clutches, clutchflites, and flexing side wall tires to replace 'cheater slicks'.
But then soon, dragsters became front driven, and spools became the norm as well as real specialized racing surfaces that incorporated concrete, coke syrup etc, and jewel straps became as extinct as the slingshot cars they were in.

Tom S. in Tn.

 

Thanks for the insite Tim, you would have had to of seen the strap to appreciate my comment

 

Lately there have been some "Behind The Scenes" going on I have the 283 short blocked and cam degreed, mounted the shifter onto the u-joint shield & made up the linkage (handle is still being decided on) and remounted the fuel pump. I had the pump on the tank but it cracked and I really don't like any extra mounting if I can get away with it.

 

Pump mount looks good Rocky...you just need a few holes in that plate.

 

Lee has the car torn down to the bare frame and has added the Kidney and Helmet bars in an effort to take it to the ANRA Event April 9th and 10th. I'll get some photos of the car as it goes back together, gonna look nice with the front end chromed and and ch***i painted!

 

Originally the car was only intended for Eagle Field but Lee has got the bug to race it with the ANRA group (which I'm very happy about) and much needs to be addressed to race at an NHRA Track. In the photos of him painting the ch***is (Rustoleum Satin Black) you can see the Kidney Bars and Helmet bars that Lee installed, then we need to build a Firewall, install a Master Disconnect Switch, update the Belts, new SFI ****** Shield, SFI Crankshaft Damper and Steel Braided line to mention a few things and we need to have them done by this weekend The ch***is is dry today and is going to look *****'N with the Chrome and Polish Lee has done and I acomplished my goal of mildly porting and doing a valve job on the 53CC heads I have picked for the 292 which will put the compression just over 10 to 1. Going to be a busy weekend with ANRA, taking my Comet, the HAMB Dragster (a new shoe will pilot) and this car!


Only way to get a resirator on that kid

 

Go Lee...................

 

Yep, we get this one done and I can Focus on the Twin and May 21st

 

Lee and his friends did a great job in getting our family dragster done for ANRA. Ran alright 10.91 best in "Legal Trim" considering I had the cam retarded 8*, still sounds pretty good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkpfmdONBmI

 

Can somebody help post the youtube link, 1st the cam now I can't even post a link, sheesh.................

 

Damn Roc that front end looks great in copper I might be tempted to leave it that way........................

 

Yep, the chrome shop hadn't finished it so we put it on and it's now back in their hands. I wasn't totally in love with the car originally but Lee and his friends really did a great job changing it's look!