@squirrel's Chevy II made a "cameo appearance" in Tom Bailey's SICK SECONDS "My Trailer Fell Off! Drag Week From Hell Continues" YouTube video:
I'm thinking that your****umption is spot on. Cars have to have the safety equipment for the speed they run. I think Jim mentioned that in past years. Any faster and it is do a lot of upgrades.
Harv, here are some of the NHRA safety requirements at different ET/ MPH levels: 11.99 seconds Steel Valve Stems Arm Restraints (open cars) 11.49 seconds SFI 1.1 or 1.2 Flywheel / Clutch SFI 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 or 9.1 Flywheel shield SFI 3.2A/1 approved jacket 6 point roll bar SFI approved seat belts 10.99 seconds SFI 4.1 Transmission Shield, or at 135 mph Locking transmission dipstick tube Aftermarket axles and axle retainers SFI Harmonic Balancer Roll Cage with altered floor pans, or 135 mph - Window net required Ignition cut-off on all bikes / snowmobiles that exceed 135 mph 9.99 seconds NHRA Chassis Certification NHRA Competition License SFI jacket & pants 3.2A/5 SFI neck collar & gloves 3.3/1 SFI 29.1 flexplate / 30.1 flexplate shield (AT equipped cars) Full Face Helmet meeting Snell or SFI specifications 150 mph Parachute
yup, I don't have all that 9 second stuff, so I can't run faster than 10.00/135 mph. We made it to the hotel, only a ten mile drive to the track in the morning, then make one run and I'm done. The results show up here https://www.motortrend.com/events/hot-rod-drag-week-2022-complete-race-results/ The pop off plate gasket was leaking this morning, I got to make a new one, and try to flatten the plate, it worked OK for the run and the drive.
We were watching the rerun of the first hour or so of today's drag week actin and lookie here! ATTACH=full]5520827[/ATTACH]
Many thanks I don't know much about the NHRA rules. Had me curious, as I am currently building a FED. It's running a HAMB-friendly I6/Powerglide, so not the fastest thing in the world. Back in the 50-60's this type of engine in a FED was running in the 12s naturally aspirated. I'm aiming to run blown (period correct vane blower), injected and have a crossflow head. Should see me move from a 150hp mid-60's output to about 200hp. If I can get it to run a 12-flat I will be happy. The local tracks either run IHRA rules, or the local ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing****ociation) rules. My home track is IHRA sanctioned, so have been spending quite some time pondering the IHRA rulebook. I probably won't need a chute, but will need a certified chassis, certified race suit/helmet, SFI trans blanket, SFI harnesses and a bunch of other fiddly stuff (like no plastic in the master isolation switch). Lots of learning for me. Cheers, Harv
I'd say that you have the correct concept Harv. The car and driver have to have the correct safety equipment for the class and or speed they will run in. A bit different than Land speed racing at Bonneville or the lakes here where your body style and engine size and engine induction system dictate the level of safety equipment you are required to have. There your car might be 100 mph off the record for the class but if the car fits the class you have to have the proper setup for that class. This is the PFD rule breakdown for this years Drag week. 2022-2024-DRAG-WEEK-CLASS-RULES-DF-V3-FINAL.pdf (motortrend.com)
If you read the rules for the classes at Drag Week, you'll see that the gasser and hot rod classes are really lenient compared to what we do on the HAMB...and I built my car to be HAMB friendly, as well as meet the rules. That's the main reason I'm running more than a second slower than the leading cars in my class. They have 555 inch aftermarket block/head engines, EFI, etc. I don't want to go there.
saw this 55 run 214 mph in 7 seconds at Byron on Wednesday[, young girl works on it and drives it, totally awesomeATTACH=full]5520986[/ATTACH] ..had a nice visit with Jim Forbes on Wednesday also, even talked about the Rambler some. Jim really likes it.
Generally speaking it takes about a 1:10 power-to-weight ratio to run a 12 flat. So if one****umes your car will weigh 1800 lbs car-and-driver and you get 200HP to the rear wheels (somewhat difficult given the HAMB driveline constraint guidelines) you should be capable of 11.6s @ 113 mph. Your biggest hindrance will be off the line traction, spinning the tires followed by a propensity to doing a wheelstand with today's track prep, no wheelie bars, and a relatively low power output.
Good on ya. Not that what you're running is cheap but it sounds like you need a fat wallet to compete with that. Keep it simple and have fun. Makes me want to build something.
I had the pleasure to meet Jim and talked quite a while. Even got to sit in his car! My brush with fame for the week. Raining now but hope it stops so we get to see him make a pass. Lynn
Aiming for 200 ponies at the crank, and about 1300lb. The calculators says I should get mid-11's, but agree that there is a lot more to this than what the calculators say a car will do. It's running 10.5" slicks on Torque Thrust D's (perhaps over-tyred), so should hook up OK. Battery and fuel tank are mounted well forward, and will run a detachable single wheelie bar. Chassis builder reckons it shouldn't lift the front wheels too badly and that I can likely remove the wheelie bar. The child in me loves the idea of the nose in the air about 2' or so on launch. The adult in me says that at that point I will likely***** myself . Shame about the rain for the last day. Hope it cleared for you guys and you got a last run in. Safe travels home. Cheers, Harv
They called the event, track dried but more rain heading in which would keep everyone from getting a run in today. They are going to finalize standings after yesterdays runs.
Alex is one of the nicest young ladies you could ever meet, and yea she is bad**** in the 55. She knows her stuff, after all, her dad is Dennis Taylor.
Congrats to Squirrel and all who finished! Regarding Alex Taylor, she was in a tight battle for the lead against Bryant Goldstones Javelin in the Ultimate Iron class. She was running low 7's. Yesterday, she couldn't get the car to run right after launching, and ended up turning in a 13.xx time slip. That handed Goldstone a huge lead. But today Alex ran a 7.08, and advanced into the lead with Goldstone taking a 20 second time slip. But when they called the race for rain, todays runs didn't count, and she got shoved back into 2nd place.
Isn't it Dennis Taylor who used to build fiberglass '33 Willys bodies? I had a 'glass "stretch" '33 Willys for a while. After a lot of searching I thought I had narrowed it down that he was likely the builder of the body. Lynn
At Byron, Alex ran 200 mph, her first time. There are something like 10 people who have done that on Drag Week, so it's a big deal. I happened to be by Alex's pit when she pulled in after the pass, and Keith Turk was there, and congratulated her, and made a big deal out being in the club. They were talking about how there isn't anything official, and I said, hey, it sounds like she just got elected president of the Drag Week 200 club. Well....when they were giving out awards, Keith said that by consensus she was elected president, and welcomed her to the new job! I was only joking, sorry Alex, didn't mean to make work for you. I got to hold the time slip for a few seconds. Congrats on the three hot rod class winners, all HAMB members! fantastic job
Had the pleasure of talking to @squirrel for a couple minutes at Cordova... sorta snuck up on him deep in thought. Looked like he was about ready to roll out so didn't want to hold him up too long. Got a few other pics too: And hitting the road leaving the Elizabeth IL checkpoint between Byron and Cordova. Going to sort through the pics I took, I know I got a few of @mcmopar too. Came home tired, sunburned and broke but it was a total blast. Thanks and all the best to the HAMBERS who participated, you done good!
RacerX had a daughter’s wedding to attend this year. He’s been hitting other tracks and events, building more power and trying to control it.
Congrats to Tony McMopar for the win in the Hot Rod class! He pushed thru a major thrash to get his engine put together just in time for the event. Then persevered thru major setbacks, like having to swap a transmission to complete the event. His victory did not come easy, it was earned.
I turned it off and took my wife to the store after about an hour of the rain delay, Did they manage to finish or take the times they had before?
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