I am going forward with the plans to do an early falcon gasser, it is straight axled already justt needs all the finishing done to it. Question: if I run the car with leaf spring (stock), will the car be capable off pulling the wheels, not that this should matter but I have had it in my mind since I started that If I am going to build a drag/gasser car, it HAS to pull the wheels. any ideas for engine placement, traction bars etc... thanks alot guys
kick the rear wheels forward about 6 to 8 inches.....then you'd be on the right track....lol think more on the lines of a fx car instead of a gasser.... brandon
you may also want to look into 90/10's for the front. i know competition engineering sells them among other ratios. don't know how they run on the street yet.
with the right horsepower and gear ratio, and chassis set up it will pull the wheels, but not with a pussy motor and street geaqrs or stret tires or nostalgia tires. as for 90/10 well it will extend fast but not necessarily pull the wheels easier .. just put 400 or more real hp to it and a trans brake or standard trans and at least a 4 30 gear or better and sojme good ladder bars and right rear shocks etc and it will be fun as hell ..........
Yea... don't put a pussy motor in it. Also... put a four speed in it, a good tire and stear clear of the 90/10's and the ball joint spacers (if applicable). Sam.
'Ol "Pappy" Hale used to drive a stock bodied 51 Henry J , 265 single 4 bbl. a three speed Chevy box and a rear gear of 5.38 turning 8.20x15 Bucrons . With him driving , two hoodlums in the back seat and a couple heavy cast iron heads in the trunk , the "J" would jerk the front wheels 3 feet of the ground on Fremont steet . All was cool until some bump steer caused it to sideswipe a couple parked cars and the cops wanted to know why . "Pappy" explained that the throttle got stuck WFO and not wanting to waste the horsepower ,he decided to clutch it !! Go directly to jail , do not pass go and you forfeited $500 !! 1960 , 3rd and Fremont , Las Vegas , NV. (I was one of the hoodlums in the back seat !)
For my project, I built a leaf-link rear suspension: A VERRRY simplified explaination is that the leaf springs are clamped from the housing forward, and act as the lower links of a 4-link set up. The back section of the springs remains unclamped so they can still spring. On top of the housing are two bars going forward to the frame. The housing rides on a pivoting mount connecting it to the leaf springs. all the mounting points are fully adjustable, so I can completely triangulate the rear suspension and maximize launch. Or, find the sweet spot and do wheelies. A 480-inch 409 and slick-shift Super Stock Hemi 4spd should help things. Your results may vary. -Brad
What you are after is to make the pinion climb the ring gear . Solidified front halves on the springs would work well with top mounted link , might be a rough ride but who cares?
So, I have no tech information to add to this thread, but I wanted to say that discussing how to make your car do wheelies has to make this one of the best threads ever! Keep the tips coming!
Lot's a gear, 4 speed or lots of converter, and real slicks or ET Streets or kick front and rear axles forward and and set the engine back and you can go a little more streetable on the drivetrain.
Well, Im no engineering expert, but I do believe the more weight that is behind the rear axle, to less motor/gearing will be needed to pull the front wheels. In the same thinking, lightening up the front end would have the same effect, right? Skinny 12-spokes, fiberglass front bumper, gravel pan, fenders, hood, doors, fiberglass seats, aluminum intake, heads, ect. Or you could just get a 9:1 CR, run a massive amount of boost through an inline air-water cooler with alcohol or water injection and high octane gas. Also, cams optimized for boost conditions. Yeah, I could see that, wedge a blown BBF into a small, mostly fiberglass car? that my friends would be too much fun.
Get yourself a copy of "Doorslammers: The Chassis Book" written by Dave Morgan. It is an amazing book that every drag racer should have! It will teach you just about everything you need to know so you can tune your chassis to do what you want. Like others say though, a 4 speed and deep gears along with 400+ HP will certainly help, but you need it setup correctly so it's safe as well as fun. Get the book and it will be your best friend for years. Must buy another one myself!
Hey Joe, listen to this guy!!! I screwed around trying to get the Chevy II hooked up for two seasons before I bought this book. The third season, she'd pull the wheels every launch... ON THE STREET! Then I spun the 3 center main bearings... Fuckin' Speed-o-Motive! (FYI: The chevy II is 1580 on the Front wheels, 1540 on the rear, with me in it) The book gets pretty deep sometimes; but you seem like a smart kid (read "NERDY" ), I think you could understand the concepts pretty easily. Also, make sure that you read the book cover to cover, even if you don't think some of the info applies to your current project. Hell, I'll even let ya borrow mine, as long as I get it back in the relatively near future...
Not sure if it helps, but I had a '68 454 camaro w/ a muncie & 12bolt rear that had 4.88 gears. It would pull the front tires off the ground easily. Would also smoke the rear mickey's in 4th gear from a dead stop. Funny thing was any time I had starter trouble, I'd have to push start it and in 1st 2nd & 3rd, popping the clutch would just lock up the rear wheels & wheel hop the thing. Couldn't push start it unless popping the clutch in 4th & then had to be pushing the hell out of the car. Very fun. Miss it more than my X. Carl Hagan here in KC.
I have been thinking of something like that, though early Falcons can cost a packet over here in Oz. Anyone think it may work in a Ute (XL XM) version??
since we're on the subject of suspension and gassers. have any of you tried a rear floater kit with ladder bars. trying one in my 51 and just wondering if there is any good or bad.
I run stock parallel leafs in the rear of my Willys...with a 32" ladder bar setup and leaf spring floaters. Side to side motion of the axle is arrested with a diagonal link. It works fine. I think the floaters are the way to go if you have a setup like mine...leafs and ladders. Without them you will not have much spring action, as the axle travels through the arc prescribed by the ladder bar's forward pivot, it will bind with the arc that the leafs want it to travel in, unless you build a ladder bar that locates pivots the same distance from the axle as the front spring eye. Then I guess you would not need the floaters.
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