Hello! I am new to the HAMB. There is an increadible amount of history here. LOVE IT! I have been drag racing for almost 20 yrs now along with my father. We have a 1967 LeMans back-halved car that 10 teen's almost anywhere. I have been thinking about making a jump to a FED of some kind. I would fabricate it myself from the ground up. My goal is to run 9.0's. My question is this, at that speed is is absolutely necessary to use a parachute? I only bracket race and going rounds will be difficult if I have to roll up and pack a chute after each race. Are the brakes enough to stop one of these at those speeds? Also, do any of you bracket race with one of these? Are they consistant? We dont get alot of FED's at my local track so I dont really have the opportunity to talk to someone about it so any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. Brian.
I've seen it done here - and without a chute, too. Read up on JD Zink - amazing FED bracketeer! Old school all the way, too.
I ***ume you're not going to do this by yourself? The driver normally packs his/her own chute. (For obvious reasons) It takes less time than you think for a single chute. Unless your "hot lapping" it wouldn't be a problem. By the time your "crew" changes the coolant, checks the valves and refuel, you would be done. Depending on track length and your speed, you may not even need to open it up. But I can tell you that with rear brakes only, a chute sure feels comforting when it opens. The thing I might question is does your track require ch***is certs for a 9 second car?
First thing you do is put a chute on the car wheather you need it or not. Then check the length of the tracks shut down to see if your going to have to use it. Oh! dont forget the wheelie bars you will for sure need them on an fed. Have fun.
From ANRA website: Tech Inspection / Electronics: * All vehicles must meet current NHRA safety standards as per 2008 NHRA rulebook. ** All vehicles running 9.99 seconds and / or 135 MPH must have current NHRA ch***is certification tag. Both "Brackets" and "Index Cl***es" Meaning ALL cars.
There are quite a few RED running laps with radiators, electric fans, electric water pumps, etc. While it changes the whole look of a vintage FED to add all that stuff, it should allow you make lots of laps. Just pop the chute on the short tracks. Don't forget to leave space for the fire bottle!
I ran 8.50s @ 150+, never used the chute except for the last run of the day (sometimes) to open it up to let it air out in the trailer. You shouldn't let it stay packed forever or it will be slow to open when you need it. Once in a great while I would use it if the car got to bouncing too much. I couldn't get on the brakes hard until the car settled down a little after the finish line or it would bounce, so I let it coast down to 100 or so then pulled the brake handle. I was using 12" 64 Oldsmobile drum brakes, discs would give you more braking power and more flexibility in their use. I had one track that used to write notes on my time cards that I should use my chute every time, I guess it bothered them.
Brian: You will love driving a FED as you get to see everything working and its just plain fun.. Couple points to bring up if you dont mind.. If your going to have a slushbox(auto) they start to get hot after a round or 2. If your sitting in the lanes with a Glide or so between your legs your going to loose a few pounds. Its awful uncomfortable. Put a floor in with some of that stick on insulation to help shield you from the heat if you have room..if not,, Set up a blower to cool the Converter. Follow your sanction saftey rules for a chute, over 150 you must have one. Rear brakes stop well but if you get into bumps or are not smooth on the Brakes she WILL bounce. Some tracks have large shut off some dont. Some are decent some ****. It all makes a difference. You should have one anyway if your close to speeds as you only have back brakes. We have a track near us that has very little shut down and we went into the Gr*** a few times. You can have your chutes fast pinned.... That way someone is packing it at the Trailer while the other is on the Car. Just screw a like mount to the Trailer and it can be packed like on the Car. Build a FED. Check out the Posts here about FEDS good info and people here. Good Luck and have fun.
Why wouldn't you want a parachute? What happens when your brakes fail? It may sound like a longshot, but it happened to my pop at Bakersfield a few years back at the Hot Rod Reunion. Of course the 'chute cable snagged and didn't open and the dragster went *** over end at least four times. He was running a Junior Fuel B car at the time. Even with his altered, he still pops the 'chute. As been said before, better to be safe than dead. And yes ANRA has a cl*** for diggers, although a lot of them run in NE1 & 2. PM alteredpilot for more ANRA info. RRR
My car runs 8.50s @ 157 and I use the chute every p*** , even 1/8 mile. I feel its a good habit to be in, takes less than 5 min. to pack. Welcome aboard. PS: My FED is for sale .
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I would definately have a chute my worry is the time required to pack if I get fortunate enough to go rounds. Honestly, I am dying to pull the lever on a chute and feel the pull. My local track is not very big and I think some inspections get overlooked. Of course the genreal safety inspecitons happen, DS loop, up to date belts, etc. But I dont think they look at chasis certs. The shut down area is adequate for a 10 sec. 145 mph run. There are faster cars than mine there so I ***ume a 9.0 FED would be OK. Eliminations are 1/8 mi anyway. The more I read the more I want to get into one of these. Thanks again!
chute or no...just make sure you build that FED with a Pontiac. Steve <DIR>Hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap. Drags, cool car show, parade, special exhibitions, g***ers, rails, stockers, customs and much more. coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az -This is Arizonas longest continuest running nostalgic event, our 7th year! www.nostalgicshowandgo.org Also Hosting- Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az more info- www.pontiacheaven.org </DIR>
I wanted a small chute on the sr dragster just fr fun. Someone used to sell 3 foot diameter chutes. Anyone know who that was? Don
Chute always... I got a Stroud and it packs in less than five minutes by myself.. look into them.. also follow the placement instructions.. they say to mount it up high at a 45 degree angle so the pilot chute catches "clean" air going over the top of the cage...THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE in how fast you slow down.. It's tough to say how much exactly... but every foot counts at those speeds.. especially like a track like Island where the shut down is small as opposed to Atco (both NJ tracks). Hot lapping can be a ***** when bracket racing, but you get a flow and it's OK. I do it all, alone so you get used to it.
use a chute...if everything goes wrong that might be the only thing you have left to keep your *** from rocketing into the sand...safety first..and if anything else it looks cool! T. Hilton
Great idea to run a FED! My $.02 is ALWAYS use a chute. By rule you have to have one on the car at 150 mph anyway. Get into the habit asap. Sometimes stopping the car gets as "interesting" as the actual run. You'll really appreciate it when you feel that chute hit and it will only take a couple of minutes between rounds to re-pack. Don't even touch your brakes until you have slowed way down and are looking to slow for the turn off. The rear tires are like big basketballs and they'll start you bouncing if you get too aggressive on the brakes. Be safe and go fast...
I've only made a handful of runs with my digger. I learned REAL FAST that pulling the chute is a good thing. Sure I can stop the car on the brakes alone, but if I'm aggressive with them I can smell them. Not only that, but our local track has some ripples on the shut down - it gets REAL interesting if you hit those going too fast. All in all they are cheap insurance.
Check out Cenn Penn Speed shop. They're building FED kits in any stage you want as well as any length up to 220. Everything is chromemoly and they even offer a boby package. I think they begin at about 3k. Best of luck!
I began running an altered late last year. One day I got back from my first p***. Got out of the car ans seen the big red "remove before fight" tag on the pin in the chute. Good thing I'm running 1/8 mile on a national event track. I could lift at the 1/8, maybe even the 1/4 and just coast to the top end and make the turn off. I read on another site that your shut down procedure on the top end should include at least putting your hand on the chute lever even if you don't use it. That way if you need it in an emergency, your hand will automatically go to the lever without thinking. I even put reflective tape on mine for night races.
That reminds me - Note to builders - cut the cable housing short so it does not touch the chute release loop. When you pull the release the inner solid cable retracts into the outer housing. The end of the outer housing can catch the chute loop and hold it closed. Yes, even at speed. An altered of a friend almost went into the trees at Beaver Springs because of this on a bouncy run. When he finally slid sideways to a stop, then got out and looked at the chute, he bumped the pack with his hand and the chute popped out like there was nothing wrong. I anchor the cable housing near the pack and cut it short enough that it can't get closer than 2" from the loop.
and get a stroud chute, they are easier to pack, and we have tried the wad it up in a ball and shove it in the bag, they will still open!
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