Hey guys, I'm planning to build a vintage style FED in the near future. Right now I'm collecting parts as funds allow and drawing up ch***is plans. This car won't be in the HA/GR cl*** because the driver will be behind the rear axle and I'll use an automatic, but the rest of the build will be very similar to the HA/GR rules. I love the HA/GR cars, but I really want to capture the look and style of the late 50's-early 60's short wheelbase homebuilt dragsters that raced on every track in the country in that era. Guys like me were building dragsters in their garages and barns on tight budgets using what they had available, and I intend to do the same. I'll be using a Ford 223 Inline 6 because, well, I like the little engines and I've never seen a 223 powered dragster, so why the hell not! The only real difference in being period correct is I'll be using a modern SFI spec cage with double hoops and other modern safety features on the cage so I don't have any issues p***ing tech at any dragstrip. I don't intend to compete in any events or run any bracket racing. I just want to have some fun on test & tune nights and do time-only p***es. Who knows, maybe one day there will be a cl*** for cars like mine to compete, but for now it's just for personal gratification. As for now, here's the build plan: 110" Short Wheelbase Dragster 2x3" Main Frame Rails SFI Spec Mild Steel Cage Ford I-Beam Front Axle Split Wishbones HD 16" Front Wheels Narrowed 9" Rear Axle Tall & Skinny Cheater Slicks '58 Ford 223 Inline Six Ported Cylinder Head Adjustable Valvetrain 3x2 Custom Intake Trio of Holley 94's Custom Tubular Header Pertronix Ignition Fordomatic 2spd Auto Ross Steering Box Hand Brake I believe with this combination of stuff the engine should produce around 200hp, and the car should weigh in around 1400lbs with me in it, resulting in mid 12's if it will hook. I'll be happy running 15's though if thats all it will do. I 'borrowed" Toymaker's drawing of his car and modified it to my liking. (Toymaker, I hope you don't mind...I only have MS Paint and I'm not too crafty with the computer!) So, here's my idea, let me know what you all think...
Start building! If we keep building rails like it used to be done we could bring drag racing back to where it all began. Like your idea...have fun with it. Looking forward to build pictures.
That looks like a real nice dragster plan. You will have a lot of enjoyment building it and tons of fun driving. Remember, "Lots Of Pictures of the build"
Thums up for the plan. Where do you buy the round moon looking gas tank does anyone have a site adres where i could buy one?
No problem on the plans, here is a ch***is I started for a friend of mine with bar placement to make NHRA happy with 10 sec and slower performances. Good luck, Rocky
Rocky, you don't need the double hoop cage for 10's & slower? I don't have a rule book, so I've just been gathering info here and there. Love that ch***is layout, and thanks for the OK on the art
I'm wondering if I should run a single hoop for now to keep it looking 'right', then add the second hoop down the road if it's needed at any of the local tracks (none of which are NHRA sanctioned).
Here is what I started with then changed the upper and lower bars to make it look like an "Arrow", I like "Dart" better but thats already been used
I purchased this 1950 built dragster a little over a year ago and still working on it. Its about as crude as any homade digger back in the day and had a couple of advanced things for the time. I am shooting for completion this year and have installed new motor and transmission and went with a 1946 rear since it had an A model rear when I got it. I want it durable if thats possible with the parts I have on hand. As soon as I have the time I am going to post all the up dated on the new parts and changes.
Ray, that is such a cool car. Can't wait to see it. Gonna be at Day of the Drags? Maybe by then I'll have mine a roller.
I doubt I can make it but will continue with the plan I have. I need to build the battery mount,run fuel lines and electrical and finish acelerator linkage and install front friction shocks and put new brake lines on the rear. I think that will about have it ready for the 1/4 mile. Not sure about the new slicks on the wheels. They look good but were on the car when it was at the museum so I really dont have a clue how old they really are.
C'mon Ray, thats a weekend worth of work! It'd be cool to see it out there regardless if it's track ready or not. If you're not going to use those slicks, I sure could use some for mock-up purposes. Right now, I'm still planning my build in my head and on paper. I spoke to a guy who can bend up my tubing in the next town over. He used to build door slammers so I might use his shop to tack the ch***is together, then bring it to my shop and finish it up. I'm still searching for a good 223 engine. I found one that needs a rebuild, but knowing me, I'll end up going nuts on the engine trying to get everything I can out of it, so I'd rather just find a decent runner for the time being. I can always build a hi-po engine later down the road. I'm resarching the whole Harley spoke wheel-to-Ford spindle deal, trying to figure out what I'll be doing with that. I'm hoping that by the end of summer I'll have some more parts gathered up and can get started on the ch***is. I don't have any spare change right now, so it will be tough to aqcuire everything, but I've got time, so if I spend it wisely I can find good deals on the things I need to purchase.
If RAY With is putting one together you can bet it will be right on the money and a hard charger. Cant wait to see it. Be sure and let us know how its going as you make progress on it Withrow. Texas********, I cant wait to see your build progress, will be watching for the build thread once its underway.
I've got a question for you guys... I'm set on the 223 Inliner and a 9" Rear. I'm not set on the transmission. I figure the Fordomatic will withstand the 223's efforts and won't be pushed too hard in the light little car. They are a dime a dozen and the rebuild kits aren't pricey. I'd use a manual trans but I just imagine having issues with trying to shift the non-synchonized gears in a tight and cramped ****pit and setting up a manual trans just seems more complicated than it needs to be for what I'm building. Either way, I'm wondering how to deal with the offset pinion on the 9", and connecting that to the transmission, whatever it may end up being. I don't imagine the driveshaft will be very long at all, maybe a few inches. Could I just put the engine at a side lean to compensate for the offset on the pinion? I can't think of any other method to get everything lined up straight.
Hi Texas, you know the way a U-joint works, up angles, it will work even if you angle the engine to the left. Years ago there was a Lotus racecar with a slant 6, and that engine was shifted with the front way over to make up for the slant. I put a lot of miles on a 223 in a pickup, I think that it has a lot of potential.
Hey guys.. If you taker a tape mesuree. and mesure from backing plate to backing plate,, you'll find the pinion is on center, the housing is off center...
I just think it would be quite a bit offset. Not a big deal if it had a standard full length driveshaft, but I plan on putting the engine as close the the axle as I can get away with, so the driveshaft would be short and the u-joints would be at a steeper angle. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if there was no actual driveshaft, and I just connected the two yokes with a U-joint. I know I can shorten one side more than the other and get the pinion centered, and have the housing offset, but since my legs will be right on top of axle tubes, I'm wondering if I'll have enough room between the cage. I don't think so, maybe some carriers are center pinion from the factory, but I know for a fact not all of them are. I've only used truck axles from the 50's & 60's on my hot rods in the past. Right now I have a 9" from a '59 F-100, a 9" from a '66 F-100, and a 9" from what I believe to be a '57 Ford car. I haven't inspected the car 9" because it's still under the car, but I heard they are center pinion. If that's the case, I'll use that one because it would also fit the wheels I plan to use in the rear with the smaller bolt circle.
Yep I am interested in the ******** build my self and will be checking in often on the thread. Racrdad if you in Bryan your not far from the ranch and I was there yesterday evening. As to the hard charger well we will have to see. These old flattys in the day's were king until late 50's then the other Mfg. caught up and we all had to go with OHV motors to be compe***ive.On this one I want it like it actually was in 1950 and already cleared it with a couple of tracks to run as is. I didnt want to install a double hoop cage or go modern in any way. To me nostalgia is what it was then and not what I can make it.
If all else fails, just offset the engine to match the rear axle...it will just put a bit more weight on the right rear...Worked for Mopar!
Thats what I was originally thinking, but I figured it would really make this narrow car launch weird by having a little more weight over to one side. But if I just angled the engine over a bit, the weight would still be centered, for the most part. I'll inspect the car 9" I have to verify if it's center pinion or not. If it is, then that really solves everything. So, since I have more time on my hands than money, I've been doing alot of research. Not only all the HA/GR build threads, and FED build threads here on the HAMB, but I've also been going through hundreds of photos of early dragsters. I've gone through half of my very large collection of vintage magazines and books. I've been playing around with the MS Paint again. I really wish I had a better art program, but I'm a cheapskate and am happy with what came with the computer. I revised my original variation of Toymaker's art even further. I have some cast aluminum wheels from a 70's Ford/Lincoln that I've been saving, and I think they'll look perfect on this project. They really resemble early cast drag and salt flat wheels. I spoke with a guy who's known around here for the drag cars he's built and raced since the early 60's and will be getting some "old parts" he's got laying around like HD Hubs, Spindles, Wire Wheels, etc. With those parts pretty much ironed out, here's what I came up with... The Mint Julep
On the 9 inch rear--shorten the left side an inch--not hard to do by chop sawing the axel spline and used a pipe cutter to take a chunk out of the tube a like amount. Use the standard front yoke on your transmission and just add the u joint then use regular U bolts to connect it all up. Easy in and out I have done it and it works. You can also off set the motor and trans if tube width is wide enough.Keep in mind the 6 makes a ton of bottom end torque so do the safety tube over the u-joints and shaft yoke.
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