Looking for some advice and or ideas on a budget friendly front engine dragster. Needing help with the front suspension design, spring vs solid, if sprung transverse leaf or torsion, info on spindles and wheels that would be something cheap we could use. Everything else I think we have figured out for the most part, any help or info would be great
Solid is tricky because your ch***is becomes the suspension. That means either engineering flex into it, or making it so heavy and strong that you can't hurt it. I suggest a transverse leaf for simple durability and lower weight. Torsion bars are not overly complicated, but it brings more parts to the party. I expect someone has a great spindle recipe, but I would say the cheapest route is to machine a generic spindle to fit the wheels you plan to use. Most any kind of motorcycle rim can be used, though tire selection will be the biggest factor in choosing. It's hard to find skinnys that are speed rated. If you want tubeless, the price goes up with spindle mount mags. PM Skotz here on the HAMB. He has a great FED that he is campaigning every chance he gets.
If you have a decent track to run on and a long 160-ish wb or more - the no suspension thing is no problem. However if you find yourself tempted to run on less than nice track surfaces - the suspension is a definite plus. I run a solid 180" WB digger - the lack of suspension has kept me off tracks I should probably avoid anyways. The decent (flat) ones are no problem at all.
What "era" are you going for? That would dictate what kind of front axle/suspension and WB.....that is if you are into building an "era car"..... The early FED's ran Ford front axles and a transverse spring....later came the torsion bar style using a rod or VW bars....
It looks like your able to go to Ardmore OK. For the reunions. A group of us show Cackle cars there, I have the Scorpion 1. Other cars are the Scorpion V ,Gizzle Hopper and the Rat Patrol dragsters. I have some dragster parts and can build what you need here in Dallas TX. Tell us more about what type car you want. dwrfab Don Ross 214-327-7312
Take a look at a late 60's Woody Gilmore ch***is he used a torsion spring for his front ends . They have give and I think if a small garage door spring was used the arms could operate well. If you look at a picture or see one in person it is fairly self explainitory. Rob.
spindles - Neil and parks has a good deal on some aluminum units 250.00 range with arms for a pair. (Has to be a light car and no 6' wheel stands) wheels - craigslist or here (MC spoke wheels are not the same as dragster spoke wheels) tires - Hayden enterprizes pair for about 150 with tubes and bands I went rigid (200") also. But like HemiRambler said has to be long and designed to flex.
pm me I can give you some info & sizes to make period 1950's spoke dragster wheels. If you need a "blue print" for a late 50's short wheelbase rail I have dimensions & detailed pic's on CD to build a Lyndwood rail (like mine-see avatar). popular spindles were 42-48 ford squarebacks or the earlier fords would work as well. early rails used stock ford I beam axels with more caster (built into the frame mount) later they went to tube axels with stock king pins boss's welded into the tube ends and even later they fab's their own lin pin boss's into the tube axels. PM me for more info or to get a dragster build CD Paul
And from what I am seeing (and don't get me wrong!) I LOVE to build **** but, I think you would be money ahead to buy a running car and revamp/redo it to you style? Front end, steering, rearend, brakes, motor, trans. headers, tires wheels. They all cost a lot of money. The tubing is the cheep part! Just my thoughts.
They usually can be found used pretty cheap or you can get the setup off a Volks wagon bug ( early) that is what got used a lot before people started manufacturing them.
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