Howdy HAMBers, This is my first try at a FED. I have been planning this for around 10 years and its finally come to p***. I would appreciate any comments an what I did wrong as well as what looks correct. This winter will add the full body and maybe a chute pack. I still cant get my arms around a way to make the chute pack work with the wheelie bars. Thanks for looking. Rick
When you mount the chute, angle the plate so the pilot chute goes upward some, and it will pull the chute upward, above the wheelie bars. Once it is deployed, it will be further back than the wheelie bars.
The chute that is on the car now is angled up like you mentioned. Its also a spring loaded Stroud. We had the chute not come out an a previous car at a very short track in North Texas. I still have the crushed oil pan and crunched up seat pad. My issue with the chute pack is how to mount the wheelie bars through the chute pack.
Here is how I did it for one of my customers. It involved adding a tube loop to the back of the ch***is to get the upper wheelie bar mounting tabs to where the could protrude through slots in the tail so the car looks a little "funky" while naked but Derek rarely takes the tail off so nobody gets to see the structure. This is what the finished product looks like, and this is what it took to make it look like that. Roo
Roo, Thanks for the pics. Did you build that ch***is or was that added later ? I really like the way you set that up. My goal will probably not include the chute pack for racing. You mentioned your client rarely removes the pack. Did you find it upsets the balance? I stuck a few shots of my ch***is build also. Do you bend your tin with a hammer, or wheel ?
Looks very nice--- couple of things tho what cl*** are you going to run? Do yourself a favor and put a blower starter mount on the blower and drive dog on the upper pulley, Reason being that those mini starters FAIL and sometimes take out the ring gear. With the mount in place there is always the ability to borrow a blower starter. I have won 3 races because my opponants block starter failed and would have let him use mine except that he didnt have a mount.
Have you tried getting in the car with a suit on yet? Opening looks kind of small and you dont have any cage padding yet.
I have run it most of this year. It's had its share of minor bugs. We had a couple of leaking intake valves and only got one run in at Tulsa at the Nitro Nationals. It surprised me and went 7.34 at 180. I was trying an old set of tires from the last season and it would spin at the hit, recover and work well down track. It had new tires in Tulsa. I wont make that mistake again. New ch***is, new tires. Thanks for looking and giving me input. Rick
Rick, I did the whole car for Derek. It runs a full body so the "balance" is probably about the same as with a shorty. Tail is made from .050 3003 and I have a Pullmax with Clay Cook's thumbnail shrinking dies, a wheel and a planishing hammer. I also have one of Kent White's power hammers but this was built before I had that. The car runs 7.50's with a carburetted big block Chevy. Roo
If you want some help building a chute pack body, I am just south of Dallas. I can build you a very nice one! I am also putting on a car show here in Combine on Jan 26th 2013 with a 5 car cacklefest. Bring it!!!
Since you dipped below 7.50 , Tech hasnt questioned you about the lack of lateral head pads and enough fire bottles (20#) yet? Just asking.
Really nice FED you have there We run with both a chutepack(Kellison) and wheeliebar, and pushbar aplication Don't have a picture at hand, but you could check my thread; http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=531757&page=14 .............................. Taildragger&fenderless