Projects Two gun guys build a front engine dragster

Let me know when you're doing the T & T ... if I can help & am off work I'm a decent set of xtra hands.

 

Congrats Tyler on a great build!!!

 

Mike mentioned you are on the home stretch ... paint & such. Super.

Keep rolling forward.

 

Body is powdercoated. Big thanks to Jaguar Coatings in Lawrenceville, GA. Ed is a great guy, knowledgable, and very affordable.

Color is Prismatic's seafoam green



Also, big thanks to Crook/Micah for the helmet "refinishing". He is also doing the lettering on the body . . .





Headers are getting ceramic coated white . . . taking the frame today to get coated. Hopefully be doing final assembly here next week.

 

Looks good Tyler , Really like the helmet work, cool idea on the skull and cross rails,, Tim Jones

 

Hey, even if it's not ready to make passes for the May 11 Gear Jam, you should bring it out to display and let people get a good look at it...
I LOVE looking at under-construction projects. Hell, I like looking at someone's in-process project more than I like looking at a finished car.

-Brad

 

It'll be really really cutting it close for next weekend . . . hope to get the frame back from miller's monday or tuesday and the headers back tuesday or wednesday.

Everything else is essentially ready to go at this point with some stuff in my garage and everything else in saligoe's shop.

Is the gear jam a straight up NHRA-type event? I don't have a NHRA comp license.

 

Been really busy the past 2 weeks with all kinds of stuff . . . not as much time as I would have liked to put the car together and also ran into issues with the gear drive. Motor and trans is finally in place as of last night at 11:30pm.

Crook (micah) is finishing up the lettering on the hood/side panels and looks awesome. So big thanks to him.

 

Looking good ... real good!

 

Got little stuff left. Machine spacers for the new idler pulley bracket, sort out the tach drive/gauges, rivet some dzus plates, bolt some more stuff on and cut some spark plug wires. Other than that . . . hope to have it done this week.

I know my garage is a mess. =) I need to wheel this thing outside and clean up.

 

Looking good ... test & tune soon???

 

This has been a fun read! Lots of drama. Almost wish I had found it sooner but who cares about my opinion. lol I agreed with thoughts on both sides.

I know you will have a lot of fun with it.

 

Great ride! I can't think of a single dude that would not want to build and own a front engine dragster. But you actually did it. Congratulations and good luck at the races. We'll all remain envious....

 

man, I hope so.

The only thing left on the motor after last night is clearancing the bottom of the rocker arms to fit the retainers. Evidently the "old" (can't even find them on comp's site now) pro magnum 17-4 rocker arms and my installed height/titanium retainers don't jive. Have to take ~0.030-0.040 off the bottom as they hit the outer edge of the retainer when the valve is on the seat. The radius comp used is a little big for 1.550" I guess.

The only nostalgia race I know of coming up is July 6th at Calhoun so the pressure is off for awhile to really thrash on it. Would honestly like to run a friday night at AMS . . . looks like a cool deal.

I don't really know why I assumed drama wouldn't be around here when I started this thread. Guess I just don't know anyone like dre in drag racing or hot rodding in "real life". The other forums I get on I expect it but one person out of however many thousand of people are on the HAMB is no indication of the site as a whole obviously.

Thanks!

Its been a long process and I probably would do some things differently if I ever built another FED (which I seriously doubt) but building something from scratch has been the most rewarding part like I am sure it is for a lot of us on here.

The last two nights the dragster has actually looked like a dragster in my garage and I find myself "saying goodnight" so to speak before I go upstairs and go to bed. It's still weird to see it in person after seeing it for the last 2 years in my head.

 

There are a couple build threads on the HAMB that address this process.

 

Where's the picture of you in the garage asleep in the cockpit? We all have one like that.

 

Didn't get to work on it as much as I wanted this past weekend, sometimes the "to do" list is just too big to get to wrench on something.

BUT it finally sits on the ground and is ~90% done. Primed the oil system, set valve lash, filled the trans, barely fit the starter, put on the throttle stop . . . just have to drop the mag and cut the spark plug wires this afternoon and its ready to crank.

 

I've got a nice Autometer "mag" tach that needs a home ... you need one??

 

what size?

I've got a stewart warner from a swap meet. Just trying to figure out how to mount it.

 

I believe it's a 3.5 face. I bought it & used it on my own drag car from the early 80's with a BBC/Vertex Mag ignition. If your around this weekend pm me fri. & we can possibly meet.

 

Car came out pretty nice Tyler, Need some shots out of the shop, Tim Jones

 

Looks great all put together. You got a lot done after we left Saturday!

 

Great job...enjoyed following.

 

Looking good Tyler! Hope to see it running soon.

 

Looks bad ass man can't wate to see it run

 

Maaaan, that thing is double throw-down bad ass!

Just one question: How do you climb into the car with the hard-on it must give you?

-Brad

 

Thanks! Getting super itchy to start it. The mag is off at Bubba's Hot Rods in Indy getting a new mainshaft so when it gets back I'll be ready to fire it off.





So this is not mine, but I was lucky enough to stop by Tudor's place today and sure enough he was ready to start his . . . threw some gas in and it fired right up

Tried to look for a thread you started Josh but couldn't find one so I hope you don't mind.

He lives about 5 minutes from me so it looks like we've got a grudge race setup already

 

Tyler you made our day brother! When you gave us the secret sauce to starting an Alky engine and it fired right off! Wooooo! That was awesome - my ears are still ringing!

 

Thanks for help getting her fired yesterday man! You are the man. Maybe we can do the leak down next weekend. I dont think we ever started a thread so posting e picture is cool. Can't wait for your mag to get back.

 

Hey Tudor post some more pics of your Car, Tim Jones