The tracks up here are allowing us to run 1/8th mile with the old style ch***is. We still need to have a firesuit, up to date helmets, seat belts, etc... We dont need fire systems. Hopefully we will have some concrete guidelines worked out very soon. It would be cool to see other tracks around the country picking this type of racing up.
Thanks, I was thinking about building an early frame, with new age NHRA rules in mind. It'll LOOK the part (to the untrained eye), but I'll still be able to run it on sanctioned tracks. I'm compromising a lot. It won't be "traditional", but, it'll be in the ballpark. You get the feel and pretty much the original look, with modern day upgrades to keep it NHRA legal. I'm not a purist in that aspect. Unless, I get my hands on an old dragster, and then, I would totally restore it to original specs. Catch my drift? I'll be calling you when I get my 32 on the track! That's cheaper than my deuce frame!
It should be a good time Sunday, gotta clean the shop tomorrow. Whos coming from the bridgewater area?
Hey Joe, that fuel pump is going to work, no problem at all, if the measurements he gave me are correct.
Had a great time today, it was great to meet and talk with everyone..I snapped some shots i will post later!
Hey Slick, glad you made it by, we all had a good time and a great turn out. I think there was a lot of wheelin and dealn going on there.... It was cool to meet everyone from the HAMB. Nice to put faces to the names. Pomp, you got to make it up to Hudson for the mid winter gathering next month. Thats another good time.
Hey Brad, Had a great time at the open house today, plus meeting a couple more HAMB members made it all the better. I will have some pictures tomorrow night
Can't wait. Would it ruin the nostalgia or would it be better to build these with a five point cage so you could run 1/4 and faster speeds if you want to in the future?
I couldn't make it today either...so lets see some pics of the projects goin on at the shop...please!
Mctim64, we wanted to keep the cars looking the way they did and we are just going to go out and have some fun with them. We are using basically stock motors in these cars and the best part is, we can build these cars complete for under $5k. They will probably stay together for quite a few years without any major expense (except tires, lol). We are going to just try to put on a show with them and have some fun. The fast cars are great and ultimately we all want to go fast but, this is just goin to be too much fun. I want to thank all the hamb members for coming by to hang out, I had a great time. I was so busy talkin I didn't get to take any pics so guys, please post any that you took. I will try to take some of the other projects in the shop. Couple Willys coupes with Hemi, model A with a nailhead etc....
LeadsledMerc, Come by the shop anytime but, I got to warn you, my wife was with me at the Alter Boys show and fell in love with your 37' chevy...you may not leave with it if she sees it.
Ever since this thred started I've been interested in building one of these, actually before, I like the simplicity. We don't have this going on out here that I know of but I'm sure guys would love simple cheep 1/8 mile drag racing, that is what the Eagle field meet was about in Oct. My only problem is spending even $5000 on something that might not be able to be used. I have a plan to build some sort of FED to run my 341 Y in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwyTHxB25o8, just not sure what the frame will look like in the end, I do like the looks of that TE-440. I will be looking around for ideas for sure.
My suggestion to you would be to contact your local track and present the idea to them, we are lucky enough that the local tracks here work with the racers to try to better the shows on Sunday. They were willing to let us run 1/8th mile and to keep the speeds down, running a 7.5 and possibly a 6.50 index in the 1/8th. We get up to about 110mph which these ch***is are plenty safe. I know there is interest throughout the country in running these cars. I've had phone calls and e-mails from every part of the country it seems with plenty of interest. With some swap meet parts and other parts you may have laying around, one of these ch***is..you can be racing at a low cost. I would definately talk to your local track and if you need more info, I will be happy to give you all the specs of my ch***is and the basic rules that we have coming together up here. I'd love to see this go nationwide, it would be so cool to see what guys build.
There was a good turn out at Brad Studley's Ch***is Shop yesterday morning... It was suppose to be 9am till noon, but went on till 2 in afternoon, I think everone had a great time. It was nice to see several HAMB members there... Hoop and Slick Willy drove up from the South Shore. Fast Eddie came down from Maine with Vaughan Stevens, Vaughan is the race organizer at Winterport Drag Way.
In the center is my friend Fred Hire. Fred is a founding member of the Push Rods, from Waltham, MA. The club was started in 1957 and were a major force in early New England drag racing. Fred is responsible for putting on the annual Mid Winter Hot Rod and Drag Racing Fest, at the Hudson Elks. To the right, Brad Studley points out some of the features of Joe Sforza's new dragster ch***is to Bob (Bear ) George. Bob was the guy who put on the Charlestown Dragway Reunions a few years back.
In the center is Bobby DeMarco, and his father to the right, Bob Sr. Young Bob is a new HAMB member, but I don't know his screen name. He is building a dragster based on one of Brad's TE 440 ch***is. This kid can paint ! He brought some of his sign boards of lettering and pin striping.
Ed Pearsons, long time sign painter, checks out some of Bob's work. Bob put some lines down on a friends industrial sewing machine. Ed is recreating his old AA/FA based on a Ch***is Research R-16 frame. Brad is making a perfect copy of the old Fenn ch***is.
Here are some pics of Ed's front end mounted and of the spring perch. We are going to great lengths to make this an exact replica of his car. This is an original CAE axle with mounts. Ed shaped the tips of the springs like he did before. The spring perch is a replica of the original. The mounts for the radius rods have the extra holes to save weight. We have the Hemi block, mid plate and Olds rear housing, waiting for the clutch can and the body so we can finish locating everything. I love this car.
The Jalopy Journal
