Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

You know sometimes you guys make me wish I lived in Missouri ! lol Pictures of the show and you guys or it didn't happen!!! Larry

 

We are working on the details the next couple of weeks. This weekend, much to my shagrin we decided we simply had to take the hood off to do what we needed to do. So we did it. We cleaned and finished the underside side, even touched up the paint etc. Between wrapping the hinge cover and getting all the overspray off the aluminum panel it really sharpened it up. I am very happy with it. For a while I thought we might have to show with the hood down! LMAO!

And believe it or not, it went right back on with no issues! Will wonders never cease! LOL.

 

No Issue's??? Oh that can't be good lol Larry

 

Hell yeah black marks on the road to prove it fortunately the Sherrif was not around this time lol then I moved the 55 Ford wagon tow car in the garage so I can get it ready to go to glass shop this week and yes Larry it has a Ford motor and trans so let’s hear it lol


Chrome don’t get ya home

 

A 55 Ford wagon! Great looks AND reliability! What's not to like! lol Like you always say Chrome won't get you home, But the FORD WILL!!! lol I knew that there had to be a little Blue Oval lover in you. Larry

 

Larry I give you Ford guys a bunch o crap but I like all makes I have all kinds of cars in my stable like my dad always said “every car has to be fixed at some point but the Chevrolet is the least expensive to repair”


Chrome don’t get ya home

 

Well we finally got the wrapped bulbs back in the tree and the reprogramed traffic light sequencer hooked up. Unfortunately, the flash speed did not change, still too slow. I called them and I guess they forgot to update that part of the board. They have another one coming that has been tested and flashes at about .25 seconds and is adjustable from there to 1 second intervals.

They are currently working on a new board that can handle up 10 functions but for now the best you can get is 6. So I have to flash the pre-stage and stage together, then the first two ambers and then from there on down individuals. I am thinking about maybe just leaving the pre-stage and stage bulbs on solid and just counting down the ambers to green.



Funny thing there with the video, after I uploaded it we played it before putting here it on the thread. My daughter laughed at the dramatic music that was added to the background. I said I didn't ad any music to the video. For a minute or two, I thought You Tube must have some new program that ads music to videos that have no sound or something. But apparently no such thing. The music on my video is what was playing on the radio in the shop when I shot the stupid thing. LMAO!

 

That's freaking hilarious!

 

COOL!!!

 

Works good, I almost know the music!

 

With more running , eight round circles will form on the underside of the scoop from the fuel reversion with your Webers.

 

Maybe coat under hood with lizard skin or thin [.020] alum?

 

Being injected I'm not sure that will be a problem.

 

Okay, final version on the tree. I have been watching a ton of vintage drag racing on You Tube lately and I have yet to see one with pre-stage on the tree. So this morning I lopped it off mine.

I still have to install the San Fernando on it but I am pretty happy with its "vintage correctness" for lack of better term.

I wired up the corrected contro box (third times the charm) and decided to just leave the stage bulbs lit and flash all six Amber's through Green.



Oh and I obviously added my own background sound this time! Lol

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Okay, I see a potent "289" powered Drag Snake and a tree flashing down. BUT I have not seen a drag slick shreading, quarter panel rubber coating BURNOUT!!! Do we at least have some of that angel hair shit they use to wrap around the tires back in the 60's?? lol Larry

 

I'll be down there to see if he at least lights them up in the parking lot.

 

I'd put a couple red lights on the bottom.

 

The red lights are there. The bulbs are just not in yet.

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You would have to bring that up been there done that.

 

No pre stage?

 

Nope. I will tell you, there seems to be a lot of confusion out there about these trees. Three seperate stories of who really created them. As I reported earlier, the first tree was 1963 US Nats. 5 Amber countdown lights, greens and reds. As is reported everywhere, the following year at the Winternationals pre-stage and stage lights were added to the system but not on the tree. Supposedly they were on the ground somewhere on the start line. However, this is a shot of the '64 Winternationals Tree.
If you look close it is obvious there is a single staged bar atop the tree (above). Here is another (really good} shot of it in 1964 from 8mm. Perfectly clear there is a STAGED light bar on the tree.


Here are two more shots of starter trees clipped out of 8mm videos from different tracks but both from 1964.




And later, 1965 US Nationals the same style tree is still in place. Staged only on top...


However, in 1966 here is the same startline at Indy.

So I am not sure on the pre-stage bulbs for '64 and '65, they say they were on the ground and that is probably correct but one thing I know for sure, there was a single STAGED bar atop the tree with two yellow lights. LOL So that is what I settled on. Feel free, if someone has some first hand knowledge, to pipe in tell us exactly how you staged a car in 1964! Inquiring minds want to know. LOL

 

All my years from 65-80's JUST a staged light no prestage. You had to creep up on it CAREFULLY and stop when it winked on.

 

Loudbang, that's how I remember it too. Nobody knew about shallow or deep staging. Just don't go too far or you draw a red.

 

A little tribute to Dad for all his help on the Cobra. He will not see it until we open the hood at the show.



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That under-hood tribute is too cool. I'm sure he'll love it!

 

Deuced, nice meeting you. That car is a piece of art, looks cooler in person!

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Oh, way to go Lerenzo, you let the cat out of the bag. LOL Yes the Cobra made it debute this weekend at the Hot Rod Holiday Indoor Car Show in Springfield, MO. Just kidding Lerenzo, they all new it was going. It was nice to meet you too, hopefully I will get to see your ride at a show or cruise-in soon.

Now I am going to warn you all right now, you are about to see the Cobra with finished rear lexan in place. I have been trying for the past few days to get that update in here so chronologically it made sense but we have simply been so busy getting ready and setting up etc. that time just got away from me. However, suffice to say, just three days before the show, with a car that was spotless and litterally ready to go on display, we started drilling holes in it again. LMAO! But that is another story...and don't worry I have plenty of show and tell from it coming up!


In the meantime I found these yahoos roaming about the show as well. James was there showing off his buddy's MG that he restored for him. And Jackson dropped the Poison Ivy off to display during the show and for the Southwest Missouri Drag Racer's Reunion Hall of Fame Inductions that always happens at this event. It was good to catch up with the boys, it seems like the Covid Crap has really cut into the yearly opportunities we have to get to together.


As usually there is a standard bit of arm chair tinkering that comes with these little get togethers. LOL


Some of it a bit more serious than others! LOL




It only took James a few seconds to confirm the issues with this car stem from it being a Chrysler product! LMAO! No I am just kidding. Actually I think James was giving Jackson some advice on where to put his shaft. Personally I think he is a bit old for this kind of talk, probably why James did under a car, less embarassing that way.

But as always, it was great to see the fellas and catch up a bit.

 

Okay, I am about to toss some photos your way from the show. The Cobra sort of had a primo spot. Partly because it is a killer ass car, and partly because I know the show promotor and mostly because I bribed him. But never-the-less we had a nice spot and we tried to take advantage of it.

Now I don't want you to think I am vain with all of these photos. I took around a 100 shots at the show and 96 of them were of the Cobra. Okay maybe I am a little vain. LMAO.












We had the starter's tree that was really cool and worked great the entire show.




We had he Snake pit sign with the M&H slicks on black steelies stacked near it. We also had a fuel jug and few hand tools scattered about.




And we had the baby Cobras on display which got a few laughs.

 

....AND A FEW MORE>>>





















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NICE !!!!! One more thing I just remembered on your tree that makes it more authentic. Back in those days there were no "Blinding Screens" on your competition's side of the tree so you watched BOTH sets of lights come down at the same time. As a class racer normally both started down at the same time so it was no bother. But if you were lucky enough to make the stock eliminator runs (you won your class) then it was handicapped like a bracket race and it was a distraction seeing the lights move at differing times.