Projects Mid Life Crisis 62 Vette

If you are going to Drag Week with this Corvette? Will some type of whistle cage or bar be required to pass tech?

 

If it runs slower than 13.50 it won't need a roll bar.

yeah, a little closer to town, but still outside city limits. It's a swanky neighborhood....

 

So is the wife going to Drag Week with you? If so, does she really understand what's involved?

 

No, my wife is a smart lady. She knows better than to go on Drag Week with me. But my oldest son is planning to go...hope he can make it! he's pretty good with adventures like this.

 

I'd like to catch a stop or two of Drag Week just to see the car in person, say Hi! again, and see this "quick build" 'Vette in action. What an inspiration for getting things done!

Lynn

 

No roll bar, check.. What about belts?

 

The car came with seat belts, one of the very early adopters...but they were mainly to keep the driver in place when driving in a spirited way. I have belts in it, they're not racing belts, but are legal for racing since the car does not have a roll bar or cage. If it did, then it would need an up to date 5 point harness.

 

Do you think they would let you run a 2" or 3" racing harness without a roll bar if it was mounted properly and replicated the NHRA rules for angles and such or does it have to be D.O.T approved?

 

Windshield frame should count

 

Excellent eyes! Mine are old.

 

Maybe as a dental implant!

 

Just curious about a roll bar.
I’m measuring a ride for one. Street driven ride. The bar will be to keep it “legal” at parking lot events. So NHRA rules ain’t involved. But the placement in relation to the noggin needs considered as you won’t drive with a helmet unless on the track.
So sometimes a cage can be negative.
Luckily this ride has room to scoot it back. It would pass tech with the seat all the way back by NHRA regs. But it’s at the limit.
And ugly race seats would ruin the look of the vette.

 

The seat belts I have are ok for what I'm doing with the car. If I make it go fast, things get pretty complicated...I don't want to lose the soft top functionality, but the way the car is built, it's pretty much impossible to install a roll bar or cage and get the deck lid that covers the top, to open and close.

So I'm going to leave it all as is, and see how things work out.

 

I like your idea, fix up a roadster then take it to an event and you get to learn about it before you hit the road.

 

I completely understand and given your car I would do the same. Having competed at many NHRA sanctioned tracks in the past I'm familiar with going faster and how complicated the rules get.

I've never raced without a roll bar or a cage and the required updated safety equipment but.... was curious if on an older non factory seat belt, street driven car, (13.50 or slower) without a roll bar or cage, would a 4 pt. harness be allowed since no factory belt was available? Guess I need to read the rules for slower cars.

On another note, I think we need a pool or a poll on how quick that little red Vette will run.

 

I don't know the answer...NHRA rules are kind of strange.

Yeah, I hope to run the car in a month in Tucson. Should be interesting.

 

Going to the Duct tape drags? Been seein Frieburger advertising them on FB.

 

Squirrel, we don't mind if you go just so you take us along.

 

I have tickets. Not sure what I'll be taking there, though.

 

Roll Cage?

 

I got the driveshaft loop in.

 

Seeing the car is slower than 13.50, leave the slicks at home and then you'll have that much more room in the trunk.

 

Drag Week requires racing tires, no normal street tires allowed when racing. Drag Radials are allowed, but I can't find any the right size. Otherwise, that would be a great idea!

I've also heard that slicks are more forgiving than drag radials when launching a car with a not quite bullet proof drivetrain, with a clutch.

 

Hey Jim, I assume you checked driveshaft clearance at full droop? Man it looks tight

 

yeah, I did that before I finished making it!

 

My new #1 top bow arrived yesterday, so I get to work on the soft top again. I need to make the clevis pins to hold it in, you can buy all the hardware for the top repop, but only as a complete kit for hundreds of dollars. I have a lathe and a bunch of extra 5/16" bolts, so I'll make do.

 

I'd stick with the soft top Jim, i don't think a lathe will give you the coverage that a full soft top would no matter how big it is

 

Are you going to paint it pink like Barbie

 

of course!

 

Made a couple pivot pins. I guess they'll work, they sort of look like the other ones.