Hey guys, I'm a younger guy or FNG as we're called around here but I wanted to ask a question about a quick change and what "period" it's correct for. I have been looking at www.gassermadness.com quite a bit lately and for the late 50's a quick change was permissable. In another thread I saw it mentioned that quick changes were popular in drag racing. All the info I seem to find about them is hanging them under pre-war stuff and not anything newer. I'm building a 65 Falcon sedan into an "inspired by 60's drag racing" drag car. Basically that means I'm allowing my self to use todays technolgy if it fits and is not easily detected. For instance, painted aluminum cylinder heads, roller cams, etc. What I'm wanted to know is if I throw a quick change in there if it will look completely out of place. I want the flexible to run a Ford Toploader 4-speed with a cruising gear when I'm out tooling around but when a nostalgia drag event comes around I can throw in a tighter screw with minimal effort. My other alternative is a T5 with with a steep rear gear in a 9" but a T5 that will take slick launches is $2000. Even if I spend the same money, I think it'd be cool to hang a quickie under there. I'm just trying to bounce this off of other people in order to avoid the "excessive nature" that seems to overtake this hobby. I mean how else would we end up with pro street and street freaks lol. Look forward to your help guys and thanks in advance.
I don't remember seeing too many gassers running q/c's in the '60's. I'd run the 9" and change the "pig" when I got to the track - it ain't that big a job. For the street - 3.00 r&p trac-lok For the strip -4.11 or more with a spool. vic
My best friend's dad raced in the '60s doing exactly this. "I had a spare pumpkin I changed on friday and sunday nights..." A little more involved than a quickchange but period correct
Thanks guys. I found an affordable one and think I'm going to snatch it up. I don't care if they aren't 100% accurate. I'm just hoping it won't break ha ha.
I used a Franklin in my Falcon when I began racing it in the earlly 90's and never had an issue with it and I use one right now in my Bantam Altered and have run that since 2001.
Did you have any issues with the center section holding up? What about the back cover and gas tank area? I really wanna run a four speed but need some (read: alot) of gear at the track. I do enjoy not buzzing the motor at 3K in town though. Any tips/tricks/hints would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm a younger guy and I've been through 20 pages of search results. Still I need advice ha ha.
Not to hijack your thread VintageIron, but Falcon Gasser, I'm lovin' your altered, is there any chance of getting some more pics and specs, maybe on another thread so as not to hijack VitageIron? As for the QC rear in you gasser Vintage Iron unless you get a really good deal on the QC it seems like it may be cheaper to go with some sort of 5 speed tranny, QC parts and the rear itself won't be cheap. The 5.0 mustang guys are somehow(god only knows) getting T5's to live behind some really stout motors so I know it can be done! Good luck and keep us updated on the Build VintageIron as I too was thinking about finding a falcon sedan to use as a drag car.
I have had zero problems, but I had automatics transmissions so they were never shocked that hard. As far as the back cover I had a fuel cell in my Falcon so there was no clearence issues, but if I remember there would have been enough room with the fuel tank in my 60. I like the quick change, they are heavy compared to a standard rear end but the cool factor out ways the performance loss due to weight and extra drag. Jon
Falcon, I'm gonna call no fair, you have to many cool toys lol... You're right, the Cool factor of a QC rear is undeniable!
Thats nice! To the O.P. just make sure the Q/C is of the larger variety. Some were purpose built for drag racing. Halibrand Champs, and the newer Winters and Franklands.
Yeah the 5.0 guys are running G-Force T-5's and Astro Performance-prepped units. All of which run min of $2k. I used to run in those cirlces. I just know too many people who have still sheared third gear with built units. Tremecs don't fit in the tunnel and a Top Loader just is more appealing. I might have the same money in a quickie but you can wrap that in a 9" too. The Winters unit I'm looking at, I can get for $350. Need to find out if it has a spool or not. But brakes are a wash as the winters would get 9" ends with the same brakes that would go on a 9". A prepped 9" pumpkin would run around $500 with a locker or there abouts. Cost isn't the biggest issue. The ability to run a as deep a gear as the revving small block needs at the track and tossing a more cruise in friendly gear is in my mind. Plus who doesn't like the whine of straight cut gears???? I do appreciate all the help guys.
WOW a winters for $350 that's a good deal even if you just polish it up and hang it on the wall lol.... At that price your way of thinking makes sence big time.
It's a whole lot easier to change gears in a quick change than to change out the chunk in a 9" Ford rear end. I know a guy that ran a big block Chevy powered "late model" dirt track car that had a zillion horsepower and a Winters quick change. He didn't have any problems. Dirt tracks are very rough and the tires leaving and then hitting the surface of the tracks causes an extreme shock to the rear end. Just be sure to talk to the rear end manufacturer's tech people to make sure that the particular series rear end that you select is strong enough to hold up in your car.
the quickchange should be strong enough, the championship quickchanges use pretty much dana 60 guts.. just have to make sure the sidebells arent cracked and the tubes arent bent.. i ran across a frankland last year, for $250 i cut the ends off and put 9inch big ends on it .. it didnt have the spur gears but everything else was ok.. theres a post on here somewhere where i asked about putting 9inch ends on it..
Originally early 3/4 ton p/u guts, tubes and axles If ya want to run a QC than do it, look in racers swaps and you should be able to piece one togather cheap
Thanks guy. I really think I'm going to run a quick change. The $350 one sold but I'm keeping my eyes open. If you all hear anything, give me a holler.
Well I'm the high bidder on a center section on the evil bay. I'd have to make tubes but I'd have to do that anyways. It's a Frankland with the extra capacity cover, several sets of gear and the center section and mag bells.
Well guys I won the bid for $364. I'm sure shipping will cost me an arm and a leg but I'm the proud owner of a Frankland quickie! so excited I can't even stand it ha ha. I've really been reading up on setting crush and lash. Just not sure what to look for on the pinion/jackshaft areas. I feel comfortable with the crush/lash, just not sure on the other stuff. Thanks again guys. I'll be starting a build thread here soon.
Hey if you ever need parts like the quickchange again got to racinjunk.com they have a lot of good parts for sale Its like craigslist for racecars.
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