I'm thinking about building a drag car out of my model A coupe. How many sanctioning bodies are out there? Which is the most popular one? What kind of cl*** could an A be built for? How quick is that cl*** currently running. Anybody got any good links for info?
Most nostalgia races are local, and use NHRA rules. Goodguys puts on several races, and have their own rules for the index cl***es, but the Hot Rod and Street Machine cl***es are run as brackets, and they use NHRA tech. An A can be built for several cl***es - anything from a g***er (with fenders) to an altered. But you'll be running the same cl*** (brackets) at most races. Speed is dependent upon safety equipment and construction. I would suggest you get a NHRA rule book, and look at the Sportsman bracket requirements, then decide how fast you want to go, and build the car to meet those requirements. If you think that you may eventually be running in the 11's, for instance, build the car for that, even if you have a mild motor to start. If you want to build an old style car, I would suggest getting some Hot Rod mags from the era you want to emulate, and see what the cars looked like in each cl***. There were a lot of rules back then that no longer apply because of going to bracket racing, so you don't have to worry about it being absolutely correct - but it should look the part from a distance IMO. Bracket racing isn't as much fun as heads up, but it eliminates cheating, and is what's available for sportsman racers now. But I've had a ball, and met some really nice guys all over the country racing nostalgia meets. There are actually a lot of guys who travel all over the country for it. Mutt
There aren't too many sanctioning bodies out there. Most nostalgia races are local affairs and the rules are whatever the track makes up. That being said, Goodguys and NHRA run the big nostalgia races. Goodguys is the main rulemaking body for cl***es and NHRA is the main rulemaking body for safety. Most of the racing is either bracket racing or index racing. There is very little first one to the finish line wins racing. Top Fuel, A/Fuel, and Jr. Fuel are about the only quickest car wins cl***es. Nostalgia Funny Cars are starting to make a showing, so I guess I should include them too. Once a year in Denver there is an unlimited cl*** for flatheads, but any others only show up sporadically. So, I would say build what you want to build and bracket race it. As long as it will p*** tech for the speed and elapsed time you will turn, you can race it. That would allow you to race every weekend against all the Cameros and Mustangs you can handle and go nostalgia racing when the chance comes up. Go to my web page and check the links to nostalgia organizations and the schedule of nostalgia races I know about, then see what you think. http://flatheaddrag.com/
no heads up in the nostalgia cl***es, what a bummer. i can dig the part about cheating, but wouldn't it be grand if we could turn the clock back to 1964 or so??
There is very little heads up racing in Drag racing now a days, be it nostalgia or not. The majority of cl***es are either index or bracket until you step up to the "pro" ranks. All of the advice given so far has been good. I agree with the statement about your car "looking" the part at least from a distance. Follow the rule book when building but layout your cars look and feel as close as you can to the era or time frame you want to emulate. The guys who do that come away with the better looking as well as performing race cars. See Roothawg's and Sam I Am's cars for examples. Those two cars look the part and go very nicely. Having fun is the most important thing, at least to me, so be sure to add plenty of that to the recipe.
I see you're in Kentucky, so Goodguy's Indy race and the NHRA reunion at Bowling Green are the two biggest races near you. The both have index cl***es at .5 intervals, usually from 7.60 up to 10.60 for door cars, up to 10.10 for center steer cars. Just note that if you run quicker than 10.00 you need a certified ch***is, compe***ion liscense and much more in the way of safety equipment. That makes it much cheaper and easier to run 10.01 than it is to run 9.99. An NHRA rulebook will give you all the specifics. As others have said there are also a bunch of smaller, regional races with varying rules, but generally they are bracket races. One in Wentzville, MO used a 1969 rule book to cl***ify cars and you did run heads up in cl*** eliminations. Aside from the big races, we just go out and make p***es at the local tracks as a test and tune car. We run when we want, and leave when we want. Local tracks seem to like an unusual car so for the most part they let us byp*** the street car staging lanes and we run as kind of an unpaid exhibition car. I haven't entered an actual bracket race in years. Build it and paint it old style and have fun.
Anybody got any pictures of a nice looking cage in a model A? Something that tucks up out of the way maybe? A real cage probably isn't period correct, but if it is tucked up close to the body and painted black, it shouldn't be too distracting. If there isn't a heads up cl*** based on a vintage motor formula, a stout tunnel rammed small block/'glide combo could be had for reasonable $$$. ...mid 10's on a 10.5 tire?
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