Hot Rods The ALTERED thread

I think the contemporary thinking was drag strips are flat. You don't turn on a drag strip. There should be little need for shock absorbers. I also think the typical understanding of chassis dynamics was rudimentary, with torque reaction, bump steer, and roll control being of secondary importance to just making as much power as you can in the smallest, lightest vehicle possible. Hence, adequate "shock absorbers" or more correctly, dampers, were of minor concern. When traction improved in later years shocks became more important.

 

I believe that is the Woody Duke Olds powered Fiat.

 

I think you’ll find that most of them do have some form of shock absorber in front. They used everything from dinky motorcycle shocks to little lever action shocks from Anglias along with store bought and homemade friction shocks. Often the friction shocks were incorporated into the levers of a torsion bar set-up.
Back in the ‘60s I raced my ‘33 Ford several Saturdays in B/A before they noticed that I didn’t have front shocks. They made me put some on or they wouldn’t let me run any more.

 

I do not think the excessive % of engine setback would qualify that to be an altered roadster.

More like a Comp Roadster.

 

Agreed. Most likely an early shot that was deemed "Comp" before the 25% set-back rules were addressed by most of the track by using "Altered" or just "Roadster".

 

glad ur here to tell me what we have, thanks old buddy

 

Fiats are cooool.

 

As are the Simca 5 which is usually the coupe version of the open Topolino.

 

The REAL monsters of drag racing!^^^^^^^^

 

Little cars, big engines, and throw a brick on the pedal.

 

Not to mention
short wheelbase
high CG
open air