https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wtoGcI8ZyzU I have retired from driving the senior dragster. It is too fast for me now. It is also too hard now to get in and out of for me. After several people asked if I would I began writing a book about the whole experience and in the process found a bunch of video I had ac***ulated which spanned its very first p*** at Shannonville approx 8 years ago with the Six snowmobile carbs set up , to its days with a four barrel Eddy carb, a self designed cam and a Frank Lupo converter. After someone offered me too much money for the Eddy carb I sold it and installed a reworked Holley 600DP and had a good in car camera going for its initial easy shakedown run. It was also the first p*** with the auto shift governor kit working and I had it set at 5600 approx. for the first p***. The last was when it all changed with the new head many of you watched me port right here on the HAMB and with the hand made tunnel ram and header using 2 Holley 500 2bbls. I got so much back with that the car now scares me. In fact you will notice in the video of that run that I am alone. None of the other vintage FEDS or altereds would pair up even when motioned to by track officials. Something about "If we beat a six it s nothing. If he beats us we will never live it down." Or so the track hot lane steward told me when I asked why I always ran alone. My friend Pat Doornbos wasn't there with his that day as he had an engine issue but he always runs me and is a good sport. The last picture was as I cleared the traps on my last run ever in that car and it was against Pat with his new engine (427 hilborn injected) which is Brutal (he won)to say the least. I can't handle the car well now ,so it is time to get out of the seat. Almost 65 I am not what I used to be. I never expected the results I got with the last set up. Downright scary for this old fart. Since the car has been here since inception I thought some might enjoy this quick trip down memory lane. And to all of you who encouraged me along the way I thank you! don I did something wrong with the link. As soon as I figure out what I will fix it or if you know how please help there. don
Bas ***! nasty sounding in line and to be scary to boot! Thanks for sharing Don. Ha time to buy another slower one.
Thats some great videos, and I like the way you write. Will you retire the car or sell it? I wish you where closer, I would so love to come an Pick your brain, and learn more about build a car! Mayby if I win the lottery, I fly over to see the senior Dragster, in person.
Well I was close this summer. Helsinki on my way to Wien Ostereich and Deutschland. I have not decided yet. I like having it but know I wont be driving it anymore. I am though writing a book of the whole adventure both technical and personal. It has been a great experience from start to finish. don
That's so cool it could solve climate change. Thanks for the privilege of seeing it and maybe a door slammer for next season.
Don't get times at the airfield. I can easily beat mid 11 second cars. Third year I ran it , actually the run that is bluish was an 11.86. I have added a lot of performance since. At 64 you don't really care anymore. Just glad to be still racing. I did compare the blue run to the last one with the tunnel ram. Quite a difference but I would only be guessing. Until this year with the tunnel ram I was never nervous. Now it is simply a lot faster then I want to go. When I built the tunnel ram I was hopping to gain a bit and could have lived with it running even similar to the single four. What I got shocked me. I would say over 50HP conservatively. Scares the heck out of me now. I don't enjoy driving scared. There is another video of my last run which was against a 427hilborn injected FED run by my friend Pat Doornbos. That video was posted by 4408roadrunner and is Don's senior dragster or something. You can see I could easily pull away from him when we launched. Took him a fair amount of track to catch me and by then I was scared and had applied the brake subconsciously (see my hand in photo below)even though I still had my foot in it. He would beat me anyway for sure but he was just here an hour or so go and brought that very subject up that he couldn't believe how I walked away from him on launch. Our cars are close weight wise with mine being approx 70 lbs lighter. Just to be able to have ANYTHING for a car of his calibre is a big deal for me. He is a fearless driver has a very quick all old school car and a good friend. I always feel safe racing him as he is aware of his surroundings. Here is a photo of the moment he started to reel me in. Photog has given permission to share. All runs at the airfield are heads up. don
Don, you are living my dream ! Wow, thanks for taking us along for the ride. It was nice to see the car evolve, and you have certainly inspired me in my own venture. Don't get out of racing, just get a car that is more suited to you now. It would be a shame to see you hang up the helmet. Don
Oh I have another. It is a "German Willys" ;>) on a traditionally built g***er frame with 10% engine set back, straight axle and a slant six engine with the original six carb set up I ran when I first built this one. I put a bench seat it from a school bus so I can get in the p*** door and slide across as I won 't be able to get over the door bar otherwise. Should be ready for spring race. Motor is done . Trans and inside tin is mainly what is left. Can't show it here because it is.'t American but still traditional. In fact in the 63 Hot Rod annual I counted 6 of them. Some g***ers and some altereds. At least I can keep my hand in with it I think. Anyway thanks. This car has been a real enjoyable experience. don
That sounds so great! Can you PM something more about the car? I have no ideer what a "german willys" is! And I know a lot of cars. My mother is from the Danish Minority, by the border to Denmark. Where are you from, in Germany. What is you "Heimat". I very pleased too here you are only out of the senior Dragster, and not all out, at all.
The improvement with the dual Holleys is no surprise. In 1981, I built my own tunnel dual carb intake to run two 350CFM Holleys into a 300 CID Ford '6' and competed in a V-8 1/4 mile oval dirt track cl***. The car was compe***ive, but was a terror in the hands of an experienced driver who purchased the car in '84. He was consistently "in the money".
Wonderful, and the 300 Ford six is no slouch either. Have done some for Drag racing . As I am sure you know when you step out of the box and design and build your own intakes etc even though you are sure you did all your calcs right you still go with great nervousness to the track. For me I hoped for a gain, and no bogs and hoped against hope I wouldn't get a loss. All of the sudden I went from a good working car to I don't want to go that fast. Obviously as you already know there is power to be had here and for six cylinders it is often overlooked. I was out in the shop this morning putting the drain plugs back in the block after draining it for winter. I couldn't help giving the old car a pat on its slick and talking to it like you would an old horse. Has been a lot more then I would have hoped for. don
Don, they somehow become a member of the family! My sons consider the roadster a younger brother (it was built during their "growing up" years). FWIW, yesterday's thread on short wheelbase dragsters got my heart t******* a little quicker when four pictures showed up of a HAMB style dragster (under construction) with a 240/300 in-line 6 mocked up. However, I've got a few years on you, and, too many other irons in the fire, one of which is a '64 Valiant 2dr post getting set up to run a purpleshafted 340/4speed/8 3/4rear.
That would be a cool car. Sometimes I wonder if I should still be doing any rodding stuff. My wife though just tells folks it just Don's knitting. To her credit when I had the mishap from which I still have not recovered all she said was "glad you are ok" I gave about 75 extra points for that. don
Don, with the retirement of the Senior Dragster and starting on the "German Willys" does this mean that your 318 Poly project is cancelled. I was really looking forward to that project.
I think temporarily on hold but I think about it eveytime I see it and in fact was doing some planning early this morning. I have pre***emble the block and do some valve to piston clearance checks. But I need the motor in the German Willys and he Dragster off its trailer and stored in its spot in the garage so I can put my MAX WEDGE back in side. It has sat outside since my mishap which is not good. don
Just re-stumbled over this stuff, and I wonder if you miss the old senior dragster? Or are you just getting a warm feeling inside when you think back? How is the German Willys coming?
Don has not been on here since November 26, 2014. I for one would like to know he is OK. I have followed his threads as he has a lot to offer with all his experience.
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