Hot Rods Top Banana Style Slingshot Dragster- Marty Strode-Chris Kopp.

Looks great! I especially like that hose clamp!

Dave

 

Thanks

 

I will keep a nutdriver handy in the cockpit, in case it comes loose on a run.

 

You’ve got to admit it. This network is a fun and productive little network. You say LSR and it gets a reaction of possibilities

 

Got a little done today, the steering support welded, polished the lips on the front wheels and tacked up a set of pipes. I had a crummy set of flanges, and tacked on some 4" stubs, so Chris will have something to fit the openings at pipe exit. The real headers will come later, and will probably be 2 sets, one with collectors for mufflers at Portland International Raceway on Wed nights.

 

Yesterday I drilled the blank friction shock castings, and today I got the plates tacked on. The next thing will be machining a couple links and some threaded bosses to weld to the axle and add some gussets. I have had these castings for 14 years, since I was building some HAMB Dragsters, and they finally found their place.

 

More, Louie keeping watch.

 

Since my last post, I machined some shock links and bosses to weld to the axle. Today, I added some gussets to the shock plates, and fit the diagonal tubes in the motor plate area.

 

why do you prefer not using angle in those inside corners up front?

 

I cut those wedges out of 1” .120 wall square tube, and will fully weld them. They are just to add a little support, and realistically probably aren’t needed as the friction shocks won’t have very much drag.

 

Curious what determined the position of the friction shocks outer links (distance from centerline of car)? Was it the ends of the top leaf spring? Or just what looked aesthetically pleasing and what would probably have enough control (leverage) on the front axle?

 

If you look at the pictures of the original car, these links are very close to the distance outboard of the nose section of the body, or where the body will be.

 

Marty, a little more practice and you might just get the hang of this fabrication stuff.

 

Alan, I just hope I get the hang of it, before I hang it up!

 

@Marty Strode, the car is looking Great! Maybe it's because I was a machinist for many years, but I find every stage of your fabrication as pure artwork.

 

Thank you, I have always had so much respect for Machinists, and still have problems even spelling the word. I have a pretty good selection of machines, but mostly can make things flat and round. My fabrication has been a long road, starting with my first roadster in '64, that would be laughable today, but I was 16 and only had an oxy/acetylene outfit, a borrowed arc welder and disc grinder. My brothers and I started building "water pumper" Dune Buggies in the late 60's, that graduated to Sand Dragsters and Funny Cars. I built my first more serious drag roadster about 50 years ago, and since have been collecting equipment for all aspects of fabrication, and learning as I go. It has been a fun journey, and I have been around some real craftsmen, hoping some of their skills would rub off on me. Thanks to all who take the time to view my threads !

 

You are a talented man Marty. The gentleman with you last Wednesday at the car show, did I hear you say he building the body?

 

Yes, that is @chriskopp and he has far more talent than me !

 

I see that Boss 302 Marty. What did you run for intake when you raced it?

 

When I ran it in the Jeep, a stock intake with a 750 Holley. After installing a Crane cam, I switched to an 850 Holley. After that, I had a fairly rare Shelby dual four manifold with (2)-600 Holleys. The Roadster ran a Weiand Tunnel Ram with (2) 660 Holleys crossways. It seemed to like a lot of fuel !

 

Yes, they like a lot of carb! I almost always ran with the 850 double pumper on the stock manifold. I had the Shelby 2x4 and ran it with 600s. Sold it years ago but it is coming back in the next few days for me to do some tuning on the carbs. Never ran a tunnel ram, but have did with a Doug Nash manifold with Autolite B carbs. They are the 1425 cfm carbs.

 

My brother bought the Cross Boss setup with one inline Autolite, but couldn't get the bottom of the manifold. So, he took it back to Ford and ordered a unit from Hilborn. BTW, my 600's had gear drives and squirters to the back barrels.

 

Hmmmm. I don’t remember hearing or seeing anything about the roadster before. Obviously I don’t get out much. What else haven’t you shared with us Mr Strode…

 

I keep looking at your roadster, it looks familiar. Do you know if ended up up here?

 

Tunnel ram intakes almost always take a lot more carb than a lower profile intake. What would be over carbureted CFM for a simple hi rise isn't an issue with a tunnel ram.

 

I seem to remember the Tunnel Port 302 Trans Am Mustangs ran that setup, 2850 cfm.

 

Your posts are why I check the HAMB every day, I have been a big admirer of your work since the rodders journal featured your track roadster like 25 years ago, please keep the updates coming.

 

Watching this reminds me of the satisfaction that I got while building dragsters. I never did 2 exactly a like and even though I'm biased, I thought they were works of art when finished. I hope you feel the same way.

 

Thank you Jay, the planets lined up when I took #7 to Pleasanton in '98, and re-united with Pat, as I hadn't seen him for 10 years, since our days racing at Fremont. It took some convincing by Pat, to get Steve on board with the article. Fast forward to 2010 or so, was when he started talking to me about building the Spalding copy. Yesterday, I received the latest TRJ with the story on Pat, when I first turned the page to the article, and saw the pictures of him, tears came to my eyes, and had to close it up, but later last night, I read the well done piece.

 

What was the time period of your Dragster construction, and the classes of competition ? I like the simplicity of the front engine cars, especially the direct drive ones, as technology hadn't taken over yet. Here are a few shots of my Avatar, an old, obsolete, Don Long car, that my friend Bobby Mead and I front halved and raced in the 80's.