Projects Toymaker's Twin Engine Dragster Build

Thanks Skip!
After blasting the carbs (sand on the out side and soda on the inside), painting the bases and recieving the parts from Uncle Max I put them together tonight. The 2 center carbs are 48's and don't have a winter setting and still need to adjust a couple things but all looks good!

 

For the record;
Do you prefer sutures or staples?


J/K, diggin the build.

 

The U-joint makes me nervous, are you sure you do not want to spring for a coupler?

 

" The U-joint makes me nervous, are you sure you do not want to spring for a coupler? "

I would also, but in Toy's defense............... I can't help but stop and think about how many dragster/altered set-ups with no drive shaft and 1 single u-joint I've run in the past.
Doesn't make it any safer though............
I'm subscribed here and am going to watch daily for new episodes. This is getting real good !
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Love the car Rocky but I have to agree with the others about the U-joint. A coupler doesn't cost too much and might save you some grief. It's your call though.

http://www.markwilliams.com/detail.aspx?ID=355

 

suggest coupler, it may save you some major excitement.

 

How does the pinion coupler work? Is it as easy as just taking off the pinion nut and replacing the u joint coupler?

 

There is nothing wrong with running the single u-joint. Buy a good solid u-joint (no grease passages). Once you get the rear mounted hook everything up and slidE the yoke out enough so you can uncouple it with everything still bolted in. I think on mine it was about and inch. Then square the engines I the frame and set the angle to the same as the rearend. So if the pinion is down 3 degrees do the same with the engine. Then after you make the trans mount put a mag base dial indicator on the tailshaft and watch it as you tighten the mount, if it moves add some shim stock and do it again. You will be able to feel if she is binding. I can turn mine by hand no problem but we took the time to make sure everything was right, I have over 60 passes on it this past season and no vibration or unusual wear.

 

Standing on the sidelines, camera in hand, I've seen any number of exploding U joints, but no failed couplers. Granted, the U joints are in door cars and I can't vouch for their condition to start with, but a coupler just seems like the safe and easy way to go.

 

Well, with as short a "driveshaft" as this takes it is a pain in the neck because in order to uncouple the engine or rear end will have to be slid forward or back to seperate. There is no room for a collor setup.

 

One more thing Roc with a coupler you will probably gain 1" of engine movement back towards the rear end...........love the carbs and the rest of the work Roc, man you are rollin, hey Roc is "Roc n Rollin"..........good name?

 

A single u-joint will not allow for very many deg mis-angularity before bind. They are made to be used in unison, properly phased with others both within and at the ends of a drive line. The number and placement dependent upon operating speed, length, and how much angle or arc the drive line is expected to operate through.
If memory serves me correct, in days (or should I say years) past, NHRA used to specify a minimum drive shaft of 12 inches in length, for any class motor setback applicable, before a SEMA approved coupler was required. Study the following from the Mark Williams link provided earlier.

http://www.markwilliams.com/driveshafttech.aspx

Ball shaped splines made in specialty couplers are much more forgiving, allowing for several degrees of misangularity in a very short distance caused by chassis flex and engine and rear axle movement.
Being round and unlike a u-joint, even if there is flex, one of these things will help hold things in alignment and the transmission or mountings would probably fail first.
And Carl above makes another good point being, the overall length of a coupler is less that any yoke, joint, flange combination you come up with, if you are looking for max engine setback.

http://www.markwilliams.com/detail.aspx?ID=372

But again............ I used u-joints where no tech in races took place for years, and can only recall one failure and in that situation a C-6 transmission shelled it case completely when a steam pipe chassis flexed just a little too much under full go.

So the question now becomes; how much flex will the ToyMaker Twin actually have ? Hmmm ?? I hope it's not like one of our ill fated mis-contraptions.

Tom S. in Tn.

 

That's it!

 

Hey Rocky, ya'll are probably way past this, but I stumbled upon this article in the Oct. '59 issue of Car Speed & Style magazine and I thought of you. Here's a quote from the article:

Everyone always wants to know how Jack synchronizes the engines. His stock answer is that he sandpapers his big toe. Actually, no particular effort was made at synchronization. Getting twelve carburetors to open together smoothly is sometimes a problem, though.

 

I don't care what people are saying about the u-joint, That is an awesome sight. Looking good.

 

So is the roller ready yet?

 

GREAT Article Brer' and thanks for all the input and support guys! Rocky

 

The single U joint might be effective in a very stiff, and light car, but with all that torque on tap, and the weight of a twin, I'd be just as worried about the yoke as I would the joint itself. If you end up running that set-up, make sure you encase the entire assembly well. It may only be your ankles at risk, but I've tweezed enough shrapnel out of myself to know how much it can suck.
BTW, I LOVE your build! Doing a twin myself (AA/FA with a bonus noisemaker) Absolutely can't wait to see your finished product.

 

THANKS!! Great shot. I believe I will be employing one of these soon!

 

What a great day is was, sun was out and it inspired me to make the jig decision I've been putting off. Originally I thought I was going to use 3x2 tube main rails but have since changed my mind and decided on RD tube. With 2, 10' pcs of 3x2" .120 wall on hand (and the legs I cut off) I decided against the 12" I beam jig I have and built this one for the Twin, allowing me to get the engines on and off with a cherry picker. I still need to mark & drill the engine plate and trim it up then we'll start building!

 

Right on! Keep it moving Rocky, May is just around the corner.

 

Keep on keepin on Roc......................looks gooooooode.............

 

always wondered how they linked those motors together...

 

Looking good Rocky....

 

awesome build i really like it , i already posted some on the bangshiftforum
little info on the poliester stuff : the fabric that the audio guys use to make there boards is fleece its nice and stretchy and takes on a lot of resin , they stretch it over a MD frame tack it down and dowse it in resin , then they add filler kitty hair and whatever needed to get the final shape they want .
i think it would work well on a body if you make a skeleton of the frame and stretch the fabric over it , it will be straight and somewhat concave lines though
Styrofoam dissolves when you use regular resin , talk to surfboard fabricators they know Wat to use when going that way

 

Somebody asked, " I'm not speaking from any experience...just wondering how the physics of two engines being linked together works out."
Perfectly logical question, right? I was just at Garlits Museum last weekend & had the pleasure of seeing the "Bustle Bomb": 2 DIFFERENT engines, an Olds & a Caddy, different CI displacements, one in front of driver & one behind rear axle, & get this: one was direct drive & the other had 2 spd tranny. Not only did it work (somehow!), but was the first dragster to reach 150 mph back in the 1950s. They started the car with the tranny linked engine, then the other kicked in, no loss of speed during shift.
Amazing contraptions they had back then!! Also had a compressed air dragster, I guess they thought big blowers weren't enough, actually had a compressed air tank going from just in front of the driver to front axle, blowing into a sidewinder mounted Chrysler Hemi.... display said car was "unsuccessful".... no kidding, weight of tank had to waste whatever HP they gained, if any....
Go see this museum!

 

Oh yea, just recalled Howard Cams Special twin engine (blown SBCs) that was NHRA champ in the early 60s

 

I've gone back to read and can't find it.
What gears will this car use, all 3 or low and high maybe ?

Can you push start at Fresno, or are you required to self start? Reverse req'd ?

Don't mean to take up time, but this has to be a first for me to see.
(3'rd world opinion: round tubing is the way to fly!)
Tom S. in Tn.

 

The plan is to run High gear only maybe second if it don't have enough poop but I wont shift it. I could push start it but I like the convinience of self starting so it does have a starter and reverse. I originally (and still do) wanted to run a direct drive but I have the trans and the LENCO shaft is over $300. Rocky

 

Thanx Rocky.
Please, take all the pics you can, even if you don't have time to write. This is absolutely super.
Tom S.