Projects Two gun guys build a front engine dragster

Don't want to high jack Mr. Crawford's thread. I've got pictures in an album

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=23200

Thanks for the interest.

Tyler - Let's fire it again Saturday boss!

 

You're good . . . I am all out of pictures just about anyways

Let me know saturday . . . don't have any plans at the moment. I ended up setting leakdown on my heap, hooking up most of the fire system, and putting on the "windshield" last saturday instead of doing the brakes on my truck. Hard to not work on the dragster after hearing yours, especially when it was staring at me as I was getting the tools out

 

How bout an update Tyler!

 

Well, almost 2 years after I bought the blower off craigslist . . . got it fired today.

Got some tuning issues to sort out, but didn't get a chance to drop it in gear so I'm sure the idle will come down a little after that. Didn't think about all the open holes into the motor . . . leaked a little from the bottom driver's side timing cover bolt from being a open hole. Started boiling a little out of the bottom head studs . . . so stupid stuff like that I missed.

If anyone is running water in the heads, how much do guys run? How much anti-freeze or any at all?

Motor starting getting real hot in about a minute, think the timing is retarded but like I said didn't get too much time on it.

Started it 4-5 times, ran it all of 30-40 seconds each time over about 30 minutes, no leaks otherwise.

Can't really start it any more in my driveway because I got the cops called on me

Evidently the crabby old lady across the cul-de-sac which no one likes said, and I quote the cop, "the guys across the street keep reving their hot rod"

We had already stopped at this point but the cop was very nice. He said that they had received an anonymous complaint. He then went on to say it was a "high priority" for them as he started laughing. He stayed about 5 minutes and asked a bunch about the dragster. Same comment everyone says "no way in hell I would sit over the rear end like that"

Gonna trailer it tomorrow about 5 minutes up the street to this giant industrial park before you get to the freeway. Not a house in a mile radius from there . . .





Tudor may have gotten a video . . . I was in front of the thing trying to get the idle set on the barrel valve and check for leaks. So big thanks to him as well for being on the mag for me on starting

 

Are you running alky? Most don't run any water. No antifreeze,too hard to clean up after a spill.

 

yup.

I figured I might as well run a little water . . . julius hughes was actually the main one the recommended I run some water in the heads. The block is filled up to the bottom of the timing cover holes.

 

Car Looks Great Tyler!! Can't wait to hear it run, To bad about the neighbors, Living out in the middle of nowhere has it's benefits, nobody to complaine about the noise other than the dogs, And they just bark at it,,,,, Tim Jones

 

My ears are still ringing. Ear muffs helped after the first blast.

 

Tyler - looks bad ass. Congrats on the long road to firing it. Can't wait to see it run at the track.

 

Very cool thread, thanks for posting, carry on...

 

To conclude this thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVwDjV9Fw6Y

It runs/moves under its own power. It took awhile to sort out all the little stuff (machined a new tensioner, realized I needed a battery to engage the transbrake for reverse, etc) but it finally runs/starts consistently and doesn't leak anything

Don't plan on making any full passes until next year though . . . still have to hook up the parachute.

 

Yeah, its me again,

Somthing to consider--If you remove the radious rods off the front axle and let the axle find its neutral spot will there be enough adj in the rods to bolt them back on? If there is then the front is correct and you did it right. If the rods are too long (or short) then I suggest that you replace the front heim with a clevis to keep the compression load centered to the axle bracket. By being under compression(tension) and the heim offset, the tendency would be to twist and bend the mount on the axle.

 

Awesome Tyler!

 

Looking good ... going to the vintage drags this weekend (Oct. 18)?

Paco

 

Way cool. Congrats Tyler

 

How do you get the front axle to "neutral"? Mount sits parallel with the ground on the backside of the axle tube (inline with the torsion bar arm). Just move it to where it "balances" at I guess?

Of course . . . last race of the year.

Not sure what they'll let me do track wise but I'll be in the cacklefest at a minimum.

 

The car looks bitchin', but I gotta go with the cop on this one.

You're a brave man to leave your attachments hovering over the pumpkin like that.

 

Imaginary line vertical from the axle torsion pivot to the center of kingpin/spindle. The weight of the chassie will force the axle to seek the highest (12 oclock) possistion, therefore if the rods are adjusted to that point, there is near zero load at that neutral possistion. The higher the mount off the axle the easier it is to twist and with the heim offset creates leverage. Where the twisting comes in most frequent is at the shutdown when reverse weight transfer occurs and lncreased load to the front forceing the axle to seek 12 oclock. if its already there then you are golden, if not then the mount will twist. If for some reason (castor issues) one cannot adjust the rods to acheive neutral, then by replacing the heim with a clevis eliminates the side load of the offset and puts it on the center of the mount.

The pic I posted is of a car I bought that the rods were reversed and the clevis was at the frame and the heim at the axle and the mounts at the axle were twisted. Since the mounts at the frame were short and supported I could place the heim in single shear and by straightening out the axle mount utilize the clevis with double shear at the axle. The load is now taken by the bolt at the frame/mount that can handle it better.

 

Ah, makes sense.
What is the acceptable range of caster? I'm at 15* now . . . internet lore says much over 20* and it becomes a pain to back up

 

outstanding craftsmanship! lots of fun to be had there... great job!

 

You are running F/R's right now and they have a flat crown so they dont need as much caster as say a motorcycle type with a round crown. The more caster on a MC tire is needed to drive the sidewall into the track because the contact patch is small and a non compound tire material. The F/R offers a larger contact patch with less caster. Should be OK with 15* but could be as little 10*. If it pushes and takes a lot of steering input then start adding caster.
You dont steer a dragster--you make corrections

 

Rock on brother....

 

You dont steer a dragster--you make corrections
Oh shit - correct - Oh shit - correct.
Something like that?