Projects Well it ain't no Chrondek!!!

Since I've come to the conclusion that landing a real Christmas tree is unlikely to happen -so I took to the garage to see what I could come up with.

Not trying to duplicate any particular brand - just more like trying to capture the essence with whatever I had laying around and or could find for dirt.

So far - electrical raceway (vertical box) - surplus store 10 bucks.

Light sockets probably be around 40 bucks.

Everything else was laying around.


Here's my first mock up pic.

I am on the fence about the thickness of the "Pre Stage" and "Stage" pieces - they seem a bit thick to me. Maybe I'll narrow them up a little...

 

Hey that will be cool when you are finished.

 

Looks good so far, the stand being old really helps it out.

 

Yes, the cross bars are a bit out of proportion. I would say narrow them about 1 third.

 

Only 3 ambers, not 5?

 

Thats gonna be one nice tree to put yer presents under this christmas, as long as the wife agrees huh?

 

Good idea, looks good so far.

 

I actually gave that a bit of thought ...believe it or not ;-)

The reason I went 3 was because I am planning on hooking it up to a practice tree controller & the one I have only has 3 ambers.

 

Jacin.... can I put my order in now for one ? No rush.

 

Hey Kim, You know me - you're likely to wait forever!! ha ha ha

Here's the latest update - narrowed up the "banners" (or whatever they're called).

Didn't go real narrow as the bulb holders I used kinda limit you some.

Once the paint is a few more days old I will see about lettering it.

I used rustoleum Appliance Paint - conditions were FAR from optimal - and it came out great - first time I used that paint - it works AWESOME!!!

 

I understand why you're building a 3 light tree, but Lawdy I miss the old 5 light tree days. (I raced some at Fremont and Half Moon Bay, 68-69.) No one has ever been able to explain to me why they changed. I don't wanna steal yer thread here - mebbe I'll start a new one.

 

Bluedot, I hear ya!!! Just the other day I was eye ballin' some longer raceways at the industrial surplus place - I just may have to build a 5 bulber yet!! ;-)

 

Yea, do that....
As I remember it from my days of hanging around Lions (68-72), Hanging around & running at Irwindale and OCIR (70-80) The lights got cut from 5 to 3 with the advent of the "Pro tree", I think we called it the "3 tenth's Pro Tree" at the time. I believe that took place in the early 70's.... As I recall... anyway........ I know it was before the concrete starting line went in at OCIR...., uh..

 

lookin good !

 

So ... some stories and thoughts about early 'trees". One of the several reasons five-lights became less is that some racers learned to "syncopate" their starting line maneuvers to the tree with great accuracy. In fact an AHRA racer - first name Glenn - wrote a book stating that he developed a method of syncopating that allowed him to not look at the tree but leave so accurately (i.e. close to 00 reaction time, every time) that though driving a virtually stock Pinto, he was hard to beat in class and eliminator!

In about 67 or 68, a rash of no-cars-moving red lights occurred. About June of that year, each dragstrip with a Chrondek tree received an envelope containing hose washers. The envelope contained instructions to remove ALL light bulbs and re-install them with the hose washers cushioning each base. Seems dragster and funny car exhaust pipes were creating such pass-by vibration as to slightly unscrew the bulbs and cause the malfunction!

Ah, them were the days ......

 

^ Very Cool!

 

Very cool, careyohio built a working tree.