Barn Job #18, HA/GR, '12 build thread

[Old6rodder]

Originally Posted by Third DodgeBrother

Video was great, but the audio was better!

Yeah, that banger was loud, you can barely hear the Brick over (under ? ) it.

Originally Posted by bobw

I've watched the video 3-4 times. Thanks for posting it. Great fun. Good luck this weekend.

My pleasure. I just hope I can quit "redding out".

[64 DODGE 440]

How was Famoso other than too damn hot? Any good times? We need pictures.

[Old28]

Saturday 104 and Sunday 106, felt like 120 in the stagging lanes.

I'm sure old6 will fill you in on the racing.

[Old6rodder]

Well Kiddies,

A decision made, a course chosen, the first steps taken.

Thanks to a trip up to Scholl Canyon Dump (for a pass across their scales) the Barn Job'll be retired. With the Brick body she comes in at 1600 lbs, on the tick. That's more than I want, for several reasons. Not the least of which is that it's over the 1400 lbs her trailer's rated for.

Also, she's turning 13.6xx, and I still want a high 12 car. Hence the horns of my dilemma, I also want the Brick body (I think I'm in heat with it ). A choice had to be made, and I choose the Brick, so lightness needs to be added. Thus, extraneous bodyworks and particulars (of the Barn Job sort) will be sacrificed.

To that end here, I'll finish out the Barn Job's build threads, and shortly, begin the Flyin' Brick's thread. I'll link the old threads up to the new ones, of course, but as a seperate entity the Brick deserves her own spot in the sun.

I'll try to have it up his week. If not, next week certainly.


As well, I'll post up some things from Bako.

[64 DODGE 440]

Ah yes, Grasshopper...The horny dilemma. Do we add holes, remove excess parts or acid dip the Overland? Perhaps all of the above? Looking forward to following your progress down the path less traveled.

[Dubbzilla]

I love your ride man...I've been dreaming about a vintage rear engine race car for a long time now.

What's the story on the roll cage? I noticed you switched from the double overhead hoop style to the single main hoop.

The single main is way more vintage looking. That's what I would prefer on my build.

However, I'm pretty sure I'll have to run the full overhead cage to run on the tracks near me...

Could you shed some light on the subject for me?

Thanks,
Steve W.

[Old6rodder]

Originally Posted by Dubbzilla

I love your ride man...I've been dreaming about a vintage rear engine race car for a long time now.

What's the story on the roll cage? I noticed you switched from the double overhead hoop style to the single main hoop.

The single main is way more vintage looking. That's what I would prefer on my build.

However, I'm pretty sure I'll have to run the full overhead cage to run on the tracks near me...

Could you shed some light on the subject for me?

Thanks,
Steve W.

This'll take a minute ........ it's a seven year story.

The class was engineered to fit into NfHRA's existing 12.00 & slower dune buggy class in '05. It met every requirement for the class, required only a four point roll bar (we built a six pointer, just in case), but NfHRA denied'em the class, and forced'em into an existing altered class, with much stiffer (read more expensive) rules, at their meets.

When Russ & I built the first middie in '07 they crammed us into an existing mid engine dragster class. We didn't even get to run the entire '07 season, only showed up and displayed, passed out literature, etc.

In '08 we got to run at Randy's "Dragfest" meet, then at Butch's ANRA meets (as I understand it, this was due to a promoter requested modification to their insurance agreements).

In '09 NfHRA ordered ALL open cars to go to a full two hoop cage, but 12.00 & slower didn't have to be designed to the faster cars' specs. Late in the season we added the second hoop (mostly to keep Butch from having to deal with'em) and tried to make it look as early a design as we might.
Also in '09, Rocky started up his Eagle Field meets (1/8 mi, dedicated nostalgia cars, airfield meets) where we could run the original designs (of course we already had the second hoop welded on).

In '10 NfHRA ordered ALL cages to meet their 3" "front of helmet clearance" rule, and started applying their "10.00 & slower" set of rules to other than certed classes. Also this year Russ (my partner in this crime, and damn good friend) died.

In '11 more of the 10.00 & slower rules set started filtering down to the classes we run, including their "Y" upper seat belt denial. I complied once again, and again mostly for Butch. However, I began to buck it a bit finally. I don't run the now required head sock and/or horse collar.

This brings us inexorably to '12.
I decided to move the front hoop forward as mandated, but also decided to make it removable, in order to run just the roll bar at the growing number of REAL nostalgia meets. And yes, it can be just as strong as welded, when engineered correctly (albeit a bit heavier).
In addition I decided to finally work up the tub body Russ'd found for us several years back (we hadn't gotten the "circular to wit" of proverbial note ).

So far, Butch is able to run us at his ANRA meets (four a season), with the bolted hoop. At some point he may have to deny us, as NfHRA's "engineers" (lawyers) deem welding to be their only acceptable engineering.

Most of the new builds are meeting the 10.00 & slower altered rules (to date, that is), even though the cost is significantly higher, and the designs are less historic. To date, NfHRA isn't mandating certs for 12.00 & slower, but with no promise what-so-ever about the future (take your best guess ).

I freely admit to personally being more in (nay, to reveling in) lust with the original intent of the class than with what it's spawning. But that's just me.
In addition, there're a growing number of small REAL nostalgia car meets out here. Six a year so far, with more coming.

I recommend to all considering a build, that they consider first their own goals of enjoyment. Then, and only then, proceed with the style of build that'll best gratify those desires. Every style (old, new, HA/GR, SDRA, xxx?) is another welcome addition to our existing herd of HAMBsters. Hell, rising water just floats ALL our boats higher.

[storm king]

Good post, Old6rodder. For me, I'd rather do the smaller "outlaw" meets than give NHRA one single dime of my money. I think most people on the HAMB think the same way. Seat belt date certs, now window net date certs, all just designed to generate revenue for the companies that support NHRA. It just never ends. They have become a monster.

[P-Dog]

I quit drag racing in '78 because of NHRA and all their little BS antics, special rules for special people, that sort of thing.
After 30 years away from drag racing I come back to see it's all about the income they can generate for them selves and their friends, just BS of a different type is all.

I could go on ad nausium (sp?) but I feel the urge to go hurl right now....

P-Dog........

[storm king]

Well, the simple solution is just to not let NHRA steal you joy of drag racing. When they forced Mopar into a boycott of Pro Stock, it killed us. We got into S/S again, but by then, all the "factoring" had begun to assure GM cars would be the only thing in the winners circle. So I quit for a while, came back on a bike racing IDBA. I hate handicap racing of any kind, so after the first season just to get my feet wet, I jumped on a turbo-nitrous top fuel funnybike. I only had two choices if I wanted to run heads up, Pro Stock or T/F-Funnybike, and frankly, I don't tune carbs that well. I think these meets popping up at old airports and such are just what the Dr ordered. I hope they're not "prepping" the track surface with traction compound, either.

[64 DODGE 440]

Originally Posted by storm king

Well, the simple solution is just to not let NHRA steal you joy of drag racing. When they forced Mopar into a boycott of Pro Stock, it killed us. We got into S/S again, but by then, all the "factoring" had begun to assure GM cars would be the only thing in the winners circle. So I quit for a while, came back on a bike racing IDBA. I hate handicap racing of any kind, so after the first season just to get my feet wet, I jumped on a turbo-nitrous top fuel funnybike. I only had two choices if I wanted to run heads up, Pro Stock or T/F-Funnybike, and frankly, I don't tune carbs that well. I think these meets popping up at old airports and such are just what the Dr ordered. I hope they're not "prepping" the track surface with traction compound, either.

Can't say about the other places, but Eagle Field is old bare asphalt like it was meant to be.

[Old6rodder]

No argument here, Gentlemen. For my money, NfHRA's welcome to the traveling TV "reality" () show they've turned their end of the sport into.

I'm hip deep in the various meets springing up around here that want to see REAL glory days style, and postwar era style, cars running. I agree that it's where the nostalgia part of the sport's going at the local level, and I'll take it.

I also wish more of'em ran clean asphalt like Rocky does, perhaps more eventually will, as the thing grows, and as they realize that the glue was one of the major reasons for the divergence in the first place.

[Old6rodder]

OK, Kiddies,

This is the tag end of the Barn Job's thread. I'll put up the last three race notes as part of the start of the Brick's new thread, in as much as they were run with the Brick on.

Five and a half years, what a cool run for the Barn Job. The races (both won and lost), good folks met, friends made, fun had, and memories logged, are what make this sport what it is for me. See y'all on the Brick's thread.

[Dubbzilla]

Thanks for your help rodder.

I'm in Canada, and the rules here for slower cars are vague/grey to say the least. No NHRA, but a body that certainly takes some ques from the overlords. hahah

The word YET...in no chassis certs "YET".... is the big thing that echoes around in my brain like a rusty flapping heat shield.

Lots to think about...

Thanks again man,
Steve