ThingyM -- Well Dick it all looks real good today. It should help me get to the track a little sooner. Now if I just had a "small little radiator" I would be set. Thanks buddy
bobw -- Thanks Bob, is there any year in perticular to look for or are they all about the same? Thanks again for the kind words, it is appreciated when it comes from a guy with your building experience. I am sure there will be things that other may have done a little different and I am up for that and open to all ideas. I just want the car to look old school and be a part of the good thing we have going in the local area. I hope we can run these cars with the ANRA for years to come. Tom
Based on today's experience, I'm now thinking the Geo radiator is insufficient. I was at Test And Tune with my 406 SBC/Crosley wagon. 90 degrees and very humid. There was nobody in staging so no waiting to make a pass. Engine temp consistently reached 210-220 by the time I got back to the pits. I can see a problem if you have to wait, idling for several minutes in the staging lanes. 400's tend to run hot so maybe an HA/GR with a Chevy 6 won't have a problem.
Bobw, think about the horse power that you might build, and plan to cool that horse power, not just the cu. in. If you plan on a real strong 302 GMC, then cool it like a 350 chevy. I know that it is only for a short time but with all out driving, it builds a lot of heat. I have a electric fan and electric water pump motor, so that I can turn off the motor and leave those two on for a few moments to cool it down. Look at the burnout list, at the bottom for a you tube of a 11.53 run. Joe
bobw -- That's what I was thinking about trying to cool a built Chevy 261. I am having the same problem with my 29 RPU and the modified Mustang radiator, wants to run at 220-230 with both an electric and stock 5 blade fan. I"m concerned that in the SDRA car with all the time in the staging lane and the drive back from the top end will build more heat than I can handle. There are a few sprint car radiators at the local swap meet that look like they might work, aluminum, thick and not to big that I have seen and they are not to expensive. I'll keep looking for a while. Tom Joe Hamby -- Joe, you make a good point as that is how we looked at cooling our NE-2 Injected BBC that was a 875 HP 502" motor. If I might ask what are you running on your HA/GR? Tom
Mine is a radiator out of a dodge mini van that had a V6, I should have got one a little bigger. I first used the elect fan that came with it (no real shroud) then I switched to a good fan with a shroud. at the end of the run it will sometimes get to 220, and that is not a problem, as long as you still have liquid in it. I have a tranny cooler that is for a good size truck, The 4500 stall conv will build some heat. Along with the motor with 14 to 1 compression. It's just like a larger oil pan, you just need a little more protection for the engine (9) quarts oil. And a deep pan for the tranny.
Joe Hamby -- Thanks Joe for the information, this motor should have about 11.5-12.0 CR and I will run a 3500 converter with a glide. PG has a deep alum pan and an old race cooler from one of my past cars. I think the fan shroud is a key item for an electric fan to do its job. Tom
COME ON HA/GR & SDRA CAR OWNERS OUT THERE, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE THE FIRST TO PUT THERE CAR ON THE NEW THREAD THAT Dick (old6rodder) HAS STARTED. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE ALL THE CARS WITH A PICTURE AND INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE. SOMEONE GOT TO START IT !!!!!!!!!
Actually, "under construction" would be good too. Just want to have pictures, as that's what most folks are drawn to and I think it'll help when they see how many are both running and building. I just don't want to start off with my own on my own thread. I want to get a few others in first, so the point'll be clear.
Well Dick & Tom, if mine was a complete roller I would be the first to jump in, but it don't even look like a race car yet. I think having all the cars and some facts on each in one place is great and will only help to build interest in the classes. It's like you have told me many times "someones got to be first".
I'll do it soon. Just have to gather a bit more information. Can we edit the posts in the future as things change?
bobw -- I am sure that Dick can do that as he will be moving the material to the top like the burnout list and can update at any time, I Think! I just put something in my thread to encourage some of the owners to go to Dick (old6rodder) HA/GR & SDRA PHOTOS thread and get it started. Tom
Absolutely, that's one of the points of it; to be current. You can post updated pictures and/or info here, P.M. it to me here, e-mail me directly, or send it by carrier pigeon. I'll then tidy it up (if needed) and update the original page.
old6rodder -- Dick, not trying to side line your thread, only want someone to get it started. I will get back to what my thread is about and try to get the car ready so I can get it in there. Best of luck, it will be a great place to look at the cars. I know as you do that it will help both classes of cars. Tom
Hey Old28, Where are you. I haven't seen you on here for a dab ??,, Things still going OK for the car.?? I can't do a thing with mine, Can't get the engine out here from Kansas.. So I guess I'll be sitting for awhile again..Oh Well, So be it....
Thingy....stick that 194 "Baby Bolt" back in there and go get em! If anyone doesn't like it,.... well there are 359 other points on the compass they can stare at!
ThingyM -- Hi Dick, Ya I have been off board for a few weeks trying to get my 29 RPU ready to sell. I want to take it to the Aug & Oct races and I got a swap space at the Hot Rod Reunion to sell it & some other stuff. My good friend Danny V stopped by yesterday after work and welded up the motor mounts, trans mount and the rear end brackets. Now the old 250 block, trans and rear end are solid in the frame. Need to order some stuff for the front end so I can get it to a roller by end of the month. Want to drop the 194 back into your car so you can make a few passes? Don't need it until first of the year!!!!!!!!! Four Banger -- Dick would probably do that if it wasa't setting in my garage. It has a new home in my SDRA hambster for next year and we will see how much the little 194 can do for the year while I build a big 250. You have a "point", that's why I am Building my SDRA car.
Well played around in the garage today and made a axle support that has it sitting at ride height. I have the chassis setup level and tried an old spring that I had to see what it looked like. The spring is to long and has to much arch in it. I think I will get a used trailer spring about 25" long with half the arch and make some spring towers for the shackles. This will set the front of the chassis about 2" lower than the rear. I think it will look much better. We will see when I get the spring. A little every day, hope to have a full roller by end of the month.
Well had a nice weekend at the August ANRA Nostalgia Race here at Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield, CA (nice if you like to race in 101 & 102 Temp). Spent a little time talking to Dick (old6rodder) about the HAMBster cars that are running and the ones that we know are being built. There is talk that we may have 3 SDRA HAMBster cars at the ANRA races in 2012. As I am building one currently for next season, I am thrilled at the idea of having someone to race with during the Saturday qualifying as the HA/GR HAMBsters do. I spent some time talking to (Flathead Gary) who runs a V8 flathead with a C4 automatic and for next year he is going to dig up a set of 6" street tires and run them on his "Old School Roadster" as a SDRA car. Hope it all works out so we have a couple of cars to mix it up with.
Well got the new trailer spring and finished the spring hangers. The trailer spring is only 26" long and looks much better than the old long one I had laying around. It also lets the chassis sit 2" lower than the rear frame for a nice little slope to go with the Big/Little tires. Hope to get the hairpin brackets mounted and setup later this week. A little each day.
Well it has finally cooled of a few degrees in the Central Valley and was 86 deg yesterday and seemed cool after two months of 98 + weather here in Bakersfield, CA. I'm sure we are not out of the woods yet, but maybe by Oct 1. Got some more done on the front end, Hairpin Axle Brackets, Steering Arm Mounted, Hairpin frame mounting plates tacked, Steering quick connect ready to weld. Working on some braces for the steering shaft support. Hope to get my buddy Danny V to finish weld some stuff first of the week. Not a lot to show for a months work, Had to go the Fenton, MI to see my grandkids play football & Soccer for a couple of weeks, they keep me feeling younger the more time I spend with them. I will just keep moving forward and I will have a roller soon.
Your front end is nicer than mine. Now I have to change mine to catch up. One thing, make sure the front spring shackles are horizontal (with no load on the spring) when welding the brackets to the axle. With that spacing the shackles should be at a 45 degree angle when the chassis weight is on it. You are doing a great job on your chassis.
bobw -- Nice to hear from you again. Thanks for the nice comment, but it will be a cold day in (you know were) when anything I fab up looks better than your build stuff, you are a craftsman, I'm just a driver trying to get a car together and have it look period correct. I know what you are saying on the spring angle. With the mounts tacked I removed the wood saddle so the weight would be on the front end with the motor & trans in place and they moved only a few degrees. With the car in the same position I stepped up on the frame about 2' back from the axle to see what my 250# would do and the shackles only moved a few more degrees. My car is 125" wb so I have more wt towards the rear than a lot of these cars. The spring is very stiff and it makes the front suspension more like a sold mount and this is how I wanted it. I hope it works like I want, but maybe I should move the brackets out to start/end near a 45 deg angle. What do you think?
I think you are right. My recommendation is based on front engine hot rod needs. With the stiff spring and the lack of weight on your front end you probably will be just fine. I am going to redo the front on mine. It has an unmolested '34 wishbone that a young friend could use. So I'll make wishbones which will be lighter. Thanks for the kind remarks. My trick is I keep the camera a little out of focus so my stuff looks pretty good in small pictures.
bobw -- I am a few days from welding the brackets and I am going to take another look just to make sure. I set the ones on the 29 RPU as you said and with the motor right up front they are a little below 45 deg. You can pitch it any way you want, but most all on the site and our other favorite one know about your fine work, it gives us something to work towards. I know you ran un-split bones on the car and it worked out nice. Are you going to run split ones up the side this time?
The Jalopy Journal
