Front Engine Dragster How To Build One

Not true. It won't get on an NHRA track. Mine is not SFI correct but is safe. I've run her at two strips so far.

 

Also ihra wont let it run. Now if your a hobbist that just bracket races you could run it. But if you go fast sfi is the way to go.

 

Where do you bracket race? On a back road?

 

I've got some issues with SFI. Feels like I'm beng held hostage. Don't tell me that my trans shield goes bad in three years requiring an "inspection" and a sticker that is nearly as expensive as the original.

FWIW, I took my bare chassis to the local NHRA Divsion 5 inspector who wouldn't even consider my car because the lower frame rail is not continuous. I have the saddle type rear axle mount like the original Dragmasters. I've added the second top hoop, a third back hoop, kidney bars etc, and meet every letter of the law otherwise. :-(

That said I have a friend in California who has a restored original Dragmaster that the powers that be in Glendora (NHRA headquarters) certified to 7.50. Good for him but I'm frustrated. He suggested I drag it out to California to be inspected. :-/

 

Hmmm... Got me thinking about an extra Flathead I've got. Great - another "toy in the attic" Awesome thread though and seems to have inspired many! Me included!!! I'd like to do up something similar to my avatar.

 

Get a hold of Brian (KING CHASSIS). I could'nt be happier with my legal "KING" car.

 

This is the best thread I've found yet!!! Makes me want to build one even more!! Into it. Thanks for the motivation!!

 

if you ever have a misshap your thank GOD you met sfi spec,s. also the guy in the other lane will too. they didnt make these rules for nothing as there is alot of other guys who will race anything safe or not.

 

I'm sending you a email
great thread!!

 

How do you know your car is safe if it won't pass a spec written by a team of engineers?

 

Step by step. This post is great!

 

Not to stir the pot, but did you have a team of engineers write the spec's for your truck? If not, it must not have been safe.

 

Truck? Tangerine Scream? The entire cockpit section is SFI 25.4. If someone wanted to go strictly racing, all they would have to do is add the cage section. And that's a street driven show rod, not a 130+ mph slingshot.

I think it's a legit question. Like bcowanwheels said, I don't want to be in the lane next to a guy who's car can't pass SFI Tech solely on their assurance that it's "safe."

 

It's a brand new time Ray. In recent days, I've personally spoken to seasoned veteran professionals using nitro at tracks where in decades previous it was not allowed due to increased liability of the promoter/operator, all to be able to put on a show and keep a track viable and out of the hands of developers. I know because I owned and built a A/Fueler for pro comp here in middle Tenn during the 70's, but as evidenced by what has been witnessed at Selma Tn a couple years ago, I don't think liability is any longer a concern today.
I can't help but recall how I flipped when I first joined HAMB and saw buildups where guys refuse to use even drive line couplers. But the You Tube vid of the steering butterfly breaking off in the drivers hand is simply over the top.
Just seems to me that the incidences at places like Covington and earlier in Dallas Ga should not be lost and should speak volumes about things like safety, and not just for the driver but the people and kids drawn in to watch.
I don't know about todays racers, but I've learned a lot of these lessons decades ago, and also learned to listen intently whenever an SFI or aircraft engineer went to the effort to teach me something.
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Yep, you must be right. I suck. This thing is sure to just fold up.

 

The entire point of this thread was to show HOW to build a dragster. If you want to build one there is the info, if your not comfortable building it yourself, he has many styles depending on what wallet can handle. From cackle style to full on 6.00. Thanks for the thread Brian. Somehow this got way off track.

 

Sorry for straying off topic

 

Not you Kerry, the people wanting to make this a sfi/NHRA tech inspection thread. The point I was trying to make was that if someone wanted a NHRA tagged car Brian can make one have it tagged and delivered. And as far as your car is concerned, I don't get it. Some tech guy won't pass it and another will. Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

I do my share to stir the pot. ;-)

 

my .02. First time I saw a dragster chassis without a continuous bottom rail.. Look at it carefully and tell me what is to prevent the upright holding the rear, to tear off, with no support at the bottom. You only have a 90* weld to hold that upright, not safe.

Art

 

Oh brother... I'm assuming you are referring to the vertical piece behind the axle. The middle and top continuous hoops along with the lower hoop, connected by the back center, kidney, and front vertical bars. These are welded to all three rear hoops. It's lot like the vertical piece you are referring to is free standing, only welded at the end. BTW, this is .120 mild steel , not chrome moly. Mild steel bends where chrome moly shears and breaks.

 

Interesting how chassis, in general, have gotten uglier (and more heartless) as the driving force has shifted to fear of liability. Letting lawyers, engineers, and insurance companies drive what used to be such a rich, passionate, RESPONSIBLE creative American activity.

Yes, accepting responsibility for your actions.

Why be involved in racing, spectator, or participant, if one wants complete assured safety?

If someone wants safe, stay home and read (nothing wrong with that!) or paint or work peacefully in the garage...

For me the excitement and romanticism of historic racing pretty much stems from a tougher generation of people who were FREE to take their lives into their own hands...testing their own ideas and taking responsibility for them...and spectators who if around understood the danger and weren't sue happy...

Maybe life being shorter or harder had something to do with it?

I'm relatively young but for some reason enjoy studying the history of all this stuff...I see parallels in the country, my building trade (start-up a/c stuff) and even working in the garage by myself...

So i trip out reading on WDIFL where it said Fuller thinks Top Fuel should still be unlimited (??)

Or all the Tom Jobe Surfer stories on there!

or Tom Hanna wrote something about the "powers that be" not wanting them to get too feisty with cacklecars, cant let them hurt themselves gotta let cancer do it in its slow and painful way...

I understand peer review and concern for safety, but life is short, and many times unjustly random. A man ought to have a place to test his ideas and the freedom to take his life into his own hands if he so desires...

 

#202;
" I understand peer review and concern for safety, but life is short, and many times unjustly random. A man ought to have a place to test his ideas and the freedom to take his life into his own hands if he so desires..."

That man should see to it he's far enough away to himself that he can not dismember or kill a young person who buys a ticket, or walks up out of curiosity, to be entertained by fast cars.
The first time a spectator is decapitated and killed along with 14 others, it can be rationalized as accidental if there is any safety lesson that could possibly be learned. The second time, it's malicious.
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Don't ya just hate it when a great thread gets ruined? Now where were we.... Oh ya! Front Engine Dragster !!!! Back to your regularly scheduled programming please.

 

Kerry's frame, is nice, the diff. mounting reinforces the bottom rail and the only to make it stronger would be to continue the mounting to the bottom of the lower tube and sandwich it between two plates.there has to be a hole at the bottom like Kerry's or in the spacing of bracing to remove the diff we're not all Tom Hanna's.as for other safety issues roll bars and seat belts scattershields were all added after a lot of people got hurt sometime it's overdone to protect us from ourselves.and tech inspectors are not all equal

 

Why not just fab up a small,bolt in piece of lower frame rail?

 

Hey Brian, Maybe you should change the title of this thread to "SFI SAFETY TECH and INSPECTIONS".

 

The rear end housing mount plate does this very nicely, actually.

There are no dead load paths in that mount.

I'm not sure what everyone is whinging about.

I have a very hard time seeing how a 6" long section of tubing will make the difference between small children being decapitated or not.

Hyperbole much? Take a deep breath guys.

 

cool thread

 

I just want to say that all the dragsters I build are to SFI Specs. And are stickered when they leave my place.


Unless the customer wants a "cackle" type build. If he takes it somewhere and races it that is up to him.
I make passes with my car as a exhibition car. Single passes only. But it is a cackle type car and has been down 5 Different dragstrips. Benton Il, Gateway (st.louis NHRA track), Sikeston MO, Harrisburg IL and MoKan.

I dont know how this got turned into a SFI deal. I just hope that people that just read the last part dont think something is wrong with my cars. They are built to the book and overbuilt in some tubeing diamaters and wall thicknesses.

I posted this to help people who want to build their own. And to them I suggest that they buy a SFI book and read it carefully. If you have any questions call SFI or your local NHRA chassis inspector. They are always willing to answer questions to insure that your build is right.