Projects Front engine dragster-Chassis Research 1958 -"Moon Rocket"

Finally , .. Im starting to build a front engine dragster..
I want to build in Chassies Research old 50´s style, so thats the plan.

I have come a little bit on it, so here we go!

(hope you help me out , with advice and make this thread looking alright)

I have a name for it ; "MOON ROCKET"

Hope you like this build!!

First pic is the one dragster who made me do this

 

Sounds killer.

Some day some day I have got to have one man.

 

Great!
Im close to age 30 now, so "I had to" =)

Hate my computer, VERY hard to upload pics, bah...

 

I have bent up the tube for one and got to drive it.

 

hSome bad pics here, but you see the idea =)
To little space for the moment so I build some pieces on top of a hotrod projekt...

 

Found some good old swings, cheap, and right sizes!!

 

I put the "blueprint" on the workshop floor and adjust the pipes to make it fit.

 

I am guessing you were not planning on going fast!!!

 

Hey darlin! Your inspiration is Tom Culbertson's front engine rail! That is so great and such an honor! We just took it to a drag strip in Hardinsburgh, Kentucky in May and ran the best times ever. Tom has since painted the frame bright blue and our club brother Steve rebuilt the motor, needless to say she's definitely got more "get-up and go!" LOL! Tom wanted me to let you know that if you have any questions about his rail he would love to chat, I will pm you his personal email address Congrats on your project!

 

Youthink about the green pipes?

 

I would seriously doubt those green tubes are something that would pass NHRA tech inspection to even let it cackle. You really need to rethink that a bit. The minimum spec is 1 3/4" .120 wall DOM tubing for a roll cage section. Most order that same tubing in a .130 wall so that it doesn't distort to below allowable thickness in the bends.
This all may be a bit here or there, because of the double tube roll cage design on these chassis, the NHRA won't let them really run these days without some serious modifications. I know that you are over in Sweden, so I don't know how this might effect you, but it would be a shame to spend allot of time and money on a car that you would NEVER have a chance of teching because of materials used in the chassis itself. Best to spend a bit more and do it right the first time and be that much closer to correct and safe so they CAN'T find reasons to not let you run...

 

By the way, now that I just "dressed you down" over something basic, COOL BUILD! I have been wanting to do the exact same thing for ever, and have spent tons of time pouring over all the info I can find on Chassis Research and the stuff they were doing back in the day. Scotty Fenn sounds like he would have been hoot to hang out with and just listen to some of his theories.

 

Hi MissBelvedere =)

I am so so so really happy for what I am reading here!!
I really love to chat with him, and find more pictures on this beauty!

Thank you for your support and contact =)
I Totally fell in love with the dragster and that one made up my mind and I started to make that dream to real.

Once again , many thanks !!

 

HI, and thanks =)

No, these green old pipes are the models to making a new set. Ill do the fit with these and let them be replaced of a new pair of pipes.
These might have rusted inside too..

I have also looked after Scotty Fenn´s story, progress and also plenty other "crazy" guys Looked , saved many pics and just dreaming on..

My advice to you (even if I am a rookie,and from sweden) , Make a start, and begin to build, I did now, and is Soooo satisfied
Yes, it will cost, but yeah, so will collecting paintings too
Many Thanks!

 

Just to get some feeling how it might end
Yeah and I reeeeaaallyy need to clean out my garage!
Don´t mind the dates on the pictures, its from different cameras and never installed it right lol

 

Yes the green tubing I am guessing that you are using them for a pattern to take to someone that can bend the proper tube for you.

 

yes your right =)

Needs to be serius

 

Sorry I am a little slow but you had me worried.

 

Looks good the one I bent was more modern and got to drive it at the HAMB drags.
There coming up looks like we need to get you there.

 

"I have a name for it ; "MOON ROCKET".

There may be a copyright infringement issue developing here?

 

Could be a race see who gets there first the moon that is.

 

To clear up some mis-information presented here--

Minimun requirements for a single rollcage hoop installed into an OEM car is 1 3/4 x .118 mild steel or .083 CM. DOM will never be mentioned in roll cage specs. 1 5/8 x .135 wall is used in mild steel chassies because true .118/.120 wall does not exist and .134 is the next mill run size and has nothing to do with bending

 

I see he has seamed tubing so it is mild steel.

 

Glad to see your not going to use swing set tubeing to protect your head,,, Have fun on your build, try to make it safe,, Tim Jones

 

looks good, i have built a bunch of these chassis, a few of them even made it over to Sweden

here is a pic of one of them that i shipped over

 

Cool! Thanks. I have been told otherwise over the years and I have repeated what I was told. You build race car chassis for a living and are far more up on the rules. I am a bit surprised though about DOM not being specified. I had also been told by several different chassis and cage guys about the bends being the reason for going heavier than spec on 'cage tubes. Sorry I got it wrong.

The main thing I was concerned about was it looked as though he was about to use a pair of old swing set tubes for roll cage parts on a dragster chassis. Now that I know he's using those as a pattern only, i'll just sit back and watch the build and stay relatively quiet...

 

Doh! We have different area code, so should work out

Here we have a solution LOL!
The chance we stand beside eachother on the raceway, is ehhh little =)
But IF, Im write a number 2 on mine

Ill do my best!
Thanks, I will enjoy the build =)

 

Hi,
I belive we talked before regarding your chassies, but I desided to build one here =)

Nice chssies!!!

 

Taking out the chevy, to clean out the garage