Projects Toymaker's Twin Engine Dragster Build

With a HAMB Dragster under our belt http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246970 and our on going Eagle Field C/Gas Dragster build close to completion http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=430809 I'm gonna dive into a project I've wanted to do for a while.

As far back as talking to Eddie Hill in the early 90's I've had this build in the back of my head.




My original plan was to try to be NHRA Legal by using 2 approved bellhousings, but with Eagle Field happening I'm going the more economical route.


The build is going to use 2 small block Chevy's side by side with the flywheels (having 2 ring gears installed and pinned on each) will be mated directly together much like this but with both my engines facing forward.


One engine will be reverse rotation which is a hurdle I solved by aquiring an old Chris Craft Cam and drive......


I positioned 2 engines side by side on the ground.........


And determined that I'll use 168t flywheels with one covered by a Mercruiser bellhousing and the standard rotation engine which will carry the clutch (direct drive) using a scattershield.


The car will use a narrow pair of Hurst Hot Rod Rubber to get the direct drive car off the line in a plume of smoke I hope


I have visions of this wheel and tire combo on the rear but with finances being what they are I'll probably use some Chrome reverse wheels I have.


Up front I'll use my Harley Davidson 16" wheels that currently reside on the front of our HA/GR.

All of this will have a basic 3x2 frame design
With a Large Radius 5 point cage simular to the old Dragmaster chassis'

More to come as I'd like to to have the car on display if not running by May 21st! Rocky

 

Awesome idea! Going to be great!

 

Double trouble. You are going to use stickshift flywheels right? Hey how about two 6cyl chevy's? Cool build anyway.

 

Wow Roc, I'm kinda iffy on the ring gear setup, how about a four row chain or something more substantial? into an in an out box..............but like the thinking......

 

OH OH!
Don

 

This is going to be good!

 

Cool stuff you have going on there!!

The twin is something I would like to do someday too. Bill Bierman (Suciede King AWB Stude) talks about it all the time. I wish he would pull the trigger.

Good luck on your project. From the looks of your other projects I believe your May 21st goal will be obtained no problem. Now back in the shop, for both of us. ha,ha

 

aaaaaand i'm subscribed.

 

twin blowers?

What sort of wheelbase?

fun,

fun,

fun.....

Cheers,

Drewfus

 

About 15 years ago i bought a dragster with the same setup.. twin chevys and injectors, welded cans ....Awesome work on the motors and clutch cans ...but the chassis was a shit box

 

Awesome ideas going...don't stop sharing them now!!!

 

Ha ha this will be good.....glad you are going for it.

 

Thats very nice. Please post more as you go !!!!! Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

Sounds really cool. I have a question though....don't the cam specs have to be pretty close and the tunes have to be close for each engine? Since the flywheel will be acting as a link between both engines, what if one engine is stronger than the other? Could them being 'off-balance' mess things up?

Are the flywheel teeth really meant to handle 5-6,000 RPMs or will the teeth break off?

I'm not speaking from any experience...just wondering how the physics of two engines being linked together works out.

 

Woot!!! Subscribed

Am I seeing that right, one engine driving each rear wheel? In that case I understand meshing the engines together, because if they were each running free and one engine crapped out while the other was running wfo it seems like that would not be good at all

 

That's crazy insane Rocky! I gotta agree though, that flywheel setup looks like shakey puddin'. I agree with Carl on the chain drive. However you do it you will be freakin' awesome.

Is that going to be the t-shirt art for Dragway Reunion II?

 

Dude... I so want to build a dual engine digger some day...

You're livin' the dream!

Sam

 

Looks dangerous

 

Looks fun!

 

Cars were built using this method in the day (Flywheel to Flywheel) and the Dragmaster Two Thing uses this method also, although they are using flexplates I believe. My plan is to use Certified Flywheels for strength and as far as "Engine Balance" there have been different engines tied together with success. The twin pumkin idea would have had the 2 carriers tied together using the axles. One axle into one side of one spool and the other axle would go thru its spool and into the the remainig side of the other. The long axle would have splines at the end and in the middle, axles would be pretty costly and with 2 of everything pretty heavy. So I'm going with the one pumkin idea, If nothing else we'll find out together
As far as the chassis goes it's going to be a short car, a Kieth Tardel chassis would be the ticket but I have the material to build a 120" wheelbase and with the engines set way back (no trans) it should look really cool, plus I'm not trying to do a tribute car. The intake system is a biggy, ultimately (2 sets of) tubes is what I want, that will be a hold up.
All I know is I can't wait to see what happens when I drop the hammer on this beast

 

I'm thinking a little more homework is required. Twin engine helicopters input to one transmission through a differential.

 

I've been looking at these style cars for a while and researched many sites including
http://twotogo.homestead.com/TwoToGoPageTwo.html,
plus Ivo ran this setup
http://www.standard1320.com/Ivo/Buicks/TwinBuick/TwinBuick.html
in his twin gas dragster which I believe was pretty succesfull or he at least drove the shit out of it!

 

Wtf !!

 

The Odd Couple AA/GD used a small block Chevy and a hemi Chrysler linked together (in line) and that worked out OK as the car won a number of races. I presume that it was linked with a double row chain like the Freight Train and that set up is probably no stronger than the ring gear connection.
If the ring gear teeth can take the shock of the starter trying to crank over a big inch high compression motor with a bunch of ignition lead they should be OK in this situation.

Roo

 

Pay attention, this is not new technology and has been done before numerous times (Ivo, Dragmaster etc)

Roo

 

How are you going to change the center spark plugs?!lol
JimV

 

Looks like a good project. I'll be watching.

 

On man, this sounds good! You gotta have a build thread going on this one.

 

Too cool, love the basic engineering. Not enough of that around in racing anymore. Subscribed

 

Disassemble the car silly.

Frank