Wuga, my car is torn down for winter updates and I have to get my 12 year old grand daughter to teach me how to post photos but if you want to see a picture of me and my car, go to nostalgia drag world online magazine, back issues,volume 4 /issue 8,page 75 oldies but goodies race at woodburn dragstrip bottom of the page. this was taken last year. what these folks are telling you are all good recommendations. It seems the northwest guys are really into six cylinder power
Good thing he isn't running for the SCTA, I see the need for at least 50 more feet of tubing. I agree with his use of a Kirky seat with head rests but make sure it's not one of their cheapo ones. Those head sides need to be the welded/braced ones that only need the bolting for adjustments. I wouldn't get in any race car without at least a -15 suit and a fire suppression system. Good luck.
And where is the proof???? There have been thousands of crashes before them and drivers have survived and there have been crashes with them and drivers have died. If those are so needed to reduce neck injury, why is it that they are not mandated in Jr. Dragster for KIDS that with the speeds they are going. They are more prone to this type of injury, there was even an accident with a Jr. crashing into the wall and her neck/spine seperated, Luckley she survived, but still to this day they are not mandated in Jr.Dragster.. If you feel the need to wear one thats fine
The easiest path to folow is the NHRA rule book for ET bracket cars forthe ET you think you will run, Our car is open cockpit, even when we ran in the 10's we have -5 suit socks and shoes ,neck collar, gloves , arm restraint and a snell current helmet. You should have a full face helmet. There is a guide in the back of the rule book for cars slower than 9.99 and faster than 9.99 and or supercharged. We run alcohol. when we got into the 9's we have the chassis certified, you will need helmet bars, trans shield, flex plate shield, SFI balancer . The best advise is don't skimp on Saftey stuff, the only bitch I have is the two year on seat belts , here is a closup of the driver suited up in our car
In local oval track racing there is a class known as Bandolero Racing for youths as young as 8 years old. The Bandolero is powered by a Briggs & Stratton 570cc engine that can produce 30 horsepower after mods. Nothing can possibly go wrong, right? Every child driver wears a Hans Device. I've seen a Bandolero flip 8 times on asphalt and end up 30 feet off the race track. Child driver OK. Driver suites, seat belts and helmets do not help protect against broken necks. I have no connection to the Hans Device but I will tell you it is the best safety investment you will ever make.
Warren, the headers are swap meet 25 dollar specials with a lot of splicing and rerouting. I have both hans from when I ran 7.0 pro and a neck collar. I run the neck collar
HANS not invented yet. It a good piece of equipt and should be worn if the car was built to use one correctly. But dont say there is "proof" that they prevent injury. even the makers will not claim thats true
The HANS Device is not snake oil wisdom. No safety equipment is ever sold with a guarantee. The fact is just about every racing association on earth now makes head and neck restraint systems compulsory. The fact is older race cars like drag racing cars and oval track cars of the 1960's were built very stiff and rigid. It doesn't take much to snap a neck. A head and neck restraint system can be used in any race car. A head and neck restraint system enables a driver to go home to the family after a day of racing instead of a trip to the hospital.
This is getting off topic. Personal safety equip. as long as it meets the sanctioning body rules is up to the driver.
Here's a link to the general rules. http://www.nhraracer.com/content/general.asp?articleid=47000&zoneid=132
Guys,the last few years I have been out of the car and in the tower; and that gives a entirely new point of view. On a world class surface I see accidents and near misses every day we have cars going down that track the truth is not if but when something is going to happen; by the way my bona fides include 28 assorted pieces of orthopedic appliances in me and dental appliances replaceing 10 missing teeth that I have given to the cars, when it does the better and safer that car is built the more likely you get to wave at the crowd while wondering what that sticky feeling in your underwear is. Having seen the pictures you have submitted I have to agree with SCTA guy about the need for more tubing not only for your safety but for stability of your car, and I have my own reasons for thinking that you need more than jacket jeans and shoes but not really -15 gear. I will be willing to help you any way I can as I build my own chassis and explain why that bar or brace is needed and how it works if you will contact ne offsite my phone 870 642 5165. folks been helping me for 59 racing years so I dony mind helping some one.
You should dress for the crash, not the race. The Han's device is a very good device. I saw a friend walk away from a high speed crash, relatively unharmed, that totaled his race car last October. He credits the Han's device with saving his life. Similarly, the construction of the roll cage has to be built for the crash, not the race. The vast majority of Hamb members, including myself, prefer a vintage racer to look like a vintage race car. But how the roll cage looked will be little consolation to your widow. Build a roll cage that you, the tech inspector, and your wife can all agree is safe.
With the addition of the (mandatory) helmet bars there is absolutely noting wrong with Warren's chassis at the performance level that he is planning. I am not sure where jimmy six figures to put an extra 50 feet of tubing and what effect it would have on safety. The same goes for Horace's comments. I presume that both are referring to the single rail design forward of the firewall but in fact that may be a good thing in an incident as the frame would most likely buckle and absorb some impact. The cockpit area is overly strong and I see no chance of that being distorted to the point where Warren would get hurt if properly strapped in. I personally would like to see the shoulder hoop higher and thus the cage shorter but again there are quite a few HAMB style dragsters out there that are pretty similar and I have seen no reports of catastrophic incidents involving them. With a 261 six cylinder for power this car will most likely run in the 12 second range at best and I can name any number of affordable production cars that will run that quick and the only requirement for them to run at most NHRA tracks is a helmet. Warren is going to be way ahead of that in the safety department. Roo
Since the basic topic is safety, one thing I would have is a diaper to contain the oil pan. Wouldn't make a pass without one.
for any of you guys who dont know rooman, he builds some incrediable front engine dragster chassis on a regular basis. i consider and many others that have seen what he builds are very safe. he not only as a builder, is an experienced racer. i know he doesnt blow his own horn, but he knows his stuff!
You can get way over your head on safety, and if it makes you feel secure to race well then go for it. Cars like this are among most difficult to agree as to what's safe and what isn't. E.T. based safety is a game of odds for the sanctioning body, the racers and the insurance companies. A 15 second full size bracket racer can surely catch fire and burn to the ground, but how many times? How many in 1 year? In 10 years? I'm not against playing it safe, but I'm not gonna wear a Hans Device to drive my hot rod to local store for milk. Where am I in the greatest danger? A 12 second pass at the local track or on the road? Be logical, use the rule book, and at the same time be careful not to add some things beyond your classification because then it may mean you need "the rest of the story". As in if you run a full cage, window net and 5 pt harness in a car that goes 11.20s, don't be pissed if they make you certify it every year and change the belts and window net, and run all the 9.99 and quicker suit and gear as well, when the guy next to you runs an 8 pt cage and goes 10.30 with a proper helmet, jacket and belts alone. Make sense? I've seen it happen so don't blow it off as bullshit. Now if you want to be "Top Fuel" safe in your car, go for it. I wouldn't stop you, but reason and logic will save you well before any amount of store-bought safety gear will. I wish you all the best. Cool car.
I have no disagreement with Roo's viewpoint and probably didn't get my point across due to not wanting to tie up the thread ore bore people with an engineering discourse but I feel that the car will handle better and be a pleasure to drive off the launch with the addition a extra pair of tubes and one small dia. x brace this wuga and I discussed on the phone. I have seen Rooman's work and only wish I were as talented . No I do not feel a need for a great deal of extra tube or extensive rework my major concern is to diminish the exaggerated torque reaction that the old inlines seem to display and make the car easier to launch straight.
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