Hot Rods Were quick changes used in drag racing?

i am wondering if quick change rear ends were used in the early days of dragsters?

 

Yes, especially with flatheads. I bought a complete narrowed one with a spool and the brass adjustable steady rest for the ring gear. Bought it in 81 and used it at Bonneville and the lakes. It had solid mounts welded and 50 Merc narrowed axles and drum brakes.

 

I'm wanting to build a vintage style car, either a flathead or a 6 cylinder , about 110 inch wheel base and I have a nice quick change.

 

You will be fine, not enough torque to shock load it and break it.....would certainly look at any upgrades avail to keep it alive

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

Iacono Dragster 1958-

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/iconic-ike-iacono-dragster-1958/#006-hot_rod_lacono_dragster_027

 

A simple look into old car photos and you see MANY drag racers with quick change axles in them. From flat head powered cars to blown Chrysler Hemi powered cars.
Remembering the rear tire advancement of the time...

Mike

 

Most QC were designed for rolling starts and not instant launches. They could get away with it back then because tires were hard, no traction to speak of, and the lack of serious horsepower we have today, but they still come apart and a containment shield was a must even back then. Todays tires and track prep (even with low hp) makes the use of a QC a bad choice if one plans to run it on a strip. The one we used in the IVO repop was broken and re-welded, but no interest in making a pass with it.

 

When I was Racing from 63-74 we Did Not use them especially from69-
to early 75 put out High Horsepower, running Ripple wall Slicks ( Goodyear )
I used to Come out of the Hole at 8500 rpm. & Shift at 8500, BBC

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Wheel Hop is the big enemy of a quick change.
I would suggest a Champ or 201 style quick change far more rugged then the V8.
The Champ is more common is oval track racing, but not unheard of in drag racing.

This is mine with V8 adapter plates to run early Ford side bells.

 

Ivo's four engine dragster has a Champ in the front.

 

Try it, break it . Repeat as needed. Yes they were used in the early days of poor track prep and hard slicks. Drove a K-88 flathead digger with a quick change in the mid 60's, but probably only had 275 hp.

 

Look at Ivos in that pic, highly modified, floater axles,ade specifically for the use. Regular old QC will break under a shock load....old cars.had no traction technology like modern day tire compounds, track compounds/chemicals,.etc

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

That is the Champ rear not the V8.

I will be running this set up with 12 spline 3/4 ton Ford truck axles in my rear.
This was a very common stockcar set up, however I have seen it in some vintage drag cars.

 

Champ rear in my gas dragster in 1978

 

Didn't they run the champ rears in funny cars for a spell in the early 70s?

 

Load it up, and run it...break it, fix it....wats the big deal.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

If you break it at least you will look cool doing it. Anybody can break a 9 inch Ford or a Dana 60, but not everybody can look as cool as you when the track crew is sweeping up your parts and gear oil.
Go for it !

 

Love the smell of gear oil all over the starting line in the morning

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

If I run it, I will be using less than 300 hp, and a 3000 rpm stall on a foot brake.

 

Like i said awhile back, low horse pressure, u will be fine. U get up in the 500+ range w big sticky tires...gonna be some life expectancy issues in a shock load situation

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

Yes

 

YeP. It was THE thing for a while, didn't last too long though.Not sure why they ran them or why they stopped running them. drag racing was always monkey see, monkey do.

 

No one I knew ever actually used a quick change at the track. I'll bet you 99.9% are used for looks only.

 

I've often wondered what was the purpose of having a quick change in a drag car? Nearly all strips are / were 1/4 or 1/8 mile. Did anybody change gears to run 1/8 vs 1/4? Now days buddies who have tried optimizing for one strip length or the other only see about 1/10 of a second difference in the 1/8 mile time. Of course most cars now have hi-stall converters so I suppose it matters less now than when hi-stall converters were not de rigueur. (I run 4.30 for both 1/4 and 1/8 mile bracket racing. Its not worth the hassle to change over to gain a tenth.)

 

The champ rear in my dragster came out of a BB/FC

Sent from my SM-G920V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Damn straight QC's were used in drag cars!

 

Ditto to what Dean Lowe said^^^^

 

NHRA outlawed them in the Gas classes by about '64. They were the cats ass for a street legal car like Gas coupe/sedan. Drive it to the strip change gears and race, change the gears again and drive it home.

 

Any questions?????

 

We did that same thing at the '63 Winternationals. Almost hit Bob Beezer. He didn't dance directly behind cars on the line anymore! It was the third broken V8 Halibrand. Then we switched to a Champ QC, and no more rear end problems.