Projects Almost Funny - AWB Barracuda Funny Car Build

GOOGLE NOW SUCKS! BADLY AND BIGLY!
Searching for chassis shots I get Hondas, Willys streeters, ANYTHING that even roughly falls into the "drag car " category.I miss the old Google when you could really zero in on things. Just can't wait for the abandonment of Net Neutrality so we can PAY for every page we view!
Anyhow, the red X's are Dick Jesse's Mr Unswitchable GTO.It had a box type chassis as did many pre Logghe space frame cars. Heavier, but how light can you go and have it not fall apart on the street.
What weight are you thinking of?
What target HP?

 

the axle of choice comes from the a-100 vans. they have a area to mount shocks were the truck axles don't. the mopar offset spring hangers work great with a square tube frame and leaf springs. the van and truck springs are too long to fit and they are way to heavy. a local trailer supply store should have what you need. removing springs is not uncommon to get the right set up. due to the trailer springs being narrower than stock the axle will need two new holes for new u-bolts and a new hole for the locating pin. the spindles can be used with b-body disc brakes. combined with a aluminum corvair steering box its a great front end with the right look.

 

YES! A -100 was what I wanted to say, just couldn't think of it!

 

An a-100 axle will have to be narrowed 5" and the truck axles are wider but have narrower spring centers than the a-100 so choose carefully a-100 axles are harder to come by than truck axles I have diminsions of both pm me if you need more info


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Hey Squirrel , keep it all steel...lighten up the doors, plexiglass , the hood could be a fun project....pull a mold ..play with fiberglass mat and resin ,.maybe same on bumpers...wear the correct respirator. ...

 

The correct axle is the van axle forget about the trucks. They were both called a-100. The van axle doesnt need to be cut and narrowed. While a few did cut axles back then the majority were left alone. The correct look puts the tires out wide toward the outer fenders. I ran this exact axle in the 65. I can post pics of the exact process if needed.

 

MoPars used the A-100 axles as the factory stock A/FX cars (it was a stock MoPar part ), Landy and others used them. GEE, aren't we all....full of.......good advice!
Jim, the entire HAMB is excited about this and in your corner!

 

I do like the idea of the A100 axle...

 

Trucks were D-100's....and Vans were A-100's.....about that back glass - wouldn't the weight - although a AWB car still help in the traction area ?

 

Your web page IS fabulous! YOU made all that stuff?
As for the Tote Goat, I recall our neighbor, a retired longshoreman bought one in 59 or so for his rockhounding hobby.It was quite a sensation in our neighborhood as nobody had ever seen a tiny bike like that!
My then teenage brother bought a similar tiny bike a couple years later.They weren't street legal, so he sold it after a few months.Most people have just thought I was nuts when I have asked about Tote Goats!
You can find them advertised in old Popular Mechanics.
COOL!

 

To make it all work the steering arm on the drivers side needs to be heated and bent. If a corvair box is used a wedge needs to be welded to the frame to put the steering shaft parallel to the frame. I like the corvair box because its very slow. It has 4 plus turns lock to lock. It makes for a easy driving race car. The box to get is aluminum with a short splined shaft. Any chassis shop carries couplers as they are a popular size.

 

Altered wheelbase cars are kind of strange...the normal things we do to improve traction, just aren't needed. If you are concerned about having an extra 50 lbs in the front of the car, you just move the rear wheels forward another inch!

Getting rid of as much weight as possible, is what I'm trying to do. My wild guess right now, is that it's worth it to spend about $20 to get rid of one pound.

On the Chevy II I built, the tipping point was about $10 per pound.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_A100

 

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1963-dodge-dart-street-legal-factory-experimental-replica/

 

Race weight glass fenders are a pain. I've stiffened up all the ones I've had my hands on. I use cardboard tubes. I like the ones upholstery fabric comes on. They are about 1-1/2" dia and 60" long. They will flex to shape under the ridge of fenders then a light 2 layers of glass holds them in place. This turns an edge or radei. into a box. Plenty stiff and don't show when out in the Sun.
Just saying.

 

Of course you'll need a pair of these too.

 

I remember seeing the 1/2 cardboard tube in a hood years ago, and that is what I had in mind for reinforcing the fiberglass parts.

I expect this car to be a pain in the ass, but that's fine.

Seats....ah...I think it will get a couple modern real racing seats. For weight and safety reasons.

 

Stretch the hood and fenders and get them acid dipped. May be almost as light as fiberglass. Worked back then to lighten them up. Butch Leal told me that one of his bodies came back so thin they had to spray foam insulation on the back side to stiffen it a little.... Lol

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How-Build-Altered-Wheelbase-Cars

https://www.amazon.com/How-Build-Al...16&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=Steve+Magnante+Email

 

Yup, neat book. I have it already.

 

Squirrel, this Hemi was posted for sale on Moparts.com this morning. Might be worth looking in to..??

 

Thanks for the info.

I expect I'm going to have to piece together an engine....this one has about half the parts I want in mine....

 

I thought it was the exhaust rockers that were the weak ones or was this just on the early Hemi's?

 

Whether this thread inspires anyone else to build a similar car isn't what's important here. Absorbing the information in these few sentences, and other posted observations, are where the real meat is. And it's not so much about what you think, as it is how you think.

There are thought processes at work here that many of us, myself included, don't use often enough. I'll likely never build an AWB "Almost Funny" car. But I'm going to stick around here anyway and see if maybe I can re-train my brain to think a little differently.

 

I agree with ClayMart. Race Car chassis have evolved a Ton over the years. Lucky me I've been around for it. What a ride! and building a chassis is no easy task neither is making them do what you want/need. Mounting suspension brackets where they fit instead of where they need to be makes the difference between hooking up and being a Squirrel Cage. I love this stuff!
The Wizzard

 

While you can buy them from Mopar, I know a guy that has 13 of the 426 Hemi's with cylinder heads that he is wanting to sell. Just the blocks and bare heads. Were some of the first that Mopar made back in the 90's (I think) when they reintroduced the blocks. Located in MS. Let me know if you are interested by PM.

 

Maybe I missed it, but what class are you targeting for Drag Week?

 

That's a good question...they now have it set up to revise the rules every three years, and 2018 is a "new rules" year. And they have hinted that the new rules will be announced at PRI (performance racing industry trade show), which is this week! so by the end of the week, I might know what the classes are, exactly.

The current plan is to fit the old A/Gas rules, almost...with one exception (you can't stretch fenders). Otherwise, it goes in Unlimited. With Brian. and the other really really fast cars.

 

Yer just gonna hafta step up yer engine program....