Reviewed the rules for a nostalgia event and no longer allowing 4 link suspension, these events are becoming popular and rules are changing to keep cars correct to the time.
I'm wondering about the Calvert type traction setup also, is it close enough to the traction master to work in the rules.
From that article The Plymouth also featured what may have been the first adjustable four-bar rear suspension in a drag car. For inspiration, the chassis committee drew from the Jaguar XJC, one of the last great live-axle sports racers. But with a twist: According to Ramcharger Bill Shope, the Ram Rod used a telescoping left upper link. The setup was intended to work as an offset three-link on acceleration, reverting to a conventional four-link under braking, when the slip-link bottomed out. With the lousy tires available, they had to maximize traction however they could. Since any uneven distribution of load between an axle pair will reduce the total grip of the pair, counteracting driveline torque was a top priority. And the rear suspension worked well-too well according to Shope: On its first full run under power, the car got up on two wheels and bicycled off the starting line. “The NHRA people had never seen a car do anything like that, and they made it clear they did not ever want to see it again,” Shope says. So the boys ran a bolt through the slip joint, converting the rear suspension back into a standard four-link. Link to the Hot Rod article- https://www.hotrod.com/articles/ram-rod/
Thank You Robert, Neat article Seems that Ram Chargers were way ahead of everyone with 4 link and the High Ram intake, they must have really had fun running/tuning that car Anyone know when ladder bars came into use? I know that there were rules limiting the length of ladder bars and wondering if there were any rules and the time frame it became popular for other racers to build their cars with 4 link suspension. My guess is early 70s because of the new rules Depends on the group that makes the rules for their event and how accurate they want to keep the cars running, sometimes its how they remember the way it was. I have been reading the rules before attending, Wonder if I can make my 4 link set up look like a ladder bar.
My father is 70 he says he remembers first them seeing them on (street) cars in the late 60s (1968-1969 range) So like most things, the drag racers had them first, then it became cool to put them on your street car.
I fully understand these types of rules to keep the cars running period correct parts. However many times the person writing the rules uses what they personally have seen or read about in magazines to determine what is or is not period correct. Yes magazines are a good tool but think of the hundreds perhaps thousands of cars built and how few got magazine coverage. In my opinion there have always been welders, mills, lathes and steel tube, and innovators. Examples- The Golden Gasser (a very famous car here in N.Y. and a Summer Nationals winner) is currently being restored to run with South East Gassers, but one problem the rules read no round tube ladder bars, because they are not period correct. This car was built and ran homemade round ladder bars in the 1960's, after showing photos the car will be allowed to run. Please note this is per a conversion I had with the current owner/restorer of the Golden Gasser The second example is the Nolan Swift Super Modified built in the winter of 1960 for the 1961 season. The frame was built out of tubing, just like the Indy cars of the day. Most if not all supers used stock frames at that time. That chassis ran from 1961 to 1974 it was that far a head of it's time! Many features of this car like the torsion bar rear suspension which is now the standard of north east dirt modifieds, would not become common place until the mid seventies. But many people would and do clam that tube chassis stock cars are a new thing! The Nolan Swift 10-Pins Super mod built in 1960 for the 1961 season-
First modern 4 links I remember were done by Ron Butler on Butch Leal's cars. That would be early 70's . Super stock rules dictated the use of unequal length bars. The Suspension components were not allowed to protrude above the frame rails and into the passenger area. MP was probably the same.. I wouldn't swear to it on Gassers.
The Jalopy Journal
