Hot Rods Iv been bitten by the dragster bug, and i believe its fatal.

Ok, so iv had this idea in the back of my head for a long time. Tonight i mocked up my dragster idea. Im planning on a 120 inch wheel base front engine flathead 6 mopar dragster. Im thinkin of using 2 inch dom tubing for the frame, solid mounted rearend, with a 37 ford front axle on split wishbones. The rearend i have is a 4.11 geared 49 mopar unit. Im still up in the air between a 3 speed stick or a powerflight 2 speed. The motor is a 200 horse ( when i rebuild it ) 230 small block flathead 6 from a 54 mopar.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated!

Im not looking for alot of speed, but id like to hit around 100

Here are pics of the mockup that got me hooked.

 

that is how it always gets started......good luck!

 

The '53-'54 Chevy master cylinder was the popular one to use in the late 1950's real east to fab a hand lever for. Good luck with the build.

 

You could HAGR, but i got some te 440 plans too.....

 

So what are the rules for HA/GR?

My worry is that pacific raceways wont clear a HA/GR to run. Thats why im starting out slow and work my way up fast. Slow is easier to run

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299965

I dunno if anyone is running one local, but there might be

 

i sent the track manager at pacific raceways a message about the limitations on vintage style slingshot dragsters.

Ill see what he says. Im only hopping for around 100

 

Dont get sidetracked. Keep going as you are. You are on the right track. I hope you use the PF trans. There are a few builds on my website. i am in love wth the first one (Sr Dragster)though . And yer right . youve been bitten and yer toast. Get to it. If you are like me when you get done you will wonder why you didnt always build dragsters.
Use a rule book for your roll bar and cage stuff.
They are fun and easy to build. I do a chassis in2X4 or 2x2 first so i can sort out all the problems with nails and glue for only a few $ then i copy the final thing in tubing. You will know in your heart then f it is right or not.
go for it. You wont be sorry.

 

for the day boys

 

so ive been researching alot on draster chassis design. Anyone got opions on what are the best?

 

Second the comment about "read the rules..." too many guys built something that didn't pass inspection, or, worse, stuff failed when they crashed...

But good for you that you want to build something just for fun, with a MoPar 6 to boot...this was the spirit of early drag racing...

 

I'll 3rd the read the rules. Remember every one of those safety rules is in the book because someone got hurt bad or killed...

By the way I like your front axle!

 

I would kill for them slicks I plan to run a set on my 60 olds. sell me sell me sell me Lol

 

Coupl'a things, make sure the drivers compartment will fit you with all your gear on and helmet in place allow some extra for fat, if you go HAGR the rear end has to be behind you, if you try to make an NHRA rig get a rule book and follow it, try to figure what terminal speed you want as a 4.11 rear @ 4000RPM will get you a speed of 88.3 and 99.3 at 4500 with 30 1/2 " tires,
The HAGR rules are posted on this thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299965, enjoy your new found lust and be prepared for anything............
I can attest to this see....
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=436556&highlight=flat+fed
but I wouldn't change it for anything..........Have fun!!!
"Keep em between the whites"

 

couple of flathead six Mopar HA/GR builds

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189651

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346803

good luck getting 200 horsepower, it's not as easy as it sounds

 

i must say, i just sat down and read through your entire build. Very inspirational. How was passing NHRA tech? I now see what you mean about plenty of room!

Im hoping to get some steel tomorrow and a front axle so i can get a rolling frame and start on the cage and what not.

This is gonna be a hoot.

I already have the perfect tow vehicle too.

 

So i did another mock up to figure out what measurements would work out for me. Its gonna be a relatively short wheelbase - 108 inches axle to axle - i think. Im still trying to find rules regarding vintage rails and wheelbase requirements. Id like to be able to run at the goodguys vintage drags and test and tune nights. Not to mention the billetproof drags. Im gonna see if i cant get an axle tomorrow for the front from a friend of mine.

Heres another quick mockup

 

anyone?

 

looks like a plan, get a rule book and do a quick drawing of a legal version of your vision and calculate the tubing you will need. enjoy and keep us posted on your progress.
keep it light and simple.

 

I think that you have to buy the rulebook for the chassis.
http://www.sfifoundation.com/drag.html
As said, make sure you fit it so you and all the safety gear can get in and out!
I'd consider also talking to the (ugh) NHRA division inspector for your area to make sure you understand the process and can ask questions and get advice before and during the build to make sure it's not going to be an outlaw ride.
http://www.nhradiv6.com/apcm/templates/divtech.asp?articleid=383&zoneid=28

 

The rule books say minmum 92 inches.
The rule book is very specific on Rollbar tubing size and design. I used 1/5/8 for everthing on the first rail so it is a bit overbuilt but I dont feel bad about it. I dont worry when i get in a jam as I know it is strong. Mine is 96 inch wheelbase and runs straight and true. no problems. You need a double hoop these days , helmut bars and the K or X bracing in the driver scompartment (so you cant fall out even if you are unconcious. ) The under bracing under you and the distance between uprights are what you have to pay attention to. You should have a foot box too (Four cross tubes in the area of you feet. (Two uprights and one accross the top and one underneath. ) So your feet cannot possibly become trapped. There are pics in the FED section of gen reg that cover it .they are also online from NHRA. Yo ualso have to have kidney bars so you cant be injured from behind. All minor stuff and not difficult to do. Once you have the rule book or a print out from the NHRAs websight of that part of the rules you have a design anyway. How long and how wide is up to you. You also need a POSITIVE rear end anti rotation device. I use a 1/2 inch U bolt coming up from the bottom crossing over the diff nose where the pinion snubber used to bolt. The rules arent bad cept maybe the f double bar ruins the look and is hard to jstfy butotherwise they are all for you safety. The NHRA inspection chassis guy told me when he was inspecting a friends 8 sec rail . "We assume you are going to crash. We just want to make sure you will survive." Also you must Mig or tig the roll bar and such . Mig is ok for mild steel but not moly. No arc in the rollcage but if you have the mig you dont need it anyway.
Mywebsite below has some builds. 3 or maybe 2 1/2 would be more accurate. Sure is a fun project . All the best Don

 

Thanks alot don! AFter more measuring, iv decided on 108 for the wheelbase, and im gonna use 2x2x.125 for the frame and the cage. The entire thing will be tig welded. Im looking at a design much like the Drag Master by Jim Neslon and Dode Martin, but with a full cage at the back. Im alsu using a ford front axle instead of a tube. It may be over built, but if i crash, i wanna walk away. Should be a real fun project! I went down to get some steel today, but they were sold out . Hopefully ill get a call soon saying they have my stuff.

 

Make sure we get to watch. You and I might build it different but that is ok as long as it is safe and can passs tech. I have never had so much fun as with mine. So much so that the other rail is on hold till i get too old to drive this one.
Don

 

Long ago, when Rockstad ran "SIR", you could've run just about anything. I ran a SBC/Glide, 120" WB FED in the late 70's-early 80's (legal car). There used to be a group we called, "the Hippies". They would show up with their "dragster" in the back of a Ford PU truck. This was a 100" WB FED, 440 MOPAR/Torqueflite that was scary fast, 8.80 ET's, that was p[robably originally built in the late 50's. The drivers firesuit consisted of a welding jacket and gloves. I could never understand how or why they teched the car through ($). Now that it's Pacific Raceways again, I don't think it would happen today. Here's the deal, if you're going to build ANYTHING, it's got to be LEGAL, unless you plan on a trip to MoKan once a year. Maybe you could run it at the 1/8 mile at Monroe or Riverdale Raceway, possibly at Forks; all those tracks are un-sanctioned. There's NO WAY you'ld even get it off the trailer at Bremerton. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Yea, mokan is a bit of a drive for me. Im actually in contact with the tech inspecter and chassis inspector for the Northwest NHRA, and am expecting to hear back from them regarding chassis design and restrictions on slingshot style cars. Wanna make sure that i dont build this thing only to be told "sorry, we cant let you run."

 

Hey Dolmetsch, thought you might like these pictures from the March 1961 issue of Speed Mechanics magazine. The Rex Rains flathead 6 digger

 

Thanks
My friend Bill Campbell held the D dragster record or won a national event I think with a straight eight chrysler back in the day. It was similar and appeared in a photo in Hot Rod or Rod and Custom under the heading "There's a Long Long Mill awinding." I bet no one can find that now! Last I heard Bill was stil lkicking. He came to meet me a few years ago with his nephew who lives nearby. He was a Diesel mechanic for Harper for years.
You know if you follow the rule book you can't possibly go wrong. I keep two in the shop. One inside my welder even.
I was working on mine today. I am loving this little car more and more everyday. I pat it on the cowl everytime I walk by. You will too when you get yours done. I would encourage you to get welding. Once it rolls around you will be surprised how it draws you to work on it. I guess what i worry about is not every tech guy has you interest at heart. Some wil discourage you from building it. Mostly because they have never built anything thenselves. I got a lot of flak from a former track inspector through the grapevine about how it wouldnt be legal and bla bla bla. I was a tech at the old Mohawk track and I used to be this guys boss so I was not too easily put off (in fact i am downright stubborn and not easly dissauded from a good idea. ) I added somethings not required in the rules because I had heard he was going to call me on it. He had not ever seen the car nor the design but was just down on it from square one. Mostly because it is a six cylinder. When i got to the track i did get hassled although not by him. Finally the track manager stepped up and flatout told his guys (I heard it on the walkie talkie myself) "Quit fooling around and let that car run!"and it has been fine ever since. That you can do nothing about. But I have gone out of my way to make sure the car fits real FED rules even though its Et does not require all of that. I know with confidence if confronted I can pull out the rule book and my butt is covered. There is a tendency now to ingore or have no interest in our style cars even by the assoc officials. With AA cars, Funny cars, Pro mods and sub 7 sec REDs around every corner they dont often give a hoot about our old style vintage stuff. I am telling you this just so you know that you might get an official who finds our cars boring and he may not say whet you need to hear. If you build it by the book which leaves no doubt how, it would be hard to not let you run. There are fortunately a few tracks who enjoy the old school stuff and have a good grasp on what it critical when running these cars safety wise. Mostly though I just worry someone will try to discourage you.
I hope not
Don

 

Got my eye on this one. I love it

 

Get going and the first time you run it you will have a grin from ear to ear and then some!!!!!!...................

 

Cool project.