Well with motor/trans/shaft cover/sub floor braceing and steering in place it was time to try the seating out again and see how much space all that stuff takes up. Well fat boy me still fits in the car and it is pretty comfortable for a dragster/altered. One thing that has to be changed is the 13.5" steering wheel needs to be replaced so I will have more room around my knees. I order a 8.5" one today. While in the car we made some measurements on were the helmet bars will go and set a temp front loop to see if it will give me the 3" clearence that I need front of bar to front of helmet. Looks like 4" so I think I will move it back a little to make it better to get in & out of the car. I am going to play around with the location a little, I want it to look right too.
Looks like you are a builder to me. At this rate you should be making a pass out front of your house soon.
mudflap261 - Thanks Larry, I don't know how fast it will be with my "wide body" in the seat, I just want to respectable and have some fun. I will PM you some stuff on the rules later this week. 64 DODGE 440 - Tom, With the amount of law enforcement living around me I may have to haul it out to an orchard road to test it out. I will say that this building thing is starting to come around, but I still have a lot to learn.
Hi Old28, sometimes it is a small world, the only time that I drove mine on the street, it was miles away from where mudflap261 lives, but a friend of his saw me and told Larry about it. That was Feb, 24, 2007. But it was fun anyway and just after I did a police car went by.
Tom, I think you may be a wee bit modest. If you're a better driver than builder, you must be some kinda driver! Your car is beautiful...just really nice. Hey, I pulled the head and pan on my engine, and it is a .060 over 194, with some kind of domed pistons. I'm guessing maybe Jahns, given the era when it was built. Nice little engine. Polished rods, knife edged crank, etc. Still won't breath for shit, with that small chamber and little valves, but it should be durable enough.
Four Banger -- Now that we know what your building, junk the "backward build thread" and start a thread so we can see the parts like (CrkInsp) was asking for. I for one am glad to hear that it is a .060 over 194 and would like to see the pistons and rods. But it needs to be in a build thread so all the guys and gals can get some information. Not everyone reads my build thread. Know for this builder/driver stuff, thanks for the good word on the way the car looks and is comeing togeather, I like my race cars to look nice, always have, that's just me. I consider myself a fun loving, maybe above average sportman driver. This building thing is a lot harder than it looks in the other guys build threads, but I'm haveing fun and that's what it all about. Joe Hamby -- After I am done would be a good time to meet the law, but I am thinking with my luck, he will be at the finish line. Takeing the HAMBster out to the orchard for a pass or two will bring back memory of races on the lemon orchard roads in Ventura, CA back in the early 60's. not real bright, but we had a lot of fun. Here I am 52 years later still having the same good times, talk about a slow learner!
Tom i dont think you can be classified as a slow learner at 52 maybe semi slow learner, A slow learner would be someone like my self who is 74 soon to 75 I hope
mudflap261 -- Larry, I wish I was 52 again, Me and my wife would still be running our N/E-1 dradster. 502 BBC B&I on alcohol, built to run a 7.50 index, best pass off index was a 7.02@199 by my wife Dixie in AZ. The picture is of Dixie on the top end at Bakersfield, CA. We are both at the "semi mature" age of 62.
64 DODGE 440 -- Tom, that car was the best build & looking dragster I have ever owned over my 35+ racing years. We ran the car for two years in bare aluminum untill it was painted and lettered by two friends of Brendan Murry from the S.F.Bay area. I sold the car to Jerry Beach in the late 90's and he runs it in the 7.0 class. Chassis and body were hand built by Fred at Race Tec, in Oxnard, CA. I was going to paint the car some what like you see it, but because the SDRA car will only have shorty body panels from the firewall back it would not look as long as that style makes a car look. We are leaning more to the old midget stright flame style, but that is a ways down the road.
Long cool winter nights are good for designing paint jobs, (mechanical stuff too), and if you are like me you will probably change directions several times before it happens. I think we are into our 7th or 8th paint scheme so far and I haven't even put a pencil to paper on it. I just keep looking at pictures of old race cars and combining the bits I like best. We'll probably just keep it simple with accent pin stripes and lettering, but that's today.
Ok Tom so you are a slow learner. Looks like you might have problem with a bride who likes to go 200 shes going to want one these too. So when are you going to start your second car. L J
No there an't going to be another car, she will be the first to tell you that after the N/E-1 car her 15 year racing stint is over. Unlike me she only wants to go faster & faster. Put another way "more dollors/more dollors". The old retirement says slower is better. Also like a lot of past drivers she is not a good spectator. She might come a see me run the car the first time, but that's a maybe.
Well for all that read my build thread, I will off the board for a week or so. I am going in for Prostate surgery on Tuesday, so no working on the car for awhile. Hope to be back at it shortly. Thanks and good building to all you HAMBsters, Tom
Tom 3 of the sdra guys have had that procedure all sucessful we will say a prayer for you best of luck to you L J
I know a few guys that have had that surgery. All went well. Heal fast. You can still post while recovering. Like to hear some racing stories and pics of your other race cars. No one will complain if it gets off topic. The HA/GR Forum is unknown to most of the HAMBers.
Larry, Bob & Tom -- Thanks for the good thoughts and I am sure I will be back building in a short time. I got a car to finish.
I had three back surgerys and a heart attack and I'm still here so get 'er done and come back even stronger.
Hang in there, Tom. You'll be in our thoughts. Check your private messages before you head off to the sawbones tomorrow!
To all the great HAMBster's out three Thank You For Caring. I just got home Tuesday night late and this is the first time I have even turned on my computer. The operation went well but I had some kidney problems that keep me in for 4 extra days. The recovery will be 4-5 weeks and I need to walk, rest, not sit to long. I will get back on the board and thank each and all as soon as I can in a few more days. THANKS AGAIN TO ALL "I AM ALMOST BACK"