I was given a nitrous plate and solenoids by a very good friend. I followed the recomendations. Set it up for 100 on launch, 200 in 2nd/3rd. In second it was missing and stuttering so I backed off the spray and it stalled slapping me into the harness at a bit over 600'. I wasn't sure what was going on looking at gauges, then was running outta track pretty quick. I still ran 10.701 @ 111MPH! This was a car that ran 11.30s on motor. #4 rod in 3 pcs, piston skirt gone, head deck heaved up 1/4", a "volcano" in the lifter valley, #4 bore GONE from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock ALL THE WAY DOWN. Turns out he gave me the wrong plate. He gave me the plate that was modified for his mega squirt motor. According to him it was set up for about 600HP in his gig. I still use the block for set up.
I don't know, I think that exploded 9" a couple posts down would of scared me more seeing as how it was in a FED and we all know where those pumpkins sit ! I use to run the tow truck at our dragstrip, collected up a large bag of carnage from sweeping up after an explosion. Don't know why, just would pick the chunks up, had quite a collection of bent rods, crank journals, ect. I'd post pics of it all except one of my drivers trying to impress me cleaned up my truck one day, did me the favor of tossing the bag of broken parts away.
here's a series of pic's of my buddy dick belfatti's rail (the shadow) at York back in 1963. the rail is a fuller with a wayne ewing body (sister rail built at the same time as the GBP rail) the engine was a 484ci running on alot of nitro and some hydrozine, dick got burned really bad in this explosion and it side lined him from driving,forcing him to put hired guns in the "shadow's" seat most notably bobby vodnick then inl '67 dick went on to build and race the "trick truck" wheelstander. Paul
Here is one I found at the Air Museum. Look at the lower left side of the block. Imagine being on that flight.
Right after this massive failure where Don Garlits lost half of his right foot, the rear engine dragster took hold, for driver safety concerns.
did anyone get hurt in that '55? ouch! Nothing spectacular here, but the side gears made a real clean cut as they parted ways with the carrier.
I have a 10 bolt chev that looks just like that ^ ^ ^ Here is what is left of the pinion. And the axle end.
After a little razzle dazzle it "Blowed Up Sir"!!!! at 2:44!!! Hahaha! <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rEm6B1AXEso&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rEm6B1AXEso&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
That clip from the movie "Stripes" a couple of posts previous, is one of my all time favorites! Thanks for Posting it Wingnutz.
Never took any pics or save any sovineers from engine failures or racing crashes, DID not need or want to remember bad/$$$ stuff, from street drag racing, learned hard way, why you need a scatter shield, very lucky to have feet, huge hole in floor, junked body, had some glass is eyes, only injury, from shit going through dash and windshield. All my cars had a shield from that point on, side note, todays HP new cars do not. Tranny's, driveshafts, ujoints, rear ends, axels, believe I broke everything at some time. From (70-91) 21 years racing, had all the best pieces, dropped titanium intake valve 2x, huge mess, would never run them again, today they are good, I'm told, broken sps Carrillo rod bolt (never happens), huge mess, broke crankshafts 2x, not to bad, shut off immediately, felt vibration, all in all, not too bad for many years, laps, midgets and sprints. Still, a big pile of $$$ involved. I had more success and less failures of anyone I know well, BUT as a famous engine builder told me, ALL racing engines are destined to fail, just a matter of time. All drivers crash, All good memories, NO regrets !
The Jalopy Journal
