Man. I had to do a double take when I read the title. Seriously, I thought it said "HAMB drags prostate digger?" I think it's a cool idea. The Parasite I mean. Billy
Its cool, and you are not the only one that thinks it is... I just had one of my HAMB Hooligan Buddies on the phone that read your post, he wants to build one... I tried to talk him out of it. Going by what little contact I have had with NHRA Tech folk here ( I tried to pick their brains about what it would take to get one of my cars on the track for a Run What You Brung/ Friday Night deal ), you would have to build a damn scaffold on the thing to get it any farther than the parking lot. Which makes it a completely different car IMO, it just wouldn't be similar enough...
Sam, If you could post pix that would be great. Simple T rails, banger, Model A rearend, and a parachute for brakes(?). Chris Nelson Kansas
Well what does an NHRA legal cage look like? I'm guessing it would basically come down to putting something like what's on the BFDigger? Or would I end up with less of a structure since I'll be going slower? Bolt on is cool? I want to keep this simple...pure if I can. As soon as it starts getting over comlicated I have to bail. After all, I've got a Bonnevile car to help build in the next year or so. But I don't think a simple roll cage puts me past that limit.
An old headboard frame from a bed would be traditional. That is what I was told they use to use for the roundy round cars.
I got an idea... I got a good idea... I know the BFD was a little much for people to build in a year... but how about this... How about we create a flathead dragster class at the HAMB Drags? 1. must have a stock flathead. 2. must have a stock frame. 3. must pass an agreed tech. 4. must be built in the spirit of the early 50's "bug" rails. 5. all racing will be "heads up" 6. only modern equipment allowed will be for safety sake. (i.e. roll bar, safety belts, trans shields etc.) It would be like a "spec" type race car... only "on the cheap" and something that any group of three guys could slap together for fun at this event... Here's a model for you to go by... All we need now is a catchy name for this class or name for this type of car... (I took this pic in 1987 or so... I was 17 and Matt and I drove my '55 Chevy to the Nostalgia Nationals in Fremont) Sam.
FWIW, when Pat Ganahl was over... I showed him this picture and he said that the car got parted out... I can remember that it ran in the 12 second range... but the flatty is "full house"... hahaha... But the object here is to build something from crap lying around... make it safe... and have fun. Who cares if it's a 16 second or 13 second car... it'll be a hoot if people from all over the country build these things to race at MOKAN... hell, we could even have a flat four class too! (maybe not) As far as NHRA legal goes... we need to keep a hat on the good thing we have going at MOKAN... I'd hate to see it come to an end because word got around. But the car pictured would not pass tech at most drag strips... it would however pass tech at the antique nationals here in California, because California kicks ass like that. Seriously though... all it would need to pass tech would be a few more bars... and some side paneling for a body... you could very easily make it pass MOKAN tech... and I'm guessing that is what it would take. Sam.
Uh... no. The fact that you sit more than half way out of the thing makes it dangerous as hell. Rollovers happen more often than you think... and if he rolled that thing, he'd be dead... you guys have to remember, the NHRA rule book is written in blood of the guys who were killed or maimed in the last 55 years... That aside... I think it is great that guys are running roadsters at the drags... in fact, I ran my roadster at the drags and went 106mph... went 125+ on the street in it... but damn, now that I think about it... it was a stupid thing to do. Would I do it again? The sad thing is, yes I would... but don't think for a minute that it's safe going 100+mph in a roadster... the danger is part of the reason it's so fun (for me)... but then when I think about my two sons... my wife... I have second thoughts... it's like a Jekyl and Hyde thing with me... Sam.
Class name's........ 1. 'Lunar Landers' (moon buggy's) 2. 'sticks & stones' 3. 'bone rattlers' Looks like fun, kinda in the 'spirit' of the old 'Tuck vs Rocky' grudge battle.... Cheers, Drewfus
Some good ideas there Sam. Lets put things into perspective, safety wise. Not picking on Beatnick (Gus) , but take a look at his little roadster. Glass body that you sit on top of. Fairly quick SBF. Minimal safety elements. Lots of cars like Gus' run at Mokan and other strips. What is the differnece between a street car like Gus' and a small rail that will prob be built with even a minimal roll bar?????????????????? One thing, the rail will probably be SAFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially if guys run fairly stock mills like Sam mentioned. I can see a car like this as a great stepping stone to faster altered and FEDs, a great learning tool for guys that maybe only made a few prior passes in a doorslammer or early rod.
grim... i've got a 5 point harness i'll send ya if you need it for this thing. it may be out of date as far as sfi, but it's good. used it in a sandrail. yours if you want it. matt
Actually though guys, other than the lack of a roll bar, Gus' car is safe as shit... Look at the in progress pics he posted. There's a ton of bracing in there. As long as he keeps it rubber side down I think he'd be pretty alright in most incidents...
Because people posted a couple pages of pretty good shit in front of it. I'm thinking more about this. I could get a chassis together - rolling and steering in a two or three weekends. Probably one weekend if I didin't have to build the frame. I'm going to take apart the chromed hot rod rear end I have tonight and see what kind of driveshaft is in there. If I luck out and it's a 33-34 (which I would feel confident shortening myself) then I'm on my way. If not I can still shorten the tube and figure out the shaft later. Anyone have thoughts on swapping the entire motor and trans as opposed to just the motor? Might not be a bad idea to have gears? But maybe I'm missing the point by adding gears. Any word on how to build that in-out av8? Picture The Bug...lower...with the motor further back.
Your gona be dead in almost any Roadster or convertible you flip over, with out a cage weither it's your head or your head and chest that gets smashed. I kinda like the Ed Roth cartoon look, but yea I'm changing the rear suspension so I can drop the seat cushion, but I'm still not runing a roll bar. If your building something for the strip you should follow all the NHRA rules. If your building a driver that will see the strip a couple times a year I say take your chances within reason I mean why should I worry about a roll bar when I can hop on a new bike like a Hayabusa and the only safety items I need are a teather for a cut off switch and leathers to go down the track. It's not like that's any safer.
Weird, I tried to clarify last night and coudnt post on this thread. Very good points Gus, like I said, your car (and my touring) are just examples I was using. Fact is, if we wanted max safety we would all buy Volvos!
The IN-OUT consists of a Ford three-speed transmission case with everything aft of the bell and front bulkhead removed -- sawed off then milled parallel with the face of the bell; stock clutch fork, shaft, and arm; front bearing retainer; an aluminum sleeve, 7-3/4 inches long with 1-1/2-inch x 5-inch-diameter flanges; an aluminum rear mount/bearing retainer The mainshaft is 16 inches long. The overall length of the assembly, front the front edge of the flange on the bell to the rear edge of the rear mount, is 12-3/4 inches. Some thoughts about this IN-OUT . . . It is old-time racecar cool! It's a simple project if you have access to a mill and a lathe. If you plan to make the sleeve from alumunum you're probably in for some TIG time as well; you could make it in steel with thinner flanges and a smaller-diameter tube without incurring a big weight penalty, however. That alumunum rear mount/retainer might be difficult to locate today (probably an old CAE piece), but an original Ford steel mount isn't significantly heavier. It accepts a standard Ford U-joint as well as a bell-style torquetube mount if that's your choice. The entire assembly weighs 32 pounds, so it's probably more cost effective to make one rather than ship this one back and forth across half of the continent. If you need any more info about this unit, just ask . . . Mike
God this is fun stuff! Can't wipe the grin off my face...My only concern is hauling these ("sticks&stones") cars all the way to MoKan, only to be turned away - I'd talk to someone who can make the tech call, instead of just hoping it's okay, or because someone said it "seemed safe enough" - tech guys don't care about that when they're covering their asses, and the bottom line is saving YOUR ass! (Sam said it pretty well) That's the last I'll say about that...This could be SO much fun...Hope it works out..............
This is a hell of a concept, even I have half the stuff to build one. I even had a T frame but my dad gave it away last summer I agree though, we need some tech guidelines before everybody breaks out the wrenches.
That piece is incredibly cool...but two things come to mind. 1) I would have to source out the lathe work. 2) Even thought the gears inside are mulched, the toploader case I have is good...so there's no way I'm going to hack it apart. I imagine I'll just run an empty case with a slab of aluminum taking the place of the shifter...but damn that thing is cool. And you just reminded me I gave away the good clamshell and inner pivot piece I had to a HAMBer in need.
Is a mild motor going to have enough torque to pull high gear only ? A 3 speed might be quicker with a mild motor. A T5 would give you even more options on gearing. Are we talking 1/4 mile,or 1/8 ?
1/4 Mile. I say we brainstorm here... then lay the gauntlet down for anyone who wants to participate... who knows, we may actually get a few of these things built! Sam.
Don't know if a mostly stock flathead can pull high gear off of the line. But I've got to run what I have so it's either going to be the in-out made from spares or I pull the engine AND trans from my modified and run it all day. Wonder if the high gear only set-up would just destroy my clutch throughout the day?
Regarding tech, a friend who refuses to "clutter" his car with seatbelts often refers to NHRA as "No Hot Rods Allowed" Still, this looks like a really cool project if it can be pulled off.
Hey Grim, That really looks a lot like a small lightweight slingshot with a Crosley 4 popper that I saw in a magazine many years ago. Lots of small details like the angled steering jumped out at me. Anyway a simple digger would be a lot of fun........
Not likely it'll destroy your clutch but it will probably use up the lining on the disc . . . not a terribly high price to pay for a day of drag racing. Just put a fresh disc in the clutch at the end of the day, before you put the motor back in your driver. QUESTION: What do we do now? How do we hammer out some reasonable tech rules that make it interesting as well as affordable? (Safety regs are going to be up to MOKAN management, I'd guess.)
Ok, I'm going to stick my dick out for all to see, and commit to this. I was just talking about this last weekend over lunch, (good timing Grimlock) after the lousy Swapmeet in Columbia. I even have a name for it. The HAMBster. I have a flathead, 3spd tranny, early F1 rearend. Some unknown cowl, a grill shell, an early chevy frame, a gas tank, wheels and tires, steering box, column, and a steering wheel. I have a brake and clutch setup out of some early 40's off brand car I could use. I think I can put this together for less than a $1000.00, not including all the parts I already have, most where donated. I might have to buy a front axle, and I was going to put finned heads, two carb manifold, and a cam in it, but stock would work for me too. This could get fun. Maybe Ryan could have a class just for these. Anyone else wanna put there dick on the line, and step up to this? Here's what I've been thinking about. Dean
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