Kerry, I suggest you walk down the road and speak to Dean, there are already five HA/GR being built in Tauranga.
Kerrynzl: Ts with turtle decks ran all the time back in the day (post WWII) at the dry lakes and the early drags. They were considered scrap at the time and were cheap. Unlike the subsequent altered roadsters (e.g. Kay Sissell), they still ran with stock width rears. As I understand it, it wasn't until M/T arrived on the sceen with the first "slingshot" that the narrowed rear track caught on. I don't see a problem with a fiberglass replica either. Note that the nice HA/GR depicted on the home page of this web site has a fiberglass "track" nose (probably from Speedway Motors). It looks great and is period correct. Russ
Kerrynzl: PS: I ran across a web site a while back with a '27 T "Modified Lakes" fiberglass body that was narrowed (essentially a single seat version) and would be perfect for the class. If I can find the site again, I'll post the URL. Russ
I will do when I'm back in NZ [ I'm presently stuck up in China doing the touristy thing, and trying to buy some stuff to retail ] I am seriously considering drag racing again [ I last raced in 1985 at Baypark] HA/GR's look like a lot of cheap fun.[I have 1/2 the bits hoarded away already] Toyota diffs are as "cheap as chips", so I want to use a standard early Hiace diff as an HA / GR diff, And maybe a 2nd spare narrowed Hiace rear and slicks If I do a bit of bracket racing [ night wars ] Diffs and wheels are easy to swap. I am also thinking soft 1/4 elliptic rear suspension to get some weight transfer onto 6" tyres . Does anybody have rear suspension in a HA / GR? I'd Definately use a Falcon 170/200 engine [ they only weigh 365 lbs ] , I was also thinking of triple downdraft webers off a 1950's Alfa / Fiat [ almost identical to old 1500GT cortina carbs ] I'll need to braze weld some flanges onto the falcon log manifold. I've got a bit disillusioned with vintage road racing, when my old "schedule K historic" was reclassified to run up against new Factory GT1 Porsches. We don't neccessarily need to win, but sometimes we like to think it's possible now and then. Thanks Kerry
Russ, I would have a go at beating out an Alloy T-bucket body myself [ I'm a Kiwi so it'll be a challenge for me ] Fibreglass is too heavy, unless I use carbon fibre [ which is easy to make but I don't believe CF belongs on HA / GR's ] I did consider a "track nose" with a sprintcar style cage the style I'm wanting is late 50's- early 60's T Altered I am presently in China,so when I return to NZ I'll have a lot of bodyshop equipment tucked under my arm [ a H/F type beadroller is only $30,and a Plasma Cutter is only $100 here in China ]
I'll PM you, most o the cars being built in NZ are to the Aussie rules http://www.hambstergarage.com/ ( yeah, yeah I KNOW) but most of NZHRA rules are in line with ANDRA ones and there is a chance of an "international" challenge at next years nostalgias.
No overhead valve motors. This would even it up a bit.Other than that anything goes. Why not alky? would do alot to cure the rust problems in the older motors. I have 3 hudsons with water jacket cracks in them other wise good shape. I like the class and this boards discussions very much but I don't think I'll be building one of these to the letter. But I understand the rules and think they are as good as any. Dusty P.S. good luck
A Hudson HA/GR would be awesome, you don't need to ban OHVs to beat them. Why not just build with one of the Hudsons ?Pick the one with least cracks and lowest in the water jacket or least critical, fill the block with hardblok up to the crack and design the motor to run on E85 pump gas. It won't overheat in the short time it is running, as long as you manage it through the staging lanes........ no one is going to burn you down in HA/GR!! I have run an 8 second BBC altered like this for three seasons with no damage whatsoever.
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