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Projects New Front Engine Dragster Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by blender, Jun 16, 2013.

  1. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Radious rods to the first chassie uprite, clevis end on the axle unless tab in double shear, heim on frame single shear OK, 3/4 dia OK up to 36" then 7/8 dia if longer than 48"
     
  2. Blender, what's the track width on your axle? (center to center on tires, or however you measure it)
     
  3. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Measured at center of kingpin boss either 36" or 39"
     
  4. Big.Block
    Joined: Jul 31, 2012
    Posts: 3

    Big.Block
    Member
    from Virginia

    Hey Guys, I am getting ready to start my project and I want to make or ask my local machinist to make a line up bar for the engine/rear end. Could you tell me how you went about making it?

    Thanks
     
  5. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    All depends on the rear end that you want to use. Mark Williams has one for a Ford already. But you start with a lenth of DOM tubing (2.5 x .250) I have 2 lenths depending upon wether a dragster or funnycar. Press in some alu barstock after machineing (6")to the ID of the tubing and then turn the rest to match the bearing recievers in the housing. drill and tap the end and using a large washer and bolt to retain it to the housing. Next you make some alu bisqits that replace the side bearings in the housing and bore those to 2". Now you will have to get a lenth of bar stock to represent the axle centerline. The material is called TGP (turn-ground-polished) and not that expensive, Do not use "drill-rod" because it is not always round. The last step is making the bearing saddles for the block to get the line-up bar to match the bearing bore in the block , One for the front and one in back is all you need.
     
  6. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    Tell me what your settuong up rearend trans and block and I will tell you what I did
     
  7. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    39 Mr. Bruce kingpin boss to boss
     
  8. Big.Block
    Joined: Jul 31, 2012
    Posts: 3

    Big.Block
    Member
    from Virginia

    Thanks for the information. I am using turbo 400 then might switching to powerglide. The rearend will be 9 inch ford.

    At the moment I am buying steel for the frame jig. Next step will be to locate the engine and rearend.
     
  9. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    This evening I made my steering box mount as well as the swing-out cross bar. Both came out good and looks pretty cool. Going to work on the steering box shaft and my quick release in the morning.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    My first recommendation is get a machinist level before anything. You will thank me later>
     
  11. Thanks. It looked a lot wider, but I guess that's an optical from the skinny dragster tires. Ours is 38, but has wider front runners (what we have to work with) so it makes the axle look smaller by comparison.
     
  12. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    Well I was able to re-do my seat uprights and made to carbon fiber seat work,I will run my front seat mount in the morning and tie everything in and try and get a few DZus fasteners in and get ready to start laying the tubes for the front end.

    As you can see I have setup my extendable jig by setting the front piece in place When I built the back part of the jig I added on cross braces to mount the part on and have it locked down. I have a few hours on the milling machine in the morning, The cross arms that are yellow that you see are being notched to fit down over the 3" tubing and then will have bolt plates that mount outside of the jig and have a piece of 1 1/2 square tubing that works as a pinch clamp that will allow me to square them up and lock them in place. The Since my tubes going forward are 1 1/4 I have taken some pieces of 1 3/8 tubing and cut them in half. I am them shaping some long bolts to fit the tubing and go into the slide cuts in top of the yellow cross pieces and can shim them and adjust the height and location on the yellow cross bars to lock down my lower rails. Pretty freakin smart if I do say so myself.

    Well thanks for following and your comments.
     

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  13. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    OK Today I got my cross mounts fitted and anchored. As you can see with the pinch bars on the bottom you can level and square it up to the back part of the jig. I am setting up 4 cross bars to work a 10' run of the chassis tubes.
    I am running 1 3/8 rails coming through the engine compartment and will be stepping down to 1 1/4 headed to the front end.
    I will now work on my tubing mounts once I have everything PLUMB!

    Thanks
     

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  14. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    The front axles in in place
     

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  15. McGurk
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 85

    McGurk
    Member
    from Mid West

    blender,

    Shouldn't the chassis up right behind the rear axle housing be in alignment with the front roll cage hoop?

    McGurk
     

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  16. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    NO, spec calls 1" min to 6" max space between the upper and lower. To put one on top of the other creates to much heat affected zone and can make that area to ridgid. having some space lets it crush a little instead of breaking.
     
  17. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    I just got the lower rails bent and fitted. More of pain than I thought it would be but there is no tension on either rail so I guess the bends were right. Now One to the top. Thanks Mr. Bruce I wanted it to follow the mold of the seat, Do I need to add a diagonal. I already have the 1 3/8 inside the hoop to the rear bend of the hoop and past the front motor plate so it is pretty stout. I have also added an extra 2 bar in the back to make up for the width and make it a little safer I think.
     

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  18. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    Well just got 1 upper rail bent and placed now I have to fit it on the lower and the front axle mount I hate pie cuts they take forever and I never like the way they fit.
     

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  19. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    At the point where the the end of the frame rails meet the top centerline of the front axle it should be 2.25-2.5" wide so that you have material encompesing 180* of the axle half tube mount and heat the ends and tap them down (taper) to finnish welding. If you try and fit the tubes smaller (1.75")your fit will be very long and require a whole bunch of welding whereas with going wider you may only have 10-11 inches instead of 20-22 inches. Lots of tacs and start in the back where the rails first meet and weld towards the front. Do the outsides first then the inside of the last one you did the the final inside.
    Its a good idea to put a diag in the rear end bay 3/4 x .058 min going from upper rear end mounting plate to the corner where the front seat uprite and frame rail meet. One tube can be welded in and the other removable to get the housing in/out
     
  20. blender
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 56

    blender
    Member

    Well I just about have the front end tubes finished. Mr. Bruce I am thinking of welding some plates on either side of those tubes were they pie cut, your thoughts?
     

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  21. rooman
    Joined: Sep 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,045

    rooman
    Member

    If you do that it will look like a Cen-Pen frame and you don't want that. Just do it the way Bruce suggested (Don Long style).

    Roo
     
  22. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Dont over think this, adding plates is adding more heat & weight and serves no purpose.
     
  23. Project Paladin
    Joined: Nov 10, 2012
    Posts: 229

    Project Paladin
    BANNED

    Bruce or Roo,

    Is there something wrong with the can pen chassis?
     
  24. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Dont know that builder
     
  25. Project Paladin
    Joined: Nov 10, 2012
    Posts: 229

    Project Paladin
    BANNED

    Thanks, I got the answer.
     
  26. dusterdave173
    Joined: Dec 30, 2010
    Posts: 226

    dusterdave173
    Member

    Are you guys saying that CenPen is junk and unsafe or are you just saying you don't think they look right or?? I understand they are one size fits all etc and are not as custom as Roo's but please express your true thoughts about them as many look at them as a way to go Thanks
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2013
  27. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    All I referd to (and adding more words to my statment to Blender) is that if you did the fitment of the framerails to the torsion correctly , that adding plates will do nothing but add more weight and heat from welding.

    Everbody builds different. Both Roo and I build very simular based on combind 55 years of building chassies. Any comments made by me when I give them is for engineering purpose and not for style & design.


    I do not know "WORM" and not going to give any opinions of his work
     
  28. carshopowner
    Joined: May 2, 2010
    Posts: 406

    carshopowner
    Member

  29. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

  30. Jimbo17
    Joined: Aug 19, 2008
    Posts: 3,959

    Jimbo17
    Member

    Very cool project and I can't wait to see the finish product.

    Jimbo
     

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