Perhaps at our advanced age we could consider starting an HA/GR / SDRA fitness program so all of us geezers can get in and out of our cars.
This getting in and out business has got me thinking. There are two ways to get in and out of a single-seat car: Number One...climb over the side-turn around and sit down. Number Two...stand on the tire-sit on the roll bar-stand in the seat-sit down. Which method does everyone out there use? I'm going to go and and do some more tack welding so I can try both methods. I don't think Number One will work on this car,but I have to get some more stability in the cage before I can try the second method.
EZ-Lift; senior direct and senior aid discounts available. Our middie's just "step in and slide down" but that doesn't help much, does it? Most out here have removable steering wheels, it helps a bit for those of us supplely challenged.
Fork lift or engine hoist come to mind. Hell, I have trouble getting in and out of ours and we don't have a cage yet. Getting old sucks.......but it beats the hell out of the alternative.
A couple points to remember, just because you get in one way, doesn't mean that you get out in the reverse fashion, similarly, you 'get a technique' that works to suit you, such that in my case, it kinda comes automatic after a while, and geting out is almost a brainless motion. Getting in - varies on my mood at the moment, similar to getting on a horse, I normally get in and out on the LHS (Drivers perspective), left foot first, pivoting on the floor, straddle the transmission, and sitdown, finding a happy balance of clutch and accelerator. Getting out - stand up (at no time do I bother taking the wheel off, as whilst it's snug there's plenty of room), I occassionally stand on seat which gives me room to swing my legs around wheel and shifter, left hand on cage, right foot comes across and stands on cage/body, and jump/climb out. Not a big deal after you've done it a few times, but it will take a bit of thought/preperation up front, prior to you finishing your cage, and making that big deflector. For me, in your case I'd lay that first carge bar back a little more, and trim either side of the deflector to give you're feet/butt room to move.......plus I'd move that front axle back 10" Cheers, Drewfus
I was just beginning to read about these HA/GR cars today and noted that automatic transmissions are not allowed. Has that rule changed?
They are scared of Auto's A few of the orgional HAMBS had auto's but changed. I asked the same question. I do not understand why not, the PG was out way before 1962 so it should be ok. I have had both in my car and I like the auto, it is faster and just as fun to drive. I do not understand using a 3 or 4 speed and only using 2 gears?.
I'm at a loss on any transmission. I started out on direct-drive fuel dragsters...no transmission. Then moved to sprint cars...no transmission. By the time I built a car with a transmission I had to have somebody else do the gearbox work because I was too ignorant to do it and too old to learn. And now a non-sequiter: I hear references to "Big Dog" or "Big Dawg" style of racing. I don't have any idea what that is. Would someone enlighten me, please.
In Tulsa everyone runs every round until a winner is declared. If you loose every time you do not drop out, you just go to the loosers bracket and keep running, and the winners stay in the winners bracket. We came to run not get on the trailer. Winners bracket -big dog, loosers bracket- porch dog, I hope that clears it up for you.
Update: The Red Flame Six now has most of a six-point cage. Firewall is roughed in. Drive shaft is totally surrounded with loops, brackets and bolts. Custom-designed floor tunnel is in place and not only approved by some NHRA tech inspector but also by the Postmaster General himself.
Just so you know, you didn't need the flexplate shield until 9.99 seconds. You will, however, need an SFI 4.1 transmission shield at 10.99 seconds, along with an aftermarket SFI 18.1 harmonic damper and aftermarket axles. These parts have nothing to do with any altered or dragster class, they're required in plain old E.T. Handicap Racing class at 10.99 seconds. I assume the cage isn't finished and you intend to support the hoops with bars from the top rail to the bottom rail?
Thanks Friday, I won't put the side bars in until I'm done with the floor, pedals, steering, dash, seat and seat belts. All the sidebars do is get in the way if you put them in too soon. As for the other stuff, I don't think this thing will go under 13.50, which means if I actually crash... the ambulance that rescues me will probably be quicker down the track than I was. Thanks for the feedback. Butch
Butch, you win the "creative use of a mailbox" award. I left the side tubes out until last also. Your cage has nice style. Boy, we sure are committed to this early dragster concept. Look at all the requirements. We could go 13.50 in a Mustang with a helmet, lap belt, catch can and maybe a driveshaft hoop. Being out in the open creates a lot more potential for bodily harm, even at 80mph. Your build is going quickly. When do you expect to run it?
Butch, you are doing an awesome job on this and I am looking forward to seeing it at the HAMB drags? Robert
Butch, my son in law's a postal inspector, he happened to see your pictures and will be calling the Houston office. Seems there're some laws against mutilating government registered equipment, NHRA and the Postmaster General not withstanding. Fortunately he hasn't seen Tom's build pictures.
Just had an idea on your spring perch. Perhaps you could eventually look into an inverse arched spring for that front end. Shouldn't cost too much and that'd lower the perch considerably.
Old6 and others, The front perch is a disaster. My wife and I are leaving tomorrow for the Tulsa area so we can attend (weather permitting ) the SDRA race this weekend. When I get back I am going to do the "turn the car around" ceremony" wherein the car is jacked back and forth endlessly, with no steering, and returned to the garage facing in instead of out. Then I will do something about that hideous front end...advice accepted...it looks like a dropped axle is the only way out. A secondary benefit of turning the car around is that my garage floor is slanted, for water drainage, and the first half of the car is built leaning in one direction. After turning the car around the second half will lean the other way. On average the car will be straight up and down.
Butch You should come down to Ardmore,Ok on saturday for the WhiteWall Drags it is on your way home ond off I 35 one mile.
Okay, this front end perch, with the spring in the air, looks absolutely lame. Drewfus doesn't like it. So, you know something is really ugly when a guy that's 13,000 miles away take time to tell you. I've included a 3/4 rear-view to show how it looks now. The farther way you get, the better it looks. So I'm gonna' cut it off...or something. Photos of rework will follow...as soon as I figure out what to do. Old 6's idea of an "underslung" spring has a certain appeal. Maybe I'll just cut it apart and start over.
Thanks 6ck pony, I've had it all apart and the spring perch survived! The spring now sits lower. Photos tomorrow.
did you get a 'flatter' (and shorter) spring?....and did you lift the front of the chassis up? Is the leading edge of the chassis above the rims 'scrub line'? Is the reason you want it so low purely asthetic? Cheers, Drewfus
Butch, you've done a fine job of getting your rail track-ready. Sometimes these things are a long process of continuous improvement and that's part of the fun.
Build Update. After not so careful consideration I removed the 11' high "flying spring perch arrangement and dropped it down 5" into an under-slung mode as suggested by Old6 and Drewrus. I've included a couple of pictures of "before" . Whatdayathink?
Butch, I apologize for not being clearer in my post. What you have now looks to be too flexible laterally at the shackle mounts and may not contain sideways forces well. What I'd meant was to: Turn the spring upside down and re-stack the leaves. Use the original shackle hanger mount points on the batwings. Space the shackle hangers in towards the middle as far as their base screws will let you to help counter their working "backwards". Bring the new spring perch under or over the the spring as needed. It may look better as well but, more importantly, it'd be stronger. And on subsequent thought you might be better off ignoring my idea. Just brace the new shackle hanger mounts you now have a bit better sideways and run it the way it is. That'd work well, keep the shackles working the "right" way and it already looks better.
Thanks Old6, I think this front equipment ( which is all Speedway Street Rod stuff) is hell for strong. If any sideways forces are encountered that could break this stuff the crumple-zone effects of the body will become more important,
Butch, I've enjoyed your build pics and enthusiasm. What design criteria were you after in the way the frame looked when you started? I guess I'm curious about the "Z" in the frame? It was probably explained and I missed it. Straight rails, would have made the leaf mount a lot less tall. The sideways force on the nose, is basic cornering or steering corrections, just run a pan hard. At that point (depending on where the panhard attaches to the frame) Then that spring perch is ONLY supporting the car weight through the leaf. Not trying to center it as well. No side load on the tower (depending on panhard mount location). The little 1/8" piece you have mocked on there to lower the spring is gonna flex outward at the bottom as the leaf compresses. To eliminate the flex and let the leaf shackle do it's job, just make that piece out of C or U-channel.
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