So, Last week i began to prepare for the HAMB drags. I always spend a lot of time inspecting and tuning prior to a race. Preparing for the upcoming HAMB drags this year included upgrading to a scattershield. Saturday the project started off well, trans came out pretty easy, bell housing was removed and slid to the side. As i pushed it out of my way, i noticed something, but i didn't want to look yet. We got the scattershield dialed in and tightened the last of the bolts when my wife and son came into the shop. I told them it must be my lucky day, and so glad i decided to run at the HAMB drags this year. I refused to tell them why until i was done tightening things up. After completion, i took a deep breath and looked over the old bell housing. didn't have to look hard to see why i felt so blessed.
A scattershield or a safety bell housing with Sema rating is always a good idea on any engine you plan to spin on up past 5K or so. I have one on my roadster as I have a fairly radical solid lifter cam, big valve aluminum heads & 2X4s, and it likes to spin up. Years ago in my dirt track days a friend built a '54 Ford for the "Hobby" clasas with a very hot 300cid 6yl. He was "winging" the engine, standing on the floor beside the car while leaning over looking in thru the front(no windshield) at the tach when there was a big explosion sounding "BANG" because the pressure plate exploded. Chunks of iron flew every which way, with one piece penetrating the bell housing, the car's floor, on up thru the top of dashboard, the roof of the car, and the tin roof 25' up! If this had happened with a driver in the seat,driving with feet on the pedals, it would have destroyed his feet. Never again have I begrudged the cost of good quality Sema approved flywheel , clutch. and bell housing components on a car with high rpm potential.
The Jalopy Journal
