Vintage Dragster Transmissions

So looking into 50's to mid 60's dragsters. How many actually used all 3 gears ? Also what set ups were actually used to shift them ? The cars just running 2-3 was'nt starting in 2nd kinda hard ??

 

Your thread title says 'dragster tramsmissions', But, your post says 'drag car' transmissions. Of course, there were different trans and trans types used in different classes.
Be more specific ( type of car, what class, blown? injected? nitro? or? ) and I can try to answer you better.

Steve

<DIR>Hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap. Drags, cool car show, parade, special exhibitions, gassers, rails, stockers, customs and much more. coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az -This is Arizonas longest continuest running nostalgic event, our 7th year! www.nostalgicshowandgo.org
Also Hosting- Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az more info- www.pontiacheaven.org
</DIR>

 

the Dragmaster ,,Chassis Research I guess you'd call "diggers"

 

The car in my avatar is a Dragmaster chassis car piloted by Sneaky Pete Robinson, he used a blown 352 cu. in. stroker SBC, '57 chev rearend with a custom magnesium pumpkin, and a custom bellhousing that he made...just a high winding motor, clutch and rearend with 4.10 gears...no tranny needed...

 

most top gas or fuel dragsters went to direct drive ( no trans) by the late 50's. Very few used a transmission in the 60's either. a few tried the torqumaster/auto trans but, they did not work well. By the very late 60s, some were experimenting with 2 speed planetary trans like Don Garlits.

Steve
<DIR>Hosting- 7th annual Nostalgic Show and Go! and swap. Drags, cool car show, parade, special exhibitions, gassers, rails, stockers, customs and much more. coming Sunday April 5, 2009 to Speedworld. Phoenix, Az -This is Arizonas longest continuest running nostalgic event, our 7th year! www.nostalgicshowandgo.org
Also Hosting- Hosting 11th annual Pontiac Heaven, show, swap, drags, party and all around good time. Saturday April 4, 2009 at Speedworld near Phoenix, Az more info- www.pontiacheaven.org
</DIR>

 

What about those ones ya see with the 3 speed Fords and such?

 

And most of the clutches were dual disk set-ups

Also - some of the Gas Class cars only used 2nd & 3rd

 

oooh,,hows this dual thing work?

 

late 50's early 60's... with NO blower with carbs or injectors needed a trans 2 & 3.. high gear

 

ahhh thank you,,thats what I needed to know,,and how does this 2-3 rd work ,,are you just making X amount of HP and the rear axle gear that lets you run that way?

 

the cars that ran the manual transmissions like ron said ,ran second and third gear. they ran a rear gear usually in the 400 range, so with some rpm, there was no problem leaving in second gear. the car i am building is going to use a shortened lasalle trans ,2nd and 3rd only. the cars were alittle more consistent with only one shift to worry about. hey ron how you doing , just got off the phone with dave crane

 

did they take R-1 out or just simply not use em?

 

High gear when autos were used

 

1st and reverse removed so there would be know problem with acidently knocking it into another gear. straight rod run 2nd and 3rd , take off in 2nd one pull back into 3rd

 

neat,,thanks the whole thing makes a bit more sense now

 

My Salinas Dragster has a Ford trans...2nd and 3rd only.

 

now did the carbed or FI cars run this dual clutch thingy ?

 

If you could get one you would use a LaSalle/cad or Packard, Buick, or Ford trans of about '39 year of manufacture so that it would have a floorshift lever built in. Before Hurst and all made conversions popular.

 

going with Packard ( had one but when we went to get it case was cracked )

 

To get a better idea of a dual-disc or multiple disc clutch, go to the Crower.com website, pull up the catalog, & look at the clutch section. It's not exactly what you are talking about, because it is a centrifugally-operated clutch, but it shows that you have two clutch discs (or more), with a "steel" in between the discs. Basically trying to get more friction area to handle more power.

Chevrolet used to offer a street dual-disc setup around '69-'70 or so...Centerforce did more recently, maybe still do. The idea here was to gain friction for holding power behind big blocks, in Chevy's case, AND to do this without having a gonzo pressure plate that eventually gave you a left leg like Popeye.

When did you change your screen name? Kind of a head-scratcher for a minute there...

 

little wing, are you going to try and race the chassis in your pics , or is it going to be mostly for show and cackle? if you are going to try and run that chassis be very cautious about internal rust in the inside of the tubing! many people killed in and old chassis that can breakn or collapse at speed. if its for show thats a different story. i built a copy of a chassis research ,for that reason. i plan on making a few passes with mine. be safe

 

Littlewing:
We have a 1940 ford three speed side shift in the Scorpion 1 recreation. I ran 91 and 95 MPH 1/8 mile last weekend at the Texas Thaw. The trans has all the gears but first is plocked by a weld inside the side cover so the detent ball can't pass over it. I do good burn outs and back up to pull back up to the lights. I dont launch real hard or quick, but I have 2.12, 60 foot times.
The banjo rear has 3.78 gears and could use 4.11s.
The red rod and handle is reverse. click the small photos to inlarge.
dwrfab Don Ross

 

So do you mean making a stop block kinda thing or just filling in the indent ?

 

You're thinking like an auto shifter, we're talking about inside the manual trans case...block off the gate to 1st on the H pattern...

 

Just a weld blob on top so the ball can't climb it. A weld down in the detent would just let it over ride. This is for a side shift trans, a top loader would need a weld elsewhare, or it may not be a problem. I have to take the 2nd and 3rd shifter to the nutral position before the reverse lever will pull back. the guide plate bolted to the banjo also will not allow the reverse handle to be pushed forward.
dwrfab Don Ross

 

gotcha thanks

 

The trannies had one forward speed the only gears were between your inner thighs and if everything went ok-well you could have a family.

 

My dragmaster (on gas, unblown, injected) used a La Salle 3 speed with low and reverse removed. Used second and high. Zorba

 

I've seen the old style Muncie 3-speeds (55-65), shortened and use 2-3 only; R and 1 are deleted. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I am recreating Petes Dragmaster using an original dmaster chassis. It sounds like you know a lot about that car. Let me know if you hvae some parts or info. that would help me out.(937)545-2716