[Eastern raider]

Ok i had a vested interest car. Excuse me but didn't this chassis make hundreds of laps without a problem?
How come all of a sudden it's unsafe. After changing hands so many times, you are right to check your new toy out. Take your time, get used to it and enjoy it.

[beerpowered]

Hi Eastern Raider

As I say, I'm pretty new to this, so it's not so much 'unsafe' as 'might be tricky in the hands of someone who's never driven down a drag strip'

But I'm not going to start chopping anything about yet - I know it's been used like this for a long time, and there are plenty of others built in a similar way, and of course by changing one thing I might introduce a whole bunch more

[Eastern raider]

All hale to the ale! Cannot wait to see the old girl back at the track. (i'm saving the smiies up)

[sid]

Hi Eastern Raider

As I say, I'm pretty new to this, so it's not so much 'unsafe' as 'might be tricky in the hands of someone who's never driven down a drag strip'

But I'm not going to start chopping anything about yet - I know it's been used like this for a long time, and there are plenty of others built in a similar way, and of course by changing one thing I might introduce a whole bunch more

got an engine yet?

your dead right in your thinking fella, "the" most important thing is that you are happy and feel the car is right and safe for you to drive it.

Sid.

[beerpowered]

no engine yet - going to do everything else it needs over the next few months while saving my pennies, then raid the piggy bank in the spring to see what I can afford. I figure that it's probably going to go well enough for a drag strip virgin with a boggo 350 in it, so anything more than that will be a bonus

what spec Chevy was in it when it was running 11s?

[timetravel]

what spec Chevy was in it when it was running 11s?

When I first ran the car it had a stock 283 Chevy with 4brl Holley and stock 350 turbo box and just about got into the high 11s. Then I got a Godley box which was based on a Powerglide with a very small converter and trans brake which allowed me to rev it up to about 4 grand on the line before releasing the brake and the ETs came down to low 11s, then with the addition of a pretty basic Nitrous kit it got down to mid 10s with speeds around 125........

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[beerpowered]

Thanks, that's pretty encouraging Sounds like I won't need to go too mad on the engine to get some decent times. It looks like it still has the same 'box in it - I don't know if it's the same converter but let's hope so. I haven't had much chance to do much to it so I'm still in the process of stripping it down and making lists of things to fix but hope to move it into a proper workshop in a couple of weeks to get down to some proper work.

[ronwb61]

Only problems I had with the steering was sorted once I put in the correct amount of toe in for a "Y" axle (1/8 "inch) also never used the transbrake as I felt it wound up the chassis and it left the line with better control without not as dramatic but I was happier.
Also as you cross the line back off the power slowly to allow the chassis to unwind, I wired the fuel pump to its own switch so that I could switch it off and coast to the end of the run off and finish with no fuel sitting over a hot engine.
I completly overhauled the tank making a new spinner on a CNC re-threading and making a new internal breather with two brass tubes brazed one inside the other so if it was inverted no fuel would spill. also making new exit tube and finishing all with a good buffing.
The rest of the fuel line was all done in stainless pipe with pressure gauge visable from the cockpit, the carb I replaced with a 750 double pumper which I spent over 100 hours machining, polishing and altering to race spec after buying a book on the subject.
Inlet manifold was ported and polished.
The engines history was told to me by a complete stranger at one meet he told me it was stock Z28 with a hard life (no kidding!) The weed burners I shortened by 2 inchs to bring them to a tuned length as the blueing indicated on the outside of the pipes.
Lastly attached a rare picture at half track just to show how little weight is on the front axle note the height of the chassis from the deck.
Wonder where all the other little bits finished up that I made for her, twin stainless oil catch cans and stainless rocker box plugs and teardrop water gallery plugs etc.
Ron

High Fever at half track
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[PhilSweeney]

would advise against clicking off and coasting with an auto box, no running engine = no trans line pressure and can wipe out a bushing or bearing at speed. Also if you have a brake and chute failure, your last resort of momentarily engaging the transbrake is useless if the motors killed.

[Eastern raider]

The engines history was told to me by a complete stranger at one meet he told me it was stock Z28 with a hard life (no kidding!)
Only my wife says i'm strange . If Nick dos'nt post i will