2010 Front Engine Dragster Week 2010 08 15

 

 REMEMBER TO CLICK PICTURES FOR MORE DETAIL / LARGER PICTURE

 

I will be heading out to Indiana the end of this coming week. There should be very little of the dragster in the shop. The frame has been stripped for powder coat and the body should be in the finishing stages.

I would call this update a pictorial of the death (finish) of this phase of the project by a thousand needles (lots of small tasks being completed).

The pictures used for this update are from both myself and Roo Man, that is why there are two aspect ratios in the pictures displayed on this page.

 

Battery placement is complete. This is easier said than done as there is a bunch of stuff that wants to occupy the same space, mainly the oil filter and radiator. The battery installation includes a volts gauge to monitor the condition of the battery as there is no alternator in the car. The reasoning behind that is weight and patristic HP loss of the alternator. Current plan is to have two batteries, one on charge and one in the car and swap them between rounds.
Battery_IMG_6120_small                                              Battery_P8030079_small
Battery_P8030065_small                                                            Battery_IMG_6340_small
Brake_IMG_6171_smallThe master cylinder has been installed with a remote reservoir. This makes checking the level easier and eliminates the need for residual valves in the brake lines.
The chute mount is coming along. Note that the frame work that will hold the chute in place is removable by pulling pins.
Chute_P8030087_small                                                       Chute_P8030054_small
Chute_P8030053_small                                                             Chute_P8030055_small
The coolant system is coming along; yes this dragster will have a radiator. I will be either ET racing or Index racing. The key to either of those classes is reaction time and consistency of elapsed time. If, in the future I decide that speed is the most important thing, weight can be removed, and HP can be added. In fact a blower engine is already in the planning stages.
Coolant_IMG_6090_smallHere we see the start. The over flow tube is routed to the puke tank, the filler neck is in place, but the out flow tube has not yet been welded in place.
Coolant_IMG_6177_smallThis is a custom build radiator by Spike Products, 464 Johnson Lane, Brownsburg, In. http://www.spikeradiators.com/ It is a double core and should be able to keep the engine cool on the return road. The shroud was built by Roo Man. This should eliminate the need for a tow vehicle, and simplify racing.
Coolant_IMG_6185_small                                                    Coolant_IMG_6190_small
Coolant_IMG_6337_smallHere we see the routing of the hard tube coolant lines. The one to the filler neck has been remade since this picture to give more clearance near the battery and is more upright in the vertical plane to the filler neck. In the last picture is the mounting bracket to the vehicle.
Fire bottles are in, and the first fire nozzle is pumped.                                               Fire_P8030067_small
Fire_IMG_6179_small                                                    Fire_IMG_6193_small
The fuel system is in. To start with I will be running the engine that came out of the Firebird. It will be gas, carbureted. The plan is to build a second engine that is blown. It is still up in the air as to whether it will start its life as gas or alcohol injection. I would like to start with gas, but there is considerable pressure to go right to alcohol injection (on the new engine).
The tank can be seen here.

Fuel_P8030068_small                                                            Fuel_P8030075_small
Jack_IMG_6349_smallThe jack pad on the bottom of the chassis is in place and the tabs for the jack stands are welded on. In the back ground of this picture you can see the start of the next Roo Man project. He cannot wait to get this chassis out of the shop.
A great deal of time and effort has gone into making the nose of the dragster just right.
Nose_IMG_6160_small                                                    Nose_P8030072_small
Nose_P8030070_small
Oil_IMG_6183_smallThe remote oil filter has been installed. You can see another angle of the filter in the shots of the coolant system
This dragster is being built to look as nostalgic as possible. It will there for have a push bar at the rear, not that it will ever be used, but it will have the use of serving as an anchor spot for the chute. As with any dragster, space is at a premium, the puke tank will be mounted inside of the frame work for the push bar.
Push_Tank_IMG_6097_small                                                     Push_Tank_IMG_6087_small
Push_Tank_IMG_6104_small                                                     Push_Tank_IMG_6118_small
Rotation_IMG_6350_smallThe first version of the anti-rotation device was fabricated from the rear of the chassis to the differential. It was found that this made removal of the differential difficult so it was redone from the tube under the driver’s feet. A drain plug has been installed in the differential case. The third member has been ordered in aluminum and the axles will be Gun drilled for strength and weight.
Rotation_IMG_6358_small                                                      Rotation_IMG_6359_small

The shield for the coupler has been started
Sheild_P8030090_small                                                              Shield_P8030056_small
The electrical shut down switch is in place. There will be a stupid switch in the cockpit.Shut_Off_IMG_6195_small
Wheel_IMG_6163_smallThe steering “wheel” has had two buttons installed, one for the transmission brake and the second one for the shift function. Also a center console has been added to contain switches for main power on, start, fan, fuel and fuel pump
The engine has been pulled and the chassis flipped to complete welding on the chassis.Welding_IMG_6346_small

Below are some overall shots of the dragster
P8030061_small                                                             P8030066_small
IMG_6191_small                                                     P8030081_small
P8030083_small                                                             Seat_P8030058_small