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Something of a throwback as there's not much to report until next week - here's a snippet about the car that I started with back in 2008. Known as a Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster, 'digger' or 'FED' (Front Engine Dragster). These were what started the Top Fuel revolution back in the 1960's. At that time, safety wasn't much of a concern and knowledge of chassis dynamics and aero was limited to "long, slippery and flexible".
Back in 2006 I started the build with the intention of it being a full aluminium paneled car of 125" wheelbase with a supercharged, methanol burning big block Chevy and and 2 speed Powerglide transmission. A twist of fate and one of those 'you only live once' moments, saw the decision to go for broke and go the nitromethane route.
One of my favourite photos, it explains the draw of nitromethane - the smell, the sound. It was a surefire crowd gatherer.
Given that the chassis was constructed from CDS steel rather than chromoly, it would only tag to 7.50, but that would have been sufficient with the methanol burner. With the nitro engine making close to double the power, the tag would limit how quick we could go; at the time I decided it was just a bit of fun and we could have a big burnout, lairy-to-drive car that could be shutoff at half track and still run 7.50.
Late into the build, it became obvious that the wheelbase made it look like a cartoon car. The engine dominated it and it was simply not in proportion. The wheelbase was stretched to 161" and there it stayed.
This was what's called a legs over car i.e. your legs sat on top of the back axle, with your meat and two veg nestled behind it. In the event of the axle coming apart, you might experience some 'trauma' 
The transmission was a direct drive reverser with a 3 disc clutch. The clutch made its way along with the engine, into the Fuel Altered the following year (2009).
Unfortunately, track time was limited with the FED due to a mixture of poor track conditions and poor weather. A couple of decent launches with early shut offs was all that I managed, but it was the first dip of the toe into the pool of nitromethane - a drug that becomes rather addictive
A very quick point regarding the Chevy motor. This was the engine that went in the altered later. If you compare the size of head studs to that of the TFX engine in the post above, you see how more heavy duty the race bred motors are. In comparison, the Chevy uses knitting needles. Not great for retaining the heads. As you can see, this was a cast iron block. In the altered it went as quick as 6.711 - I believe the ET record for an iron block Chevy on nitro was a 6.59, so we did alright considering.
The car still exists today, under new ownership, and currently undergoing an engine transplant from the methanol burning Chevy it ran, to a Donovan Hemi with the intention of running it as a static display 'cackle car'.
Hopefully next week, I'll have a decent update to post as I'll be assembling the top end of the motor with the juicy fuel system parts. |
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Author: Chevyonfuel
Author
24-11-2019 22:33:27