Something funny...[Nitro Funny Car build thread]

RBZ5416

That's good to know, never really took to the 1000' change. It was understandable in the wake of Kalitta's death but I was surprised it was made permanent, especially with the fail-safe device that kills the pump & deploys the chutes on a backfire. But as you say, I suppose it was more to do with shutdown areas & I guess we'll never know what speeds the NHRA nitro burners would be hitting now over a full quarter. Possibly eclipsing Sammy Miller's hydrogen "burners"!

Chevyonfuel

I remember when DSR ran the 4.420/336 (or thereabouts), there was talk that 4.30's and 350mph were possible. I think regardless of the awful fatalities, the change was imminent anyway. The rear gear rule has been around for some time (3.20:1), if that dropped to a 2.90:1, the engines make the grunt to translate that to 340mph quite easily.

There's some talk about reverting back to 1/4 mile nitro racing, but with a revised engine combination. The trick to slowing them down is relatively simple; take away the pump volume - by default, it means having to back down the ignition and blower drive. The NHRA were experimenting with it, but it all went quiet and we now only see 1000' racing at the top flight.

From a fans point of view, it's a double edged sword really. We all want 1/4 mile racing, but not neutered or diluted. In the same way as F1's the pinnacle of circuit racing, you expect Top Fuel and Funny Car to be the top tier, most powerful formula. The minute the current setup is changed, they're not very far removed from the serious methanol burning cars. It's a difficult one, but in reality, at the speeds they go, spectators aren't really getting shortchanged as the cars still cover the last 320', off the gas at 300mph  

Chevyonfuel

An update!
There'll be some chassis new soon, but something that resembles an actual car - the body...here's where we're at:

Fresh out of the mould, the Corvette is shipping next week

                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                 

The original mould is for a 120" wheelbase, so some cutting and glassing is required to give it some more...length.

                                                                                                                                                 

Next week hopefully the chassis will be sorted (it's a story, that goes on and on, but worth the wait).

Chevyonfuel

In among the engine and body bits and pieces, I managed to get a cracking deal on a clutch can (bell housing you'd call it in Blighty).

                                                                                                                                                 

This is a titanium piece, manufactured back in 1987 but is in A1 condition. It's 8 1/8" deep to take a 3 disc clutch and requires no starter motor pocket as the motor's cranked over by an external starter.
Progress ought to pick up a little shortly and it'll start resembling a car...

Chevyonfuel

A few quick snaps of the body and mould that it came out of. Some have said it resembles the Keaton batmobile - it'd look quite mean if it was left in black gelcoat

                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                 

In theory there'll be some chassis bits to waffle about by the weekend, exciting times and it appears to have turned the corner - full speed ahead .

RBZ5416

As you say, getting dangerously close to resembling a car rather than a parts shop...

Chevyonfuel

The final update for a few days...
The body stretching is nearly complete already, 5" added in to get the wheelbase the match the chassis:

                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                       

RBZ5416

I'm intrigued as to how they restore structural strength to the cut?

For others interested in the thread, here's a look at the competition:

Santa Pod Raceway - Drag Racing - Nostalgia Funny Car

outoftheknow

So am I - I presume though that when the car is going in a line horizontals with the ground, the shell strength is not critical? The chassis is solid and the body drops on top of all the strength? I may be over simplifying as usual hopefully the OP can enlighten us though

Chevyonfuel

To some degree, the body is just an aerodynamic cloak, as it's not a stressed member. Given the flimsy nature of fibreglass, they behave like jelly on a plate with or without them being cut into and having additional pieces added.

Much of the strength they have comes from the internal trees and pads that can be either glassed or bolted into the body. These set the ride height for the body and have a front spring loaded latch that locks into the front chassis tubes, with the rear of the body hinged off the rear tree work so it can flip up.

Part of the reason the body isn't more strongly attached to the chassis is the requirement for the chassis to flex. Much the same as the rear engined dragsters, to put the power down, the chassis has to be free to flex, or bow in the middle - with the body essentially resting on the chassis rails and just pinned at the ends, it allows the rest of the car to move as it needs to.

The advantage with fibreglass is of course the weight (the Vette weighs about 50kg before all the tree work, firewall and bath tub go in). It's also easy to repair in the event of a crash, or blower explosion (tends to crack the body around the injector).