What path to choose ?

[Flint78]

First of all I would like to say hello, since  it's my first post here. I live in Warsaw/Poland and I love drag racing. Slowly getting up the chain. Right now I have a door car, full metal with BBC and Lenco. I am thinking of getting something new, that after some time I can get into low 8's.

  It is hard to get a decent time here, since we don't have a real dragstrip that is prepped. We race on airfields. Good thing is that you have a lot more space to save the car if you need to. Bad is the traction. That is why AWD dragsters rule this place.

I've always wanted to keep it RWD as it should be. Traction provlems = more fun in solving them. Right now I am 8th in the history of rwd turbo drag in Poland. We have diferent classes here.

I am giving myself a season off racing for new project, and winter to figure some basic stuff out.

Righ now I am thinking about a path to chose.

My  garage is small. 5.5 meters long. So I  have to pick a project that will fit inside it. It is also easier to transport a shorter drag car. Plus you wont have to buy a custom made trailer for that.
I want to get it done for spring 2017. In that time all my money will go into finishing it, so I won't be able to get a real trailer to transport it. It will be transported on open trailer for at least a season.

I'm not sure about all that difference in classes and naming since we don't have cars like that in Poland so I might say some silly stuff.

RED are out of the question since they are LOOONG. I think the main question is  should I go short FED or altered. Correct me if I'm wrong but Altered is when you have engine in front but still have the rear behind you - you don't sit over the rear. Of course there is also roadster / altered path. I'm not sure where they belong into. It's like a FED but shorter and you sit on a side.

Do both of them can be equipped with some kind of rear suspension. We don't have 100% flat surface to race on.

How are things when it comes to safety. I have raced against one Altered Topolino and  the thought of sitting on top drivetrain is weird to say the least. 
I've had few situations where my car got on fire - OIL leaked on the engine and Lenco and the fire got inside. But since I have a firewall and tranny tunnel I was out before it could do any harm to me.

So how safe are they compered to - for example a PROSTOCK car.  Do you guys build some kind of safety tunnel  and shield over a transmission and reared ?

My initial idea is to use BBC i got in my Camaro right now. I will part out the rest of the car to cover some costs of new stuff.

It's Dart 4 bolt main bored to 572 with 7-81 roots sitting on it with 2 carbs. It can spit out around 1050 HP . Will engine like that be compatibile to frames that are on the market ?

having said that I think it is smart to buy a used rolling and start from there. I don't have the knowledge, and idea what should be done and how. Maybe after 1-2 seasons in it I would get some idea how to tune the chassis and everything but right now - not so much.
Not sure how often I can find used dragster that is shortbased, will fit my BBC into, and also have a cage for 240 lbs guy


thanks in advance
Flint

[rooman]

Flint,
       It sounds like an altered or street roadster style car would be your best bet. If you race on smooth surfaces a non suspended car should work OK although you may be able to hook up a little better with a car with a suspended rear where you are able to make adjustments (although that introduces more variables) If you have experience at tuning the suspension in your door car for different surfaces that would be a plus.
   The offset seat cars are usually classed as "street roadsters" and most often run in super gas or super comp over here although some also run in competition eliminator. They also have a little more aerodynamic drag with the full fenders that are required for those classes but are also somewhat lower and could be a little more stable than an altered which will have a higher center of gravity with you sitting above the drive line.
In recent years quite a few chassis builders have been turning out "late model" street roadsters using modern bodies with the roof removed and something like that may be your best bet. They are relatively light, generally have a four link rear suspension and are aerodynamically stable at speed. Another plus is that it is usually easier to find one with some cockpit room compared with a center steer altered.

This is a traditional T bodied roadster


And this is one of Don Davis' late model versions. The Davis car has the advantage that it is available with a one piece body that flips up funny car style to make access to the mechanical bits a little easier--no leaning over fenders etc.


Roo

[GlennLever]

Welcome. Sounds like you have quite a project to complete.

[Flint78]

Thank's guys for the info. It sure will be a fun project to do. We have just one drag car like that coming to Poland for races. Its this baby




I have always been 2nd when racing against it in my Camaro. Never had a chance since the weight deference is huge and they have it very well dialed in.
They say - can't beat them - join them. Beside I love the radical look and feel of open engine and driver outside. It's way more appealing to me.
2nd thing - the more radical it is, more crowd pleaser it will be. That way I have a bigger chance to get at least maintenance cost covered by sponsorship somehow.

Don Davis Roadsters look awesome. The idea of funny car like body lift is great.  The down part of that path are costs - from my first glance at builders  roadster will be at least 10K more than altered or FED. \

And I kinda like the idea of open wheel look. So old school.  I bet roadsters are easier to transport thou.

I think I can get around 20K for a starting budget. just need to sell Camaro as a roller and find a buyer for my 92 Typhoon. Rolling chassis would be great in that budget. Got the engine and will buy a glide later on.

Inhaling info more and more.

[rooman]

Flint,
       how about this one?

http://www.racingjunk.com/Super-Gas/182526063/27-Suncoast-Roaster.html

Roo

[Flint78]

Looks nice, although I will have to wait a month or two in order to gather up the funds.  But still visually i tend to go more for open wheel type of car. 

What should I check in a car like that - what features are good, what are bad options ?

cheers
Flint

[rooman]

Flint,
      here are a few altereds for you to look at.

http://www.racingjunk.com/Altered/182553801/1923-ford-tee-125-inch-altered.html

http://www.racingjunk.com/Altered/182558083/nostalgia-T-bucket.html

http://www.racingjunk.com/Altered/182555422/PRO-ALTRED-GREAT-PRO-7.0..OR-NE1-NEW-6.0-CERT.html

http://www.racingjunk.com/Altered/182553801/1923-ford-tee-125-inch-altered.html

http://www.racingjunk.com/Altered/182583777/-23-T-Altered-125-Wheelbase.html

The last one is listed as a mild steel car but as it is a Spitzer I suspect that it is really a 4130 (chromoly) car.

 The moly cars are preferable as they are generally stronger and lighter and have better resale value (although that is probably not a concern for you. The one which does not have a price listed is $7,500. ( I called him and checked) Although it last raced with a Ford motor the mid plate is drilled for a Chevy and he has a big block Chevy header kit that would go with it. If you do find something that you are interested in I can probably arrange to have it check out to make sure that there are no issues (read problems) with the car.
  Keep in mind that these are asking prices and in most cases a reasonable offer will buy the car for less that what it is listed for.

Roo

[dreracecar]

Weather those cars as Roo posted or anything else you find, one of the first questions asked is if the car carrys a current cert or when was the last time it was certed. The answer of "NO / I dont know" is a clue that one should look elsware

[Flint78]

Good hint dreracercar   - check cert - got it.

Roo - those are great. Thanks a lot. I will pinpoint  exactly what I want thanks to those links. Unfortunately I will be buying something early spring, not sooner. And for sure will take you up on the help you offered. It is hard to buy blind.  I just can't wait till I finally get the base for it and start to mingle with engine mounting etc.

[Flint78]

Guys - can you put Vintage funnycar body on altered frame ? Was just thinking about some options in the future. They look wicked. DO you need a specific wheelbase for that ?

[Paul New]

Quite a few of them were funny cars in the beginning of their life. As far as wheelbase 125" is most current bodies now you need to think do you want a big overhang in the front of a more period correct look of no overhang? I think 118" was pretty common for the 70's cars

[dreracecar]

All depends on the wheelbase. But unless you have crew, space and a lot of money, I would stay away from the F/C body.
Bodies take a lot of work to mount and tin properly, they take at least 4 people to lift off the chassis to work on the car either at home or the track and a place to put it. More weight means more power you need. F/C's required to have a fire system where as an altered at that ET is only reccomended.
 Altereds/roadsters are the simplest cars one could own and work on that still fit in ones garage and still close the door.

[Paul New]

A 1000hp will get an altered into the mid to high 7'sif it is in the 1800 or so pound range

[Flint78]

Yea, you guys are right - I can't gather a team of 4-5 ppl that will always accompany me to the track. I got 1 maybe 2 guys tops. So body is not a good idea.  Altered is the way to go.

What do you mean by the "BIG OVERHANG" in the front ? You have to excuse me sometimes - English is my 2nd language.

[dreracecar]

Overhang is the distance measured from the front spindle (usually the left front) to the most forward part of the car. For dragsters it 30" and F/C -Altereds its 40".  since the downtrack timing cones have the beams set at 6", the front end triggers the beam. the only timers that are triggered by the front tires are the starting beams. Having an overhang gives you a 30" lead off the timers and shortens the track 30" while the distance from your front tire to the finnish line remains at 1320'