I can tell you from experience that with a pedal clutch and a blown alky small block you will not be happy with a direct drive setup if you intend to race it. You will not make enough power to get it to launch well.
Steve K.
Is that still a problem if I was slipping the clutch, I know Top Fuel slip the clutch for a way down the track over here.
Just trying to get idea's. Would love to go for a DD car, stand out from all the auto's. Class I would be racing in is a Bracket ET class.
Remember that top fuel guys are making 8,000-10,000 HP, you will likely be 850-1,000. Also note how hot those clutches are after a run. Please understand, not trying to discourage you, I fully understand the "do it different" theme and feel the same way. I hope you do this set up.
Go get in your standard shift passenger car and try to take off in high gear. Even if you give it more RPM and slip the clutch it's a dog. Not apples to apples comparison obviously, but you get the point. That's what your going to need to address. What are you thinking for a rear gear?
Direct drive cars run kind of like a super gasser on a throttle stop in that the first 300-400' is comparatively slow, but at half track come on very strong. Guys in the other lane are used to running wheel-to-wheel with the competition and don't know where you are at. Can be a killer setup in ET, if you can figure how to make it consistent. The short turn around time between runs makes that difficult, even with a blower cooling the clutch.
If you can gear it right, and don't try to put too much static on the clutch you can make it work.
Steve K.
