Drag Racing Discussions > Front Engine Dragsters
Where to Start
swilling:
Hey Guys - i did some searching and couldnt really find much specific to my question.
Looking at getting into building a fed. Im a hot rodder who's built and restorted a couple Muscle cars, Pontiacs mostly and a Mopar project about to get underway. Build my own engines and trannys, do all my own welding and fabrication and just starting to dabble in machine work.
My first goal would be to build my own from a chassis kit, and run an N/A budget iron headed Pontiac stroker. I have all the engine parts laying around no sweat.
I'm not looking to go so fast i could time travel just yet. Just want to get into the hobby and learn and understand, then go from there, and most importantly have fun building and tuning the car. Also looking forward to attempting to build the Sheet metal skins from scratch as i love that kind of stuff.
Where do i go from here, i see a few chassis kits around, while i undesrstand the regulations have changed and so have what is now a certifiable chassis but who makes the most period correct appearing chassis?
forgive me fro the newb questions, but hoping to start buying end of htis year and building through next summer. Just want to learn and have fun building something cool.
Cheers
Sam
Supercat:
Sam welcome.
I would look for a chassis that will get you going. Find the shape you want and buy it. Take it to see what et it is safe for and what changes need to be made to upgrade et.
I bought a mid 60s 148" Fed with a magnesium body knowing it was not anything more than a history piece.
My wife and I will be using it this winter as a pattern chassis.
We will incorporate the new SFI changes and use chromoly pipe to make a period correct car that is safe.
You should be able to find a decent chassis to build from.
Trust me the upgrades alone will make you feel like you built the car ;D.
What size Pontiac are you going with.
Here is our Buick 455 FED that my wife and I put together.
dreracecar:
There is so much that goes into building a dragster chassis correctly that the wise move is to have one built by someone that is tooled up for it already and then you can do the rest if you like.
To a newby even with thinwall CM welding skills, not welding in proper temp, fitment, sequence will become a disaster. More time is spent on fixtures, lineup bars, mockup engines, trans, rear end housing, getting to the starting point of laying the first piece of tubing in place, then it does to build the frame.
Investment in a SFI 2.4 spec chassis book ($35) is where you should start. building to any other spec is a waste unless you plan to run Fuel. The difference between 2.4 and the 2.6 (7.50 and slower) is less that $100 worth of tubing and in my opinion, easier to build.
Find a local builder, it requires a couple visits by you to size it right for you body type.
Most builders have their own idea on what traditional is and will push their ideas on you because thats what they are tooled up for, but there are some of us that understand what you are looking for and will make every attempt to fulfil you desire.
Other than that a good choice is to find something already out there and modify to suit. With that, you can develop a sense of likes and dislikes to put forward into a new build. If going that way, do not consider a used car unless there is a NHRA/SFI sticker on it, can be out of date, but it must be stickered
nostalgic371:
I really agree with the responses above, you will be way ahead on money and time if you can find a tagged car that can modified just a bit to suit your needs. If not, do give a lot of consideration to having one built by a reputable shop, you will still have a lot of satisfaction finishing one you receive as a roller, I also feel they re-sell better if you later decide some day to move on.
masracingtd1167:
I am Sure any one of the chassis guys on here will build you a car in any stage that you want and then you could finish it the way that you want to !
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