Trying to learn...

[SaltandPepper]

As I am in the middle of customizing the look of my FED to fit the wife and I, I am starting to learn more about what I bought. I figured out the chassis was built by LJ Race Cars and the transmission is from JW Performance. I know I have to take this with a bit of salt but the tranny was manufactured in 96, so that gives me some idea of a possible age of the car. I believe it is a 2 speed powerglide....Are these trannys  pretty standard for 1/4 mile racing? The wife and I went to the strip tonight just to get a feel of the track but I noticed that all of the cars running the 1/4 mile ran threw 3 gears.....although non were FEDs. We walked the entire track figuring out the 1/8 and 1/4 mile marks. There were 2 REDs there, one with a heck of a fuel leak which he did not seem too concerned about....I would have been.
We stopped by VP fuels and I was amazed at how many different fuels there were. I guess I will try the VP110 or 113 since it is a little higher octane. Right now to start it the guy I bought it from put 100 octane airplane fuel in it....I will probably suck that out and discard it depending on how much is in the fuel cell. I take care of a fella at my work that use to drag race, his advice to me for my first run was just to take the car for a ride....don't even worry about the ET. Think I will take his advice. I hope to make my first run by mid May.

[Paul New]

Yes 2 speed powerglide is what you will want to run! As far as fuel what compression are you running?  I know quiter a few people switching over to E-85 as it fairly inexpensive to run.

[jeff/21]

 Your buddy is right easy first pass make sure you know where all the controls are without looking and if everything is working right. then check for leaks then establish a routine   and enjoy!

[SaltandPepper]

Your buddy is right easy first pass make sure you know where all the controls are without looking and if everything is working right. then check for leaks then establish a routine   and enjoy!

Paul, I am not sure. The fella that owned this machine only made a few passes with it then passed away with cancer. His son liquidated his estate but did not know much about it. He stated that the FED was his father's dream so as I repaint it I am going to make sure I have the father's name somewhere on the machine....seems only right. As I start to get into the inspection and servicing I will post more pics in an attempt to have others help me identify components.

[jeff/21]

I would read up on av. fuels before using it the specific gravity (weight) is less than automotive gas. so you have to run bigger jets to flow the same
am't or it will run lean . is your car set-up with a rad pump and fan?  just run what your motor needs to make it happy as you saw racing gas is expensive. E85 is a good alternative I don't know what has to be changed, i haven't tried it as it's not available around here. if you use pump gas always use the same brand and buy it were they sell a lot and if your travelling bring your gas with you as pump gas changes from area to area.

[dusterdave173]

AV gas is not at all what you need--the VP110 is plenty to start with unless you have some crazy high Compression ratio
Using more octane than is needed to support your actual compression ratio is a waste of $$ --also stay away from expensive oxygenated fuels--you simply do not need them     110 will support just about anything within reason and if engine was built for gas not alky I am sure you will be OK with 110

[jeff/21]

what i was trying to say is not to use av gas. and use the lowest octane that your motor is happy with,