Fed build design ?

[rooman]

I’m not to big, 5-5 170, what’s the reason for shoulder hoop width?

So that you will be comfortable in the car. I know that some older cars are as narrow as 18" but they were usually direct drive and now you need to have enough room to shift etc. My standard chassis is 20" inside the hoop as  most of my customers wear a -15 firesuit. Also it is a good idea to use a double bend shoulder hoop (straight section in the middle) as that avoids having your shoulders pushed forward which happens with the big radius single bend hoop.

Roo

[dreracecar]

Roo,
  Just because you are a runt, does not mean everyone is,  A small framed person can be fitted into a large car, a large driver can not be stuffed into a small car

[Dave Koehler]

Concerning the length.
I have seen more than one older city garage adapted to the car by building out a doghouse on the backside.
Dog house was just tall and wide enough for the front end to go through
First time I ever saw one was when REDs came about.
I knew the car. When I drove up to his place the garage looked waaay short.
Yup, I looked outside and then inside.
Remember the old bugs bunny cartoon with the Arabian tent. Same deal. Little tent outside, palace inside.

The fellow built the dog house because zoning and property taxes for a garage add on was an impossible barrier.
With the dog house he mentioned that zoning never sees it.
I looked out back and true, he had camouflaged it by making it look like a real dog house.
Different siding and shingles than the garage.
 Even painted a black hole on one end to look like an entrance.
You had to look twice to realize it was fake.

I have also seen 2 piece diggers. Even rear engine versions. Give that some thought.

[dreracecar]

If he wants a Buck-Fifty car, let him build one,  built correctly--- they work just fine.    Scrap any notion of building a 2-piece chassis, 

[dreracecar]

138"  mid 8's consistently  never a wiggle

[dreracecar]

I’m not to big, 5-5 170, what’s the reason for shoulder hoop width?

 Most cars today are built with the shoulder hoops (21" centers) 19.5 inside, older chassis were made  ( 19" centers) 17.5" inside width. Everything is bigger now because of the drivers safety equipment(firesuits and helmets) which adds bulk to your body, If a HANS is required, a wider chassis is easier to get out of. Even the thinnest of shifters take up room which makes a tight car even tighter. Dragster's are very restrictive and you have to roll your shoulders to climb out, you will be surprised what an extra 1.5" means>

[Curly1]

I’m not to big, 5-5 170, what’s the reason for shoulder hoop width?

Build it as big and wide as you can, you can always use extra padding to raise you up but if cage is too small you can not ever sell it unless they are smaller than you. I am 5'11" and I built my dragster to fit anyone up to 6'3" or maybe more. If you are 5'5" and you build it to only fit you then you would never be able to give the car away. And you need room for padding, helmet clearance.

[Roger]

Short garage, long car? Make the chassis a 2 piece unit. My pervious car was a 2 piece chassis that worked and ran great. Never took it apart but the original owner did. The first photo shows the car backed into the trailer on the left and the front half of the chassis is suspended above it. His cackle-fest dragster is on the right with the front axle and wheel hanging above it. And this is all in a 20 foot trailer:) A blown engine like you're are wanting to install will work better and be more consistent in a longer car as opposed to a shorter car. Just another thought.

[dreracecar]

A blown engine like you're are wanting to install will work better and be more consistent in a longer car as opposed to a shorter car. Just another thought.

   Not true