Intro New old guy

[Dolmetsch]

Hi, Don here.  My FED is a bit different I guess. It was built by me after I retired as a fun car, nostalgia style and moderate power. I had only one goal. To have some fun racing in my later years. It is not, nor was it ever intended to be, the worlds fastest or most exotic or best of anything. It was built to be inexpensive, safe and fun. It has exceeded my expectations, especially in the fun department. The roll bar may seem to some exceptionally large. So am I (306 lbs. )which is, simply put, the reason why. I had also determined the car had to fit in the box of my Dodge Ram for transport and it does that nicely at its 96 inch wheelbase.  This will be my 7th year running it. I race at Picton Airfield exclusively with the occasional trip to nearby Shannonville when I am up to it.  Despite its simple, short design it has proved very popular and has appeared on Gearz  TV many times at the end of the Knucklebuster episode. It has also been in 7 magazines so far much to my surprise since I built it basically as an old boys last toy. It handles exceptionally well and runs like it is on rails. I always have to race V8s and occasional beat them. That is nice but it is mostly just for fun.
The motor is a 1962 slant six from a Valiant bored .156" oversize in a giant experiment that proved out. The pistons were liberated from a chev six and the valves are made by me from stainless chevy 305 replacements. Cam was made for me by Comp Cams to my specs (Thank You Chris Ryan) and is a hydraulic. An 8 inch converter from my friend Frank Lupo(Dynamic Converters) helps the tiny little motor (246 cu in) launch this big old boy off the line, usually with the front wheels hanging in the air. Carburation has been 6 Tillotson snowmobile carbs on a HB manifold , a 750CFM Eddy on an Offenhauser fourbarrel intake and a 600 DP Holley on the same. Despite the huge variety not much difference in performance.
Gears are 3:91sin a 8 3/4 mopar with posi. I let the trans autoshift with a A&A Trans govenor kit (6200RPM max) Trans is of course a 904 style TQ
I guess that is about it. Have another FED under construction. An early 318 poly rail 131 inch WB. No rush though. Just something to work at . 
Don
Here is a pic from Picton Airfield a couple of years ago before the new body. My pal and nemises Pat Doornbos in his BB Chev FED is beside me. We always run each other and yes, occasionally I have actually won.

[denverflatheader]

Dolmetsch - Welcome, thanks for info on your car, "cool"  DF

[Dolmetsch]

Thanks.  I have since changed the body style to a more traditional appearance. Here it is just before paint.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

Glenn suggested I post one of my videos.
 
This one is from last fall's Picton Airfield race. As you can see I wasn't pushing it. I have 4700 stall but was leaving at 2700 and I had the shift set at 3/4s instead of up around 6 grand.  My wife said I was having so much fun I was just too relaxed. I will just call it a senior moment. In truth it didnt matter that day. It was thoroughly enjoyable.
Don

[GlennLever]

Thanks,

It is so easy to lose sight of what I think is the purpose of racing, to have fun.

It kind of twists my tail when someone call my dragster a hobby car, but then I remind myself I do this for fun.

[Dolmetsch]

One of the things that is hard in life is the transition from work to play. It also applies to Drag Racing. For years I fielded several successful door slammers at local tracks and tracks west. Often we led the points most of the year. Always for at least ten years had a motor from my shop in the top 5  points race at the local track and a few big wins along the way. All of the sudden or so it seems you know in your heart it is time to back off. It could be health wealth eyesight or simply you run out of patience with the politics of racing. Still you aint dead. Would like to go out when you feel like it for some fun with the ol lads. This was my solution and it turned out to be a good one. It is not uncommon to have Bob Beazer (Mr NHRA Rain Dance) in my pits helping, visitng or sometimes he even helps my competition.  Old friends from years and years ago show up to chat and reminise. In between burgers and "baloney ; >) we race(three maybe four runs. ) There is always some idiot who trys to ruin the experience calling to attention some mythical thing we did wrong on the build or wheelbase or in my case the large rollbar. I tell you it is getting harder and harder for those comments to bother me.  I have nothing more to prove I guess. I no longer "spend money I dont have to buy things I dont need to impress people I dont like "  The funny thing is this car is more fun then the other projects ever were.
Now let me tell you about neg comments from others.
One day at the Shannonville Nostalgia Race on Canadian Thanksgiving I had the Sr Dragster pitted behing my Dodge truck mid pits. A old friend , Gary, who used to go racing with us in the early 90s happened to see my car and truck. Since we had not talked in about 8 or 10 years he asked where I was. Fortunately the guy next door knew I had gone for a burger and would be right back so Gary waited. Within minutes he said an "expert" (aka person WITHOUT a racecar) stopped by and asked him of it was his car. Gary said, "No it is Don's , why?" The guy said," Well he built the roll bar all wrong. It is too large. Gary smiling inside said" Don will be right back. Why dont you wait and explain it to him. I am sure he will want to know that. " The guy took the bait and stood around waiting. Within minutes I appeared around the corner plodding along munching on my burger. I am old but still a big feller at 306 lbs. "Ah there he comes now" Gary said. He said the guy took one look and said "I gotta go"!
Gary was still laughing when I got there.  As I age I get smarter. Now if I hear something like that I say, " Lets go and have a look at how you built yours." So far, in several years, no critic has had a car there.  Why? Because people who actually buildand maintain stuff know the effort and diffficulty involved and for the most part can appreciate that while it may not be the way they would do it, it is still here and running and that is no small thing. Critics are like Armchair quaterbacks. Having never thrown a pass or made a tackle they KNOW how it should be done. (yeah right!)  Ignore them Glenn. Eventually they will go away. Sometimes BTW announcers can be the worst offenders.
Don

[ricci32]

Don any progress on your new car.