What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

[Dolmetsch]

As the early morning sun starts to shine thru the trees we are loaded up and getting ready for Picton Airfield fall race. Already nervous. I was going to also post on another well known site but I see the IRA has put a partial block on me. Enuf already. I am into vintagestyle drag racing and gave up fighting long ago.
Weather here is perfect.
Don

[Supercat]

Don have a great day.
We are about a week away from running our car. 1st time in about 3.5 years. October 16-19 we will run our car at Bowling Green, Kentucky at a National Buick meet. Hoping to be in the top 3 fastest/quickest cars there.

Let us know how it goes today

[Dolmetsch]

What an incredible day!
Perfect weather. Car ran perfect. Amazing how much faster it was when I didnt have my hand on the brake. Even the big cars I ran even if they got me out of the hole I could pull on them all the way down. One guy kept coming back for more and kept getting the same result. Car would pull to almost 6000 grand in the eyes. About perfect. My old pal Warren was there with his camera and he lurks here so maybe he will show us some of the photos. I AM STOKED! Couldn't have been a better day. Several people said you could here my six howl all the way down. My nemesis from last time was there but never asked for a race this time.  Mike ran his old style rail . Was really nervous but he drove it twice and PAT D drove it once for him. Needs a bit of rubbing but broke nothing and had fun.
don

On our way to the drags we participated in the Ameliasburgh fall fair parade. Warren and a pal drove up from the south end as well for the parade as well as Mike and another racer from Keene Ontario. We lined up with our cars on the open trailers and made arrangements with fair organizers (my brother DAN ) that we would be permitted to go by the turn by the police and on around the lake where we picked up another racer waiting with an enclosed trailer and headed for Picton Airfield in single file.  Attendance was huge. I am guessing at 3500 as it was bigger then last fall which was over 3000 (because he has to have everyone sign a release spec and racers he simply counts them when done and knows exactly how many were there.) A few folks were there that had been at Epping. Glen you might know Moe with the other Pontiac FED,an old Buttera car. He was there and always is. Met a few lads from the group here as well which is always nice. Beazer of course was there and was working during racing as well as flogging some of the stuff he has collected over the years. Many ONDR members we there as well. Had two problems First car that ran , a nitrous new stang caught on fire and burned but the guy was out and the local fire brigade always on sight got it out while it is still repairable. later a Nova popped a motor badly and one of the clean up crew showed me a head bolt they found intact and on the ground. Clean up was immediate and no evidence of either disaster could be found later. Times we available thru your smart phones , both 1/8 and 1/4. We had a full 1100 feet of shutdown  and you can make a big sweeping turn onto the back section of the airfield if necessary to give additional slow down without the need for murdering the brakes . As long as your say down around 25 to 30 mph at least. My brother and his wife came up after his fair duties were done for the day and they brought me a medal I received from my parade "Float"  as pictured here .
Tt was the medal for Most Unique Representing Theme. As I said all in all a great day.

[masracingtd1167]

Congrat's Sounds like you had a great day!

[Keven]

While over at Van's working on my '58 Ford F100 project, I went into the trailer and gave the 'Nightmare' dragster a big hug.

[wideopen231]

I found out why there are few chute body cars with the enclosed roll cage,Making the top is huge pain in butt. About ready to take portaband to chassis chop into small piece and drop off at salvage yard for scrap metal.

[GlennLever]

Nice job of no four letter words describing how huge a pain it is!

[wideopen231]

It took extra effort Glen a lot of it too,besides I have used most of them up today.

[Dolmetsch]

After a successful race I took the headers and single four off the engine today. As much as I was happy with that set up especially Saturday I have designed and built the tunnel ram/ header set up and need to get it thru all its teething problems BEFORE next airfield race. It wont be easy I am sure to sort it out but I expect a 30 to 40 HP gain. That should be good for a tenth or so and a couple of MPH in the eyes.
Mike stopped by tonite. Still grinning from his initial outing with the old style hemi FED. Mostly he needs some more seat time . Still as he put it, he got in three passes on his just built car. Broke nothing and now knows it will work with a bit of rubbing. He was also singing Beazer praises as when Mike arrived at the line towing  stone cold motor and tried to run it without warm up mostly because of the excitement level for your first time in a FED and this one he built hisself, Beazer ran over and leaned in the cage  talking Mike thru the deal, calming him down  and arranging for him to push to the side get a bit of heat in the motor and then roll up and try again. "Mike says to me" He really is a good guy you know." I replied "Bob always was, he just didn't want anyone to know it"  Pat Doornbos was also big help to Mike and gave the car a good shakedown pass. Said to me Sat nite  the car is safe and handles very well and has some stomp. Anyway Mike is still grinning from his first day driving a FED .Also told me the skinny on the street is "What did Don do to his 6 cylinder rail since last race?" As Mike told them and I have already mentioned, Nothing. I simply put both hands on the steering wheel so I could not subconsciously be applying the brake. Cars I was running with and just beating by a few inches suddenly found themselves almost 1/2 a track behind. If Bob W hadn't taken that photo last may I would have insisted that I just had my hand on the lever not the brakes on but there was no denying I had them almost fully applied at half track From Bob W's photo. Now I drive with both hands on the steering wheel so the leaning tower of power can get right at it unhindered. I was surprised to see the tach near top RPM in the lights. Surprised a few other unfortunate racers as well.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

Headers are being a bit stubborn. The one pipe hit the trans slightly and the trans cooler. I took care of both of them today. Frankly I am beat. Schon genug for today. Now I have to remove the factory machining locator lugs a slant six has on the left side sticking out from the block deck.   
I will have to tape off everything and work carefully. I know from experience there will be other issues So be it I want this all on and running before the end of fall. Then in the spring at best some tuning will get me back to some fire breathing 8 cylinder eating  smokin runs!
Don

[GlennLever]

I have made the decision that our racing season is done for this year so this weekend the engine and transmission come out of the dragster and the dragster will get stored for the winter (need help to get it back up the drive way this Saturday, normal Car Nut time 9:00 AM). Need to build a shipping crate for the transmission.

That means work on the Gasser starts in two weeks.

Anyone thinking of coming please let me know so that food and drink are on hand.

[Dolmetsch]

Excellent. Next years  success start with what we do now!. Never thought of supplying food and drink. I wonder if the will work for Wuga.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

A lot closer now. Wish I could find a pair of the old stub stack for these 500 holley two barrels.
Don

[Dolmetsch]

Spent a couple more hours today. Getting closer but it seems like a project with no end. I want it running before I put it to bed for the winter.
Don

[proriv63]

Hi, I'm new to the site, I spent the day talking to various chassis shops to determine who I want to build the FED.  I started racing 25 years ago in an old FED, now I'm going to finish the racing career in a new FED.  Looking forward to sharing the project progress and the forum to ask alot of questions. Great Site!

Thanks,
John P.