Messages

1

Front Engine Dragsters / Bootheel Fuel & Gas Drags

« on: July 30, 2024, 05:05:53 PM »

Took part in the Bootheel Fuel & Gas Drags at our home track, Skelton Raceway in Sikeston MO this past weekend. It's a nostalgia deal with what I'd call "exhibition racing", no winners or losers, just run when you're ready and maybe arrange a grudge race with someone. They did have awards for low ET and Top MPH in various classes like dragster, altered, gasser, etc.. Top dragster run in the 1/8 Mi., and fastest of the meet was 4.72 with a 146 MPH speed. Yeah, he used a chute!   Car count was about the same as previous years, around 90 or 95 cars I think.

I was really pleased with how my mild FED ran after a recent carb and intake change. I finally joined the Holley crowd. In 5 consecutive runs on Friday we ran within .04 second ETs ranging from 6.69 down to 6.65. Car finally cracked 103 MPH too. I think with a bit more tweaking we might be able to dip our toe in the 6.5xx water, but I'm pretty happy to just have it fairly consistent. I told the track owner it was a shame it wasn't a Saturday night bracket race, but we had a good time. That's what I built the car for.

Unfortunately I had to tow home with the open "lollipop" trailer in the rain.....bummer

Lynn

2

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

« on: June 30, 2024, 07:28:29 PM »

I spent a good bit of time last week switching my "econo-rail" from a Rochester Q-jet and dual-plane intake to a Torker II with a dual line 600 Holley. We had been struggling this year to get it to match last year's performance and after several failed fixes to the fuel system and Q-jet I finally caved-in and decided to join the Holley crowd.

Did a test and tune Friday night and raced last night. By the 2nd run at the TnT we were within .05 seconds of the car's best ever run, and I think we set a new high on MPH. Seemed a bit "fat" on fuel so we did a smaller jet swap on the secondaries and plan to get a jet assortment this week to do some more tuning to the carb, thinking it is still a bit rich on the mild 305 Chevy. The car was pretty consistent again and not head scratching over what the problem might be made racing a whole lot more fun again.

FWIW.....we're just foot-braking in the ET bracket class so consistency is our goal.

Lynn

3

Front Engine Dragsters / Drilling and Tapping an Extra Hole in an AN Fitting

« on: June 18, 2024, 07:13:26 PM »

I'm re-plumbing the fuel pump and lines on my FED and need to install a 1/8" NPT fuel pressure gauge. A really convenient spot would be to drill a hole and tap it for NPT in the side of a 3/8" X AN-6 90 degree elbow. Big question is whether there's enough thickness in the aluminum fitting to get a good seal and not compromise the elbow's strength. We're only talking about 8 or 9 PSI pressure in the fuel system after the regulator. The drill size needed to tap 1/8" NPT is just a tick over 5/16".

I could add another fitting or two to provide a place for the pressure gauge, but I always figure that adding more fittings is just adding places for potential leaks.

Thanks, in advance.

Lynn 

4

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Strange Brake Question

« on: April 07, 2024, 02:01:38 PM »

I installed the rebuild kit parts and all is well. It baffles me what might have been the problem but the brakes work fine now. Strange charged me $33 to ship a 5.5 Oz. package from the Chicago area to Southeast Missouri though. No overnight or anything just UPS Ground....seemed excessive!

Lynn

5

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Strange Brake Question

« on: April 01, 2024, 08:07:16 PM »

Upon inspection of the piston and bore there's no sign of wear, scuffing or scoring. I have a rebuild kit on the way. We'll see what happens when I put it all back together.

Lynn

6

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Strange Brake Question

« on: March 31, 2024, 07:43:54 PM »

I printed out the 3 page installation and use guide from Strange which included what your post included. The bent pushrod was a rod that was about 8 or 9" long going from the foot brake pedal and threaded onto the MC pushrod. I admit, it was too weak and bowed one night but thankfully the chute slowed the car before the end of the track shut down area. It bent pretty much and also bent the pushrod of the MC itself so I replaced the whole MC. I have since fabricated a stronger pushrod going from the pedal to the MC. It's not 100% a straight line push but I don't think it's more that a few degrees off of straight with the MC bore. I'll get the body panels off of the car tomorrow to investigate more.

Thanks for your reply!

Lynn

7

Front Engine Dragsters / Strange Brake Question

« on: March 30, 2024, 07:57:35 PM »

The title is actually a little bit of a play on words. I have a Strange Engineering B3362 (I think that's the number) Fast Fill master cylinder on my FED's brakes. Other than bending a brake pushrod last year the brakes have worked fine. I replaced the whole master cylinder when that happened ($$$$) and the brakes have been fine. A problem developed today so we loaded up and went home.

If the driver steps on the brake pedal rapidly it feels solid and stays in place if you keep pressure on it. But, if he's "feathering" the brake, like during staging and then applies more pressure to footbrake the car the pedal drops slowly. I'm puzzled why it holds under quick application but leaks down with gradually increasing pressure.

Any thoughts before I tear into it early next week? I still have the old MC and have thought of putting it back on, but using the pushrod from the new MC since the old one had been bent slightly.

Now if anyone wants to help with my off-the-line stumble which is messing with our ET big-time, I'd be doubly grateful! Right now I'm more interested in making sure it will stop before I worry about making it go!

Lynn 

8

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Test N Tune

« on: March 22, 2024, 09:30:11 PM »

OK....check the box marked "Drive a FED". My car has run a best time of 6.62 in the past but I made less than a 10/10 pass and let off a bit early a ran a 7.33. I was really happy it was even that quick. To me, the car comes off the line a lot harder and quicker than it ever looked like it does.

I look forward to making some more passes in the future. It was quite a rush for this 71 year old and makes me appreciate what the regular driver does with the car!

Lynn

9

Front Engine Dragsters / Test N Tune

« on: March 22, 2024, 02:31:08 PM »

Heading to the drag strip for our second test and tune event of the year. We raced the car about 10 times last year but tonight is the first night I'm going to try making a pass. It's probably been 50 years since I made a pass down an 1/8 Mile track so if you see this in time let's get those prayers out there for a safe and enjoyable pass.

Lynn

10

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: winter upgrades?

« on: March 17, 2024, 02:58:49 PM »

We were at our first test 'n tune yesterday. Made 5 passes and disregarding the first pass the ET's were within .09 second of one another. Driver probably needs more runs to work on reaction time. A couple runs he was really good, a couple others....not so much.

We plan to make another TnT Friday evening and I might finally make a pass or two. I can guarantee they won't be all-out, just enough to say I drove it and then I'll hand the wheel back to the driver. Then again maybe I'll be a natural, but I doubt it.

Lynn

11

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: winter upgrades?

« on: February 27, 2024, 07:50:26 PM »

You have W-A-Y more ambition than I do! Last Fall I drained the cooling and fuel system, and really scrubbed the slicks and dropped the pressure to about 2 PSI and put them in the basement of my house to keep them warm and out of UV and the dust and dirt I create in my shop welding, grinding and generally making a filthy mess. Now it's almost time to fill the water and gas, change the oil and maybe the rearend lube, put a slow maintenance charger on the battery and see if it still runs. Life is pretty simple with a footbrake, mild-engine, pump-gas FED

We aren't really trying to go faster since we bracket race only, but hope with more passes we can become more consistent. Looking forward to some nice days and evenings at the drag strip. Never know, we might venture farther away than just the two tracks closest to home.

Lynn

12

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: GREETINGS

« on: January 03, 2024, 04:48:22 PM »

I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy 2024!

Lynn

13

Wanted to sell / Re: New, Unused Dragster Axle

« on: December 11, 2023, 05:34:39 AM »

SOLD

14

Wanted to sell / Re: New, Unused Dragster Axle

« on: December 05, 2023, 07:19:32 PM »

I had a request for a bit more info so thought I'd add it. The axle tube is 1.5"  Wall thickness unknown but I would expect 3/16" (.188"). Kingpin bosses are 2" tall and the kingpin hole according to my dial caliper is 11/16" (.688")

Lynn

15

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Still Haven't Raced At Our "Home" Track

« on: November 28, 2023, 11:04:49 AM »

Hmmmm.....LineLoc on the shifter. Interesting thought. Thanks.

Lynn