Messages

1

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Wilwood rear disc brakes

« on: November 13, 2014, 03:58:15 AM »

After a local racer crashed his RED twice with pad failure with his lockhearts which failed (lost a puck both times about two years apart)his wife forbid him repairing it and he sold the car to a friend. We had two other at our local track have similar failures. I do not like the set up and so did the math finding that a set of normal caliphers from a minim van had more then sufficient ability to stop the car and were a much better made piece incapable of that failure so I made asset of adapter plates to replace the airhearts, machined up two  spacers to pop in the pistons to bring the calipher and pad in proper contact with the hats already on the car. I used a ceramic hi quality pad available at  any parts store in North America. That was over 10 years ago and the car is still run regularly and has been tagged with no issues two times. He reports braking is not an issue and in fact since the change I don't believe he has ever used his laundry although maybe I just aren't always there. Pad life has been good . In fact I think they are still the ones I installed. That is how we solved a bad problem on one car. Why do you have a resid valve on disc brakes? Unless the master is along way below the caliphers (which is near impossible  on a fed or RED) a resid valve should not be installed and even then it is a bandaid at best. Resids are for drums. And they are a very misunderstood device.
don

2

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: From first run to last of the Senior Dragster

« on: November 11, 2014, 04:37:06 PM »

LIFT = When fear exceeds nerve lift your foot from the throttle.
During a recent hospital visit (in a white truck)for another health issue it was discovered I broke my spine at L4 during the mishap in Sept. It is now 7 weeks and I can still not get put of bed on my own. They told me 3 to 6 months healing. Still wouldn't trade that last run. She was really cookin!
don 

3

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: From first run to last of the Senior Dragster

« on: October 20, 2014, 07:42:38 AM »

Thanks. It has been a wonderful adventure. Just finished winterizing it. Even gave it an old pat on the slicks like you would your pet. Been a great car, and still is!
don

4

Front Engine Dragsters / From first run to last of the Senior Dragster

« on: October 20, 2014, 06:01:57 AM »

Short video pics and old video original set up with six snowmobile carbs and mild street cam at Shannoville several years ago. First pass ever on the car .
Next I went to a self designed custom made cam, Single four Eddy carb and Offy intake. That is when the front end started coming up at good bite tracks.
I sold the reworked Eddy carb for a fortune so tried a reworked Holley 600 DP and installed a A&A governor kit for adjustable auto shift. This was the first easy shakedown pass on that with a in car camera and its video quality is much better then the handheld's. By now I am only running at Picton Airfield.
Next installed and debugged the new tunnel ram twin Holley 2bbl set up. I think this is the second run that day. This thing is now going too fast for me and I lift just before the traps. In fact you can see me reaching for the brake.
The last is a still photo taken as I just flash by the traps. This will be my last pass driving this car. Too fast for me now and too hard to get in and out of now.
These span about 8 years.
don

5

Six Cylinder Drag Vehicles / Re: I saw a couple Of six cylinder Altereds and Thought I would share them

« on: October 18, 2014, 09:14:46 AM »

Nothing more fun for me then running a six with all homebrew stuff and being able to run with the big dogs.
Just got the Video clips from the last three races I ran at. I am down to only one fellow who will run me. The rest refuse even when the starter motions them to pair up. The race organizer and race tech guy along with track video man where here last night till midnight. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
According to them when pressured as to why they wouldn't run me they said the feeling was if we beat Don it is no big deal as he has a couple of hundred cubes less BUT if he beats us we take so much teasing for the next month or so about being smoked by a six cylinder we just aren't going there.
Now that I have retired the car they can sleep I guess.
don   

6

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Das Auto Gasser build . Slant Six VW bug

« on: October 15, 2014, 01:34:10 PM »

I found TDC and installed the distributor then found a fuel pump gasket and installed the stock fuel pump I used with the six Tillotsons.
Little trick for finding TDC comp.
First always write your engines firing order on the shop wall and write it with the split.
1843
6572
So you know what cylinder is on the opposite stroke.
For me with the six
153
624
so if 1 is on comp then 6 is on overlap.
To find which one is on comp, put a hose snuggly in the spark plug holes 1, then 6 and blow in each one. One will have no resistance and one will build pressure and that one is the one on compression. Crude, simplistic? Sure. Effective? Absolutley!

7

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Das Auto Gasser build . Slant Six VW bug

« on: October 13, 2014, 08:57:59 AM »

I am poking away at the gasser as I recover. Motor and dist are done. I have also been going through some of my old stuff from the sr dragster. I found two old videos from the first day I ran it. I don't know who took them and they are not great but made me grin again. They are FLV format and I don't know how to convert them for current use but this laptop will play them under protest. The first two years I ran it with 6 snowmobile carbs and it worked quite well. However I had to prime to fire just like fuel injection as I had removed the chokes. Often when I needed a prime my crew would be off visiting and I would have to undo and climb out squirt then get back in so I took them off BUTwhen I saw Glenn's setup for priming his injection I realized I could do that easily as well. In fact three of the carbs have hose nipples on the base and would do a fine job priming. Once it kicks it takes care of itself. Three carbs was all I ever squirted anyway. And so today I decided to install the six tillotsons on the gasser providing there is enough room. An IR setup has some very distinct low rpm advantages as there is no inter cyl fuel dilution  and so low RPM idle and response is exceptional. Much better then a 4bbl or tunnel ram. I dug through my spare parts box and discovered I still had the first fuel pump I used with this setup. In fact it was the whole motivation behind the slant six project in the first place. I had wanted to try the six snowmobile carbs. It was on my bucket list. Hopefully since I drained them well they will not need any work even though they have been hanging up for about 5 or 6 years. I am starting to get excited! Here we go AGAIN!
don

8

Gassers / Re: Another VW gasser

« on: October 10, 2014, 04:23:23 PM »

I started recurving my distributor this week. Still have to go very easy as I am still hurting form the accident. My brother stopped by and did a couple of things for me at floor level that I cant do at the moment.
don

9

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: New Book, Just for Fun. The story of the development of The Senior Dragster

« on: October 09, 2014, 07:33:52 AM »

Thank you.
I am in several chapters now. Had a phone call from OTTAWA tues night also suggesting I do it and the fellow had no idea I was into it already.
I have Roland Osborne of Chrysler Power magazine,  the Hemi Owners Assoc and CPPA to thank for my writing. It was he who first started me writing tech and such and he who got me to publish the first book (which is still selling BTW. shipped one out just yesterday) All started when I wrote a letter of rebuttal to something I read. He put pics with it and published it as an article then kept asking for more. Without his shove I would never have even tried. I dint know!!!!! Still do a bit for him now and then.
don

10

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Sr Dragster Retires

« on: October 08, 2014, 09:27:02 PM »

That was the last run video but I think you meant the Gearz Video. I can't do video from here as I m on rural dial up internet and have to go to a wifi location to do any of that. The gearz episode was called Knucklebuster and is the episode where they are doing an 80 Chev halfton. At the end of the episode there is a segment called "what are you workin on" and that is it.  I thinking searching Geaz Knucklebuster would find i.t Has been years since I looked at it but it should still be there on You Tube.
don
https://www.youtube.com/user/StaceyDavidsGearZ

11

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Sr Dragster Retires

« on: October 08, 2014, 06:49:11 PM »

It is called Don's Senior Dragster Run and is by 4408roadrunner.

12

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Das Auto Gasser build . Slant Six VW bug

« on: October 07, 2014, 10:06:15 AM »

Still very sore but bored stiff I went to the shop today and began working on the distributor for Das Auto's slant six.  The motor is already done awaiting install but I may as well do this and install it as it will be hard to reach afterwards. I shorten the curve slot by 1/3 which allows me more initial but less total advance which is what these engines love. Spent about 1/2 hour working at my bench then welding up the slot. That was enough for today but progress none the less.
don 

13

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: lets talk helmets

« on: October 07, 2014, 06:38:10 AM »

I am very happy with mine. Just gave it the severe test two weeks ago. No issues despite the beating I took. Wish they had helmuts for your back and spine. Even more padding under my bum would have paid dividends.
don

14

Front Engine Dragsters / New Book, Just for Fun. The story of the development of The Senior Dragster

« on: October 07, 2014, 03:22:33 AM »

I have been a writer for many years so this comes sort of natural. Since my retirement from wheeling the Sr Dragster several people have asked if I was going to write a book about it. This week my wife spoke to me seriously and pressured me a bit as well. And so I have begun to write.
The book will be called JUST FOR FUN with the sub-title The Story of the Development of the Senior Dragster. I have finished the front cover design and have written the first chapter or forward for it. What will happen with it and who will publish it I don't know yet but here goes. My other two books (Old Reliable and Return To Deutschland) did well so we shall see.
don

15

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: transmission mount

« on: October 06, 2014, 06:28:56 AM »

Interesting thread. I always ran a mount but never solid. At the very least two layers of tire tue rubber under the trans pad with the bolts in and loctited or captured but not super tight however I ran torkflights which are in most cases long transmissions compared to a PG. I had one friend , engine customer, who said I was nuts and is constantly having to weld or replace his trans case because of severe cracking. Usually every season.
don