Basement Find Today

[dusterdave173]

Hey Gang--I am just a lurker here, learning as much as I can. Have a 200 inch Cenpen( I can tell most here are not fans of a Worm car but it will serve my needs for play )
that I am about to finish up but was poking around and found a very Cool Jim Davis 175 in today--was set up as Jr Fueler then engine replaced with a fresh Donovan 417 Blown--never made it out again. Car is complete, engine all fresh New internals, etc
Has original tags etc
Whats ball park $$ for a unit like this--engine has brand new blower ,  brand new MSD mag, etc she is a nice machine just been sitting in the basement a long time
There was also a vintage Vega Funny car there that has been resto'd and is about 90% finished--pretty sweet as well if you know someone interested in it.

[denverflatheader]

Dusterdave – I like cenpen chassis look, more important is what “you” are fan of… and to have a chassis design keep you safe as possible while you having fun.  Sometime before your cenpen is finished (i.e. in construction) I recommend taking it to a car show for display, with or without an engine in it.  It will certainly draw a crowd, and you will no doubt receive a lot of positive feedback from many onlookers who will be a “fan” of your front engine dragster (and who made the chassis won’t really matter to majority of the onlookers).  After the car show, you’ll have more energy to finish it too, notice I said energy, not money : )   DF   

[dusterdave173]

Thanks man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so happy working on it --the thing has been the best "mental health" aid I have ever done. I bracket raced for 15 years, had an IHRA crate motor car then finally just quit when the bottom fell out in 08--been wanting an FED since 3rd grade so when I found my chassis for a deal I made the plunge! This Feb will be two years since I brought her home. I have a few more tabs to weld on the frame then I am about ready to assemble. I have everything except a body. Want a chute pack shorty but will probably wind up with plain shorty made in the garage.
I have sure learned a ton on this site from everyone , I really appreciate the encouragement!
The older cars I have found are all to narrow for me in the cockpit so the Worm deal worked out better.
Again, thanks for the support.
I understand how many purist must feel about these beautiful cars but my gut says the more of them around the better . I will post some pix as I get closer, here are a couple.

[dusterdave173]

some pix

[GlennLever]

Keep the pictures coming.

[dusterdave173]

Here are a few pics of my progress, I blasted my aluminum slots and painted to look like magnesium, my welds a close up, seat construction, chute mount from King Chassis ( thanks), "office " shot shows where I notched 9 in housing to gain maybe another 1/2 inch of comfort on left leg side, my home made headers, my neighbor made the walnut grips for my butterfly wheel, etc my seat bottom ( don't want to fall out the bottom   )
Wires from Hanson ( Thanks John!)
Slow but sure maybe ready by spring

[dusterdave173]

few more

[225digger]

nice project looks like your off to a good start ..... but you need another bar under that front rollcage that goes from the top rail to bottom that a huge area without one

[dusterdave173]

Getting mixed messages on that--Worm says will cert like it is--others say add bar I am confused--I do not plan on going any faster than 8.50 range--should be a struggle to get that fast with my engine plan and...that is plenty fast enough for me--now..Worm built this one a long while back , have specs changed? I am not interested in certing for any faster
Help me out here
I am not cutting it up to add any sleeve in upper etc ( or sure don't want to
)   Help!!!!!!!!!

[225digger]

just becuase it will cert doesnt mean its safe , thats just a big area without a down bar to give that front hoop some support . even if you dont plain on going fast which 8.50s is plenty fast , if there was an accident all it would take is for the right angle of impact to make that thing buckle . remember the SFI prints allow for a minimum amount of bars to cert ,you can add more bars if you would like to make it stronger or stiffer , i dont have the prints handy for a 7.50 chassis , but i dont think you would need to cut it apart , just simply add that extra bar on each side .

[225digger]

ok i just looked on my 2.6a specs {7.50 slower}, they dont give a deffenite answer on where that down bar needs placed , but on the 2.4b specs {6.30-7.49} they require a down bar maximum 6" from that front cage hoop . minimum of 1" . it also requires a sleeve inside .  but no sleeve on the 7.50 specs . i would just add that bar and not worry about it .

[dusterdave173]

Cool!!! Will get to fitting a bar right away
Thanks for the input!!!!!!!!!!

[Geri]

I know Worm and he  builds a very nice chassis although I'm a bit lost on the torsion bar mount, I don't know whats going on with the cuff,  if it's a FED how can you go wrong?

[ss4]

Hi there DusterDave,

I have a Worm car as well and love it and have 4 shows planned to hit this summer, including the US Nationals and Yes I am a beginner to the Fed world.  Looking at your car with the 4 bars across the back you have the same chassis as mine and as you got it from John it will cert to 6.0.  So no worries either and if you take care on welding it will run straight as an arrow.  PM me I would love to chat on your project directly as well.  Maybe we can feed each other a little.

[rooman]

Hi there DusterDave,

I have a Worm car as well and love it and have 4 shows planned to hit this summer, including the US Nationals and Yes I am a beginner to the Fed world.  Looking at your car with the 4 bars across the back you have the same chassis as mine and as you got it from John it will cert to 6.0.  So no worries either and if you take care on welding it will run straight as an arrow.  PM me I would love to chat on your project directly as well.  Maybe we can feed each other a little.

I am not sure how it is going to certify to 6.0 unless he added the sleeve to the top rail (under the cage front hoop) as noted by 225 digger.  Are you planning to run S/C at Indy?

Roo