Featured Hot Rods Top Banana Style Slingshot Dragster- Marty Strode-Chris Kopp.

I’m also amazed at the talent Marty possesses. Truly incredible

 

Another buddy that has done body work for me for 30 years is moving back closer to me. He will do the final assembly of my 40 pickup. I can’t wait to see it push starting the Dragster. Just another reason to have a clutch and transmission, instead of a Powerglide.

 

Will this be a closed cockpit? If so how do you deal with smoke issues? Does it just blow out quickly, I hope. Or may be it's no issue at all.

 

Yes, it will be closed. Are you talking tire smoke ? If so, I don't see that as a problem, and the exhaust pipes should be an aid.

 

Ok, I guess I am asking about potential hazard smoke. Like lubricant spill or something like that. Maybe this doesn't occur like I presumed it might. And come to think of it if the engine is built right , it shouldn't.

 

Well, do you have a calendar on the wall counting down the days until Toutle?

 

Next -

 

The first Dragster that Kent Fuller built, Daddy O’ s Diner.

 

Today, Tim @Blown Red Ram brought me the parts to set up the 3rd member, a new set of 4.30 gears, a lightweight 30 spline spool, and a bearing set. He also brought an NOS set of American 12 spokes. It turns out the wheels were for Anglia/P&S spindles. My first thought was to profile and shorten a set of 37-41 Ford spindles, so they would work. I remembered a set of Fords I took of a front axle, that had 6 hole Chevy hubs and drum brakes. I don't how many times I nearly threw them in the scrap pile. It turns out the machine work that was done, has me half way there. The rear bearing from the 12 spokes fits perfect on the modified spindles. It will require, running the threads back about 3/8 of an inch, sweating on a sleeve, and turning it down to fit the new outer bearing on the snout. I will also polish the the outside lip, front and back on the 21 spokes. Also, the NHRA Tech Inspector dropped by yesterday, and said everything so far will meet the SFI Specs. So now I can go forward with confidence. I will be running the smaller M&H's from before.

 

I was wondering if you were going to run 12 spokes. I'll sleep better tonight. haha.

 

Marty the spindles I have on the 40 ford front axle in my dragster have been turned down and modified for the 19” motorcycle wheels I use on it so don’t worry about doin that my car has pulled many wheelstands even a great big one at the meltdown years ago that rocky phillips photographer posted up on the internet years ago they have never bent or fractured or anything I inspect them along with the rest of the car quite frequently so my thoughts on machining the spindles is go for it

 

I went with a power glide in my otherwise vintage styled dragster because I couldn't afford all the routine clutch/can recert stuff with the NHRA. For a car that MIGHT see 20 passes on a busy year and less than half of them on an NHRA sanctioned track, I just couldn't swing it. Doing high gear only launches with no trans brake, so I'll have to pretend it's a B&M Torquemaster until I hit publisher's clearinghouse...

All the best with the dragster build! I'm subscribed to the thread.

 

I wish you luck with high gear starts with the Powerglide. With a big enough pump and nozzles, you could run some Nitro, to get the power at the hit of throttle, needed to get it off the line. I ran a couple high gear cars, with a clutch, but both were blown and ran in the 190's. Never knew how much power they made, but I would guess in the neighborhood of 900 HP. Glad to have you subscribed, and looking forward to seeing you at Toutle, and other venues.

 

Of the simple methods that I, along with my Brother Tom have devised to make things easier, especially when working alone, this is the one I treasure the most. When I was doing the cage on Jim Lindsay's Bonneville Roadster, the most difficult part is always coping and getting a good fit on the front hoop, with the angles and heights to maintain. Since his cage was 1-3/4", one size over the specified 1/5/8", I decided to bend a hoop out of exhaust tube, and make it fit, for a pattern, being thin it is easy to work with. When re-using the hoop for another application, that was shorter, we simply cut the ends off at 5", then removed a short section on each end, and held the 5" pieces on with hose camps, so we could rotate the ends to get a perfect fit at the merge. Well this time I made end pieces out of 1-5/8- .065 that slide inside the main hoop. It allows me to not only, rotate to fit, I can telescope the hoop up and down to vary the height. When the hoop is at the desired height and angle, I lightly tack the ends in place, and remove it to slide into the joint jigger against the side of the hole saw. I then check and record the angle with a digital level, to make fitting the real hoop a breeze. I tacked the temp on, and found I can move it back an inch, and still maintain the 4" from the front of the cage to the front of the helmet.

 

That is a great trick! Solves the problem of not having enough hands and eyes when you are working by yourself. Saves material too - very important at todays prices.

 

Dude, I’m not that far away if you need a dummy to hold something while you tack it and you know my work schedule. I wouldn’t even say anything if you shocked the crap out of me with the TIG welder

 

I know, I am just piddling around, finally got some antibiotic for this nasty cold, hope to be up to full speed by early next week.

 

Morning,
Great tip! That compound miter is always a speed bump. Looking forward to seeing the car.

 

Awesome build Marty! We can all learn a lot watching you build something.

 

Thanks Boys !

 

“…I wouldn’t even say anything if you shocked the crap out of me..”

@Marty Strode
That’s funny

 

I got the spindles cleaned up, and the the notches someone had cut to clear brake hoses, welded up an slicked down. In able to machine the areas needed, I made a barrel to screw onto the spindle nut thread. It will give me the hole necessary to index the live center, to complete the process. In order to hold the spindle on the other end, I needed long jaws for the lathe. My old buddy Lonnie Gilbertson stopped by to have me bend some tubing for him, and offered to loan me the proper jaws, to machine the spindles, and some for holding the outside if the wheels. That way I can lightly sand and polish the wheel outer lips, in the lathe. If I can find the proper outer wheel bearings, I will only need to machine the flat area of the spindles, instead of machining them down, sweating on sleeves and turning them back to .750". The outer bearings in the wheels are Timken LM 12749, and have a bore of .863". I need the same bearing with a .750" bore.

 

Shock treatments, can be beneficial, maybe we should give that I try Larry!

 

I think the Timken number is LM 11949. We used a lot of them in Go Power wheels many years ago.

 

Thanks Terry, I thought if nothing else I would spin out a couple sleeves and Loctite them in the bearings I have, so I did, and they will hold the wheels on, until I get the LM 11949's.

 

I agree and you’ve seen my shoulder. My uncle used to do electro-acupuncture on race horses and is does do good things. Unless you were thinking electro therapy via “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” style…

 

I was thinking of using my Lincoln Tig 300/300, for a power supply, unless you prefer the Airco/Miller Goldstar.

 

Dr. Emilio Lizardo, I presume?

 

You’re the doctor, doctor.

 

We got the transmission apart and the tail shaft is out getting shortened and re-splined, if my friend can do it, depending on the hardness. Meanwhile, I am looking to make some 6" Injector stacks, or shorten the 10" ones I have. Then thinnest 2-1/8" plain steel tube I can find is .049, the Hilborn ones are .035. I found some .035 steel, but it is galvanized. The thinner the metal, the easier the flares will be to make. The side shot shows the top of the green tape is 6", about even with the top of the mag. Also, the long aluminum tube shows close to what the profile of the body will be.