MGL Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 (edited) I got this kit for one of the engines to use in a future project but I wanted to try my hand at making an old slingshot style dragster. I'm not a drag racer so this is a bit out of my wheelhouse but that just plays into my plans for this. My plan is to build this according to this little fictional story in my head. I figure sometime in the mid sixty's this guy got a good deal on an older dragster and decided to go racing at his local track. He tries to update the chassis a bit and maybe runs a less exotic motor for reliability. Since he has never gone drag racing before some of the work on the car may not be up to professional standards but hopefully it will all work out for him. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm adding almost 2 scale feet to the chassis, removing most of the body work except the shell around the driver, adding a firewall, and I haven't decided on the engine yet. Most likely something Mopar. And maybe some homemade zoomies. What year did they start running zoomie headers anyway? Edited October 3, 2015 by MGL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Interesting project. Zoomie headers came into common use around 1964. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 A less exotic engine might have a carburetor(s) or maybe fuel injection. Back in the 60's there was a class called gas dragsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Today I got the body mostly sorted out and the chassis cleaned up, painted, and the front end and fuel tank mounted. My engine choices are down to either the 440 or the Hemi out of the 68 Hemi (as a Mopar guy Hemi is always capitalized) dart kit. I think I want to try to build a tunnel ram for it and I imagine this guy would want a radiator on this thing since he is a local racer on a budget. Tomorrow I am going to try to get the wheels on, all the controls in the cockpit, finish the body work, and start on the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted April 11, 2015 Author Share Posted April 11, 2015 Didn't get as much done as I wanted on the body work but got the controls in, brakes and wheels on, and started on the engine. I'm using the 440 with the 727 torque-flight from the 68 dart kit. I made an adaptor to shorten the tail-shaft on the transmission. The trans that came with the kit would have fit better but in the spirit of a guy on a budget just starting out I think the 727 would have been a good choice. I'm undecided on running a radiator although I am leaning in that direction. Tomorrow I hope to get the body work right and start on paint, and make a motor mount, and figure out what I'm going to do about an intake. Right now I am thinking about a single four barrel carb on a single plane high rise intake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedfreak Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 The motor looks too small,.......just kidding Looks like a very cool project Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoatGuy Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Looks great so far. I like the story idea behind it. I'll be the first to admit I don't know what rules govern the different classes, but I'm sure you'll have fun with this build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 The late model hemi doesn't fit into the car. It was introduced in 1964. It took almost six years for it to replace the 392. A much better choice to fit into the used rail concept and your body work would be the Hemi from the Miss Deal or a blown Olds or small block Chevy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 I got the intake made and body painted, radiator mostly made, and started detailing the motor. Now there's nothing left but make headers, motor mounts, starter and ignition wires, order and install distributer, research colors, strip and paint carb, run fuel line, coil, radiator hoses, mount radiator, install fuel tank cap, polish paint, make and apply decals, install body, and make and install some sort of air filter or velocity stack, or maybe just modify the blower hat from the kit. Other than that, its all done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkypeanutbutter Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The late model hemi doesn't fit into the car. It was introduced in 1964. It took almost six years for it to replace the 392. A much better choice to fit into the used rail concept and your body work would be the Hemi from the Miss Deal or a blown Olds or small block Chevy. Someone just around the block from the guy bought a new car with a Hemi and it got rear-ended, so the guy sold the motor to Dragster Dude for a couple hundred bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dave Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 A gas dragster won't need a radiator - just a small tank with some cold water in it. If it's an alcohol dragster, it realy won't even need that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Dave- On the roadster that also comes with this kit there is a second tank up by the fuel tank, I wonder if that's what that is there for? But they would still have to run a water pump right? Thank you for the info, time to re-think this. Edited April 12, 2015 by MGL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil55 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 keep up the good work! that colour looks great! do you have the name of the the paint you used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Philip, The paint is Duplicolor deep emerald metalic over Tamiya bare metal silver. Another problem I noticed, after looking at the carberator I was going to use, it almost looks like a thermaquad witch doesnt make sense as it wouldnt have been available in 68 which is the year of the kit the engine came in and also, a holly would be a better carb for this application. I got the following from http://www.carbkitsource.com/carbs/tech/Carter/pages/tqguide-Vaanth.html "The Carter Thermo-Quad is a four-barrel carburetor with a spreadbore throttle bore configuration. It was designed as an emissions capable carburetor that retained or surpassed secondary throttle performance of earlier Carter carburetors, while delivering superior primary fuel economy. The Thermo-Quad consists of three main sub-assemblies, an aluminum fuel bowl cover, a phenolic resin main body, and an aluminum throttle base assembly. The Thermo-Quad derives its name from the phenolic main body. Due to the material of the body, the carburetor bowl can stay 20 degrees cooler than an all metal carburetor in the same environment. The Thermo-Quad was used by Chrysler Corporation in cars and trucks 1971-1984. Aftermarket versions were also produced by Carter." I guess I could dig through my stash for a holly but I need to order some distributors anyway so I will probebly just order some from Morgan Automotive Detail's website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Good looking work, interesting project concept, frame stretch looks very well done. Couple minor points. A radiator is unnecessary on this, as already noted. As you suspect, the little extra tank is for water. Many drag cars don't even run a pump, but there's no reason not to (other than the loss of power it takes to drive it...which might be worthwhile to preserve the engine a little longer) if you have space on the front of the engine, which you will as you're not running a blower. Electric pumps were in use quite some time ago, and will work if your car carries a battery. Your work on the intake manifold is nice and clean, but the ports on a 440 are not all the way at the ends of the heads as you have them. They are paired, like you have, but the pairs are rather closer together. One more thing...an automatic trans is entirely unnecessary as well. It would only serve as a weak link, add weight, and would probably slow the car down. Lotsa rail jobs run no trans whatsoever...just a flywheel and clutch in a scattershield, and an output shaft to the rear end. A guy on a budget would do well to run some sort of air filter, and on a relatively low horsepower engine like this, it shouldn't make too much flow restriction. Grit in the air can take the rings out of a race engine very quickly, and do enough damage to the cylinders to require an overbore. Not fun if you have limited bucks to race on. Edited April 12, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGL Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 (edited) I played with this a little bit in between watching paint dry on other projects recently. I'm starting to move my stuff over to Photobucket so this will be my first try with posting a picture from my account. I added the distributor, carb, headers, fuel line, and throttle linkage, along with a coolant tank and scoop. I still need to add an air cleaner in the scoop, and lines from the tank to the thermostat housing and water pump. Thanks for looking. Edited October 3, 2015 by MGL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewilly Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Looks pretty cool! I like the weathering on he zoomies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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