Nostalgia Fuel Dragster--Blower Manifold (01/28/23)

[Straightliner59]

I got the blower redone. I like it! I have a little touchup to do. I'm considering "anodizing" the butterflies with the clear orange. Any thoughts regarding that? Thanks for your comments and thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

Quick update, before bed...I milled a slot in each of the butterflies, because I figured that to be easier than trying to flatten stainless wire. I airbrushed them with Tamiya clear orange lacquer--the same that will go over the body's colored "panels". I cut tiny chunks of foam rubber to place behind the butterflies. These provide pressure to hold the butterflies against the cross shaft, eliminating the need for any adhesive. I'll pop them out, one last time, to paint the inside of the hat some aluminum color. I've also been messing around with the fuel tank. Comments are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for looking!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

WOW Daniel, you didn't sleep while I was gone my friend...  You hold the fort and your good ideas are another great source of motivation, I've just finished looking at Ian's Camaro and I'm impressed by your respective prowess.  I'll have to get back to it soon, but in the meantime, I've got a lot to get my teeth into! ?

[Ian McLaren]

Love the butterflies, stealing the idea for the throttle shaft and retaining the butterflies and the fuel tank is a definate improvement.  Two thumbs up!

[Straightliner59]

19 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

WOW Daniel, you didn't sleep while I was gone my friend...  You hold the fort and your good ideas are another great source of motivation, I've just finished looking at Ian's Camaro and I'm impressed by your respective prowess.  I'll have to get back to it soon, but in the meantime, I've got a lot to get my teeth into! ?

Thank you, Francis. I just keep plugging at it!? I'm getting into the fuel system, now. I have two more valves to build, now. I got the main body of the shutoff valve built. That one's a three-way valve. The other two will be straight on-off valves, for the hi-lo idle control and the manual hi-speed. This is the schematic I'll be using. The only thing I'll be changing is the return from the pump to the tank will become a pump saver loop, and feed back into the system at the pump inlet. That keeps fuel circulating in the pump, as long as the camshaft is revolving. I'm still debating choices as to how I'll set up the return lines, downline from the other two valves. Not sure if one or both of them will enter the tank. I might use a three-way fitting to join them, then run only one into the tank, and make a plug, for the other hole. I think that might be a little more interesting. Glad you are temporarily back! Thanks for checking in, my friend!

7 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Love the butterflies, stealing the idea for the throttle shaft and retaining the butterflies and the fuel tank is a definate improvement.  Two thumbs up!

Thank you, Ian! I think that foam rubber really worked out, well for the butterflies. I am thinking of painting the tank an aluminum/silver color, with the idea that either would help keep the fuel cooler than the black. I like the black, though! I'm getting pretty excited about putting the blower bet on. I think it'll look pretty neat!

[Straightliner59]

Working on fuel system components. I originally made the fuel control valves from brass, but I decided that they were too big. I didn't have smaller material to use, so they're now plastic. The brass wire is one piece, through the valve body. That should provide plenty of strength to keep the fuel lines in place. The other brass valve is the fuel shutoff. It should be fine. I found a pretty nice casting of my old Enderle barrel valve (K-valve). It's cleaned up an ready to go. The short lengths of brass tube will be check valves, once I'm done with them. I still need to remove the bolts and re-drill the holes so that I can mount the cable bracket for the shutoff (DUH!). The aluminum material will become valve levers. Your comments are always welcome. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

Fuel pump and shutoff valve progress. I have detail paint to do, along with the arm on the shutoff and painting of that component. The thick hex on the inlet side (bottom) of the pump is the return for the pump saver loop. The other end goes to the side of the shutoff valve. 

[Straightliner59]

The fuel pump is done! I still need to make and install the control lever for the shutoff. I'm happy with the pump saver. I see by the photos that I need to straighten a fitting. I test fitted it (again) into the front cover. It slipped right in! I'm having to carefully plan order of assembly, to avoid any major omissions...and subsequent reconstruction. I think my next order of business will be the fuel tank, return lines and main fuel line. At that point, I will be able to hook up the shutoff cable and the control cables. She's coming along! Questions, critiques and comments are welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

The bracket for the fuel controls, and the "Y" manifold that reduces the number of return lines to the tank to one. These parts are painted, now. I'll be selecting the fuel line material, next. Thanks for looking!

[Ian McLaren]

Great update Daniel, you have outdone yourself on the fuel system, everything looks great!

Edited July 24, 2023 by Ian McLaren

[Straightliner59]

5 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Great update Daniel, you have outdone yourself on the fuel system, everything looks great!

Thank you, Ian. In talking with a friend of mine with a long history around fuel racing I learned that this car shouldn't have a manual control for the idle control. Those are pretty much check valve, and an adjustment by the crew chief, at the last second. Since mine's already installed, I plan to connect and install the valve, as it is, but connect it so that it looks perpetually "off", which renders the driver control inoperable. I'll explain the control and the valve as a dummy with no guts that is only there to mess with people in true "Surfers" tradition, to go along with the "Thanks to: Tom Jobe" lettering on the yellow scoop! What do you think? That way, I can do it right, even though it's wrong, with no extra work!?

[Straightliner59]

I've been digging for fuel line materials. The two returns will be weighted trolling line. I made the fittings on the mill, using 1/16" aluminum tube, then tapered them on the lathe. They're the first decent ones I've made! The trolling line is colored using a silver Sharpie. The Sharpie ink dries rapidly, is thin, so it doesn't obscure the braided detail, and pulling the line between my fingers doesn't smear it. That's a winnah! Also pictured are three variants of the material I'm using for the main line to the barrel valve from the pump. It's some 37 year-old MSC Model Products Multi Braid I. At the bottom is the line, as it's packaged. Above that is the braid, removed from its original inner wire, and installed over some .020" lead-free wire for weighting hand-tied trout flies. Finally, at the top, I used it to cover some .015" lead-free wire. I really like the way this stuff "feels" over the soft fly-tying wire! You can also see the return line valves and manifold assembly. If things go right, I'm hoping to have this assembly installed by the time I go to bed, in the morning. Thanks for looking!

[Ian McLaren]

The lines and fittings look great, and your friend is technically correct but if that valve is in the idle chech valve line you could leave it there as a trimmer in case the check valve leaks internally or sticks open. If it's left open the circuit works normally but if the check valve malfunctions as stated it will lean out the idle circuit and if stuck fully open may lean out the entire fuel curve somewhat.  if the manual valve was then closed it would stop some or all of the bypass, therefore enrichening the engine as the bypass works opposite to what most people think, as you are limiting the fuel going back to the tank more fuel is available to the engine.  It becomes a safety measure rather than a tuning aid. I do like your other explanation as that would add somee interet and humour to the story.

[Straightliner59]

On 7/24/2023 at 2:51 PM, Ian McLaren said:

The lines and fittings look great, and your friend is technically correct but if that valve is in the idle chech valve line you could leave it there as a trimmer in case the check valve leaks internally or sticks open. If it's left open the circuit works normally but if the check valve malfunctions as stated it will lean out the idle circuit and if stuck fully open may lean out the entire fuel curve somewhat.  if the manual valve was then closed it would stop some or all of the bypass, therefore enrichening the engine as the bypass works opposite to what most people think, as you are limiting the fuel going back to the tank more fuel is available to the engine.  It becomes a safety measure rather than a tuning aid. I do like your other explanation as that would add somee interet and humour to the story.

Thank you, Ian. I appreciate your explanation. It makes sense to at least have a manual back-up--and an added measure of safety. Thank you for that, as well. Now I'll have to think about which approach to go with. It's not likely I'd ever have to explain it, anyway!? Most people don't even know about that kind of stuff, much less think about it enough to notice it!

The return is complete, except for the fitting for the tank end and the levers. I ended up machining a brass fitting for the tank return, because I didn't have anything else the right size. Next, I'll finish the hard line from the tank that the braided line will connect to, and its fittings, and the levers for the valves, then, this can be mounted to the chassis, and connected on the tank side. I really love the way the braided trolling line looks. I'm going to look for other weights of it. Questions, comments, critiques and clarifications are welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Straightliner59]

I managed to get the valve assembly installed. Prior, I had to install the actuator levers. Since these photos were shot, I connected the return line to the tank. I had to make a new fitting, as the first one disappeared into the great void, with a "tick" of the tweezers. I still need to connect the cable ends to the fuel control valves. Then, I can finish installing the tank, and main fuel line. Thanks for looking!

[Pierre Rivard]

Coming along beautifully Daniel. Exquisite detailing and realism.

[absmiami]

Ooph …

[Straightliner59]

20 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said:

Coming along beautifully Daniel. Exquisite detailing and realism.

Thank you, Pierre. Every time I think I am about finished with something, more stuff comes up!? Thanks for your kind comments!

 

5 hours ago, absmiami said:

Ooph …

Getting there!

[Straightliner59]

I've hooked up the actuator cables to the linkages. Also got the return to tank hooked up. I've started working on the main fuel line to the pump. I need to make a fitting for the tank end of that, and make and install the other two hose clamps on the pump end. I'm up about three hours past my normal bedtime, but, I'm going to get a nap, and hope to make some real progress, later today, and overnight! Comments are always welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[Ian McLaren]

I'll have to look at this line, I have a huge sporting goods store about 5 minutes from our home. Also the progress is great. --  respect!

 

[Straightliner59]

12 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

I'll have to look at this line, I have a huge sporting goods store about 5 minutes from our home. Also the progress is great. --  respect!

 

Thank you very much, Ian. My late friend, Mark Brown extolled the virtues of braided fishing line. I would really like to find some other sizes. I am very impressed with the way this looks--and behaves.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

I think I got a lot done, over the last 26 hours, or so! I built the main fuel line and machined a fitting for the tank. I installed two hose clamps on the pump side of the flexible connection, and haven't installed the two on the tube side. In test fitting the pump and main line, once they were in place, I decided to just cement them in place. That part of the fuel system is virtually done, sans those two clamps.

I then milled the heads of four .023"X1/4" nails to hexes, for mounting the idler pulley bracket. I milled the head of a 00-90 hex bolt thinner to mount the idler. I was looking to see what I thought of a matching nut I had thinned, and I couldn't get it out. I guess it's going to live there. I think I can camouflage it with a wash, or two. It looks as though the pulleys will align, so, that's all good!

I have another bracket/tab to add to the shutoff cable. In addition to that, I rearranged a bunch of stuff for my machines, and I like it a lot better! As always, questions, comments and critiques are welcomed. Thanks for looking!

[bytownshaker]

The detail and workmanship on your dragster is simply amazing Daniel.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

What we have here is a great demonstration of talent and a good lesson in mechanics (with contributions from experts who know what they're talking about), the best of both worlds! ?

[Straightliner59]

17 hours ago, bytownshaker said:

The detail and workmanship on your dragster is simply amazing Daniel.

Thank you, Edgar! I appreciate it. I have so much more fun when I am fabricating stuff!

14 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

What we have here is a great demonstration of talent and a good lesson in mechanics (with contributions from experts who know what they're talking about), the best of both worlds! ?

I've been fortunate, over the years to be friends with, or have contact with many people associated with drag racing. It's been a great benefit. As always, Francis, thank you for your kind words and your encouragement!