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The "Whatever" Project

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  • dave.g.in.gansevoort
    replied
    Originally posted by Captain View Post
    Nice vintage picture.
    Not much for a "Booger Bar Bumper" up front !!
    ​​​​​and is that the "Mud Screen" for the Windshield or the radiator laying on the front suspension.
    also liked the inverted torsion bar on top for more Ground Clearance to lower the car.
    This picture is from Lebanon Valley and it's end of the season race the Valley 200. It was late October 1974, and by this time of the season everyone's cars were beat, bruised and bent. This car actually looked pretty good for probably it's 2nd or 3rd from last race of the season. I'd have to guess at this point that the mud screen was for the driver not the radiator, as it looks too big for up front.

    As mentioned above, this car had Falcon front spindles, for a valid reason. The suspension loads were thru the upper ball joints, as they were in compression. Just like the early Mustangs, which were reskinned Falcons for all practical purposes. If you could see the upper a-arms clearly (my bad. Old pictures by idiot photographer, me), you'd see a bell crank attached to it and a really near installation of a coil spring horizontally with a threaded rod thru it for load jacking. Springs were just junkyard parts picked by some semblance of theory for spring rate. So the sway bar was up high to clear crap in the nose, and to get it's load effects into the upper ball joints.

    And aerodynamics weren't a consideration on short tracks in those days.

    Leave a comment:


  • Captain
    replied
    Nice vintage picture.
    Not much for a "Booger Bar Bumper" up front !!
    ​​​​​and is that the "Mud Screen" for the Windshield or the radiator laying on the front suspension.
    also liked the inverted torsion bar on top for more Ground Clearance to lower the car.

    Leave a comment:


  • dave.g.in.gansevoort
    replied
    Originally posted by Russell View Post
    I have always wanted a quick change. I believe they are not the best for drag racing. So I really don't know what I would put it in theses days.
    There's probably good, better, best rear assemblies for any application. I grew up around dirt track racing, and the qc was considered to be the best due to ease of matching gearing for the track/condition that had to be adapted to. In one class way back when, a qc was not allowed, so the go to rear was a Ford 3/4 ton truck rear. 6.13 gearing or 5.80ish something ratios for our home track. Then change tires diameter to try to match conditions. My 1st car had a 57 Chevy rear, and it ran in 2nd gear to get the revs up. The Ford 9 inch was used in some cars, notably the Picture help cars driven by Gerry Chamberlain out of Pennsylvania.
    Click image for larger version

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ID:	1326469 This car was unique, not just because of the 9-inch rear. That's independent front suspension, on dirt! You can see Buick drums, what's hard to see in the picture is what the spindles are. 60's Ford Falcon! Why not? The car was owned by a salvage yard. And the engines were big block Fords. I remember seeing both FE and 429/460 engines.

    You drag racers have used many rears also. Olds/Pontiac in the early 60s, Chrysler 8 3/4, GM 12 bolt, Ford 9-inch, and so many other rears. Some were better than others.

    If I were to design a new rear axle, I would have a main design criteria of minimal energy loss when picking the gear design, followed by ease of maintenance and gear changes. Then independent suspension or beam axle. Would it have plug in axles or floating hubs. And you can see I like the look of an open tube quick change rear.

    Man, I can get sidetracked so easily! It's like the time with the barmaid, the Turkish towel, and the can of whipped cream... But I'm much better now!

    Leave a comment:


  • Russell
    replied
    I have always wanted a quick change. I believe they are not the best for drag racing. So I really don't know what I would put it in theses days.

    Leave a comment:


  • dave.g.in.gansevoort
    replied
    Click image for larger version

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ID:	1326447 Click image for larger version

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    Sonny is growing! I drove over to Vermont today and picked up this midget quick change rear. The parts are going to define what Sonny becomes. But now, back to the garage and the whatever project !

    Leave a comment:

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