We’ve seen a lot of carnage at the drags, but never have we seen a rear axle destroyed in quite this fashion, or with a camera mounted at this angle. We can only assume they had the camera underneath the back of Paul Marston’s Monza to watch shock travel or some such thing, but what they got was way more than they bargained for as they got an up close and personal view of this 9-inch Ford explode. I’m not sure if this was a high strength nodular iron third member or not, but it certainly goes to show you that there is a reason why companies like Strange built big bulletproof carriers to avoid this type of thing.
In the video you’ll see the car doing it’s burnout, with smoke covering the screen. But all is clear when driver Martin Curbishley puts it on the chip and then lets go of the trans brake. It’s at this point that all goes wrong, as the center section is ripped apart. It would appear that something went wrong inside the third member and the pinion tried to climb the ring gear and shoved the entire front of the third member toward the front of the car. I’ve never seen this actually happen, although I’ve seen the same aftermath a time or two. This video angle is one not usually seen, that’s for sure, but we’re sure thankful to Andy Dibley for sending us the link. This isn’t pretty, but you’ll find yourself watching it a couple of time at least.
Press play to watch.
Hi,
This video is footage from my camera, we were indeed looking out for shock issues on Paul Marston’s Monza driven by Martin Curbishley (not my car – not my team, just helping out a pal). But to correct you, it’s not a 9 inch Ford but an Olds axle – it went bang nonetheless!
I just thought I ought to take some of the credit!
Dave Gibbons
Oh, and as for the cause, this axle has seen duty for many years. After the diff being pulled from a road car about 35 years ago it briefly saw duty in an alcohol car, then fitted to a casing in this car which first ran as a Pro Mod some time around 1984, then the car ran in Super Gas and currently Super Pro and Super Comp. Not only is this car used as a regular race car it is also a drag race school car – it gets a LOT of use. Simply, it was time for it to let go.
I’ve seen similar catastrophe on my friend’s FJ40. His tired old F135 motor was on its way out, and had been for a few years, but he kept running it until his hybrid late F155-block-and-Early-2F head motor was built.
I guess that during this time the rear diff had developed some slop but it was never an issue with the old motor pushing only about 70 ponies. The new motor made roughly double that and ripped the rear diff apart.
Many thanks to my buddy Dave Gibbons for the camera footage. The car was in first round of UK Top Sportsman Heads up Quick 16 at VW Action Santa Pod Raceway Aug 2014 (fb uk top sportsman)Yep its an Olds axle, the one that was used in early Pro Stock. With Dave Mingay driving this car then known as Hellraiser won the first ever Pro Modified UK Championship. Don’t think anyone ever made an aftermarket third member for these.
I think you are right mate. Whether they made aftermarket parts or not I picked most of it up off the track;-( ( in my weekend job as crew for Paul Marston Racing!!)
Looks like the springs are clapped out on the shocks, almost in coil bind just sitting on the ground with the weight of the car.
Well since it looks like that center section turned into a sledge hammer and beat the coils to death anyway, so its time for new suspension regardless!
Paul Marston on Sky Motors TV presenting the Mopars made him almost as famous as me …… oh and Mike Lacey and Ady Randall !!!!!
Solid brake line from body to axle? Is that what I’m seeing? WTF?
I’ve done this before!