Now what am I getting into? My son-in- law cleans up foreclosed houses as a side gig. He called me over to look at a "race car".
Turns out it's an honest to god rear engine dragster about 20 feet long. Well, no engine or transmission. But almost everything else. He wants a finders fee but is talking about a few hundred dollars.
The newest tech sticker is 1999 so the big slicks are worthless. If I'm reading it right it's certified for 7.50 so obviously not a top fuel or anywhere near that.
I'm thinking it might be fun to stick a Jaguar V12 in it and see how fast I can go with a junkyard motor and transmission.
So assuming nothing is wrong with it, what's it going to cost me to make a few passes? Oops what's a cheap way to haul something like that home? No, I don't have a 20 foot long trailer or know anyone who does.
My recommendation would be looking for any identifying tags or markings on the chassis and then look into NHRA rules to figure out what it would take for it to pass tech. That's as much information as I can offer but it's certainly an interesting problem to have.
In reply to Daylan C :
Does NHRA even allow 12 cylinder dragsters? I just checked if I remove the harmonic balancer ( not really needed on a 12 cylinder) it will fit.
RealMiniNoMore said:
Pics aren't working. 
Flash lite too dim. Once I decide if it's worth it I'll get some pictures but I don't want to commit to owning something like this unless I can play with it.
just getting it home seems to be insurmountable right now. Unless I can flat tow it? Maybe put the front end in the bed of my pickup? Or is that too Mickey Mouse? It's snowing right now. But I can clean it up once I'm home,,
Hmm maybe I should put the back end in the bed of the pickup and trail the front end!
In reply to frenchyd :
I just went on the NHRA web site and from what I can read the Jaguar engine isn't listed. Not sure what that means. Looks like I have to buy the rule book to find out.
Is there some other group that does drag racing?
In reply to frenchyd :
You for sure won't fit or be competitive in any class that I know of, but you might be able to find some event to make passes at to see if your idea even works.
In Montgomery Alabama they'll let you make a pass in just about anything once. Its after you have a specific time that you may have to make changes. Not to be a spoil sport, but if you cant even get it home, are you willing to buy a trailer, engine, trans, tires, harnesses, and probably a parachute? Those are the things you've addressed plus a couple i would assume degrade over time. Safety running sub 8 second passes is kinda important
Daylan C said:
In reply to frenchyd :
You for sure won't fit or be competitive in any class that I know of, but you might be able to find some event to make passes at to see if your idea even works.
Yeh, basically that's all I want to do. Make a few passes to see what sort of speed it will go. Isn't there a formula ? So much horsepower so much weight = quarter mile time?
what if I could squeeze say 400 horsepower ( wildly optimistic) and what does something like an econo dragster weigh? ( that's my best guess as to what class something like this would be) OK I found it,
some wild guesses as to weight and power.
1800 pounds 300 hp 10.0
1500 pounds 400 hp. 9.0.
1500 pounds. 500 hp. 8.4 ( with my supercharger and a 1200 Holley Dominator. )
Justjim75 said:
In Montgomery Alabama they'll let you make a pass in just about anything once. Its after you have a specific time that you may have to make changes. Not to be a spoil sport, but if you cant even get it home, are you willing to buy a trailer, engine, trans, tires, harnesses, and probably a parachute? Those are the things you've addressed plus a couple i would assume degrade over time. Safety running sub 8 second passes is kinda important
I don't know! Really I know nothing about drag racing. Last time I raced at a drag strip Honda just came out with a new car called the Civic. I trophied my demo in my first pass and that was that.
so what does all that stuff cost? Can you rent it?
The engine and transmission is easy, I'll just freshen up one and do a little playing with the stuff that works. I figure given time I should be able to line ups trailer. The 28 footer I built is reportedly still around.
Look into "test n tune" at the closest track to you. We have it here, where on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon its run whatever you want, not a competition. As long as its reasonably safe and not leaking fluids, daily drivers, 4 wheelers, motorcycles, dragsters and even minivans and work trucks line up 2 by 2 according to what they are (no bikes next to cars, really fast cars dont run next to your mom's Camry) snow machines, etc line up and get to run off the lights like the big dogs (lol) and have fun. There are grudge races, side betting, open containers in the burn out box and all you have to pay is 20 bucks.
Hope this helps, i dont want to scare you off because its tons of fun. Consider going to TnT is your fastest street car first and see if you like it. I used to go all the time but now i have a Miata so.......
In reply to Justjim75 :
That sounds right up my tree. Exactly what I'd like to do. No you have the wrong roll bar? Your seat belts are out of date? You don't have this sort of sticker, medical form, other rule book nonsense?
I know the track at Brainerd is properly NHRA so I can't go there but I've heard of a track over in Wisconsin
The chassis certification on that car to run 7.50 is long since expired, and there will be significant chassis and cage upgrades to make it legal. Running 11s is far less difficult to meet the rules.
The only engine restriction is no more than one engine.
The reason all dragsters don't have British V12s is due to blatant racism and stupidity, for they were forged from billets of the material Thor's hammer is made of.
It has to have in date belts and tires. Regardless of test and tune/speeds.
As far as the cage goes, and chassis, thats speed dependant.
In all honesty, for a "what the hell, why not?" Idea, its not reasonable financially. Youre looking at around 3-5k (engine, trans, safety, tires, trailer rental, etc) to get a rail back on the strip.
Dusterbd13-michael said:
It has to have in date belts and tires. Regardless of test and tune/speeds.
As far as the cage goes, and chassis, thats speed dependant.
In all honesty, for a "what the hell, why not?" Idea, its not reasonable financially. Youre looking at around 3-5k (engine, trans, safety, tires, trailer rental, etc) to get a rail back on the strip.
You forget I'm the absolute king of cheap. So I can safely forget the cost to freshen up a V12 & tranny. I've got gaskets, rings etc.
I've got a new supercharger and drive system. Weld a plate on the carb manifold and Bob's your uncle.
Holley tends to have sales on their carbs but maybe I'll use the SU carbs I've already got. They are bigger than a Dominator because each one has a 2 inch butterfly.
Right now I think I'll need belts, and tires. Plus whatever gear the driver needs to wear( assuming I can't rent or borrow that). Oh! and tires. I wonder how expensive they will be.
I think I should be able to make a deal to borrow a 20 foot trailer. Wouldn't you lend me yours to make a pass? ( if you had one)
Sounds pretty affordable to me. But I don't know anything about drag racing.
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:
In reply to frenchyd :
http://quartermilecalc.com/
That's similar to the one I found . But I assume that's all calculated on maxed out numbers with experienced drivers. Which I ain't gonna be.
Dragsters require a long trailer to move, so don't forget that. Grandpa's last rail was so long we had to open the cabinet doors in the nose if the trailer for the wheels to slide into and disconnect the rear wing and fold it forward.
The roll cage will be significantly out of date. A non-sanctioned drag step might not care but don't expect to run anywhere with NHRA affiliation. You will need current belts.
Is the rear axle a full floater? Does it have parachutes? Wheelie bar? What is the wheelbase? These all significantly change the value.
If you want to see Grandpa's first rail, watch the movie Parenthood, Keanu Reeves crashes it at Orlando Speed World. If you watch close there's a pyrotechnic that does off and throws out a piston to make the car swerve. Rails like going very straight and the stunt driver couldn't crash it for trying.
Streetwiseguy said:
The chassis certification on that car to run 7.50 is long since expired, and there will be significant chassis and cage upgrades to make it legal. Running 11s is far less difficult to meet the rules.
The only engine restriction is no more than one engine.
The reason all dragsters don't have British V12s is due to blatant racism and stupidity, for they were forged from billets of the material Thor's hammer is made of.
I suspect the real reason they don't have V12's is the NHRA didn't want a bunch of Rolls Royce Merlin engines powering Ford Model A's & T's in the early days before they could figure out safety rules.
When JaguarV12's became cheap they didn't have heads that would flow well enough to be effective against the well developed aftermarket heads available for V8's
As far as speed or performance I might make it into the 10's if things go well. Likely not though. In my whole life I've made exactly one pass down the quarter mile. Driving the then brand new Honda Civic. Whatever class they had me in I trophied And that was that. ( I think I was the first guy to do a burn out with a front wheel drive at Minnesota raceway )
In reply to Javelin :
Thanks, I figured that out last night by my calculation something a little less than 20 feet long.
But I built a 28 foot long enclosed trailer for hauling 2 sports cars at a time to places like the Bahama's and last I heard that's still around someplace.
Oh, trust me I won't go near a NHRA track. I'm sure there are 510 things wrong with this idea and that's just the first page of a rule book.
Heck, my cardinal sin is no pushrods! There has to be at least 42 chapters outlawing that!!!
As far as value goes? Obviously none except to a wacko like me who thinks it might be fun.
79rex
Reader
1/4/20 10:04 a.m.
All for the spirit of being cheap, and having fun. But do you really want to do it in a 20ft rail. Seems like things can go from fun to really bad quickly. Safety equipment at minimum would be expensive, I'd guess itll need a chute. With something like this the motor and trans would be the least of your concern IMO.
But if you do go through with it, build thread please!
frenchyd said:
In reply to Daylan C :
Does NHRA even allow 12 cylinder dragsters? I just checked if I remove the harmonic balancer ( not really needed on a 12 cylinder) it will fit.
You're kidding, right?
The longer the crank, the more you need a harmonic damper. Inline sxes are far worse than V8s for harmonics because of the length of the crank, a V12 would be worse.
That said, there are enough people getting out of drag racing that there's something of a market going for chassis. People buy TF/TA chassis with no engine for remarkably little money, throw in a relatively mild engine, and go bracket racing for cheap. I wouldn't pay more than $1000 for a twenty year old chassis with no provenance. They're just really long karts with a lot of money tied up in certification.
frenchyd said:I suspect the real reason they don't have V12's is the NHRA didn't want a bunch of Rolls Royce Merlin engines powering Ford Model A's & T's in the early days before they could figure out safety rules.
They DID have people running Allisons and Merlins in the 50s/60s, when you could buy whole surplus warplanes for basically the price of the fuel in the tanks.
They are HORRIBLE drag race engines. They make a lot of power but they cannot accelerate. Drag racing is a contest of acceleration. People quickly realized this and stopped using airplane engines in drag cars and started using them in boats and pulling tractors, where their lumbering power could be put to better use.
My favorite quote on the subject was "it's not quick but it can taxi all day long at 150mph"
It sounds like an amusing way to pass the time. I'd feel compelled to try it if it wasn't going to cost too much.
In reply to Wally :
You can tell that's a really old car because the headers are pointed at the tire instead of up. The old thinking was to use the exhaust to blow the tires clean. Then someone pointed them up, and the increased downforce got them enough extra traction that very shortly everyone else pointed theirs up.
