A/Fuel Funny Car

I'd build one tomorrow if NHRA would allow it. Hanging around the pits with some of the A/FD's racers made me a believer.

Any comments?

RG

 

Would that be a heat-treated tubing chassis, or no?

 

We had our A/Fuel funny car built to be IHRA legal, and they changed the rules the next year. We did not leave any room for a blower drive/belt, so we can't just convert it. Been running it on alky, and found a new home, the "Southern Classic Funny Cars" they are a great organization to run with. We are based in Florida, and sponsored by one of the largest chevy dealers in the southeast USA, "Michael Holley Chevrolet" of Lakeland, Florida. Pics, video and schedule at: www.BackMotor.com

 

I would build one in a heart beat too. I have always wanted to drive something that leaves off an idle, doesn't shift and goes really fast and doesn't need to turn 10,000 rpm to go fast. Sort of like a rocket powered go- kart. Dave Germain

 

With all the issues that dragster class had and has, the only way I could see it would be feasible is if it were an entirely different class, not combined into TAFC.

 

True, but it would be awesome!!

EDB

 

This is the coolest thread on here.

I mean,.. next to Clint Thompsons blog,.... hehehehe

A/fuel funny car would Rock,..
.........minds well bring back Pro Comp too, while your at it.

 

I would like to see pro-comp come back as well, or at least some version of it, miss the diversity, remember twin engine dragsters, injected on gas plus nitrous oxide (Herbert), or twin turbo-ed BBC on alky (Chase Knight) or Nitro injected funnies like Veney's vega, our rear engine A/Fuel funny would fit right in here is pic, more info on our website: www.BackMotor.com

 

How old is that thing since it doesn't have helment bars, must be "dated"

 

Hey good eyes, yeah built in 1998, needs minor updates to recertify, but we have been running at outlaw tracks, for the past 5 yrs with it, recently joined the "Southern Classic Funny Cars" we will run in the southeast USA for 2008, and will be NHRA/IHRA certified to do so. We run on a 7.50 index (4.90 in the 1/8th) just started shopping for chassis shop to update us. Here is different angle of it.

 

INJ Nitro FC

I signed on to this post JUST to warn Randy G- Nitro is maybe the most ADDICTIVE disease one can get- CAREFUL!

I'm thinkin' 550 CI and 150 less pounds. High gear only. Cool, HUH!

Former user of nitro (since '60).



NSP

 

For a few posts there I thought my topic had been hijacked. Thanks, Norm, for bringing us back.

Blown alcohol hasn't been exactly easy to put down. I'm nearing the 20 year mark racing TA/FC after 17 years of racing almost everything else.

I was hoping to hear from the likes of DT, Clint, etc. on this along with the AFD/TAD guys. The Joker has spoken on my Nitromater thread about it along with Marshall Topping who said he would build a car if NHRA opened it up.

Marshall who?

RG

PS: Nathan...do not fear the unknown. Walk the pits and talk to the really fast AFD guys and ask them what they think about it. You might like what you hear if any of them take the time to talk to you about it.

 

I dont think you would need to take a survey on this, I know
there is more than enough driver/owners in TA/FC that would,
if they could, switch to A/FC if (Nhra) permited it that is, in (their) sand box.
I have worked on both, I am a racer, I like to race and contribute
my skills and hard efforts to win, be it TA/FC or A/Fuel diggers, I will
always be racing, but combine the raw of nitro with the funnies, and
in my mind its the best of both worlds, UNBLOWN without killing motors and saving money on parts.
A/Fuel funnies, once established CAN, and will go the distance if allowed.

I will be there when this happends,
and I will take part and contribute to it too.

ITS IN MY BLOOD

 

Just what we need; some more piss-boxes in the alcohol classes. TAFC is definitely at a high point once again (similar to late 80's), there is no need to screw with it right now.

 

Bad idea.

This class is expensive anyway you look at it. A good portion of the expense is traveling. At least I know that when we get back to racing (hopefully this next year), we can put the car back together and continue where we left off.

Randy, as a team owner who has had several drivers over the years, you should be able to appreciate that.

The class seems to have parity except for Manzo. And lets be honest, he has always been bad ass.

I would rather we work on getting NHRA to give back the race dates we lost with Phoenix, Las Vegas #2, and Denver. When they canceled Denver and Phoenix I lost a $30,000 dollar a year sponsor. He wasn't interested in given me money for the two Division races and Las Vegas #1.

 

i have been told that nitro is the most aggresive solvent known to man kind. it will dissolve everything from bank accounts to marriages

 

Hi, my name is Randy. I'm an F/C-a-holic.

(Quote from crowd) "Hi Randy."

Pat, it just got screwed with. Now we have to weigh 2,300 pounds. Except that my new driver is heavier, I might need to attach a trailer or something to make it that heavy. Is there anything in the rulebook about towing trailers? Maybe a small U-Haul with a fridge and a complete dining room set in it would do the trick.

Lawren:

Just a comment about having had different drivers. I can tell you having a good driver is way more important than a good race track, good blower or a fresh clutch. Without a good driver you won't even care (or know) if the track is good, the blower is great or the clutch is even in the car.

At the risk of pissing a lot of people off, I think there are only 5 or so people right now who can really drive these cars. I mean really drive them to their full potential, making it possible to see if a tune-up change worked on the very next run or not, getting it down any track as fast as possible with no excuses in any conditions, handling tireshake to the fullest potential and consistantly leaving on time. The larger majority are in the middle and are average drivers while the rest are on funny car rides. Real life example: Same car, two long time drivers. One guy runs 5.70's and 5.80's everywhere with only one or two high 5.66-5.69 if he happens to pull it off. Put the other driver in that very same car with the very same tune-up and it runs 5.50's at 3 out of 5 of the National events they attended and missed 5.50's by .01 at a forth...that was 3 years ago in my car.

Having said that, AFC would take average drivers and make them better I think. Less to do, more room for concentration. Better racing. Some people are multi-talented behind the wheel (Marc White, Larry Miner) and others are not. Me included. That's one of the reasons I don't drive my own car any more (although I did have fun at the '01 Winternationals).

After sitting in the grandstands during the first session of qualifying at Pomona last week I saw a lot of serious breakage in TA/FC. It took forever to complete the session and, frankly, I was ready to go hit the snack bar or head and give it up. Over the last 5 years 95% of our ka-booms have been RPM related (valvetrain) because of what the drop to 92% has done to our combination. What I saw told me I wasn't the only one.

When I watch lap after lap of AFD's running 5.20's and the worst incident I know of (someone can correct me here) was a leaky fuel fitting, it makes you wonder.

If I could change to an already existing combination and still run 5.50's, get a full year on valve springs (valve train for that matter), 80 runs on a set of rods and pistons, run a stronger ring and pinion combination, no tranny maintenance and, by the way, still have as much fun doing it...why not?

Keep the comments coming!

RG

 

Didn't mean to hi-jack this thread, we'd run a couple Division 2 events with our rear engine A/Fuel funny car, if the rules permitted it

 

What did you think A/FC would run with TA/FC....

I thought the A/Fuel funnies could run against the Blown diggers
Now there would be some parity, 5.40`s and 50`s all day long.

.....Just kidding,.....Honestly.....

 

i remember scott weiss ran a 5.72. i can't recall if they touched a .60 or not.