New funny car body

If a major foreign car manufacture was interested in developing a wind tunnel tested carbon fiber body made specifically for alcohol would you racers refrain from buying it because of make?

What if they paid contingency for Divisional and National events in NHRA and National event in IHRA.

Would it make a differance if they paid double what is currently being paid?

What if in it design it could keep the chutes from being sucked under the back of the car?

How much would the body have to weigh right out of the mold?

How much with all internal sheetmetal & support tubing to be competitive?

I understand this body would have to lend itself as being competitive and cost around the same price as the current body styles.
Has there been any new alcohol body designs in the past 5 or 6 years except for converting fuel cars?

I just don't know if racers will buy it because its not a USA manufacture. They don't want to commit to develoment cost and design and them no would buy them

Thanks for any replys. The more replys the quicker this will happen if people are interested.

 

would NHRA just make a rule outlawing that particular body??? They are a dictatorship, and rules do not have to have any logic according to NHRA.

 

I dont think it matters what kind of body it is as long as the areos are good. I have a Harry Glass carbon fibre camaro body and (knock on wood) havent had any problems with the chutes sucking under although I am aware that other people have. When we got our body it weighed about 75 lbs out of the mold. I mounted it with titanium tubing and used carbon fibre where ever I could. Also aluminum fasteners and rivets. It was costly in materials but the end result was a mounted body with paint that weighed 115lbs. I would use any body as long as it was as good as what we have now. Plus this might get more people interested in our class.

 

I'd say yes..We spend a fortune trying to make our cars faster but we run bodies that are basically antiques as far as development. If a body was developed specifically for alcohol cars I know i'd like to have one. Last Hairy Glass body we had was 69 lbs out of the mold. I've had way too many runs where the chutes got sucked under the car...fixing that alone would be great.Having a new body option might also open the door to some new sponsor opportunities.
Marc White

 

Here's a dumb question. Can the cute problem not be compensated for by mounting the chutes with enough angle to throw them up higher than the back of the body? Its just a thought I know there are alot of other issues that need adressing for a body to be consider good for alcohol these days.

 

Ive tried all kinds of different angles and positions on the chute mounts..nothing seemed to stop it

 

Here's my thoughts on a new body style and this is coming from one of the youngest in this class. Now how many kids today actually build a real american hot rod nowadays? slim and none! there all those noisy wind up toys. If we want to regain the fame you gota get with times.I think it would be a great idea for a forign body style. even though I am tried and true too american muscle. Tell me you wouldn't like to have that sleek european body style that can be distingueshed from the stands on your car. Go take a poll and ask the younger generation what they like to see at the track! they'll tell you imports
and this is the future racers coming up. I know this is an out of the ordinary answer to the body change question but youse , dont take this the wrong way (old schoolers) have too think about these things becouse in 10 years from now where will the TAFC class be I mean These guys already have 6 sec. 200 mph. cars out of a 6 cyl.
you dont think in 3 more years they will right with us. But the old man (Gene SR.)is right the people in the stands dont know the difference in body styles. I have people come up to me and ask why do all the bodys look the same, Now take into consideration these arent die hard race fans but they are the people paying to see our cars.Which in return pays the track and the help and so on and so forth. No fans No race....like the chinese laundry man said..No tickey..no shirty.....Hey while I'm on a roll what about all noise squabble at English town? it really sucks
Hardly any test and tunes, noise days when there is one youre lucky if you can get a run in becouse of all the IMPORT CARS!!!!! Definetly need a body change....

 

Last car had hinged tail lights...Car Im currently involved with doesnt. Ive had big spill plates, small ones, none. spill plates that went down the back of the body and ones that didnt. Had the chutes get under the body and tear the tin all up even had them get around the carbon brakes and melt to the rotors. Its a royal pain

 

I vote yes on the body also. We need more options.

Question: Do fuel cars also have problems sucking the chutes in? Is it just TAFC?

 

is not the new alcohol chute rule going to cure this problem?

[ November 25, 2004, 08:45 PM: Message edited by: was R4K ]

 

There was a car in Pomona that had the chutes get sucked under and it had launchers on it. so guess thats not the answer either

 

Hi Slider,
You have brought up an interesting subject about foreign body styles for alcohol cars. Please could you forward your email address and telephone number to me as I am very interested in finding out more information on what you are proposing.
My chassis is in urgent need of a body like that !!

Dez Krivan
....and let’s Dragracing

 

It really suprises me that someone is willing to spend a bunch of money to develop a new body and solve some of the problems that the funnycars have been having for years and yet only a couple people respond to the orginal question.

I kind of see why this class is dying a slow death. Is it because no one cares to answer or is it because its a bodystyle not made in the US?

Here is a company that is willing to spend money to solve some of the safety problems and open some doors for sponsorship and three people respond, yet in a thread above bitch because (some 103 replys) someone has cut them back to 8 races. I guess its easy to see where you funny car guys stand.

 

Slider
I think you may have a good idea
but like most racers we dont get to excited until something more definate is brought forward
i would run one
makes little differance to me what body sits on the pipe
but this class does need something fast
what is the latest body you can buy
dont include the new mustang
pre 2k era?

 

I understand John that it has to be cool looking, fast, funtional and everything else that racers are looking for. The make, model has already been decide and approval has been given. The concern for the builder was would people not buy it because its not a US manufacture. It is the builders challange to make it fuctional.

 

If it is approved by NHRA? what testing etc was carried out- wind tunnel on a scale model etc? Is it legal for top fuel? Seems like an alky only body would be a needless expense as fuel bodies are ok for alky if you don't put a lot of drag on the rear from my perception.
If answers are forethcoming, I would be interested. If it is just a body that is mocked up from a production car, people are likely not willing to invest in an untested product? Not throwin rocks here, cause I am in the market for a new body and could care less what brand name if it does the trick.

 

When i ran my funnycar years ago i had 4inch spill plates and a 4inch wickerbill on the back. it was an 80s camaro body with a short deck. i never had a problem with the chutes sucking back up under the car until I removed the wickerbill and ran without it. I never saw much of a difference in ET or MPH when i removed it. I would try putting a new set of plates and a wickerbill and see if it cures your problem.

 

The body will be for alcohol only. The aprovals and aero numbers will come later as it in just in the early stages of design. From what i understand converting a fuel body to make it work for alcohol takes a lot of work and money .

Numbers i heard was over $20,000 mounted with no paint. Even at that it has no actual aero numbers.

 

i would be interested and of coarse as all little guys are conserned about is price. i can tell you a new carbon body from hairy glass is $7200 dollars. are you going to be in that price range? the monte carlo bodies from GM are $17500. and that is out of the question. plus a monte carlo has too much downforce for an alky car.

 

want to let a little more out
make, model etc
or cant you yet

the coolest i ever owned well back when they still looked like cars was an Iverson Daytona
but it was horrible at speed
first time it sucked the chutes in with me i almost sh*it myself wrapped around brakes melted in the disc vent holes thought a bomb went off inside with me, little pieces of nylon everywhere

[ November 28, 2004, 08:39 PM: Message edited by: john348 ]