An armchair's Crew Chiefs' ideas on slowing Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars (1 Viewer)

[Speedy_Sticks]

How about the Top Fuel dragsters having a cumple zone/monacock to the same style as you now see in single seater racing, still including the rollcage, but having an outer rollcage just over the normal rollcage? The same for the Funny Cars, but with the Funny Car drivers in the last few years literly becoming back seat drivers, with them situated where the back seats of cars would be, move the rear wheels back or move the roll cage forwad so the crumple zones can surround the driver?

Also, making the Dragsters sleek and sexy again, (ironic that it was Jim Head that created the front end in the early 90's that now is common place. I think the Funny Cars should look as stock as possible.

Also getting rid of fibreglass etc, making them heavier, with the Indy 500 crash yesterday, when it hit the fence it just discintagrated.

The ideas above should add alot of wait, this might be the only solution I can think of?

How about banning the flexing/boding up of the Top Fuel cars that happen in mid track?

How about goinng back to painted cars instead of stickers?

These cars (the last time I head), the Pro Stock cars are much more expensive to build?

What would Kenny Bernstien's 1992 300mph car run with this years engine in?

The new cars could have a handicap on the pro Tree whilst the folks with the older cars have a chance to purchase the new designed cars?

Out of interest, how much is it to build a new Funny Car/Dragster currently?
Also, how much is it to build a new Pro Stock car at the moment?
How much more would it cost if my new designed Funny Car/Dragster cost?

Having a shift based job for the last few years, I haven't been to a dragstip in years, but hope to go soon as now I have weekends free!

Another Don Garlit's moment anybody?

Sorry for the crap spelling.

Cheers

James S Welling
[email protected]

 

[Nitrohelper]

....How much more would it cost if my new designed Funny Car/Dragster......

The tuners & owners can't agree on a simple 40 gallon change to the fuel pump because of their lost data cost ,
and you want to change everything...
Best you stay in the armchair and read a book, leave the ideas for changes to the guys burning Nitro...

 

[twostep]

The ideas above should add alot of wait, this might be the only solution I can think of?

How about banning the flexing/boding up of the Top Fuel cars that happen in mid track?

What would Kenny Bernstien's 1992 300mph car run with this years engine in?

Out of interest, how much is it to build a new Funny Car/Dragster currently?
Also, how much is it to build a new Pro Stock car at the moment?
How much more would it cost if my new designed Funny Car/Dragster cost?

You're a visionary, I'll say that much, Welling....

Let's say your ideas were implemented, and the additional weight slowed the cars from 330 to 300. But you've added, say, 300 pounds to the cars. Now you gotta STOP that extra 300 pounds - completely negating the benefit you derived from slowing the cars down 30 mph. Won't work.

You can't 'ban' frame flexing at high speeds, any more than you can ban aerodynamic pressure, which is the reason for the flex in the first place.

Bernstein's car, assuming it was set up and tuned to today's combinations, would run, uh, just like cars do today, I would think. High 3.70's @320, or low 4.40's @335, if they were still racing 1320.

Pro Stock, $400,000, just for the car. Those motors are costly.
Top Fuel/FC, $250,000, just for the car.
Your car? Obamacare is cheaper.

Don Garlits moment, eh?

 

[TR]

WTF? Your ideas are just plain nutty and very hard to read the way you wrote it.
Rick

 

[Dougster]

Also, making the Dragsters sleek and sexy again, (ironic that it was Jim Head that created the front end in the early 90's that now is common place. I think the Funny Cars should look as stock as possible.

Also getting rid of fibreglass etc, making them heavier, with the Indy 500 crash yesterday, when it hit the fence it just discintagrated.

The ideas above should add alot of wait, this might be the only solution I can think of?

How about banning the flexing/boding up of the Top Fuel cars that happen in mid track?

Pretty good ideas there - I really like the monocoque idea for dragsters and it might make the look "sleek and sexy" again (although I think they look just fine now. I'd love to see FC's look a bit more stock too - and maybe only allow 2-door body styles. I just can't warm up to the idea of an Impala FC...

As far as getting rid of fibreglass, I'm pretty sure that Indycars and most drag car bodies are now carbon fibre but that's splitting hairs. I believe that Conway's car disintegrating as it struck the fence saved his life or a more serious injury. It's all about dissipating the energy and reducing mass - bad for the fans in the area but good for the driver.

Not sure I'd want to add more weight in the name of safety - it doesn't work that way. More weight would probably slow the cars down so that wouldn't hurt. Going to a monocoque chassis would also reduce the amount of flexing.

Interesting points...

 

[FuelFC]

Seeking plans for a Propster. Anyone? Buehler...

 

[Just Paul]

Seeking plans for a Propster. Anyone? Buehler...

Heh.. That's pretty funny.

 

[Nitrohelper]

Seeking plans for a Propster....

Well , It did have a small pump

 

[Ramos]

How about just enjoy the sport and quit worrying about slowing the cars down. How about an idea to go faster, i thought thats what drag racing was about.

 

[Mike]

Real easy, limit the size of the fuel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mike]

How about just enjoy the sport and quit worrying about slowing the cars down. How about an idea to go faster, i thought thats what drag racing was about.

AMEN!!!! Hey good job last night. Nice run. Good luck for the remainder of the weekend.

Mike