Short wheelbase dragsters (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Cliff
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stitcherbob
Nitro Member
when you always wanted to drive a Junior Dragster but couldn't fit your ample butt into one 
Nitro Cane
Nitro Member
NHRA should shorten the T/F cars back to 280" and see what happens
I always thought the long wheelbase of the dragster had built-in ET, cuz of flexibility, etc etc. But the article did mention that door cars can repeat run after run, so why not a dragster? I dunno if I'd wanna drive a short rear engine car; might prefer a front motor car. ?? Don Garlits once had a shorty T/F car and he hated it. Didn't go straight. I wonder how that car would do today with modern technology? I think he ran 6.30's at 238 with that car.
ZWeinstein
Nitro Member
Correct me if I am wrong but I think the last two short wheelbase top fuel cars that I could remember were Arley Langlo and the Bill Miller (cant remember who was driving it)
I think it was Diamond Dave Miller
Might be right and I'd guess your more knowledgeable than me, but they seem to be able to do ok with 125" funny cars. I realize there are many different factors but I think it could be managed.
FABMAN
Nitro Member
Just going by what Bernstein and few others that longer wheel base are more comfortable to drive. Don't know much about dragsters never drove one do know about the building of one. Give me a door car I can help you out been building my own cars since early 70s. Dont claim to be an expert just enjoy building them and love the sport.
It might have been. Probably looked a little longer cuz he had the itty bitty wheels on the front. Interesting to me that the 300" cars we have now have had the same length for almost 25 years. So used to them that sometimes they don't look that long.
5150 mechanic
Nitro Member
Dan pastorini's dragster was pretty short, and although a TAD Rick santos's awesome small block rail was short.
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No question that longer is easier to control, especially in a rear engine car because you have so much car behind you. I would guess there's 60 to 75 inches from the back of the drivers compartment to the centerline of the rear end.
No question that longer is easier to control, especially in a rear engine car because you have so much car behind you. I would guess there's 60 to 75 inches from the back of the drivers compartment to the centerline of the rear end.
http://garlits.com/portfolio-items/swamp-rat-18/ Here is Garlits' Swamp Rat 18, 1972, 180" wheelbase. Saw this car run 238 at OCIR. Looks really short today. The story I read by Phil Burgess at Dragster Insider said this car was built so Garlits could get used to short wheelbase car. The he built the ill fated streamliner by Jocko. Garlits sold the short car, then years later bought it back & restored it. Look at the front wing.
SoCal Racer
Nitro Member
Judging by the size of the wing he might have thought the front end a little light at speed?
And speaking of different approaches to dragster racing, there's this A/F:
Right you are! Saw Diamond Dave run this car at Indy back in the day.
And speaking of different approaches to dragster racing, there's this A/F:
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stitcherbob
Nitro Member
When the one driver makes it over the finish line before the other driver and still loses.....
DrRocket
Nitro Member
I have GOT to get down there someday!! It's on my bucket list.
I have seen both of these cars run. Dave beat Darryl Gwynn at the national event at Firebird one year (big upset) & that little car could pull a mean wheelie. The second car has been around awhile. Don't know who drives it, but have never seen it run a full pass. It would be like driving a jet car, where the driver sits that far forward.
