Landracing Forum

Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: problem child on October 01, 2008, 02:39:21 AM

Title: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 01, 2008, 02:39:21 AM
Having been a fan of Bonneville ever since I built a model of Mickey Thompson's Challenger in the 60's I have always wanted to pursue a speed record of some sort. I've been to the salt on several occasions but with three hot rods already in the garage I didn't feel brave enough to entertain discussing a fourth car with "the Lady who Likes to Park her Turbo PT Cruiser in the Garage". I do have a small cup of 'the salt' on my desk to remind me why I go to work.

Instead I became part of ROSSA, the Radio Operated Scale Speed Association and we build R/C cars that will run well over 100 mph. Mine has somewhat replicated Challenger in that it's four wheel drive, four engines and I'm attempting to return the nitro record back to the USA from Britain.

The American meet is this weekend at Rockingham Dragway. It's the first meet for my car and it has hit 110 on an inertia dyno, smoking the tires trying to drag the rollers higher.

Here's a few pics of my car. It's powered by four .21 cubic inch Picco engines, each putting out just over two hp on 30% nitro. The body is my first attempt at vaccuum forming carbon fiber...there's plenty of flaws but the next copy will be better. Just didn't have time to make another before the meet.

If you're interested I'll post some videos of the event next week. Hopefully there will be an electric car running which has unofficially hit 145 mph!

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/wqqdster/speed/pre_run_014.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/wqqdster/speed/problemchildjuly011.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/wqqdster/speed/P1012258.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/wqqdster/speed/P1012262.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e2/wqqdster/speed/chal601.jpg)
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Brian Westerdahl on October 01, 2008, 07:13:46 AM
Hey that is pretty cool.  Let us know how it goes.  Good luck   If you get a chance get out to the salt and check it out.  The great white dyno.  Brian
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Stainless1 on October 01, 2008, 08:10:14 AM
You just need to talk to the USFRA to see if you can run that on the 130 course.... 09 ... what is the range on the radio?  Probably need at least a mile....
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Elmo Rodge on October 01, 2008, 09:21:43 AM
Cool. How big is that? Wayno
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Glen on October 01, 2008, 09:53:32 AM
I don't think the photo cells are that low. :?
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: LVMAXX on October 01, 2008, 10:11:39 AM
 :-D

Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Glen on October 01, 2008, 11:02:12 AM
I repeat, the photo cells are about one foot off the ground. Is you RC car that high?? I don't belong to USFRA but I almost doubt they would make them lower for a few RC vehicles. Best they answer that though.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 01, 2008, 04:29:24 PM
Wayno - The car is about 30" long (max it can be is 36") and weighs about 12 pounds. I know I don't want to be anywhere near it at speed!

Stainless - the salt would be too rough to run on. Even some paved roads are too rough. Modern radios use cell phone technology and have 1/4 - 1/2 mile range easy. The problem is my old eyes only have 1000 foot range!

Glen - I think you're right. Even the drag strip lights are too high for some of the cars. We use a separate timing system to calc our speeds. A drag strip gives us a scale 2 1/2 mile run up but I was driving on a beautifully smooth, newly paved stretch of freeway thinking a chase car would allow a longer run up and maybe rival the 200 mph speeds of tether cars. Now, I just need to get CalTrans to give me a permit!

Thanks for your comments.....



Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: McRat on October 01, 2008, 05:00:50 PM
A nice Shark Fin up top could trigger the beams and perhaps even assist high speed stability.

Best place to run would perhaps be to talk a dragstrip into it.  No ambulance, fire, or staging crew, you might get a pretty good deal on a track rental.  Maybe even get them to let you run it a pass or two while they are setting up for a test-n-tune meet.



Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Glen on October 01, 2008, 05:24:42 PM
NHRA made all of the motorcycles add a wheel ring to the fronts  so the photo cells would be able to pick them up. We had a problem at Bonneville a few years back and had to buy new photo cells to read the small area of the MC wheels (break the beam) Adding a vertical fin might still be a problem unless it was long as well as tall enough. :?
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 01, 2008, 05:54:24 PM
Since that photo was taken I have added sort of a pro stock tail with two end verticals. I've not had the car over 90 yet and it was quite stable there (the gyro helps!) but I’d rather have the fins and not need ‘em then need them and not have ‘em.

McRat - a drag strip (Rockingham)  is where we’re running this weekend. They were kind enough to let us use the strip for free but we’re sharing it with a testing pro stock team.  In the future we’re going to try Vegas and Sears Point (right by me!) Surprisingly, most NHRA/IHRA drag strips are busy every day the weather allows.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: sockjohn on October 01, 2008, 06:06:03 PM
I have a few coworkers who are serious runners/triathletes.  They spent a couple of bills for watches with GPS built in, might be able to fit one of these in.

Not sure if they have peak speed/avg speed functions, but considering the intended use most likely does.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: artmodelman on October 01, 2008, 06:50:03 PM
Nice RC model of the Challenger.
I'm glad you enjoyed building the Revell model of Mickey Thompsons Challenger when you were younger. I designed the kit when I worked at Revell in the sixties.
Post your speed and time here when you do run the car.
Best of luck,

Jim Keeler

artmodelman@yahoo.com
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 01, 2008, 07:21:40 PM
Wow, Jim! So nice to hear from you! Thanks for your kind words It was supposed to be closer but the aero dictated more downforce. The spirit is in there. Just so ya know the effect it had on me (at probably 11 or 12), I would get up in the middle of the night, take the kit into the bathroom and work on it while everyone else slept. That car made me a fan of the salt flats forever. I kept one of the re-pops on my work bench as I built this car. I have one of the original kits and a couple of the newer versions. I visited the actual car at Peterson's and now the NHRA museums and am in awe that it still exists. What is amazing to me is just how small it is. My version is huge compared to a normal 1/10 scale car.

I hope that I'm able to make my runs without breaking a driveshaft! There will be videos posted on various sites....I'll make sure to post them here also.

Gary O
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Rex Schimmer on October 01, 2008, 11:57:00 PM
Gary,
Your car is SOOO neat!! Really keep us informed on how you do. A couple of suggestions, if the max length is 36 inches add 6 inches on to the rear of the car with less of an angle it will make your car much more aero, it is the back that counts not the front. Also give it a nice coat of bondo and sand the surface real smooth then paint, much better than the rough carbon fiber finish.

Great looking piece!!!

Rex
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 02, 2008, 01:01:41 AM
Gary,
Your car is SOOO neat!! Really keep us informed on how you do. A couple of suggestions, if the max length is 36 inches add 6 inches on to the rear of the car with less of an angle it will make your car much more aero, it is the back that counts not the front. Also give it a nice coat of bondo and sand the surface real smooth then paint, much better than the rough carbon fiber finish.

Great looking piece!!!

Rex

Hey Rex!!!! I live at Piner and Fulton!!!!!!! I drive a maroon '51 Ford woodie wagon. maybe you've seen it. Let's get in touch. I'd love to help you get your car done and live my Bonneville dream vicariously through you! LOL!!

The idea of the body was to have a nice smooth carbon fiber surface but something didn't work out. I felt really rushed to get it in the vaccuum bag and then it took forever to harden! The next one will be much better.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: John Noonan on October 02, 2008, 01:08:23 AM
Cool toy...
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 02, 2008, 01:33:49 AM
Thanks John...I have to remind myself every now and then that it IS just a toy and not get toooooo serious.

Rex, this car was more of a "can I do it?" challenge than anything. For speed running it's way too big, way too heavy and just generally way too complicated. I am planning a twin engine open wheel lakester for next year with very pointy front and rear. It should weigh in the area of five pounds rather than twelve and will have about one third of the frontal area of this one. The engines will be turned around so the exhaust goes directly out the rear. I'll do a build diary on it when I get started.

Gary O
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: Rex Schimmer on October 03, 2008, 12:09:30 AM
Gary,
I got your private note before I read the forum again. Fulton and Piner! I live off of Wood Road! Close. I'll call you on Monday! I have a little 29 track roadster that you may have seen around.

Rex
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 06, 2008, 05:04:38 AM
It's 2 am and I just returned from Rockingham.....what a meet. Although I missed my 100 mph mark I did set a new record at 93 and change, but that was after going sideways, smacking the wall and then taking out the timing lights so I'm gonna say I made it.

The highlight of the meet though was Nic Case showing up with his new streamliner and first running 155 mph (yes, REAL mph!) on his own 134 record and then changing the gearing to finally run 161.67!!!!

The videos will be on line shortly and I'll get you a link.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: aircap on October 06, 2008, 10:57:31 AM
How did I miss this thread? That car is Slick with a capital S. Hope your project gets zoomier!
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: LVMAXX on October 06, 2008, 11:11:51 AM
 :-D
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: panic on October 06, 2008, 12:16:50 PM
Use periscope boxes for the photocells.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 06, 2008, 10:16:03 PM
Thanks aircap. I was going to start on a smaller lighter car for next year but I think I'll get this one into the 120's first.

This is the video of me taking out the lights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LI6TMXH4pE

Look at the rest of Derek 3001's videos for more action during the day, including Nic Case's 155 and 161 mph runs.
Title: Re: Four engine liner...
Post by: problem child on October 07, 2008, 12:46:47 AM
I just got this video sent to me...in the traps. Its only on three engines but you get the idea...if ANYBODY gets the idea you guys do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAJCkdKmKc