Author Topic: Ugly Year  (Read 6614 times)

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Offline doug odom

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Ugly Year
« on: October 09, 2008, 12:05:28 AM »
Some people had a great year ( Burkland, Sparky, etc....) But it has been an ugly year in LSR and Drag racing for far too many. We lost or hurt way too many people this year racing. How about everyone stopping and taking a long look at their racer and coming up with at least 2 things that make it a safer ride. It can be a safer stronger seat, better firewall material, just about anything can be made better if you really look to make it better. Any ideas?       
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Offline Leadfoot

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2008, 01:13:15 AM »
Thats a good idea that we all can live with !

Offline racergeo

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2008, 01:16:55 AM »
  
        Ya Doug, I been thinking along those same lines. I will have a hans type device, but my real safety items are my 400# of lead and my new cam and other performance mods. I figure the shorter time the run takes the less time for things to go wrong!

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2008, 08:48:15 AM »
I figure the shorter time the run takes the less time for things to go wrong!

When I was in the USAF, they called that "limit your exposure" can be applied to a lot of situations...
Stainless
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McRat

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2008, 10:49:53 AM »
Try as I might, that has yet to get me out of one speeding ticket.  :?

Offline 836dstr

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2008, 12:06:40 PM »
Doug,

Great topic!

I think we all tend to think of changes to increase performance without affect on Safety, let alone looking at Safety as a separate area to focus on, except major items like hear restraints etc.

Firewall sealing could be a major area for improvements as demonstrated by the Mormon Missle incident. It would be interesting to use some type of smoke generator and air blown at the engine side of the firewall to see what gets through.

Tom


McRat

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2008, 12:35:17 PM »
I think a positive pressure (if possible) system for the driver's area of confined bodies might help.  This could tell if the hull is open and needs resealing (1-2 PSI test), provide air and comfort to the driver, and reject smoke and flame from the driver's area.  Off-the-shelf fresh air helmet systems might do it.
One thing to be said for Halon-style systems for the interior, is that they can pressurize the cab, but you can't breathe Halon, so you would need to still have a positive pressure air supply for the driver.




Offline Cajun Kid

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2008, 12:57:00 PM »
McRat,  My firewall is a once piece molded fiberglass wall with a form fitting .080 Alum secondary firewall on the inside of the firewall, them we applied 3 heavy coats of Lizard Skin Cermaic coating to the aluminum fire wall... No light, air or liquid has been able to get in.

However in one location where the brake pedal comes through the lower floor pan area there is a small bit of light that can be seen when the brake is fully depressed. On the pedal arm we have a face plate and seal so nothing gets thru there when closed.

Is there any way to seal off that last and only potentail area of concern ?

What have others done ?

Thanks and good topic...

Charles
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McRat

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2008, 01:43:16 PM »
I have some "universal rubber seal" stuff I got from McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com).  It clips on sheet metal, it's "cut-to-length", and has a 1" dia rubber tube to seal the gap.  See page 3368.

Offline Cajun Kid

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2008, 02:40:02 PM »
Thanks McRat,,,, I will check that stuff out.
ECTA Record Holder Maxton
E/CBFALT, E/CBGALT, E/CGALT, E/CFALT, A/CGALT, C/CGALT, D/CGALT, C/CBGALT, B/CBGALT, C/CFALT
OHIO
B/CGALT, C/CGALT

LTA Record Holder and 200 Club Member
A/CBFALT, B/CBFALT, C/CBFALT, C/CFALT, C/CGALT,   E/CGALT, E/CFALT

Fastest Standing Mile at Ohio  203.343mph
Fastest Standing Mile at Maxton 196.967mph
Fastest Standing 1.5 Mile at Loring 213.624mph
Fastest Standing Mile at Loring 204.109mph

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Offline DSR Bruts

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2008, 03:54:19 PM »
I built a brand new car this year, and my two top priorities were fires and tires.  I made my firewall extra thick out of steel and it is totally welded 360 degrees around it to my floor, which is the same thickness.  My rear partition between my trunk and interior is also sealed.  My weak spot is around the pedals, but they are recessed behind the firewall.  I went on McMaster and Carr's website, and they offer silicone seals that would do the trick.  I used a sheet of high temp material w/high temp adhesive on the back side and cut it to fit the slots in my pedals, but it was super tough to get in place with out any cracks.  They aren's totally tight, but as good as I could get them.  On the tire side, I was running out of money but bought 18" Taylor Wheels and M/T 18" X 30" tires and run a spare set of 4-Ply 15" X 4 1/2" Funny Car fronts that are spares from past racing.  Next step is looking at a Hans style device, but my cage is so tight that I don't think a Hans will fit.....  Bottom line.....we need to police ourselves, to me safety is a personal thing, and I am prone to go a little overboard when running the speeds we run, especially when weight is not an issue like it is in drag racing.
Bill and Ross Brutsman
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2008, 04:37:11 PM »
The MG Motto - Safety Fast

I've been thinking about this every time I'm working on the car.  I consider myself fortunate in that I'm starting from scratch, and not having to re-engineer around previous modifications.  I've stripped the tub down to nothing, and at every task, I'm thinking safety - and a lot of that is due to these forums.

I'm moving cautiously, though, because I heard that there may be some rules changes coming down the pike regarding firewalls.  If anyone has any insight into this, I'd be grateful to hear it.  For the time being, I'm simply going to weld up the stock firewall holes and wait, and also fabricate a steel barrier between the trunk area and the interior - stock was fiberboard with foam and vinyl.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline DSR Bruts

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2008, 05:52:59 PM »
MG...It is great to start from scratch (my '56 1500 "A" had a wood floorboard)! 

One thing that seemed to be a reoccuring theme this year was roll bar padding on each side ot the helmet.  We had to double ours up.  Next year I am building an adjustable one like Sum has on his lakster using "flat" padding material.  I called Rick White, and he thought that JAZ might be making the "pads" which I saw on several cars.....does anyone have any information on these? 

....McRat, thanks for the information on McMaster and Carr....they have absolutely everything anyone could need in their catalog.....a "go-to" place in case of emergency....and great service (Chicago) too!  I've ordered from them twice (bushings).....
Bill and Ross Brutsman
778 D/STR
SDRC, BNI, SCTA, NSRA, SEMA
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dwarner

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2008, 06:16:20 PM »
Those running a streamliner/lakester with a full length bellypan should consider fences on either side of the bulk heads. A seal of some sort may be not be enough if you have a bellypan full of liquid fire. The fences would also direct the liquids to the required holes for draining. The holes should also be looked at, a 1/4" hole to satisfy a rule is obviously not good enough when needed.

DW

Offline 836dstr

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Re: Ugly Year
« Reply #14 on: October 09, 2008, 10:59:44 PM »
Cajun Kid,

See the "Tech" topic of "Firewall Sealing". Making a sliding dual seal for a pedal would be very easy.

Tom