Roadsters

[mkilger]

our fuel roadster that we are building has 119 wheel base, 25 % engine set back,  its been hard to get a fuel tank and all the other stuff in here too.  just started on rear engine roadster too.  good luck

[SPARKY]

Roadster- --OH NO not a roadster for "mister bill"   not now for sure ---I have friend who has one---it has a traditional suspension frt. axel set up---I do not think will be competive as such---just trying to get ideas to help improve before having to throw cubic money at the aero-hp curve.

[dwarner]

"...aero-hp curve..."

There is no aero in roadster racing. Best concentrate on the hp part of this equation.

DW

[fredvance]

Aero in a roadster, would that be an oxymoron?

[desotoman]

just trying to get ideas to help improve before having to throw cubic money at the aero-hp curve.

Best Aero advantage for a Roadster is to build the cars body as close to the ground as possible. But you already know that. Otherwise as stated it just takes weight and brute horsepower. Good luck.

Tom G.

[SPARKY]

I don't have the money for the "tunnel" tests but I bet there is upwards of 50-75 hp diffrence between the 66 car and LOTS of others and there may be 5-10 more to be picked up on it.

[jl222]

I don't have the money for the "tunnel" tests but I bet there is upwards of 50-75 hp diffrence between the 66 car and LOTS of others and there may be 5-10 more to be picked up on it.

  Hi Sparky

 The engine in the 66 roadster is a destroked version of an A fuel dragster and they make lots of power. 1% more nitro [above 96%] gives way more than 50 hp and if I said how much 1% really makes, 99% of the members would think I was the biggest story teller of all time.
 I have heard 3500 hp and more for the blown alcohol motors and the unblown fuelers usually beat them.Of course its hard to load the motors on the salt and dirt that much to burn as much fuel but some guys know a few tricks.

                    JL222

[SPARKY]

Oh, I understand that they are way up there on HP---but it is a very AERO clean roadster---compared to most---I think so many guys are attracted to roadsters because they thought they were so bitch'n when they were kids, and end up building basically a street car----but to be competetive today in most classes you are going to have to have a car that is very aero AND the eng. on the cutting edge--- Lakesters are headed that way as are most of the others.

[DSR Bruts]

Tom, saw your post, I measured a 27 stone "stock" roadster in Denver at Rocky Mountain Street Rods owned by Tom Bowen, who ran a roadster for years with the same number I have (also a SDRC member) and to my amazement, it measured 26".  I am shortening my frame by 2 1/4" to get my full grille bottom back on as well to get the hood down to 29" (I was at 29 1/4" this year)  ...I run a full radiator, but will probably go to a 2" core, because I have no more room left on my Boss 302 in the front.  I want to keep the serpinetine drive, because a blower will be coming in the near future.  You might double check a stock 26 or 27 and let me know, but I still have to move the front crossmember back regardless. 

Sparky, good luck with your roadster!  Thanks!

[DSR Bruts]

Correction...it was owned by Ted Bowen (Tom's his brother)....

[836dstr]

Bill,

Regarding a '27 hood length. When I bought the car it was a roller and had a 30" hood. The body and grill shell positions are the same. Before doing anything I read and reread and reread the Rule Book. Then I talked to the Chairman of the Roadster Committee.

The original car set (and still holds) the FSTR record. It would have gone through the certification process and checked for Class requirements. For now I'll assume it's legal. Not close enough to a class record to worry now.

Have a Happy New Year and Happy Birthday in a few!

Tom

[DSR Bruts]

Tom, your car looks great!  The only reason I brought it up was Wayne Atkinson who built the red '27 roadster (#357) that is for sale, spent some time in our pits and said that back when he was running in the 70's, someone made a big deal of measuring hoods, so he shortened his (I think he said a stock hood was 27" also).  Hence, on the way home from Bonneville, I stopped to see Ted Bowen and we measured his roadster.  I don't think an inch is a big deal at all. 

My car is totally stripped down to the frame right now and I hate to shorten it any more with a 104" wheelbase currently as I am sure it won't help my handling, but my grille shell is on top of my crossmember, only about 1 1/2" behind it, just enough so I can't put on the '32 insert....in short, it looks ugly.  '27's are great, but building one is like putting 20 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag....and my son is 6'5 and I'm 6'3....firewall is recessed 4".....room is tight to say the least which is the challenge.

[dwarner]

One inch short = no big deal. One inch long = different story.

DW

[maguromic]

One inch short = no big deal. One inch long = different story.

DW

When I had a chat with the roadster chair, he mentioned that plus or minus one inch on the body was OK as no two bodies are the same even from the factory.   

[Stan Back]

I don't think Henry's tolerances were that sloppy.  If they were, they couldn't put them on the frames.  We're talking Street Roadster hoods, here.  And if you're an inch long and get protested, what the Roadster Chair may have said about bodies probably won't work for a clear violation of the Rule Book.

Stan Back
(One of the guys with a tape measure.)