Inliners International Forums General Discussion Ford Dirt track racing

I am a newby on this board. Just wondering if there is anyone on here that races vintage dirt cars? I race a 300 six in a 31 ford sedan and have one heck of a lot of fun doing it.There has to be some of you guys that are as crazy as me.
Andy

WE RACE A 49 CHEVY WITH A 292 6CYL. AT ADRIAN MO. AND OSBORN MO.IN THE VINTAGE CLASS, WE ONLY RACE FOR FUN. 1ST PLACE GETS A TROPHY.

LARRY C.

I'm building a 1920's style boattailed road racer. With a 300 w/ crossflow head. My biggest decision is wether to include a mechanic's seat. I like single seaters but my head tells me a two-seater would be beter for resale.

Home built coachwork with a chopped Whippet grill.

Sexxxy.

Frenchtown,

Don't worry about resale on you Boatail. Build it the way you want and enjoy it. If it's a single seater, I'm sure a purest will be looking at it when it comes to sell. A two seater will probably be more attractive car show person.

RapRap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Frenchtown Flyer
Great idea on the bobtail.I have a 32 chevy coupe that someone cut the top off of,I have been thinking about a track roadster with a 300 or I have a bad 240 I might put in it. What front end do you plan to use? Cross spring,1/4 elipticle springs, Tell us more.
Andy

Hi. I started with a straight sprinter style tube axle but I just didn't like the look for that era. So I took a '53 Ford pickup truck I-beam style axle which has a nice 4" drop to it and narrowed it 6 inches. Then I cut off the parallel leaf spring pads and built a transverse leaf spring mounted suicide style behind the axle. I plan to punch the axle full of lightening holes and use hairpin radius rods. The Ford truck brakes are very good as far as drum brakes go so I plan to keep them as they look more correct than discs. Tierod in front of axle with as much ackerman as I can get. Im thinking exposed frame rail sides would look better than hidden, with a bunch of kick-up in back. A nine-inch rear with a quick-change center section grafted into the center section (non functional). I have all the leftover drag car pieces to go with ladder bars and coil springs in back, but realize a transverse leaf spring would look more correct. As you can see I'm torn between making a period perfect clone or using updated parts I have on hand. Some of those rare old pieces are pricey and hard to find. I will probably end up doing a "20 footer" (looks correct from twenty feet away), a parade car that will be able to idle down Woodward Ave for hours and not overheat. Other features are a four-spoke sprinter wheel, a Whippet grill chopped 6 1/2", and some visual parts like an external fuel pump, leather straps across the hood, stacks on one side of the hood and a big upswept stainless steel exhause pipe on the other. The rear sheet metal will be two '40 Ford truck teardrop fenders clamshelled together to form the boattail, with possibly a protruding headrest (I've documented the latter as existing as early as 1934). A 2 x 4 frame with tapered ends. Not sure about any roll bar - again: period correct or safe? Thats all so far. Got any additional ideas?

The Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa sells a set of blueprints for a Fronty Ford. These should be useful to anyone building a replica vintage Sprint car.

Go to http://www.sprintcarstuff.com for a look at the prints.

Frenchtown Flyer,
This is not something that I can take credit for.I saw this somewhere,just cant remember where. What do you think of using double 1/4 elipticle springs,one under the frame reaching forward to a mount under the front axle and one on top of frame forward to a mount on top of the axle.Probably only need 2or3 leaves in each spring. this set up would work as springs plus work as a 4 bar set up,no need for radias rods.I am thinking about building a track roadster,if I do this is probably what I will go with.
Andy

That sounds like a real neat idea Andy. Quarter eliptics seem to be populsr on a lot of lightweight modifieds that are currently being built but I havent seen any dual over-and-under set ups like you describe. Since I'm 90% done with the front axle I'll just stay with the suicide set up but I will file the idea away. Thanks.

Gerry, Thanks for the website. I'll check it out.

Front wheel drive miller indy cars used the double 1/4 elliptic set up. Jay