old altered wheel base drag cars for sale

#Old altered wheel base drag cars for sale driver#
#Old altered wheel base drag cars for sale pro#

In drag racing in the mid-1960s, Top Fuel horsepower began to be combined with bodied cars with altered wheelbases to produce the first 'funny cars' (originally a derisive term).

#Old altered wheel base drag cars for sale pro#

Pro Stock and sportsman classes still race to 1,320 feet.

Less visible precautions include roll cages and fire extinguishers.ĭuring safety evaluations in the wake of the fatal crash of Scott Kalitta on June 21, 2008, in Englishtown, N.J., the NHRA reduced the distance of Top Fuel and Funny Car races to 1,000 feet effective July 2, 2008. The more visible safety devices are the twin parachutes to help stabilize and decelerate the car after crossing the finish line.

#Old altered wheel base drag cars for sale driver#

Many safety rules are in place to protect the driver and fans. They routinely achieve a 6 G acceleration from a standing start. Supercharged, nitromethane-fueled motors of this type also have a very high torque, which is estimated at 7,000 ft⋅lbf (9,500 N⋅m). Horsepower claims vary widely-from 10,000 to 11,000 HP. The car must maintain a 3 in (76 mm) ground clearance. The rate/degree of lockup is mechanically/pneumatically controlled and preset before each run according to various conditions, in particular track surface. Funny Cars have a fixed gear ratio of 3.20:1 and have a reversing gear power is transmitted from engine to final drive through a multiple staged clutch which provides progressive incremental lockup as the run proceeds.

The engines in Funny Cars commonly exhibit varying piston heights and ratios that are determined by the piston's proximity to the air intake. The ratio of fuel to air can be as high as 1:1. The fuel mixture is usually 85–90% nitromethane (nitro, 'fuel') and 10–15% methanol (alcohol, 'alky'). During a single run (starting, burnout, backing up, staging, 1/4 mile) cars can burn as much as 15 US gallons (12 imp gal 57 L) of fuel. Every Funny Car has ballistic blankets covering the supercharger because this part of the engine is prone to explosion.įunny Car fuel systems are key to their immense power. Intake valves are titanium and of 2.40 in (61 mm) diameter, while exhaust valves are 1.90 in (48 mm) diameter, made from Inconel. Ĭrankshafts are CNC machine carved from steel billet then nitrided in an oven to increase surface hardness. The 3/4 stroker is the most common combination used today and equals 496 CID (8.1 L). Superchargers are restricted to a basic Roots type-19-inch (480 mm) rotor case width with a breadth of 11.25 in (286 mm). The heads are machined from aluminum billet and have no water jackets, as the high latent heat of the methanol in the fuel coupled with the brevity of the run precludes the need. There can only be two valves per cylinder. The most popular design is a Donovan, loosely based on the second generation Chrysler 426 Hemi. In short, the engines can only be V8s displacing no more than 500 cu in (8,193.53 cc). The NHRA has strict guidelines for Funny Cars. A single carbon fiber body can cost US$70,000. Today, fielding a Funny Car team can cost between US$2.6 and US$3 million. These 'fake' body shells are not just cosmetic they serve an important aerodynamic purpose. Worldwide, however, many different body styles are used. Currently, four manufacturers are represented in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car - Chevrolet with the Camaro, Dodge with the Charger, Ford with the Mustang, and Toyota with the Supra. For example, in the 1970s, then current models such as the Chevrolet Vega or Plymouth Barracuda were often represented as funny cars, and the bodies represented the Big Three of General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. įunny car bodies typically reflect the models of newly available cars in the time period that the funny car was built. They also have the engine placed in front of the driver, as opposed to dragsters, which place it behind the driver. Funny cars are characterized by having tilt-up fiberglass or carbon fiber automotive bodies over a custom-fabricated chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers' showroom models. Funny Car is a type of drag racing vehicle and a specific racing class in organized drag racing.