Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

[Freiburger]

Re: Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

Here's why I would not want to crash in that.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

Lends new meaning to the term, "On the bleeding edge"

Brian

[N20Silverado]

Re: Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

He will be first in that car. The first one to the crash.

[Silver68RT]

Re: Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

I'm not digging it. It doesn't seem like it would be as safe as a conventional dragster if you have a frontal or side-on impact with the wall. Also, I think coming down from a wheel stand would probably crush your spine. Being so far forward, I'd think it would be harder to feel what the car is doing, and maybe harder to keep it straight. For traction, I'd think you would want as much weight as possible over the back tires.

I remember seeing a shorty bracket dragster in SS & DI back in the 80's, but I don't think it really caught on.

The weight doesn't need to be over the tires except for the initial hook. The reason dragsters have gotten longer and longer (until NHRA said NO MORE) is because the weight hanging out there is a lever and puts massive amounts of force down on those rear tires. Some teams have played with engine placement front to back, but not by more than a few inches.

I think moving several hundred pounds from the back to the front, on a car that probably weighs less than 2500 pounds, has got to hurt the launch. You're going to move the c.g. by several feet. I'm also thinking you would have to stiffen up the middle of the chassis with all that weight out there, and that flex is a big factor in planting the power. I agree the lever effect is important, but I also think the longer car lets you run a smaller front wing that can offset the effect of the rear wing and the torque of the engine trying to flip it over backwards, and minimize the ballast up front.

I just don't see what kind of advantage they're hoping to get with this design.

[Schtauffer]

Re: Motorized Freak of the Week: Bill Dunlap's A/Fuel Dragster

Rail jobs... innovators of the crumple zone.