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Wow! How did I miss this?
What a great project and well done Matt for saving it. I remember the name Phil Sayers from back then but more than that nothing about the car.
This was a great time for the rank amateur to go drag racing, no SFI or FIA involvement just a scrutineer who had say if you were safe. As can be seen in this thread, ingenuity and resourcefulness counted for a lot. I had a homemade downdraft head on my Ford engine, homemade front wheels (scooter rims with alloy disc centres) and all for pennies really. None would be accepted now (not sure about the Wild bunch).
Just great times.
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-(
2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap
V8 Humber Hawk
1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD
1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,960
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Unfortunately I haven't touched it in a couple of years. I'm not sure if it's due to my job and having to deal with "racers" or just other life stuff in general but I've pretty much lost interest in the sport itself, which has left me in the awkward position of having the car that as a whole isn't worth a great deal, but as parts would be worth a considerable pile of cash (several times I've been offered 5 times more than I paid for the car just for the supercharger), but I also don't want to break it up as it'd be a huge shame, so it's just gonna sit for a while until I decide what to do.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,960
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Or another alternative I keep pondering is I much prefer hooning about on the road, so some sort of oddball 30s style special type thing but with this engine fitted would be hilarious. It'd keep the engine together and then I could always swap it into the dragster to run that. Not sure yet, that's a way aways.
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I am not sure how to reply Matt, but my view is, if it is not hurting your shins every time you fall over it, and not costing you money, then wait a while.
Some builds wait a while before they talk to you.
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Ah man, that was pure magic reading this thread from the start, a proper cool bit of kit, absolutely love everything about the engine.
The history on this is just epic.
Would be super cool seeing the engine run again, whatever you decide to put it in!
And if you don't decide to recommission it, i'm sure a museum of sorts would be a cool home for it whilst you decide what you want to do... Cov motor?
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mylittletony
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
Club RR Member Number: 84
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I'd vote for plan B, at least you keep it and get to enjoy it in the way you want. Like you say, can always drop it out and go racing. I saw the perfect candidate vehicle go unsold on ebay recently: ebay link |
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What grizz said... Just let it sit until the time is right. As tempting as it is, I'd be hesitant to stick the engine in something else. It doesn't look like its built with reliability in mind, and if you blow it up in a car that doesnt matter ( history wise, for that engine ), you just ripped the heart out of the rail. But I would keep looking for the right parts to rebuild it. They are cheaper when you are not in a hurry, and they will only get harder to find in the future... |
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Enbloc
Part of things
Posts: 399
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Jun 10, 2022 14:08:24 GMT
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Front is a tube axle with Raleigh Wisp wheels.  Do you have the front wheels to hand? Could you tell me the width of the hubs and the size of the bearings? I picked up a pair of dragster wheels last year and assumed, as did the seller, that they were for the standard dragster “Pop” spindles. They are not however with the hubs machined for same sized sealed bearings rather than big and little cone style car hub bearings. They are old but have never been used as far as I can tell and apparently came from a collection that had been cleared out from an old drag racer.  |
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Last Edit: Jun 10, 2022 14:13:00 GMT by Enbloc
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,960
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jun 10, 2022 18:22:49 GMT
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Bit too hot rod for what I'm tempted by Tony - think more VSCC flying bedframe type contraption  Though seeing as the engine would still be miles off era it'd probably be easier to use a MX5 1.6 engine which with a bit of faffing could look very similar to a early twin cam. Anyway I'm getting ahead of myself, won't be doing much of anything with any of it for the foreseeable. Things could change, don't know yet. I'll have a measure of the wheels this weekend. Think they're Harold Bull hubs on mine. |
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It has been great to read about this dragster and I hope that you will be able to finish it - or at least keep it together for the future. It represents so much about the "enginuity" of those early, pioneering, British drag racers. The blown four cylinder dragsters (and straight six Jaguar Altereds) are so typical of the period.
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Bit too hot rod for what I'm tempted by Tony - think more VSCC flying bedframe type contraption Though seeing as the engine would still be miles off era it'd probably be easier to use a MX5 1.6 engine which with a bit of faffing could look very similar to a early twin cam. Anyway I'm getting ahead of myself, won't be doing much of anything with any of it for the foreseeable. Things could change, don't know yet. I'll have a measure of the wheels this weekend. Think they're Harold Bull hubs on mine. Have you seen Oak Swamp on YouTube? Stumbled across him a couple of months ago - he's building special out of an Austin 10 with a Reliant motor. Looks like the sort of thing you're after! With regards the dragster, I can see your point, but I'd keep going bit by bit. Maybe start with the trailer as the current project - if you've got somewhere to put the car at home/work and also something comfortable to use as your pit at the track, you'll be much more enthused about the car itself. |
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim
1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started.
1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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