Community Forums

a k · 02-24-2011, 07:51 AM

Check this electric drag racer.

Oregon Field Guide — Electric Drag Racing · Oregon Public Broadcasting

Vegasdan · 02-24-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a k

Check this electric drag racer.

Oregon Field Guide — Electric Drag Racing · Oregon Public Broadcasting

Nothing new here. In the early 60s a guy from Minnesota called the "Mad Man" would put on exhibition runs with his electric drag car. He used a small Renault that was gutted and had an electric motor. For power he did not use batteries, rather he had an Allison aircraft engine/generator on a trailer. He laid out two 1/4 mile runs of bare copper wire down the strip that were connected to the generator. The car had pickups on each side (I might be a little fuzzy on some of the details here, it's only been 50 years). He'd fire up the generator, climb in and throw the switch. He billed it as the World's Largest Slot Car.

GOLDWINGER2 · 02-24-2011, 09:22 AM

What kept the car in the groove?
J

mfire1339 · 02-24-2011, 09:44 AM

In an hour I'll leave for the 6mi. drive to the Winternationals! Yahoo

Mike

a k · 02-24-2011, 09:49 AM

Remember when it was heads up racing? Now every thing is studder box, dial in your opponents time for the delay box. Computer does it all now. I drove my son's when he had the 5 speed Lenco and all you had to do was let off the clutch and when a light blinks pull the lever. Now its no clutch. auto with a brake.

stepside454 · 02-24-2011, 10:16 AM

Check out some of the outlaw classes, no electronics in most. 7 sec cars on 10.5" tires, it's pretty impressive. Have fin in Pamona, personally I've stepped away from NHRA, they've pissed me off much the same way as NASCAR.

Larry & Rita · 02-24-2011, 11:11 AM

I raced back when it ment "Wipe the oil off your hands and hold on".
Sure miss those days when mom made me undress in the basement because of the smell

Chuck 1935 · 02-24-2011, 02:08 PM

Never could figure out what bracket racing was all about. You either have a fast car or not. Whats the point. If my car is a dog, I'll fix it. I don't want to embarress myself and run with the other dogs.
I guess it's like T Ball, everybody gets to play, good or bad !!

stepside454 · 02-24-2011, 02:12 PM

Chuck, that's about it. It gave they guy with a limited budget a chance to compete. I belt raced for several years & enjoyed it. Than all the delay boxes, stutter boxes, etc came along & ruined it for me. The real nail in the coffen was when tracks started doing buy backs. That was when it wasn't fun anymore.

stepside454 · 02-24-2011, 02:13 PM

Belt ? Lol sorry, bracket

Chuck 1935 · 02-24-2011, 02:29 PM

I'ts the same with NASCAR. All the cars are the same except for the engines, and they are all the same cu.in. It's almost, whats the point of having different manufacturers. They all have to fit the same templates. It used to be Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday. Now you can't buy on Monday, they don't make that stuff.

stepside454 · 02-24-2011, 02:35 PM

What? You mean you can't go to the dealer & buy a v8 rear wheel drive 2 door Impala or Tarus at the dealer? That's just silly, I thought it was stock car racing

BobKomar · 02-24-2011, 02:37 PM

I guess it's because I'm younger, but bracket racing is still exciting for me even with the electrics.

I am a crew chief on a 10 second 69 Fire chicken, or may be these days. We still are not sure if the car is going to make the track this year. The economy has dried up the little bit of sponsor money we were getting.

Ray,IN · 02-24-2011, 11:38 PM

You stated the exact problem "sponsor money", which IMO has ruined racing. I remember racing my car on the weekend, then fixing anything broken so I could drive it to work the following week.
Back to electric cars, the Model S Features | Tesla Motors has a 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds. Perhaps in my lifetime I will see electric cars commonplace.