One of the nicest most humble cool dude-
Bob Bode's Official Website

Before his pro career in drag racing, he was into flat bottom boat racing. Used to live near him and a good friend was his neighbor. Eye opener for me with the boats. Seeing how insane the circle boats are, (K Racing runabouts -Blown Alcohol) I would think he's slowed down by racing on the tarmac! LOL - (just joking Bob!)

Sand Man, when they take off two on a good run, the pressure wave that goes through you is unbelievable. 100X more than you could ever sense from the best home theater system.

They take off FAST, and then about 1/2 second into it the rear end locks up and its like when they jump to warp speed in Star Wars. GONE!!!

I've all of a sudden become obsessed with this stuff.

So I can see on a pro top fuel dragster with the engine behind the driver, how the "direct drive" could work with such close proximity to the rear wheels. However, on a pro top fuel funny car, with the engine in front of the driver and the rear wheels further away, is there an actual drive line (shaft) turning the rear wheels, via rear end?

This is an understatement. You think after seeing the burnouts that you have a sense for how loud they are. You don't.

Yes, clutch behind the engine, solid ti driveshaft to differential (solid spool), to wheels. The drive shaft is enclosed in a safety spool.





http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396843763.jpg

What / who's rear end is that?

That's insane. THESE CARS ARE INSANE!! How can you sit in one of these things (funny car) closed in, with an "engine" on your lap, a small gas tank full of explosive nuclear waste, and something even remotely resembling a drive shaft spinning under your azz????

Probably a Strange Engineeering rear end.

JR

i need that part number..

I read some years back about one side of the exaust blowing off a funny car engine.
The other side blew the car off the track.:eek:

Yup. just loosing fire to one cylinder is enough to push the car sideways out of the groove.
i've heard the number 800# of force per cylinder exhaulst pipe mentioned.

EDIT: looks like that 800# number is for total exhaust downforce, not per cylinder.

Back in 84 I decided I was going drag boat racing.
With my usually enthusiastic ignorace of the classes, i built up a blown hemi that basically put me in a pro class. Very expensive, lots of safety regs.

I complained when I had to spend 2 grand on a whirl-away ratcheting prop shaft, even though it would keep the boat from corkscrewing if the engine siezed.
Then I complained about having to spend another grand to have a special stainless driveshaft tube made to keep the standard automotive driveshaft from cutting the boat in half (and me) if it failed. I already had a 1/4" thick aluminum tube!
That driveshaft was about 2 feet long and was spinning at engine speed, and was connected to a gearbox next to my leg.
the front U-joint was 6" from my hip holding back over 1000 hp.

I have allot more respect for safety rules now than I did when I was 24 and bullet-proof.

From the Strange catalog:

L7400........................$18,850

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Note that the rear end is under your rear end

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In those earlier dragsters, where the driver straddled the rear-end ...after he climbed in, they just welded his balls to the pumpkin housing - as additional structure strength.

Don Garlits invented the rear engine dragster after the clutch in his front engine dragster exploded and cut his car (and his foot) in half.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396888079.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396888094.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396888115.jpg


This is what the cars looked like back then. You sat with the diff between your legs and under your knees.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396888149.jpg




And while we're on the subject of cast iron appendages .... hey what could go wrong?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1396888252.jpg

All forms of racing are risky...hell, life will kill ya. But to quote my 16 year old, "these things seem sketchy, Dad". I have to admit, these cars do seem unpredictable.

I've never been into motorsports for the "blood" and hate the crashes and shunts. But I stumbled onto the crash that claimed Scott Kalitta and just felt sick.

And to the original poster, sorry this thread has been hi-jacked!

thanx!

Don't say i never got ya a deal ....

CHRISMAN 12 REAR SPOOL, GOOD USED, $250

CHRISMAN 12 INCH REAR, FRONT PINION SUPPORT W/COUPLER, USED $250

STRANGE 9 INCH TOPLOADER PINION SUPPORT W/BEARING, USED $200

NHRA NITRO FUNNY CAR PARTS For Sale


Ya i know it's only a few parts and not the whole deal, but yer blowing the fun!

Here ya go ,a strange 10 1/2 rear end and it comes with a 5.5 second car!



TAFC Funny Car, Very Complete Roller ++ New For Sale