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Frosty's dragster

Stanley - December 4th, 2009 at 06:04 AM

Are there or were there any volksy powered dragsters or altereds in Australia?

dangerous - December 4th, 2009 at 07:53 AM

The only few I can remember were the one Peter Keegan built in the mid 70s with his supercharged engine,

and Ross Bulloch("Hurk the Turk") had a supercharged VW pwered dragster(GM371 and 85.5x82 ex-Thornton engine)
in the early 90s that was eventually converted to V6 Commadore power.
Will see if I can find some pics.

Lots of options here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=68

But I reckon you could build a chassis your self for less than the shipping cost.

If you build an altered at least it will fit on your trailer.

vassy66T1 - December 4th, 2009 at 12:50 PM

Go the altered!!! Look fantastic and a wild ride :!: :smilegrin:

Stanley - December 5th, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Well....looks like I might have another project then.

Thanks for the info Davo....oh and the plans....now where's my pipe bender :smilegrin:

Dak-A-Tak - December 5th, 2009 at 04:47 PM

You be better buying a proven car with passes on it , when you add up all extra's (wheels , steering ,safety gear ,diff , ect ) . About $3500 to bring here is the only draw back but you will spend that and more on safety clothes ! PLus a motor with POWER !! all adds up real quick .
Nice dream Stanley !!

Stanley - December 5th, 2009 at 07:01 PM

All proven cars with passes on them had to start somewhere Pete

My turbo beetle was a dream once as was your car.

Now...what info have you got? Surely I can't be the only person who has thought of this

humpty - December 6th, 2009 at 12:56 AM

Nuts....... I like! :tu:

dangerous - December 6th, 2009 at 05:38 AM

Hurks dragster:

pretty sure that is a power gle,
but may be a trimatic.
Either are good choices.

dangerous - December 6th, 2009 at 05:43 AM

Hurk sent me these photos in 1992 after I tracked him down through David Cook,
former owner and editor of Dragster Australia magazine.
At the time of the letter, Hurk had only got into the 11's with the dragster
because he was still sorting the trans and fuel system out.

But a later meeting at the winternationals in 1993,
he had acheived a 10.2@131mph,
which made his car the fastest et of any VW powered vehicle in Australiaat that time.

humpty - December 6th, 2009 at 08:39 AM

Where is it now?

dangerous - December 6th, 2009 at 11:09 AM

Last I heard it was sold, and had a V6 commy engine.
Probably still storage in SA being no 1/4 mile there at the moment.

colonel mustard - December 6th, 2009 at 11:19 AM

ya need a long trailer for that boy!

dangerous - December 6th, 2009 at 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dak-A-Tak
You be better buying a proven car with passes on it , when you add up all extra's (wheels , steering ,safety gear ,diff , ect ) . About $3500 to bring here is the only draw back but you will spend that and more on safety clothes ! PLus a motor with POWER !! all adds up real quick .
Nice dream Stanley !!

Whether you buy or build,
the safety clothes will cost the same.
You are going to need them
no matter which car you drive that is quicker than 10.99.

There IS a lot to be said about buying a proven car,
...hell, that was what my reasoning was when I purchased Peter Keegans hill climb car all those years ago.

Unfortunately it did not turn out as planned, as can happen with these things.
But the learning curve was something I would never have had otherwise.

But as it turns out, I realised the reason i do things the way that I do,
is because for me,
dragracing is more abut the "journey",(learning curve)
as opposed to just going fast.

I am sure that some people do their chosen hobbies for all different reasons.
Some just want to go fast.
Some want the glory and fame,
some just want to win.
And there is nothing wrong with any of those things.

But for me,
(and I am guessing stanley too, although he can speak for himself)
it is all about trying things for myself.

It does make a whole lot of sense to buy a car that is proven,either here or from over seas.

But sometimes,
outlaying a big chunk of dollars in one hit,
is never in the budget.

...but I think if a bloke from Orange (PK), or from Kilburn SA (Hurk),
can build a dragster in his back yard
with a hacksaw and a stick welder,
then I sat to Stanley:
go for it dude.

tassy74ida - December 6th, 2009 at 02:01 PM

Well said dave!! I reckon go for it stanley..... : )

Stanley - December 6th, 2009 at 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dangerous

But for me,
(and I am guessing stanley too, although he can speak for himself)
it is all about trying things for myself.

You hit the nail on the head Davo.
Building something from nothing is what it's all about, driving it is just the cream on the top.

I have a one son who is a mechanic and another who is a sheety so i'm looking at this as a long term family project. Number one priority is getting Frankenstein back on the track with the blower.

I'm just researching at the moment. Appreciate all the info and comments.

SuperOwen - December 6th, 2009 at 06:25 PM

The big advantage of buying a running car is you can get out on the track asap, and then make your changes etc rather than having a never ending project filling up your garage and getting sold off as bits in a few years time when you never finish it. If your into altered quite a lot of nostalgia altered running valiant 6's etc seem to pop up from time to time at pretty reasonable prices. Biggest problem is the fact that the chassis usually needs to be heavily modified to accomodate a flat four, not a huge deal but something to think about.

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE - December 6th, 2009 at 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dangerous
Hurks dragster:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n216/dangerous_05/hurk1.jpg

pretty sure that is a power gle,
but may be a trimatic.
Either are good choices.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n216/dangerous_05/hurk2.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n216/dangerous_05/hurk3.jpg

I spot a Honda Z360 LOL

Have always thought about a front engined dragster with Volksy power would certainly be a quick bit of gear set up in the right way. Be keen to see this one develop Stanley!!

Paint scheme?? My guess would be satin black and silver LOL

Dak-A-Tak - December 7th, 2009 at 09:02 PM

Yes , all good points ! Just do the home work , have a talk with Peter Duffy at willowbank (fiat turbo slingshot rail) he has built afew dragsters on the cheap. Modified class is very tough to go rounds in but would be nice to see any vw power car running .

vassy66T1 - December 8th, 2009 at 08:22 AM

If I was going to build a drag car (and I am not!!) it would be an altered.
Go Stanley :yes:

reub - December 8th, 2009 at 10:19 AM

sweet

Stanley - December 8th, 2009 at 12:19 PM

this is cool

coletrickle - December 8th, 2009 at 09:56 PM

A little off track but in 92 when i was working @ nickens brothers engines in texas they were developing an autocraft for vinny barrone it was custom ordered with a ford bellhousing/liberty clutchless trans to run in comp eliminator in G/ECONO DRAGSTER.Don't know if they got it finished but on paper it was a killer combo if i rembember correct other simular cars were in the low 9's with sub 2lt backyard setups.Go on stanley you know you want to and front engine to!And when you get the f/e dragster sorted and in the 9's you can use you new skills to lengthen the chassis get a greek coupler and a second engine and you got a flat 8 f/e digger shit year cletus and if you got any money left over you could make it pretty!

11CAB - December 8th, 2009 at 11:03 PM

Something like this would be seriously cool....... Go for it Stanley

Dak-A-Tak - December 15th, 2009 at 10:37 PM

This car has run 9.30's in usa ,

Nice front motor car that runs 1/8 mile in usa

humpty - December 16th, 2009 at 12:56 AM

Always had a soft spot for the 'slingshot' front engined digger.... The Paradise Express is an awesome bit of kit to be sure, but that white one looks like it might be achievable on a reasonable budget...

pete wood - December 17th, 2009 at 10:53 AM

love that last one. they look pretty rudimentary, so it couldn't be that hard to build one.

what rims do they use?

oh and btw, why do they call them "diggers"?

Dak-A-Tak - December 26th, 2009 at 10:11 PM

Note flat 4 I know but a fast ride at a good price .
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Dragster-drag-car-motorcycle-powered_W0QQitemZ26052564...

Dak-A-Tak - December 27th, 2009 at 12:08 PM

Here is another but in usa , 6'0s on 1/8 mile

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Snowmobile-engine-powered-dragster-drag-car-LO...

coletrickle - December 27th, 2009 at 10:18 PM

The term diggers goes back to the days before organised drag racing when the farmers/farmers sons would race their tractors and they were hotted up as you do and the real hot ones upon launching would dig trenches hence the term diggers.When the drags started some of the higly moddified "tractors"showed up extended chassis little front wheel big back wheels driver sitting over or behind the rear axle,and the term digger was used before the term dragster and the hard core guys would still refer to them as diggers,still the same today!Any other motorsport question kids!

FROSTY - January 1st, 2010 at 05:36 PM

Stanley you have to go the Otto Brothers style altered. Just for interest what would the pipe OD and wall thickness be for the frame?