80 replies to this topic

[McAllister]

This is my first post, so hello to everyone at Slotblog!

 

This is kind of an experiment. I'm going to try to upload a picture. Okay, I think I just did. That was easier that I thought, at least so far.

 

This is a photo of two dragsters I put together from kits I ordered through the mail. The shorter one, called K&B Smokum (which I nicknamed Longspur), was sent to me by a guy named Mark Adams. The longer one, the K&B Repo (nicknamed Hotspur), was sent to me from someone in England. That was back in 2005.

 

I think both rolling chassis came with everything but the gears and (I think) the motors. I might have got the rear wheels and tires from Sam McCallister (no relation). I put a RAM 850 into the Smokum chassis and a RAM 857 into the Repo frame. The gears were the hardest things to find. The wheel spacers had to be improvised. Even though they were kits, it took a lot of time and effort to assemble them so that they worked properly and ran smoothly.

 

By the time I had them finished, the local drag strip had closed down, so I never got to run them on a long track with 18 volts. I have a 12 volt battery pack that I use to test my motors. It'll have to do.

 

I have lots and lots of homemade and scratchbuilt cars, all '60s retro style. I'll be posting them here in the near future.

 

Glad I found this forum!!!

 

[Gator Bob]

Glad I found this forum!!!

 
So are we.
 
Welcome aboard, Jim!!!

[McAllister]

The topic should have been "Dragsters with Pittman and RAM Motors." Sorry about that. Hopefully I'll get better at this with practice.

[McAllister]

Thanks, Bob!!!

[Gator Bob]

Jim,

You can go back and edit the post and the title for a few hours.
 
Click 'edit' - bottom right
 
Then use 'full editor' button.
 
BTW: Very nice cars and we have just the place for these to run. 

[slotcarone]

Welcome!!

[hiline2]

Also look around and find the running posts on the Vintage "Padlock" proxy drag races that have started. You have two contenders here!!!

[dc-65x]

The topic should have been "Dragsters with Pittman and RAM Motors." Sorry about that. Hopefully I'll get better at this with practice.

 

Welcome aboard Jim. I edited your topic title per your request.

 

Rick

[McAllister]

Thanks again, Bob! I'm up here in Canada, so it might not be so easy for me to get to that place...

[McAllister]

I edited your topic title per your request.

Thanks, Rick, appreciated.

[Gator Bob]

You can stay where it is cold and still have fun.

The strip stays hot here.
 
For the "Rods and Rails" Drag Proxy  look here HERE.

[Pitt Man]

That's a beautiful pair of rails you have there, Jim! 

 

Welcome, glad you found us, you're gonna love it here, lotsa good folks to share the fun with.

 

Hope you can join us in the spring for the proxy drags.

 

 

[Cheater]

You can go back and edit the post and the title for a few hours.

The edit "window" on a post at Slotblog is eight hours. After that time, the edit button disppears and you have to ask me or a mod to do the edit for you.

[SlotStox#53]

Howdy and welcome to the blog, Jim!

Some very neat and cool-looking rails. 
Look forward to racing against such sweet cars in the proxy Bob linked you to. 

Here's to seeing your future builds.

[Rick]

This may be of interest for those wanting to build a padlock dragster. Especially for Bob's proxy event.

 

Available in red, black, gold, and blue. Limited quantities...

 

 

[McAllister]

Welcome!!

 

Thanks Mike!!

[McAllister]

That's a beautiful pair of rails you have there, Jim! 
 
Welcome, glad you found us, you're gonna love it here, lotsa good folks to share the fun with.
 
Hope you can join us in the spring for the proxy drags.

 
Thanks, Bob, some friendly folks here.

 

Where are the proxy drags?

[SlotStox#53]

Click HERE, Jim.

[Gator Bob]

Jim,

We've been running them in Northern California and Central Florida.
We are still learning to do it better but the events have been successful and lots of fun. 
 
I love these vintage drag cars.   
 
Rick, are you sold out of natural or clear kits?

If so 'I'm let loose" put me down for a back in black .

[McAllister]

Here are a couple of detail shots of my repro (Hotspur) and Smokum (Longspur) dragsters.
 
Mark Adams told me that Dave Cummerow won second place in the 2005 (I think) world finals using the Smokum chassis. I've seen his pictures - maybe HERE. He used a Strombecker Destroyer motor, which perhaps is a knock-off of the RAM 850/Pittman DC-84. I used a RAM 857 in mine.
 
The Longspur weighs 226 grams and the Hotspur is 219 grams.
 
It amazes me that these motors are 50 years old, but still run as good as new. The magnets have probably lost some of their strength, but that's a whole 'nother story.
 
Jim

[Gator Bob]

SANO (you need to know that word) builds ,Jim.
... it's a hip term for 'sanitary'.
 
Those better be 1967 or before zip ties (ty-wraps) or that sidewinder will be sidelined.
 
Strict rules you know. 

[MSwiss]

Nice cars, Jim.

FWIW, I plan to start on a drag strip in the near future. It will be a 1/4 mile along with about 30-35 ft. of shutdown.

The power supply, which I already have, is adjustable up to 28v.

So if anyone wants to see what these guys will do on high voltage, I'll be willing to give them a spin.

[Ramcatlarry]

In the early 1960's, we used three 12 volt batteries in series...'36' volts DC is actually closer to (3 x 13.2) 40 volts DC.

 

At our raceway in Aurora, IL - Cycle & Hobby, we had a Formica drag strip hung from the ceiling over the road course.

 

One battery for stock class, two batteries for modified, and all three for top fuel.

[MSwiss]

From what I heard about the strip that was up in Bradley, Formica is the way to go.

[Gator Bob]

I really like the 'power station' 12/24/36 swap by class. "Some like it hot"

 

let's turn up the heat til we fry      Throw the big knife switch captain    

 

Sounds great Mike ... you have put on great proxy shows for us and look forward to 'hitting your strip'.