Nostalgia Dragster Rebuild

[Preen59]

Nov 19, 2009

We've had a Motor Trimmer make a bug catcher cover, just like the old ones!



Soooo dusty. The poor car has been heavily neglected. So on the weekend we cleaned it right up. Polished everything etc.



Ramp mounting bars.



We also retuned the fuel system with Rick's updated tuneup. This is a Gokart carburettor pop off guage we have adapted to set the idle check valve relief pressure.



We fired the car off with the new tune up from Rick with great success. Kept it lit and loud. Sunday we got the car all polished up and clean, ready to roll.

A couple of my mates were keen as to come around so I stuck Matty in the car for the fire up and to say they were impressed would be an understatement. He was all teeth and gums!

[Preen59]

I knocked up the Push Board today. Ready to rock and/or roll.







Eventually i'll replace it with a 10mm aluminium plate and have some fancy pants engaving on it, but this will do for now..

[Preen59]

Dec 05, 2009


Some pics from the Nostalgia Drags.. Courtesy of Flatpick Photography..

[Preen59]

Dec 05, 2009


Getting ready for the big weekend (Rocket Open Day and the Nostalgia Drags)

[Preen59]

Dec 05, 2009


Walt Rhodes (Famous US top fuel driver from the 60's and 70's) with my folks


First Time Cackler Aaron Savaro (son of a friend of ours in Orange). He was so overwhelmed he couldn't talk.. He just sat there stunned afterwards. (Note the condensation on the injector..)


My mate Steve's audio expert friend Andrew..




Andrew, Steve and Yours Truly.


Steve and Andrew came along to have a look at the car. Steve was also nice enough to bring his full HD camera and some sound equipment.. Can't wait to see the compilation when he has it finished.


Here's the ONE pic i took on the day of the Nostalgia Drags..

http://vimeo.com/8157995

Wrap your ears around that. The actual cackle part is a bit short (i've discussed that with my friend), but it's not bad i reckon.

[Preen59]

27-01-2010 "Worlds Best Australia Day Parade"

Justin Roylance invited us to bring Banshee to Forbes yesterday for their Australia Day festivities. Was a good day. Hot as all get out, but we had a lot of fun.

Here's what he had to say... Stolen from Dragster.com.au

Wow, what a great day!!!

Every year Forbes NSW holds the 'Worlds Best Australia Day Parade' and this year did not dissapoint.

Every year the local business houses, clubs etc decorate their vehicles / floats, vintage cars, tractors, bands, kids on bikes etc and have a parade up the main drag and end up down at the cricket ovals next to the lake. The streets are lined with locals and people who have travelled up to 2 hours away to check it out.

This year saw for local Drag Race cars driving up the street (with special unregistered vehicle permits) under their own stream with open headers. The onlookers thought it was great!!!!!

Especially when one of the drivers HAD to give his alloy rodded small block a few revs to clear it throat, the noise was unbeleivable and the poeple lining the street were cheering him on for more!!

Ross and Judy Preen and Co. made the trip from Orange with their Nostalgia AA/FD Cackle car.

Ross unloaded this magnificent little Dragster and the crowd came in very quick!! They soon took a step back when it was fired up with our Mayor (Cr. Phillys Miller) in the drivers seat!!



"Oh My God, that was an experience that I will never forget" Cr. Miller says (among a few other things!) just after she gracefully got out of the car.

We had a chat with Cr. Miller once she was out of the car, meanwhile the locals were walking away rubbing their eyes and checking their ears with their fingers, about Drag Racing in the Lachlan / Central West reigon and she agrees that it would be great to have a purpose built facility, it would draw a great crowd and bring plenty of people to town.



Thanks again to the Preen Clan for coming over to introduce nitromethane to or town, it was much appreciated.

Yes, these cars drove down the MAIN STREET in the parade!





Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4WFLI9dZKo

[Calais]

Just read this thread start to finish!

Can't get enough of what you guys have done.

Snaps dude.....

[Treza360]

That's the stuff. I love this thread. Glad it's back. Needs more video awesome...
Cheers,
Trent

[Preen59]

We'll be sure to get some video next fire up. We've had it apart again fixing a few little things..

It was leaking oil out the blower drive snout seal, so i've modified it to accept a circlip between the bearings and the seal and then an additional circlip after the seal. As previously the bearings AND the seal were retained by the one circlip. seals aren't designed for side load.. Haha.

Also, it turns out we (probably I) cracked the thrust washer behind the cam drive gear during initial assembly. When i first screwed the screws in (which were too long and i had to cut them down) i must have wound one or 2 in enough to break the edge off the washer (it's a hardened washer and therefore quite brittle). I noticed a squealing noise like a dry bearing when I backed it down after the cackle at Forbes and we thought it may have spun a cam bearing. Thankfully it was much less of an issue.



Here's the Email and pics (Dad pulled it apart while i was down in Victoria annoying Tim and Dom. haha)

Chris.
This damage was my (our) fault. The screws that hold the adapter to the cam hub are too long, actually only one is too long, well really the screw is not too long, but one of the counter bored holes is too deep (hang on! that makes it YOUR fault LOL) so the screw made contact with the thrust washer, causing it to break up.
Milodon has spare parts, but I will try BSC tomorrow, just on the off chance that the thrust bearing and washers are a standard item.

Dad.

[Preen59]

Some pics from the Dragfest Reunion. Courtesy of Steve Thomas- Visual Velocity Photography

[Calais]

Sweet flames dude. It looks real angry at night

[Preen59]

Sweet flames dude. It looks real angry at night

Dad sent a couple of the pics onto Rick. He said "Wow! How much blower are you running in that again?!" haha.

[Oneofthegreats]

I just picked up & read the latest "NITRO" mag with the write up & pics about the dragfest reunion!

Awesome!

Would have loved to come along & have a chat to the old crazy arse buggers!

I didn't know it was about when the yanks came out here on tour to promote the sport in 66!

Awesome mag & crazy pics.


Do yourself's a favor & go & get it!

[Preen59]

I just picked up & read the latest "NITRO" mag with the write up & pics about the dragfest reunion!

Awesome!

Would have loved to come along & have a chat to the old crazy arse buggers!

I didn't know it was about when the yanks came out here on tour to promote the sport in 66!

Awesome mag & crazy pics.


Do yourself's a favor & go & get it!

Yeah I don't reckon it's too bad. Go out and buy a copy..

[Buller_Scott]

this thread is rad, but....

asians (andrew) in drag cars?!?!?!?! i though we could only be found in nissan onevias!

mad pics. that reunion would be rad. beer and that soundtrack would be all the entertainment i'd need.