T-Odd What's hanging down ... ?

[one finger john]

T-Odd, in "T-Odd's 2011 Nats Pic Of The Day" over at the NTBA sit, there is something very obviously hanging down on the left side of the lead, red T (Toolman's car?). Is that steering gear? Does the owner have a TP car?

 

[GT63]

T-Odd, in "T-Odd's 2011 Nats Pic Of The Day" over at the NTBA sit, there is something very obviously hanging down on the left side of the lead, red T (Toolman's car?). Is that steering gear? Does the owner have a TP car?

I beleive that's the shock mount. Toolman's frame is home made from steel he salvage from old farm equipment. He first built his T when he was in High School back in the 1980's.

 

[T-Odd]

Grant's probably right. Toolman's batwings are made to have the hyd shock mount below the radius rods and it's the lowest part of the car.

He told me he specifically designed his batwings and shock mounts because he has had issues with the shock mounted to the shackles, etc.

Trying to dog up a good pic of the batwings right now.

I think RPM talked to him about this exact subject.

 

[T-Odd]

I figure since Toolman has over 290,000 miles in his bucket he probably knows a little bit about what/why/how...

Heck, just the TOP on this car has 100,000 miles on it.

 

[T-Odd]

How's this view?

 

[putz]

Good view now post the pic of him on a median.Wow was he lucky.

 

[RPM]

One lucky guy for sure. I did talk to him about the lower shock brackets. He designed them that way so that if the pivot or shackle fails, which has happened. The shock bottoms out and keeps the front of the car from dragging the ground while under power.

 

[2old2fast]

Trying not to take this in another direction , I've been thinking about running a piece of heavy wall tubing from batwing to batwing under the spring eyes so as not to obstruct normal shackle operation, but close enough to "catch the spring in case of pivot or shackle failure, anyone have an opinion?

dave

 

[T-Odd]

A piece of heavy wall tubing welded from batwing to batwing under the spring could very well cause a tiny issue.

The small amount of flex that happens when one front tire goes up and the other goes down will cause a twisting motion - but I suppose that is no different than the front axle.

I really don't know - Let's ask GAB.

 

[guilld]

One lucky guy for sure. I did talk to him about the lower shock brackets. He designed them that way so that if the pivot or shackle fails, which has happened. The shock bottoms out and keeps the front of the car from dragging the ground while under power.

What the heck happened?

 

[409T]

You can buy or make a safety bar that bolts to the spring perch and hangs over the front axle which would catch the frame in the event of a spring or shackle failure. CCR sells them as front license plate holders.

Jeff

 

[T-Odd]

guilld "What the heck happened?"

Driving back in the rain from Lenoir, NC (site of the 2009 NTBA T Buckt NATS) Tim and Tristan hit a "river" of water - I took a pic of that also, and went sideways.

Lucky he met the wall rather than the 18 wheeler that was to his right.

Climbed the wall and slid about 100 feet (took a pic of the slide marks on the concrete also).

We were traveling about a mile behind and were the first to arrive. Followed the tow truck to the lot, unloaded Kletus from the trailer, loaded Tim's hotrod on there, hooked up Tim's little trailer to the back of Kletus and headed toward Memphis.

Tim drove 500 miles in Kletus, Dad towed Tim's bucket back to Tejas.

There were no injuries BUT we did find out that Speedway Stainless radius rods are tacked together (no penetration - I have pics).

Have no idea where I stored all the pics right now. Once I find them, I can show you.

 

[Keeper]

Man that looks wild, glad everyone was okay.

What was the damage to his bucket?

 

[T-Odd]

Bent a rim, broke some barely welded together Speedway Stainless Radius Rods, tweaked the front end a good bit - replaced with an awesome RPM front axle.

He ended up pulling the engine and built a very stout 421 SBC.

 

[T-Odd]

That's a couple of shots of the stainless radius rods. Doesn't look like very good penetration to me.

 

[2old2fast]

Man! that's seriously scary!!

dave