1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

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PaulSongas
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1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

Hey guys... I just picked up my first 1/4 scale car, and the word project really fits here.

Before I start, I know some will not see it how I do, but truely see the potential in this car.

For the last couple years, I have been r/c truck pulling during the winter while the drag car season is done. The main gathering for the truck pullers and rock crawlers in the area is Jerry's R/C in Lino Lakes MN. Imagine a place like Sanford and Son only it deals with R/C cars. It's a real small place, with lots of cars, trucks, and tables and chairs so the guys can sit down and B.S. the night away. Jerry is a great guy, and fun to be around, just like most the guys that go hang out there. (Plus his wife makes lunch for everybody on weekend!) Here is the fun part. I had always known Jerry's original place had burnt down in 2000, and he lost just about everything. Well the other night, I was the last one there, and the subject of the fire came up. Then out of the blue, he said --- "Hey! I have been meaning to tell you, there was a 1/4 scale dragster in the shop when it went down, but it was on the opposite end of the building, and is not too bad!! The lexan body is all melted around the chassis, the electronics are also junk, the rear tires are junk, but the rest is not too bad!!" So I asked if it was in the storage in the back of the shop. He said- "No! It's outside in back of the building! It's been there about 7 years!!!"

My first thought was, this thing is going to be a pile of total junk, and what are the odds it would be something decent. I thought it was going to be a local home made POS. So I asked to see the car, not thinking I was going to see much. So we went outside in the dark, and all you can really see is the wing and roll cage, there were leaves from the trees piled all around it. So we drug it out, ans set it on a long picnic table, and started taking off the leaves all within the frame of the car. As we cleared it out, I started thinking, that wow, this was pretty nice!! It was a pro made car, and had some real nice looking parts on it. The front end set up, rear wing, butterfly steering wheel, and wheelie bars alone are the nicest I have ever seen on a 1/4 scale. Right away I asked how much! He said give him the night to think about it, but assured me he always wanted it to go to somebody that would put it to good use. So, tonight I went over there, and he shot the price, and for little more then a few tanks of gas, I was loading it up into my truck!!!! You can't buy a 1/10 scale kit for what I bought this for.


So.. Questions... Who made it??? With a quick search of the internet, I think it might be a Performance Drag Products chassis, but not quite sure. The engine looks different then the one I can find online. This one has a custom scoop and header on it too.


I took the following pictues just as I got the car. Tonight I will start to break off the remains of the lexan body, and try to make out what electionics are on the car. I know this is going to be a long project, and I am going to need a lot of help along the way to get it running, but I think I have found just the place to ask my questions.
Last edited by PaulSongas on November 14th, 2009, 12:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
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PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

Image

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PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

The Engine has BENNETT on the side of it above the exhaust.

There is a pretty complex (and intimidating :? ) electrical system on the belly pan. There is a small circut board which is in good shape still, and The throttle servo plugs into it from what I can tell by tracing the melted insulation.

There is some sort of relay mounted to the pan. The relay has wire that goes to ground ? , and one goes back to the engine, by where the spark plug wire comes out.

There is a battery pack, that goes to a junction block, and from the junction block goes out to the reciever.


There are 4 servos, a big one for steering, and then 2 servos in the floor pan facing down. One is for brake, one is for throttle, and the 4th was loose, and I am not sure where it went.
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kenazzo2000
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by kenazzo2000 »

4th servo could be for parachute keep the pictures coming
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Mike Casey
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by Mike Casey »

pertformance drag products definately made that. Does not look too bad, sweet score, you should be able to salvage it OK. I have some good plastic cases for that rear end if you want one so you can replace it. It can be your first nice looking spot on the car! :)

Here are some pics of another one of these.
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Mike Casey
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by Mike Casey »

one with a conley
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M.R. Ogle

Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by M.R. Ogle »

Wow! Excellent find, Paul!

I'd just strip that sucker down completely to the frame, then start adding back parts as you insure they're in good working order.

As for the electronics, though, I'd just scrap that entirely and start over... there's not much to setting up one of these cars electronically that you haven't done a hundred times before in smaller scale.

I can show you the reverser assembly for the third channel, pretty easy stuff.

Does the new LRU Top Fuel body fit that one?
PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

M.R. Ogle wrote:Wow! Excellent find, Paul!

I'd just strip that sucker down completely to the frame, then start adding back parts as you insure they're in good working order.

As for the electronics, though, I'd just scrap that entirely and start over... there's not much to setting up one of these cars electronically that you haven't done a hundred times before in smaller scale.

I can show you the reverser assembly for the third channel, pretty easy stuff.

Does the new LRU Top Fuel body fit that one?


Thanks Mike.. It's the best winter project I can think of. I am just going to take it slow, and finish it as the budget allows. I have already had some PM's offering parts, and that is great!

MRO, I'd like to know if that LRU body would fit also.... I have no idea.
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PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

It didn't take much thinking on which car I would like to replicate.

My childhood hero, Joe Amato, and his tall wing car that came out at the 1984 Gatornationals. It promply was the first to break 260 MPH, with 260 in the semi final, and 262 in a final round win.

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Mike Casey
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by Mike Casey »

paul, give me a measurement from the front of the cage all the way to the tip of the car and I will check for you.
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big maestro
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by big maestro »

Very nice find, Is that a Raco rearend?
PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

big maestro wrote:Very nice find, Is that a Raco rearend?
Yes it is


Here is a before/after on the wheelie bars. Just a wire wheel and afterwards some polish. They came out AWESOME as did the wing stand. Anything dark is a shadow, it's near perfrct. 8)

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PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

QSL wrote:paul, give me a measurement from the front of the cage all the way to the tip of the car and I will check for you.
48 Inches
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Mike Casey
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by Mike Casey »

here are some great pics to help you get her back. :D http://cgi.ebay.com/CONLEY-V8-BLOWN-ENG ... 2ea9250f77
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PaulSongas
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Re: 1/4 Scale Top Fuel Dragster PROJECT!!!!

Post by PaulSongas »

Thanks!!
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