"Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme that which I desire" Metallica -------------Top fuel dragsters.

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER STATS
One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona.

Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1 1/2 gallons of nitro per second, (that's about 10 gallons per run!), the same rate of fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747, but with 4 times the energy volume.

The supercharger takes more power to drive then a stock hemi makes.

Even with nearly 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition.

Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock.

Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug.

This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

At stoichiometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture (for nitro), the flame front of nitro methane measures 7050 degrees F.

Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass.

After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting off it's fuel flow.

If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in those cylinders and then explodes with a force that can blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or blow the block in half.

Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far (20 degrees in the big end of the track) that sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from front to rear to re-phase the valve timing somewhere closer to synchronization with the pistons.

To exceed 300mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. But in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.

If all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs $1000.00 per second.

Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have read this sentence.

Top Fuel Engines ONLY turn 540 revolutions from start light to finish line.

The redline is actually quite high at 9500 rpm.

To give you an idea of this acceleration, the current TF dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile. This means that you could be coming across the starting line in your average Lingenfelter powered "twin-turbo" Corvette at 200 mph (on a FLYING START) and the dragster would BEAT you to the finish line FROM A DEAD STOP in a quarter mile distance!

PERFORMANCE EXAMPLES
0 to 100 MPH in .8 seconds (the first 60 feet of the run)
0-200 MPH in 2.2 seconds (the first 350 feet of the run)
6 g-forces at the starting line (nothing accelerates faster on land)
6 negative g-forces upon deployment of twin ‘chutes at 300 MPH

An NHRA Top Fuel Dragster accelerates quicker than any other land vehicle on earth . . . quicker than a jet fighter plane . . . quicker than the space shuttle.

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/lounge-108/720-acceleration.html

Trivia and definitions

A couple of meanings to things I just had taken for granted

Spider Veloce - sports fast
( Jeep ) CJ - Civilian Jeep
( Lamborghini ) Muira - The last name of a well known bull breeder; Don Edward Muira
Countach - Italian slang expressing praise or astonishment, vocalized by an assembly mechanic who was part of the team hurrying to complete the first for a exhibition of the new model

Lamborghini's are mostly named for bulls or bullfighting because the founder, Ferruccio, was a Taurus. Exceptions are the 350 and 400 GT lines, and the Countach.

The British Motor Company in 1968 was absorbed into British Leyland (BL), which had been nationalized in 1965 and renamed Leyland Cars. In 1977 it was again renamed BL Cars.
In 1986 BL Cars was renamed the Rover Group.

Some things make no sense

What was the thought behind abbreviating the word barrel into BBL, instead of BRRL or BRL? So does this mean "babble" should be BRL?
Brought up in the July 2002 Car Craft by Shane Swofford in the readers comments.

British Racing Green

Isn't British... how about that? From a Road and Track magazine reader Hayden R. Shepley's comment, concerning an article in the Cyril Posthumus in April 1969... The origin of the color British Racing Green is from 1903 when the British wouldn't allow the Gordon Bennett race to be held in Britain. Ireland was asked to hold the race on their roads after Parliament had a special act passed to allow this. This act allowed certain public roads to be closed, thereby making this the first ever closed circuit race in automobile history. As a compliment to the Irish, all the English cars were painted a dark green. Previosly all the winning cars from this race, that used to be held in Napier were painted red, sort of indicative of those who hold the trophy from the previous race... kinda like the yellow Jersey, or Green sport coat.

answers

From my trivia challenge photo gallery post http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/01/challenging-mopar-trivia-masters-what.html

The doors are from a early 70's, they have no wing windows

the rims are from a Coronet or Charger, they were never offered on Darts

the front clip (fenders, grill, hood) is from a 1970 Dart,

the hood scoop isn't even Mopar, neither is the black hood stripe

the center console is from a 72 Barracuda or Challenger

the dash, looks like its from a Barracuda

the butt stripe is just the lower half, the top is missing

the GT letters are from a Pontiac Grand Am from the 1990's, the word Sport, well that is a mystery

the trunk panel is from a 1968 Dart

and I may be wrong, but the antenna on the rear fender I think is not normal to 1969 Darts

Where did the name "Camaro" come from?

An Italian magazine in the '60's stated that the Italian word camaro means "to back up, to retreat." It also said that the word means crawfish...

CAMARO is short for:
Cannot Actually Move And Ricers Own
Heard any others that are funnier? jbohjkl@yahoo.com

Dictionary.com has nothing on the word, and Wikipedia says this... "Automotive press asked Chevrolet product managers "What is a Camaro?", and were told it was "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs".

The name conveniently fit Chevrolet's "C" naming structure that included Caprice, Corvair, Chevelle, Chevy II and Corvette." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camaro

From http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z169/Chevrolet-Camaro-RS.aspx I read that Camaro in French is slang for "friend"

The definitive hick town speed trap, Boulogne Florida, popluation 50,

The 4 lane highway was a 55 zone, but the people of Boulogne posted a 45 zone, and cashed on. They won the lottery.

The speed trap was so effective, 60 %of the city income was from fines and forfeitures.

Of the 1008 arrests in 1961, 999 were for speeding. Accordingly 88% of the budget went to policing the zone, all 1.3 miles long and 2000 feet wide.

Greed was their downfall of course, so many complaints, etc caused the state road dept and a senator to get involved. They lost about 10 million dollars due to bad will, and people going out of the way to avoid the now nationally known, nasty little town that was a parasite on the highway and drivers just passing through. The few businesses and citizens left had their charter revoked 8 years after getting it, and 2 years after the senator took a side against them.

From a late 1960's Road and Track article by Richard Poe

What is rare? A 426 max wedge in a Dodge truck as a factory install

The 426 Wedge was part of the $1300 High Performance Package and could be ordered on its own from the separate and distinct $235 Custom Sports Special trim package.

The HP Package was only “officially” offered in 1964 and 1965 on D100 and D200 LWB trucks. The Custom Sports Special trim package was offered from 1964 thru 1967 and could be had on D or W 100, 200 Sweptline, Utiline or chassis cab in LWB or SWB trucks.

Dodge management only authorized 50 trucks could be built with the 426 Street Wedge High Performance Package — according to former Dodge truck engineer Bruce Thomas of the Walter P. Chrysler Museum, who said that far fewer than 50 examples were actually produced. Currently the registry recognizes 31 trucks with these packages or combinations of them.

Info via: http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/ram-history.html

For a great story about them, and a family restoration: http://www.cssregistry.com/css/stevebell.html

Trivia

In 1923, if your Hays Hickory Hitter bumper broke, you'd get a new one free.

The Netherlands American Embassy used an Edsel, it was bought in the late 1960's by the London members of an Edsel club who intended to restore it.

The LA County Fair in 60 or 61 had a rod and custom show, and at it were the Grabowski Kookie Car, Ivo's Buick powered bucket T, Roth's Tweedy Pie T and his Outlaw were all entered in the street roadster class

The lunar rover, only wheeled vehicle off the planet

Above image via: http://www.greyhandgang.com/

there were actually 3 deployed: http://luminosis.blogspot.com/2009/07/for-sale-one-lunar-rover.html
Above image via: http://www.solarviews.com/raw/apo/as17-147-22526.jpg

Above image via: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Apollo15LunarRover.jpg

Below inage via: http://apolloanomalies.com/images/ALSJ/AS17-137-20979HR.jpg

They are still working on the next generaton of lunar rover tires: http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/08/06/goodyear-and-nasa-develop-the-next-gen-lunar-rover-tire-its-springy/

I don't consider the toys on mars to be vehicles, since they have no ability to transport people

Vehicles named after weapons

Pierce arrow, Dodge magnum, AMC Javelin, Sunbeam Rapier, Buick La Sabre

Via: http://forums.acdclub.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=3711

Monument to Emile Levassor

Emile Levassor; Pioneering car inventor, racer, and victor of the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris 1895 enduring 48 continuous hours of virtually nonstop driving, a feat possibly not yet repeated. Ok, it was at an average of 15 mph, but that was incredible for 1895.

This monument (raised in 1907) is likely the most grandious tributes ever erected to an automobilist.

Monument to the car

On November 26, 1907, a stone monument was inaugurated square Parodi, boulevard de l'Amiral Buix in Paris XVI °, in honor of Emile Levassor and pioneers of the industry and motorsport. The sculptor Jules Dalou represented Levassor driving the car on which he had won the race Paris-Bordeaux-Paris. This monument, funded by public subscription, was presented to the City of Paris.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Levassor

(StillOutThere commented contrary, disagreeing about the monument... fact check before you post a disagreement on facts, I'm always wrong in my opinion, just ask my girlfriend... but rarely about facts StillOutThere... )

Trivia: Why did the Model A follow the Model T?

The production model immediately before the Model T was the Ford Model S, an upgraded version of the company's largest success to that point, the Model N.

The follow-up was the Ford Model A and not the Model U.

Company publicity said this was because the new car was such a departure from the old that Henry wanted to start all over again with the letter A. As it happens, the first Plymouth car (1928), built by competitor Chrysler Corporation, was named the Model U.

http://www.answers.com/topic/model-t-ford

Earthquake when ever and where ever you need one, just light up a top fueler on Nitro, they'll nail 3.9 on the richter scale

As those watching took in the excitement of hearing and seeing a Top Fuel dragster in person, Dr. Doug Brittsan, of Brittsan CPT, measured the movement of the earth with a mobile seismograph.

Once the dragster had been shut off, Dr. Brittsan got to work evaluating the data. End results? The movement of the earth created by the Snap-on Tools Top Fuel dragster was equivalent to an astounding 3.9 on the Richter scale.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3448&Itemid=6

V8 Trivia

1st to be modified specifically to set a record (1956 Boneville Salt Flats, 187.992)
1st small block with a GMC blower

These are not yet verified, and may never be, but it's pretty certain that with no documentation from the 1930's through 1970's like the way everything is documented now, it'll never be proven wrong even if it's never proven correct.

The engine? A prototype 265 cu in given to Stu Hilborn by GM in 1954, then sold to Tom Cobbs and installed in his 29 Ford on 34 rails

I've been curious, how many Barracuda were built in 1971 with the gills, the shaker hood and the billboard stripes? Best looking non SS Barracuda

Image via: http://spiriteddrive.tumblr.com/
there were 11 Hemi Cuda convertibles, and 5 were 4 speeds

A profound quote about racing safety

"Gentlemen, just remember... blood is slippery"
Nick Cyret, pres. BRSCC 1959

Trivia

The 1931 Royale had 36 inch rims / wheels. So big, they had to have tires made specially by Michelin. According to "The Automobile" by Cheetham, they were the largest ever fitted to a road car.
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Citreon
The double chevron emblem represented meshing gears

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Cord 810/812
The headlights were from the Stinson aircraft, Cord/Auburn also owned Stinson

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Oldsmobile Starfire had a design of tailfins that were upside down, and below the rear bumper.. they were called "Skegs"

OFP 857

Herbie's license plate. I thought you'd like to know.

2010 California traffic ticket fines, they don't make sense relatively, but indicate that the state looks at these fines as revenue, not as a deterent

If you are looking for 2011 fines: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-california-traffic-laws-and-fines.html

Traffic Tickets Fines (01/06/2010)

Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 dayd..................................... $214

Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance) ....................$796

Failure to stop at a red signal. ..................................$436
Failure to stop at a stop sign. ....................................$214


Unsafe Speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.................$214
Unsafe Speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit...............$328

Passing a school bus with flashing red signals............$616

Drive using wireless phone not hands free, First offense ....................$148

Drive using wireless phone not hands free, For each subsequent offense. ...............$256

Drive while wireless device to send, read or write text.........................$148

Minor drive using wireless phone.....................................$148

Parking in a bus loading area ...................$976

Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense................$976

Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense...............................$1876

Unlawful material on vehicle windows...........................$178

Adequate muffler required ................................$178

Mandatory use of seat belts...............................$148

Mandatory use of child passenger restraints.....................$436

Headsets/Earplugs over both ears.....................$178

Motorcycle safety helmet requirements.......................................$178

No evidence of current registration...................................................$256