Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 14, 2004 17:30:28 GMT -4
Ok, I've been going over my car for next weekend. I geared up a switch so my car will ONLY start in park, will this pass tech inspection? My shifter is a hurst unit and doesn't have a reverse lock out, is this required? The only other issue I have is my front tires - they are worn un-even from 5 years of hard launchs and burn outs while they were on the rear....LOL....they still have tread across the entire width but it varies from 2/32" to 4/32"...I'm just trying to get the summer out of them as I don't drive the car in the rain. Will these pass tech? Other than these 3 issues I should be ok for tech, I went through it last year at Greenfield with no issues but I just want a solid answer so I don't waste my time and money driving down from Halifax. ;D
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Post by Mitch Bonnar on Aug 16, 2004 15:33:20 GMT -4
I did not attend the last meeting of the Tech crew but since you asked 2 days ago and the race is soon I can tell you that a reverse lockout is manditory in both NHRA and IHRA. Neither would allow you to run without it so will not likely pass here either. You could easily make a spring loaded gate that needs to be manually lifted to allow reverse. Nobody says it needs to be a factory lockout. The switch that allows it to start only in park sounds perfect. The object there is to assure it will not start in any forward or reverse gear. As long as the tires have decent tread and are safe you should be Ok. No cuts, bulges, bald spots, severe scalloping, flat, etc.
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 16, 2004 21:00:22 GMT -4
So basically what your saying is, I need to gear up a lock out so once I haul the shifter past the reverse position it can't go forward past the nuetral detent when I shift 1-2-3? I have a spring loaded device in my mind already that would cure this issue. Maybe I'll gear it up and post a pic this week on here for the tech guys to ok it and save me a long, gas guzzling drive for nothing.
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Post by Mitch Bonnar on Aug 16, 2004 21:30:05 GMT -4
You got it. Just make sure it is spring loaded so it automatically locks out reverse.
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maritimedragracing
Junior Member
Associated Member
Racing under the Poverty Line
Posts: 42
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Post by maritimedragracing on Aug 16, 2004 22:47:26 GMT -4
Easiest way to make a two handed reverse lock out is to install a simple screen door hinge(the one with an internal spring) across the shifter just above the neutral position. Then all you have to do is lift the hinge and voila! - a reverse lockout.
Here's a couple of little known facts - the original stock shifter that came with the car would still be legal but any aftermarket shifter needs the reverse lock out. Same deal for battery boxes - stock unaltered box with factory hold down is legal but just modify it one little bit and you have a whole paragraph of rules to contend with.
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Scott
Senior Member
ohhh SNAP!!
Posts: 116
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Post by Scott on Aug 16, 2004 23:48:45 GMT -4
I got hassled over my battery last year. It was totally stock! They let it go sometimes, pointed it out others. I put in an extra hold down now, so im good now. ;D
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 17, 2004 6:14:19 GMT -4
My battery tray is stock but the hold down is long gone so I went ot Princess auto and bought a battery hold down kit for $5 and installed it. That thing isn't going to move, thats for sure. ;D As for the lock out, I was thinking of a simple bar over the top rails of the shifter side plates that would "cam over" at the reverse detent and the shifter could only come hard up against it. It will be solid and spring loaded. I should have bought a shifter that had one but they were all too short for my bench seat except for Lokar's which are expensive.
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 17, 2004 21:08:17 GMT -4
Ok, here's the pic's of my crude reverse lockout and nuetral safety switch.....LOL....Red Green would be proud ;D. It ain't pretty, but it works. :POnce you pull the shifter from Park to nuetral the spring hauls the latch to the rear and down which locks it in the groove. I'm going to weld a small pad on the end of the latch to be about 1/2" wider than the shifter on each side so there will be no chance it can get by it. Will this pass tech? or do I need to start again? As you can see mounting things on the shifter can be tough because its so small, this is a one time raceday for the car so try to be a little lienient.... ....I want to drag race more often, but it will be a car built strictly for the strip.
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Post by Mitch Bonnar on Aug 17, 2004 21:31:09 GMT -4
It looks like it took a bit of thinking to come up with that. It does not matter if it is pretty as long as it is secure and works.
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 17, 2004 21:39:23 GMT -4
Thinking....head scratching.....cursing.....LOL....I just read in the tech rules that "J" hooks are not allowed for battery hold downs, I suspect my battery hold down will fail as it has "J"s that hook into my battery tray and it has a spreader bar with wing nuts to hold it down on the top of the battery? Who are these tech inspector guys anyways? shouldn't they be on here to help a few guys with their questions?
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maritimedragracing
Junior Member
Associated Member
Racing under the Poverty Line
Posts: 42
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Post by maritimedragracing on Aug 17, 2004 21:48:58 GMT -4
That was a creative fix - you should patent it. ;D ;D ;D That should pass tech anywhere. Edit: For more info on batteries see our Tech Inspector's page maritimedragracing.com/id5.htm
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Post by Mitch Bonnar on Aug 17, 2004 22:32:33 GMT -4
Stock unaltered battery boxes / trays with OEM hold downs permitted only in stock location.
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 17, 2004 22:33:26 GMT -4
My battery tray is in the stock location and the Hold down is basically identical to the stock unit, this is a 1963 Mercury after all. ...The OEM holddown was long gone when I got it in 1999. If I weld the open end of the "J" hooks over then how in the hell will they hold the battery down? Should I just make a metal strap to go around the battery and the tray? These tech rules are getting hard on the head.
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Scott
Senior Member
ohhh SNAP!!
Posts: 116
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Post by Scott on Aug 17, 2004 23:53:31 GMT -4
Stuart, instead of a j-hook, i used a peice of threaded Rod, and double nut both sides. Works great!
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Stuart
Senior Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Stuart on Aug 18, 2004 6:06:35 GMT -4
I guess I'll have to make a trip to Crappy tire for some threaded rod.....LOL
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