How fast will a top fuel dragster go?

[srwrightdotcom]

Just wondering, as these things will go from 0- 320 or so mph in just 4.5 seconds with around 8000 hp and ONE gear in 400 metres, what would they achieve with taller gearing and a longer straight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNszt39F3ns

[Mastodon2]

srwrightdotcom said:

Just wondering, as these things will go from 0- 320 or so mph in just 4.5 seconds with around 8000 hp and ONE gear in 400 metres, what would they achieve with taller gearing and a longer straight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNszt39F3ns

Flight, I'd guess!

[anonymous-user]

That was awesome....

[veryoldfart]

srwrightdotcom said:

Just wondering, as these things will go from 0- 320 or so mph in just 4.5 seconds with around 8000 hp and ONE gear in 400 metres, what would they achieve with taller gearing and a longer straight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNszt39F3ns

direct drive and 2 speeds have all been tried in TF and AAFC i believe, and they already know that bit, a longer straight wouldnt be drag racing would it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y80HKtAleqE&fea...

[aeropilot]

srwrightdotcom said:

what would they achieve with taller gearing and a longer straight?

Nothing..... as the engine wouldn't last any longer

[Jon C]

Steve Read conducted an impromptu experiment along these lines last year in Australia when the throttle stuck. If I remember correctly the reported speed was around 400 before the motor thankfully blew. Steve used up another of his nine lives that day...

[Modernpics]

Land speed record for a piston powered motor is 478 mph (Rick Veso).

[veryoldfart]

Modernpics said:

Land speed record for a piston powered motor is 478 mph (Rick Veso).

any link/info? cant find him!

(found don and rick vesco 458mph, but i dont think its piston engined)


http://www.ask.com/wiki/Wheel-driven_land_speed_re...

Edited by veryoldfart on Wednesday 22 December 14:11

[Modernpics]

veryoldfart said:

Modernpics said:

Land speed record for a piston powered motor is 478 mph (Rick Veso).

any link/info? cant find him!

(found don and rick vesco 458mph, but i dont think its piston engined)


http://www.ask.com/wiki/Wheel-driven_land_speed_re...

Edited by veryoldfart on Wednesday 22 December 14:11

Sure, it also helps if I spell it right!

http://www.teamvesco.com/

Its piston alright. Ali Small block on 20% nitro produces 833 bhp

for those that haven't been its a very strange feeling watching a small block powered car humm over the horizon at 400 odd mp it goes against every logic you know about drag racing, no "high reving" bbc with screw chargers here its all small blocks on gas or nitro at about 5,000 rpm at peak.

Its well worth looking around at the build photos, it honestly blew my mind how they engineered these things, then the driving postion and view is another world, old guys bent double around steering systems and wheel buckets then your sat so far back that you have a three degree angle of view out of something that would be classed as a small letter box thats a two foot away from the front of your visor. "little giant" is a pretty well thought out car and surprisingly large inside by all accounts however its still all a bit tight in there

• note*

There are cars running TFX hemis with screw charges however the really quick stuff are all tiny little small blocks

Edited by Modernpics on Wednesday 22 December 18:06

[hornet]

Jon C said:

Steve Read conducted an impromptu experiment along these lines last year in Australia when the throttle stuck. If I remember correctly the reported speed was around 400 before the motor thankfully blew. Steve used up another of his nine lives that day...

Didn't Smax do something similar?

[Flying Toilet]

hornet said:

Jon C said:

Steve Read conducted an impromptu experiment along these lines last year in Australia when the throttle stuck. If I remember correctly the reported speed was around 400 before the motor thankfully blew. Steve used up another of his nine lives that day...

Didn't Smax do something similar?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaEIe0Zl6P8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nvRsVlGAoA&fea...

Edited by Flying Toilet on Thursday 23 December 09:15

[veryoldfart]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaEIe0Zl6P8&fea...

[The Enthusiast]

Just add more nitro, more blower overdrive, a monostrut wing, taller gear ratio and see what it would run on the 1/4 mile. I reckon atleast a 4.3@ 340+mph.

Edited by The Enthusiast on Thursday 23 December 10:39

[veryoldfart]

does anywhere in the world allow unrestricted nitro/blowers/etc? over 1/4mile?

[The Enthusiast]

veryoldfart said:

does anywhere in the world allow unrestricted nitro/blowers/etc? over 1/4mile?

Know that would be something. Outlaw Topfuel!!!

I remember a few years ago I read about a drag racer in the mid 70s who had a topfuel dragster and built it too run on the salt flats. Think it ran around 320mph and that was with about 2500hp in the 70s. Imagine what 8000hp would do?

[MotorPsycho]

Given no rules - as fast as you want, the major limiting factor is tyres. There was talk in (I think) National Dragster years ago of Goodyear developing a 38" tyre but it was outlawed before anything could happen.

[veryoldfart]

The Enthusiast said:

veryoldfart said:

does anywhere in the world allow unrestricted nitro/blowers/etc? over 1/4mile?

Know that would be something. Outlaw Topfuel!!!

I remember a few years ago I read about a drag racer in the mid 70s who had a topfuel dragster and built it too run on the salt flats. Think it ran around 320mph and that was with about 2500hp in the 70s. Imagine what 8000hp would do?

mmmm, its not just about pure power though, a dragster has only 1/4 mile and 4 seconds to last, plus the faster you go the harder it gets with wind drag, many saltflat cars are streamliners with very little in the way of wings, a TF rear wing exerts (ive heard tell) 2 ton of downforce at 300mph, is that good or needed at higher speed?.....

look at the JCB "car"....

[veryoldfart]

My cloudy memory has some recollection of dennis priddle taking some british speed records at bruntingthorpe over other distances than the 1/4 mile and requiring return runs to back them up

[snakehips]

I remember a few years ago I read about a drag racer in the mid 70s who had a topfuel dragster and built it too run on the salt flats. Think it ran around 320mph and that was with about 2500hp in the 70s. Imagine what 8000hp would do?
[/quote]

What would it do? Melt

[The Enthusiast]

snakehips said:

I remember a few years ago I read about a drag racer in the mid 70s who had a topfuel dragster and built it too run on the salt flats. Think it ran around 320mph and that was with about 2500hp in the 70s. Imagine what 8000hp would do?

What would it do? Melt

you ask me? Probably melt a few pistons dude.