All things Drag Racing.

[streetrodchev]

Copied from an article I was reading​

​

Supercharged since the 1800s​

Francis Roots obtained the first patent of record for his namesake compressor in 1860. Nothing automotive came of it until 1900, when Daimler-Benz patented its “Kompressor” for automobile supercharging. The name, by the way, is still used on their turbocharged cars today.

Rudolf Diesel patented the supercharged diesel engine in 1896. Louis Renault patented the centrifugal-compressor supercharger in 1902. Italian Alfred Buchi obtained a patent on the turbocharger in 1905. Turbochargers were used on diesel engines beginning in the 1920s, but manufacturing reliable turbines capable of enduring the higher exhaust temperatures of gasoline engines prevented their routine use into the 1930s.

Gasoline-powered production automobiles with supercharging came into vogue in the 1930s on the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg line. In 1937, Robert Paxton McCulloch began making mechanically driven scroll-compressor superchargers as add-ons for the Ford V-8 engine widely used in racecars and so-called hot rods. McCulloch later went on to fame with chainsaws and other 2-cycle engines.

Turbochargers became common on aircraft engines shortly before and during World War II, although shortages of critical material for the turbines limited supply. Many aircraft models, including those powered by the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 engine, achieved notable success using multi-stage and intercooled engine-driven superchargers.

1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire leads the way​

Supercharged production cars again appeared in 1954 in the form of the Kaiser Manhattan (with a McCulloch unit driven by a variable-speed belt-squeezer drive). These were followed in subsequent years with similar superchargers on Packard and Studebaker cars.

Turbocharged racecars began to appear in the early 1950s, but the world’s first production car with a turbocharged gasoline engine was the 1962 Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire, followed a few weeks later by the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder. The Jetfire turbo lasted only two years, the Corvair turbo for four.

 

[folkenheath]

Interesting. I saw the Leno's garage episode where they had one of those 62 Olds Jetfires. I think it had "rocket" fuel which was likely a small bottle of methanol/water or something similar. But I don't remember exactly.

A "variable speed belt squeezer drive" sounds like one of those fake parts you hear on the spoof videos.

 

[streetrodchev]

A "variable speed belt squeezer drive" sounds like one of those fake parts you hear on the spoof videos.

Im picturing this something similar to a snowmobile clutch setup, but doesn’t disengage when off the throttle.

 

[76zimmer]

Danny Jesel died today….legendary valvetrain engineer.

 

[folkenheath]

Im picturing this something similar to a snowmobile clutch setup, but doesn’t disengage when off the throttle.

I pictured the same thing with a variable speed belt. But it still sounds funny calling it a "belt squeezer drive".

Though I suppose that is pretty much what the springs do in a snowmobile clutch, squeeze the belt. A variable speed Bridgeport mill works similar inside, tapered belt sheaves on springs, I have a variable speed Delta drill press like that too.

 

[imiceman44]

I pictured the same thing with a variable speed belt. But it still sounds funny calling it a "belt squeezer drive".

Though I suppose that is pretty much what the springs do in a snowmobile clutch, squeeze the belt. A variable speed Bridgeport mill works similar inside, tapered belt sheaves on springs, I have a variable speed Delta drill press like that too.

I don't know who invented the system, I think it was German originally, then Volvo fine tuned it and used it in their mid size cars in the 80s.
The name is actually very descriptive of how it works since the pulley halves slide closer and squeeze the belt to the outer edges to make the diameter bigger while the other side does the opposite.
It does sound weird I agree

 

[folkenheath]

I don't know who invented the system, I think it was German originally, then Volvo fine tuned it and used it in their mid size cars in the 80s.
The name is actually very descriptive of how it works since the pulley halves slide closer and squeeze the belt to the outer edges to make the diameter bigger while the other side does the opposite.
It does sound weird I agree

I knew it was way older than that, you got me curious so I looked it up.

Milton Reeves (from Indiana) invented it in 1898 for the family sawmill. Then he started using it in vehicles but never sold many.

My joke was taken way too seriously...

I have a mill, a drill press, and a RZR that all use the same basic idea well over 100 years later, though the mill was built in the early 70s.

 

[folkenheath]

To not throw this thread way off track, a very expensive version of this is in the video Rene posted...

almost 4 G's on the launch

 

[tRustyK5]

Yamaha uses a very similar method on their quads...

 

[76zimmer]

Dayum!
Like everything else, the evolution is incredible. And its cool to see it. I remember when snowmobiles (early versions my family had in Maine were called sno-travelers) were a new thing in the 60’s. And then in 2000 my cousin was pretty proud of his Yamaha Triple 700, with long travel suspension and a modified 175ish hp.
Like Top Fuel dragsters….in the mid 60’s they were running mid to high 7’s and 200mph, now its 3.60’s and almost 340 mph in 1000’. And it never gets old!

 

[folkenheath]

I agree, the progression is crazy. My cousin and my BiL both have Skidoo 850 TNT sleds, very fast, I have ridden them and they are fun, very snappy and light. We thought they were fast, until my other cousin bought the 900 turbo SkiDoo. When I drove that I knew immediately they were in trouble, it felt like if you blipped the throttle the skis were in the air. That thing walked those 850s by a large margin. It was truly at another level. I'll see if I can find the video I took.

 

[folkenheath]

Yamaha uses a very similar method on their quads...

That's true, in the same article it said Polaris was the first to use a CVT on a quad in 1985. And now most sport quads are extinct unfortunately.

 

[Bent77]

Don’t mind me, carry on about the sleds


Been seeing a lot about Leong lately. Got me down the rabbit hole
Ended up here again. One of my favorite from the days when each car was different

 

[Bent77]

And of course

Early fuel cars are a thing of beauty. Fuller, Hanna, Loaghe. All cool

 

[folkenheath]

I found the drag race video. Skidoo 850 TNT vs Skidoo 900 Turbo. This was almost exactly a year ago. The 900 Turbo walked it in a drag race, and it wasn't even broke in yet.

 

[76zimmer]

Prudhomme Black Greer car was a tough car, and I think the one that sprung Don upon the stars of drag racing.

 

[Bent77]

Dayum!
Like everything else, the evolution is incredible. And its cool to see it. I remember when snowmobiles (early versions my family had in Maine were called sno-travelers) were a new thing in the 60’s. And then in 2000 my cousin was pretty proud of his Yamaha Triple 700, with long travel suspension and a modified 175ish hp.
Like Top Fuel dragsters….in the mid 60’s they were running mid to high 7’s and 200mph, now its 3.60’s and almost 340 mph in 1000’. And it never gets old!

View attachment 436015

Nothing screams “I’m from snow country” like a Kohler motor on a sled

 

[Bent77]

Reading

I’ve seen this car in person. The pictures fail to capture its essence. The paint and tin work are immaculate

Cacklefest - Tom Hanna Top Fuel Dragster

Cacklefest, Drag racing photos, top fuel dragsters, nostalgia drag racing, nitro

cacklefest.com

 

[76zimmer]

I’ve only seen one car in process of multi layers and pinstriping type paint job, and it truly is artwork to watch!

 

[ktmoutfront]

Cruising the internet. Found this. We had been looking for a picture of it for a while. From the cheetahs that were laid up but never built as road race cars. 3 were turned into drag cars.

Bill Thomas racing is who my dad was working for building these.