The Cal-look Lounge

Tyre kicking => Off Topic => Topic started by: Rick Meredith on November 30, 2006, 06:39:21 am



Title: For Flatfire
Post by: Rick Meredith on November 30, 2006, 06:39:21 am
When I saw your username, it immediately made me think of this;

(http://www.flatfire.com/images/flatfire1.jpg)

It's the worlds fastest Ford Flathead V8. 296.828mph average. It has topped 302 one way but couldn't back it up.



Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: ESH on November 30, 2006, 19:39:45 pm
Don't wish to be pedantic but the record it holds as of '03 is 302.674which implies it's a backed up number!  :)

I'm more interested in F/BGC though.  ;)


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: Martin Greaves on November 30, 2006, 19:53:54 pm
How cool is this. ;D
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b115/gold65turbo/flatfire1.jpg)


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: Rick Meredith on November 30, 2006, 20:22:51 pm
Don't wish to be pedantic but the record it holds as of '03 is 302.674which implies it's a backed up number!  :)

I'm more interested in F/BGC though.  ;)

Ahh... I got the info off of their web site but it did seem like it hadn't been updated in quite a while. Thanks for the update.

F/BGC? You putting together a turbo VW LSR car?  :)


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: ESH on November 30, 2006, 20:53:33 pm
[F/BGC? You putting together a turbo VW LSR car?  :)

Not right now, but I've spent along time thinking about that one and there is a plan but it needs $100K realistically as we appear to be on the wrong side of the Atlantic, it presents a slight logistics issue, it might actually cost a little more. This said if I can get some way into a build I think I can get some backing. Never say never, live the dream and all that, one day I might just try it, with a little help from some friends...  :)


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: Rick Meredith on November 30, 2006, 21:12:25 pm
I've thought about doing F/PS with a Mustang SVO but the record is 221+ and I don't know if that's attainable.

As far as your dreams, if I can help with stuff on this side of the pond, let me know. It would be a drive to Bonneville but El Mirage is not too far from me. Been out there to watch them run. 

Just keep watching "The Worlds Fastest Indian"  ;)


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: ESH on November 30, 2006, 21:36:22 pm
F/PS certainly doesn't seem like a 'soft' record but very few of them are or everyone would have one and a 'red hat'. It's cool thinking through it all though huh? If I were you I'd be down at El Mirage with the Mustang, dial it in and then see how far south of the speed you are, if it's just a case of 'no holidays for a couple of years south' then go for it, then again if it's 'I'm going to have to sell the house and live off garbage south' then you might want to have a rethink! It may be sometime before I ever get out there with a car but we can talk about that over a cigar next summer maybe? ;)

Thinking about Flatfire the 296 was their own record which they set in 2002 so that's probably when they last updated their site. Probably had a big party and haven't recovered since. I know a Flathead 3 was big news at the time, it's nuts when you think about it.

WFI is an awesome film!  8) Makes me itchy though...


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: Rick Meredith on November 30, 2006, 22:03:35 pm
Well I would think as it sits, we're at about 145 or so. I had it up to around 140 on the freeway and it was still pulling pretty hard. Stock it's a 2.3 at 18psi. Mines got some simple mods done to it, bigger injectors, better flowing exhaust, big valve head. Mine is too nice to cut up to make a LSR car out of but I'm sure I could find another that I wouldn't mind making a race car out of at a pretty reasonable price. The first thing would be "do the math" Mines putting out about 240-250 hp but I've heard of full tilt ones butting out 450-500 hp. See if that could be done reliably enough to last and what hp . The figure out the cd and plug in the HP and figure what weight I could push to get to the number.


Title: Re: For Flatfire
Post by: ESH on November 30, 2006, 22:29:51 pm
More than a 'passing' interest then.  ;D

I'd based some assumptions on the fact that a Mazda with a similar frontal area to my weapon of choice ran into the 2's with about 500 hp but they didn't have to ballast the thing up to keep it going forwards so you then have to add some to that but it's doable(ish). I think Bob Stahl has around about 1000lbs of ballast in his Bug but from what I have been told a few years back he was spending quite alot of time pirouetting accross the El Mirage lake bed. At least with the Mustang it'll be inclined to go in the right direction. That said, and I checked this, as long as pass the trap the time counts, doesn't matter if you're on your roof. What isn't clear however is if a flattened roof would then count as an aerodynamic modification and therefore render the second run 'illegal'.  ;D