acceleration

[lxexpress]

First, some useful info:
> > >
> > > * One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes
> > > more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500.
> > >
> > > * Under full throttle, a Top Fuel dragster engine consumes
> > > 1½ gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747
> > > consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy
> > > being produced.
> > >
> > > * A stock Dodge 426 Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough
> > > power to drive the dragster's supercharger.
> > >
> > > * With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger
> > > on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a
> > > near-solid form before ignition.
> > > Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full
> > > throttle.
> > >
> > > * At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro
> > > methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.
> > >
> > > * Nitromethane 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.
> > >
> > > * Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is
> > > the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
> > >
> > > * 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 at 1400 degrees F. The engine
> > > can only be shut down by cutting the fuel flow.
> > >
> > > * If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned
> > > nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes
> > > with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block
> > > in pieces or split the block in half.
> > >
> > > * In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must
> > > accelerate at an average of over 4G's. In order to reach
> > > 200 mph well before half-track, the launch acceleration
> > > approaches 8G's.
> > >
> > > * Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have
> > > completed reading this sentence.
> > >
> > > * Top Fuel Engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from
> > > light to light!
> > >
> > > * Including the burnout the engine must only survive 900
> > > revolutions under load.
> > >
> > > * The red-line is actually quite high at 9500 rpm.
> > >
> > > * The Bottom Line; Assuming all the equipment is paid off,
> > > the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP,
> > > each run costs an estimated $1,000.00 per second. The
> > > current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441
> > > seconds for the quarter mile (10/05/03, Tony Schumacher).
> > > The top speed record is 333.00 mph (533 km/h) as measured
> > > over the last 66' of the run (09/28/03 Doug Kalitta).
> > >
> > > Putting all of this into perspective:
> > >
> > > You are riding the average $250,000 Honda MotoGP bike. Over
> > > a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready
> > > to launch down a quarter mile strip as you pass. You have
> > > the advantage of a flying start. You run the RC211V hard up
> > > through the gears and blast across the starting line and
> > > past the dragster at an honest 200 mph (293 ft/sec). The
> > > 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment. The
> > > dragster launches and starts after you.
> > > You keep your wrist cranked hard, but you hear an incredibly
> > > brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds
> > > the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the
> > > finish line, a quarter mile away from where you just passed
> > > him.
> > >
> > > Think about it, from a standing start, the dragster had
> > > spotted you 200 mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted
> > > you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot
> > > long race course.
> > >
> > > That, folks, is acceleration.
> > >
> > >

[jason2004gt]

Damn! That was very interesting to read!

[wallbanger11_22]

and this is why I LOVE watching top fuel. It is a TOTAL rush just watching and feeling them go by. If anyone has never seen them race live and ever has the chance to go, I HIGHLY recommend seeing them.

[hrsepwrbrat]

GOT TO LOVE THAT!!!

[yosemiddysam]

All I can say is sign me up. I wanna do it so bad!!!

[Cobra94]

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[93ramvert]

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!

See now that's what we need for the Mantown, Homemade Louge contest next year, with acceleration like that we'll kill, or well be killed more like it.

[Cobra94]

See now that's what we need for the Mantown, Homemade Louge contest next year, with acceleration like that we'll kill, or well be killed more like it.

now what would we build it into???

http://rope.waaf-fm.fimc.net/photos/2006_luge/index.htm

[93ramvert]

A Fucking stealth Bomber of course

[steelfalcon29]

and this is why I LOVE watching top fuel. It is a TOTAL rush just watching and feeling them go by. If anyone has never seen them race live and ever has the chance to go, I HIGHLY recommend seeing them.

AMEN!!! There's nothing better this side of being right next to a P-111 Jet Engine on full afterburner right beside you!! Don't ever pass up the chance to go see a national event!!!

[spike]

I had the pleasure of being a NHRA certified starting line tech back in the early 1990s at LACR (Palmdale, Calif.).
You can say all you want about these cars, but you can't really appreciate the power and sound until you are standing between two of them when they launch!
You will never forget the concusion your body absorbs as they pass you!
Then, of course, the heat that takes your breath away momentarily!
Awesome!!
Equally impressive are the jet cars! LACR is at 3000 ft above sea level and those jets loved it! The last time I worked the starting line, a jet car set a National record that stood for 4 years!
Bernie Longjohn (the owner) showed me the correct 'turn and duck' method for starting the jet cars! You have to duck behind the barrier to avoid being hit with small asphault pebbles that the jets dislodge and shoot (like a bullit) at you as they go down the track!
Good times!