Engine diapers for FE engines

[JERICOGTX]

Doug, the problem with getting pictures of his diapers is, he sends them out, and then most do not take a picture of it on the engine. I have one, if you would like to see it installed?

As for NHRA rules, chances are someone was either hurt, or killed, and a rule had to be put into place.  Yeah most seat belts are more than fine after 2 years. But what about the guy that doesn't own a enclosed trailer, or garage, and just lets his stuff sit out in the Southern sun? NHRA has to draw a line somewhere. Some guys do the bare minimum, and wear shorts and flip flops if it was legal. Guys like myself, and HEMI Joel, have gone the other way, and made sure we have good safety equipment. At the end of the day, I want to have fun, but if something happens, I also want to make it back home in one piece.

[e philpott]

I wonder how much money NHRA takes in for SFI stickers ?

[Falcon67]

I doubt any - I assume manufacturers have to pay for the certification and/or testing from SFI.  They are an independent organization.  What they will do is disqualify you at a big race or bracket finals and dock points from your team if your belts are out or they see some other violation.  Ostensibly to keep a level play field.  There are a selection of a-hole tech inspectors.  I had a guy tell me once, referring to the required .030 aluminum shielding that separates the driver from the trunk compartment with rear battery install, that if he thought the rear bulkhead/shield would leak if he filled the car with water and turned it up on the ass end he'd not sticker the car. 

And I don't mind any of the rules, personally.  When I bought the dragster - before I ever bought a part to build a motor or make it move - I spent big $ on all SFI double layer suit, arm restraints, NexGen "HANS" type unit, enclosed helmet, gloves and whatnot.  Even in my 7.60 car I wear a single layer jacket and run current belts.  Things can change in an instant and the faster you go the shorter "instant" becomes. 

[Russ67Scode]

We were at the track and a guy in our mustang club was told he couldn’t run his car as his belts were out of date. He still had the stock seatbelts in the car so we unbolted the aftermarket belt and they let him run with the 25 + yr old belts.  Now this was a fox body and not all that fast but the point is the same

[Falcon67]

Remember, sanctioned tracks carry insurance and the insurance for even just a TestNTune is big $$$.  Haven't seen a bill in a while but its $750~1000 usually for a Friday/Saturday deal.  If they don't follow the sanction rules, even in what seem like dumb situations, they can hang their financial ass out on the line. Outlaw or un-sanctioned tracks can act however they think they can get away with.  Guy that got killed in Houston a few years back had a really fast car and pretty much no safety equipment in the thing. 

[e philpott]

I hear that excuse often about expensive Insurance but have never seen what it actually cost , after all everyone signs a waiver before you enter that it's your own responsibility and not the track so how much would insurance actually cost ?

[cjshaker]

I'd rather err on the side of safety; it's not worth losing my life over. While my car doesn't require it (yet), I don't like racing it with the factory belts and no rollbar, but I do. That'll all change later this year though.

The diaper doesn't cover oil coming out the headers, and for that reason, I'm seriously considering running the exhaust at least to the rear axle, in the event something goes wrong internally. I don't know how much a 6' section of 4" pipe would hurt exhaust flow, but I wouldn't think it would be too bad. I REALLY don't get the guys who put the exhaust outlet right in front of the rear tires. That's just begging for a problem.

Cars and racing are just dangerous, period. Anytime I take somebody new to the races, I tell them that anything can happen at any time, so you always have to be on the lookout. People need to understand that, even as spectators. You can't be paranoid going through life, but you should always be aware of everything that's going on around you. That attitude has kept me out of more accidents on the street than I can count.

[e philpott]

I have witnessed two people die at the local track ( Kilkare) One door car that the guy had a heart attack and literally drove all the way to the end of track straight into the  barriers , could not let out of the gas or nothing just wide open to a big crash …. the other guy was a motorcycle racer that the throttle stuck wide open , his kill switch and teather did not work or function ( so much for tech ) and he was trying to pull off spark plug wires when he went past us (we were pitted just past the time ticket booth ) and then smashed into the big barrier's , he never tried to steer towards the grass and bail out with his full gear , he left a wife and two small children forever that day . I was also at Indy the year Elmer Tritt (sp?) TF Bike racer and Blaine Johnson TF driver were killed but was not watching either of those races but the cross wind was terrible that weekend , racing is dangerous

[Falcon67]

I hear that excuse often about expensive Insurance but have never seen what it actually cost , after all everyone signs a waiver before you enter that it's your own responsibility and not the track so how much would insurance actually cost ?

In the mid 2000s with IHRA it was about $750 or so for a Friday night/Saturday bracket race.  From their REQUIRED insurance carrier.  We are now days with NHRA and they may be able to shop it for better pricing.  I haven't asked, not involved in the financial end of track ops. I'll ask about this coming 2 day event if I think about it.  I can say that racers have NO IDEA how much money has been spent before the gate even swings open.  Whats this damn gate fee thing, run cards should be $20, should pay back to the 3rd round and the track is a cash cow.  It ain't so.  We need 33 cars in the eliminator just to cover the payout for Super Pro, pays to the semis.  Updates to the track computers this spring cost $7500. 

[wayne]

This is a good post with many ways at looking at safety i am glad every one on here is thinking about it. Looking back when we was kids a friend bought a 440 six pack road runner it would run 150 with six of us in it dam lucky we are still all here,

[Falcon67]

I've seen what can happen at 88 MPH on the strip, other than going back in time.  One broken ladder bar mount wadded up a nice green Firebird around it's 8 point roll bar.  The Falcon feels big and safe, like racing a bus.  It can still hurt.  The dragster is just sitting in a nest of pipe with my butt about 4" off the track.  AT 125+ if anything gets out of whack, it's hit the chute lever and the kill switch right in front of the lever then just wait for it to stop.  We've lost a few people on track and I've been there for all of them.  All so far had roots in some medical condition.  That doesn't make it any easier.  We take the track pics as part of how we help the local track and I can't describe how difficult it is to look through a set of time trial pictures and see someone's last photograph. 

[Russ67Scode]

Try 2. Does anyone have a picture of a diaper on their FE ??  Really like a fairlane chassis
Trying to figure out the motor mounts and deep front oil pan
Thanks Russ

[thatdarncat]

Try 2. Does anyone have a picture of a diaper on their FE ??  Really like a fairlane chassis
Trying to figure out the motor mounts and deep front oil pan
Thanks Russ

I’ve been trying to get some pictures, but we’ve had two rainouts so far this year, and also schedule conflicts where the stock/super stock cars & some of the other faster cars have had divisional & big $ races elsewhere, which has been drawing the faster cars away from local competition. I’ll keep trying.

[Russ67Scode]

Thanks Kevin