Chassis

Discussion in 'Pit Buzz' started by Medicone, Oct 5, 2007.

  1. Medicone

    Medicone New Member

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    Hey a question....I have been paying a little attention to the chassis of the dragsters and they appear on TV to be bare metal looking. I thought people painted them black. Or are you not allowed to do this?
     
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  2. mark6052

    mark6052 Member

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    most have quit painting for various reasons. time, money, upkeep from scratches. its easier to see cracks. after awhile it looks normal.
     
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  3. Medicone

    Medicone New Member

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    Wouldnt you want to see cracks in your chassis?
     
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  4. bruce mullins

    bruce mullins Top Dragster

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    powdercoat and thick paint can and will hide cracks.
     
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  5. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    weight

    crack detection is main reason, but another is weight. powdercoating and paint weigh more than you think.

    i would rather have a bare car than a painted car any day, because i painted my sc dragster chassis. with bare or powdercoat, you can get a can of brake clean and an air nozzle and go to town cleaning a car after a race. paint and brake clean don't get along too well.
     
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  6. konrodz

    konrodz Member

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    A lot of teams use scotch brite pads and then they coat the chassis with gun oil.
     
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  7. Medicone

    Medicone New Member

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    Ok, that was my next question.....what to do about rust?
     
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  8. art d

    art d New Member

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    wd-40 takes care of the rust
     
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  9. the1dweeber

    the1dweeber crewmember

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    i worked for bill reichert and we used WD-40 and penetrating oil on the frame to help keep it from rusting
     
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  10. Randy G.

    Randy G. Top Alcohol

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    When I had the car Ron August has now I had the chassis painted by Tom Stratton. It was beautiful. The only problem was, whenever the guys were working on the car and I would hear a wrench go "TINK" against the frame the hair on the back of my neck would stand up.

    Now I have bear metal. It's easier to inspect, easier to add or subtract brackets or repair without wrecking a paint job and I don't care if the guys drop a wrench on it.

    RG
     
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  11. Woodchip

    Woodchip Top Alcohol Dragster

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    yeah but can it **** in a forest!
    the end of the season in 05 I took the panels off the TAD I crewed for back then. I inspected the entire frame for cracks as i used scotch brite and Boeshield (http://www.boeshield.com/ ) The car sat in a huge unheated pole barn the entire winter. It had not a speck of rust the first race of 06.
     
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  12. john348

    john348 Top Alcohol

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    I took someones advice and bought 6 bottles of the shit called boeshield
    scrubbed the car and applied it
    we raced the car and the next day ever place some one had touched was covered in orange rust
    tried it again and on a humid day it did it again
    so buyer beware of it
    we found a thin coat just plain old 30wt oil works best of anything
     
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  13. eli

    eli Banned

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    Anyone try gun blueing? :)
     
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  14. ITS IN MY BLOOD

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    I think the worst thing to do with new tubing is to
    scotch brite it,..then you always have to stay after it.
    brake clean and towel just to wipe stuff off,..scotch brite
    will remove the tubings coating,..it eventually happens though.
    nothing wrong with shiny chro moly.
     
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  15. M Tigges

    M Tigges TAFC

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    ATF works well also.
     
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  16. WJ Birmingham

    WJ Birmingham New Member

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    You laugh, but I was thinking the same thing...

    How about parkerizing instead?
     
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  17. eli

    eli Banned

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    It's a better treatment, but I don't think you can do it yourself. :(
     
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  18. Randy G.

    Randy G. Top Alcohol

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    What is Parkerizing? Is that where you ask Russ Parker to come over once a week and hand him a scotch brite pad, a can of WD-40 and a roll of paper towels?
     
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  19. rick macedo racing

    rick macedo racing New Member

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    up here in new england we grow our rust.I ve tried everything and the best stuff I found that works easy is some synthetic outboard gear oil in the boat section of walmart.I had the kids do it 1 year ago and its fine.
    Rick
     
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  20. WJ Birmingham

    WJ Birmingham New Member

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    Well, no, but that would work too so long as you pay by the job and not the hour (j/k, I don't know Russ).

    Maybe this would be of benefit for those who aren't gun fans as well.

    http://shootersolutions.com/parkerizing.html
     
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