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Another first ... Roller UCA / LCA for 64 Thunderbolt Fairlane

Opentracker

Opentracker

Active Member
This one has also been a long time coming. I was asked years ago about doing a set of roller arms for a Thunderbolt Fairlane but didn't have any cores to work with. Early this year we got a set from a drag racer and have been working on it off and on ever since. The lowers were not a big deal. We made up a LCA roller kit similar to the one we use on the Mustang arms and it worked great.
The uppers were another story. They use some of the same parts as our Mustang roller UCA's but the chromoly shaft is a custom piece that took a while. We went through several proto-types before we found one that would fit the arm and the car. They were expensive to make. The snout the bearings ride on is off-set quite a bit from the center line of the chromoly block. They did turn out nice and the customer should be happy with them. A lot of time and effort went into these arms for sure. I had several of the shafts made up so we will have a DIY kit on the web site at some point for both the upper and lower arms.
Wish I could be there for the first run with them installed but the car's on the east coast. Too far to drive and I don't like to fly, video, the next best thing to being there.



64fairlaneruca.JPG



64fairlanerlca.JPG
 
Thats it? Where are the rest of the pictures? I'd love to see the rest of the car. Is it a real one or a clone?
 
LOL - he's building the car and I believe it's a clone. I'll be getting some photo's as soon as it's done. I put out some feelers out to see if there was some interest on the Fairlane forums and Rusty Gillis is hooking me up with a real Thunderbolt. I do like the testing part. Rusty has our roller front end under his Mustang and likes it. I'll post some photos asap.


Here is the one Rusty is checking with. There may be an ORP sticker on it soon.

paquet1.jpg
 
John:
What's the advantage for roller front ends for drag cars? Aren't they supposed to go in a straight line?
 
Good question Mid. We sell more roller parts to drag racers than road racers by about double. The roller front end lets them be more consistant and helps a lot with weight transfer. I had not idea it would go over so well with the drag racers. We don't even have a drag strip around here, the closest one is 3hrs away. It was built for road racing but hey, racing is racing.

We just one the div. 5 NHRA championship with Alex from Money Maker racing.
 
"70_Fastback" said:
I hear ya brother!
Click to expand...


I'll get on the plane after I spend as much as the ticket cost on BEER. I've only got on a plane once sober. Won't ever do it again.


I guess there are three reasons really.

1- I don't like wants under me being just air. Dirt, water, pavement is more to my liking. It's not the view, I like looking out the window, though I wish it would open.

2 - I didn't build the plane. I've know several aviation mechanics and they all do drugs.

3 - The steering wheel is too far away. I don't make a good passenger, even in a car. When I do track driving instruction, I like to be able to reach over and correct the car before it hits the wall.
 
"Opentracker" said:
I've know several aviation mechanics and they all do drugs.
Click to expand...
Now that you mention it, i know a couple too :yikes. Always just thought they were fun guys! :wtf
 
"Opentracker" said:
I'll get on the plane after I spend as much as the ticket cost on BEER. I've only got on a plane once sober. Won't ever do it again.


I guess there are three reasons really.

1- I don't like wants under me being just air. Dirt, water, pavement is more to my liking. It's not the view, I like looking out the window, though I wish it would open.

2 - I didn't build the plane. I've know several aviation mechanics and they all do drugs.

3 - The steering wheel is too far away. I don't make a good passenger, even in a car. When I do track driving instruction, I like to be able to reach over and correct the car before it hits the wall.
Click to expand...

Those are basically the EXACT same reasons that I have John. Kind'a scary...
 
"Fast68back" said:
I think its actually under two sets of divorce papers......
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Ooo ...... sorry about that, I only have one set of those kind of papers. I snatched the gold ring with the second one. She's a keeper.
 
Flying is much better nowadays, now that sexy-looking TSA agents do the pat-downs. Gotta love it!
 
I hear those sexy -looking TSA agents won't let you store your mini-keg in the overhead anymore,
or even come on the plane with it :wtf



I'm going to SEMA for the first time next month, looking forward to the show but not the plane ride there and back. Hope I don't hurl on anyone important.
 
"Opentracker" said:
3 - The steering wheel is too far away. I don't make a good passenger, even in a car. When I do track driving instruction, I like to be able to reach over and correct the car before it hits the wall.
Click to expand...

Scratch having John instruct me if I ever make it out to Kali-forn-ia :yikes
 
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