Dragster...

[Steve Parr]

Shot some drag races for the first time yesterday.

I'd like some comments on the photo below. It's a technical trainwreck, but there's something about it that I think is kinda' cool, although I'm unable to identify what that "something" is...

http://www.onstagephotography.com/images/hugerail.jpg

[Zilly]

that thing . . . . its called nostalgia :D

[Steve Parr]

that thing . . . . its called nostalgia :D

Could be! :D

[DDan]

that thing . . . . its called nostalgia :D

IMO, not exactly. It looks like a twin turbo to me.

[surfbug]

IMO, not exactly. It looks like a twin turbo to me.

Yep, a twin turbo VW motor :) It's a new car from the Paradise crew, should be into the 6's @200mph soon. All out of a 4 cyl!

[Steve Parr]

Yep, a twin turbo VW motor :) It's a new car from the Paradise crew, should be into the 6's @200mph soon. All out of a 4 cyl!

Yep, 'dems be da' guys!

Man, that car flew!

[Zilly]

why build a stripduster when a rear engined will go faster and drive better not to mention be "less work"

[justincase724]

You're right, there is something about his picture. For me, it's that the focus is on the intake plenums and all that turbo piping, and the rest has some motion blur. It definitely puts your attention where it needs to be for this subject - on that beast of a motor that they put together.

[surfbug]

why build a stripduster when a rear engined will go faster and drive better not to mention be "less work"

Two words, "Big Wheelie's!" The Paradise guys have built several dragsters some front engine like this one, and some mid engine. I think some of the design has to do with what is common on other platforms, i.e. Trans, clutches, and rear ends.

BTW, there are a few full bodied sedans that are running into the 8's in the 1/4, but then one of the problems with VW bug bodies is they resemble an airplane wing, and create lift at high speeds, not good when your trying to keep the painted side up.

[Zilly]

erm hate to state the ovoious this but a R.E.D will get it up better than a fed due to weight distribution only thing keeping a R.E.D on the ground is the wheelie bar. take the mpm oil dragster at the pod in 04 the wheelie bar broke and lex pedaled it down the track at 80 degrees to the horizontal.

[surfbug]

I don't want to get too far OT, but modern top fuel dragsters are technically a mid engine set up (the engine sits between the front and rear axle center lines) beside a VW and a Porsche, there are no rear engine dragsters (engine behind the rear axle centerline). With this car (the OP) the driver is behind the rear end, and the engine sits just in front of the tires, this concentrates the weight on the rear tires. We're also talking about a 6 sec car, not a sub 5sec top fueler.

[crn3371]

I like the shot, Steve. I think it's the background blur that sets it off. Not the full blur like you'd see in most panning shots. You get the motion effect, but still can kind of make out the spectators in the background. Almost looks like it had a filter effect applied to it.

[Steve Parr]

Thanks for the comments, everyone. This is, I think, one of those "happy accidents" that occur from time to time. I don't know if I could get that shot again if I tried...

[bucket772]

I think that this photo smacks of a great opportunity to do an OOB image. A nice frame with the front half of the car popping out of it? Maybe? I have not done any of them but they always look cool. Dunno.

[Steve Parr]

I think that this photo smacks of a great opportunity to do an OOB image. A nice frame with the front half of the car popping out of it? Maybe? I have not done any of them but they always look cool. Dunno.

"OOB"?

What is this "OOB" you speak of?

[bucket772]

Out of Bounds

http://www.biorust.com/tutorials/detail/184/en/

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=44725&page=3
(scroll down a few lines)

http://www.geocities.com/northlyte/oob.html

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. These were the first three I found from Mr. Google.

If ya want I can take a stab at it for ya