nitrous & flatheads?

B

britman

Member
I have not seen any references to the use of nitrous in any of the performance threads. Is there a reason?
b.davis
 
The only place I have seen Nitrous used in a flathead is at Bonneville, So unless there is someone on here with that experience it probably won't find it way to this site. And lets face it flatheads are not at the drags these days. Where are the Bonneville Guys?
 

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I believe one reason might be that the Flathead blocks are not engineered to take the kind of stresses that Nitrous would put on them. Just my opinion...
 
The engine needs, rebuilt for Nitrous, ignition system, drive train, electrical system. Also fire exstinguisher If not BOOOOM There are several books on this subject. Research, I personelly think this a start but try HAMB!
 
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345 Desoto is probably correct. However, Nitromethane has been/is used sucessfully by both John Bradley & Jack Shafer (Flathead Jack). Jack's twin engine dragster runs 92% Nitro. Hard to imagine that Nitrous Oxide couldn't be used if properly applied, but the learnig curve might be steep and expensive.
Jim
 
The learning curve for the nitro was sure steep and expensive...
Modern tech potentially helps here as it does with the turbcharging learning curve...there are electronic systems out there for both that are hooked up with knock sensors, exhaust temp sensors, etc. that can watch and correct the input very rapidly and so greatly reduce the amount of scrap iron created by the learning curve.
Remember that flatheads last took top eliminator at the nationals in 1956 (I think, from memory) and nitro was one of the factors. That last flathead top eliminator, the Rice car, was built to run with either a flathead or a hemi and was run in both configurations...the flathead was chosen over the available Chrysler for the nationals.
 
Picric acid and hydrazine were popular back in the day also.
Not as easy to get as nitromethane though.
Steep learning curve also.
 
I understand that with the picric acid, the learning curve usually went straight up.
The lengthy discussion of racing with hydrazine over on the HAMB was one of the most entertaining things I have ever read..."Better living through chemistry" was maybe wider amongst drag racers than amongst the hippies!

Hydrazine memories

Today's vocabulary word is "Hypergolic". There will be a quiz tomorrow.
 
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