Im seeing alot of these shorty dragsters lately and i have to admit some of them look very cool.
But what are the benefits of having one?.All i can see is they take up less room in your trailer and maybe a touch lighter than a standard dragster?

Like you said, less room in the trailer so you don't have to jack it up to use a golf cart.

Easier to see the front wheels when at the finish line.

Also easier to maneuver in the pits and also to load.

I've had a shorty all my life, and it works just fine......

This message has been edited. Last edited by: "The Bender",

I would love to have one that is Landshark length, (185"). I would run it in SP and Footbrake. It would still fit in the 20' trailer I use for my roadster. I have never cared for driving the long cars. 235" car is what I have raced before.

another point to consider, when staged, the rear tires are in a good spot.

My Son and I had one of the original Landsharks and it was a good car.

Loading in the trailer for sure, can load more than one in a trailer a lot easier, typically they do weigh 1700-1720 lbs no driver with a steel block bbc and driving around the pits is a heck of a lot easier. I drove one around the pits earlier this year for a friend and it was much easier to maneuver. If you are a wheel racer, depending on how you judge the stripe it can be easier, but also no different than a long car if using 90* method. Plus they are different, so it depends on what you want the car to look like. If you are just bracket racing, not much faster than 4.60's or slower then the chassis technology today can handle that kind of power in short wheelbase.

quote:

Originally posted by "The Bender":
I've had a shorty all my life, and it's works just fine......

Bwaha ha ha! TMI man!

I think the shorties are great for slower cars. The faster you are, the worse a shorty is IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Bucky:

quote:

Originally posted by "The Bender":
I've had a shorty all my life, and it's works just fine......

Bwaha ha ha! TMI man!

I think the shorties are great for slower cars. The faster you are, the worse a shorty is IMO.

Not sure your response makes it any better. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:

quote:

Originally posted by Bucky:

quote:

Originally posted by "The Bender":
I've had a shorty all my life, and it's works just fine......

Bwaha ha ha! TMI man!

I think the shorties are great for slower cars. The faster you are, the worse a shorty is IMO.

Not sure your response makes it any better. LOL

Well Geeze you are right!
Maybe another advantage is the smaller amount of rubber you need.

Like my wife says, 'size matters'.

Room in the trailer, fits in a standard garage. Very little weight difference from a standard car. Remember it still has all the standard components of any other dragster. Just lackIng 3 feet or so of CM tubing whatever that weighs and it ain't much

I had a 215" 4 link dragster and a 235" 4 link dragster.

The shorter car was a lot faster reacting and felt more violent on the launch.

The longer car is like a Cadillac at faster speeds and feels more stable....

I've run just under 180 in the long car and 170+ in the shorter car...

About the only thing I can see better about a shorter car is finish line judgement MIGHT be a bit easier.

I'll take the longer wheelbase any day....

"Like my wife says, 'size matters'."

It's neither the size of the ship nor the motion of the ocean...the true measure is if the captain can stay in port long enough for the passenger to get off...

When a shorty dragster wins a big $$ race then everyone will want one.

Lynch won one with a blower last month at 42...

For an 1/8 mile bracket car they make more sense. Easy to load, easy to fit in the trailer, easy to see better, better reacting and with an aluminum block less weight and easier on parts.

Gee, sounds sort of like a Roadster or an Altered, sort of. Please don't miss those last two words.

Bob

I think a shorty that isn't so obvious, could be built. It would probably look like an old school spitzer / Horton in terms of the cage above the body, narrower body to the dash board. I always thought those cars were kinda cool looking anyway. I think I'd want everything behind the ****pit reinvented/reconfigured as well.

I don't know about the ones they just cut the front off. I think a shorty could be built, it would be difficult to tell it was a shorty, with a little thought.

From what ive heard, not much of a weight difference.

A local Chassis Builder fabricated two short wheelbase dragsters with the driver sitting much higher than normal. From the drivers seat the visibility is incredible. From a pure bracket racing standpoint the visibility advantage is fantastic, especially at a 1/8th mile distance where the speeds are not as great. This would be the weapon I would choose.

Until you sit in one it's impossible to appreciate the visibility advantage.

Bob

The Point is a whole lot Shorter.