2020 Undercover

September 04, 2020, 06:43 AM

"The Bender"

quote:
Originally posted by ROLLIN':
All that is great that they copied an Undercover but what made the brand was not just the design but the incomparable welding done by one of best (Bill F.)that carried a 10 yr warranty on the welds. It's now Elite Chassis !

Dead on. He did some work on my Spitzer, the welds are incredible.

272" Spitzer
540 Chevy
The Blower Shop XR1
FTI XPM Series Converter
FTI Level 6 Powerglide
3.69@199
.916 60'

2017 Bradenton Heads Up Madness
Open Outlaw Champ

2018 PDRA T/D #5
2019 PDRA T/D #2

2020 Retired From T/D Competition....

2020 Bradenton NMCA Hemi Shootout Winner

2021 getting back into bracket racing with a Gen3 Hemi powered 87 Cutlass.

September 04, 2020, 07:26 AM

SmokinChicken

Undercover Chassis, Undercover Motorsports and now just Undercover. Ive owned 7 Undercover diggers and a roadster at one point. Now Elite Chassis car with the same results and quality.

September 04, 2020, 07:52 AM

BD104X

quote:

Undercover made great cars, but when I was younger I just didn’t like the Wally on the blow shield. true story.

I guess I'm not the only one who hated that!

September 04, 2020, 08:31 AM

BD104X

quote:
Originally posted by SCDIV1:
I look at welds among other things. Nice neat work vs just get it welded up.....and other little details...

I have a Racetech and its like a Chevy to me compared to some others that are more like Cadillacs....

Rich
I have driven several dragsters built by Undercover, Race-Tech, Mullis, S&W and even a Mark Rowe & a Dakota - IMO, nothing is as smooth going down the track as a Race-Tech (but Undercover is a close second). I will say cosmetically I like the look and style of Undercover & Mullis more than Race-Tech... while Race-Techs are well built, they just look more basic & rudimentary.

September 04, 2020, 08:50 AM

"The Bender"

I've had a Undercover and a Racetech, both worked well. I preferred the Racetech by a narrow margin.

September 04, 2020, 12:09 PM

jenavet

the original undercover motorsports was never a question on their quality but dealing with them on building a car was horrendous

September 04, 2020, 12:18 PM

"The Bender"

quote:
Originally posted by jenavet:
the original undercover motorsports was never a question on their quality but dealing with them on building a car was horrendous

Kurt was not good at business management.........as is still the case with many small businesses.

September 04, 2020, 12:58 PM

TOP38

My Dan Page 2 cents.

Back in the day when Kurt was in his hay day building cars he took special notice to my new Dan Page dragster at the Moroso 5 day that year! We talked there and at other races after. Nothing wrong with Kurt's chassis, but I never liked the body, leaving out the looks part of it! He and other builders did not use a radius at the edge of each body panel, sharp 90 corners, that along with the small bend he used on the top panels along the edges of the side panels really created a paint nightmare. Leaving looks out of the equation, Dan Page's dragster bodies are without question one of the best out there... And ya it's both my opinion and fact...

With regards to the mono shock deal, Kurt did miss fitting the right shock to his cars for a while! Never accounted for the ratio of rear end movement vs shock movement and how that impacts shock valving. Guys like Bender didn't have to worry about that though!

September 04, 2020, 01:28 PM

WHOMPWHOMP

quote:
Originally posted by TOP38:
My Dan Page 2 cents.

Back in the day when Kurt was in his hay day building cars he took special notice to my new Dan Page dragster at the Moroso 5 day that year! We talked there and at other races after. Nothing wrong with Kurt's chassis, but I never liked the body, leaving out the looks part of it! He and other builders did not use a radius at the edge of each body panel, sharp 90 corners, that along with the small bend he used on the top panels along the edges of the side panels really created a paint nightmare. Leaving looks out of the equation, Dan Page's dragster bodies are without question one of the best out there... And ya it's both my opinion and fact...

With regards to the mono shock deal, Kurt did miss fitting the right shock to his cars for a while! Never accounted for the ratio of rear end movement vs shock movement and how that impacts shock valving. Guys like Bender didn't have to worry about that though!

I asked KURT years ago if he had to buy some else’s chassis who’s would it be an he said DAN PAGE without question....but just like everyone’s opinions I’m not fond of the looks...an ALL my UNDERCOVERS have been nothing but NASTY....

September 04, 2020, 01:30 PM

WHOMPWHOMP

And as far as SHOCKS most manufacturers couldn’t keep up with the STUDID ET we are running now in a d a m n bracket race...

September 04, 2020, 01:57 PM

TOP38

quote:
Originally posted by WHOMPWHOMP:
And as far as SHOCKS most manufacturers couldn’t keep up with the STUDID ET we are running now in a d a m n bracket race...

This was a good 15 years ago. My buddy had one of his cars and he could set the shocks to full tight and then full loose, no difference. (Racepak shock travel) so the shock was just there for the ride. Got a new AFCO that was built/valved to match for that application and then he could control the rear movement as desired.

Every mono shock deal built out there today likely has a different rear to shock movement ratio, the shock builder needs to know that to valve it correctly. The spring rate used in the single shock will give you an indication of this ratio. My car has a 350lb/in spring but I have seen cars with up to 650! You can't use the same shock in both of these two cases with good results.

BTW Looks are a b-i-t-c-h!

September 04, 2020, 02:42 PM

jenavet

quote:
My buddy had one

TOP38 doing hits of viagara and going rounds at epping

September 04, 2020, 02:46 PM

Mike Rietow

quote:
Originally posted by TOP38:
quote:
Originally posted by WHOMPWHOMP:
And as far as SHOCKS most manufacturers couldn’t keep up with the STUDID ET we are running now in a d a m n bracket race...

This was a good 15 years ago. My buddy had one of his cars and he could set the shocks to full tight and then full loose, no difference. (Racepak shock travel) so the shock was just there for the ride. Got a new AFCO that was built/valved to match for that application and then he could control the rear movement as desired.

Every mono shock deal built out there today likely has a different rear to shock movement ratio, the shock builder needs to know that to valve it correctly. The spring rate used in the single shock will give you an indication of this ratio. My car has a 350lb/in spring but I have seen cars with up to 650! You can't use the same shock in both of these two cases with good results.

BTW Looks are a b-i-t-c-h!

The shock builder needs to know the spring rate. The chassis builder needs to know the ratio in order to recommend a spring for any given power plant/driver (weight) in play.

It's not the distance the shaft moves in and out of the main body that matters, it's the rate of the spring dampened.

September 04, 2020, 03:00 PM

1320racer

September 04, 2020, 03:20 PM

TOP38

quote:
Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
quote:
Originally posted by TOP38:
quote:
Originally posted by WHOMPWHOMP:
And as far as SHOCKS most manufacturers couldn’t keep up with the STUDID ET we are running now in a d a m n bracket race...

This was a good 15 years ago. My buddy had one of his cars and he could set the shocks to full tight and then full loose, no difference. (Racepak shock travel) so the shock was just there for the ride. Got a new AFCO that was built/valved to match for that application and then he could control the rear movement as desired.

Every mono shock deal built out there today likely has a different rear to shock movement ratio, the shock builder needs to know that to valve it correctly. The spring rate used in the single shock will give you an indication of this ratio. My car has a 350lb/in spring but I have seen cars with up to 650! You can't use the same shock in both of these two cases with good results.

BTW Looks are a b-i-t-c-h!

The shock builder needs to know the spring rate. The chassis builder needs to know the ratio in order to recommend a spring for any given power plant/driver (weight) in play.

It's not the distance the shaft moves in and out of the main body that matters, it's the rate of the spring dampened.

Mike, Your kinda right but if you had half a clue you would realize you said the same thing as I did above! The ratio is what determines the spring rate for a given combo! The ratio is also how the forces are applied or better yet, multiplied at the shock from the car running down track.

Oh, and the distance that the shock moves along with rate at which it moves matters!

September 04, 2020, 03:26 PM

TOP38

quote:
Originally posted by 1320racer:

Ed

All involve did a very nice job!

My only comment that has nothing to do with looks is the placement of the fuel tank! Two reasons, with today power levels front end weight is your friend and in the event of an accident, I want the fuel tank as far away from me as possible. For me, this Trumps (No pun intended, well maybe not!!

) any other possible pro's to locate it behind the driver's seat.

September 04, 2020, 03:35 PM

"The Bender"

I agree 100% on fuel tank placement. I know of a local racer that got severely burned and almost died when he wacked the wall and ended up upside down, the ruptured fuel tank was pouring alcohol down on him, he was knocked out by the wreck, but otherwise sustained only minor injuries. His face and upper body is permanently disfigured.

September 04, 2020, 04:08 PM

head gamez

quote:
Originally posted by BD104X:
quote:

Undercover made great cars, but when I was younger I just didn’t like the Wally on the blow shield. true story.

I guess I'm not the only one who hated that!

Nope. It did grow on me over the years. I’ve also never really been a fan of the radiator placement, but I even learned to appreciate that too.

All kidding aside, they were always nice, well built cars. I’ve driven a few and had no complaints.

Ed. That’s a nice ride. I really like the face that it’s not painted with slashes and stuff on every surface. That let’s the workmanship show.