Safety Bellhousing??
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Last edited by Gordonm; Sep 20, 2011 at 09:09 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 836
Likes: 26
From: Harrisburg Pa
O SO TRUE, My brother and I where in a CJ5 when we where teens and The clutch blew up, The engine will rev up to max when this happens and that rips apart everything. The clutch and flywheel shatterd and came through the bell housing and into the cab cutting up our feet, we didnt know what hit us, we where ok with no long term damage exept that I ALWAYS will have a blow proof bell housing.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Always! Hated spending the money and adding 40 lbs of weight to the car but the piece of mind when that tach is swinging...
Sometimes they can blow in normal operation.
Billet FW are a safe bet but cant be too safe...
Just spend the money.
Good idea to use a block protector also
Sometimes they can blow in normal operation.
Billet FW are a safe bet but cant be too safe...
Just spend the money.
Good idea to use a block protector also
Last edited by cv67; Sep 20, 2011 at 10:52 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
I still get nervous though when the tach is up around 7000.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,462
Likes: 1
From: Reno nevada
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
You are simply buying insurance here. You may never need it.
Fact is a clutch could let go on a 200hp or less car and still go through the bellhousing. Most engines will spin up to 5k.
The probability of a failure is higher with more HP and the nature of these cars and our propensity to push them.
I would think a drive shaft loop should also be on any of these cars with fiberglass floors. The fact that the universal is mid thigh and mid forearm when your seated in the car is just as scary.
QuickTime makes some real nice units. Pricey but clean and light.
Fact is a clutch could let go on a 200hp or less car and still go through the bellhousing. Most engines will spin up to 5k.
The probability of a failure is higher with more HP and the nature of these cars and our propensity to push them.
I would think a drive shaft loop should also be on any of these cars with fiberglass floors. The fact that the universal is mid thigh and mid forearm when your seated in the car is just as scary.
QuickTime makes some real nice units. Pricey but clean and light.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 3
From: Lehigh county Pennsylvania
GT's 78, you might be too young to know about Don Garlits losing part of a foot to a blown clutch/flywheel. If the same happened to you, would you mind being called stumpy the rest of your life? In a C3, you're bound to lose more than a foot. More like half way to your knees. Better to be safe than sorry. That's why in my mouse motored '69 I have an SFI approved steel billet flywheel and clutch, and a hydroformed steel bell.
Last edited by 69 Chevy; Sep 21, 2011 at 10:20 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
If Im not mistaken that same explosion took off someones arm in the crowd too.
You can see the piece on the track about to take a young boys arm off.
If you got an iron FW youre real crazy if you dont..
Loop as said above a very good idea!
We spend so much on speed parts, bling etc but dont spend enough on safety so were covered.
You can see the piece on the track about to take a young boys arm off.
If you got an iron FW youre real crazy if you dont..
Loop as said above a very good idea!
We spend so much on speed parts, bling etc but dont spend enough on safety so were covered.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
QuickTime has an SFI bell that weighs only 22#, but it ain't cheap. Sold my LW and saving up for one myself. Have run a Hays 15# alum flywheel for a while. Good piece.
IIRC, Big Daddy has a huge pic of the explosion on a wall in his museum (a must see if you're ever in central FLA), and he'll talk about the incident, but I hadn't heard about the boy's arm before. A lot of people just don't realize how scary dangerous racing (any kind) was not too many years ago.
IIRC, Big Daddy has a huge pic of the explosion on a wall in his museum (a must see if you're ever in central FLA), and he'll talk about the incident, but I hadn't heard about the boy's arm before. A lot of people just don't realize how scary dangerous racing (any kind) was not too many years ago.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
QuickTime has an SFI bell that weighs only 22#, but it ain't cheap. Sold my LW and saving up for one myself. Have run a Hays 15# alum flywheel for a while. Good piece.
IIRC, Big Daddy has a huge pic of the explosion on a wall in his museum (a must see if you're ever in central FLA), and he'll talk about the incident, but I hadn't heard about the boy's arm before. A lot of people just don't realize how scary dangerous racing (any kind) was not too many years ago.
IIRC, Big Daddy has a huge pic of the explosion on a wall in his museum (a must see if you're ever in central FLA), and he'll talk about the incident, but I hadn't heard about the boy's arm before. A lot of people just don't realize how scary dangerous racing (any kind) was not too many years ago.
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Lakewood safety bellhousings are designed for highest possible efficiency and strength. They are cut on CNC 5 axis laserlight blades rather than lcd blades to enhance complete quality, decrease heat damage and warpage from the lcd divider, enhance speed of produce.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,445
Likes: 353
From: Athens GA
St. Jude Donor '12-'13, '15- '16-'17-'18-'19, '21
Safety first!
I was at Englishtown in late 60's and saw a front u-joint let go on a gasser. No driveshaft loop protector.
Driveshaft came thru the floor and sliced open the racer's right leg from his hip down.
Real nasty.
No 2nd chances when things are moving that fast.
Stay safe.
Bman
I was at Englishtown in late 60's and saw a front u-joint let go on a gasser. No driveshaft loop protector.
Driveshaft came thru the floor and sliced open the racer's right leg from his hip down.
Real nasty.
No 2nd chances when things are moving that fast.
Stay safe.
Bman
Last edited by bmans vette; Jun 15, 2012 at 05:07 PM. Reason: typo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
My 69 has had one (Lakewood) since 1971- when the PO found out that if you miss a gear the L-88 that was in there at the time would spin to just over 7000 in a flash- and the diaphragm clutch sticks to the floor.
