Current Drag Racing Photos

[57AGIN]

Here are a couple of shots of my 57 taken at the 2006 Fun Ford Weekend at the California Speedway On October 21, 2006.  The Street tires and lack of traction bars sure didn't help the ET's.  But, it sure was great to get back onto a sanctioned strip.

Bob
57AGIN

[RAWms]

Yea Bob.  Looking great!  r

[shopratwoody]

Looks good Bob. If you could find a pair of the old tractions masters would be good. They are the right vintage for
these cars. They don't bother the ride if I remember right. I love to Drag Race 
Later, Ron

[57AGIN]

Ron:

I know I can get a set of original Traction Masters, but they actually hang down a little too low on my car.  The front mount needs to be welded to the bottom of the frame (under the forward of the rear spring mount)  and my frame at that point is just 5" off the ground.  The Traction Master bars are 2" high, giving me only 3" of ground clearance.  I believe I'm going to go with CalTrac bars, as they have an option for cars with low ground clearance that would give me about 3.5" of ground clearance (the same clearance as the bottom of my headers).  The CalTracs are really excellent for traction and don't affect the ride either.  I know 3.5" doesn't sound like much, but in the last 8,000 miles, it hasn't caused me any problems.  Of course, I have to go very slowly over speed bumps in the shopping centers & malls.

Bob
57AGIN

[shopratwoody]

Bob
I remember how low the traction masters were. Johns bars will work better anyway. He finally had to put wheelie
bars on his Mustang. On a 9 in. tire it almost went over backwards. One fast CJ Mustang. Our cars have skinny
springs, I don't know how all that works. Go to Calvert Racing.com If you talk to him on the phone, tell him
Ron Woodside said "hello"
Later, Ron

[custom300fe]

Has anyone put CalTracs on their 57? I was looking at them and it seemed it would be alot of work to install them because of the way they connect to the front spring perch. I didn't contact then to see if they had a setup that would bolt on to this setup.
Gerry

[57AGIN]

Gerry:

I'm not aware of a 57 Ford owner doing a CalTrac installation yet.  When I called them, they said mine would be a beta case (1st one done).  The only big issue is dismounting the rear springs and pressing out the old spring eye bushing and pressing in the CalTrac one in its place.  a smaller issue is the rear shock mounts, if you want to use a high performance modern shock.  I've already changed my rear shocks to Strange Engineering adjustables, having a lower eye bolt mount instead of the bayonet mount on both bottom and top and the car rides much better.

John Calvert has a really great web site, calvertracing.com.  This site has good illustrations, to accompany the information that I copied from that site and pasted below.  The site also has many photos of his customers vehicles (most with their front wheels several feet off the ground).

Since this is primarily a site for photos at the track, I've attached a couple of more from the Fun Ford Weekend take on Sunday 10/22/06.

Bob
57AGIN



Tremendous benefits can be realized when the CALTRACS traction bar system is installed on a leaf spring suspended automobile. CALTRACS traction bars were developed to achieve specific goals to improve high power traction while staying within hard set NHRA parameters.

Each of the two assemblies needed is comprised of three basic components:

Front Pivot   -      Force Transfer Link       -     Rear Mount

The combination of these components changes the pushing point on the car by redirecting the turning action (spring wrap-up) of the rear axle through the Force Transfer Link into the Front Pivot. The Front Pivot Spring Stop Bolt resists this turning motion and also controls the bending of the leaf spring at its thinnest section. The push into the Front Pivot helps the cars weight shift towards the rear of the car because of a new directed angle of force toward the front of the vehicle. (The "Instant Center" moves farther forward). This is where the system emulates a Four link system. The pinion angle is also maintained.

1. The Front Pivot

Two steel plates sandwich the leaf spring sides. Two attach points in the plates provide the user with a selection in which the forward Force Transfer Link rod end can be located. A machined aluminum spring eye bushing and steel insert supports the front of the spring while allowing the plates to pivot. A spring stop bolt controls and restricts spring wrap-up. Spacers are provided for different vehicle applications that control clearances in the front spring eye pocket.

2. Force Transfer Link
This is a length of chromolly tubing with CNC machined threaded inserts TIG welded into each end. The front Insert is machined with right hand Threads and a HEX outer shape for Simple wrench adjustment of the Installed assembly. The rear insert is Left hand threaded. Opposite thread Styles at each end provide the means to easily lengthen or shorten the link for desired pre-load adjustment.
 

3. Rear Mount

A welded ¼" steel assembly replaces the original vehicles spring perch and incorporates the mounting provisions for the rear rod end of the Force Transfer Link.

Installing the CALTRACS is very straightforward. Raise and support the car high enough to remove the rear tires. Allow adequate working space. Next, the rear spring assemblies should be removed. This will facilitate replacement of the front eye bushings. Support the rear end housing in place while the springs are out. This will eliminate the need to disconnect the drive shaft, brake lines etc. Press or have pressed, the original front eye bushing out of each spring assembly. Replace these with the machined aluminum CALTRACS bushings supplied in the kit. Now, reinstall the rear springs into the car.

With each spring assembly ready to go in, position the forward pivot assembly to the front spring eye. (Assure that the Spring Stop Bolt is located on the upper surface of the spring.) Install the Steel Bushing through the pivot and front spring eye bushing. Now, reinstall the spring using the original hardware. Repeat the process for the other side.

Lower the rear axle assembly on to the springs. Install the supplied spring perches as you would the stock items being replaced. Attach the shocks.

Now the Force Transfer Link can be installed by starting the HEX (wrenching) end on to the forward rod end. Remove the rear rod end from the spring perch and start its threads into the rear Force Transfer Link. Adjust the assembly to proper length by holding the rear rod end then rotating the Force Transfer Link until the rear rod end will line up with the mounting hole in the rear spring perch. Install the rear rod end fastener and secure.

With the CALTRACS installed and the rear tires reinstalled, lower the car to the ground and put the drivers weight in the car be sure there is no pre-load on the bars. As an initial setting, turn the Force Transfer Link until the spring Stop Bolt just contacts the upper surface of the spring, then turn the Force Transfer Link one quarter turn more to establish pre-load. Tighten the Force Transfer Link lock nut. That's it!

[57AGIN]

Gerry:

Here are a couple of photos of the CalTrac traction bars, they were mounted on the wall as a display.  I took these when I was having my rear shock mounts changed to accept the lower eye bolt mounting for adjustable shocks.

Bob
57AGIN

[F570RD]

Bob, I had talked with them a few years back and was told they would not work because the springs were to narrow.Stuck with the slapper bars for a bit more time ,then 4 linked.

[57bracketracer]

HI Everybody,
I found this thread and have this reply for you..                                                                        http://home.comcast.net/~robert.lewis23/reardisc.htm
Just go down to the bottom and see the Caltracs, I have had them on for about 7 years now.

http://home.comcast.net/~robert.lewis23/index.htm 

My current site, all others are not maintained. I will be changing this one over to a .com some day and have more updates to some of the pages.

57bracketracer@comcast.net

[custom300fe]

Well it looks like the Caltracs can be put on a 57 but it also looks like you have the car back halved and the spring mounts moved inboard about 6". Looks good but I would like to do it with the stock spring location.

Gerry

[57AGIN]

Well guys:

I'm having a set of CalTracs installed on my 57 today.   The big issue they are dealing with is having to enlarge the front spring eye pocket to accommodate the front pivot on the CalTracs and reinforce and box in the modifications.  I'll get additional verbal info re what had to be done and send some pictures of the modifications as soon as I can. 

Bob
57AGIN