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How about an Indian NHRA - National Hot Rod Association (INHRA)

To begin with I am starting with a Project to design and build a NHRA type Dragster.
Though i have said about my plans in another thread, i think this is the right place. Also i shall start one more thread in Technical Stuff.

Ok as for the Dragster:
Now we are a team of three people. myself the creator and two of my friend and my batch mates in my engineering. First one is good at CAD(Computer Aided Design) software, while the other is good in finite element analysis software.

We have to design the thing from the scratch. Even though we dont have the required tools, but i have access to those tools at a local three wheeler manufacturer ( also a coach builder).
Currently the plan to build the chassis is in design phase in a CAD (computer aided design) software, later this design will tested whether it can take the load of around 200bhp and torque of around 300 Nm in finite element analysis software.

We are yet to finalise on the engine, thinking about a 2000cc petrol engine from a nissan blue bird or from a honda or a toyota, though Honda would be built strong (Leela would agree with me on this count) but getting a nissan would be easier i guess here in hyd.


One of the Team-BHPian has given a very usefull suggestion (advantage of a team ;)) that i could forget car engines. try bike engines. much lighter, same power. I could try older engine. just 100 bhp. but reduce the weight of the dragster. 100 bhp engine and 350 kgs total car and driver is the same as a 450 bhp skoda rs. ( What do you people say about it) get a 100 bhp bike engine and turbo it to 160 bhp or so.

Also planning for the Speed Run 2007 for the dragster, btw, there was a Indian-Open Dragster Class in the SpeedRun 2006, hope it is included this year as well because it requires three entries to make a class. Common people. If I can do it , you can also do it. :thumbs up

which CAD software are u using??? but its always a good suggestion to use the CAD software to know exactly what u are building. when i had to make a bed (yes, the regular bed) with a different design i did it in 3DSmax & then explained it to the carpenter who further finished it to my satisfaction, so its always better, gives a headstart!

being lighter is only one aspect of the bike engine, an even better aspect is the sequential gearbox reducing your gear changing times considerably, improving torque delivery (nearly flat curve).

regarding the chasis, for a dragster i guess the best option will be to go for a naked cage (used for dune buggies). while keeping the weight low they will also provide good protection in case of ny incident.

i m sure there are lots of us who will b interested in this, so keep us posted regarding your progress.

Can anyone suggest me a good set of seat belts for the dragster, which i can import from USA, as my sister is comming from USA.
I have seen lot of brands in ebay.com, but not sure about which brand i can take or please suggest any other source i can look around please let me know.
Thank You.

Sabelt is probably the best brand for 4 point harnesses.

Look, if it's just a dragstrip application, why not just buy an old Dolphin, and use the chassis. Cut off certain bits to make it lighter, or punch holes in it. Maybe even an autorickshaw chassis, with crossmembers for some rigidity. You just need to be light for a couple of runs, not pass ARAI homologation.

Dolphin chassis I guess would weigh less than 300 kgs, suitably lightened. You are looking at a slight weight gain over a custom frame, but you will also save an incredible amount of time.

Bike engines, you will have to figure out the shifter and clutch actuaution. I would guess hydraulics, guess being the operative word here.

Keep us posted, this is interesting...

Yes indeed, a dragster cant be anyother place than a dragstrip. But the purpose is not to limit for a couple of hours. The main idea of the whole project is to study the dragster frame may be with only a few parameters, but use this data for another project on bit professional scale.

We did intially consider the chassis of an auto-rikshaw, but found out that in the long run, such an experiment would not fetch us a good data.

As rightly said, we are looking to gain permission from ARAI, but this data will be usefull for the design at a later stage, where permission might be requiring. (Actually long term plan is to start an Indian NHRA racing club).
So we are taking few of the design parameters and the whole project will be documented.

the whole above part is good to listen, but the truth shall be not that easy, its going to be one hell of a work to do. But some-where one need to start.

if u wish to complete the full frame i guess u can get fibre glass sheets in the market which can b fit to the cage structure. once fully painted it will give it a full car feel while still keeping the weight low.