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Mysterious #71 K&K Daytona wheelhouse "covers" - what are they for?

Started by odcics2, September 27, 2016, 12:27:01 PM

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odcics2

ok folks, opinions wanted and photos of other vintage MoPar stock cars that might have them.
The "covers" are on the left side rear. Right side does not have them.
Notice that they bolt on with hex head bolts and appear heavy duty, not just thin riveted aluminum pieces.

What do you think?

(Photo is from Amelia Island show, March, 2016.)
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Aero426

The COG #6 Charger 500 (1969 Riverside 500) has a similar arrangement.   So it is not strictly unique to the K & K.       The ones on the COG car appear that you could remove one bolt and pivot the covers out of the way.


Aero426

Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on September 27, 2016, 12:43:01 PM
 
Adding ballast weight?




That would seem to be the obvious answer to me.   But why are they up so high up on the K & K? 

Troy

Sarcasm detector, that's a real good invention.

cudavic

Quote from: Troy on September 27, 2016, 02:10:38 PM
Don't know but those drilled drums are interesting.

Troy


Troy

What I have heard and believe to be true is that back in the day, the old time racers would run on the big tracks like this.
Drums had no residual drag like calipers do as they have return springs to prevent the drums to overheat.
On the big tracks you stayed on the throttle and only hit the brakes when you needed to, however they drilled the drum to dissipate the heat just in case.
The reduced brake drag is important! Trust me watch a you tube video on qualifying for pole positions. The drivers have a sticker " DON'T HITS THE BRAKES"

Sincerely Vic

Aero426

Rear drums are drilled for the Riverside 500.  Not a wimpy 500k race either.   It took between 4 and 5 hours to run.

hemi68charger

They couldn't be opening, that have been temporarily covered, for cooling air ducts?
Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

HPP

Wasn't there a time in the late 60s when they had tire durability issues and the drivers boycotted several races. These holes could be a window to monitor tire degradation, or at least allow pieces of rubber to enter the cockpit if a tire was coming apart, thus creating a visual indicator to get off the track.

odcics2

Quote from: Aero426 on September 27, 2016, 12:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on September 27, 2016, 12:43:01 PM
 
Adding ballast weight?




That would seem to be the obvious answer to me.   But why are they up so high up on the K & K? 

The wing gives you downforce without the penalty of carrying the extra weight.  :Twocents:
Just tilt it a little.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

C5X DAYTONA

Quote from: odcics2 on September 28, 2016, 02:03:52 PM
Quote from: Aero426 on September 27, 2016, 12:43:49 PM
Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on September 27, 2016, 12:43:01 PM
 
Adding ballast weight?




That would seem to be the obvious answer to me.   But why are they up so high up on the K & K?  

The wing gives you downforce without the penalty of carrying the extra weight.  :Twocents:
Just tilt it a little.

The more downforce you put into the wing the more the drag.  Not always a good thing.     With lead weight you have the ability to move the weight around and can put more on one corner of the car without adding drag.
Caution.... Low flying aircraft.

HPP


5hunert

Quote from: Aero426 on September 27, 2016, 12:41:39 PM
The COG #6 Charger 500 (1969 Riverside 500) has a similar arrangement.   So it is not strictly unique to the K & K.       The ones on the COG car appear that you could remove one bolt and pivot the covers out of the way.

Were both cars Nichols chassis?  If so this might be a common trait.

odcics2

Yes, both were Nichels chassis. 
Here's a photo of the K&K at Bonneville, with the spoiler max'd out for downforce.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Mike DC

 
Bonneville . . . it always looks a bit otherworldly in pics.  Like some foreign planet.  


Charger_Fan

I'm curious, what was the top speed they were able to get at Bonneville?

The Aquamax...yes, this bike spent 2 nights underwater one weekend. (Not my doing), but it gained the name, and has since become pseudo-famous. :)

odcics2

I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Aero426

It took an injected Hemi built by Bob Sykes to get that kind of speed 15 years later in Jim Fredericks Fly Rod Superbird.    Sykes was Keith Black's right hand man. 

Aero426


odcics2

How deep?
Notice the broken bolt?
Also the gap between the quarter panel and wheelhouse?
Lots of scrubbing required to get the salt out of every nook and seam.
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

HPP

Quote from: Aero426 on October 05, 2016, 02:32:00 PM
Heavy round bar stock would fit in there nicely.

Ballast pockets. Nascar and USAC had different weight bias rules, so these would allow heavy round bar to be added for left side bias.

DAY CLONA

Quote from: HPP on October 06, 2016, 08:53:38 AM
Quote from: Aero426 on October 05, 2016, 02:32:00 PM
Heavy round bar stock would fit in there nicely.

Ballast pockets. Nascar and USAC had different weight bias rules, so these would allow heavy round bar to be added for left side bias.





Hmmmm...how deep are these pockets?


odcics2

Must be some support inside the 1/4 panel.
It would be cool to get a pic of it.

So, a 20" slug would weight??   
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Aero426

20" x 2" lead bar weighs 25.8 pounds.  So two bars are 51 pounds. 

odcics2

Quote from: Aero426 on October 06, 2016, 12:32:49 PM
20" x 2" lead bar weighs 25.8 pounds.  So two bars are 51 pounds. 

50 additional pounds is certainly worthwhile to carry right in front of the left rear wheel! 
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

odcics2

Quote from: 5hunert on September 29, 2016, 09:55:49 AM
Quote from: Aero426 on September 27, 2016, 12:41:39 PM
The COG #6 Charger 500 (1969 Riverside 500) has a similar arrangement.   So it is not strictly unique to the K & K.       The ones on the COG car appear that you could remove one bolt and pivot the covers out of the way.

Were both cars Nichels chassis?  If so this might be a common trait.

Nichels built DC-93 (the 88) was built for speedway use and does not have any "weight tubes".

When Don White owned the car, he put the battery behind the left rear wheel, as was the practice when there was not a rule against it. In Nascar, the rule at the time was "engine compartment", so it was tucked behind the left front wheel.
Eons ago, when I was a kid, I moved the Grp. 27 from the stock location to the right rear in the trunk of my Charger.
Yes, you could tell the difference in handling. It was an estimated 1% change in front/rear weight bias. 
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

Aero426

Lead used in the door bottom of Roger McCluskey's Superbird at Milwaukee. 

odcics2

Some guys would slide ballast into the rocker panel itself.

:2thumbs:
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

warmpancakes

or Like DW did and fill the frame with BBs and dump them on the back straight

odcics2

Quote from: warmpancakes on October 10, 2016, 03:07:46 PM
or Like DW did and fill the frame with BBs and dump them on the back straight

Or leaving the pits... and getting caught!  :smilielol:
I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?

warmpancakes

Quote from: odcics2 on October 13, 2016, 05:04:01 PM
Quote from: warmpancakes on October 10, 2016, 03:07:46 PM
or Like DW did and fill the frame with BBs and dump them on the back straight

Or leaving the pits... and getting caught!  :smilielol:


i thought he was comming in and the BBs had dried and basically shot blasted pit road?

odcics2

I've never owned anything but a MoPar. Can you say that?