NITRO NOSTALGIA MATCH RACING
By Slingshot Steve Thomas (steve392@tpg.com.au)

The Australian Nostalgia Fuel Association (ANFA) currently has rules in place for three nitro brackets –Fuel Dragster, Funny Car and Fuel Altered – and while the construction and safety requirements come straight from the ANDRA rule book, there are nostalgia-specific rules governing chassis, engines, bodies and tyres.

The rules have been designed to try and keep the Nostalgia Fuel brackets relatively affordable and hopefully, keep the cars relatively reliable and consistent. So, let’s take a look at the basics of each bracket.

Top Fuel
Designated AA/FD this bracket is for blown front engine dragsters, popularly known as slingshots, rails or diggers since the 1960s when back-motored cars were a rarity.
With a maximum displacement of 470 cubes, the blocks must be based on the 392 Hemi Chrysler, 426 Dodge, Ford or Arias engines. Billet blocks must be left in standard form and machining for weight reduction is prohibited. Likewise, billet heads are not to be machined and they must retain as manufactured. The use of the new ‘fat’ heads is prohibited. Ignition is restricted to a single magneto.
Superchargers are restricted to Rootes-type 6-7:1, running at 19% overdrive or 8-7:1 running at 15% overdrive. High-helix and set back blowers are prohibited. Injector hats must be metal and nostalgic in appearance, ie no buzzard catchers or the new tall hats are permitted and a maximum of 24 fuel nozzles can be used.
The minimum dose of 70% nitro must be delivered through a single fuel pump.
The clutch can have a maximum of three plates and six fingers and must be operated by the driver’s foot on the pedal. Clutch management systems are prohibited and the car must run direct drive, top gear only plus a reverser.
The chassis must be between 150” and 225” wheelbase and rear wheels must be between 10” and 12” wide.
Computers are prohibited but data recorders are permitted, provided they don’t perform any fuel, clutch or driver functions.

Funny Car
Designated AA/FC the bodies must be from 1955 to 1980 inclusive and must closely resemble the original make and model. The bodies must be fibreglass only (no carbon fibre, etc), may be shortened or lengthened a maximum of 15% of the original dimensions, must be a minimum of 60” wide and may have a maximum top chop of 2”. Front and rear spoilers are permitted but must not be higher than the roof or have spill plates.
The wheelbase must be between 118” minimum and 125” maximum and rear wheels can be a maximum of 17” wide.
The rules for the FC engines are as per those for the top fuel dragsters, except that the maximum capacity is 500 cubic inches. Likewise, the rules for blowers, fuel injection and fuel system are the same as those for the top fuelers.
The funny cars can run a maximum of two gears, plus reverse in a planetary-type box (Lenco or B&M) and the clutch can have a maximum of three plates and six fingers and again, computers are prohibited and data recorders must not perform any fuel, clutch or driver functions.

Fuel Altered
Designated AA/FA the altereds must use a body produced up to and including 1950 and must be metal or fibreglass only. A grille shell resembling the make’s original is required and no aerodynamic aids are permitted, apart from a rear wing, which must not extend beyond the back of the rear tyres.
The chassis can have a wheelbase of from 100” to 125” and no part of the chassis is to extend forward of the front wheels.
All other rules are basically as per those for funny cars.

Other cars are currently being run and built for the nostalgia circuit, as well. AA/Dave Armstrong has run his 392 Donovan-powered rail to a best of 7.08 and 196.00 mph, Paul ‘Shacks’ Shackleton has two funny cars under construction, a Mustang and a Camaro. There is also talk of a Fiat Topolino fuel altered on the drawing boards, Ross Preen’s ‘Banshee’ AA/FD cackle car has been making regular appearances and even Peter Leahy has added a dose of pop to his digger on occasion and run mid sixes and well over 200 so it looks as if the future of nostalgia nitro in Oz is assured.