I have thousands of passes under my belt over the last 32 years. Never blown one up into pieces even with running some pretty serious 9 second Street cars. I have lost reverse, and second in a couple different cars and different transmissions over the years but nothing major. I always run a huge cooler and do high gear burnouts. My current torqueflite is a CRT with a J.W. SFI Bellhousing added that I bought from my buddy when he went to a Glide. Hoping it holds up to what I am putting to it.

I've done a bunch of stupid stuff including dropping in reverse at about 100 mph and never blew one up. The only one I've seen blow up was in the Foolish Pleasure RR at Bristol probably 15 years ago. It looked like a bomb went off in it.. My current 727 has a steel drum in it, money well spent IMO.

I'll have to ask Billy Hughes (he owns the Foolish Pleasure RR) about that the next time I see him, since he lives pretty close to me. That car has a BUNCH of passes on it from years of racing, so I'd like to know if that's the only time he grenade one, too.

I did have some photo's of the carnage but that was several computers ago.

I have never blown one up, but I have seen at least 1/2 dozen go up at the track over the years. Everything from a high 13 second 340 car to a low 9 second big block Dart. One let go in front of me at Clay City last year. Why anyone would not spend the money on a drum is beyond me.

where is qwkdan when we need him, blowing one up in his shop truck at gateway, not pretty

No, I have not blown one up. No, I have not witnessed one blowing up (except for one Turbo 400). Yes, I have spoken to car owners and drivers who have. Injuries vary from light discomfort to actually loosing body parts, big medical bills and lost wages. Not to mention repair bills to the car. Reasons for these events happening are also varied. Improper operation, symbiotic drive train component failures. Although this problem maybe more acute in a 727, other manufactures (GM & Ford) are not safe from total transmission explosions either. Truth is, there are many reasons why transmissions fail. Not just the ones mentioned here.
One member here mentioned applying ballistic material to the floor of the car. Why won't this work? If the ballistic material is applied to the inside of the floor the parts are still going to come through the floor! Only this time you will get hit by the parts including the ballistic material. Considering the weight and kenetic energy transmissions store this is not something you want to be hit by. Containing the explosion and the spuewing of parts has to be contained at the source. This is why NHRA/IHRA and other racing sanctions endorse the SFI Foundation's decision that requires the transmission containment system be applied to the transmission case itself.

Didn't see it happen but saw the after effects of one puke it's internals while on the jackstands at Norwalk one year,, don't know the story but it sure made a good size pile of shrapnel under the car.

even when one blows with those carbon fiber covers [i think they are made of that material], there is still a big bang to the floor. why hasn't anyone used something like a 1/4" thick aluminum [1/8-3/16 thick steel] transmission tunnel for added protection ? that wouldn't add but just a few extra pounds, and be a little better on a guy's feet in the process.

TCI makes aluminum shields. That what I run. Harder to fit as they aren't as snug to the trans.

Doug

Those shields will not stop an exploding drum. Ask Don Bruemmer who runs a 67 Plymouth in the NSS Victory series what happened to his feet when his stock drum exploded. It went through the case,then the shield,and finally through the floor into his feet. Sent him to the hospital and off the race track for about a year. Moral of the story. If you race 727 don't use a stock drum.

i have one of those TCI shields as well for my 33 humpback panel projects. i liked that because of the extra clearance around the shifter lever arm, which i am going to convert to a pushbutton setup.

i have one of those TCI shields as well for my 33 humpback panel projects. i liked that because of the extra clearance around the shifter lever arm, which i am going to convert to a pushbutton setup.
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Mine is a push button, fits fine
Doug

I saw the damage. Parts went ripping up all the way through the dashboard. Gave me the a cold chill just looking at it.

I was there, the shield did nothing, nothing. It was a '65 Plymouth, but not that it matters.


BTW for years now its been a complete waste of my time putting on my helmet, putting on the belts, and using a trans blanket. A complete waste of time. I think I will continue though...…..

They won't listen, every anecdotal tale of hundreds of runs on a stock drum reinforces the belief that explosions are rare and not to worry.

There is also the mistaken belief that the explosion is somehow just horsepower related when it is strictly a function of RPM x 2.45.

Anything capable of hitting 6000 on the tach, even briefly, can blow up a drum.

Kevin

Looks like it still is, regardless of whether people view it as the result of ignorance or an inappropriate application for an OEM drum.

Not trying to hijack this BUT, I am going to assume the a518,46,47,48 RH,RE have the same drum that explodes in the 727 ?

OK, I'm convinced, what drum is recommended for a 727 behind a 465 hp RB with a redline at 6000 RPM?
We DON'T have a rev limiter, or might that be a better (and cheaper) solution?

Thanks, Joe