[Phil Brown]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Many years ago I built a small solar cell powered car for a drag race contest. The contest was sponsored by Sandia National Labs and was part of a conference. They provided the cells and motor.

Among other innovations, my car had a variable speed transmission consisting of audio tape (remember those?) that wound between two pulleys. The tape started out on the output pulley on the rear axle and the input pulley, attached to the motor, was bare. As the tape wound onto the pulley on the motor and off the pulley on the axle the ratio would change.

My car was at least twice as fast as the other cars.

I am just wondering if something like this could be used for 50's drag racing. Maybe a steel tape could be used. A solid axle could be used with a large pulley on it. A differential is not needed for drag racing. In my mind I see another pulley attached to a right angle gear system which is lined up with the pulley on the axle. Of course this could only be used for racing.

What do you think?

Interesting concept