N2O Advice please... Good and Bad!

[db]

Great info as always Dave

I managed to track down Bob Hatton today!
He's on 07771 727552, based in Bodmin.
Very nice, very helpful chap
The kits he used were from Marvin Miller in the US
He doesn't do much with the nitrous these days but is still supplying Turbo stuff, Goodridge and the like.
He and Mr WoN do NOT get on well and they've apparently almost come to blows on a couple of occasions!


He says his bottles never had this type of tap, so it must have been replaced. As you spotted Dave it has no safety valve
Fortunately it's NOT one of his VERY early bottles which had taper threads, so a normal N2O/ CO2 tap will fit.
Extra lucky is that i already have a small bottle that has a good tap with blow-off valve so i'll fit that, then i'll just need to get it checked.

Can't find much history of Hatton but Miller was one of the pillars of 60's drag racing in the California scene. As well as being one of the pioneers of manufacturing (Cheetah) nitrous systems for racing, his company was the sponsor behind the Warren-Coburn-Miller 'Rain for Rent' top fuel team. The three were also known as 'The Ridge Route Terrors'.

Great story on the restoration of their last slingshot dragster for the 2007 Cacklefest here: http://cacklefest.com/WCM.shtml

A Marvin Miller nitrous system was installed by Hal Needham in the 1981 TransAm used for the stunts in the Smokey and the Bandit sequel movie!

[db]

A stroke of luck- the guy who sold me the Hatton bottle found a bunch of other kit & sent it me for the cost of postage

It includes the fitting for the bottle, but still no blow-off valve. Anyone know if it's possible to fit an in-line valve & tap?

MYSTERY OBJECT... any ideas on the solenoidy-plungery-thing?

[Les Szabo]

Hi Mick- glad of any advice mate

The N2O is completely unnecessary i know, but it's just something i need to try.
No, never been down the strip before on 4 wheels, only 2.
I'll get a bit of experience without the gas first

I suggest you don't as once you do, you'll be hooked on it..
Get well used to the car to the point where running the quarter gets almost boring.......only then hit it with sniff, you'll either blow your tyres away, or end up in the back seat.....

[db]

Too much is never enough...

Do you know what my mystery object is Les?

[Les Szabo]

only thing I can think of it being is a very old form of actuator to bring the N20 in at WOT mounted in front of the carb?....but all you need is a small microswitch as you know..

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul, this looks like a very old bit of kit, your mystery object, I think, is an early type FOT switch arrangement.
As you probably know most systems only work when your foot is planted at the "full open throttle" position, I figure it would have been attached to the throttle in the car and set to operate the system.
On the more up to date systems a micro switch attached to the throttle linkage is used.
Here is one I found to illustrate



Your pics show a dual carb set up, Ie one plate for each carb.
here is an image of the summit racing system for one carb.

[db]

I thought it must be some sort of throttle switch but like you say, right out of the ark!
The bottle's dated 1986 so i'm sure the whole kit dates from around then.

I thought it was a twin plate at first but- there's only one set of pipes, one injector plate is a spare.

[Pete]

I can't believe you are prepared to take the risk of using all that old tat on an engine.

I have seen a second hand but relatively good condition solenoid fail and fill the heads with C12. That would have been fun if we had not noticed.........

You call as ever, if you want to learn about N20 that's fine but when it goes wrong it can do so very badly, and the risk is much higher with old and potentially un-serviceable parts.............

[Anonymous]

More like 1896!

Put that on your engine and get a life insurance POLICY!

HH.

[db]

I'll most likely fleabay this lot once i've made it look a bit more presentable.
The braided hose and bottle clamps are probably the only bits worth keeping.
If i can I'll use the bottle and valve but only if i can fit a blow-off and get it pressure tested.

See Pete, i do have a grain or two of common sense left

[mopar_mark]

I can't believe you are prepared to take the risk of using all that old tat on an engine.

Thought it was just me thinking

I appreciate everyone has their budget, but that does look like a cheap bargain waiting to become expensive


EDIT

I'll most likely fleabay this lot once i've made it look a bit more presentable.
The braided hose and bottle clamps are probably the only bits worth keeping.

I think that could be a good idea

[db]