Visit to Thunderdome

[Stainless1]

Max probably hasn't put more than 8-10 hours a day in on the bike since he got home from the Bub meet last year.  He designs and builds most of the parts.  Almost everything that he didn't build himself has been noted as to who did in this thread. 
Pretty Awesome.     (for an old guy working in his garage) 
The design and engineering are there, it just needs to all work and stay together... that's how you set records... ask anyone

[Stainless1]

Is it Sunday yet?  Well Max called a couple of hours ago and said "I'm ready to start the scooter, can you come over and help"  His son Max was there when I got there, we spun the motors a little to get the fuel primed, I took a little video of the first attempt to start the bike, wow, it started right up. What a fire breathing monster it is.  We found a little fuel leak and shut it down.  Fixed the leak right after we could get our eyes to stop watering and enough air in the garage to breathe again.  You might be able to tell, it was deafening, even for an old deaf guy that spent to much time around jets.  It is a little slow at first, in time I will figure out how to edit, but as soon as u-tube has it processed, I am adding the link and hitting submit.

here ya go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94rgogvdxgM

More later tonight or tomorrow

[4-barrel Mike]

I love it!  Thank you very much!

Mike

P.S.  I don't see a need to edit it.

[Peter Jack]

Great video! I like it when Max has time to get his coffee while everyone else bails, then goes back for one more check. I know how much your eyes sting.

Pete

[Sumner]

Thanks Stainless and I agree don't try and edit it.  I've heard it run in the pits and it is a real treat,

Sum

[Stainless1]

Yes, it was a moving experience, we were all so happy you couldn't find a dry eye in the place...   
OK so a few more pictures.  This side is done, last part on was the ignition cover.  Our fuel leak was a line on the fuel pump, just needed tightened, it was cracked loose earlier to help prime the pump.  So far, that is it, no oil, fuel, or water leaks. 

Max needed a new start cart, the old wagon was on its last legs (maybe wheels)... so he picked this one up at harbor freight... OK, it was just their big 2 wheeler, and a few parts were welded on.

The noise drew a few folks from the neighborhood.... Most common question "WTF is this thing?"  Most common comments, "that thing is really loud" and "you guys gotta be crazy"

More to come...

[Stainless1]

After the air cleared, we looked the scooter over, and then fired it up again for another check.  I was trying to figure out where all the junk in the air was coming from (no, not the eye burning stuff, I knew where it was coming from).  When Max wicks the throttle a little, the exhaust generates an ill wind that stirs the dust in every corner, not to mention the garage shakes and stuff falls from the ceiling, the lights, your eyes... 
Max's garage is smaller than is looks as soon as those motors are started.  I had to get out while I could still find my way.  Max obviously is an old hand at living in an oxygen deprived eye burning atmosphere (must be those years of Navy training or nitro-bike racing)

Gave up waiting on utube processing last night   
So here is the second run on the motors, enjoy the fun, I KNOW I DID!!!  WOOHOOO!! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTYT4NP3kiQ

[Super Kaz]

After the air cleared, we looked the scooter over, and then fired it up again for another check.  I was trying to figure out where all the junk in the air was coming from (no, not the eye burning stuff, I knew where it was coming from).  When Max wicks the throttle a little, the exhaust generates an ill wind that stirs the dust in every corner, not to mention the garage shakes and stuff falls from the ceiling, the lights, your eyes... 
Max's garage is smaller than is looks as soon as those motors are started.  I had to get out while I could still find my way.  Max obviously is an old hand at living in an oxygen deprived eye burning atmosphere (must be those years of Navy training or nitro-bike racing)

Gave up waiting on utube processing last night   
So here is the second run on the motors, enjoy the fun, I KNOW I DID!!!  WOOHOOO!! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTYT4NP3kiQ

 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Stainless, I thank you very much for helping us all keep up with what Max and his crew (that includes you, you know) are doing on the bike.  The videos were fun -- so much that I was able to foresee the same (basic) routine on the line, and ooh the chills, the excitement, the fun.

Thanks...

[sabat]

Inspiring work.

[1 fast evo 2]

This is a great story and Max looks to be a very talented individual. The project looks incredible!
Stainless- thank you very much for bring this story to this site.

    Mike Reichen

[Kansas Bad Man]

Stainless, I thank you very much for helping us all keep up with what Max and his crew (that includes you, you know) are doing on the bike.  The videos were fun -- so much that I was able to foresee the same (basic) routine on the line, and ooh the chills, the excitement, the fun.

Thanks...

Don't I wish, Seldom.  In actual fact there is no Crew through the year here in Wichita.  I work alone on the design and build of the streamliner.  However, Stainless just recently helped the project with a quite a bit of labor on building the salt A-frame, the fab work required on the new starter cart, and a couple of other things to make life easier on the salt. 
Also my son, Max Re', has just recently been coming over for a few hours once a week after he gets off work, to help with some of the needed manual labor.  He'll also be helping me drive the long hours from Wichita to Bonneville.  That's when he becomes part of the Salt Pit Crew.  I appreciate both of these two guys and what they're doing to help the 2008 effort.

After I get the liner to the salt--that's when my Pit Crew shows up.  They come from Canada, Germany, Spain, Australia, England, and from the U.S.--California, Oregan, Washington, and other states to spend the five or six days helping Black Lightning do her thing.  This group of guys all volunteer, pay all their own expenses, and in many cases financially support the project as well. 

I couldn't do it without them.

                                  Max

[bak189]

Best of luck, Max.............see you in Sept................

[Stainless1]

Racefans, when you watch those videos, you can't see that Max is barely touching the throttle to rev the motors, just a quick crack sends them to the 5500 RPM you heard.  Oh, the churning noise on the video before starting is the water pumps for the cylinder muffs.  As with many of you, I can't wait to hear this thing at full song during the Bub event. 

Max has done an incredible job on this scooter, and he deserves all the credit.  I am just trying to show y'all how to get to "incredible".  It has been and will continue to be a privilege to work with Max and get the inside story (that I get to share with you) as he gets the bike ready to run.  I will probably get by there tomorrow to see what he is up to.  I know he has a chain mister to build and install as well as a few other things...   

Gotta go work on my scooter for speedweek, see ya on the salt 

[Kansas Bad Man]

P.S.
I want to thank you Stainless, for your excellent and continual updates of the liner on this site. I'm hoping you'll be part of the Vincent streamliner Pit Crew at the Bub Meet.  You're a talented craftsman, quite knowledgeable about landracing, and would be a great asset to the team.

Thanks, my friend.
                                        Max

P.S.S.
Also appreciate the encouragement from those who have taken the time to post on this thread.