LSR = Land Speed Rampage

[Captthundarr]

We hope to see both of the Rampage Bros. We havent Decided on which meet will will go to this year. Same 'ol story, money and time. Amy's schedule got screwed due to the weather her being a teacher and all. We'll see.

[gkabbt]

Frank - Planning on being there for all 4 meets this year.
As I said in a previous post, I'm busting my butt to have the truck at either the June or July meets.

I'll see you and Amy whenever you get to Wilmington.

Gregg

PS
If I have enough time, I might try to get it down to Coastal Plains for a T&T.....We'll see!

[Captthundarr]

Cool, cool and cool. See you soon, Amy sends hugs.

[gkabbt]

One step forward  , two steps back  !

One step forward.....
Got a smoking deal on a race engine and hope to be picking it up in the next few weeks! 
Steve, of all places it's in Festus so I want to meet up when I get there. Hopefully I'll have the rotisserie with me. 

Two steps back.....
1. Managed to screw my back up, again, so I haven't done anything on the truck for about 2 weeks. Feeling better now so I'll ease back into it.
I want to have it off the rotisserie before I go out to MO to pickup the engine.

2. If you recall from a previous post, I picked up this specialized k-frame for my Rampage a while back.



Just found out last week that with the engine/trans combo I'm running, there is a fitment issue. The transmission case hits the k-frame and will not bolt up to the chassis. I called the guy who made it and he is going to make a new modified one. Unfortunately, he makes these on the side and is extremely busy now so it will be 2-3 months before I get the new one.
I'm going to put the stock k-frame back on just to have a roller so I can get it to the paint shop.

Oh well! As the expression goes.....$hit happens.

I'll get this truck finished some year!     

Gregg

[tauruck]

The nature of the beast!.

This stuff will drive you nuts, that's for sure.

I hope you stay pain free with your back.

Go well Gregg.

[SteveM]

Gregg:

    Please don't hurry the rotisserie.  Rest your back.

    I am more than happy to let you continue to use and store the rotisserie on my behalf.

    If there's anything I can do to help with the race engine retrieval or inspection, don't hesitate to let me know. 

Steve.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Just found out last week that with the engine/trans combo I'm running, there is a fitment issue. The transmission case hits the k-frame and will not bolt up to the chassis. I called the guy who made it and he is going to make a new modified one. Unfortunately, he makes these on the side and is extremely busy now so it will be 2-3 months before I get the new one.
I'm going to put the stock k-frame back on just to have a roller so I can get it to the paint shop.

Arrrghh!

It's the bane of the orphaned automotive universe, raising its ugly head again.

Even the SPECIALTY PARTS don't fit!

Man oh man oh man.

He's probably the only guy in the world making the stuff, so you can't really hold his feet to the fire and potentially turn him into an enemy.

All you can do is move forward and hope somebody in the queue in front of you gets P.Oed enough to say "screw it" or passes away and let's you move up in line.


Gregg - it WILL EVENTUALLY GET DONE - but this is precisely the kind of stuff that makes you go bonkers.

Chris

[Peter Jack]

Chris, in this case I have to defend the fabricator. It isn't his fault that Gregg has chosen an incompatible combination and he has agreed to build another. At least he's being honest about when it will be done rather than making empty promises and then continuously stalling.

A customer who changes his direction and then demands instant service is just as problematic as the fabricator who makes a promise and then doesn't deliver. I think Gregg understands this.

Pete

[Crackerman]

Would you not be able to move just one tube, or try a different motor mount or bracket set on it? How bad does it hit frame? Just a smidge or a lot?

[Milwaukee Midget]

Hey, PJ -

I wasn't aware Gregg had changed spec.

I haven't been keeping up in class.    My bad.

I'm sorry if I came across as accusatory of the fabricator.

I know when you're doing a one-off, you sometimes have to do a "by guess and by golly".  I just hate seeing Gregg having to do the old "I have to do it over again" dance.

I know in my case, when that's happened, the finger has usually pointed back at the guy in the mirror.  But where the finger is pointed isn't the issue so much as the obstacle itself.   

You squint the horizon - you see the clear path - and you hit the chuckhole right in front of you.

It's the backpedaling that drives me nuts, and it simply is compounded when custom parts are months out.

But I will reaffirm my previous comment . . .

Gregg - it WILL EVENTUALLY GET DONE - but this is precisely the kind of stuff that makes you go bonkers.

Chris

[Peter Jack]

It's okay Chris. I woke up a little grumpy and I seem to have kept the mood all day! I've been on both sides of the ball and I guess I was a little closer to the fabrication side today. I know you had a couple of rather annoying issues on the customer side of the ball and do understand your POV.

Pete

[gkabbt]

    I am more than happy to let you continue to use and store the rotisserie on my behalf.

    If there's anything I can do to help with the race engine retrieval or inspection, don't hesitate to let me know. 

Steve.

Steve: Thanks again for the use of the rotisserie! Also, thanks for the offer on the engine. This is a used engine and it is currently at the machine shop getting a .020 overbore, bedplate machined for crank straps and the head freshened up. I think most of the new parts I wanted are in and hopefully assembly should start sometime next couple of weeks. I'm getting this from Justin Bondurant at JMB Performance and Powdercoating on Nicole Lane which Google Maps shows it to be about 3 1/2 miles from you.
He does some seriously good work:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69734708@N08/
http://www.jmbperformance.com/
I'll keep you posted on when I'm going to be there.

Would you not be able to move just one tube, or try a different motor mount or bracket set on it? How bad does it hit frame? Just a smidge or a lot?

Crackerman: There is one tube that hits the transmission case and the gap between the k-frame and chassis is about 1 1/2 inches. I did asked the question about replacing the tube to the fabricator, Brian Slowe. He said there is a lot going on in that area and he would not be comfortable doing that and offered to do a new frame with the modified tube.

Chris and PJ:  My plans have not changed for the engine/trans combo.....It has always been the 2.4 with automatic trans.
When I spoke with Brian last week, he confirmed what I already new.  99% of the k-frames he has made have been successfully used with the old Turbo Dodge 2.2/2.5 with 5 speed or automatic and the newer 2.4 with 5 speed transmission.
It turns out that me and a guy in Texas are the only ones that are doing the 2.4 with automatic. He also told me that this combo is the only one he did not have access to when he was prototyping the k-frames for the L-Body.
Brian was EXTREMELY apologetic about the situation and I reassured him that all was good. REALLY nice guy to deal with and a D*A*M*N good fabricator.
I'm just thankful that this was discovered now and not by me a couple of months from now when I install the engine and trans.

Chris: Bonkers.....Absolutely! 

Gregg

[SteveM]

Gregg:
   How does the new K-frame fit?  Is the engine in yet?

Steve.

[gkabbt]

As most of you know, I did a MAJOR road trip to SSS's in MI and Midget's in WI to pick up the equipment to do audio streaming from Wilmington.
I think it was an overall success and I'm ready to do it again in July with some improvements!
I'm currently testing video to go along with the audio! We will also have separate a microphone that will allow you to hear the cars and bikes
in addition to Brian announcing.
So, we'll see where all this leads.

Due to the above, I've only managed a little work on the truck but I am happy to report that my new k-frame was waiting for me when I got home!
This was much sooner than expected! MANY Thanks to Brian Slowe for the relative quick turn around!
Also, picked up my engine last month so the last MAJOR $$$$ item is my transmission and I'm currently taking with two different transmission guys about one!

Slowly but surely getting there!

Gregg

[Speed Limit 1000]

Thank you for your efforts to share ECTA racing with all LSR racers