Author Topic: Introduce Yourself  (Read 2267412 times)

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Offline Calkins

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #720 on: April 19, 2009, 10:06:25 AM »
Greetings - I'm really just a drag racer but the thought of doing something as historic and storied as B'ville just keeps calling me so I'm joining up to see if it is doable.

I've got a Geo Metro w/ a tube chassis Buick Motorsports Stage 1 (turbo) making around 900-1000.  It's a pretty good car and has been going on 5 years of racing with no real issues.  I'm looking to see if I can make it a salt flat car for a brief while and see what it will do.  Does everyone here think that 200mph is their starting point or is it just me?  The cars gone 157 but that was with a low power tune up because it's losing traction most of the pass if I set it on kill. 

Anywho, I'll be on here asking a few questions and lurking to see if this is something even doable or not.  If it is, I'll be out there to watch this year and to try it out maybe in 2010.

Roger

Have you taken that car to the Buick Nationals at Bowling Green?  A friend of mine goes pretty much every year and took pictures of a car like that.  The way he made it sound, it's pretty much a fuel altered with a Metro body, it NEVER goes straight!  Sounds like fun!!
Justin Calkins - Iowa Falls, Iowa  USA

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #721 on: April 19, 2009, 10:46:08 AM »
Nashty, of course it seems every one wants to go 200, and set a record... around 600 in history have... that's why everyone wants to...  set a goal and go for it.  I think the first record the Bockscar set was around 138... but it may have been slower than that... we were still thrilled, that feeling sets the hook for a lifetime of wallet abuse...
Start with get a rule book, your chassis, cage and engine size may not meet scta LSR requirements for the salt.  That won't exclude it, there are options, several mile (and longer) events around the country and the WOS 150 club on the salt.  Come to the salt, see it all, know where you car will fit and have fun.  
When you step out over the edge remember you are building for the record speed of the class, but keep faster in mind, because after the first pass, you will be thinking.... yep... how do I make this thing go 200...  :-D
Welcome to the fray...
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline mr48chev

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #722 on: April 19, 2009, 11:56:07 AM »
Hello from the Yakima Valley of Washington State

I'm Mr48Chev, also known as Rob Davison to non car people.

I've been a fan of Bonneville and other landspeed racing since I was in the 5th grade and discovered Hot Rod Magazine on the bookmobile.  The annual race coverage was always one of  my most anticipated issues each year.

So far only a fan and spectator.  I did get to go in 1988 and was there the first two days.  I returned in 1998 and spent most of the week there getting run out with the others by the thunderstorm on Thursday.

I'd like to be able to race someday and still wear out the latest copy of the rule book every year trying to figure out what would work and be competative in a class and not take up the whole retirement kitty at one shot.

My background is that of a former mechanic (tech?) who specialized in front end repair and alignment in shops in Waco, Tx an Washington state.  Plus thirteen years as a vocational auto mechanics instructor at the high school level.  I've drag raced and have built several of my own hotrods over the past 40 years.

And as usual the spell check feature tells me that I spelled my last name wrong.  Wish I had a dollar for every time someone else spelled it wrong and I would be racing next year.

Offline Glen

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #723 on: April 19, 2009, 12:14:58 PM »
Welcome to the landracing web site and LSR. First time projects can be a hard decision. You have a streamliner record race team in Brewster WA. The Danny Boy Apple car that has held several records including a FIA record over 340.361 mph. Lots of LSR people in the NW. Try to connect up with them.
Glen
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Offline Nashty

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #724 on: April 20, 2009, 10:43:30 AM »
Yep, that's me.  It's actually a pretty straight running car but I made some changes to the motor and it ended up making alot more power than it first did and that's given me some trouble on marginal tracks.  If the track is OK, the car is a pussycat.  This is an average drive.

http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=316nc41&s=5



I know there's a streamliner team that has a Metro that they run but don't know how to get in touch with them.  Anyone have any clues?

My biggest worry is expense, specifically tires.  I did a quick check and saw some MT's that were $700 + for (1) tire.  Yikes.

Offline Worlds Fastest Comanche

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #725 on: April 20, 2009, 01:24:20 PM »
Hi, My name is Pete Lechtanski, went to Bonneville for the first time last year with my son.  Really caught the bug.   My son and I had always been interested in jeeps and 4 wheel drive vehicles and we have a few lying around.  We saw that the record for the E/PP ( production Pickup) was only 118 mph ( currently record about 125mph), we though it might be cool to run a Jeep Pickup.  They have a smaller frontal area the the later model Ford, Chevy and dodge pickups.   I have a 1980 J10 Stepside sitting in the garage with a 258 cid in-line 6. 

Allot of performance work has been done on the Jeep 6 because it is the standard engine in the CJ, wrangler, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee.  We started calling around and asking various shops about building the motor, they asked the application, and we said"Land speed", well a guy named Lee Hurley at HESCO in Birmingham, AL said,  I already worked on a Land speed jeep!. 

Turns out that in 1986 the Factory team wanted to show off their new EFI 4.0L motor, so they took the truck to El Mirage.  They blew the motor, but had some problems with the SCTA.  So they put a new motor into the truck, and rented out the salt and had the USAC come in to certify the records.   They set 11 records,  Including several FIA records. They only went 141 mph.

So because of the History we thought it would be cool to go back 23 years later and set another record with a Comanche.

So we had the vehicle choice,and last October we purchased a truck in Texas with 260,000 miles on it and drove it 1,300 miles back to Illinois.  And so it began..

I an 56 years old and never built a race card before, My son ( Scott) is 23 and a Mechanic/ Fabricator.  Our hope is to pass tech,  and go somewhere north of 175 mph.   If we just get some runs in and get licenced, I will be happy.
Peter Lechtanski
The Worlds Fastest Comanche Project

Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #726 on: April 20, 2009, 06:20:29 PM »



My biggest worry is expense, specifically tires.  I did a quick check and saw some MT's that were $700 + for (1) tire.  Yikes.

Holy hail , I know something that has engine mounts just right to bolt that motor into,it already has those tyres on it and with 900hp it would be , er, travelling!....pity it's half a world away. Welcome to the site Nashty :wink: :wink:
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline 48dodger

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #727 on: April 21, 2009, 02:12:45 AM »
My name is Tim. Got a 1950 Dodge truck I'm building for the 130 club. I race a 72 Charger in the Street Stock Divisions at 99 Stockton Speedway, Stockton California. I look forward learning from this site and driving this brick of a truck as fast as I can.

 :cheers:

48D

Offline willieworld

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #728 on: April 21, 2009, 02:40:11 AM »
where do you live dodger                          willie buchta
willie-dpombatmir-buchta

Offline Anvil*

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #729 on: April 21, 2009, 04:29:00 AM »
Greeting,
Having many years with small bikes, odd things British, Y-block and FE Fords, and a tiny dash of Harley. A former featherweight racer in AFM, a pair of years in a full sized Ford at Santa Maria Speedway, and a number of crew stints supporting SCCA efforts. I've been fabricating, engine building, and wiring since I was sixteen, but I went to college in Mechanical Engineering so I could say I had a day job.

Now much older my teammate from the Santa Maria years called after watching a salt event proceeded convincing me to build something with four wheels. A rulebook is on it's way, a database started, and likely a year of pondering to follow. I've much to learn and that is why I'm here.

Bikes would be tempting though...


Offline Stainless1

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #730 on: April 21, 2009, 10:50:41 AM »
Anvil, check with Burns, he might have a cool old tank that will make a great Lakester project...
Welcome to the fray
 :cheers:
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Anvil*

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #731 on: April 21, 2009, 02:16:49 PM »
Anvil, check with Burns, he might have a cool old tank that will make a great Lakester project...
Welcome to the fray
 :cheers:
I'll add that thought to the mix. It will depend on what percentage we want to chase horsepower and to what extend we could produce cleaner aerodynamics. I could be wrong but I see running a tank as an aerodynamic know, well worked over the years. The task then reduces to trim, weight, and horsepower. Total build time would be reduced. An alter sedan could tie up a few hundred hours just sorting out the aerodynamics even before the first panel was reshaped.

So far I'm seeing a mix of well planned number-crunching engineering efforts and more intuitive efforts built on generations of build/test. My intent is to seek out the class where my odds of bumping the record up is closer to likely and spend the years it takes to see if I can. While I sort that out I need to build a new network of experts who do things.

On the engine build side. DeLong Cams is gone, no one at Sifton knows me... David Vizard may still be on the peninsula but I was just "that kid" many years ago, Douglas Demon isn't listed in San Francisco anymore, Reinsport Werke... don't know, Tony Williams... On the flip side I do know more about gas dynamics and if I find someone with a Landis 3L who would take an interest in 9-term polynomial cam profiles (fun with math)... Like finding a race class, the search for special shops with special people has to happen before I can compete and that will take time too. It has been more than just a few years since I've built any more than very moderate horsepower.

Again, thanks for the support and good thoughts. I'll need all I can gather over this next year just to have a clue.

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #732 on: April 21, 2009, 06:41:13 PM »
Anvil, J/GL... about 163 I think, 177 is doable...
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline 4-barrel Mike

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #733 on: April 21, 2009, 07:32:54 PM »
J/GL   Bockscar   J. Gowetski   '96   163.884

Sand bagging??  :mrgreen:

Mike
Mike Kelly - PROUD owner of the V4F that powered the #1931 VGC to a 82.803 mph record in 2008!

Offline Stainless1

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #734 on: April 21, 2009, 11:15:00 PM »
J/GL   Bockscar   J. Gowetski   '96   163.884

Sand bagging??  :mrgreen:

Mike

Well, yes... Johnboy did make a 174 test pass.... and no.... single pass won't get you much on the salt.   :|  That was 12 years of technology ago... so another 1.7% does not seem unreasonable...  :-D
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O