Don't forget when it burned the oil line to the turbo on the 4 cylinder and about burned the car down two years ago.
Yeah, but that wasn't an engine failure. That was a cataclysm caused by a kluge done during a turnaround. An EGT sensor had blown out of a header pipe and the escaping exhaust gas melted a valve cover gasket. They were able to screw the sensor back in, but didn't trust it. Against Kenny Dutteiler's advice, they made a shield from hi-temp fabric. You can see it in the attached foto.
The shield worked fine in protecting the VC gasket, when the sensor blew out again. But it re-directed the exhaust gas directly onto an oil line and that's when things went to Hudson Hornet.
Gotta give the team credit. They did a week's worth of work in under 3 days to restore the back half of the car from a charred and melted mess to a nearly-pristine hunk of race car. If it hadn't been for the bubbled paint, most casual observers never would have known that there had been any trouble.
I otta make something clear. That team pays me to do their photos during the meets. And I've gotten to know many of the team members and consider them friends. But I don't think that influences the way I report things about the team and the car. I may have more photos of 'em cuz I''m there more often, but that's as far as it goes. I try to maintain neutrality in reporting and call it as I see it. On the case of the the burned oil line, it was a mistake they made in deciding to make that shield, even if the idea was well-intentioned.
enuff said. I need to shower and get to the salt.