Official World of Speed 2012 topic

[Moxnix]

Yeah, Bob, I'm half asleep here.  After mowing the grass that hasn't been cut since Speedweek, as high as an elephant's eye.  I'll get back to you when I'm awake.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Thanks, Dean.  I was hoping you'd help out with it.

I just took another look at the USFRA site -- still nothing new.  I even tried the "refresh" button to make sure I had the latest version of the page -- nope, not nothin'.

It's mild but partly cloudy right now here in Wendover, Utah.  Temperature about 77 or so, calm winds, pretty clouds lighted nicely by the setting sun.  The weather radar show some rainy looking stuff southeast of here -- Dugway and the Goshute reservation - but it's not around this neck of the woods.  The forecast says 30% chance of rain tonight, with temps down to about 59 - 60F, and winds at 7 mph.  Tomorrow there's a 20% chance of rain and mellow winds if any, and partly sunny.  Not the best for drying the race course, but it's better than it might be.  Let's all hope that we can make some runs tomorrow.  I'm all for it -- have been offered a ride in a car, and if there's no racing -- there's no ride for Slim

[wobblywalrus]

Ray, this sounds sort of goofy, and it has caught some expert tuners by surprise.  Check to make sure there is no speed limiter on that thing.

[Dakin Engineering]

On behalf of Team Graybeards and Hellcat Racing, THANK YOU!
I bumped my record and 3 new turbo Sportsters have their place in the records.

To the USFRA, ya'll made me proud to intoduce some rookies to the Salt.
Your hospitality has made several more Salt addicts.
As me mates say;
 
Good on ya!

Thank you and see you all next year.
Kris, get well soon.

Sam
#6062

[Texican]

Ray, this sounds sort of goofy, and it has caught some expert tuners by surprise.  Check to make sure there is no speed limiter on that thing.

He was showing 137 on the GPS last year when he shifted to O/D and the yolk let the drive shaft
take it's merry ride at everything in sight.
BTW, we found a preexisting crack in said u-joint yolk.
I wish the answer was as simple as when we unplugged the speedo sensor on my 4 cyl teakettle.
Jim

[m610]

Many thanks to all from Team Tinyvette. It was a great weekend and great racing. Everyone we met was helpful and friendly. This was our first time on the salt and while we did it largely for the novelty and PR value as the date approached the bug to do well kicked in. We did not do as well as expected, who does, and we broke, who doesn't, but the bug did bite. I will try to bring the rest of the team next year.

As for our weekend, we got through tech for the 130 mph event OK and while there got tech'ed for 150 mph club and other than arm restraints/window net we were good to go for that, so we borrowed arm restraints form people we had never met (the beautiful orange hot rod, #55), paid the difference, and ran the 2-mile course. We had no chance of getting to 150, but the longer course sounded like lot more fun.

My first run, in a 1969 Opel GT with a somewhat warmed Opel motor, ran a 117.9 mph at 2 miles. The next morning we ran a 117.2 followed by a 76.6. Yes, we blew up. Pretty sure we melted a piston. We were done at 10 AM on Sunday.

We had time to relax a bit and socialize with our neighbors, return the arm restraints, and Kurt ever got a little time in the air in his powered hang glider (difficult take-off at 5000 ft and in no wind). He got some great aerial video and I have four-camera in-car. We'll be getting together this weekend to merge the two.

Again, thanks to all.

[isiahstites]

A new fastest woman in the world with a speed of 783 mph......dam Hayabusa's get faster and faster with each passing year.

53    4473    BRENDA SUE CARVER    BRENDA SUE CARVER    M-G 1350    190.056    31.73398    21.85597    783.93627    213.72177    1.96851

[Roland6250]

We'll be leaving the Salt Flats around 9am Today.  Anyone interested in 4 gallons of VP MR12 race fuel for $50   Call me at 856 776-6464 if I don't anaswer leave me a message.

[SLCMike]

Texican, I had fun helping out this weekend.  All except for the flying chili, we weren't in Kansas anymore.  I have been wracking my brain (thats a scary thing) trying to think of things that could make the car stop accelerating (more or less.  How old are the valve springs, how high did the motor twist when the driveline retention system failed?   

[trimmers]

Texican, I had fun helping out this weekend.  All except for the flying chili, we weren't in Kansas anymore.  I have been wracking my brain (thats a scary thing) trying to think of things that could make the car stop accelerating (more or less.  How old are the valve springs, how high did the motor twist when the driveline retention system failed?   

I'd start by checking - very closely - anything that was changed since last year, when the engine ran properly.  I'm betting on something ignition-related.

[RayTheRat]

Sorry for my radio silence since yesterday.  I'm just totally burned out. 

I'll try to answer the questions about the tune/timing on my car later.  Real quick answer on the speed limiter: no.  It's too old for that and all the computer controlled stuff has been removed.  I suspect a bad MSD box.

Right now I'm still in the motel and I'm gonna wait until the analgesics take effect before I do anything other than lie down cuz I'm a hurtin puppy, particularly in my back and left hip which is something I've been trying to ignore in hopes it'll go away but I know it won't.  I'm hopin I don't have to go thru the surgery routine.

Anyway, I dunno if anything is happening on the salt or not.

Here are a coupla pics from yesterday.  First one is of Tony Johnson, his buddy whose name escapes me (Steve?) and his Monte Carlo that put him into the 150 Club with 2 runs.  This was a real sweet accomplishment because 1) it's his daily driver and 2) he blew the motor to little tiny bits last year...and he'd driven it to and from the salt.  He lives in Wisconsin.  It was kinda hard to get home (U-haul truck and tow dolly.)

Then the best shot I got of the storm that came thru mid-afternoon.  We got soaked while trying to get the car on the trailer, the canopy down and everything else packed up...and then the rain and wind stopped.  Some days....

Special thanks to Korey Bligh and Dick Milne from the Target 550 team for all their help.

It's horizontal time for a bit, now.

[Moxnix]

To quote the old Wide World of Sports intro, "The agony and the ecstasy."  Keep the faith, Ray.

[AJR192]

It might be a bad Rev limiter chip Ray. I have seen it before. Pulled out the chip and it was like a whole different engine was in the car. Hope it is something simple.

[RayTheRat]

To quote the old Wide World of Sports intro, "The agony and the ecstasy."  Keep the faith, Ray.

I sure know the agony of de feet (along with the rest of the body) right about now, although the drugs are starting to kick in.  I may even be up to a hot shower in a bit which otta help.

AJR:  I thought that pulling the limiter chip on an MSD6AL box was equivalent to using the chip it comes with from the factory with a 3000 rpm limit.  'Course in second-guessing myself, maybe that's the shift lite I was using (and removed so I could see the GPS speed indicator.)  I need to 1) find TDC on #1 cylinder, validate the accuracy (or lack of it), 2) get a timing light that can handle the MSD output, test the MSD box (and and the distributor, also an MSD part), 3) correct the Hurst ratchet shifter or replace so that I have full control over all gears (right now I can't keep it in first), 4) consider some sort of data logging, 5) get/install air shocks on the Burb, 6) get/install trailer mirrors on said Burb and the list goes on.

Again, I have a feeling that I've overlooked something very basic and simple.  Along with that feeling, I think I'm gonna be slapping my forehead in exasperation, asking myself, "how could I have been so stupid?"  (Then answer is simple...I CAN just be that stupid.)

All I can do is look at this year's runs as an "experience-building" exercise.  We learned a lotta little (but important) things: from the need for better organization of spare parts to just getting seat time. 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Since the data logs still aren't available to us -- here's a copy of the record return run printouts from the timing slip printer this morning.  I copied 'em all down.  There may be discrepancies in the driver/rider name since the printer only shows the original name on the registration -- not who might really be the driver.  Thew data will be vehicle number, driver, 1/4 mile, first mile, middle mile, last mile.  If there are only two numbers that's a short course run.

B7135   Craig Murray         145.499    143.752

B1016    Steve Huff            178.575    178,958        179.036       153.606

B983      Bob Sellers           223.768    225.053         226.035       165.520

1106   (no data)                 129.846    112.161

B2401     Jasons Sarratt       114.529   114.422

B9391    Jeff Bailey              183.228    180.371       196.396

I'll post and then continue.

Car #61   Bob Jucewic          206.285    204.115     206.932    205.832

B1107    John Levie             71.362       72.461

B3182    Mark DeLuca          244.039     239.395     195.690



B4473     Brenda Sue Carver   200.600   202.262    202.760

630        Gary Spencer          226.122     234.893    250.981     258.537

B5151  (no data)                 56.553      58.040

B6267    Matt Kamphuis       102.347    105.455

885        Scott Storti            206.281     211.173      215.082     218.902

And that's it for now.  I'll see what else I can find for you.

Doug Grieve in the Salkt Cat 'liner (nee lakester) was on a run just now and was at about 216 in the first mile -- and had a flat tire.  We're on hold while the car gets off the course.