Introduce Yourself

[Fheckro]

uhhh...not much with intros.

Lets just say I like Cars, Bikes, Planes ....anything that has a motor.

Who am I?
I was borne in 55, grew up in Wilmington DE watching the hay day of Drag Racing. I sat on the couch with Dad and Grampa watching Fireball Roberts burn and the only turban powered car to compete at Indy before the age of 10. Subscribed to Hot Rod magazine in 69. Rode to High School in my friends hand-me-down 67 GTO every morning. Saw my first pro drag race in 72. Built  my first  engine in 73. Been building stuff ever since. I am married to a great woman (#2) who is supportive but as hard headed as me (which makes for some interesting scenes) but we love each other.

I am a licensed A&P Mechanic, Flight Engineer, Commercial Pilot, Mechanical Engineer(Clemson educated but not licensed) and all around gear head. My friends say  ‘with me it’s a sickness’....whatever that means. I’ve been told I don’t know when to quit. 

Never did any real racing but always hang out with that crowd. I’m always building hotrods of one sort but unlike most, my stuff is always functional. I always thought the greatest satisfaction was in the creation/build … until last weekend when...

I brought my 67 GTO to the April meet where I thoroughly enjoyed myself. In fact, I think I have discovered what I have missed all these years, the last great grass roots racing venue. (Everything else has been corporate-ized; No home spun innovation welcome)

So thank you to Keith  , Joe ,Tonya , Donna and everyone who makes these events possible. You have opened my eyes to the thrill of safe speed!

 And now… on with the show   

[Glen]

Welcome to the forum, now go build a LSR vehicle and enjoy our sport

[Seldom Seen Slim]

That was YOUR GTO?  What a nice-looking ride.  S tell us -- how fast did you run?  I think I've got a photo of it someplace -- will look around and see if I can dig it up and post it.  Blue, right (well, Nancy would have a fancy word for the color -- to me (and many guys) blue is the fanciest I'll get.

Thanks for being at Maxton last weekend.  Biggest crowd I remember - and I'm in my 10th year there.  Lots of race vehicles -- lots of cool rides just spectating.

[Stan Back]

Hooked another one.

[yalincoln]

hello everyone. i'm a y-block nut and i met frank burns at columbus two years ago. he has the yellow brick 57 ford pickup. i joined to keep track of his and other y-block powered vehicles accomplishments. thanks for your fabuless forum, wayne.

[Glen]

Please use black font as Stan is color blind and only see red when it's green. Welcome to the forum and join us on the Tuesday nite chat line.
 

[Fheckro]

Glen,

the wheels are already turning.... (and boy do i have questions)

Slim,

Yes that was me. 133.4  I'd like to see the photo

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Who's wayne?

[rexrogers]

Hello

My name is Rex Rogers  I currently work for Custom Auto in Loveland Colorado we build traditional hot rods and restore / preserve vintage race cars.  As a shop we were building a lakster car to race out at the salt but the project has been side lined for now customer cars take priority.  I am not much of a mechanic so i do not know how much i will actually contribute to this form.  I have been in the hot rod industry for 16 years primarily as a metal shapper, a job i still love to do.  I have been fortunate enough to work on a Mercedes gull wing that raced out at the salts in 2001, and since then i have been involved in helping restore some of the great cars that have run out on the salt. We have the King and Hansen belly tank at the shop now and we are preserving this car as it raced in 53.  We also have Chet Herbert's Beast III currently under going Restoration and the his Beast IV streamliner awaiting its turn in the shop as well.
The styling and mechanics of the land speed car can not be matched in any other racing venue and these cars have always held a fascination with me. 
Thanks

[High Gear]

Welcome Rex.

You are very lucky to have some many great LSR cars in the shop. LSR is all about history and you have a bunch real close.

I hope you get to the salt this year there is more waiting there for you to see.

Glad to have you aboard.

Gary

[rexrogers]

The plan is to spend the full week out their this year.

[High Gear]

Rex,

That's great, be sure to stop by our pits and introduce you self.

Gary

[sprintcj]

My name is Christy Jeffers, I live in Mechanicsville, Va. I am 55 years old and trying to retire from Oval track racing,(really, I am trying). I decided that since I have all these expensive motors ( as my Wife calls them ) I might as well put them to good use.I have always wanted to go to Bonneville and I  thought to build something to drive would even be better.My problem is I can't decide what to build, I have narrowed it down to a "C" class mod.- mini pickup to start or a belltytank lakester.I started on a 1995 GMC S15 ext. cab truck but I had some rule questions that I can't seem to get a clear answer on so I have about decided to forget the truck and go with the lakester, where there are not quite as many specific rules and more room for innovation.I went to Maxton for the first time this past weekend and had a blast , met some super nice people, asked some questions ,but did not want to bother them too much, I know how it is when I am at the track for the first time each year and looking for a little more speed.I was able to convince my wife that this is a little safer than sprint car racing so any help or tips on building either the mini-truck or the bellytank lakester from the masters of speed would be greatly appreciated.

Christy

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Welcome, Christy.  If you go back to Maxton -- ask Terry Russell about mini pickup racing, or Mike Meierle, and probably others.  They both race mini p/u trucks.  Unh, so does Rod Nessman.  I don't know the belly tank folks at Maxton -- none there last weekend, were there?

Anyway -- get a rulebook.  If you've got an ECTA book - get an SCTA book, too.  And don't be too worried about bothering folks at the track.  They'll tell you to go away if they're busy -- otherwise will likely offer you darn near everything in their kit to help.  But nobody will get cranky (well, most of em won't).

And ask all the questions you want of the folks on this Forum.  Sometimes you'll get a response that sorta seems grumpy -- like when someone tells you to follow a link to a previous discussion we've had.  But more often than not -- that link will take you to a full explanation, including dumb and smart questions and answers -- so you'll be able to find most of what you need in one quick visit.

Welcome to the Forum.  Don't be a strangler.

[sprintcj]

Thanks for the welcome, I really enjoyed Maxton and plan on going to the next meet. I talked to a couple of teams about their mini-trucks but they were both running production and have a lot more rules to follow. I have both the ECTA and SCTA rulebooks and they are somewhat confusing to me about where to mount my engine (how far back). I am use to precise measurements where you better not be off and I want to make sure it is correct for Bonneville also. I will post in the ECTA rules category and SCTA rules category and see if I can get any feedback.

Christy