Introduce Yourself

[Octagon Garage]

I am a grizzled old newbie who has been eavesdropping the Forum for quite a while and finally have decided that I'm not going to learn as much as I would like by eavesdropping alone, so I'm coming in so that I can ask my dumb questions instead of waiting for someone to accidently cover the topic. I'm soon to be 65 years old, I've been around the automotive hobby most of my life. Used to work on a local stock car race team way back when I was single, but family, work and life in general took precedence over the roundyround and so I've been a bystander for more than 35 years. I finally stopped being a shadetree mechanic and built myself a playpen. It's a forty foot diameter octagon, two story garage which is almost finished, but already too small for the stuff I wanted to do.  I have a '51 Ford F-1 Pickup that I'm starting on, probably mostly for the street, because I don't have enough background, at this time, to build it to race. Like most of you, I'm finding that my list of things I want to do exceeds my resources in time and money. So what I would like to do for now, is find out if there are any landracing teams in the Greater Buffalo or Rochester, New York areas. I live about halfway between and work in Rochester. I have a lot to learn and hope to be able do more than just eavesdrop on all you folks who are doing it.

[Koncretekid]

My name is Tom Borcherdt and I am a retired precast concrete manufacturer-wanabe-fast-salt-flat racer! My primary residence is Yarmouth, Nova Scotia with a second home in Lafayette, Colorado.  I got initiated into salt flat racing immediately after retirement in 2009 when I took my BSA B50 with me to Colorado to try racing in AHRMA and the Salt Flats just happened to be on the agenda.  I had the unusual experience of being successful in my first visit by attaining a speed of 108 mph in the MPG 500cc class.

Going back a few years, I built my first bike when I was 14 years old - a 2 HP REO lawn mower motor in a bicycle frame.  It lasted about a week before I ripped out all of the spokes.  What it had in common with a salt flats racer is that it had no front brake.  In fact, it had no brakes at all!  And as of December of 2010, I decided to build a real salt flats motorcycle to compete in the APG 500 class using the BSA B50 motor.  Now that it is 75% complete, and too late to turn back, I have discovered this great forum and am learning about all the things I shouldn't have done.  I will try to start a new topic with photos of the build.  So I have 6 months to finish the bike and I will be at BUB in 2011.

See you there.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Build diaries are always welcome -- as are you to the forum.  No doubt we'll be hearing form you in the near  - and probably not so near -- future.  Stay in touch, ask your questions and offer some answers to others, and have fun.  It's good to hear from you.

[Beairsto Racing]

Welcome Tom,
I'm originally from Nova Scotia as well.
I just got off the phone with British Cycle Supply...you don't have to travel too far for parts...they have supported land speed racers in the past.
I'm looking forward to seeing your build diary. Good luck.
Cheers,
Scott

[MC 1314]

Hi Tom

Nothing like making it your first try, you may be hooked!

Hope you make it to Bub, look me up in Pre-stage, ask for 'Bob the elder'.

Bob McAndrew

[DocBeech]

I am new to these forums as well, but being your 65 I think its great. You probably have an incredible amount of car knowledge. If you ever want to you should come work on my 1958 Karmann Ghia I could always use more people who had real world experience with these 2.1L air cooled boxer engines! (I am always looking for older guys to help me out since I grew up on CPU Fuel Injected Engines and a couple years ago decided to buy something old school)

[OptimaJim]

Hello, I am the eCare Manager for Optima Batteries and I'm registered on every forum I can find that may ever have any conversations regarding our batteries, so I thought I would join here as well.  I'm not here to sell anything to anyone, but if you have questions or concerns about an Optima battery or see a conversation where I can be of assistance, don't hesitate to shoot me a PM.  Thanks!

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

[dw230]

Jim,

Thanks for joining in. There was a discussion a short while back about 16 volt systems and the advantages of charging or not charging.

Look forward to your input,

DW

[tonsoffun-2]

I am Jim Sanders new to this site from PA. I ride a lot and have a few bikes, road trips, leave the racing to my brother, hoping to get out to the salt this year to see my brother Fred Eiker race, if any of you know him or are in cantact with him please ask him to contact me, trying to get some info to him and ask him a few questions, have a great day everyone..........

[rancherobob]

I'm a lurker who just registered.  I'm also a life long gearhead, growing up in the pits and in the shop helping my Dad and Uncle race on road courses.  My own racing spans autocrosses and drag racing but I've always felt like there's more left in the car.  Maybe LSR is what I've been missing.

A few years ago I visited Bonneville.  It was not a race week, but I could feel the ghosts of those before me.  Nothing else like it.  Now I know LSR is what I need.  

Fortunately my career has always been linked to mobile equipment so people pay me to play with trucks.  How lucky is that?!?!?   My designs are on the road all over the country.  

Back to LSR, my weapon of choice is a 70 Ranchero.  Long, low and pointy right from the factory.  The Cleveland has a fresh bottom end from Ohio George Montgomery.  Yes, he's still turning wrenches and has a great shop in Dayton Ohio.  He stuffed some some special parts in this engine based on his years  of experience in NHRA.  

The top end of this motor has stock iron 4V heads, a big 4 barrel and electronic ignition.   The skin is coming back to life and back into the rules while I learn to weld sheetmetal.

Years ago I found a 1952 Hot Rod magazine with a streamliner on the cover.  Painted on the smoothed aluminum skin was Post's Automotive, an autobody shop in California.  Maybe it's a sign.  More evidence that I belong in LSR because that's my last name too.

I would love to build a tribute car to honor those guys.   Meanwhile I'll stick to stock Ford sheetmetal while I learn the ropes and improve my welding skills.  

I'm hoping to learn something from you guys and gals here and maybe I can give something back.  

[Avanti Kid]

Hey Welcome rancheo Bob, I know you will enjoy getting salt fever like the rest of us, come joing the party, Dave 

[Richard 2]

A FORD Man!Yes!!

[Lycan Racing]

Hi All,

My name is Gary and I own a Vmax motorcycle. It's a dragbike that I plan convert to a land speed racer this year. Plan to hit a couple of eastern mile events this year and next year travel to the meca... Bonneville and Maxton. Hope you all will help me with preparing the bike for tech. Here it is... 1327 Hilborn Fuel Injection with an Innovative blow thru ball bearing turbo running on methanol.

Here's a link to the build album http://www.outlawdragbike.com/album.php?albumid=6

[RidgeRunner]

Gary

Welcome to the site and LSR.

Start with ECTA and SCTA rule books [and BUB rules if you intend on running that salt event], read 'em several times and then you should have a good start on getting prepped.  There are some differences in requirements between organizations and venues but after a little study you should be able to figure things out, if not ask away under the proper forum catagory here and someone will be sure to give you the best advice they can.

Hope to see you at Loring in July or maybe one of the later Maxton meets this year.

                  Ed

[Lycan Racing]

Thanks ED will do. I have the SCTA rule book for 2011... lots of work to do. Think I'll add some rear suspension to start. I'm sure we'll meet up this summer or fall... Looking forward. Do you go to New England Dragway occasionally? Will do some testing there also.