Introduce Yourself

[salt]

Hi all,
I'm back - this is Willi Boelcke, owner/driver of car #426, a RMR. Been lurking daily forever, now (again) active on this forum.

[MiStarMan]

Just joined and want to attend Bonneville this year.....need do's and don't s while renting transportation....heard there are ways around certain restrictions...just trying to protect myself from the evil out there......??/ need to see and really plan better for next year..plan on first weekend and possibly a few days in first week....all help is appreciated.....too much of a gear head to not go....Help!??
Ron

[wheelrdealer]

Ron:

I had the same idea last year to go as a spectator this year...Then I found a car on racing junk, leased a transporter and a shop, hired a driver to get the car and rig out to Wendover, got two hotel rooms that cost the same as a vacation home. Be careful what you wish for!
On a rental people tell me you have to do a good job cleaning it and get it detailed so the agency cannot tell you drove it on the flats.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Bill, there's an entire thread of discussion on "how to return a rental after driving on the salt".  Search and you'll find it if you dig around here.  Things to know include washing off the underside -- probably at one of the car washes in Wendover, and then - even more important to some folks -- finding a dusty road or lot and doing donuts and such to get the remaining salt covered in dust.  There's a good lot pretty close to the gold course in West Wendover for such silliness.

I'd also walk around the vehicle after washing it and thump on big panels of sheet metal - knocking loose salt that didn't go with the spray washer.  Unh, if you look closely you'll often find a big deposit on top of the steering arms and so on.  Try to make it pretty difficult to find with a casual glance.  Also think about returning it to the airport rental desk - 'cause they often won't go out to check the car when you turn it in.

Big thing:  Consider covering the floor with plastic (tarp, VisQueen, etc) and taping it down with painter's or duct tape.  You'll find it is much easier to get the salt (that you'll track in our your feet) out of the floor covering.  Check also the treads in the brake and gas pedals -- look to make sure the things aren't packed full.

When we get home from Bonneville I usually hose out the inside of the car/truck.  Thoroughly - maybe once once with a soapy solution (maybe skip the soap) and for sure once with clean water.  Allow to air dry - which might be difficult with a rental - it usually takes a few days but is a great way to get rid of the moisture without having it rust the metal floor boards.

There's more. . .but that's enough for a started.  Now that that's done with -- there used to be a Rent-a-Wreck shop in SLC that would rent to folks going to the salt.  The fellow that ran the shop raced out there -- and was very forgiving about excessive salt being on the returned vehicle.  But R-A-W is closed now - and I don't know if there's anything like it in the area.

[Jimbob]

Hi all, just stumbled across this site while searching the web for an update on the conditions for Speed Week this year.  Travelled across the ditch for last years meet, my first, and had a ball!  Hope the salt hardens up for this year.

Cheers
J

[saltwheels262]

Hi all, just stumbled across this site while searching the web

Cheers
J

you found a good spot for all things land speed.

franey

[Sideshow]

Hey to all! Like most, I have spent some time in the background. It's time to get a little more involved. This being a good place to get the answers needed, I'll soon be posting, sharing my idea and situation, to hopefully get pointed in the right direction.

[zombie]

HELLO ALL YA"LL from Rockzombie (Except that some one on this forum site is already using that handle that I copy righted 5 years ago when playing rock music, hmm) no big deal so I signed up as Zombie. I am David Williams in Biloxi ms. Thank you Jon for telling me on a Holiday none the less where to find the hidden and mysterious button that magically is now allowing me to blather on to a group of total strangers whilst beer in hand and one finger hammering the key board. Hope all is fine and hope ya'll are having a great Independence Day! Today I am welding the tail rudder assembly unit on my 24 foot Tanker/Lakester. Man, how bout da price of them 400 MPH tires, and 6 passes! Crap!! First time I ever poured molten lead in the bottom chassis tubes, after years of Swiss cheesing every part I could find to make it it lighter. Ha. Looking forward to communication with any of you seasoned salt shakers out there for this is a whole new type  of build up for me and I look up to any one that can give me good advice and suggestions. Already got good info from one salt legend that manufactures the best soft deploy chuts on the planet, also some great advice from the fella that will be carving my ring and pinion. Am enjoying this new group of people that put it on the line for no money, no trophy or shiny satin jacket, my kind of people for sure. Much better than that Drag Racing Royalty up there at NHRA! In 1985 it went to check book or finance it racing, in 1990 it went to Major Corporation Sponsorship Racing, now there are no words to explain why a high end dragster costs what it does, all to keep small fish like you and me from showing up with primer gray, no sponsorship Nitro Funny car an possible knocking John Force off his throne for a weekend! Same goes for Nascar, done with them too! Anything to grub more sponsor money, even allowing Japanese auto makers to enter what was once a sport for Americans and American built products! Most times these sanctioning bodies might be bring in a new group of fans but they are truly loosing a lot of old ones too. So I think anything land speed racing is where I will finish out the remainder of my 'horse power and speed' addiction days. Back to the shop, take care, David.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Hey, Dave - welcome aboard.  I was in D'Iberville after Katrina in April, 2006, working out of a church on Popps Ferry Road.  My travels haven't taken me south since, but it's my hope your town is back on track.

Start yourself a build diary on the lakester - We'd love to see what you're up to.

Chris

Oh, by the way - plenty of Brit cars have set records over the years - Trust me, I'll keep you honest on that account! 

[TwinSpin]

Hello Forum Members::

This is a self re-introduction. In late 2009 I came on the forum as TwinSpin. A few months later, I logged on an it said no such user name. Not sure what to do, I created a new user name of HotRodV8 since my first car was a 32 Ford Hot Rod V8.

Now, I'm changing back to TwinSpin, a name given to me back in the 60's when I had another hot rod with twin V8s in New Jersey. A New York radio station often played two records in a row with no talking in between and they called it a “TwinSpin.” The name stuck to me.

I'm a retired school teacher of 36 years. I started as a industrial arts shop teacher and worked my way up to principal. In 1973 I wrote the curriculum for automotive mechanics at the high school and tech school levels for Florida when I was a professor of Vocational Education at the University of South Florida. It was quickly adopted by 11 other states.

Back in the mid 60's I built that twin engine T-bucket and put it in car shows and raced it at the drag strip. After racing at the strip in B-dragster class, I would drive the roadster home and stop for ice cream on the way. The good news: had some great times with that hotrod. Bad news: got married, sold the car, went to college and entered my career as a shop teacher and never raced again or built anything.

Now retired and divorced, I will attend my first Speedweek next month. I have entered my 750 BMW street bike to run as a starter bike if I can get all the safety changes made by August. The problem is I'm planning a move to Oregon from Florida this month and tinkering on the bike gets second billing. At least I'll be closer to Bonneville for my first look-see at what has become my favorite racing sport. There is that salt fever thing which I think has been there since 7th grade as I can remember, thanks to some of the writings of Wally Parks.

I am one year behind in starting my 5 year plan for my Bonneville cure. My only child, a 9 years old will be with me at Bonneville and I'll be teaching her about my passion for race cars and bikes and my excitement for Bonneville. I believe I was born to run on the salt flats. May our paths be level and straight.

Hope to see you all on the salt and at Salt Talks.

Bill

[ROCKZOMBIE]

Age: 58
Location: Biloxi Ms.
Posts: 1



   
   
Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #1838 on: July 04, 2011, 06:02:56 PM »
   
HELLO ALL YA"LL from Rockzombie, I am David Williams in Biloxi ms. Thank you Jon for telling me on a Holiday none the less where to find the hidden and mysterious button that magically is now allowing me to blather on to a group of total strangers whilst beer in hand and one finger hammering the key board. Hope all is fine and hope ya'll are having a great Independence Day! Today I am welding the tail rudder assembly unit on my 24 foot Tanker/Lakester. Man, how bout da price of them 400 MPH tires, and 6 passes! Crap!! First time I ever poured molten lead in the bottom chassis tubes, after years of Swiss cheesing every part I could find to make it it lighter. Ha. Looking forward to communication with any of you seasoned salt shakers out there for this is a whole new type  of build up for me and I look up to any one that can give me good advice and suggestions. Already got good info from one salt legend that manufactures the best soft deploy chuts on the planet, also some great advice from the fella that will be carving my ring and pinion. Am enjoying this new group of people that put it on the line for no money, no trophy or shiny satin jacket, my kind of people for sure. Much better than that Drag Racing Royalty up there at NHRA! In 1985 it went to check book or finance it racing, in 1990 it went to Major Corporation Sponsorship Racing, now there are no words to explain why a high end dragster costs what it does, all to keep small fish like you and me from showing up with primer gray, no sponsorship Nitro Funny car an possible knocking John Force off his throne for a weekend! Same goes for Nascar, done with them too! Anything to grub more sponsor money, even allowing Japanese auto makers to enter what was once a sport for Americans and American built products! Most times these sanctioning bodies might be bring in a new group of fans but they are truly loosing a lot of old ones too. So I think anything land speed racing is where I will finish out the remainder of my 'horse power and speed' addiction days. Back to the shop, take care, David.

[titus]

Hows it going everyone, my name is Jeff, i go by the nickname of Titus, i have an affliction with cars, im 29 years old and have been working on cars since me and my dad started building a T when i was 12, ive been in the auto parts buisiness for 11 years and ran an engine machine shop for 5 of those years, i also collect vintage speed equipment and love the history of hot rods and what not.

 My buddy had been talking about building a bonneville car for a while and an opertunity came about for him to buy a roadster that has run in the past but had no motor, he called me and talked to me about the car, i said what the hell, buy it, youve been talking about it, at least this would get you on the salt, he said hed buy it if id sponser a motor, i said sure, he said really? So thats where were at, time to build a motor.

JEFF

[John Edwin Mason]

Hello, folks.

I spend a lot of weekends taking pictures of fast machines (mostly drag racers) for various publications.  This summer, I'm spending less time at dragstrips and more time shooting for fun, not for profit.

A couple of weeks ago, I was at Maxton, with a couple of  vintage cameras.  I've posted some of the photos on my website.  It's a different look.  Hope you like it.

Here's the link:

http://johnedwinmason.typepad.com/jem_racing_photography/2011/07/maxton-mile-june-2011.html

By the way, if I got anything wrong -- names, speeds, classes, records -- please let me know.

--John

[bboatman]

My name is Brian and we own a home in West Wendover. Annually we rent out the basement apartment of our home to racers. I just found out today (7/15/2011) that our guest will not be able to make the trip from England. We are therefore seeking a new renter. We charge $75.00 per night. You must pay ahead of time to reserve the room and it's non-refundable. We have had several guests and repeat guests. You will enjoy being close to the salt and saving a wad of dinero. Please contact me if you're interested. 435-241-8467 or contact me via email at ke7fsz@yahoo.com .

NO smoking or pets.

Brian Boatman
PS: I can email pics of the place if you'd like.

[nmaineron]

Hello all, found this site from a series of events leading to my first ever event at Loring. Wide eyed spectator would be what I am. I couldn't have enjoyed myself more.From the man with the diesel bike burning corn oil to the streamliner the spirit of racing was heavy.I really need to put Bonneville on my bucket list.To all Be safe! Nmaineron/Ron