Milwaukee Midget

[gkabbt]

I'm assuming that line is for tech not to actually run, what's on it's roof?

Cheers,
Rob

Yes, today was tech only.    
Can't explain the thing on the roof other than to set things on for tech. I'll check tomorrow and let you know!

Gregg

[Rob]

Thanks Gregg,

It was more curiosity than anything else.

Cheers,
Rob

[Milwaukee Midget]

Yes, that's Tom Donney's car.  It's pretty darned remarkable, and it sounds like a chainsaw.  

I'm a bit surprised to see him at Wilmington.  The reason I say that is that he only had 2 gears in his transmission at Bonneville, and routinely took a push to 70 mph to launch.  Note the GPS speedometer -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQA9HDlI52A

That is a removable solar panel that he puts on the roof to help keep a charge on the battery.  It's a clever idea I'm thinking of incorporating into the Midget, although I'm inclined to actually install it in the rear window, which will help keep the cockpit cool, and keep the battery up.

He's a strong competitor, with a very unusual car.  I believe the I/GT class is still open at Wilmington, but is he running J or I there?  He has a raft of motors to put into that thing.

Good hearing from you, Gregg. 

GET THAT RAMPAGE READY TO ROCK!

[gkabbt]

I kinda figured it was the car you were telling me about when I saw the J/GT class.
Thanks for explaining about the thing on the roof. I didn't get that close to it today to see what it was.
As for the class he is running here, I'll check on that tomorrow. It could be I/GT as the ECTA does allow you to run up in class.

Gregg
PS
Rampage work continues.....Maybe September!

[Rex Schimmer]

If there was ever a car that could use a couple of extra gears it is that SAAB! Not really familiar with the SAAB two stroke but two strokes can make some pretty awesome power, the last of the 500 cc GP two stroke bike engines were making over 200 hp but pretty narrow power ban and therefore 7 and 8 speed trannys. Love those two strokes!!

Rex

[Milwaukee Midget]

Guess what, Rex?  He owns a transmission shop! 

Other than the transmission, I think one of the issues he encounters - and very likely the reason he takes such a long push at Bonneville - is to keep the engine together through the 3.

Here's a video he did on driving a SAAB 2 Stroke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKKudxE1wGA

I grew up in Iowa, and to have to drive any car in that manner from Cedar Rapids to Fort Dodge would make me crazy.

[jacksoni]

Yes, I/GT is open, J is 107, G is 99. Big jump to 150 range for F. Decals on the car were J/GT and 750cc prominently displayed. I am not sure if with a class change they are asking us to change decals (numbers are not changed). Now with bar codes to be scanned for classes etc. Will see what he does.

It's pretty cold but only scattered showers predicted for weekend. Problem is 15mph gusting 20 headwinds predicted.

[fordboy628]

Guess what, Rex?  He owns a transmission shop! 

Other than the transmission, I think one of the issues he encounters - and very likely the reason he takes such a long push at Bonneville - is to keep the engine together through the 3.

Here's a video he did on driving a SAAB 2 Stroke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKKudxE1wGA

I grew up in Iowa, and to have to drive any car in that manner from Cedar Rapids to Fort Dodge would make me crazy.

"On the gas, off the gas.   On the gas, off the gas."

"Wax on, wax off.    Wax on, wax off."

That would make me nuts.    Oh, wait, I've spent a lifetime on race cars/race engines . . . . . . .  Uhhmm, nevermind.
 
Fordboy

[Milwaukee Midget]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKKudxE1wGA


"On the gas, off the gas.   On the gas, off the gas."

"Wax on, wax off.    Wax on, wax off."

That would make me nuts.    Oh, wait, I've spent a lifetime on race cars/race engines . . . . . . .  Uhhmm, nevermind.
 
Fordboy

That's a different issue.  At tracks like Lime Rock, or Mid Ohio, such throttle manipulation is SOP.

I'm talking about IOWA.

I-80 would crash a 2 stroke SAAB quicker than you could say "Peggy Sue".

[gkabbt]

Chris.....My camera is not that good with videos but here is short one of Tom Donney's SAAB Sonett leaving the start line today. He was only pushed a few hundred feet and then took off pretty good. I will agree with your chainsaw statement from yesterday....LOL!

 http://s947.photobucket.com/user/GKABBT/media/Wilmington%2005032014/MVI_0097_zpsf195c6f0.mp4.html

Gregg

[4-barrel Mike]

Mid 67 the Sonnett was switched from 2-stroke to Ford V-4.  Does swapping to another engine from the same manufacturer mean that any Ford engine would be legal?  

Mike

[Milwaukee Midget]

Mid 67 the Sonnett was switched from 2-stroke to Ford V-4.  Does swapping to another engine from the same manufacturer mean that any Ford engine would be legal?  

Mike

GT rules permit engine swaps within the same company.  The examples given are "Ford into Ford, Porsche into Porsche."

So does a Pontiac into a Chevy count?  Not clear.

I think a strong argument could be made for GM, seeing as they owned SAAB for a number of years.

Using that logic, Ford was associated with MG/Rover in the early 2000's.

Stretch it a bit further, and Leyland owned Coventry in the late 60's, but I'm NOT going through the expense of trying to put together a 1 liter Coventry Climax motor for the Midget.

Stretch it further still, and you could stick a 426 Hemi in a Fiat X/19, a 440 Magnum in a Gullwing Benz, or a Ferrari Testa Rosa engine in a Plymouth Prowler.

The INTENT of the rule needs to be addressed at some point in time if GT is to remain a "Production" class.  Given the vague wording and lack of interest in the class beyond the usual parade of Corvettes, I doubt we'll ever see that happen.

[wheelrdealer]

MM

You make a good point, I had not thought about the incestuous nature of the 20-21st century automobile business even though I have been in it for more than 30 years. Since the US government once owned a chunk of Chrysler and GM does that mean a hemi can swap into a GM or an AMG V12 in a late model Camaro. The class could use a sentence or two to clear things up. Always deep thoughts on the M Midget thread.

BR

[Rex Schimmer]

I raced two stroke motocross bikes for years in the So. Cal desert and you could not hold one wide open while crossing a dry lake or going down a fire road without "breathing" it just like the SAAB.. I would just hold the throttle wide open and kill the engine with the kill switch. The raw gas/oil drawn through the carb would cool the exhaust port and delay seizure. I did once seize my 350 Bultaco at about 85 mph on a fire road and you really have to be quick with the clutch. Two strokes have the ability to weld aluminum to steel and it is instant! Still love them!

Rex

[Milwaukee Midget]

I raced two stroke motocross bikes for years in the So. Cal desert and you could not hold one wide open while crossing a dry lake or going down a fire road without "breathing" it just like the SAAB.. I would just hold the throttle wide open and kill the engine with the kill switch. The raw gas/oil drawn through the carb would cool the exhaust port and delay seizure. I did once seize my 350 Bultaco at about 85 mph on a fire road and you really have to be quick with the clutch. Two strokes have the ability to weld aluminum to steel and it is instant! Still love them!

Rex

Rex, I had a 1976 Yamaha RD400 - a bike I adored.  I decided to take it to Cedar Rapids, Iowa from Waukesha, Wisconsin one Labor Day Weekend.

I got as far as Madison  (~70 miles), when I holed a piston.

I limped it back to Wales, Wisconsin - smoke, sparks and flames shooting out of the right exhaust the entire trip.  It finally threw a rod, locked up, and left me with nothing but my thumb to get home.

I pushed it into the ditch, grabbed my saddle bags and left it.

Four months later, I had moved to North Prairie, Wisconsin - about 8 miles south of Wales.  It was a wicked winter, and I required the services of a tow truck.  Yes, it was my first MGB - a very tractable winter car, but I did manage to ditch it on a snow covered county trunk highway.  I went to a farmhouse, called the towing service in Wales, they helped me out, and when they saw my name on the credit card, they asked, "Do you own a green Yamaha?"

Turns out he had a contract with the state to retrieve abandoned vehicles, and that I owed him money for storage.

He settled for the title, and salvaged the rest of the bike - which was in really good shape.

That's when I swore off two-strokes.