Milwaukee Midget

[Stan Back]

I just checked the 2019 SpeedWeek Program -- it lists MM as record holder in I/GT.

(Musta been a premonition.)

[Milwaukee Midget]

I just checked the 2019 SpeedWeek Program -- it lists MM as record holder in I/GT.

(Musta been a premonition.)

Or the work of an insightful visionary.

Thanks, Stan.

[wisdonm]

Will you now be in a different class? Is it running yet? 

[Milwaukee Midget]

Hi, Don -

Yes, the new modified GT class - not happy about it, but I'll give it a go.

Off work this upcoming week - hope to get it to a steady idle in the garage, and might see if I can run it down to T&T if I can't, although that would require a solid day getting the trailer and dragging it to Illinois.

A lot of computer work - everything works, it just doesn't work right.

I'll have a better idea by Wednesday.

[wisdonm]

Time to look for a fastback hardtop. 

[fordboy628]

Hi, Don -

Yes, the new modified GT class - not happy about it, but I'll give it a go.

Off work this upcoming week - hope to get it to a steady idle in the garage, and might see if I can run it down to T&T if I can't, although that would require a solid day getting the trailer and dragging it to Illinois.

A lot of computer work - everything works, it just doesn't work right.

I'll have a better idea by Wednesday.

midget,

How are you doing?

Any news on how the EFI programming is going?


My last project, the one for "Wiggle pin", code named 'Slay Vintage F/P' debuted at the Road America "Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival" sanctioned by VSCDA.   It took a long gestation time, but in a "soft" state of tune, made target bhp and tq.    Engine specs though are "confidential" as there was a lot of "serious engineering" invested in this project.     In the finish, an engine assembled from "junk parts", outperformed a similar, but larger Ford engine, one with a $30,000 price tag.     According to rumors, that engine was a "cost is no object" project, and was also done in the Chicagoland area . . . .

Huge success in great weekend for Mike Hart.   140 mph before turn 1;  144+ mph before turn 5 . . . .    and the car needs to be sorted for the additional bhp.
1962(?) Turner, powered by Ford.     

Now back to home improvement projects for the Queen . . . . . . .   

 
Fordboy

[jacksoni]

Sweet. Nice job Fordboy!.

[manta22]

"Turner".....now there's a name I had not heard in years.   

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[AJR192]

Fordboy. It wasn't Larry Moulton's old Turner by chance, was it?

[ggl205]

If it was, that Turner won several National SCCA Championships. I was living in Salt Lake (Sandy) when Larry was campaigning the Turner and got to know him quite well. I was driving Darwin Christensen?s G Production Spitfire at the time. Gobs of fun but always a long tow to the nearest road circuit.

John

[fordboy628]

Fordboy. It wasn't Larry Moulton's old Turner by chance, was it?

No, but it is the same make and model.   It was built and campaigned by Michael Hart of Mundelein, IL. for decades.    He has Qualified for the "Runoffs" several times, and has finished as high as 6th.   The car is very heavily modified, and has a "semi-cage" with an under dash hoop and 3 door bars in the drivers door.   Those were added after a serious accident in the "kink" at Road America.   Mike spun on oil from another car, and then was "t-boned" in the driver's door by the next car through the kink . . . . . .   He ended up on a helicopter flight to Froedtert Hospital Trauma Center in Milwaukee, and now sports left ribs with "titanium reinforcement".

Bhp has never been the problem for the car.   What it needs is a thorough sorting of the handling, by a professional like Tony Kester or Peter Krause.   (Tune your chassis and "find" 50 bhp!) Mike could use a "refresher driving course" too, something about being a bit "gun-shy" of being t-boned again.   He and I are the same age (I'm 3 and he is 68), and we are both engineers.

All of this is moot for "Vintage Racing" as both the car and Mike are "more than competitive".    Properly sorted, I am of the opinion that the car could still be SCCA competitive at the National Championship level.    It's that trick, because Mike machines and fabricates most of the bits needed in his garage shop, in the same way a lot of Landspeed racers build their cars.   Mike is currently machining his own changeable ratio gearbox, based on Hewland Mk5 gearsets and he is also designing and machining full floating rear drive hubs with adjustable camber.   All very slick designs.    He is also an excellent machinist and I have shifted all the dyno adaptor machining for T&T to Mike's garage company, Deerfield Engineering.   He is the guy who produced all the BMC Mini dyno adaptors for T&T's SuperFlow 902.   Mike is also the same guy that produced all of the dyno mounting and drive adaptors for the mating of the "Grenade" to the T&T dyno.   And he also machined several bits for the 4v Rover K currently installed in the Milwaukee Midget.   I'm trying to get him to commit to a trip to the Salt with us, when the Midget rides again.

I'll get some photos from Mike and post them.

 
Fordboy

[fordboy628]

If it was, that Turner won several National SCCA Championships. I was living in Salt Lake (Sandy) when Larry was campaigning the Turner and got to know him quite well. I was driving Darwin Christensen?s G Production Spitfire at the time. Gobs of fun but always a long tow to the nearest road circuit.

John

Back in the day, Mike and Larry were in contact several times.    I'm pretty sure the nose to Mike's car came from someone Larry recommended.    In years when they both qualified for the runoffs, Larry also helped Mike with setup for Road Atlanta, an intimidating track in its' original configuration.    HUGE "pucker factor" to get the "bridge turn" done correctly, with the ensuing impact on your lap time . . . . .

Turner drivers have a reputation for sticking together and helping each other out, perhaps a bit more so than most racers.

 
F/b

[fordboy628]

"Turner".....now there's a name I had not heard in years.   

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Are we all certain that it is not: Turdner ? ?

There are several things about the stock versions that are "iffy".

 
F/b

[ggl205]

Turner drivers have a reputation for sticking together and helping each other out, perhaps a bit more so than most racers.

Larry, to the best of my memory, always helped a fellow racer when asked. He was the guy who told me to go buy a rat suit and wear it if I ever crossed wires with tech. I had ample opportunity to wear that suit over the years.

Not sure what Larry is up to these days. It has been decades since we lived in the Salt Lake valley and I lost contact with most people I hung out with there.

John

[AJR192]

John, he was still at Dave Strong Porsche last I heard. 50+ years now, I believe. He and his son Bonner run M squared karting locally. Larry's wife passed away a few years ago. When he ran the Turner, the machine shop I worked at sponsored him. Darwin Christensen was also a good friend. He passed away a while ago.