And Dad....SCREW YOU......
Well Im still having chest pains after I got a call to help him fix his car....
"Good thing its raining he said, Cause my CAR is on FIRE !" My heart sank....
Good one Pop....
Well today, I managed to get the shop cleaned up a bit, well I got the tools put away and put new brakes on Mandies car for her, the fastest easiest brake job Ive done in a long while.
And David my Son came down and pulled the motor off his Jr.
Not much else today but some Chipolte.
And Happy Birthday Mom.......
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Blog Lapses......Ok Ok Ok
So , Ive been slacking on the blog, BIG time.
Exhaustion, a lot going on but none of it seeming important enough to write about.
Well, Im gonna set a phone alarm and reminder to do it everyday again, probably in the AM so I can reflect on the prior days events and conclusions.
Here is where we stand now. ECU has been through some upgradges if Frimware and other items. I have to check the trans computer wiring as I may have yanked or damaged it, no biggie, 2 wires but, well then to "Nut and Bolt" the car again. Check EVERYTHING, 3 Times, 1 me, 1 my dad and 1 well someone other than us. A loose battery cable, i mean really ? My son would have found it, I didnt until it was too late.
So well get her back together I have some things to do on the house, and the truck were HOPING for testing this weekend, and to really get her zero'd in on kill mode.
Well keep trying.
Now Roy Johnson has debuted his car and I have a real good idea his car is capable of much more, not only from his reputation but in talking to him at Vegas. Now there are 2 5.7 DP's "In the Wild" I couldnt ask for better Company :)
Exhaustion, a lot going on but none of it seeming important enough to write about.
Well, Im gonna set a phone alarm and reminder to do it everyday again, probably in the AM so I can reflect on the prior days events and conclusions.
Here is where we stand now. ECU has been through some upgradges if Frimware and other items. I have to check the trans computer wiring as I may have yanked or damaged it, no biggie, 2 wires but, well then to "Nut and Bolt" the car again. Check EVERYTHING, 3 Times, 1 me, 1 my dad and 1 well someone other than us. A loose battery cable, i mean really ? My son would have found it, I didnt until it was too late.
So well get her back together I have some things to do on the house, and the truck were HOPING for testing this weekend, and to really get her zero'd in on kill mode.
Well keep trying.
Now Roy Johnson has debuted his car and I have a real good idea his car is capable of much more, not only from his reputation but in talking to him at Vegas. Now there are 2 5.7 DP's "In the Wild" I couldnt ask for better Company :)
Saturday, May 15, 2010
DQ Making you HAPPY ?
Here what happened....simple
We ran, I had the weigh calced wrong, I was about 5lbs off...
I was one of the last passes of the night, I passed fuel check, I passed weight, or so we thought, that was what they told me last night, but apparently probably because of my screw up or running on the edge of weight (were light enough) it was hard to make weight, I thought I was full of fuel, I was near 0...
So I was a few pounds light 5ish from what I understand.
So that RUN was DQ'd which was kinda cool because it saved me from HP, I had no idea how this setup would run and well....I got the answer in SPADES, that was the first time down the track with this setup (cam, collectors, and some other items changed up, chassis setup tire pressure etc)
THEN This Am .... well, We were scurrying as usual to make weight and get fuel and I didnt have time (or a generator because we left without it) to put a charge on it, it had probably 25 starts since yesterday with no charge and well, I was amazed it started this AM, but a couple trips back and forth to the scales.....
We burntout, and they shut me down at the line, yesterday when unloading it I smacked a collector on the trailer hinge because were on kinda a slope and well it wasnt square, dad said I was good and clear and was looking but well it hit, it must have rammed it on closer and the bolts shook losse, so they came out.
So, they the were going to let me resart and stage and drag my collector down the track or return road and hit the scales and fuel and I would have qualified at the bottom of the ladder, BUT I was a nostart.......no juice.....
Its life, but were not bummed, I wasnt concerned about teardown other than looking like a dipshit for not knowing what to do and never having seen it done before, today I will watch one.....watch and learn.
I am 95% certain were 100% kosher I have gone to unending lengths to ensure it because A)I know we will be under increased scrutiny because it being a Drag Pak and B)Under increased scrutiny POSSIBLY from pressure of people I piss off, after having met the NHRA people and track people I seriously doubt that seriously thave have been nothing short of amazing, helpful considerate, professional.
The other 5% possiblity we arent kosher ? I have no idea but it would be something stupid I missed, my heads are uncut, uncut and virgin, the valves, legal but worked. The cam, yeah the thing was cut against an OE Blank lift by LSM, checked by us, then checked by someone ELSE, to make 100% sure. Pistons, well theyre direct from Stanton and Diamond, Rods, Accepted Manley Rods, Crank Stock.....soooooo......There are a LOT of Coating, Cryo and other things, but EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM and their uses and location checked with the NHRA And Bruce B PRIOR to doing.
At 3:00 YESTERDAY We still had the heads off the car in the shop, we got here at 6:? We teched and because of rain earlier in the day were able to run last night and it was FAAASSSSSTTTTTTTT. We ran at 11:ish and werent done with scales and fuel till midnight, here at 7:50ish.....scales and fuel this AM and well things have been a little crazy as usual.
Whatever....this was a sucess in our book :) I mean what do we have to be dissapointed in we made mistakes, we learned, well do better next time......
Only Mandie Cried....but shes good now....
Last night I was one of the last people in Stock Staging we missed the call, I was putting my pants on in the pits and put my wallet on the roof. And drove away like the MegaManiac I am, well.....wallet was lost, that was the single most dissapointing thing this weekend, as well as 140 bucks....
But I decided to go to the Customer Service and ask (and get my timeslip from last night because the guy threw it away and was digging in the trash but couldnt find it.) So......guess what they had it at the tower, guess what else, $ was still in it as well as my comp lisc, driver lic and wallet stuff.
I told the people and was fortunate enough to meet one of the track owners, I told them at no other public sporting venue or event, not basketball, football, but DRAG Racing, would one get his wallet back intact.
That single event I think says more about the nature and the charachter of the fans, drivers, employees, etc.
We ran, I had the weigh calced wrong, I was about 5lbs off...
I was one of the last passes of the night, I passed fuel check, I passed weight, or so we thought, that was what they told me last night, but apparently probably because of my screw up or running on the edge of weight (were light enough) it was hard to make weight, I thought I was full of fuel, I was near 0...
So I was a few pounds light 5ish from what I understand.
So that RUN was DQ'd which was kinda cool because it saved me from HP, I had no idea how this setup would run and well....I got the answer in SPADES, that was the first time down the track with this setup (cam, collectors, and some other items changed up, chassis setup tire pressure etc)
THEN This Am .... well, We were scurrying as usual to make weight and get fuel and I didnt have time (or a generator because we left without it) to put a charge on it, it had probably 25 starts since yesterday with no charge and well, I was amazed it started this AM, but a couple trips back and forth to the scales.....
We burntout, and they shut me down at the line, yesterday when unloading it I smacked a collector on the trailer hinge because were on kinda a slope and well it wasnt square, dad said I was good and clear and was looking but well it hit, it must have rammed it on closer and the bolts shook losse, so they came out.
So, they the were going to let me resart and stage and drag my collector down the track or return road and hit the scales and fuel and I would have qualified at the bottom of the ladder, BUT I was a nostart.......no juice.....
Its life, but were not bummed, I wasnt concerned about teardown other than looking like a dipshit for not knowing what to do and never having seen it done before, today I will watch one.....watch and learn.
I am 95% certain were 100% kosher I have gone to unending lengths to ensure it because A)I know we will be under increased scrutiny because it being a Drag Pak and B)Under increased scrutiny POSSIBLY from pressure of people I piss off, after having met the NHRA people and track people I seriously doubt that seriously thave have been nothing short of amazing, helpful considerate, professional.
The other 5% possiblity we arent kosher ? I have no idea but it would be something stupid I missed, my heads are uncut, uncut and virgin, the valves, legal but worked. The cam, yeah the thing was cut against an OE Blank lift by LSM, checked by us, then checked by someone ELSE, to make 100% sure. Pistons, well theyre direct from Stanton and Diamond, Rods, Accepted Manley Rods, Crank Stock.....soooooo......There are a LOT of Coating, Cryo and other things, but EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM and their uses and location checked with the NHRA And Bruce B PRIOR to doing.
At 3:00 YESTERDAY We still had the heads off the car in the shop, we got here at 6:? We teched and because of rain earlier in the day were able to run last night and it was FAAASSSSSTTTTTTTT. We ran at 11:ish and werent done with scales and fuel till midnight, here at 7:50ish.....scales and fuel this AM and well things have been a little crazy as usual.
Whatever....this was a sucess in our book :) I mean what do we have to be dissapointed in we made mistakes, we learned, well do better next time......
Only Mandie Cried....but shes good now....
Last night I was one of the last people in Stock Staging we missed the call, I was putting my pants on in the pits and put my wallet on the roof. And drove away like the MegaManiac I am, well.....wallet was lost, that was the single most dissapointing thing this weekend, as well as 140 bucks....
But I decided to go to the Customer Service and ask (and get my timeslip from last night because the guy threw it away and was digging in the trash but couldnt find it.) So......guess what they had it at the tower, guess what else, $ was still in it as well as my comp lisc, driver lic and wallet stuff.
I told the people and was fortunate enough to meet one of the track owners, I told them at no other public sporting venue or event, not basketball, football, but DRAG Racing, would one get his wallet back intact.
That single event I think says more about the nature and the charachter of the fans, drivers, employees, etc.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Its late and were fast
Ok because its late Im going to post a "Redacted" version of something I sent to our sponsors.
Well.....heres how it is, my back was too bad and time to short to install the special gizmo.
We arrived at Norwalk at about 6, Tech closed at 7, we got teched and they let us run a "Cleanup" pass with the other Stockers that only got 1 run because of rain
We ran with a different cam than the last 5.7 , actually the same cam as the 6.1 we blew up.
Well, air was OK, about 2200 ft and it was cool.....
We ran in F/SA which the Index is 11.85
We ran a 10.59 Making us #1 Qualifier for the moment !
We passed Fuel and Weight Check.
Tommorow after eliminations well get "Torn Down"
Its a full 3/4 of a second FASTER Than the National Record for F/SA (11.25)
But since we didnt run during record runs and have a chance to "Back It Up" well.....we wont get the record....this time.
We know the car has it in her.
----REDACTED SECRET SQUIRREL STUFF----
Well the car is fast as holy shit.
Cheers all and thanks for your help.
After a "Rough" start I think were "On Track" to shake up some people.
I had the 2004 Stock Champ "Track Me Down" after he heard the run, nice guy hes been reading Class Racer and thinks the world of us and our efforts. The NHRA Tech has been equally Amazing and Helpful.
Well.....Cheer all just thought Id let you know about our day.
Chris
Well.....heres how it is, my back was too bad and time to short to install the special gizmo.
We arrived at Norwalk at about 6, Tech closed at 7, we got teched and they let us run a "Cleanup" pass with the other Stockers that only got 1 run because of rain
We ran with a different cam than the last 5.7 , actually the same cam as the 6.1 we blew up.
Well, air was OK, about 2200 ft and it was cool.....
We ran in F/SA which the Index is 11.85
We ran a 10.59 Making us #1 Qualifier for the moment !
We passed Fuel and Weight Check.
Tommorow after eliminations well get "Torn Down"
Its a full 3/4 of a second FASTER Than the National Record for F/SA (11.25)
But since we didnt run during record runs and have a chance to "Back It Up" well.....we wont get the record....this time.
We know the car has it in her.
----REDACTED SECRET SQUIRREL STUFF----
Well the car is fast as holy shit.
Cheers all and thanks for your help.
After a "Rough" start I think were "On Track" to shake up some people.
I had the 2004 Stock Champ "Track Me Down" after he heard the run, nice guy hes been reading Class Racer and thinks the world of us and our efforts. The NHRA Tech has been equally Amazing and Helpful.
Well.....Cheer all just thought Id let you know about our day.
Chris
Norwalk Here We COME !
Well its 3 am on Thurday, a rough week waiting for parts that wouldnt get done....
A broken truck, but we found a solution.
A car that was apart waiting for parts.
A whole bunch of other niceties....NOT really....
And today sick kids that I was fortunate enough to be available to care for.
Then Off to the shop at 6, My dad at Summit grabbing some items....
Then well....poor Mandie got hit while doing one of the many charming things she just does, an unrequested supply run (caffine) and while she was in the store BAM some bozo backed into her car.
But we wrenched all night, and at about 2:20 Vrrrrrrooooooooommmmmm.......
The MegaManiac is running as well as could be wished for , she seems to have a POP to her that has been missing, part of that was I believe because of my 4deg cam advance on a stick that I didnt want to run in the 5.7 but the other cam took a hit and had to be checked for microcracks and a new dowell pin put in. BUT Now the RIGHT cam is in and where I want it, not where I HAD to run it.
She sounds good.........
Tommorow load up and head out to a race we had scrubbed....but I was NOT going to fail to make it in my own backyard.
So today I decided to try yet again to do it, and we did , WE did, I couldnt have done it without my Pop, or Mandie....and well......were on our way.
Funny how a day can start with such bad feelings and end with such great ones.
A broken truck, but we found a solution.
A car that was apart waiting for parts.
A whole bunch of other niceties....NOT really....
And today sick kids that I was fortunate enough to be available to care for.
Then Off to the shop at 6, My dad at Summit grabbing some items....
Then well....poor Mandie got hit while doing one of the many charming things she just does, an unrequested supply run (caffine) and while she was in the store BAM some bozo backed into her car.
But we wrenched all night, and at about 2:20 Vrrrrrrooooooooommmmmm.......
The MegaManiac is running as well as could be wished for , she seems to have a POP to her that has been missing, part of that was I believe because of my 4deg cam advance on a stick that I didnt want to run in the 5.7 but the other cam took a hit and had to be checked for microcracks and a new dowell pin put in. BUT Now the RIGHT cam is in and where I want it, not where I HAD to run it.
She sounds good.........
Tommorow load up and head out to a race we had scrubbed....but I was NOT going to fail to make it in my own backyard.
So today I decided to try yet again to do it, and we did , WE did, I couldnt have done it without my Pop, or Mandie....and well......were on our way.
Funny how a day can start with such bad feelings and end with such great ones.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Been kicking back, but time now to move ahead again..
Once we got back from Indy, we went back down to West Virginia, and picked up the truck that broke on out way home. We had rented a car there, drove back to Ohio, rented a truck and drove the truck and rented car back down to West Virginia. West Virginia doesnt' allow rent here, drop there, across state lines.. So the car went back down to following the truck. We loaded up the trailer with car in it. Returned the rental car, and came back in the truck. But that left our broken truck in the parking lot of a hotel in Charleston, West Virginia. A short talk with the hotel manager and a few bucks across his palm, and all was well. They even had a security guard covering the lot. So when we got back, the aluminum tool box was still there, and although unlocked, all was still in it.
A borrowed open trailer, thanks to Bill Rosenberg, and the old man and I were all set to get it done, when Mandie suddently became available. So we left the old man at the shop to chill out, do paperwork, and make phone calls while Mandie and I went and got the truck. A full day of driving and towing, but we got it done, and are back now.
Now back in our shop, the truck engine has good oil pressure, but a definite noise, and diminished power. So we bought a replacement engine, only this time a 360 instead of the stock 318... We had the 360 bored .30 over and now we are waiting for the block, and the crank from it that we had polished.
On the Drag Pak side, we pulled the engine to find very few surprises. We did have a bent cam pin that is more than a bit curious. But after pulling it all apart for complete inspection, crank, rods and pistons went back in yesterday. We are still waiting for the new pins in our cams. The previous motor that blew up had also bent the cam pin on that cam. So we have two cams at the shop being refitted with new pins. We do have the stock drag pak cam as a backup, but that is different enough to change our tunes, and we would rather run the tunes we have. But it is a last chance backup plan in case somethis else bad happens.
Hopefully, we will pick them up today, or tomorrow morning at the latest and finish the Drag Pak engine assembly tomorrow. Then the engine goes back in the car on Thursday.
We are shooting for Norwalk this weekend. Pop had thought it was next weekend, so he wan't panicked about the delay in the cams, and getting the truck back together, but May 21, 22 is the makeup race at Indy, so now he is pushing hard again.
Don't know what we will do if our truck isn't finished by Friday though. We can't take the time to work on the truck and the Drag pak too. In addition, to not having time to do it, we don't have all of the rebuild parts for the 360 yet either...
So it looks like we might have to try to borrow, or worst case, rent a truck with a hitch and light set up for the weekend. I dont want to rent from Enterprise anymore as they gave us keys on the cheapest bent wire keyring you can image and the lock fob kept falling off of it throughout our trip west. Then in Indy, it finally got lost. And now enterprise thinks we should pay for it, but they can't figure how much. So they send a letter to the old man telling to take care of it, and he calls and asks how much , and they dont know. Somehow Enterprise doesn't seem like a good choice. And besides it was a Ford Diesel F250, and it really seems like we ought to be driving a big honking Dodge truck anyhow.
But first things first. Get the Drag Pak back together, and ready to run. Then we will figure out how to get it up to Norwalk. It is important to us that we do Norwalk since it is right in our back yard, and we want to get the car sorted out before going back to Indy.
Remember planning for something bad is not being overly cautious. Because in life, and especially in racing, the question isn't what do you do , IF somethings bad happens. The question is what do you do WHEN something bad happens. We are so far beyond Plan "B", you can't even imagine it. But we keep moving forward, because we keep planning around problems..
A borrowed open trailer, thanks to Bill Rosenberg, and the old man and I were all set to get it done, when Mandie suddently became available. So we left the old man at the shop to chill out, do paperwork, and make phone calls while Mandie and I went and got the truck. A full day of driving and towing, but we got it done, and are back now.
Now back in our shop, the truck engine has good oil pressure, but a definite noise, and diminished power. So we bought a replacement engine, only this time a 360 instead of the stock 318... We had the 360 bored .30 over and now we are waiting for the block, and the crank from it that we had polished.
On the Drag Pak side, we pulled the engine to find very few surprises. We did have a bent cam pin that is more than a bit curious. But after pulling it all apart for complete inspection, crank, rods and pistons went back in yesterday. We are still waiting for the new pins in our cams. The previous motor that blew up had also bent the cam pin on that cam. So we have two cams at the shop being refitted with new pins. We do have the stock drag pak cam as a backup, but that is different enough to change our tunes, and we would rather run the tunes we have. But it is a last chance backup plan in case somethis else bad happens.
Hopefully, we will pick them up today, or tomorrow morning at the latest and finish the Drag Pak engine assembly tomorrow. Then the engine goes back in the car on Thursday.
We are shooting for Norwalk this weekend. Pop had thought it was next weekend, so he wan't panicked about the delay in the cams, and getting the truck back together, but May 21, 22 is the makeup race at Indy, so now he is pushing hard again.
Don't know what we will do if our truck isn't finished by Friday though. We can't take the time to work on the truck and the Drag pak too. In addition, to not having time to do it, we don't have all of the rebuild parts for the 360 yet either...
So it looks like we might have to try to borrow, or worst case, rent a truck with a hitch and light set up for the weekend. I dont want to rent from Enterprise anymore as they gave us keys on the cheapest bent wire keyring you can image and the lock fob kept falling off of it throughout our trip west. Then in Indy, it finally got lost. And now enterprise thinks we should pay for it, but they can't figure how much. So they send a letter to the old man telling to take care of it, and he calls and asks how much , and they dont know. Somehow Enterprise doesn't seem like a good choice. And besides it was a Ford Diesel F250, and it really seems like we ought to be driving a big honking Dodge truck anyhow.
But first things first. Get the Drag Pak back together, and ready to run. Then we will figure out how to get it up to Norwalk. It is important to us that we do Norwalk since it is right in our back yard, and we want to get the car sorted out before going back to Indy.
Remember planning for something bad is not being overly cautious. Because in life, and especially in racing, the question isn't what do you do , IF somethings bad happens. The question is what do you do WHEN something bad happens. We are so far beyond Plan "B", you can't even imagine it. But we keep moving forward, because we keep planning around problems..
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