The hood is home..

Unlike Eddie Money, I don't like a Rainy night. But yesterday, I got a rainy morning, as I drove to Detroit, a rainy day as I was there and waiting for rush hour to end, and then a rainy night as I drove back home, arriving around 10:30 PM...

The hood did actually fit into the back of my Chrysler Pacifica, and traveled safely home with me. I was sure that it would fit, or I wouldn't have driven 3 1/2 hours, and waited a bit longer. But when the hood was carried out to my car, doubts flooded in.

It wouldn't go straight in, but would it go sideways? ..........No. 

The points at the outside edges of the back of the hood , are two wide to go straight in. So, my lightening fast powers of observation, and analysis kicked in... Put one point in first and then turn the hood.

That worked!  The hood was in. But it was supported on one side by the small point of the back of the hood. And I was not comfortable with that all of the way back to Akron. So I put my laptop bag there to provide a broader support. It worked and the hood traveled safely back home.

And, according to my wishes, there were no holes or Dzus fasteners in it. 

So, now on to our mad scientist plan for the new, better way to attach the hood.

I sent a note to Keith with my version of the Better Way. And I expect that he will have some refinements, if not a whole new Better Way. And that is all good. I am about making the hood easy to get on and off when we want, and that will stay on, when it is supposed to stay on.

Next week, (this is already Thursday, and I am busy for the weekend), so next week, the hood will go to the car, and we will start getting it put in place.

While I am there, I also will get more pictures of the wrap as it currently exists, so that Gator Wrap can tweak their template for Dodge Challengers, and get ready for the brand new wrap.

I don't think we will have the new wrap done by the time the car goes racing again. (More news on that to come later....the racing, not the wrap..)

I had mentioned it previously, but who reads this stuff anyway? So to make sure that there are no gaps in coverage here, I will just mention it again.

I have been in touch with Rod at Gator Wraps on a whole new wrap for the car. Some things will change. These are things that need to change. And some things will stay the same. These are things that should not change. And some things will get changed to make them even better.

How it turns out is still an open question, as I haven't pulled the trigger yet, and haven't even seen yet any renderings yet to know if Rod and I are on the same path.  All things in their own time.

Will it look good? Now that the car is running right, will the car visually represent everything that Chris and I dreamed together, and planned, and worked and schemed together that it would? 

I think so. But only time, and a few more tears will tell.

David




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Oooooooh, Car Stuff........ Back on track

Thanks for hanging in there with me as we had a bit of a quiet period relative to the car. This time was not too quiet for me, however as I took my Vegas Trip, which I chronicled here, and have met a bevy of lovely ladies.... But, back to the car!

We (Driver/Mechanic extraordinary) Keith Lynch and I, have been talking a lot about where to run next, and what our goals will be for this year.  The decision on where to run, has been tentatively made. We will hold off on that announcement until a bit closer to the race date.

You all know about our problem with the hood on the Mega Maniac. We lost the hood on a run in Las Vegas. It went flying up and into the air, over 25 feet above the car and track. When it came down, it hit on a front corner of the hood, crushing that corner, and the scoop totally separated from the hood. Fortunately, at that time, the track at Vegas had a bizarre schedule for Stock, so we had time to cobble, rivet, tape, wire, and hammer things to get the hood back on the car. And we managed to at least get it back on, and into running shape, before time for our next run.

There was particular anxiety as we were very concerned about getting the hood off for fuel check, and back on again. We only had a limited supply of items to secure it, and they were consumable, so each time we took it off, and put it back on, we used up some of the supplies.

Well, we went a few rounds in eliminations and didn't do too bad, and the hood stayed in place during our later runs. By this, I mean it didn't come off during the runs. Although another Drag Pak, did lose just the scoop off his hood. He had a really pretty paint job too. At least ours was a wrap, that could be duplicated if necessary....

OK, why am I talking about the hood again?

I have been talking to the Drag Pak Group at Chrysler Corp, and today just heard that my replacement hood is available. Yeah!

I will be picking up the new hood, on Wednesday, in Detroit.

I have asked that the supplier does not punch the holes and insert the dzus fasteners as in the standard Drag Pak configuration. We have a different plan for attaching it, and believe that we can avoid future incidents of flying hoods, and actually make the hood easier to lock on, and remove than before.

We are talking to a number of sponsors, and hopefully will have one signed before we get too much further down the line. If, in the worst case, we don't actually sign a sponsor, I am ready to commission a new wrap, that I think will get us another Best appearing car award. And it will make us even more memorable. If that is possible.

So, for those you who have been patient, this is your reward. We are talking car again....

David