What are you doing today?

Boyd Who · July 06, 2011, 06:17:16 PM

I've been too busy working to do much of anything in the shop, but today I ordered an axle kit and some assorted front end pieces for the Essex. I'd really like to have it as a roller again before September.

Boyd Who · July 09, 2011, 12:07:37 PM

I actually spent some time in the shop last night. Got the cowl vent removed and I cut the windshield out of the cab. It was glued in with some kind of gooey tar-like substance, made quite a mess!

My original plans for the rebuild was to splash some flat-black paint on the truck and run it like that, but I've changed my mind and will be doing a proper paint job as well as a new interior. A new colour has been chosen but I don't plan to reveal what it is until it's painted. Let's just say the truck will have a totally different look when it's done.

Crosley.In.AZ · July 09, 2011, 12:15:35 PM

i've re-assembled my Falcon trans and converter into the car. A quick stall speed test after warm up indicates I have picked up 500 RPM of stall. I can push the engine RPM to 3100 now, earlier about 2600 was it.

Hopefully I can get my 60 foot times down some. I would like to get 1/2 second off the 15.70 it runs now. Will need more fine tune and other ideas to get that much time off

kb426 · July 09, 2011, 02:00:48 PM

Ready for bondo.

Crosley.In.AZ · July 09, 2011, 04:20:37 PM

trimmed some more of the trees and edged most of the grass.

I think I may be on to something, if I water this stuff it grows and i must cut / trim it

chimp koose · July 10, 2011, 08:16:49 PM

did tech inspections at the track today. We got rained out.I had to fail a car through tech today for a few things. the car owner was happy when I showed up in the pits to help him fix it up to pass.

kb426 · July 12, 2011, 12:42:55 PM

I got primer on my parts last night. It's feeling good to be closer to the end than the beginning.

wvcab · July 12, 2011, 02:07:05 PM

Quote from: "kb426"I got primer on my parts last night. It's feeling good to be closer to the end than the beginning.

it never ends..

UGLY OLDS · July 12, 2011, 05:42:23 PM

What He Said....^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Bob......

kb426 · July 13, 2011, 08:39:51 PM

This will be the utmost in boring. Block sanded and the 2nd coat of primer.

Carps · July 15, 2011, 08:30:35 AM

Got me some new luggage, a pocket full of dead presidents and a plane ticket, so it seems I'm goin on a roadtrip, by air.

Has it stopped rainin' at Bonneville yet?

kb426 · July 16, 2011, 05:43:57 PM

Paint on a few parts.

Crosley.In.AZ · July 17, 2011, 12:52:47 AM

Decided tonite it was time to fix the door hinge on my Falcon. I bought the hinge bushings 7 yrs ago. Pins were in nice shape, spring is broken on the door stop thingy

Harbor freight lift table worked real well to hold the door as I unbolted the hinge.

Carps · July 17, 2011, 06:27:17 AM

Not today but a couple of weeks back, at Shibetsu Proving Ground. It's a top secret facility, so there's no cameras allowed in, so sorry no pictures.

Driving my first lap of the high speed banked oval at 100km/h I noticed this bloody big eagle just standing there in the left lane. Bugger didn't flinch as I went past.

Next lap at 140km/h and the bird is still there and again it doesn't flinch.

Another lap now at 180km/h and the bird remains glued to the ground, completely unflustered.

Fourth lap at 200km/h and the bastard decides it's time to go. I figure the last thought that crossed his mind as he took flight was, "Oh shoot! Wrong way." or stronger Japanese words to that effect.

Made one helluva 'WHUMPFH!" as his beak shattered the badge in the middle of the grille, head and shoulders went thru the opening it vacated, wings wrapped around both headlamps and body slammed against the lower grille opening.

As are the rules of driving fast at this place, i did not panic, just reached over and turned on the hazard flashers to let anybody else on the track know I had a 'problem'.

Maintained speed plus lane position and waited for my co-driver to call it in and take instructions from the control tower. Quite some distance from the point of impact, I realised he was sitting there half stunned in the passenger seat, with eyes like dinner plates. So asked quite calmly if he could call it in and get some instructions from our minders who observe all high speed activity on CCTV. They'd already sent out the fire truck, ambulance and all manner of other support and emergency services, which had my colleagues in the 'pit' area thinking the worst and that I had finally had 'the big one'.

The CCTV monitors had shown that the car wasn't losing any fluids and the bird was not about to fall off, so we were directed to slow to 60km/h and continue around the circuit to the pit area on the other side of the track.

Meanwhile the locals had advised my buddies that I had hit a bird and would return momentarilly. They now decided it was funny and wet themselves laughing at my situation.

When we cruised in with this enormous bird plastered all over the front of the car, they saw the serious side. Not only was the sound of impact rather loud, at the speed we were travelling it also unsettled the car.

The Japanese safety crew had him removed, neatly sealed in a large plastic bag and whisked away in a large black and white sedan with flashing red lights on the roof, before I could get out of the car.

I immediately bowed and apologise to the Chief Engineer for breaking his new baby. He smiled and said stuff happens and it could have been worse as the area is inhabited by deer and brown bears. Besides, the only damage to the car appeared to be the shattered badge, so it wasn't a total loss.

That night at dinner I was presented with a lovely stuffed eagle and a plaque pronouncing me as the 'Eagle Man of Shibetsu', responsible for taking out the last breeding male Japanese Mountain Eagle. Yup, the Japanese do have a sense of humour.

Funny too, how the grapevine works, as everywhere I've been since, I'm reminded of my threat to the native wildlife and my role in potentially making a species extinct. I doubt that's the ccase as there's many of these birds can be seen flying in the area around the proving grounds, although my Japanese colleagues tell me I'm the first person to hit one with a car.

Taking out such a magnificent creature gives you a sick feeling and I still feel bad about it, but it was just one of those unavoidable things that happen.

kb426 · July 17, 2011, 07:42:43 PM

I started assembling the cafe racer project. The parts I painted yesterday look poor compared to the frame. There's a repaint in my future. I think I may paint it all the color of the frame with a lot of polished parts and a black wrinkle engine. The gold is a good color but doesn't go with the yellow at all. Oh well. It's been awhile since I had this happen.