David
Nice to have you on the list. Sorry to hear your not going to be racing with
us in 2000.
I hope I can correct a typical misunderstanding here that EFI...and thats
all I'm talking about here...is exceedingly more expensive than other forms
of fueling. What's the price on a new Kinsler or Hilborn mechanical
injection system today?? Or even a new Demon carburetor? They ain't cheep
and by the time you add in manifolds, pumps, regulators, EGT, lines and such
your not all that far from the EFI system anyway.
I don't think Electronics and New Stuff will hurt this sport at all. We have
all talked about how we like the creativity and innovation in LSR. Take that
away and we really will have a problem. If anything will kill this sport it
is lack of growth. Keep it interesting and exciting and we'll be OK.
John from Asheville
Hi John,
Thanks for the welcome! I have no misunderstanding, but I didn't buy much
new ANYTHING for my car. I got my old set of Hilborns at a swap meet. But
that's just me, and I'm notoriously cheap.
I don't think "low-tech" is all that great, and you can sure go faster,
better, smarter, longer, with the new stuff. I just think it's important to
have a place where people with relatively little money can race and have a
good time. Not to say that people won't come out if they don't think they
can set a record, because some of my most enjoyable years were spent running
cars that I knew would never be within 50 mph of the record. It just felt
good to go relatively fast and not have to watch out for the cops.
Can we keep those feelings alive while having the new techno-cars moving the
records out of site for mere mortals? Probably, but I'm not sure it will be
such a fun place. I've often thought that it might help to establish some
more truly "stock" type classes that limit the dollars that can be invested.
It probably won't work to limit technology in the all-out race classes, and
we have enough classes now without having high- and low-tech versions.
I appreciate all the sentiments that I hear about not limiting technology.
After all, thats what racing is all about. But there is also something to be
said for the fun of making stuff out of a bunch of parts you have lying
around and having it work. you know, doing stuff on the garage floor with a
hammer and a drill, and then having to get all the stuff out of the way so
your wife can park her car. It just doesn't seem the same as plopping down
60 thousand dollars for a car with the new best of everything.
Maybe it's the fixation on points and records that gets in the way. I'm
afraid that I am just an old fart reminiscing over "the good old days".
By the way, do you have dates for the 2000 ECTA events?
regards, David
David
Nothing wrong with building a car from used parts, we all do it, even built
engines myself with used pistons, rods, crank and heads. Now that I think
about it I bet 60% to 70% of my car is built from used parts. And one day
used EFI setups will be out there too.
Maybe what we need is a spec class car for those who just want to run for
cheep? 71 to 80 Camaro/Firebird w/stock body, 350 V-8, turbo 350, single 4
bbl carb.?
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Parks, David <David.Parks@lfr.com>
To: land-speed@autox.team.net <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: Electronics and New Stuff
>Hi all,
>
>I have a stock-bodied 1979 Camaro that I have have been racing at the Dry
>Lakes in California for several years. The car holds 3 current El Mirage
Dry
>Lake records (C/BGALT, C/BFALT, C/BGC) and 2 current Muroc Dry Lake
>(C/BGALT, C/BGC) records, all over 205 mph. The car formerly held records
in
>two classes (215 and 224 mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats, set in 1996
>(since blown away by the 300 mph Kugel firebird).
>
>I have my own take on the electronics/technonlogy issue, since I have set
my
>records without the help of any. I run an old Hilborn setup (you know, the
>coffee can with 8 holes in it) because it was more in line with what my
>goals were. I wanted to see how fast I could go with minimal expenditure
>(although racing is never cheap) and, with a little help, the car has been
>very succesful. I never thought of upgrading to electronics because if I
>did, I might as well put it in a much more aerodynamic package than the '79
>(like a newer Firebird or ?). It can really snowball, and like I said, my
>goal was not to see how much money I could spend (or at least that's what I
>told my wife).
>
>Also, my view of Land Speed Racing might be a little different because I
>feel that I have been exposed to the "roots" of it more than many. Hot
>Rodding has always been about inovation and seeing what you can get out of
>what you've got. With that said, I can't help but feel that cubic bucks is
>not necessarily the best emphasis. Land speed racing is the last bastion of
>truly amateur racing, and the total lack of prize money goes a long way
>toward keeping the sport afordable. If you want to see it continue, you
have
>got to have a place where you can have fun in an "entry level" car.
>
>Just look at the way Drag Racing has gone; if somebody figures out a way to
>squeeze out a few more hundredths of a second you can be sure everyone else
>will do it in short order. The only difference in the cars is the paint
>jobs. That's why I like the Dry Lakes and Bonneville. Instead of "any car
as
>long as it has a small block chevy", you get great stuff like a Camaro with
>a Jaguar engine or any number of other "why not?" combinations.
>
>But what can you do? As they say, time marches on, and we can't ignore
>technology. I was ecstatic to get in the Bonneville 200 mph club with my
>car, but records are meant to be broken. I just didn't realize that when
>mine were broken they were going to put 75 mph on them! Oh well, it
couldn't
>have been done by a nicer guy (and car!).
>
>I don't know what the answer is, but somehow we've got to preserve the
>spirit of Hot Rodding and not let our sport turn into a rich man's game. If
>that means establishing "old-tech" classes then maybe it's something to
look
>into. I sure would like to see our sport hang around for another 50
years...
>
>By the way, I have decided not to continue racing after 1999 and I am
>interested in selling my "old-tech" car as a complete package. If someone
>out there is looking for a car to buy, this might make an interesting
>"starter kit".
>
>If anyone is interested, they can e-mail me off-group and I will send a
>sheet with a picture and some information about my car.
>
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