land-speed
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Bonneville Speed Week 2000 Diary

To: "Ed Van Scoy" <edvs@uswest.net>
Subject: Re: Bonneville Speed Week 2000 Diary
From: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:29:04 -0500
Ain't that a Fancy Button..... Wish the retard behind the Rotary button was
a sharp... Hey Ed you Gonna Teach me how to use that Leak down Tester?

I didn't know Les had a Bore scope.... interesting idea.. I think I would
have snatched the Motor and welded the Piston up in Salt Lake .... then we
really could have messed it up with that little red grenade button...

Like you said on the Salt.... NO NITROUS.. NO FUEL.. No Problem!!!.... I bet
there is 220 in that Ride with nothing more then the Height adjustment....

K
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Van Scoy" <edvs@uswest.net>
To: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
Cc: <ARDUNDOUG@aol.com>; <ESWeldon@earthlink.net>; <AVarni@aol.com>;
<NONrev7R@aol.com>; <ClemTebow@aol.com>; <shiprock@pacbell.net>;
<EagleEye@uswest.net>; <dan_mceachern@bio-rad.com>; <CPD68@aol.com>;
<RhysLloyd@aol.com>; <sierraJ@neworld.net>; <BKirk23623@aol.com>;
<spanglishkings@yahoo.com>; <wisdomaker@earthlink.net>;
<Slickj10@yahoo.com>; <HallBro@calweb.com>; <gorvad@mad.llnl.gov>;
<Wstdwillie@aol.com>; <gillette@aiinc.com>; <Barrie@ttns.com>;
<KGeorge@theworks.com>; <Furtados1@aol.com>; <Brickroc@worldnet.att.net>;
<DJElder@goldrush.com>; <GacmanJr@aol.com>; <A41GTO@aol.com>;
<jbott@ix.netcom.com>; <KOBDCB@worldnet.att.net>; <Seymoum@northvanrec.com>;
<Warren.Atwood@dana.com>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: Bonneville Speed Week 2000 Diary


> Hey Keith!
> No doubt Doug has figgered out something old Henry and Zora would have
liked to
> know back when I was in grade school.
>
> I ever get that Vette motor sorted out you're gonna eat those words!!!
Like I
> said, nothing in that girly SBC that isn't in the Summit catalog
("massaging"
> extra") and besides 215 is pretty close to to 218 and I don't have one of
those
> red "grenade" buttons on my steering wheel............(stop by here on
your way
> to WOS, I'll LEND you my leakdown & compression tester - they both work)
> Ed
> P.S. Why didn't we go over and borrow a borescope from Les at the fuel
trailer?
> 100 Deg. brainfade?........................
>
>
> Keith Turk wrote:
>
> > Hey ED.... you Notice HOW fast he was compared to a Certain Corvette we
both
> > know and LOVE....
> >
> > Keith ( hey Ed I mention my out the back speed?.... oh I know... tell me
> > about that Impound thing again.... I still don't know where it
is....)( Yes
> > Ed is a Friend for those who don't know... I just love harassing him )
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ed Van Scoy" <edvs@uswest.net>
> > To: <ARDUNDOUG@aol.com>
> > Cc: <land-speed@autox.team.net>; <Warren.Atwood@dana.com>;
> > <Seymoum@northvanrec.com>; <KOBDCB@worldnet.att.net>;
<jbott@ix.netcom.com>;
> > <A41GTO@aol.com>; <GacmanJr@aol.com>; <DJElder@goldrush.com>;
> > <Brickroc@worldnet.att.net>; <Furtados1@aol.com>;
<KGeorge@theworks.com>;
> > <Barrie@ttns.com>; <gillette@aiinc.com>; <Wstdwillie@aol.com>;
> > <gorvad@mad.llnl.gov>; <HallBro@calweb.com>; <Slickj10@yahoo.com>;
> > <wisdomaker@earthlink.net>; <spanglishkings@yahoo.com>;
> > <BKirk23623@aol.com>; <sierraJ@neworld.net>; <RhysLloyd@aol.com>;
> > <CPD68@aol.com>; <dan_mceachern@bio-rad.com>; <EagleEye@uswest.net>;
> > <shiprock@pacbell.net>; <ClemTebow@aol.com>; <NONrev7R@aol.com>;
> > <AVarni@aol.com>; <ESWeldon@earthlink.net>
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 10:42 AM
> > Subject: Re: Bonneville Speed Week 2000 Diary
> >
> > > Congratulations Doug! I was talking to J.D. last nite and we were
> > marvelling at
> > > your success - that's flying with a 50 year-old motor!
> > > Ed
> > >
> > >
> > > ARDUNDOUG@aol.com wrote:
> > >
> > > > Group,
> > > >     A couple of the other participants gave us a blow-by-blow of
their
> > salty
> > > > experience so here goes with mine.
> > > >     I had the 1313 XXF/FMR ready for the June El Mirage, running a
> > listless
> > > > 174 on a 184 record. During the post-race checkout I found a couple
of
> > > > exhaust seats on the Ardun heads that had moved around, ruining the
> > leakdown,
> > > > as well as my Vertex mag coil needing replacing.
> > > >     I removed the offending head and ground the seats in preparation
for
> > a
> > > > chassis dyno run which yielded 327HP on gas and 425HP on 55% nitro.
> > After the
> > > > dyno session and the Muroc Reunion I experienced the same valve
problem
> > on
> > > > the opposite head, corrected the leaks, and discovered that in the
> > assembly
> > > > process I'd only given the exhaust valves 95# on the seat. Off came
the
> > heads
> > > > again to shim the springs to 140# on the seat. I was hoping that the
> > valves
> > > > had hammered the seats rather than the scenario of inadequate
> > heat-treating
> > > > done after the heads were extensively reworked.
> > > >     The car was in the trailer 2 weeks before Bonneville. Talk about
a
> > spooky
> > > > feeling, wondering what I'd forgotten and when the second shoe would
> > drop.
> > > >     Thursday noon the 10th, Son Brian and I left Castro Valley (Bay
> > Area)
> > > > Calif. with a 2 car caravan and his Bassett(sp?) hound Othella.
Friday
> > at
> > > > 3:30AM found us at the "bend-of-the-road", very sleepy.
> > > >     We pulled on to the salt at 7:00AM, found pit space that Roy
Creel
> > had
> > > > saved for us, unloaded the modified roadster, and were in the tech
line
> > at
> > > > 9:00 waiting for the inspections to begin at 10:00 as advertised.
> > Fortunately
> > > > the inspection started early and we were back in our pit with the
> > "Inspected"
> > > > sticker before 10:00AM.
> > > >     The rest of the day we "kicked-back" as much as can be done in
100
> > deg.
> > > > weather, renewed old acquaintances, and made some new ones.
> > > >     Saturday morning brought the drivers meeting at about noon and
the
> > start
> > > > of the long lines to run. After all the trouble I'd had with this
motor
> > I was
> > > > preparing myself for the thrash of changing to our spare "bullet"
after
> > the
> > > > first run. This particular Ardun had given me "fits" from the
git-go,
> > mostly
> > > > due to my own mistakes and carelessness. The spare bullet was the
one we
> > ran
> > > > 198 with at the World Finals before the cylinder we wounded earlier
> > failed.
> > > >     About 2:30 Saturday we were at the front of the Long-Course
line,
> > > > strapped into the car and ready to go.
> > > >     The "moment-of-truth" with the Ardun always seems to be at the
2-3
> > shift.
> > > > It will pull pretty good in low and second, but if the tune-up is
off or
> > the
> > > > engine drops a cylinder it won't pull past 5500RPM.
> > > >     In low gear it doesn't do much but spin the wheels. The 2.46:1
C-4
> > low
> > > > gear really needs to be replaced with something around 2.1:1.
> > > >     On this run I made the mistake of shifting 1-2 with full
throttle
> > and the
> > > > thing about swapped ends on me. After gathering my wits I got down
to
> > > > concentrating on keeping the car between the cones and the black
lines,
> > made
> > > > the 2-3 shift at 6500, and was delighted to watch the tach start its
> > climb
> > > > back from the bottom of the cam range. When it passed 5500 well
before
> > the 2
> > > > mile marker I knew it was doing OK. The car handled very well but
took
> > > > constant attention due to a small amount of wheel spin and the
drivers
> > > > tendency to over-control.
> > > >     Leaving the 3rd mile the tach was slowly creeping past 6300 and
I
> > knew
> > > > that we had qualified on Bill Taylor's 1969 record of 201.
> > > >     As I passed the 4 mile marker I knew the car was several MPH
over
> > the
> > > > record and started slowing, turning out before the 5 mile marker and
> > coasting
> > > > to a stop behind Jack Costella's crew on the return road. They
hadn't
> > heard
> > > > my speed but gave me a welcome drink of ice water. The sight of my
crew
> > > > coming toward me with the horn blaring told me what I wanted to
hear. We
> > had
> > > > a 1/4 mile trap speed of a little over the record, a mile speed of
about
> > 205,
> > > > and a 4th mile speed of 208.
> > > >     We then took the car to impound, checked in with Dan Warner,
> > replaced the
> > > > nitro with gas in preparation for the return-run warmup, read the
plugs,
> > > > calculated the density altitude for our run (7800') and waited for
the
> > > > morning return pass.
> > > >     The evenings get pretty short when you have a car in Impound. By
the
> > time
> > > > you get to the KOA, take a shower, and eat dinner it's often 11:00PM
> > Mountain
> > > > time. In order to be at the "end-of-the-road", fed, shaved, and
ready to
> > > > start preparing the car by 5:45AM we had to get up at about 4:30AM
(3:30
> > on
> > > > my Pacific Time watch).
> > > >     Sunday morning brought a density altitude of about 4800' so we
> > changed
> > > > Saturdays .115 pill for a .110, warmed the oil with our Moroso pan
> > heater,
> > > > warmed the engine on gas, replaced the gas with 55%, and were ready
to
> > follow
> > > > Dan Warner out to the starting line at 7:00AM.
> > > >     On the second leg the car behaved well, turning 202 in the 1/4
trap,
> > 208
> > > > or so in the mile, and 211 in the middle mile. Not wanting to flog
my 50
> > > > year-old block I lifted after the 4 mile marker and was on the
return
> > road
> > > > before passing abeam of the 5 mile markers.
> > > >     Back to the Inspection lines again for the event I'd been after
> > since
> > > > first attending Speed Week as a spectator in 1968 and driving at
> > Bonneville
> > > > in 1987, the induction into the "Two-Club". What I'd wanted for Sooo
> > long but
> > > > dared not anticipate had finally happened.
> > > >     J.D.Tone, one of our LSR group, did the engine measurement with
a
> > folding
> > > > device I furnished (Elmo Gillette invented it) that fits down the
spark
> > plug
> > > > hole and confirms the bore. J.D. is a long-time XO GMC racer/record
> > holder
> > > > and has been a great supporter of my LSR efforts.
> > > >     If I'd been any help to my crew before getting my "hat" I was
> > completely
> > > > worthless afterward. I was on a different planet.
> > > >     Back to reality, it was Sunday morning and we had achieved our
main
> > goals
> > > > on the second day of the meet. Dave "Hayseed" Thomsson had upped his
own
> > > > XXF/BSR blown Ardun record and was ready to go after my 1988 XXF/STR
> > record
> > > > of 143. Not wanting to go out leaving anything on the table we
changed
> > > > classes and started after Hayseed's XXF/GMR record with Brian
driving.
> > > >     Back in the pits we discovered a long split in one of the welds
in
> > our
> > > > coolant tank. Brian, Ed Weldon, and Kent Walton scrounged some J-B
Weld,
> > > > silicone from town, and aluminum angle trim from my trailer, and
> > fashioned a
> > > > temporary "fix" that stopped the leak.
> > > >     I knew from my experience at Muroc that the Ardun on gas needed
a
> > shorter
> > > > gear than it did on nitro. Brian, however, insisted on trying the
2.48:1
> > cog
> > > > on gas. We changed nozzles, spark plugs, fuel, pill, reset the
barrel
> > valve,
> > > > and were at the front of the line at 2:30 Sunday.
> > > >     When Brian made the 2-3 shift the engine had a helluva time
pulling
> > it,
> > > > finally getting back to 5600RPM at the end of the first timed mile
for a
> > > > speed of 179. Still, we had qualified and headed for impound.
> > > >     In impound we discovered another split in the coolant tank and
the
> > guys
> > > > went to work with more J-B Weld, silicone caulking, aluminum trailer
> > trim,
> > > > and sheet metal screws, this time fighting the 4-hour window allowed
for
> > > > preparing the car for the return run.
> > > >     Monday morning found Brian with the gears changed to the
recommended
> > > > 2.7:1, the engine warmed, and ready for the second leg of his record
> > run. He
> > > > turned a 186 in the 1/4 trap but the car got a little loose and he
> > lifted in
> > > > the mile, slowing to 184.   The average was still 181 for the
record,
> > Brian's
> > > > first Bonneville record. He's been driving our Ardun powered
Dragmaster
> > at
> > > > the nostalgia drags since 1992 but this years Muroc Reunion was his
> > first LSR
> > > > record.
> > > >     Meantime, it was Monday afternoon and we still hadn't had the
rocker
> > > > covers off, the oil was still looking OK, and the oil filter looked
> > clean, so
> > > > we decided to do Rookie runs on gas for crewmembers Ed Weldon and
Mike
> > > > Gorvad. You should have seen the smiles on their faces. Now they're
> > REALLY
> > > > hooked.
> > > >     Tuesday the car just stayed parked in the pits. Brian took the
chase
> > > > pickup and headed for home with grand-dog Othella. He is starting a
new
> > high
> > > > school teaching job in Napa, CA, moving into a new house, and has a
lot
> > of
> > > > preparation to do.
> > > >     By afternoon the weather looked pretty threatening so I
trailered
> > the
> > > > car, cleaned up the pit, and moved the rig to the "bend-of-the-road"
to
> > avoid
> > > > a soggy mess if we got hit by a thunderstorm.
> > > >     Wednesday night was the Two-Club banquet. Lots of vintage engine
> > people
> > > > there including McCain & Houtz (220MPH XF/BFL) and the Hudson Guys
> > (220+MPH
> > > > XO/BFS)(I believe).
> > > >     Thursday AM I headed west, arriving home in 11 1/2 hours. Now
the
> > cleanup
> > > > starts.
> > > >     It's now Tuesday night and everything's cleaned up and
de-salted,
> > the
> > > > Ardun's vital signs look OK for the November El Mirage 2-day meet,
and I
> > can
> > > > spend some time getting ready to test-n-tune the dragster with the
4:71
> > blown
> > > > 258ci Ardun. Hopefully we'll be introducing this engine to the
modified
> > > > roadster soon.
> > > >     My street roadster, the Wife's car, and my 1958 Morris Minor LCV
Van
> > are
> > > > all sporting "Bonneville 200MPH Club" license plate frames.
> > > >     For those of you that have read this missle thus far, thanks for
> > > > listening.
> > > >                                 Ardun Doug King
> > > >
> > >
> > >
>
>


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>