Event Coverage The Official 2014 Meltdown Drags #5 thread, vintage drag meet, July 18,19&20 Byron IL

Wow, I guess I was way too busy enjoying myself at the best damn vintage drags in the country to know all this drama bulls**t was happening. Please do not let a couple of doofus whining babies ruin this awesome event for the rest of us! Since pre entry number 1 and 2 are already taken, I will take number 3!!!!

 

And I assume my signature will be valid for next year.........

 

I know right!I wanted to see that big Pontiac run all weekend,and I never even saw it in the lanes....it was just overwhelming!There was SO much to do and see that my Dad and I found ourselves wishing we could be in three places at once all weekend long!

You guys totally knocked it out of the park!

Thanks again guys.

And AJ: I think I'm gonna need some dimensions from your chassis.....

Scott


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what year was the camaero

 

Step up and be that guy to keep the place safe. Rule's and criteria are to be enforced, not fudged and ignored. See what has transpired the last 3 years at the event. Massive increase of racers & hence more problems from a few. Set your rules in stone and enforce them to the letter. Encourage the rest to be like minded, or they can find another event to run/jeopardize.

 

Well said, Koop & Paul,...this is great news, count the Tin Butchers crew in to help with the swapmeet again next year; we feel priviledged to be able to help with such a great event. It's our favorite event of the year.

 

You could always go to invite only? Send a pic and list of info about the car. The Club reviews the applications. You're not in until you get your registration packet.

 

It was a 67 and actually a pretty cool period car but a year or 2 too new.

 

I appreciate all the hard work and the love for vintage racing that goes into making the Meltdown such a fantastic weekend of old time drag racing. I'll be ready for some more next summer.

 

a recent posting on face book said 1966 cars and earlier for 2015. there have been postings here calling for a stricter set of rules to make the event look like 1966. some posts have been nasty about the guy in the camaero. did any one look at the build date of the camaero. remember car factories close out the current years production by the end of june. in july the factories close down and retool for the next year. by late august cars are being delivered to dealerships. so the 1967 camearos made between august 1966 and december 31 1966 were racing in 1966. no amount of whining can change history. so how does this play out for 2015? here are three ideas. checking build dates at the gate is one option. i don't think it is a reasonable one though. second change the language to read 1966 model year and earlier. third let the guy race because in the later third of 1966 there were cameros racing at americas drag strips. i get what the md is trying to do and i support them for it. i get the vibe that is trying to be made. the guy with the camaero may be a hamd member looking at this site. should he see that a car from 66 is legal and his car was made in 66 i can see why he brought it. and may attempt to bring it again.I'm not looking to open a can of worms here. its great to have strict rules just make sure all the loop holes are closed. and we may need a nitrous ruling because it was around and was used for racing. they just didn't use a ugly blue bottle and it was not that common. this all starts a slippery slope. right now correct wheels are a must. and I'm all for it. in time is vinyl lettering and fake gold leaf going to be taboo. are 5inch monster tachs on the list. how about enderle bug catchers with out the ribs on top. how about tires no wider than 10 inches and modern looking wheelie bars. in 66 racers were not doing smokey burnouts. to be 66 correct a few dry hops was all you did. do the pits need to look like 66 also? so long motor homes and enclosed trailers. i think a clear like crystal clear set of dos and donts needs to be made. everyone has a opinion on what is considered correct. I'm middle of the road with all of this as far as what is considered acceptable. the md has a far better look to its shows than good guys or the nhra heritage series. when lines start to be drawn it becomes a matter of where do you stop. not every one is going to be happy. there will always be the hard core and the not so hard core.

 

Sign me up @ # 44!!

 

I didn't get to make it this year after getting my car accepted. So I can not comment on anything I seen happen. But I thought the rules were well wrote. Stick to your guns fine tune if needed someone will always try to know more and stretch the rules. Camaero is spelled camaro and it was debuted in late sept. I will make the trip next year with a correct car.

 

i would also like to make a comment on the girls in short shorts backing up cars close to the starting line then running off to let the guys do the final staging. this is completely incorrect for 1966 and very out of place for a early vintage race. the hot girls were only on the track when the hurst car made a parade lap bowing and waving to the crowd. the jungle pam type shows started years later with the funny cars. but i did watch to make sure they were doing it right.

 

sign me up!!
don't care what number.. I just wanna play !!!!
my ears are still ringin' !! cool

also, if you need volunteers for a few hours a day at the track.. , sign me and Cheryl up for that too !

awesome-awesome-awesome!!!

 

spelled well written and saw happen. sept 29th to be exact as far as showing up at dealerships. production started prior to that.

 

tricky steve we talked on friday. very nice car. i saw a pic of the car and a video making a pass how did it go?

 

hey racer -x.
thanks a ton for the compliment!
I was about a zillion miles off on tune up, and it banged the blower just about the 330' or so I coasted out the back. dang it !
I eased into it not knowing what the stupid heap would do with real traction.. felt lean all the way (lazy)
I was focused all year on the stupid valve train, (night mare) and snoozed on the tune up. I left tune up stuff at home. Cheryl told me to take it along.. (doh!)
the valve train survived (yaay) and the a/c was nice.. even though it wasn't really hot. just better on the ears to drive it with the windows up. (about 350 mile trip each way)
The highlight of my weekend, besides meeting so dang many nice people , was taking
"isky" down the track.. waaaay cool guy, super nice, and very humble..
**and yes, my heap has an isky cam and isky red line lifters.. only ones that will live !! ha-ha!!

can't wait till next year.. ! Paul said he went ahead and ordered the same weather for 2015.. so we're golden !

 

steve the efi looked very cool and well hidden. i ran into a bunch of tuning problems too. i was not familiar with efi until this year. i found a efi tuning master. he was highly recommended by fast efi and several owners of quick efi cars. his name is larry. look up [email protected] his shop is located near 173 and 83 illinois. going lean in a blown car can cause huge damage before you can lift. give him a call and schedule some dyno time. its by far the most accurate and in the long run least expensive way to tune the car safely. his number is 847-838-0393. i can't believe the job he did on my car. and as a bonus he was showing me what he was doing so i know how to do it.

 

Racer X As far as the Camaro goes even if the Camaro was made in 66 doesn't matter still a 67 no way to change that. You need to look at what the fans are going to see 99% of the fans and people there know the first Camaro is a 67. This event is not EVER going to be 1966 so that being said the burn outs, Girls lining cars up and most of the other stuff u mentioned are just going to be way to nit picking and will turn the crowd away. This is about putting on a show to LOOK vintage even if some people know exactly how it was in 1966 99% of the Fans don't and more than likely wouldn't have as much fun without burnouts and all the other stuff that makes the show. If this event had some of the rules enforced that you mentioned above there would be no event. From the stands no one can tell if a car has Paint or vinyl in most cases, what kind of tach they have, or if there bug catcher has ribs on them or not. To be honest you have to use a little more common sense when it comes to the criteria other wise there would be only a hand full of cars and maybe 50 people in the stands and I know for a fact the track wouldn't have a closed track for ya if that were the case, you would be stuck running new Hondas and Subaru's ad whatever else showed up.

 

im not asking for those things to be enforced go back and re read it. my point was and still is what is and is not considered acceptable. everyone has a different opinion. its all a big compromise to please everyone. you just listed several things you know are not era correct and are ok with it due to the show. yet you won't give the camaro a free pass. you should be a politician with that double talk.. you missed the mark on judging the fans myself included. the fans i sat next to were very car savvy. to the right of me was a group that knew most of the regular nostalgia crowd. the also talked about their years going to indy and bakersfield since they were kids. the guys were hard core historians. they invited us to leave early choosing to head over to cordova for the nitro jam later friday night. to the left of me was none other that nitro neil bisciglia. don't mind him he don't know jack only set numerous a fuel dragster records at bakers field and even runnered up some years back. his old crew man won two march meets with neil crewing on the first. the couple behind me was very sharp. the wife new more about the cars than most guys. could this be that 5% and i just got lucky to have chosen a spot next to them. those fans also venture into the pits to get a up close and personal look. those fans are not stupid. if they came to the md they are most likely into cars and know whats going on. don't under estimate them. I'm not looking to start a pissing match here. I'm just drawing awareness to the mess that can be created with too many rules. we all need to find a happy medium. as far as the chevy i pointed out a possible loop hole and gave a opinion to close it with some simple word changes.

 

thanks for the info !!
I had it really close, then last year(on the way to the melt down drags) it broke a rocker arm let me down.. so I've been fighting valve train gremlins, and just sort of ignored the tune up. it runs great on the street, driving to work,etc.. starts and runs good. and doing burn-outs etc. but hooked up at the track= different deal. NFG.. need more dyno time. for sure.
sooo.. I think i'll take ya up on that, and give that guy a call, for sure after I get my junk fixed (junked an intake valve when it banged. so I loosened it up a fuzz, and drove it home)
just driving the thing about 750- 800 miles, and making it home, was a win for me.. would have been super sweet to lay down a good number, but.. there is next year, for sure !!

 

Holy crap I just seen the last bit of coverage of the meltdown on bangshift and I was floored at all the pics of my Willys pickup good god I had a blast and am ready for meltdown 2015 is it time to line em up yet sign me up already


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Can't wait for the official sign up. Had a blast, had a great time for 3 days.

 

Its a shame the Camaro drew such negativity. Even though it was one year to new, the old paint and build style was in the spirit of the meltdown. That being said, I do totally understand and endorse the stricter enforcement of the rules.
As for N2O, the un written rule was to keep it under cover or hidden. I'm sure the safety crew at Byron is used to dealing with that blue bottle every other weekend of the race season, so safety shouldn't be a concern.

 

if that engine detonated hard enough to damage a valve i would pull the piston and look at the ring lands very close. also look for a curved shadow on the side of the piston on the exhaust side. this is a true sign of too much heat and can warp the groove. if the plug gap closed this also a big indicator of a extreme lean condition. also look at the rings to see if the moly was being pulled off. ask me how i know. i fought detonation problems a few years ago that all but destroyed my hemi. a good insurance policy is a msd-7 with boost retard. as the boost comes on it will pull timing. this is huge in a blown engine. detonation is the engines worst enemy. brought on by excessive heat. the pressurized air is hot some where around 250 degrees. the box is not cheap but it is cheaper than a new engine. and it works

 

Racer x I am not trying to start a pissing match either but if you would have read this earlier....

"That being said the rules were put in place NOT to be a game, not to test the inspectors. They were put in place to get like minded racers together to race with cars like their own! If you feel the need to ‘test’ the rules or do it your way…..DO NOT attend! This goes for delay boxes, stutter boxes, wheels or hood scoops….the biggest things that we have issues with. IF you cannot RESPECT the RULES….you are telling the MDA and the fans “ I do not respect you and the event” Please DO NOT ATTEND! "

I am Pretty sure the "loop poles" are what Eric is referring to in his post earlier. So allowing a car that was built in 66 to run even though we all know its still a 67 is just going to cause more problems and you know it so y even try to bring it up.

 

Well put Eric and Paul. MDA you guys put on one hell for a weekend, keep the flame!!

 

I'm just trying to say with my posts is there are some grey areas that need to be addressed. a few months ago it was stated here some exemptions would be made to what gets in the show. if it was off a year or two but fit the spirit of the show a exemption would be made. now a guy shows up with a 67 and was let in to the show and a few are all upset with it. its not like it wasn't stated here by the mda this exact situation could happen so tell me how someone was testing the rules. if i remember correctly paul made the post. i personally don't like camaros and don't think they belong at the melt down. i was just pointing out how this car could have shown up and felt like it should be included. i drove my 66 chevelle to the md and chose to put it in the show field because i felt it didn't fit theme of the event. i just drove it there because it was a nice day to go for a ride in a 38 year old car.

 

What you should of drove to the Meltdown was a Dodge with a Ram on the side and proceeded to the staging lanes for a fire burnout!!

 

i did read it. now you should go back further and read post 1702 and 1703 from this thread. it was stated there exemptions would be made. i don't see how the rules were intentionally tested. some where someone made a exemption at the gate. the man paid his money and was let in to race his car. if posts are made by the mda staff stating there will be some flexibility to this rule on a very limited basis don't be shocked when some one shows up with some thing he or she feels may qualify for the exemption. if the mda had no problem letting him in why should any one else. its no different from a call in a sporting event. if a call is made you don't like too bad move on its just a game. the mda does not have instant replay at the gate. you are either in or out. if the post race feed back shows they don't want certain cars next year just change the wording to exclude them. it was one car. its part of the fine tuning the event will go through. every year will be better than the previous one. as far as understanding what the crowd likes i get it. i used to race my car for a living in all its non era correctness.