Projects Bad Banana Resurrection - 55 Chevy Gasser

I like the discs on the rear, have you tried a set on the front? I also liked the Super Tricks too (or were they Centerlines?). Either way, this is one tuff-looking car.

 

The Moon discs I have are 15" and the steel wheels are 14". I really don't want to screw them on the Super Trick fronts. I have them screwed to the rears.

 

Lettering gone from the rear tires. It still has the animal heat in it from running it.

 

Holy crap... I love the new look !!

I also seriously hate you... Not only do we still have 4 foot snow drifts around here... it snowed again last night. We are still a long way away from our normal high's for this time of year... with Flood warnings when it does all melt... and 6 weeks from our track's opening day.

See you at Meltdown

 

Nice to hear she's running well....great picture.

 

Looks bitchin

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

I can't say at this point. I had told Don previously that I may not be able to make it. That weekend is bad timing for me. I usually have to work the Hot Rod Power Tour which starts that weekend. I usually don't get my work schedule until May sometime for HRPT. Also Austin is still in school then and would have to miss Friday and Monday if we go.

It is a 9 hour tow each way and I have done it twice now. We'll have to wait and see. I dunno....

 

First time out for 2013 should be this Sunday April 28th at Milan Dragway with the Great Lakes Gassers. The weather looks like it may be OK by then. Right now it is still rainy and cold.

 

How do you have the front clip attached? Is it lift off or hinged?

 

It has 2 light weight hinges on the front of the frame. Mostly hinge it up at the track but it comes off pretty easy by removing 2 bolts.

Pinned at the rear (top and bottom corners)

 

Look'in good Bad Banana!

 

Milan was supposed to be today but the weatherman killed it. However, Austin and I were chomping at the bit to shake this thing down somewhere. So we looked hard at the radar this morning and it looked like Mid-Michigan Motorplex may escape the rain. So we rolled the dice and took off north west.

It was overcast but the track was in awesome shape! We just paid to "test". I drove it off the starting line at an idle on the first pass and it went 10.29 @ 130+ It felt very strong all the way down the track. It sounds and feels stronger even in the burn box (maybe I am just getting older and scare easier?). You must remember this car is probably 50-60 lbs heavier than it was last year too.

Took it back and looked it over. All looked good so we decided to let it eat a little. I left on the trans brake @ 3000 rpm and it carried the front a short distance then just started truckin' down the track. Time slip says.... 10.05 @ 131 + NEW BEST ET! (and the old man was riding along too!!)

We decided to make one more time run so I turned up the starting line RPM to 3600 and it went into it's normal huge wheelstand and went 10.09 @ 131+.

Since we were there, they were having a bracket race so we entered that. First round I was .011 on the tree and lost at the strip by .0003 (3 ten thousandths of a second )

Car seems good. We still have a small oil leak but we'll address that next week. I still have a few things I can do. I need to reset the timing and re-adjust the valves but I am very happy with it. We look solidly in the 10.0s right where I want it!

 

That's a big atta-boy there son...

Jealous as hell...we got our first few decent days of spring this weekend. The snow is all but gone but now we're looking at a nasty flood forecast...opening day at the track is 3 weeks away

 

Hauling bananas, what were the number on the first round, close to the other two ?

 

10.112 on the brakes. By the other numbers on the run it would have been about a 10.06 or 10.07

 

Gratz on the great runs for the first time out! If all goes well i will be doing my break in at the Detroit Drag Reunion, are you going to that event?

 

Yep... as long as the weather holds out.

 

Yeah, i have been keeping a close eye on that =/

 

I went to the Detroit Dragway Reunion at Milan Dragway today and got a chance to talk to Rusty. Also, I got to see a couple of runs in the Bad Banana. Look at the smile on his face in the car. Great to talk Rusty, and I wish you a lot more fun with your special project.

 

As 55belairman points out, we were at the Detroit Dragway Reunion yesterday. Met a lot of HAMBers. It was quite a nice day for bench racing but we didn't get much actual racing in.

If the weather would have been better and there were no crashes/oil downs that event would have been a home run. However, there were many delays and the rain finally came about 6:30 pm and we headed home after only making two time runs all day.

First run was the same set up we ran two weeks ago at MMM and it went another 10.05 @ 130.87 mph in the windy conditions. Not much air under the front tires and some folks asked "what up?" So the second run we had it set on "show" but the track did not hold it . It spun at the launch combined with the track deciding we were only going to run 1/8 mile the rest of the day so that run was kind of a scrapper..

That was it and we headed home in the rain and wind. Not yet sure of the next time out. I did get my Hot Rod Power Tour schedule and I will be working the second half. So the weekend of the June 7-9 we are not racing. However, that does leave me open for the weekend before. Right now I would like to run Thompson, OH but I haven't been able to find much info on that event. Does anyone know how that race is run? Is it an index race, bracket race, trophy race? Can someone provide a link or flyer for it?

 

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I really like the Chevy bowtie cutout into the front grille area! great idea!

 

Yea.. I have seen that but it has no detail at all. I don't want to get there and find out entry fee is $125 for a trophy to win or they have some silly rule that doesn't allow me to run, etc... I'm not towing 4-5 hours each way without knowing what to expect when I get there.

Why is it so hard to post essential info about a race for RACERS on the internet? It is only a couple weeks away and if I can't find answers to my questions, I'll stay home or go somewhere else.

 

Sorry i missed you Rusty, but I did see your 10.06 pass and it looked great. Weather threw a curve at us bht all in all a good time.........
I see Ill have to be carful with the banana jokes this year......you guys got her running real nice........good job.
johnny Rotten

 

Actually... It was 10.05

I thought I saw you go a 10.06? Hmmmm...

 

Yehhh I know........
I couldnt get it outta first gear..............

 

That is one baaaaad 55!

 

You know you are right, I looked around for 20 minutes on the net and can't find rules or anything.

 

They do have enrty fees and times listed now.

 

http://www.thompsonracewaypark.com/

Gasser Race Fees
Friday May 31st
Race entry (Car & Driver) $75.00
Adults $20.00 Kids (6-12) $10.00
Saturday June 1st
Adults $20.00 Kids (6-12) $10.00


Gasser Race Times
Thursday May 30th Early pit parking 10:00am - 5:00pm
Friday May 31st Gates open 7:00am
Tech & Time Trials 9:00am
Gamblers Race 4:00pm
AA/Gas Qual. 5:00pm
Saturday June 1st Gates Open 7:00am
Tech & Time Trials 9:00am
409 Shootout 2:00pm
Gasser Finals 5:00pm