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Hot Rods Bonneville Questions

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by johnod, Apr 28, 2014.

  1. johnod
    Joined: Aug 18, 2009
    Posts: 799

    johnod
    Member

    I'm thinking about going to Bonneville this summer, would be my first time.

    Much as I'd like to take my car out on the salt, I do worry about the possible long term salt damage, anyone have any thoughts on that?

    My second question is, if I choose not to take the car on the salt, is there any way in and out to the race area?

    Thanks
     
  2. firingorder1
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,147

    firingorder1
    Member

    How much salt you pick up depends on the condition of the salt. If its dry you're good. If its wet....not so much so. Being you are in Canada I'm thinking there should be some salt preventing stuff up there. There is a product called Salt Away which is pretty good. Bonneville is a huge place. There really is no way around without a car. You can drive to the spectator area and bring a bicycle to ride around. I run on the short course and its about four miles from the pits. If I want to do the Tour de France I'll go to France. If I am going to the short course I'm driving. Bring your car on the salt it really is not that dangerous to your car.
     
  3. TwoLaneBlacktop
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 215

    TwoLaneBlacktop
    Member
    from Burien

    I took my '36 on the salt last year and with the car show at the Nugget each night the first weekend we had a blast. When you get home just like firingorder1 said above get a gallon of Salt Away and have at it. I got a gallon of it at the boating supply store here in Ballard. Is there always a possible issue with the salt long term...... hell yeah. But the experience of haulin ass down the Flats in your hot rod... Priceless !!!!
     
  4. TwoLaneBlacktop
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 215

    TwoLaneBlacktop
    Member
    from Burien

    By the way.......... If you're planning on going be aware all the rooms are mostly full in Wendover already so unless you're going to camp at the bend in the road good luck with getting a room within a hundred miles.
     

  5. Crusty Nut
    Joined: Aug 3, 2005
    Posts: 1,834

    Crusty Nut
    Member

    Yeah, what they said above. If you are a camper, find a place you like and get a shower at the local truck stop. After a day in the heat and salt, a $10 shower and car show at the Nugget will make you feel like a million bucks.
    You need something with wheels, preferable with an engine. Biking everywhere is doable, but would suck. Everything is miles from each other. Also, because of that, it doesn't ever feel crowded, even though lots of people are there.
    Unless it rains, you are just about guaranteed to have a great time.
     
  6. I've been taking my car out there for going on nine years now and yes there has been some damage, but that's what I built it for. The ninety year old tin on the rocker panels started showing some blisters. Made some new panels this winter.
     

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  7. TwoLaneBlacktop
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 215

    TwoLaneBlacktop
    Member
    from Burien

    You won't regret going for sure Johnod. We will be running two cars this year and I wouldn't miss it. Hopefully we see you there.
     
  8. Big Mac
    Joined: Sep 12, 2007
    Posts: 1,565

    Big Mac
    Member
    1. Utah HAMBers

    Is it fun? Yes. Will it do damage to your car? Yes. No getting around that. It gets in places you cannot clean. You will absolutely find problem areas down the road. Of course that stuff is fixable, but you will have stuff rear it's head down the road a ways...

    Should be easy to find a ride from town out to the salt. Lots of hotrodders out there and the large majority are very nice folks. Rental car companies make you sign a waiver that you will not take their car on the salt, just FYI.

    That said, you should go no matter what. You won't regret it. It's an amazing place. See you out there.
     
  9. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Go prepared to camp at Roads end with a tent, sleeping bag and air mattress and you can still get on the list for rooms that the guys who had them reserved canceled that day. You would have to get on a list and sit in the motel lobby or close enough to hear them call you if a room became available but it is an option.

    One year I gave a Semi driver a ride out to the pits because he had his truck parked at the truck stop and wanted to see the racing. If you are that bent on not driving on the salt you most likely can hitch a ride at the bend in the road or roads end.
     
  10. firingorder1
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,147

    firingorder1
    Member

    Opening weekend can be booked out. I had a friend from Denmark show up a couple of years ago. He arrived on the Sat. Went into Wendover and found a room no problem. After the opening weekend there are plenty of rooms. If you really need a room keep an eye on landracing.com People who have booked a room and find they can't make it will put their rooms up for sale. That's how I booked mmy rooms the last two years. Don't let a room be a deciding factor as to whether you go or not. Same for a bit of salt. If you hit a rainstorm or two on the way home it will get rid of a lot of (if not all) the salt.
     
  11. jroberts
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 1,658

    jroberts
    Member

    I have been to Bonneville only once many years ago. I was a crew member and drive my then late model Ford pickup on the salt for a week. I made sure that before leaving Wendover I used the local car wash and put lots of quarters in the slot and washed off every part of the underside of the truck. I was very luck in that about half way back to Noth Carolina I ran into a day long rain storm. I have never found any rust on the truck. As has been said earlier, go ahead get out on the Salt. When the week is over clean it good. Have fun.
     
  12. Kiwi Bob
    Joined: Apr 13, 2010
    Posts: 23

    Kiwi Bob
    Member

    Still rooms available at Montego Bay , Rainbow and Peppermill , click on packages , then Speedweek packages , we coming from Aussie ,stayed at Montego last year, neat place, great food. We'll be working in tech again with Kiwi Steve and the team , looking forward to catching up with the Bonneville crowd again.
     
  13. johnod
    Joined: Aug 18, 2009
    Posts: 799

    johnod
    Member

    What about rooms in Wells?
     
  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Depends on if driving 60 miles each way early in the morning and probably late at night is your cup of tea. Damned sure not mine I'd rather sleep in my tent and take the 10.00 shower at the truck stop.

    As someone said there are so many guys going now that most rooms within 100 miles are spoken for. From the photos I've seen the past few years there seem to be a high number of posers who just go to the Hotel parking lot to pose and never make it to the salt with their car and they take up a lot of space and rooms that people who actually go for the racing could use.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2014
  15. RidgeRunner
    Joined: Feb 9, 2007
    Posts: 906

    RidgeRunner
    Member
    from Western MA

    If you haven't already, check out Landracing.com and the forums. Lots of info on all the problems associated with being a salt addict and how to minimize them.

    There might be a possibility there is an entrant from your general area that could use a go fer to lend a hand along with sharing some of the tow expenses. I had a chance to go that way in the past when I couldn't afford to go solo. Worked out well all around. I enjoyed every min of it and have lifetime memories I wouldn't have had otherwise.

    Ed
     
  16. johnod
    Joined: Aug 18, 2009
    Posts: 799

    johnod
    Member

    Thanks for all the tips.

    Is there any point in using Salt Away BEFORE going on the salt, or is it strictly an after the fact thing?
     
  17. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,748

    aircap
    Member


    before.
     
  18. johnod
    Joined: Aug 18, 2009
    Posts: 799

    johnod
    Member

    You mean yes, use it before?:confused:
     
  19. Before AND after. Read their website.
    If you've dealt with salted roads its the same thing just more concentrated. Don't over think it, just go.:)
     
  20. Bader 2
    Joined: Nov 20, 2013
    Posts: 115

    Bader 2
    Member

    What about spraying a non stick product like Pam all over everything, it works good on bugs up here in the summer!
     
  21. I have taken my OT truck out for the last 5 years. On your last trip on the salt, have the bulk of the salt removed by the guy with the pressure sprayer at land's end. Hope for a good rainstorm on the way home. When I get home, I use an oscillating lawn sprinkler under the truck. I move it around and usually do it for at least 8 hours. After that, I go to the car wash and pressure spray under the entire truck. Do the sprinkler ahead of the pressure spray. The pressure will sometimes drive the salt into nooks and crannies that you do not want. Lastly, I run the truck up on my ramps and crawl around under looking for any remaining salt. If there is any left, I use my garden hose to remove it. Lot of work but worth it.
     
  22. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    What he said. I took my 77 Ford pickup to the salt from '78 to '92 with no rust showing on the sheet metal. Then used my '92 Dodge D2500 until 2011. Still have the truck. No rust. IN 2011 I got a GMC 3/4 ton and it has seen the salt since then. Sometimes I go two or three meets a year. You just need to get under it and wash it good. Not fun but that's the price for being a Bonneville racer. Blue roadster to the left has been going, off and on since '58. And it's still here.
     
  23. barnsearcher
    Joined: Jul 19, 2010
    Posts: 86

    barnsearcher
    Member
    from Ohio

    Made my first trip out on the salt to watch last year. As others have stated you just need to go. We spent three nights at the Rainbow. Before leaving town on our last day the local high school cheerleaders were doing washes for a donation. The kids spent 30 minutes spraying under the car and then washed the outside. Best advice I got was from an old guy here on the HAMB....when I got home (Ohio) I jacked up the car and ran a sprinkler under it for a day. What little was left fell on the ground.
     
  24. spooler41
    Joined: Feb 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,099

    spooler41
    Member

    A rain storm is your friend on the way home. This worked for me in '99, I spent
    4 days on the salt with out any future problems. I encountered a day long rain storm
    on the way home to the NW. I still have that Astro van, with no rust any where to be seen. And ,YES ,I still want to return to the salt. That was one of my most memorable
    weeks of my life.

    ......................Jack
     
  25. Don Martin
    Joined: Nov 2, 2006
    Posts: 191

    Don Martin
    Member
    from West Tenn

    GO and don't worry about what might happen. Been the last 2 years should have been going for 20. We will be running a Comp Coupe 53 Studebaker this year and can't wait to get it salty.
    It's all fun Scaaty Racing Don
     
  26. WZ JUNK
    Joined: Apr 20, 2001
    Posts: 1,848

    WZ JUNK
    Member
    from Neosho, MO

    I took my mini van to the salt a couple of years ago. I used salt away before and after the trip and I have not found any signs of damage. Be sure to overlay the carpets of the vehicle with plastic to keep salt out of the carpet. After years of racing, the race car and trailer have had some damage, but we have repaired them. My own experience says to stay away from the high pressure car washes as they tend to force salt into seams and other areas. Set up a lawn sprinkler under the vehicle when you get home, and move it around from time to time, to dissolve the salt. Flush everything and treat it with salt away again. The salt away products neutralize the salt.


    John
     
  27. Reverborama
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 195

    Reverborama
    Member
    from Minnesota

    We use PAM (actually the store brand -- we are cheap) and it does a good job of keeping the salt off. Afterwards we stop for a quick wash from the guys at the end of the road then find a self-service car wash and spend a lot of time and quarters under the car. Oh, and we use drop cloths and duct tape to line the inside of our car as well to keep the tracked-in salt to a minimum. Don't use blue painters tape -- it doesn't stick.

    IMHO the salt is the least of your worries. Bring SPF 50, apply early and often, and pretend you are standing on a mirror, which you are. If you wear shorts you need to go alllll the way up your legs or you will get the worst sunburn you can imagine. In the ears, under the chin and nose, etc. And get lip balm with an SPF rating, too.

    If you want to minimize the driving on the salt bring a bicycle -- but bring a junker purchased at the thrift store or buy a $65 one at Walmart in Salt Lake City. When you are finished, donate it to the Wendover Fire department. Any serviceable bike will go to some local kid that can't afford one.
     
  28. TwoLaneBlacktop
    Joined: Feb 23, 2009
    Posts: 215

    TwoLaneBlacktop
    Member
    from Burien

    ....................and a big freakin hat !!!!
     

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