Thanks 300, your car is looking real nice, Mark & Mike can sure put togeather some nice rides. Keep the pictures coming.
Such as a Tommy Lift on the back, or a davit crane on the side? Sorry, Sir, just couldn't resist it. It seems I've started developing a bit of tendonitis at the knees myself, and may be looking into some such devices eventually as well.
So I'm guessing you will need to get some new lettering on the car? Something about the "Bionic Man"? Heal fast Tom, looking forward to staging next to you one of these days.
old6rodder -- Let,s hope not, operations & recovery sure get in the way of our fun. RacerRoy3 -- Your wife is right on with that one. 64 DODGE -- With the recovery, move to the coast & mods to the car I should be ready to match race you about the same time you get your ride on the track.
Glad to hear the new body parts are working out well. You want to get out of the heat. I want to get out of the cold. We should be neighbors on the coast.
FLYER -- thanks for the good word and rehab therapy will be my daily activity. Just being able to walk again will be a great thing, getting back in the car will be a plus, we will see. Maybe next summer. As a side note I have got two 1.02 carbs rebuilt & set to try on the car and have three 1.08 to go through and setup. Thanks for all the information on the units. bobw -- Ya the heat won, hope to get moved in May '15, just talked to grandkids a few days ago and they said it was snowing and 28 degrees in MI. Looks like you stored the dragster for the winter just in time. Now you can finish a few other projects.
Well it's real quite out there guys, anyone making changes, modifications or just plain old school race/hot rod stuff these days. With my SDRA hot rod in storage for a few months I really can't do anything. What a shame, as the weather has been great 65-75 most all month. Sorry bobw, taked to the Grandkids Sunday in MI and they have 3' snow at there house and it was 24 degrees. It will change soon with the normal 90-100+ summer starting in May - Oct, hope to complete move to the coast before we see any heat. Hip surgery therapy going well, better each day. Maybe just maybe back in the car for are ANRA august or october race, we will see.
Hi Tom. Good to hear the hip rehab is going well. Much better to drive your car than to be the "crew chief". And good luck on relocating to the coast. All that nasty weather has missed us. January had an unusual week or so of above freezing weather, then some colder weather. Now it is in the 20's and low 30's. Pretty good for this area. It's getting lighter sooner and staying lighter later so the winter blues are leaving. I'm working steadily on the Rover hoping to have it on the road by late spring. Doing lots of planning on the Bantam. Pretty much know how I will build it. However, the Renault is next so it will be fall before sparks fly on the Bantam. I need to sell some cars to finance the current projects so if you have any ANRA friends that would like a Crosley, let them know about mine. Biggest issue for me is my thumbs are wearing out causing weakness, pain and '"fumblitis". Everything I try to pick up hits the floor. I'm going to go through your buld to look at the driveshaft enclosure. If you have any additional advice about how to do that I'd appreciate it. Also, what did you have for driveshaft eovers in your fast cars?
bobw -- Sent you a PM on the cover. I will let the guys out this way know that the Crosley is on the sale block, if it was out in our area I think we would have 4 at our ANRA events. Sorry to hear about your hands, more than likely caused from all the extra work they do turning out those fine built hot rods.
Well I thought I would post on my thread a few things that have come my way in the last few weeks. Just when my hip recovery was going good I had to have my Defebulater replaced in my chest, all went well until 2 weeks ago when I had mild stroke that has screwed up my eyes and I am unable to drive and see out the left side of each eye. Speech & body movement are OK at this time. We are still in the process of selling are house in Bakersfield, CA and making the move back over to the coast. I have decided to part with the SDRA dragster at this time, can always build another one if things change. I will be posting the ad in the next few days in the classified HAMB section. If you know of anyone looking for a turn key car let me know. I will still be on the HAMB as it is a fine group of people and thanks for all the fine words. Best of luck to all racers at the ANRA Openner 4/18&19 and Eagle Field 5/15-17 out CA way. Life is like a poker game and you have to play what your delt, I will get through this. Thanks to all, old28
Tough news, Tom. But, you are a fighter and have a great attitude. I know you will make the best of the situation. Sometimes I think the "gold" of the "Golden Years" is a bit tarnished. Hoping for a full recovery for you. That ocean air should help, eh?
Best of luck Tom. If you do have to hang up your driving gloves I hope you will find other ways to stay involved in racing. I too am recovering from a broken hip from a January bike crash, with complications. Life can be tenuous indeed.
Thanks Bob, It may be a little different than I had hoped for but lots of people have it a lot worse. I may look back in a few months and see how lucky I was to be able to race for 45+ years. If I can not drive maybe I will build or buy another 28-29 roadster pickup and have my friends drive me around the beach area in it. You are sure right, that fresh ocean air will feel nice. Right now I am just trying to get well so we can fly out to MI to see my oldest grandson graduate from H.S. in June. Looking forward to seeing your report on your first passes with the new modified dragster.
Tom, all my love and plenty of hugs. Hoping for a speedy recovery. Look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.
FrenchTown Flyer -- 440 -- HAMBsterLady ---- Thanks to all for the good words. At this point all I want is to be well enough to make the plane flight to MI in June to see my oldest grandsons High School graduation. When you get up in the morning you never know how the day will end, but like I told bobw a lot of people have it a lot harder than me. I have been doing this front motor drag racing going on 50 years, tried to stop a few times, but always come back so I am sure I will stay in it in some way as long as I can. Thank the MAN ABOVE each day for letting you do what we all love in this GREAT COUNTRY.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Tom. I'll be pulling for you to make to your grandson's graduation. I know how important that can be. Family is everything. At our age it seems like we are always recovering from something. I had to have a follow up surgery to the prostate cancer surgery I had last year. It seem like it get harder to come back each time, but don't give up. My grandson asks me every time I see him "when I we going to get back to building that race car"?
Racer Roy 3 --- Thanks a lot for the prayers and good words. You are right on about recovery at our ages, much harder and longer. I will make the graduation one way or another. He has put it all on the line this last 4 years working hard on getting a college football schoolership to help pay the bills and been keeping A & B average on his grades. He has been picked up by a small Div II private college in Southern, MI and this proud Grampa sure don't want to miss seeing his new home for the next 4+ years. I know it will all work out OK, just need to keep a positive attitude.
If you are any where near Milan Michigan come out to the strip on Sunday and give me a hand with my six banger Super Pro car. PM me.
Tom,thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery, I hope you n make the trip back east this summer for your Grandsons Graduation.
Well this is a "Good Day & a SO/SO Day. The good part is that I sold the HAMBster Dragster to a racer from Dos Palos, CA area, "Home OF Eagle Field Drags". Looks like another HAMB style dragster for the flag start races. Best of luck Gary and have some fun. The so/so part is "WHEN I GET THROUGH THIS MEDICAL STUFF, I MAY HAVE TO BUILD ANOTHER". Now the bad news, I am keeping my thread and will still be on the air.
old-6 ---- I am sure you know the guy, his name is Gary and he helps Les with the yellow rear motor GMC car at Eagle Field. I don't know if he will make the May race at Eagle, put the second one for sure. I'm just glad that someone that likes this type of car got it. Joe Roseberry came down from the lake and helped ous with his trailer.Lots of good help and they made it easy for me getting car out of storage. Good luck at the ANRA opener.
Well just a little up date to keep my friends informed. I have had some improvement with my eyes since the stroke. My right eye has returned to a normal state ( what ever normal is for a 70 year old dude) and the left eye is maybe 20% better but still hope for more improvement in the months to come. Dr. is happy with the changes and feel that we have a chance for some more positive improvements in the left eye. All is good, I'm feeling better each day. Now the real good news. We have sold our house in (BAKOfield, its 106 today) and purchased another in Ventura, CA (out on the coast). We are 3/4 of the way through the Buy / Sell process and should be relocated by mid July. This is a give and take deal (half the house size for double the money). It costs to have ocean air and 60-75 degree each day. Good racing to all this summer and be safe.
Well guys and gals we are now living in our new home in Camarillo, CA. Nice to be back home as I worked in and for the city for 35 years. 8 miles from the beach with nice cool ocean breeze each day. Temp is 77 degrees today and my buddy just called and said it is 104 F in bakersfield, CA today, I can't say I really miss it. Still having some improvements with my eyes after the stroke. Right side normal and left about 65%. I have started driving again and have made 3 trips between Bako & Camarillo over the grapevine without any damage to others. Just hope for continued improvement. Don't know if I will ever be able to drive a race car again, only time will tell. Good racing to all and stay safe.
Tom, glad you found a place in a more suitable climate. Ya know, ya don't hafta see that good to race in straight line. Anyway, you will probably have more improvement as time marches on. With my mild stroke I have recovered 100% and people I know have seen improvement over a long period of time so there a good possibility it will keep getting better. We're going to run the Crosley the end of the month at Brainerd. Guy I know is taking it there as I am taking the dragster. I hope to grudge race against myself. I'll get pics, and maybe video.
Ya bob, that's true but you still need to see the center line. I really do feel that as I push on that it is getting better each day. Sounds like the slicks are working out good, may have to run a little higher air pressure when the track has a good prep and sticks. Just keep in mind that all the 6's need a lot of cfm to make HP and down the road you may want to move to a dual 4bl setup as some of the guys in the Pacific Northwest group run. With these motors it is more about air/fuel & lots of timing than it is about big cams, in short it ain't no sbc sitting out there. Good luck with your SDRA/Crosley match race, cut a light on him & take no prisoners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Jalopy Journal
