Has anyone here built a car just to take on that one special road trip? I'm building a T RPU just to drive to Bonneville. After that it will be my daily during good weather. Do you have any stories?
I've never been to Bonneville before. I'll have to post some pics when I can get some good ones. It's probably not HAMB friendly. It's a glass T body with a '27 T Henry Ford steel bed, model A grille on a narrowed '31 Chevy frame. I'm running a tube axle with '54 Chevy brakes, parallel leafs front and rear. Out back it has a Ford rear with 3:73 gears and limited slip. Steel wheels up front with Ansen aluminum wheels out back. This will all be motivated by a SBC with a turbo 400 backing it up. Plans for paint are either Washington blue or that Maroon color they used in the 40's.
I built my Chevy II to run on Drag Week. and I've use a special trip as a solid deadline to get a car built...several of them, actually. It's the only way I can motivate myself enough to get them done.
I did a 41 Pontiac to drive to Bonneville speed week and then down through Colorado and Kansas to the HAMB drags...
Back in 09 a Buddy came over to help me do some Shop cleaning. We started talking about another trip to B-Ville. I had multiple piles of parts for several different projects. We started looking and Bench Racing. We made a couple phone calls and next thing you know we were on a mission. This was the first week of June and we were going to B-Ville. We sand blasted and painted and from Crap on the floor built a Pit Car. The Body I have was a mess. We actually wanted Doors that worked and a Windshield with Glass in it and Time was running short. A close friend offered to Loan us a body with working doors. Another offered to loan us a Widshield with Glass in it. We were on a roll. Suddenly we realised we didn't have anything to sit on. Also missing was any way to get Gas to Motor. You got it, another Friend stepped up. Thank God for Friends and we were headed for the Salt. So here we are test driven all of 20 miles and ready to load on the Trailer. So this Car was built with parts scheduled for 6 other Projects. We made it to B-Ville. The important part of this trip was to get together with my Old Drag Racing Buddys. Health issues took out Front engine Fuel Dragster buddy. My Old Jr. Fuel driver was on board as well as a A Gas Supercharged Willys Coupe driver. Needless to say none of us are Kids any more.The best part of this trip was the Surprise. My A Gas pal stopped Driving due to his loss of vision. Once we got to the Salt we let out the Un-Known plan. Our designated Driver was going to be the Blind Guy. What a F-ing Hoot. He hadn't driven for years but took over just like it was yesterday. We had a Riot of a time. We must have said a little more Left or Right a million times that week. We still talk about it. The empty seat was filled by my Younger Brother who now is lost in the Alshimer fog. So you just never know what's coming next. I know for myself it was the best $$$ and time spent ever. While there we also became TV stars in an interview with Mguires products. Fond memories for sure. Once home it all came back apart but for all of us it still means a lot. Here we are on the Salt. It was named the Loaner Car, and that's the story behind it's name. The Wizzard
Good for you. I'm a bucket head and you will have to endure things on the trip in a bucket but you'll love it all.
Yeah, I ran I-70 across Kansas during the summer in a comfy SUV. It got me to thinking about doing it in a T. I know I'll need lots of sunscreen, a light coat, a big brimmed hat and sun glasses. Do they allow you to camp on the salt during the races? I know they don't allow camping otherwise out there?
Good to know! I'll look it up. I've pretty much decided that even if I don't get the truck done, I'm still coming out.
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