Projects rebuilding after the crash

That's the plan.
There had to be a reason the front seal and bushing went bad. I started to look at the bell housing to see how it was lined up with the block. Just because I set it up correctly this spring doesn't mean it didn't move. It turns out the dowel pins wollowed out the holes in the mid plate. The dowels are a stepped design. The side that goes in the mid plate is only 3/8 were the bell housing side is around 5/8ths. I lined up the bell housing then I indicated it. I used a dill to make the holes the same size. Next I made new dowel pins that are a few thousands larger so it all fits tight. I re indicated the bell housing and its within spec. That should end those problems.
Problem identified. Problem solved.

 

Sorry it didn't work out Brian, but you gave it your all, and burnt a helluva lot of midnight oil trying to fix it. I'm sure you'll be back next time bigger, badder, and faster.

 

Tony mcmopar is at drag week. This towel was in the goodie bag.

 

Cool!

 

Well at least your still famous. As for the hardships. As the Lama told Carl... “Oh, uh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed you will receive total consciousness.” So you got that goin for ya, which is nice.


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I can't see S#/T captain, maybe you took that in a blizzard!

 

Not bad being paired with Jonnie and Oz's bad arse wagon--hemis rule!

Roo

 

Yah that was a cool surprise. Tony mcmopar is at the event. I called him to see if he could grab my goodie bag. The first guy told him I had to be present to get it. Tony stopped by registration a second time later in the day and talked to another guy. He was cool and gave him a bag so I have the collector items with my car on them. Thanks tony.
The converter was dropped off at automatic transmission design also known as hipsters in German town Wi. this morning. It will be fixed by thursday.

 

Roo
Info or a link on that 57 wagon???
Preciate it!

 

The plan is to make a street driven fuel coupe. Yes fuel coupe. As in nitro.


I have been following this thread, fascinated with every facet of all the posts. I suppose its because I'm late to this party, (in life), wishing now that I'd have been able to be deeply involved earlier in my life.
By that I mean, building and living the life, not just as a hobbyist, but on the level of your involvement and that of "squirrel".
The sentence above that you posted blows me away. If I had done anything in the hobby at your level it would have been to own and race a 33/34 Ford Fuel Coupe...........mmmm(I think).
There was a 30 A around these parts, years back, that evolved into what I believe must have been close to a FC as it was very wild. Started out as a extremely nice little blue model A owned by (2) brothers who exported meat products & became a beast of lime green as I recall. So wild it would literately jump from spot to spot like any bad ass fuel car. No idea what ever happened to it as a new married life at that point took me out of that sandbox for a good while.
I want to express my thanks for this post and keeping us updated and............to all you other posters also for your input.
34 Lar.

 

My mate Richie Crampton originally built it with a twin turbo LS for drag week in 2017. He sourced a the wagon out of Texas and put a full tube chassis (that he built himself) underneath it. Hauled the slicks and spares on the roof rack and ran in the 8's that year. Last year following the US Nats he and Jonnie Lindberg got together and with fellow Aussie Jamie Noonan supplying a water jacketed block and heads they put the rest of Lindberg's alky funny car engine and transmission package in the car. It ended up running in the sixes at over 200 mph.
Try these for some more info:
https://speedsociety.com/richie-cra...he-tafc-powered-57-chevy-wagon-on-the-street/
https://www.racepagesdigital.com/pr...go-street-car-racing-presented-by-nitto-tire/
And this is probably the best and most accurate:
https://www.holley.com/blog/post/ho..._wagon_hundreds_of_miles_from_track_to_track/
Here is a bit of video as well:
This is the original version:
And as it is now:


With the original package (LS and turbos) Richie even had his mum behind the wheel on the streets of Brownsburg when she and his dad were visiting from Oz.

Roo

 

I thought it looked familiar, I seem to recall seing it in ?Hot Rod? in its first iteration.
I think the article showed a photo of the car full of guys.
Thanks Roo.

 

That car is so cool. The longer you look at it the more you see things that don't jump out. The sides of the billet block and heads have been machined away for water passages then covered up with a plate. The ignition system uses two set ups. The throttle body idea is very innovative. I like cars like this were guys think outside of the box. Squirrels car is another neat car going in the opposite direction. He uses a bunch of old parts that guys say can't work. All three of us have been told you can't do that or that wont work but here we are driving the cars on drag week.

 

Running with the throttle body NA is pure genius, with the full setup that thing is a beast.
Check out their other videos, dig that loaded roof rack too, looks like a 2019 version of The Grapes of Wrath.

 

It's all back together to race another day. I will run it at the fall out drags at the rock falls raceway in northwest Wisconsin weather permitting or at Milan dragway south of Detroit. Milan will be plan two depending on the weather. I will start it up tomorrow with the bruno return line off. The line will go into a bucket. I want to flush the cooler. Any time I can make improvements I do. The spacing between the flex plate and converter used to take spacers equaling .140 I asked that the hub be that much longer to get rid of them. The larger dowels will help to. This is were I wanted to be last Thursday.

 

Awesome next up fire burnouts at George rays lol


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Went to rock falls for the fall out drags. Had a great time. Car ran 177 mph. I thought the lenco was kicking out of gear. Turns out the co2 bottle emptied. It has a leak somewhere. The result was a fried low gear clutch pack. Who knows how fast it could have gone without the slippage. New clutches on the right.

 

Ouch...that must have sounded a little metallic for a bit...Glad it remained isolated to only those components as unfortunate as it was...and you are okay minus the inconvenience which is most important.

 

The steel plates that go between each clutch disc got so hot they warped. The 30wt oil came out looking like black goo. All the clutch material is gone.
Good news is the tune up is very close. The car picked up 45 mph past the eighth with a slipping trans. Those speeds make me think it could go 200 mph.

 

Wow brian seems like your trans is sure giving you grief but at least you found the issue when you did are you still on for George rays this coming weekend or is this gonna put you out of commission I sure hope you can get it back together


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It depends on how fast the parts show up. I have 2 -12 hr shifts that will make things very difficult. It's not looking good.

 

So the Salt Gang get a Hat and a Club Membership at 200mph...What do Drag Racers Get...Gushing Champagne and Trophy Gals?...

No matter what you get I want Pics of a Smiling Brian after meeting that milestone...But hey it's always good for the Heart to Smile whenever you can...Glad you're okay...

 

It would be happy goig into the off season on a few more fast passes.

 

I sure hope things work out if I were closer I would come help however if you decide to load it up and assemble it on site I will be there to help anyway I can it sounds like squirrel is gonna be reassembling his afx car on site but he is planning on being there one way or another I don’t know how many afx cars will be there but I know there will be at least 3 for sure let me know if there’s anything I can help with

 

Brian, great to see you again. Thanks for letting me hang out at your pit and help with the car at the fallout. Unfortunately, I didn't get there in time to film your good pass. But I got the broken trans pass. Good luck on the repairs

 

If you can get the parts in time, I'd be happy to help you put it back together....

 

thanks for the offers to help. I worked on it until I went to bed. I have the cases and most of the larger parts flushed out. there was a lot of metal to flush out. all the bearings need to be inspected. i found some that were junk. this is were the problem is. I can easily get the parts over night. I just don't know everything I need yet. so far the front case seems to have avoided any damage. I also need to take a close look at the sprags. they take a real beating in these situations. if the sprag should fail under power the rods come out of the engine. extra care for a complete inspection is critical. this takes time to do.

 

Is this connected to the pump failure? Or should I say alignment dowel fatigue?


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sounds like a completely different issue, although it's possible one of the air shift fittings developed a leak reinstalling the transmission?

 

Completely different issues. The bruno fluid is seperate from the lenco fluid. They do share the same co2 bottle. I think either the clutches were showing wear then placed under severe load ate themselves up. Or the co2 bottle got low and couldn't apply enough pressure on the fork engaging the clutch pack. Or both. As the clutches wear using varying sizes of shims or adding a extra steel or clutch disc in the pack can take up the gap. There is a spec measured from the snap ring groove to the clutch pack.
As co2 enters the air pod it pushes on a fork. This fork applies pressure to the pressure plate. The plate engages the clutch pack putting the trans into the next gear. You can go too far setting the pack too tight. If the pack doesn't have the right clearance the fork has no were to go. It's like a wedge trying to split that section of the trans. All kinds of damage can occur from that.
They say race cars run their best right before they break. That's true last weekend. The last seven passes the car has gone faster. We plan on getting eight nine and ten before the end of the year.