Hot Rods Dare to be different - 63 Scout

Rock Falls is 9 hrs for us. so add another 1.5 to Gimli = 10.5 hrs in total
I'm targeting the same August Long Weekend for 2021 which is the first weekend in August for us Canadians

 

Minor Upgrades:

Got a great deal on a set of 1 7/8" headers a few months back and since I blew the header gaskets out (again) I figured it was time to make the change. At the same time I switched from a Pan Evac system to a breather / puke tank set up

Of course none of this was straight forward. The new headers came from a Camaro and the current set up are from a Corvette. Of course the passenger side header interfered with the mid plate... So I took out the passenger side of the mid plate. I wasn't convinced it was doing much anyway. Considering the mounting bolt had no pressure on it and fell out convinced me further. Once there was clearance the tubes fit very well and may even provide better access to the started, oil filter and spark plugs.

I can't fully install the headers at the moment since I'm waiting on new weld on blower restraint brackets. They are coming from Alkydigger / USPS. No problems until they hit Canada and sat at Customs for 8 days. I expect them here today or tomorrow which still gives me time to be ready for the weekend

Breather tanks required a flat surface to mount and since I didn't have room on the firewall, Larry Arnold helped me fab up plates to mount on the front body support. The tanks are tucked away - sort of - out of sight but still readily accessible.

The Manitoba Gasser group will be running again this Labor Day weekend. It will be a smaller gathering than the previous August event but the cars that are coming will put on a really good show. 2 of the usual headliners that were not there in August, Larry and Arlene Arnold's Sheet's & Giggles altered and our 49 Prefect - will be there and ready

 

Can you show a pic of your breather set up


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The valve cover uses the standard Pan-evac breather.

 

Very nicely done and thanks for the pic


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

New Project... Call it a Save
This is one of those times when the car is simply too cool and too unique to let go to waste

This rotted and previously neglected 55 Buick "PaTina" showed up at the August and September Man Gas show. It was assembled by JC Peters from a $300 carcass he saved from the shredder. JC made some necessary floor repairs and then added a 9.5 Pontiac diff with Moser axles and 4.88 gears on a spool. Traction is a 3 point ladder bar set up. The front is a 52 Chevy truck drop I beam. At the events this beast was powered by a 13-1 iron headed 396 and a T-400. Good for 12.0's in the heat and 11.90's in the cooler Sept air. Considering the steep gears I'm thinking there was a lot more in it... But we'll never know.

For the entire summer this car was for sale for what I thought was a very reasonable price... but no takers. Even with a super-cool converted RV car trailer... No Sale. Trust me when I tell you, my wife was terrified I was coming home with this thing

JC wanted something he could cruise with (and the occasional drag race event) so he has decided to build a 47 Chevy (Gasser style) and is stripping the drivetrain, rear wheels and fuel system out of PaTina for the new project. Which means the Buick was once again destined for the back field.

Knowing I was all goofy about the car, JC offered me the Buick for a price I couldn't refuse - so my wife's worst fears have been realized. I will be taking delivery of the old girl as a roller but with the front axle and rear diff intact. (Worth the purchase price alone)

The Plan:
It's immediately up For Sale... As Is... No title... $1,000 US

I am currently looking for an inexpensive pump gas big block Chevy/Ford/Pontiac/Olds/Mopar/Caddy etc etc... to fill the cavernous engine bay and put it back in the low 12's. I'll add some grey'd out Torq Thrusts front and rear, and an 8 point roll bar.

As soon as I can scrape the PaTina name off the sides the name will change to "Buford Heavy". (Always wanted to use that name) The original Patina will remain as long as it's safe and not dropping crap on the track. Maybe some body repairs to keep the holes from getting larger

The longer I own it the more I'll show it some love and the price will go up accordingly. I'm hoping to keep the build cost down by using older / cast off / free / donated time and parts. If the Buick is not sold by the time it's running then I'll run the thing a lot and have a snot load of fun with it or until someone realizes the for sale sign is for real.

 

The Buick has been picked up and it has found it's temporary winter spot behind my brother's shop. The 2 hr trip to get the beast was uneventful. But holy crap it's big !! With 6" space on my rear ramp I cannot easily get in the side door of my 24' trailer... Getting in the door while it's in the trailer is just as challenging. The Buick is wider than a 55 Chevy and the doors are long. But the car is surprisingly light. Race ready with a BBC and T-400 the battle cruiser weighs in at 3,145 + driver. That will be 3,380 with my fat, broken butt in it. Still not too bad. While we were there I was talked into buying the rear wheels and slicks for an additional $200... Worth it

First order of business will be to put the behemoth up on the lift and have a closer look at it. But I've had a better look at it and there is Good News and Bad News

The Bad:
The floor pan is rotted away almost completely and the current effort to replace it with what looks like sheet metal from a freezer riveted in with haste and little regard for looks or pride in workmanship... is not acceptable. The trans tunnel support is made up of two 1" square tubes attached to what's left of the original trans tunnel and floor using self tapping screws... It's all coming out with extreme prejudice... I'm thinking a steel race car floor and trans tunnel kit for the front and some judicious sheet metal work in the back to make things right.

The trunk is in fair shape and there is a replacement panel for the 55 Buick Special available... or just a race car look patch job. The chassis looks a little hacked. They took out the X-Frame and there is some questionable welding on the front. Nothing that can't be ground down and repaired. While we're at it I'll add outriggers to the frame to mount an 8 point roll bar

The front wheel are 6 bolt. But we can kick off the Good News by saying, adapters are available and the additional 2" of width on either side will make the front wheel width just about perfect

The Good:
The rear end assembly and ladder bars are far better than I expected. The car also has a set of triple adjustable Comp Eng coil over rear shocks. The Olds diff, axles, spool, gears and suspension alone is worth $3k

The brakes have been rebuilt front and rear and JC (the previous owner) left the Monster Tach, shift light and line loc in place (All Bonus)

The Dashboard - Rocks !! And the front grill (Which weighs 20 lbs) is in perfect condition !!. The grill is going back on the car for sure. We also got the front bumper but that's not going back on... I'll do the typical Gasser style pipe bumper instead

Motor-vation
To power this beast I'm looking for a Unicorn... something along the lines of a steel headed 10-1 BBC that someone has thrown in the corner and is willing to sell to me for cheap... like $3,000 Canadian (Missed a 468 just this morning.... Dammit)

Plan B is a 500 inch Caddy that just happens to be sitting in my brother's shop. It's the good one with 10-1 compression. But by the time we get it rebuilt and swap the bad rocker system, cam and intake find a carb and an ignition... it's going to be pricey for a bargain basement effort...

This is where we're at... More pics as we lift it up and have a look

 

Buick has been Sold !!

Scott Brown, local friend, and the guy who has been doing a lot of wrenching on the Scout, the Prefect and my Brother/Niece's dragster... took one look at the Buick and started to throw money at me.

The plan is to take the 430 BBC from his Pro-Street Nova and drop it into the Buick. This engine moved the Nova to high 11's so it should be perfect for the battle wagon.

I must admit I am a little torn about the sale. I was having a blast researching parts and tracking down inexpensive engine options. So much so that I'm almost sad to see it fall off my project list. But I'm very happy it's staying local and will be run with the Manitoba Gasser group and even more happy it's going to a friend

On to the next field / barn find I guess... or just go ahead and build my retirement cruiser... 63 Ford Unibody short box

 

The Scout Engine is back at the builder's
I hurt the 406. Not sure what I hurt, but it's hurt. I suspect it's gasket related. head and/or intake. I couldn't be bothered to tear it down myself so I shipped it back to Brazier Race and Machine. Oil looks perfect but there is a little too much goop on the drain plug for my liking but no crunchy bits

I know it's hurt. It was hard to start. Something the Scout has never been. Cylinders 5 and 6 won't fire at low rpm. They come back in above 3k. But under load the engine chokes itself out around 4,000.

I'll know more when George (Brazier) gets around to having a look... Likely in 4 or 5 weeks. Snow on the ground up here so I'm not in a hurry. Plans for the spring is to put the engine on a dyno with someone who knows how to tune mechanical injection and get the system up properly. Finding that person could be an adventure. (or expensive)

Between now and then I'm considering packing up the injectors and pump and sending them down to Hilborn. And then sending the Don Zig mag out for a check up. That way... no excuses come spring.

The T-400 is also going for a checkup and a gasket change. The oil looked perfect but it was due for a review.

 

The right person would be Gary Hultgren in Hallock, MN. He is an ex-pro-stock / FED racer and has built and tuned many a mechanical injected sprint motor for the roundy-round guys through out the northern plains. Bad part is he retired a few years ago and can be tough to get ahold of. As far as I know, he still has his dyno and shop in Hallock and uses it for personal projects. Gary did the tuning and dyno work on the "Chizler" recreation a decade or so ago.

Until COVID is past, you may have to tell the border patrol that you are building the motor for an ambulance to get across....

 

Thanks...

Willing to travel... I may have to borrow your "Ambulance" engine excuse...

 

Not a Joke !!
Meltdown 10 - The Final Meltdown is On !!
August 2022 - No excuses for not being ready

 

Not being a pro racer, it's impossible for me to appreciate much of this, but I will be looking for the red Scout here again when things come around.

Meanwhile, my old Scout sits under a tarp, stuffed full of old car parts, waiting, while I decide on coil spring mods, and link configurations. But I'll be lucky if it comes back to life before I pass on from it.

 

So much of what I own of value falls into this category.

She refused to let me buy two cars (one from resident UCLA surgeon) out of SoCal because of the health concerns.

This includes my current OT project car, which is just a 30's style glass "Jag replica", and not favored here, so no pix. It currently keeps me from my Hambly vehicles, while the DMV keeps my Jag papers in limbo. Also, it was damaged in transit, and I'm still dealing with that crap.

In the desert you can get away with this unlike Manitoba. I have seven vehicles but I only own a two car garage. I know this is not a 4WD forum . . . So . . . Ummm. . . check out those doors from my old coupe in the pic!

 

Time for this fat old bear to come out of hibernation. The snow is melting, I can actually get to the trailer and unlock it without the need of a heat gun and our track announced the 2021 dates for this season.

My retirement lasted all of 4 months before they called me back in a panic to cover a project manager who took ill. So I'm contracting for a bit and the money is ridiculous + pension with a possibility of more contracts to follow. Which of course, in race car language = Upgrades !!

The Dart block 406 is at Brazier Race and Machine to see what we hurt last year. So while it's there I'm upgrading the rods to something that will be comfortable with 800+ hp. Why the upgrade ?... Because I bought a new supercharger !! (Duh !!)

My current 30 yo diesel rebuild that is seeing 7500 rpm + in the lights has me more than than a little concerned about whether or not it will hold up - so before the rotors become shrapnel - a new Hampton 6-71 is coming to the Great White North. I would have gone with an 8-71 but that 1/2" extra on both ends causes issues with the mag clearance and I would need to space out the lower pulley and crank support. No thanks... 6-71 will do just fine

We also announced that the Manitoba Gasser Association (Man Gas) will host two (2) nostalgia events at Interlake Dragway (Gimli Mb.) We will run with the track's regular program

The first is the Aug Long Weekend - July 31 - Aug 2 with the Man Gas group running the Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday is a test n tune and a Gambler's Race for everything in attendance including the nostalgia
Sunday we will run as a group - 3 passes

• 1970 (ish) and older with the look and feel of the era
• Gassers, Altereds, FE Dragsters, Stock, Super Stock etc etc etc
• There is a serious possibility we will include 70's Muscle cars
• We are also looking at a fun bracket class for the nostalgia cars to run Sunday

The second is the Sept Long Weekend - Sept 4, 5, 6 - with the Man Gas group again running the Sat / Sun
Same / similar format

Let's hope the borders are open by then and we can see some of our American friends in attendance

 

Good luck this season Saxxon. Enjoy that new Hampton blower you lucky dog.

 

Motor for the Scout is back from the builder.

New rings and bearings, new valve springs and valves and a general run through. All buttoned up and ready to go. I'll re-assemble the Scout as soon as the transmission is back from a refresh.

No hurry... Covid has everything shut down and the numbers are heading in the wrong direction. Opening day at Interlake Dragway this month has been cancelled. If this keeps up I won't be at the Fall Fall Out (Sniff) and I'm starting to wonder if getting down to Meltdown 10 in 2022 is as locked in as I had hoped.

Stay safe folks

 

Stay safe up there Saxxon. Good luck with the refresh.

 

you've still got time...

after all it IS essential travel (for your sanity)...

to find some alternative travel routes to Rock Falls and Byron!

PS - you'll be safe with us

 

No new supercharger this year (Sniff... stupid Covid)
Good talk with Don Hampton. I ordered a 6-71 back in Feb. He expressed a concern about a lack of 6-71 cores at that time and I was willing to wait. After talking with Don today he expressed his issues with Covid and the cores. I decided I didn't want to pay extra for a billet case or step up to an 8-71 (Mag and crank support in the way). I also didn't want my deposit back when he offered.

So I'll wait until my name comes up on the waiting list and make plans for the bigger shinier iron lung to be installed for Meltdown 2022. In the meantime I'm on the hunt for a large bore 6-71 core that I can send him.

Of course all of this is mute if we don't get a handle on this Covid shit that getting worse locally. Local tracks are already cancelling dates due to harder restrictions

Buick Gasser Update (Pics coming)
My friend Scott has his 468 BBC installed and sounds nasty. Headers have been modified, 12 point cage installed, floor reinforced and cleaned up, new seat mounts built (Old school Econoline style seats) new front shock mounts, some of the larger holes filled on the body, new battery box and fuel cell going in.

Almost makes me wish I hadn't sold it... But glad I sold it to Scott

 

Everything is opening up down here in the states, but I do feel your pain. I will not be selling any of my parts anytime soon. This stuff is getting harder and harder to get- on a reasonable time line.

 

I've got an old scout like that sitting in my garage only its a little taller than yours LOL...

Belongs to a buddy of mine, I've put a long arm suspension front and rear under it along with moving a jeep gas tank to the rear of the frame. Doing some body work on it now, Dang the body parts are ridiculously expensive for these things !!

I believe its a 61 though.

 

Transmission Refresh - Done.
We found a broken snap ring in the T400 that impacted the 2nd gear clutch pack. The 2nd gear clutches were smoked with almost all the material gone and plates and clutches discolored from the heat. My brother (who built the trans) isn't sure how it was even moving never mind running 9's. We also found some other minor issues all of which has been upgraded and / or corrected.

Still not racing up here. COVID restrictions have been lifted a bit but the numbers are not coming down as expected and now we have a 4th wave coming through. Still hoping to run our Man Gas event Aug Long Weekend

 

We're racing for the first in 2021 this weekend - No thanks to COVID or the Government

Interlake Dragway is the only one of three tracks that will be running in Manitoba this summer and they have been locked down with Covid restrictions until this weekend. But it's been a battle

Without getting into the madness and ridiculous COVID rulings and restrictions, let's just say the Manitoba Gasser meet schedule for this Sunday was On - Then Off - Now back On again - all within a week. Of course this impacted the car count but - dammit - we'll be there putting on a show.

So after thrashing to get the Scout back together and dealing with replacement parts that weren't direct replacements and being sent the wrong parts - three different times - then blowing out my back - twice... The Scout is assembled, fired and loaded for the weekend. A huge thank to the 3 guys who took time from their weekend last Saturday to help me get my junk together

The weather looks great.
My trailer has new tires, new brakes and fresh battery
The Scout is loud and crisp and nasty (even at a safe 28 degrees of timing and 1-1 blower speed)

Let's go racing kids !!

 

Good luck!

 

Looking forward to a few "air underneath the tires" photos!

 

Well... Shit !!
Scout was barking and farting and popping. Changed and checked everything we could. Including new plugs, new cap, new rotor, swap wires, cut out the tach - I literally side cut the wires and removed the unit from the truck - fresh fuel, reset the barrel valve, check butterfly gap, blow out fuel lines, changed injectors, check compression, go fat, go lean...

In the end it was still hesitating and coughing back through the supercharger. The backfire as the rpm come down tells me the fuel isn't being ignited. A friend showed up with a new mag Sunday but it was a front style cap and didn't fit behind the supercharger. By then it was time to run the Man Gas event and I was out of energy and time

Current assessment is the magnets in the mag are weak and / or the capacitor is toast. Which means - we didn't run it.
I am changing to an MSD 7AL setup with a HVC II Coil. It's what everyone else around here is running with alcohol and blown alcohol and my level or better.

The Man Gas event was - Very good !!
Saturday - The track's first day for 2021, we had 120+ cars doing test n tune and 300 (ish) spectators who needed to be fully vaxxed - in attendance. I spent most of it thrashing on the Scout

Sunday saw many cars stay for the bracket racing, 250+ spectators and most important - 15 cars lining up for the Man Gas show. Considering I was a scratch, the Prefect wasn't there, one of our "stockers" broke a transmission Saturday and 4 or 5 preregistered cars made other plans when we were cancelled for a few days - I was very happy with the turn out. And boy did these folks put on a show !!

Big burnouts, hard launches and all out runs head to head. No-one held back
Some Highlights:

• Chad Berg's 62 Biscayne with wild blown big block gets best burnout honors and he was running 8.30's. His match races with Henry Hieberts 62 Chevy II were awesome. (9.00 Henry ?!... Oh so close)
• Larry Arnold Had his Sheets & Giggles altered running well but also showing what it's like to drive and over powered go kart. He used up every bit of 1500 feet to go 1320 and at least one exclamation of "Jesus Larry !!" was heard. He did manage 3 great burnouts and an easy launch 8.35/166
• Scott Brown had more fun than anyone. He bought the 55 Buick straight axle car from me (I bought it from JC Peters) and has been thrashing to get it ready. He managed a 12.20 with the monster. Including the 150 lb front bumper. He could not have been happier. This car definitely went to the right person
• JC Peters moved on from the 55 Buick and put his potent tunnel rammed 396 into a new build 47 Chevy. Complete with engine set back, flip front, gnarly patina and killer stance. The "Variant" ran a best of 11.58 but ran bracket car 11.70's
• Delores and Larry Clavelle fought fuel pump gremlins in their 30 Essex Rat Rod but managed to make all 3 passes and run brackets. He even made his first 10 sec run with a 10.99
• Rene and Darlene Dujardin had their Milner clone 30 Model A back in the 12's... If only one of the three 55 Chevys I invited had made it out...
• Vince Link (62 Savoy) Peter Cole (63 Pontiac Super Duty), Ralph Thomas (59 El Camino) and John Krahn (64 Impala) had their "stockers" running well. But John couldn't make the "show" as he dropped 2nd gear on Saturday
• Ron Dueck in his green on green Fairlane came the farthest and ran brackets and our show. Ron went 3 rnds with his 11.70 big body ford on Sunday (Well done)
• Dave Williamson has is 4000 lb Starfire (w Olds power) running 9's with a new PB of 9.75. We matched him up with Kevin Lundy and his 9 sec 62 Chevy II wagon M/P clone. Kevin's uncanny reaction times made this close at the top end
• Dean Smith showed up with Glen Novakowski's 68 Malibu "Blue Bayou". This car was perfect for our group. Real 70's racing history at Keystone/Bison Dragway, steel flip front end, stock width 12 bolt with those yellow bridge girder trac bars. 331 sbc w 5.13 gears. The result were early shakedown 12.10's and really good match races with 55 Buick
• Literally EVERY Man Gas participant came to me and expressed how much fun they had doing the show rather than competing... They "got it"...

Thank you to all who came out and thank you to Interlake Dragway and their hard working crew for letting us play in their Sand Box

Next Man Gas Event - Sept Long Weekend - Sept 4, 5

• Saturday Sept 4 is Test N Tune for the track (See note below)
• Sunday is our usual Man Gas "show" - 3 passes between the bracket categories
• Hoping the borders will be open and we can welcome our American friends
• Looking for 24 cars
• The Scout will be ready !!
• We're going to run a "Fun" bracket race with the nostalgia cars on the Test n Tune Saturday. The racers pay the regular fee at the gate and the "Event" will be FREE to enter. Prizes will be 2 lbs of jelly beans and a home made trophy to the winner, runner up gets a 3 pack of tube socks (Not kidding)

 

The Scout is getting a new Sparky spark spark box in the form of an MSD 7AL-3 and an HVC II coil.

This departure from a Magneto set up was done with some reservations regarding the "look and feel" for a nostalgia car - but - it now gives me control over rpm limits for burnouts, launch and overall and brings me into the main stream for parts should I need to make repairs at the track. Being the only person in attendance with a Super Mag III is literally racing from an island. It also allows me to use my tach properly and the built in shift light.

Of course now I need to spend more money to service the Mag I just took out and then hopefully sell everything I've accumulated. (Mag, Coil, spare caps, points and rotors, 3 sets of solid core wires)

Install in progress (Yes I'll be cleaning up the wiring)
Hoping to fire it up in a day or two once my ignition wires show up

 

Man Gas Event - Sept Long Weekend - Sept 4, 5 - Interlake Dragway (Gimli Manitoba)
Canadian Borders are OPEN for anyone from the US who wants come up and play

• Saturday Sept 4 is Test N Tune for the track (See note below)
  • Track Test n Tune rates ($80 Cdn) will apply if you want to make passes this day
  • Crew = $20 Cdn per person
• Sunday Sept 5 is our usual Man Gas "show" - 3 passes between the bracket categories
  • Race car and driver - if part of the Man gas show = Free
  • Crew = $20 Cdn per person
• Spectators - Must show proof of Double vaccination and will not be allowed in the pit area (So... bring a car)
• Racers and Crew - DO NOT have to be vaccinated
• Looking for 24 cars

• We're going to run a "Fun" bracket race with the nostalgia cars on the Test n Tune Saturday. The racers pay the regular fee at the gate and the "Event" will be FREE to enter. Prizes will be 2 lbs of jelly beans and a home made trophy to the winner, runner up gets a 3 pack of tube socks (Not kidding)

• US Travel Requirements into Canada
  • Must show proof of Double Vaccination
  • Must show a recent negative COVID test

• PLEASE NOTE - The US Borders are NOT open to Canadian non essential travelers. Therefore the US Gov't conditions to return to the US may be a concern. It is strongly advised that any US travelers coming North to confirm the requirements to re-enter the United States

Please do not ask my if any of the border restrictions or event conditions make sense... I'm just passing on the requirements as defined by the Canadian and Manitoba Governments

 

I had to do the same thing in my afx I hated to go away from the vertex mag but once I did I had all kinds of benefits like being able to have a tach and with the stick shift trans it sure makes it easier to pilot oh and the rev limiter was a big help to keep the rpm from spinning that big stroker wedge to 9000 I keep it at 7200 it will live much longer that way lol