Hot Rods XO/PP Bonneville project

Hold your heads high! You made progress! And we're all proud of your collective efforts and dedication!

Safe travels home and I look forward to catching up with you all for the "rest of the story"!

 

Gary, I think TR’s quote covers it. Anyone associated with The 640 should be beyond Proud. Safe travels heading East!

 

Job well done fellas ! Unless I missed something, home in one piece also ?

 

We have come a long way in the 3 times we ran the Salt from 105.... in 2018 to braking everything in 2020 to the 122.7...this year just 9 MPM off the record. So it's back to the drawing board and maybe next year it will happen.
On behalf of the crew I Thank everyone who has had anything to do with the XO/PP 640 we hold our heads high and celebrate our achievement thus far..

 

John, it’s always good to put them back on or in the trailer not busted up with broken parts. It is also tough to push a blunt brick as you are finding out with a vintage engine. Even without a record you had a successful trip to the salt. I hope you be able to try other LSR venues this year. Thank you for sharing you and your crew’s experience this year.

 

You know it's not always the destination that fulfills
Ones spirit it's the journey that has most of the value
It's memory's and friends made along the way.
John Mullen

 

Congratulations on another memorable 640 Experience...

It's interesting with this form of racing as you can run in a tethered roller Dynometer type of environment for analysis but that is very different to taking it to a quarter mile drag strip and doing test runs...That surely adds to the challenges...

Do you get to run shakedown runs prior to competition at the site or is it every run counts?

I'm not at all aware of the makeup of this LSR racing...

 

Every run counts, but you can run laps for a week if you want to. What counts is what you keep track of -- and the adjustments that change the result.

 

It's interesting with this form of racing as you can run in a tethered roller Dynometer type of environment for analysis but that is very different to taking it to a quarter mile drag strip and doing test runs...That surely adds to the challenges...

Do you get to run shakedown runs prior to competition at the site or is it every run counts?

I'm not at all aware of the makeup of this LSR racing...[/QUOTE]

Makeup of LSR under SCTA at Speedweek here: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/a0c5ccee-a57e-40cd-b11c-049ece37d91c/downloads/BONNEVILLE ROOKIE ORIENTATION - FULL COPY - GR.pdf?ver=1628877222261

To continue the dyno to 1/4 being a different challenge, consider every timed mile being 4 constant 1/4 runs without let up. 1 run through the third mile on the short course pretty much equals 12 drag strip runs on the engine, through the long course 5 means 20.

Ed

 

Every run counts

 

John you and your guys have learned a lot that can’t be found without competing on the Salt. The varying conditions that can change by the minute starting at 5000 feet and using an unblown engine is hardest by far, then picking a class like you did just adds to the massive learning curve. Hope your back next year if it can work out for you and your team.

 

Thanks for the guidelines and info Ed...

Additional thanks to others for sharing the quite organized introductions to High Speed Racing...

 

122.7 mph run:

 

Found some photos on Bangshift

 

Love the way it sits

 

I'm home from speed week 2021 and it was our best year so far. 122.7 and just 9 MPH off the record.
Looking at the data collected this year I see we were pushing head winds of 10 to 12 MPH all week
.. not in our favor for sure.
So now we have to dig way deeper and find the MPH we need. I have been racing all my life with success in many forms of racing and at age 75 years old I still have the fire to succeed at what is the toughest challenge of all.
Having said all that I want to thank everyone who has supported the 640 project from its beginning. I assure you all... WE AINT DONE YET...
DIGGING DEEP

 

A big shout out to Russell McLean for supporting the 640 team with his donation.
Your generosity has been greatly appreciated now and earlier with donations.
Team 640 appreciates you greatly Russell.
Thank You,
Team 640

 

It was awesome seeing you guys run out there John!

 

Well thank you Jason it was way cool to see you and your son make that journey to the Salt. A lifetime experience every time I go there. I always meet new people and that is what makes this so enjoyable. I'm sure you won't forget going with your son..

 

The truck is unloaded and the spray wash has began to remove the Salt from under the truck. Thanks Dave Russell for coming after work to help get it unloaded and up on Jack stands. The process begins to check things out and ready it for our next attempt ..

 

Some of our stars

 

We're going to make some suspension changes for better aero in the off season.
Top is how the truck sits currently, bottom is what we'll be shooting for.

 

right on

 

Do your class rules allow an air dam below the front bumper?

 

Nope no changes to the truck body that wasn't factory

 

Are you gonna channel the body? Is that legal? Rerouting the exhaust looks like a major chore.

 

No Chanel the body but will change the exhaust to get it out of the air stream along with anything else that may see the air stream that is within the rules. Little details just may make a difference in speed

 

We all love those trucks. The problem lies in the fact that they have the aerodynamics of a barn, a rather large barn at that. Anything you can do to cheat the wind that is within the rules would be an improvement. By that I am not suggesting to break the rules, just cheat the wind where ever possible.

 

Full belly pan would allow body to still look stock, but—- how about bed covered or tail gate open. Some truck guys claim tail gate open is better. Partial block off behind grille? Tank of coolant in bed puts weight on rear wheels & would allow more rad blockage. Did u have any traction problems pushing that brick? Are u considering one of those airport miles for more runs - there a couple around country. Keep at it, luck with u

 

Can't block off the grill area and the radiator must be the same size as the original. This class has very strict rules as to keeping the body as built.
We don't want to cheat to gain a record that would have no value knowing it wasn't by the book.
If and when we do record it will be genuine and we'll done. Otherwise they could just keep it.. I have never cheated to win in all my years of racing and I am not going to start now.
So by the rules it is and when it's done we will be very proud as a team..
I'm not saying anyone is suggesting to cheat and are just asking legitimate questions as to what might help us succeed..
Keep digging guys it just might be a legal idea that gets us there..