Storm King, that car in you avatar would fit in very well, with the correct drive line. I would like to hear about it, the way it is now. Joe Hamby
It's sitting under my glass table in my shop, as I've been out of work for 11 months now! Where abouts in BA? I'm going to be beck there at Christmas visiting the kids...
Just North of 51st a half mile east of Tulsa/Wagoner County line. 19717 E. 50th Ct. That's only about a mile and a half North East of the Broken Arrow Stadium. Home of one of the best in the nation Marching Band.
Hell, I taunt EVERYONE to build one of'em, they're FUN. Only on the left coast (if even that), those original three're still the legend itself.
It's over for another year!!! The parade's done, the float's back in the barn awaiting deconstruction, the confetti's swept up, the football game's in the books, most of the influx of people're headed back to their home states, and I'm quite certain I heard the 'Brick whimper my name as I teetered past'er down the sidewalk for the last time this winter in my SMRFA jacket. It nearly broke my heart. I already have a new clutch on order, and'll be paying some much overdue attention to'er soon as I catch up on a bit of sleep, yard work, housework, and some laundry as well. I have a long list of projects for'er this year, but other than the clutch they're all small things that'll be more fun than work. Sadly, I won't be able to make the February meet, but who all'll be hitting Eagle Field in April? Down here we're getting the new Fontana back, and the new 'Dale's going to still be around for at least this year. Barona's still going strong too, so between those and Bako & Eagle it looks like a good year ahead (long as they don't cross shcedule too much ). I'll try to put up a SoCal meets dates listing soon.
All this talk about getting ready to race in the next couple of months is depressing. It is actually colder here today than where bobw is. Day time high of -16 with 40 mph winds = -45 wind chill. The wind has also piled the 10 inches of new snow over the top of the cars parked outside. I would have to dig a tunnel to get out to the shop.
Yes Roy, not too bad here today. Cold, sunny and breezy. Was able to walk the dogs with no problem. The snow actually squeeks under foot. Looking forward to the updates on your car Dick. After you decompress from the float. I don't know what possible improvements you can make to that sweet ride.
Yeah, I remember my own lakes winters from Elkhart/South Bend, you have my sympathies (just not deeply enough to prompt my return ).
At the risk of jinxing the weather here, and/or irritating non-SoCalers ...... today I emptied a gopher trap, watered the front lawn, did up the dishes, and tucked a window A/C in the living room for Kay. Oh yeah, and started on cleaning up the garage to move the 'Brick down in for spring diddling. 'Twas 84* this afternoon.
Well, Kiddies, I finally got the garage cleaned out, and El Toad repaired. So today I moved the 'Brick down into the garage to start this years mods and upgrades.
Good to see you back on the case. Your racing starts soon whereas I can't count on decent weather til May. From the looks of things it's good you are a thin man.
Yeah, not much spare room in a 1924 one car garage. Original house was a "three room bungalow" built in 1918. Garage & living room above it were added in '24 by the original owner. Back rooms were added by Kay's dad when she was born, in '46.
Well, work on the 'Brick has gone nicely. In the process I even managed to trim off a few more pounds as well. I doubt I'm below 1400 yet, but I'm getting real close. One of the things I'm trying out this year is a return to an advance (mechanical) distributer. It's mostly to get the idle and pit/lanes/return driveability smoother without giving up the upper tach advance. Fontana's open again, and I'll be heading out for a T&T they have scheduled for Sunday. If they tech me OK, it'll be really great to have a quarter mile strip within an hour of my place again. We were out there for their opening party last weekend, and the main man said that in as much as we're good at Butch's we should be OK there as well. Hell, I may even stop calling the place "Fontucky". We should come up with a more respectful nickname for the new Fontana. We use "New 'Dale" for the new Irwindale in place of "The 'Dale" of the original. The original Fontana was "Drag City" of course, so perhaps "Drag Town" or "Dragville"? I thought of the "Rail Yard" , but it'll be fun to see what settles in over time.
The new track ain't no Fontana Drag City. Can't bring back the past, to many rules and regulation. For use racers and sufers that grew up during 60's & 70's here in SoCal, Drag City should stay with our original memories of the strip. Just my 2cents, FONTANA -- DRAG (something) would be great.
Much as we'd all love to have Drag City back, that piece of history remains but a memory. You're sadly correct in that it would be tacky to re-use a nickname with that much history for anything else. A spin-off of it however, could be completely appropriate, and cool to boot. And "Fontucky" just doesn't honor the work and passion that've gone into getting'er back up and running again. I have faith that someone'll come up with either something new, or something spun off of the old name, that'll catch on. Just for grins, I'll ask around at the strip tomorrow.
It was great to be back at the new Fontana again. Mike (Old Farts Racing) made it and we kicked around some ideas for a new strip nickname, but nothing bell ringing yet. He did recall the first (non-formalized) Fontana, making this one technically the fourth iteration. "Fourthtana" was the lame nickname that we managed out of that. Somewhere around 300 cars there for this first T&T. No problems with tech, long line though. The 'Brick ran a mixed set due to my likely forgetting to clean out some of the plumbing in the new gas lines & set-up. Both end carbs stuck their needles and overflowed gas right on the line after staging first run. They shut me off and pulled me back, good call by the line crew. Second run was decent in spite of my being a bit slow on the shifts, ran 13.709 @ 101.00 on an .035 r/t. Other lane (10 sec car) opened with a 1.313 r/t. Third run the middle carb got something in the jet right at the burn-out. Wouldn't clear so I staged & drove'er essentially as a four banger. Managed an .070 r/t for an 18.842 @ 69.92 run. Finally cleared itself just as I got back to my pit. Couldn't stick around for a fourth run, as I had to get back to the float barn. Think I'll put in a bit of time cleaning out the gas system this week, and add a second paper filter, right at the carbs, eh wot? Kathryn Rau was shooting the line pictures, and got a couple of the 'Brick. I ordered one (& its internet link too. First meet, re-opened strip and all that, ya know), and'll post it up when it shows up. Also think I'll hit the second T&T, early April, before Butch's first ANRA.
You will get it all straight l am sure. Nice to have the a couple of T&T strips in your backyard again. Any new or reopened drag strips in So Cal is a good thing.
The Jalopy Journal
