Name Flyin' Brick (car #18) Status - racing Team "Geezerspeed" Engine: '60 225" Chrysler "slant" six Carbs: three HIF6 SUs Gearbox: '62 Valiant 3 sp. Rear end: '67 Ford 8", 4.62>1 Front end: mostly '29 Ford Wheelbase: 125" Body: '24 Overland touring, '28 Dodge truck hood, unknown radiator shell. Best 1/4 13.609 @ 102.21 Best 1/8 8.607 @ 80.61 Records: '12 First running HA/GmR (HAMB/Gas Modified Roadster), left coast. This car is the "extrapolation" of the Barn Job HA/GR in these threads; Link to '12 build thread. Link to '11 build thread. Link to '10 build thread. Link to '09 build thread. Link to '07/'08 build thread.
The Brick looks nice with the hand lettering and numbers. I like the door accents. Don't put all your cash into that paint scheme, you may need more HP to get into that 12 sec range.
Actually, the kid's doing it for a song. He's taking pictures, wants to widen his portfolio, and add some car work to his sign painting business. I'm entertaining ideas for the nose art (don't want just a brick with wings, too predictable), I'd like to come up with something Al Capp/Dogpatch-esque. Perhaps a Shmoo? I dunno yet, any ideas? Yep, I doubt there's even 100 lbs left to carve off'er. I've only pulled 35.5 so far, and estimate I have half of what's available already. I'll more'n likely have to put in a bit more engine to get'er back toward a 12 anything. Oh well, that's only .610 away, I'll fiddle around some more this season, and see where I stand in November.
Hey Dick, the lettering is definitely a nice addition. As for your quest to get her into the 12 sec range, "Candy-Man" covers that pretty well in his signature line..."Its Not How Fast You Went, Its How You Went Fast". That car has the look!
Eagle Field, 5/'12. Rocky's flag start meet Saturday, and his tree meet Sunday. Joe won the HA/GR competition trophy for the meet, and HAMBie as well. He pulls like a race horse on the top end, no one could touch him. Les lost an oil pump on his second run Saturday. Fortunately the engine quit rather than seizing up, so he should be good with a new pump. Gary was having too much trouble from his carbs, and ran his gasser instead of the flattie eight. He'll likely swap to a Chev six soon. Flathead Gary made one run Saturday before succumbing to a bad stomach. He weathered the day, and got some nice runs in Sunday. Jeanna's really coming along in Lee's car and took two from the Flyin' Brick, one with me driving and one with Tom driving. Wheel to wheel airstrip drag races both, the way it was, the way it's meant to be. There're also rumors of a possible new engine for Lee's car this year or next, hmmmmm. Tom & I both got runs in on Sunday (in fact, they were improving, as I was slowly raising the tire pressure). Rocky had his hands full, with several set-backs to the schedule, but he stayed on top of it and saw it through. Hell of an effort, and he was really hoarse Monday morning for his trouble, but that's just the way he is, doesn't do things half way. My only run without the bod was the HAMBie run against Joe, I'd hoped it'd help. It did, but nowhere near enough. I only fetched one time slip from Sunday, it was 8.856 @ 78.01 (the HAMBie run, at 14 lbs in the hides), but was fairly indicative of the rest. That's half a second off the 8.3xx pace that I was running at Barona, due mostly to tire spin in all three gears on the airstrip at Eagle. I'll start at 15 lbs at Butch's next meet, and work on up from there. Rocky also has a set of awards for "crowd favorite" in several catagories, HAMB dragsters being one of'em. They presented it with the comment that it was going to "someone who could make a brick fly". The phrase instantly brought to my mind the "Flyin' Brick, I like that." line of Tommy Lee Jones' from Space Cowboys, and that's how the name came about.
Irwindale, 6/'12. Forever Four's Antique Nationals. The turnout was great. We were all a bit worried that with the new track, and the short lead time they had, folks wouldn't have time to plan it in. I think the closer locale trumped the problems. There were a load of old friends there, and I finally got to yak with our local celeb Mazooma for a bit (good egg there). I blew it. The car ran great, but I went red first round (-.027). She ran 8.6xx & 80+ all day. I hadn't expected that, as the HA/GMR bod adds 108 lbs, and a bit of wind resistance. It's only .400 slower in the 1/8 than in HA/GR trim (no bod). I can make that up next year, with a bit more engine. I hope to add 1/4 figures the weekend after next, at Butch's ANRA meet. The operation was a bit dis-coordinated, but only a bit, and nowhere near as bad as it could've been given it's their first time at a new track. The club only runs this meet once a year, so I don't yet know how the rest of the meets here operate. When they get their schedule back together, I'll attend some and let y'all know how it goes. The 4.62 gears're really a kick in the ass, I've been cutting .0++ lights fairly consistently since I put'em in. I think a bit less weight, and a bit more engine, and I can have'er reliably in high 12s, pretty much my design target (where's a "slavering & drooling" icon when you need it?).
Famoso, 6/'12. Butch's ANRA II meet. Hot. HOT. DAMN HOT! There were reports in excess of 120* in some pits. But it was SO worth it. The weekend was another odd one as well, with most of the big guns going out early, while the underdogs hung in. We run our HAMBie races on Saturday here, during qualifications. As there were but three of us we drew straws for our match-ups. Jeanna and I got first round, and were neck & neck through first gear, with her fully making up a quarter second line loss by the 60' mark. Unfortunately she then missed second gear enough to give it all back. We pretty much ran the race out at that spacing. Joe got the bye, but missed a gear, and said his mill sounded odd. Next round was between Joe and I. I managed to go red by -.008, but even that didn't help, as Joe turned a 12.304 to my 13.627 for the HAMBie. Unfortunately, it was at a cost. The sounds that had him worried earlier proved to be due to his floating the valves, to the detriment of his rocker shafts. Both were broken off at the inside ends. Sunday's races were out for him. I drew a "competition bye" first round Sunday, as I'd been paired (by our RTs) with Joe. I cut an .042, missed second, and ran 3/4 of a second off my dial. Damn good thing it was a single. Second round I drew Gary, the present points leader in O/W. I went red by -.055, and lit the hides both in second and in third. Cost me nearly a second, and the race of course. The Brick ran well, and I'm right on the edge with the lights. A bit of practice with the new body and I might actually be reasonable in bracket racing. Now to finish up the paint, and try to lose a few pounds (both myself and the car ).
How about three Smoos (large,Medium,small) sitting on a flying brick with small wings and a propeller?
Some interesting ideas, Gentlemen. A take-off on RacerRoy3's Shmoos flying on a brick has been rattling about my (so called) mind. How 'bout one Shmoo IN a brick bodied bipe or tripe (sort of Snoopy-esque)? Now that the Fourth, and it's parade (our float ran perfectly ) are over, I've finally added pictures and prose to the brick's first three meets that I posted a few posts back. I'll try to keep up better in the future.
Well Kiddies, I've been cutting, grinding, trimming, replacing, whittling, sanding, shaving, and re-engineering several things on the Brick in a drooling quest for a few fewer pounds. So far I've ferreted out and exorcised 72 of the nasty little things. Frankly my dear, I don't think there're many more left to uncover. I could likely get about 20 or so more if I'd build a new front end, BUT, I really, really, really like the ventilated axle & bones set-up she has now. Sooooo, not likely to do that one. However I may attack the steering links later this year for a few lbs there. It's looking like near 75 lbs'll be about the best I can do in weight reduction, without giving up the looks I want or getting downright silly. One thing having nothing to do with weight though. Due to the Brick's body being a bit taller at the cowl that the Barn Job's was, I'm putting in a new dash, with a bit more knee room below.
The whole front suspension is a perfect match for the body. The car looks like it could have been built years ago and updated with the slantie well after the initial build. One element that stands out for me is the six short exhaust pipes just above the tonneau cover. Gives it a real vintage racer appearance. Losing another 75 pounds is impressive as it was on another weight reduction program not long ago. I'm excited to watch you add horsepower. Hopefully you will share your hop up secrets.
Thanks Gentlemen, No sweat, I intend to keep the looks (I'm definitely "in heat" with'em). And of course the 'periodocity' of the build. To that end I'm presently thrashing on a first gen Valiant radiator, turning it into a two-pass closed unit that'll replace the aluminum one I've been using temporarily (and which I'm tired of catching the "too modern" crap for ). Funny thing though, I'd expected to lose ground a bit on weight, but surprisingly the tin & brass radiator's coming in a couple pounds lighter. Hadn't planned to do that one this year, but as long as I had the tank, battery, & radiator stand off & apart anyway ................ So far, in re-engineering that stand & its components, I've pared over 30 of the pounds right there, 26.5 in the battery & box swap-out alone. Tom, silly'd be pop-riveting on aluminum doors and hood panels to replace the steel ones. I doubt I'll get that manic over the few pounds that'd shave. That's silly building, as opposed to just plain silly (which always has, and still does work for me). Perhaps even thinking of it rates me as silly though.
Dick, I will keep it short Keep the front as it is I see that you cut most all the car wt, so you are next This would have been a good time to be a fat boy like me, as I only see 10-15# on your frame that can be remove, You may have to cut back on those macaroni lunches your fine wife brings to the races.
Tom you are getting a little carried away. Them race track meals are one of the reason we show up. He has test and approve them recipes before they are brought to the race track.
Ha guys, don't blame me, old6 is the one that wants his total race package to be as light as possible. I am going to run mine "as is" both car and driver. That salad won't go to waste as my pit is right next to him.
Hate to do this...(yeah, right), but I'll do it anyways. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR "Old66rodder", HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!! You don't need to thank me for the one day name change, you earned it!
Happy Birthday old timer, Dick, I can only say that for a little while, you are one month before me. Not ahead of me, but you might be after that weight loss. Now you could run drag radials.
Great car, awesome engine choice. But I don't think I'd have used "bad stomach" and "nice runs" in the same reference...
Thanks , Gentlemen. Spent the day as I do most Sundays, working on the float up at the barn (have our first road test the 28th, this one's a combined Mechanical Inspection & 1st Technical trial). Not sure what it says about me that I consider busting my butt a way to celebrate. Damn, Guitard, I completely glossed that one (obviously ), nice catch. Hate missing a good line, but rather have someone else pick up on it than waste it.
Howdy Kiddies, I took some pictures of the weight reduction clinic I've been holding the last couple weeks, so here 'tis ......... The new (old brass) radiator, (smaller) battery, gas tank position, and the new stand for all the above ....... The new dash and its wiring (Tink's my Muse ) ....... And a long shot, just fer grins ........ I've also modified the shifter per a suggestion by '440. I'll haul'er up to Scholl Canyon Dump's scales next week (or so) for a weigh-in to see how much I shaved. Wish me luck, Gentlemen. Even got 5 lbs off my ass as well. As always, the pictures are clickable, and will take you to the album(s) on Flick'r.
Wish you luck? Hell, if you have some spare time, can you help me take off about 15 pounds at that weight loss clinic of yours? I know...eat less and exercise.
Well Dick, I am surprised. I did not think you had 5# to loss off that skinny frame of yours. The car looks great, nice changes. That photo from the rear makes it look real sleek. Have you thought about air trapped under that body top cover? Made a 3 tenth sec difference on my 28 altered when I vented the top of the body. A lot of air holding you back with a body if not vented. Oh h--l, what do I know, just keep doing what you are doing.
I'm thinking that more bullet holes across the rear just might do the trick. Either that or a 3" hole saw.
Holes is good! Anything to remove some if its...er...brickness. Without altering its great period look.
The Jalopy Journal
