Hot Rods HENRY J Disaster Part 2

If you all remember part 1 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629626

Yesterday was first day of racing, didn't go so well.......... Friday I put the car back into race trim after driving it on the street for a week with no issues. Saturday morning I start the car to load on the trailer and it's dumping fuel out the rear carb, WTF ! Right away problems, I bang the bowl trying to get a float unstuck to no avail. One of my racing buddies calls to see what's going on, he says get it to the track and fix it there. I get it to the trailer and winch it up hoping for the best when I get there.
I make it to the track and unload the car off the trailer and began taking the needle and seat out of the rear carb to see if there's some junk in it. A fellow racer comes up to the front and says "your rear slick is leaking air" another WTF ! I just had the slicks mounted Friday and was hoping for air between the tube and tire escaping. A quick air pressure check and it's loosing air that and a leaky carb !
I hook the car back to the winch so I can load it again before the slick goes flat. My buddy Todd Zieminick (gold Henry the Vlll henry j) comes by and asks why back on the trailer. I piss and moan and say I'm done, just going to try and fix the carb. He says you here to race or watch ? He starts tackling the tire while I continue taking the bowl off the carb. I help him break the tire down and get the tube out then finish up the carb. Carbs fixed !
We find a hole in the tube and give it an old nostalgic fix with a patch and some duct tape for good measure, We throw it back on the car and put weight on it to see if it holds. In the background I hear them call the nostalgia gassers to line up, another WTF, I'm not even teched in yet. The slick holds so I grab my helmet and jacket out of the truck and throw it in the car to rush over for tech. I'm in line "where's my tech card", yup another one, walk back to the truck and get the card and get teched.
I see the mod gas cars still lined up so I figure I'll just get a time trial with them so I head for the lane. I get there and they are telling me to move to the front one spot left in nostalgia gas, get there. I rush past everyone and right into the box for the burnout, burnout is good. Third yellow lights and I stomp the gas, car leaves then gets real squirly, loose feeling. About the time it flashes into my head that this is loose it goes sideways and slams the guard rail. They say it was kinda airborne and come around and hit the front end, car stops and I'm really saying WTF now. I can tell the right rear is sitting low, kill the engine and get out pretty shaken up. I look back and see a guy holding the rim and slick, I hit the battery kill and look at the smashed up quarter panel and a hole where the axle is supposed to be.
Today I'm pretty darn sore, back is killing me, but got a spare axle in the housing to get the car back in the garage. So much for another debut of the Henry J and kills my plans for Thompson in a couple weeks.






for comparison

 

But it was a great story !!!!!!!!

 

still sucks and hurts, did get a .557 light though

 

Sorry that you banged it up. I know racing is fun I like to watch. To me driving on the street is as much fun too. Good luck on fixing it I enjoyed your build pictures. I have one I'm collecting parts for now and will start the build when it gets cold. No race car just street.

Jim

 

Good WTF story. Hell anybody can win. To loose gracefully is cool!
You were gracefull weren't you?

 

I wouldnt let a real life "race wound" keep you from going! As long as there is no structural damage go have fun and tell your story. Now if you had run it thru the flowerbed at the daycare down the road, you might want to keep it put up awhile.

 

I know I am very thankful to have great friends that helped in getting the car back up on my trailer and back into the garage. It will now sit there until hell freezes over or I can find a quarter panel, which ever comes first.

 

HA HA! Hope that's not too long.

 

Hey, if it was easy then everybody would do it. You got this great story now that everybody's gonna' want to hear about and your getting the bugs worked out of the "J" The next time out should be smooth for you.

 

Man it better be, I guess the new engine is making power which is good. I would just like to get one clean pass out of this car to see and show what it's got. Right now I'm the guy that always breaks, if you know what I mean .

 

Dude, this is a bummer, but small potatoes... you had me scared there for a second. Let me know if you need an extra pair of hands to slap it back into shape.

 

just come over and slap it, it needs an attitude adjustment...lol

 

Phil,
I'll mail you a 4 pound hammer to beat that quarter back out. Hell I've got bigger dents in my forehead than that. I hope you're okay that's the main thing.
Now quit with all the hell freezes over stuff and get that hotrod back going.
Rocky

 

Thanks but no thanks, I couldn't pick that up right now, I'm freaking wiped out !

 

thanks for confirming that I cant afford drag racing. wish you luck for the next time

 

Oh shit Phil! Get the bucket out and drive it around for awhile. That sucks that you won't make Thompson. Keep your head up.

 

Sorry to hear about the WTF's Phil. Glad you're ok. Everything will work out !

 

Man and I thought me messing up all the windw frames today was bad. Sorry to hear the HJ got smashed. At least it can be fixed. I'll keep my eye out for a rear fender.

 

Wise words here Phil!

You know what I always say "ya wanna play yer gonna pay"! It could have been worse, something could have gone wrong at the big end. That would have been much uglier.

Now what's all this layin' around shit! Was it over when the Germans bombed Peal Harbor???

 

Phil..

Sorry to hear of your troubles.. I'll keep an eye out for a quarter panel in this neck of the woods..

Bill

 

My old race partner and I built a 62 ChevvyII W/302 4 speed for E/Gas back in 66,, went to the River and beat all comers first rattle off the tow bar. We made 200 Bucks and thought we were hot stuff,,,. Did not win another meet for a year and a half,, broke parts, red lights, broke more parts, sure deflated our spirits, but thats racing Our learning curve for loosing was a long one,,,We lost the attitude of ,, difficult to be humble when we are so great"
Having trouble right out of the box is the best learning experience.

 

Man you just cant catch a break with that car, must have some bad juju or something. Good thing that axle didn't let go further down the track.

 

Don't give up now, John and were planning on going in June to see you and Art duke it out.

 

Hell Phil, the first dent is in it, its all gravy from here, run it the way it is, just to work the bugs out...then when the drive line is dialed in, make it purty again!

 

Thanks everyone I was just glad to get it all back in the garage so I could close the door and recoup. I found some photos on Facebook, looked like a good start




tire is coming off already



tire is off



big group of friends helping me out right here

 

another shot of the damage

 

Phil;
Least you were able to load it on the trailer and fix it at home..
I raced a guy last yr,and when I looked over to see where he was,the headlighta were aimed in my direction.
he barrelled rolled and destroyed the car...ruined his day and mine...tough to get that image out of my mind..cars can be rebuilt..

Moser can have you new axles in a few days..

Don't let this "bump" get you down.

Rick

 

Glad that you are O.K. the car can be fixed.

 

Thanks Rick and yes it could have been a lot worse a little further down the track, it sure went sideways in a big hurry. I plan on giving Moser a call for sure to get some new axles in it.

 

man i hate to hear about your misfortune. i read your first thread a couple of months back. i have a rule these days. if things are not going right when you leave the house, you better not race. i was sand dragging last year and was fighting similar issues at home, ran most of the day once i got there and in the finals my front end broke. i just look at it as a sign from above telling me "today is not the day for this".