TireSmoke.org

Ok in reality it's more like nine secoonds, but it's good to have goals - right?

On board view from the front of my dragster from the Nostalgia Races at Thompson last weekend. I missed the main event on Sun due to my basement flooding Late Sat. night, but I did get some decent runs in on Friday and Saturday. I've got a neat vid of the chute deploying, but we had the camera rotated - so I gotta figure out how to rotate the video before posting it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s99wx-k0sbo

I was mowing the lawn last night and I thought "I need to prompt Racin' Jacin for an update, haven't heard from him in a while." I was actually thinking you were probably fabricating something cool and not telling us, but this will do just fine. Build the toys, play with the toys.

Cool video. What's that camera look like mounted on there?

Well, I haven't done alot lately. My kids both play soccer and I coach my daughter's teams (Indoor & Outdoor) so time has been an elusive luxury lately. On the other hand - soccer ended a couple weeks ago - so we immediately took the digger out to Thompson for a couple test runs prior to the Gasser Reunion - ran back to back 9.59's reaction .08 and .09 respectively - not bad for my first runs of the year.

Was running in the 9.70's for the reunion - air was pretty bad so I was ok with that. I did better my reaction time to a .006 - I was pretty happy with that one to say the least! I missed Sunday's runs because my basement flooded Sat late - oh well. Two of my buddy's both blew up their engines - so I can't complain. I was kinda bummed that I did NOT have my Cushman there ;-( I had plans on rigging up a way to get it in my truck, but last couple weeks before the reunion I ended up helping Stan straighten up the quaters, rockers, floor, wheel wells, etc on his '55 Ford gasser. It was literally down to the very LAST SECOND getting his car there - we use it as a tow vehicle for the Gasser Race. I will do my best to get the scooter transport scheme worked out for the next Gasser Race at Thompson.

Picked up a kick butt Plasma cutter from HGR - not sure I really 'need' this thing but for the price I couldn't walk away!!!

Next mission - rebuild the trans in my old truck.

I rebuilt the convertible trans and after sleeving the drum in the front clutch hub (after I screwed it up) all seems to be fine so far - so I REALLY need to work on the truck trans before it leaves me high and dry while pulling the digger somewhere!!!!!

Also need to work on the convertible rear end - it seems I have a BENT pinion shaft - I initially thought it a bent drive shaft, but after closer inspection it appears it is the input to the rear itself. It's a goffy design - it is a splined shaft that protrudes 3 - 4 inches from teh housing - then a ujoint coupling CLAMPS onto the splines - I ought to just pitch it all and upgrade except I'm looking for a QUICK fix at the moment!!!

Well that's my story and I'm sticking with it!!!

Nice vid. The engine seems to have a nice 'cadence' at idle.
The down track run seemed nice and straight. The engine sounded like it wasn't working hard at all. That's a good thing!

I forget, do you have any kind of cooling system?

Thanks Mark, The engine is VERY mild to say the least. I used to run water in the block, but now it's dry. One reason I don't hot lap!!! Also why I run it a tad fat - I use the cooling ability of the alcohol.

Here's another vid - not the car this time, but you might find it interesting


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhQYK8JaoAc


Racin'jacin

I've seen this trailer in person and I didn't know it did all that stuff. There's got to be a market for something like this out there...

-BP

Racin'Jacin wrote:Well, I haven't done alot lately. My kids both play soccer and I coach my daughter's teams (Indoor & Outdoor) so time has been an elusive luxury lately.

Up til last week I had the same thing with soccer.

Thanks for the update.

I saw the trailer in action, two years ago. Lots of thought went into that, that's for sure.
No 'on board' compressor then. Nice touch with the telescoping tongue and... the license plate.

Any thoughts on fenders?

On the cooling thing.
Running the block dry? WOW. I know alcohol has way different burning proprieties over gasoline, but the first thing that comes to my mind, is the need for heat dissipation, in the heads, around the exhaust valve. That's gota be the hottest running area. The absence of cooling media- for weight savings, or, it's just really not needed with the alcohol. ???

Mark the plan was to add some fenders when I found some CHEAP at the swap meet - thinking something individual over each tire. I've been caught in a rainstorm or two and believe it or not the tire spray is no worse than a regular car - so basically what that means is that I'm in no hurry

The license plate hinge was a kludge that I made from junk laying around - just today I started on making a much more presentable one - it'll work exactly the same - just be a little sleeker in design - I guess I'm a little anal about certain things BTW the new one is 100% stainless - only thing left is adapting a torsion spring to it and of course engine turning it - oh yeah baby!!!

Block is BONE DRY (yikes) - heads are still warm to the touch at the end of the strip. I do have the exhaust rockers oiling (intakes do not). Not concerned with the weight - it's more of a safety thing - trying to keep as little as possible to run over should I window it. I normally run a lower diaper on the motor - yeah probably overkill for what I'm doing, but it's CHEAP INSURANCE in my book. BTW I've seen several guys running empty blocks with alcohol - the stuff really is pretty amazing. Remember I get towed back from every run. I used to drive up to the lanes when I had water in the block, but no more.

MostMint - where do your kids play?? We played at Lost Nation in the winter and Willowick Rec in the Summer/fall. I coach the U11 Girls team and am trying to sign up for the assistant Coach for my sons U11 Boys team (that's still up in the air though). It's a LOT of fun.

My kids play in the Wadsworth Amateur Soccer Association which participates in GAASA - Greater Akron Amateur Soccer Association. Our home field is Muhl in Wadsworth. It's a rec league so we also travel to other local communities that participate in GAASA.

My daughter just finished up U11 but is planning to change sports in the fall - going to run cross country. She was on a C1 team and was a big asset to her team - it's a little sad to see her change sports, but she is compelled to run. Seems speed runs in the family.

My son just finished U10 and is planning to play U11 in the fall. I'll probably end up coaching for him in the fall if we can get enough boys to field a team. Boys have so many other sports it is hard to get the same group from one season to the next. I did the assistant coaching thing this past spring so I think I am ready to go, plus I have been watching the one year older girls team so I have some idea how to coach the next level. It will pull you in.

MostMint, Too late they already got me pulled in. I started Coaching U11 last Fall. My daughter has 1 more year in U11 so I am guaranteed one more season for outdoor - I also plan on coaching U11 indoor at least one more winter as well. When she moves up it will be doubtful I would have enough seniority to coach in that next division, but I'll throw my hat in the ring just the same. Apparently there is quite alot more interest in Coaching the U11 boys -from what I hear it is HIGHLY unlikely I can get a team in that division - so I was hoping a friend of mine had enough seniority so I could at least assistant Coach my sons team with him - I don't want him to feel left out.

So far both kids are doing quite well - I was worried with my son at first - he seemed to struggle just a bit, but Indoor has helped him a TON - he's DEFINITELY ready to move up to the U11 division!!! Should be a great season !!!!!

funny it's the exact opposite here with boys AFAIK. If we get enough boys for a team I think the league would be glad to have a volunteer. My son playing like a free safety - he needs to start going for the ball a little more and the player a little less. We're having fun with it.

Coaching for two teams would be rough, be it head coach or assistant. You're still there for all the practices and games. Oh well you only get to do it for a short time so enjoy while it lasts

You hit the nail on the head! You gotta do this stuff when you can because it ain't gonna last forever!!!! Yeah 2 would be rough, but like you said - I'm there at all the games and practices anyways. Time will tell.

The biggest thing I noticed about my son was confidence which I think is the case with any young player. Once he got some confidence with his ball handling skills everything has fallen into place. Now we just got to keep on him to remember to PASS - which he does, we just wanna make sure he continues. Earlier this year in the U8 division he eventually became a standout player (all a result of indoor) - now we're trying to prepare him that in the U11 division he's going to be mediocre again and he's gonna need to raise the bar yet again. What fun it is to watch them grow their skills.

Well back on topic...well sorta almost.

Here's some pics of my NEWLY fabbed license plate hinge - works the same as the origional - just refined it a bit and made it out of stainless steel except for the torsion springs I made from extension springs - I still need to find some stainless for those.