Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 12 of 27 1 2 10 11 12 13 14 26 27
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: StealthWedge67] #2384234
10/09/17 01:23 AM
10/09/17 01:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
Originally Posted By StealthWedge67

My bad Billy! I must have been in a pissy mood and a ridiculous rules squabble clearly has no place in your tale, nor in any real drag week conversation.


Gary,
No need to apologize. I love the input from everyone. The frustration stems from the fact that we have to "indoctrinate" all the rookies every year as well.

Most of us have grown up with the NHRA,IHRA, NMCA, PSCA, NSRA, UDRA and a dozen more alphabet soup and local sanctioning bodies throwing rules in front of us. Most of those rules regarding classes are designed to try and present a level playing field for all competitors, and it's tough to do, but paramount to building successful classes with solid car counts. In drag racing, if one popular combination is 2 tenths slow or another one dominates, the class quickly falls into disarray, and the rules must be adjusted. We grow up trained to pick the rules apart and look between the lines for any advantage or slight infraction.

This is exactly what David Freiburger was tired of in 2004 when he and a couple of close colleagues dreamed up Drag Week. "No Rules...let the road miles sort them out!"

It's about proving you have a legitimate street car, first and foremost. Then showing the world how fast your street car can run on the track. It's what he wanted with the "Fastest Street Car" format of the late eighties, early nineties but that quickly spun into just another race series and lost his interest.

He knew that if Drag Week were to ever work it needed a strong leadership, someone to handle the day to day operations and someone to police it with a gentle but firm approach. He turned to his land speed racing partners and East Coast Timing Association veterans Keith and Tonya Turk for the help he knew it would take to get this off the ground.

Keith would only sign on if the event took on characteristics that more closely resembled LSR racing. The classes have NOTHING to do with a level playing field, and were NEVER intended to have cars built specifically to the rules, they are only there to divide the field up and give more people a shot at a plaque or jacket. KEITH TURK is the reason Hot Rod Drag Week doesn't have payouts! He told DF from the beginning that he would be out if that happened. IT IS AN ADVENTURE, it's supposed to be fun, it isn't about winning and losing!

On this next statement, let me be as clear and precise as I can. KEITH and TONYA TURK ARE HOT ROD DRAG WEEK! Without their involvement and guidance this event would have ceased to exist years ago. Regardless of the sponsor money, regardless of the magazine and participant support, regardless of the contributions of another dozen or so very talented and dedicated people, they are the glue, and the energy that has drove this event to the popularity it now enjoys.

Now, if David Freiburger doesn't like rules, and Keith Turk or Lonnie Grimm aren't comfortable with beating people over the head with them, why does DF talk about them so much on the live feed?
Legitimate question.
David's "precious", that thing he clings to the most from Drag Week, is that it is the ultimate test, the crucible, the true mark of a real street car to survive it. So any rumors that they are lax on the rules of the drives, or that some competitors have large pit crews, or take short cuts and circumvent that "test" in any way, drives him absolutely crazy!
If you look at DF's career in it's totality, through Fastest Street Car, to Power Tour, to Pump Gas Drags, to Drag Week, and now Road Kill, the one principal he has always promoted and stuck to is this: Get those cars out of the garages and museums, off the show fields, and private collections, and DRIVE them, use them as they were intended and let the next generation see them out on the road! The interaction between the people we meet in small town America as we cruise from track to track is easily the most rewarding and memorable part of this deal, and something the live feed doesn't convey.

Sorry I rambled, I'll get off my soapbox now...

20170914_190831 - Copy.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2384253
10/09/17 01:58 AM
10/09/17 01:58 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,471
Minnesota
Hemi_Joel Offline
master
Hemi_Joel  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,471
Minnesota
I like your analysis on this Billy, and I agree.


[img]http://i.imgur.com/boeexFms.jpg[/img]
31 Plymouth Coupe, 392 Hemi, T56 magnum
RS23J71
RS27J77
RP23J71
RO23J71
WM21J8A
I don't regret the things I've done. I only regret the things I didn't do.
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something. ~ Plato"
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2384297
10/09/17 09:26 AM
10/09/17 09:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,005
Tulsa OK
Bad340fish Offline
master
Bad340fish  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,005
Tulsa OK
Very Good Analysis for sure.

You know without a doubt that after drag week passes through some of these towns that at least one person and probably more go turn a wrench on an old project.


68 Barracuda Formula S 340
87 "Chrysler" Conquest
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: Hemi_Joel] #2384298
10/09/17 09:26 AM
10/09/17 09:26 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,009
MN
J
JERICOGTX Offline
I Live Here
JERICOGTX  Offline
I Live Here
J

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,009
MN
popcorn


69 GTX 68 Road Runner
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2384343
10/09/17 11:15 AM
10/09/17 11:15 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 666
IL
D
Dart451 Offline
mopar
Dart451  Offline
mopar
D

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 666
IL
Dragweek started like hell or it seemed like it for rookies like us.
Once we started driving thru small town America, with small groups of people cheering you on it renewed the enthusiasm up

We look forward to seeing where 2018 tracks are!

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2384983
10/10/17 11:10 AM
10/10/17 11:10 AM
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,496
Tulsa, Oklahoma
340Cuda Offline
master
340Cuda  Offline
master

Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,496
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Driving through the towns with the folks in lawn chairs waving at you is one of the coolest things that can happen on Drag Week.

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: ksj] #2385106
10/10/17 02:39 PM
10/10/17 02:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,131
Amarillo, Texas
BBR Offline
master
BBR  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,131
Amarillo, Texas
Originally Posted By ksj
I can remember Randal Burns waiting a LONG time to get a tow back to the pits from Jesse with the John Deere truck.


Actually I do not think he got a tow. IIRC he had to fix it down there. Luckily it was something simple (loose crank sensor I think)

They repeatedly said he would be DQ'd if he towed it back to the pits.


That being said, I think they have changed their tune about incidents that occur at the track because you are displaced from all your tools & supplies.

Last edited by BBR; 10/10/17 04:14 PM.

Drag Week 2011 - 77th place - DD
Drag Week 2012 - 2nd place SRBB N/A
Drag Week 2014 - Kapooya
RMRW 2018
RMRW 2020
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2385458
10/11/17 05:52 AM
10/11/17 05:52 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
I kicked Boone out at Dale's house, and drove his truck to the tire shop. I made it back about two hours later, as he was dropping his trailer down so he could weld the axles to the spring perches.
"Just got a call from Darren", he explained as I started unloading the Hoosiers.
"Yeah, what's he want now?"
"He wants me to unload the Duster off his trailer, so Dad can take it over tomorrow to get his buddy to weld the new fenders on it!"
"I thought you needed to take the Duster into town for an alignment...and...he's had those fenders in his barn for four years, and suddenly it's important that it gets done now?"
"Yeah, exactly", Boone shrugged. "But it's his trailer, so the Duster will have to wait until I'm finished with this one."
"Well, If we're going to unload it, I'd rather do it before it's dark", I pointed to the sun which was rapidly falling out of the sky.

I had the brake lines ran on the nine inch, and the new tires mounted. I was about to torque them when we heard a raspy big block driving up to Dale's house.
"Who's that?" Boone looked up from his trailer where he was attempting to re-attach his own fenders, because the new axles had an inch and a half more drop than the old ones.
It was truly dark so all I could see was headlights, but once they drove around into the back I realized it was Michelle in the purple Duster, with Will following behind her in their Silverado.
"Where's Dale?" Michelle asked as soon as she emerged from the roll cage.
"He's in Miami at Rick's shop working on the Gremlin", Boone explained.
"Is she ready for the trip" I asked Michelle, as I looked into the interior.
"Well", she looked perplexed, "Dale told us what alternator to run, and we bought the one he specified, so we need him to install it!"
"I can help you get it mounted", Boone explained, "But wiring it is out of my area of expertise!"
"When do you think Dale will be back?" Will asked, holding the alternator box out in front of him.
"Probably not until Friday afternoon", I laughed, "it sounds like he still has quite a bit to do!"
"Are you guys going to be out here working on your cars tomorrow?" Michelle asked.
"Yeah...all day!" Boone assured her.
"Okay, I've got tomorrow off so I'll be out here then so we can figure this out!"
They left the car where they had parked it, and Will dropped the alternator in the passenger's seat. They had barely left the driveway in the Silverado when Dad pulled his Dodge into the back yard.
"You calling it an early night, Pops?" Boone asked.
"Yeah, Darren's neighbor went home and I was out there by myself using a drop light to work and just decided a decent night's rest was more important than any progress I was going to make at that point!"
"Jacque cooked supper, and I think Boone and I may have left you a little in there", I told him.
"Sure you did...that would be a first for you guys!" He shuffled off towards the back porch.
"Boone, we could save ourselves a trip to Darren's if we just go ahead and hook his trailer onto Dad's truck right now", I suggested.
"Sounds like a plan", he nodded, "and after that we should call it a night."
"You'll get no argument from me!"

21231313_1560210390666375_8463989643001887235_n.jpg21271145_1560210553999692_8314453088543687159_n.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387427
10/14/17 06:08 PM
10/14/17 06:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
Thursday 9/7

Once again, Boone and I got a great night's sleep, and milled around his house for a couple hours before we headed over to Dale's. At this point it felt like the anti-hell week for us, it wasn't that we didn't have stuff to do to our cars or rigs to be ready to arrive at Cordova Illinois on Sunday, it's just that we were comfortable that we could finish up fairly easily.

"It did it twice from Phoenix to Flag, then it was fine until Texas, and it happened twice from Amarillo to OKC. Then it acted up like ten times after I fueled in OKC to Dale's house." I was explaining to Boone how the Cummins was momentarily shutting off going down the road.
"When is the last time you put a fuel filter on it", Boone asked.
"It doesn't feel like it's starving for fuel, it feels like it's electrical", I explained, "but I think I've replaced the fuel filter once, maybe twice."
"I change mine every other oil change, so I'd say you need a filter. I've had them jerk like that with bad fuel. How long have you had that truck?"
"Eight years, and fifty thousand miles", I paused to recollect, "it's been a darn good work truck, but I rarely drive it without a trailer on the back".
"I think you should definitely change the fuel filter, just on principle, might make the diagnosis easier anyway."
"So now we're Ford mechanics, 'replace with known good part' until the problem goes away?"

We stopped at several places for parts and stuff, then rolled into Dale's back yard at around 10:30. We were the only ones there, no Michelle and no Cody, just us. We grabbed a cold drink out of the cooler, sat on the park bench under the big tree and just soaked in the perfect weather.
"This just feels wrong".
"Yep...we'll probably pay for it on Saturday", he laughed.
"What have you guys done to the Duster, to improve on last year, other than repairing the engine of course," I asked him.
"Well, we put down dynamat and carpet, and Dale was determined to rebuild the front end, even though I told him it drove fine, but nothing has been done about the wiring or charging situation!"
"So you're going to be sitting around with the charger and generator attached at every stop again?"
"Most likely! When does Rachael arrive?"
"I'll have to pick her up at the Airport around four I think".

Engrossed in our own little projects, time seemed to tick away until finally it was getting close to Rachael's arrival, so I asked Boone to help me disconnect the trailer from my 1 ton.
"You can just drive my truck", he offered.
"You're going to be taking the Duster to get an alignment, and that sticker on the roof tomorrow morning right?"
"Yeah, that's true."
"So Rachael and I will need our own transportation, so I may as well do it now."


rPCafX2g-2694361805.jpgQBo9RdrA-797787767.jpgIMG_0041 - Copy.JPGIMG_0074.JPG

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387434
10/14/17 06:37 PM
10/14/17 06:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 158
Canada north shore lake Ontari...
ross Offline
member
ross  Offline
member

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 158
Canada north shore lake Ontari...
By the look of you two it's hardly recognizable that you really are having a good time. lol

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: ross] #2387501
10/14/17 10:39 PM
10/14/17 10:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
Originally Posted By ross
By the look of you two it's hardly recognizable that you really are having a good time. lol


We wear our weariness and misery like a badge of honor Ross! I'd rather spend two weeks wrenchin' and drivin' fifty year old iron instead of sitting on a beach somewhere with my toes in the sand and an umbrella'd drink in my hand!

Originally Posted By moparpollack
Originally Posted By squirrel
Originally Posted By fast68plymouth
Uuuuummm.......Miami?


There are lots of Miamis, there's one in Oklahoma, and one in Arizona, and probably several more


Pronounced Myamah!
up


Miami Oklahoma, The county seat of Ottawa County, and the cultural and financial hub of my childhood from age 6 until I moved to Phoenix at age 23. Census figures place it's largest growth at just over 14,000, but many people around that area live on rural farms and would commute in, so it had a larger feel. It was our "big town", it had two theaters, a JC Penney, and was anchored by a huge B.F.Goodrich tire plant that employed seemingly fifty percent of the people in the county. Goodrich pulled out in 1985, and the place has been a shell of it's former self ever since.

Notable's include 1969 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens, Internationally famous Native American artist Charles Banks Wilson, and of course Steve and Cassie Gaines of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

I went to Miami in 1983 to attend Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College to pursue my dreams of becoming a High School music teacher. I used to jump in Boone's 65 Dart, grab that Hurst Ram Rod shifter, and put that tunnel rammed 340 on 3K for ten miles from Fairland to Miami, thinking I had my world by the tail. As a Music major, you are required to have at least a working knowledge of all instruments, and we were broken up into small groups my freshmen year for each lesson. We learned piano, and harp from Mrs. Gaines. During one of those classes I made the comment that Doc Swanson (our strings teacher) said that the angels came down from heaven to listen when Mrs. Gaines played her beautiful full sized harp. She shook back her long black hair and gave me a sad smile, "That's the only time I get to talk with Steve and Cassie these days, so maybe he's right". That was the day I learned she was their Aunt. My sophomore year at NEO A&M, the piano lessons were one on one and I came to enjoy the time spent with Mrs. Gaines, though she always seemed to wear her loss on her sleeve, and some days were worse than others. On Monday, October the 22nd 1984, I reported to her studio/office at 4pm, I was her last lesson of the day. When I entered she was at her desk, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, but the tears were coming down faster than she could keep up.
She shook her head, "Saturday was the seventh anniversary of the plane crash that took them from us". She drew in a heavy breath, "I was good until I got here around the piano...I taught them to play, I fostered and encouraged their love of music!"
"Mrs. Gaines, I'm sure they wouldn't have changed a thing", I stammered, searching for words I didn't have.
"It's DeMaris...you can call me DeMaris, Billy! She pushed her hair back from her face and smiled up at me through the tears and the smeared mascara. "Sit down and have a drink with me", she reached in her drawer and pulled out a bottle and two shot glasses. "I hate drinking alone, and we should share a toast to their memory!"
I sat down and took the offered shot, afraid to refuse, and afraid to say anything stupid.
"To Steve", she clinked her glass to mine and downed the shot. I simply nodded and took a sip allowing the liquid to warm my throat on the way down. She filled her glass again and clinked mine a second time, "To Cassie", she whispered and downed the second while I sipped mine again. I was afraid she was going to toast the other four members of the band that lost their lives, but alas, she motioned for my glass, and finished what I hadn't.
"You sure can handle your whiskey Mrs. Gaines", I blurted out.
She smiled but her eyes drifted off somewhere else. "Cassie came to my house one day for a piano lesson, and I'd been hitting the sauce a little. She looked at me sideways and asked if I'd been drinking. I looked at her, shook my finger and told her if I'd drank enough whiskey to float a battleship around it wasn't her business to comment on it! She just laughed and laughed, she thought it was the funniest line she ever heard!"
I just sat there in dumbfounded shock with my mouth agape. She winked at me and said, "That's my best Cassie story, don't ask for any more...now let's get to that piano shall we!"

To this day every time I listen to Skynyrd's "Gimme back my bullets", I wonder if Mrs. Gaines ever found her peace talking with Steve and Cassie on the strings of that harp. I left Oklahoma with an Associates Degree in Music Education, and came to Phoenix to earn one in Automotive and Diesel Technology. When I'm rolling down an American back road, listening to that IMM small block bark along at 3K, I often think about the other paths I could've chose, and where they might've led...


Photo304349.jpgDGaines.jpg_data_data_com.android (1).jpg20170914_185300 - Copy.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387584
10/15/17 02:09 AM
10/15/17 02:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,479
So. Burlington, Vt.
F
fast68plymouth Offline
I Live Here
fast68plymouth  Offline
I Live Here
F

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,479
So. Burlington, Vt.
Great story Billy.

My grandfather was a music teacher.


68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123
Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387589
10/15/17 02:32 AM
10/15/17 02:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,289
Tucson AZ,
M
MadMopars Offline
pro stock
MadMopars  Offline
pro stock
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,289
Tucson AZ,
If you don't mind me asking, what ever became of the music education and what are you doing today? Sorry for the detour, just curious. wave -Trent


[img]https://s9.postimg.cc/6fbjxzfvv/48-2016-_Drag-_Weekend-_Best-_Burnouts-lpr.jpg[/img]


73 GTX *440*727*8 3/4*
69 DART GT *440*4 SPEED*DANA*
73 ROAD RUNNER *451*4 SPEED*DANA*
64 F100 *383*4 SPEED*9"*
75 DODGE D300 *440*4 SPEED*DANA*
99 DODGE RAM 3500 4X4 DUALLY... ON 38"s
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387643
10/15/17 10:50 AM
10/15/17 10:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,005
Tulsa OK
Bad340fish Offline
master
Bad340fish  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,005
Tulsa OK
My Sister also holds a Music Education Degree, she went on to be in the Equestrian Business though.


68 Barracuda Formula S 340
87 "Chrysler" Conquest
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: Bad340fish] #2387689
10/15/17 12:14 PM
10/15/17 12:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
Rhinodart Offline
Rhinotruck
Rhinodart  Offline
Rhinotruck

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
That was an awesome anecdote Billy, thanks for typing that! up My dad was a frustrated musician and my mom a singer who sang at night clubs in Chicago when they met. I always wished I had pursued music also, but engineering had a larger pull. frown

Last edited by Rhinodart; 10/15/17 12:19 PM.

The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it.

JB Rhinehart, Realist

A-Body's RULE!
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387695
10/15/17 12:27 PM
10/15/17 12:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
When Rachael and I returned from the airport to Dale's back yard, the first thing I did was reach into Boone's truck and hand her the large black camera bag that was on the seat. Boone had purchased a Cannon digital camera that came with two lenses, and was way fancier than any of the point and shoot stuff we'd ever had before. I figured she had the best chance of any of us to learn how to use it by the time we left for Cordova.
"Bob Brehm isn't making the trip this year, and he's been good for about five thousand shots a day, so you're going to have to pick up the slack", I told her.
"Well, if I'm babysitting the Gebhart brothers, I'm probably not going to have enough time to take that many", she retorted.

Boone helped me bleed the brakes on the Valiant, and I dropped her back on the ground. At this point, I just needed to repair the wiring in the trunk, and charge the batteries, and she would be ready for the first test drive of 2017.
"Dad called while you were gone, and said that when they drop the Charger down the front end goes all the way down to the bump stops! Apparently when they decided to cut that brace, it makes it so flexible that the torsion bars won't hold the front end up!"
I thought perhaps Boone was joking with me at this point. "Are you sure they have the bars set right?"
"Yeah, they tried it several times, and it just won't work!"
"What are they going to do?" I shrugged at Boone, trying to contemplate a solution.
"Darren called the guy that made the modifications, and I guess he's going to come back in the morning and weld it all back together until they find another piece to replace it with.
"Have they even fired the engine yet?"
"No...don't think so, just got the push rods yesterday, and he was probably expecting Dale to run the valves."
"Have you heard from Dale?"
"Yeah, I think he got a couple of hours of sleep last night on the shop floor, and Cody is up there helping him now, but he won't be back until tomorrow sometime."

Will, Michelle, and Derek showed up to work on the Purple Duster at around 6pm.
"I thought you were going to be here this morning", I shrugged at Michelle.
"Yeah, well, I had so much to do...trying to get packed, and organized for the trip", she explained. "Did Dale ever make it back?"
"Nope, and from what Boone told me, it'll likely be tomorrow afternoon."

Boone helped them mount the alternator, and Will finished up the welding on Boone's trailer, so it was an even trade. They left with the Duster about two hours later, but the alternator still hadn't been wired. Rachael and I helped Boone hook up his trailer and load the Ruster Duster so he could get it aligned the next morning, then we followed him to his house. We were in bed well before midnight once again.
"This just doesn't seem right", I told them.
"Never turn down the opportunity to get sleep during Hell Week", Boone laughed, "We'll be better off for it when the journey begins!"

21616547_1575303522490395_1777275981768430722_n.jpg21766810_1575303662490381_3021936907780702974_n.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2387784
10/15/17 04:39 PM
10/15/17 04:39 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,586
Topeka Kansas
K
ksj Offline
master
ksj  Offline
master
K

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,586
Topeka Kansas
Saw your brother and the Gremlin at TRP over the weekend.

Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2389116
10/18/17 01:47 AM
10/18/17 01:47 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
Friday 9/8

Boone left to get the Ruster aligned before Rachael and I got around to leaving, so Rachael wanted me to take her out for breakfast on our way out to Dale's.
"You talked Boone and I into Olive Garden for supper last night, so we aren't going out again", I scolded her, "We have work to do today!"
"Well then, take me by Walmart so I can get some stuff to cook at Dale's, and to stock up for the trip", she countered.
"All right", I agreed, "but you brought a whole cooler of meat!"
"That's for the trip", she shook her head, "Besides, I'm sure you need something you are forgetting too".
She grabbed a cart and went one way, I grabbed one and went the other. When we met in the middle I explained to her that I needed jeans because I only brought two pair.
"Apparently I do too!" She turned around to show me her stretchy jeans had split next to one pocket. We were in Walmart nearly ninety minutes, and I walked out a tick short of two hundred dollars lighter...perhaps breakfast out might have been a better idea.

When we arrived at Dale's, I checked my phone for messages, because it had chirped at me several times. I noticed that Dale had sent a picture of the Gremlin around midnight. Darren had texted back immediately, "Does it Run". Dale's answer had been a cryptic "Some". That didn't sound encouraging, and a closer look at the pic revealed the Gremlin was nowhere near fully assembled, as the grille and headlight buckets were not on. The group of texts I heard were from Boone however. He had to wait on the alignment, so he had taken the car over to get graphics Dale had ordered applied to the roof of the car. When he was unloading it from the trailer he had discovered that in their rush to re-install the engine someone had kinked the oil pump feed line against the k-member, so that was an issue we would have to deal with when he showed back up at Dale's place.

21687830_1575303372490410_5579098809429889456_n.jpgb7XS1p1Q-797851021 - Copy.jpgvudJM0zx-1300105542.jpgvzGMU5Mb-1294774414.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2389142
10/18/17 03:41 AM
10/18/17 03:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
I had the battery charger on the Valiant as I finished up the wiring that was burned in the trunk. When Boone returned, I helped him change the oil on the Duster, and we pulled the kinked line off and relocated it. The oil was nice and clean after his six license passes, so we were encouraged that it wasn't going to make metal this time.

Dale rolled into the back yard around 2:00pm, and went directly in the house for a shower and a change of clothes. When he came back out he was eating a plate of biscuits and gravy that Jacque had cooked.
At that point it occurred to me that Rachael never had fixed anything for us to eat, so I begged her to go scramble some eggs to go with what Jacque had thrown together.
"We were out of eggs", Dale shrugged.
"No", I explained, "We picked some up this morning."
"I was hoping for pizza or something, that's why I didn't eat while I was out!" Boone chimed in.
"Yeah", Rachael agreed, "It's too late for breakfast!"
"It's never too late for breakfast", I insisted, "scrambled eggs now, pizza in a couple of hours!"

Dale walked over and checked out the graphic on the roof of the Duster and shook his head, "That idiot put it on backwards, I told him I wanted it to face the back!"
Boone shrugged, "Looks OK to me..."
"I've got to go get the one installed on the Gremlin", Dale turned back toward his truck, "and grab some parts at O'Reilly, probably need to stop and check on Dylan and Beehler too."
Boone grabbed Dale's shoulder, and shook his head at him, "Those guys are on their own, you have to focus on your car now!"
"I know, I know", Dale agreed, but he didn't sound convinced.

IMG_0048.JPGIMG_0052.JPGIMG_0066.JPG

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Re: Hot Rod Drag Week 2017: The Experience. [Re: MoparBilly] #2389162
10/18/17 07:45 AM
10/18/17 07:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
M
MoparBilly Offline OP
master
MoparBilly  Offline OP
master
M

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
As promised, an order to Pizza Hut delivery was placed, and when Dale came back with the Gremlin, I gave him the spot on the pad, and took the Valiant for it's first test drive. I was happy with everything except the way it drove, it was pulling to the left a bit, and just felt sloppy, like it was rolling around on the rear suspension. I chalked it up to 9 months since I'd driven it on the street, and convinced myself I'd just have to get used to it. On a positive note the engine sounded great, no exhaust leaks, and the new rear discs worked excellent. I pulled her over close to Dale's water hose, so I could wash the grime off in the morning before I loaded the old girl on the trailer.

At nearly the same time our Pizza Hut order arrived, Jacque came home with Little Ceasar's Pizza. She gave us a shrug, and laughed, "I didn't want to cook again!"
"Agreed, We didn't either, so, the more the merrier!"

That seemed to be the theme for the evening, it was as if the prodigal son had returned. Thirty minutes after we pushed Dales's Gremlin on the pad, an army showed up to help. Will and Michelle, Declan and Glade Evans, Kelton, Cody...suddenly it felt like Hell Week! Only so many people can crowd around a 90 inch wheelbase car and work, so Rachael and I were looking for things we could do away from the actual Gremlin. We decide to take the hood in the garage and mount all the new dzus fasteners. Not a complicated or difficult job, but it would be one less thing Dale would have to deal with.

IMG_0068.JPGIMG_0073.JPG20170908_204528.jpg

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
Page 12 of 27 1 2 10 11 12 13 14 26 27






Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1