Here's a quick rundown on the FAST/Factory Stock Drags at Martin, Michigan this past week end.
First, the weather on Friday was pretty good. Air not bad but the temperature got to about 88 or so.
On Saturday, the longer the day went the hotter and worse the air got. The temperature got up to 96! There was a tail wind off and on. First it would be about a 15 mph tail wind then drop off to no wind at all.
Chuck and John Kern ran their white R 2 Powershift Avanti and qualified at 14.0 @ 100 mph. They drew Chevy II four speed and lost the first two rounds. The Chevy guy found out if he shifted above the normal 5500 he would go faster; therefore, he turned in the high 13's instead of what he qualified at but did not go three tenths quicker that would have disqualified him. Chuck slowed to 14.2 mainly due to the weather.
I broke the rear end in the Tomato a week ago and put in a 4.27 for the Martin race (not just ring and pinion but entirely different rear I had).
Turns out it would not launch without a horrible skipping or chatter, so violent I had to baby it coming out resulting in terrible sixty foot times. The best sixty foot was 2.35 all the way up to 2.61. The locker seems to be locking and unlocking during the launch.
We qualified with a 13.54 and drew a Plymouth 340 Duster four speed. We did manage to win the first round with a 2.47 sixty foot and 13.71 et. He turned a 13.69 but fortunately we had a better light to barely win.
The second run was the 2.61 sixty and again had a better reaction but not enough this time. Almost caught him at the finish line but lost by .012 of a second.
Third run again got the better reaction and knew when it left (2.35 sixty) that we had it won if I didn't mess up. Got to the et building and the fellow handed me the yellow ticket (loser usually get the yellow copy and the winner the white one). I asked if I shouldn't get the white one and he said, "You red lighted". I couldn't believe it as it is a pro tree and almost impossible the red light if you wait until you see the three yellows come on. So I messed up!
After getting back to the pits, John told me just before the yellow lights came on, the top staging bulb went out so the car must have rolled forward giving less inches to turn on the green light.
So the only two Studes that showed up didn't win their shoot outs but still a lot of fun. One of the highlights was the Friday night test and tune at the strip. We left about 5:00 before the locals came in to race and left the Avanti, Tomato, and the '61 truck hauler at the track.
When we came back Saturday morning, some of the people that stayed for the test and tune told us there was a mob of the locals looking over the three Studes all evening and generated a lot of discussions. So we were able to help the Stude cause a little plus a lot of people coming up during the two days to ask questions and discuss the cars.
Now, this rear end is coming out of the Tomato and I'm going to put in another one and add the flanged axles but I need some brake parts to make the change. I have the backing plates, shoes, and wheel cylinders but need all the hardware to install the shoes and drums. Prefer smooth drums as they are lighter.
I don't want to put the rear I broke back in as it is an R 3 and belongs to Nelson Bove and I would like to return it to him after I get it repaired. It needs the two bevel gears and four pinion (spider) gears for the twin traction set up. In the parts book it shows the bevel gears as illustration #1004-35 and the pinion as 1004-37 and only come in a kit # 1546166. I'm not positive but think the 23 and 27 rears may work also. Doesn't sound right but according to parts book . . . I'll be calling NDT, Richmond, Randy's, etc. to see if I can locate the gears for the R 3 but with 19 splines, I'm guessing they may be hard to come by.
If anyone has the parts for my brakes and/or the R 3 gears and interested in selling them, please let me know.
Thanks.
Ted
First, the weather on Friday was pretty good. Air not bad but the temperature got to about 88 or so.
On Saturday, the longer the day went the hotter and worse the air got. The temperature got up to 96! There was a tail wind off and on. First it would be about a 15 mph tail wind then drop off to no wind at all.
Chuck and John Kern ran their white R 2 Powershift Avanti and qualified at 14.0 @ 100 mph. They drew Chevy II four speed and lost the first two rounds. The Chevy guy found out if he shifted above the normal 5500 he would go faster; therefore, he turned in the high 13's instead of what he qualified at but did not go three tenths quicker that would have disqualified him. Chuck slowed to 14.2 mainly due to the weather.
I broke the rear end in the Tomato a week ago and put in a 4.27 for the Martin race (not just ring and pinion but entirely different rear I had).
Turns out it would not launch without a horrible skipping or chatter, so violent I had to baby it coming out resulting in terrible sixty foot times. The best sixty foot was 2.35 all the way up to 2.61. The locker seems to be locking and unlocking during the launch.
We qualified with a 13.54 and drew a Plymouth 340 Duster four speed. We did manage to win the first round with a 2.47 sixty foot and 13.71 et. He turned a 13.69 but fortunately we had a better light to barely win.
The second run was the 2.61 sixty and again had a better reaction but not enough this time. Almost caught him at the finish line but lost by .012 of a second.
Third run again got the better reaction and knew when it left (2.35 sixty) that we had it won if I didn't mess up. Got to the et building and the fellow handed me the yellow ticket (loser usually get the yellow copy and the winner the white one). I asked if I shouldn't get the white one and he said, "You red lighted". I couldn't believe it as it is a pro tree and almost impossible the red light if you wait until you see the three yellows come on. So I messed up!
After getting back to the pits, John told me just before the yellow lights came on, the top staging bulb went out so the car must have rolled forward giving less inches to turn on the green light.
So the only two Studes that showed up didn't win their shoot outs but still a lot of fun. One of the highlights was the Friday night test and tune at the strip. We left about 5:00 before the locals came in to race and left the Avanti, Tomato, and the '61 truck hauler at the track.
When we came back Saturday morning, some of the people that stayed for the test and tune told us there was a mob of the locals looking over the three Studes all evening and generated a lot of discussions. So we were able to help the Stude cause a little plus a lot of people coming up during the two days to ask questions and discuss the cars.
Now, this rear end is coming out of the Tomato and I'm going to put in another one and add the flanged axles but I need some brake parts to make the change. I have the backing plates, shoes, and wheel cylinders but need all the hardware to install the shoes and drums. Prefer smooth drums as they are lighter.
I don't want to put the rear I broke back in as it is an R 3 and belongs to Nelson Bove and I would like to return it to him after I get it repaired. It needs the two bevel gears and four pinion (spider) gears for the twin traction set up. In the parts book it shows the bevel gears as illustration #1004-35 and the pinion as 1004-37 and only come in a kit # 1546166. I'm not positive but think the 23 and 27 rears may work also. Doesn't sound right but according to parts book . . . I'll be calling NDT, Richmond, Randy's, etc. to see if I can locate the gears for the R 3 but with 19 splines, I'm guessing they may be hard to come by.
If anyone has the parts for my brakes and/or the R 3 gears and interested in selling them, please let me know.
Thanks.
Ted
Geeze! BP
We've got to quit saying, 
BP
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