September 15th – October 15th 2020

Yeah, its been a month for a shop update – because it was a busy one. I’m not sure where I left off, but I’m sure it was way before:

Indy Race

For about ten years, my son Dallas worked in my race shop and raced with me. Marriage, a job change and children had him give up racing, and let his racing license expire about five years ago. I invited him to take a week off and to come racing with me using my back up car, the Texas Thug, while I raced the Screamin’ Woody. The problem was that he’d let his racing license expire, but we worked that out with Rollie Miller, who let him make his six supervised solo qualifying passes and get the paperwork signed off prior to Eliminations.

There were 78 NSS Racers there, mostly because of the Dave Duell Classic and All Star Race. The first Qualifying pass was also Dallas’ 6th Licensing pass and so he had to make a solo. They had him Qualify 1st in line. I was in the next pair to qualify. As I was doing my burnout I looked up at the scoreboard in his lane to see what he’d done, and it was 9.750 seconds on a 9.75 index. That was a perfect run, and since he was the first to do it, 77 Racers in back of him were immediately bummed that no one else had a chance to Qualify #1. I wound up qualifying #5 of 78.

That also had us into the All Star race, which was the 16 best (based on the Top 5 in points last year, the Top 10 Qualifiers for that week’s main event and the Previous year’s Champ choosing the 16th) NMCA VS. the best 16 Victory Racers. Sadly, we both were out in first round – Dallas because his car was getting slower and we couldn’t figure out why, and I broke out by going too fast.

In the FX Shootout, Dallas was out in the first round and the car was so slow we knew it was broke, suspecting the torque convertor. I went three rounds before a .002 Red Light.

In the Main Event on Sunday – I again went three rounds before taking a 1/2 car too much stripe and did a heart breaking 9.749 on the brakes. My light was a .010.

We loaded up disappointed, yet happy that after five years we’d spent a week racing together.

The below is a small gallery of photos from the week.

12 Cushmans

We drove straight back after leaving track at 6pm Sunday – arriving to the shop Monday night. The very next day at 6am, we were both back on the road in my truck and trailer heading to Chicago, Illinois – arriving there at Midnight. Early the next morning we were loading up 12 Cushman Scooters I’d bought as a lot.

We were done at 10am and back at my shop (40 miles South of Houston) at about 3am.

Figured out what was wrong with the Thug

After a few hours sleep, I unloaded the cars from the stacker and the Scooters from the other trailer. Damon pulled the transmission out of the Thug a removed the pan. It happens that during one of Dallas’ Qualifying passes, he leaked transmission oil at the line, and told to fix it. Checking the car, he found a bolt had worked its way out of the tail shaft of the transmission. He replaced it with a bolt that was 1/4″ longer. It turns out that 1/4″ was long enough to hang up the drum band. It was locked onto the drum and it not only slowed the car down – it wore the band out.

I did have a spare band so the transmission was quickly reassembled and I cleaned and painted. I have a spare converter that ATI had just freshened up that can go in. The one pulled out will need to go back to ATI for a clean and inspection since there was so much metal and band material.

Magnum GT

Earlier in the year, I got my Magnum GT running great, re-dyed the leather and carpet, and had the car scuffed and repainted in a urethane with UV block. The body didn’t need any repairs – it was just the 42 year old factory paint and pinstriping was dull. The paint looked so good that it made the trunk, engine compartment and door jams stand out. So the bumpers and drivetrain was pulled; I clean, scuffed and painted the trunk – but did send the car back to the paint shop for the door jams and under hood to be painted.

The engine were cleaned, resealed, and repainted – and are waiting to be mated up with the body. The bumpers have been rechromed.

Still have a lot of work left, but it will be almost as good as new soon.

The Mailster

If you’ve been following along with the shop updates at DaveSchultz.com or the blog at MoparWeb.com – you’ll know that I bought a 1964 Westcoaster Mailster – which is a three wheeled mail delivery truck that was used prior to the Post Office going to the small Jeeps. Back then, a Mailman could load his leather bag with only 60 pounds. There would be green boxes along his route, where he’d stop to reload his bag for another 50 pounds. The Mailster on the other and could carry 500 pounds. This was a time before UPS, FedEx, Airborne and others package and overnight carriers. Parcels, Media and Special Deliveries were mostly USPS delivered – and these Mailsters played a big part of that in those deliveries.

Earlier in the year (again check this sites I listed if you want to see the work done prior to this update) I bought a Mailster, from the Hill Country for $500. It hadn’t run since the early 80s. I bought it back to my shop and we were able to get it running pretty good. Then decided to refurbish and we started the complete disassembly of it.

I asked my Shop Rat to blast the bare Chassis to bare metal and hit with Primer while I was racing at Indy. However I wasn’t happy with his work – and redid it.

Chassis needs a little metal work, the primer needs to be wet sanded with 400 grit, and then hit with a few coats of gloss black. I’ll then turn my attention to detailing the motor and transmission, and start the assembly for a running Chassis.

I still have not decided what to do with this. My inclination is to theme it as something very crazy. I’ll have time for the best idea to hit me before I need to turn my attention towards the body.

Coach and stacker Damage

Leaving the Indy race, I jack-knifed the motorhome and stacker to where they touched each other at the toolbox on the trailer’s tongue. The coach had minor scratches that I was able to quickly repair, but I couldn’t hammer out the box to my satisfaction – so I removed.

I drew up a plan for a nicer one that is taller, which also has a top compartment for more storage. My neighbor at the lake has a metal fabrication shop, and I’m having him make it for me. I’ll attach to the stacker when he’s done.

Cushman Series 60 Frame is Ready

As I write this, of the lot of 12 Scooters I bought – I’ve only had the time to sell one Eagle project (well they all are projects has none have been started in last 30 years) for $1100. Yesterday the Montgomery Pony Cycle I had on eBay sold for $3000 – but I’ve not yet paid for it or received a reply. Other than that, all I’ve been able to do so far is to wash, label, photo and do a little research – except a Series 60 frame.

I crush glass blasted it to bare metal and sprayed it with a gallon of high build sandable primer. I’ve put it aside for now and listed for sale pretty cheap. If it sells, great! If not I’ll get around to building something incredibly stupid on it. I’m thinking a 28hp electric start Vanguard motor, 10″ wheels and a Kustom made Rear cover/seat with a fin from a 60 Plymouth.

Prepared 3 Axles for Sale

I made three axles that had been in the shed for decades ready to sell. This as part of my reducing the amount of crap I have. I’ve listed two of them on eBay and on Old Hippies Ads.

Race Car Loose Ballast

The loose ballast I run in the weight boxes are dumbells that I lopped off their handles. Over the last few years they’ve gotten nasty from rattling around in the weight boxes in the trunk or the storage box in the stacker. Every time I picked up a weight, my hands become dirty black. I had my shop rat clean and paint them with 2 coats of Por15. I then weighed, marked with a junkyard paint pen and hit with three coats of clear. Hopefully, it will last a couple of years.

Coach & Stacker

I just had to take a bunch of photos of the coach and stacker to change my insurance company. So I thought I’d share as a gallery. You have to click the thumbnail to see that larger photo – if you’re interested.

That’s all I can remember for the last month. There was plenty more that I did at the shop, but I also spent a lot of time doing accounting and other business with Bloomin’ Blinds in the last month.

Until next month…..