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Screamin’ Woody

Started with an oil change, as the car was initially jetted way too rich at the race in Martin, and there was a little odor of gas in the oil. I cut the oil filter open and found a little silver from the ill fitting Jessels Indy (back in the Russ Flagle days) installed. Long story short, despite my telling Kenny I wanted TD Machine Rockers when they (poorly!) built this engine, they put Jessels on. Even with lash caps, the geometry sucked and I kept eating up rockers on #7 Intake. I changed to TD Machine in early July, and pretty sure that problem is solved. Back to the filter, I saw some small silver flakes from the rocker slipping off the pushrod and getting its underside beat up. However, I saw no gold – thankfully. I have great oil pressure of 70psi cold at idle. Also did an under-hood nut and bolt check. All was well.

While on the rack, I did an under-car nut and bolt check, and found all of the nuts holding the chunk to the 9″ rear-end housing were loose. A couple of them were 720 degrees loose. Everything else was tight.

After making sure everything was tight, and adding a pint to the rear-end, I turned the Shop Rat loose to scrape the crud off the read-end, rubber crumbles out of the tubs, and to spray and wipe the underside clean.

I had an oil leak coming from under the intake manifold while racing in Martin, MI. I stuffed some blue paper shop towels under the front and back of the intake and that got me through the race dripless. However, now was the time to fix it right and remove the intake to see exactly where the leak was.

It turns out a valley pan inspection cover plate had a 1/4″ bolt walk off. I’d also slightly overtightened by getting lazy and using a battery wrench when I’d tightened in June – searching (and finding) a pushrod tip the shitty Jessel geometry had broke off. The soft aluminum plate had been on and off many times and developing a little warp in many of the bolt holes. I cleaned it and the gasket and flipped over before bolting down with a 1/4″ ratchet – to ensure not over tightened. Once bolted on, I smeared on a thin coating of Ultra black with my finger – as I don’t want to have to take off the intake again this year. I’ll order a new plate and gasket and replace them over the winter.

While the 15-year old and very greasy intake was off, I removed the Carbs, scraped the old Permatex off base and lid, cleaned the intake with Braklean, washed with soapy water and brush, rinsed, blew dry with compressed air, taped off and hit with a can Grey primer. After the primer had dried, I hit with the intake with a couple coats of the same gloss black I used on the valve covers – and then let it dry in the hot Texas sun for a day.

While that was drying, I re-jetted the carbs. For ten years, I’ve always moved between 113 Square, 113/110 and 110 square. There’d never been a jet smaller than 110 in any of my cars. At Martin, I was 113 square and the weather was horrible. It was a hot muggy swamp. The water grains was 130 (30 sux and 130 is pretty rare) with the Temperature near 100. My car ran like shit, and got slower with each pass. Checking the evac oil it smelled like gas, and a plug pulled was sooty black. The consensus among friends was to replace the rear jets with 104s. I did that and it picked up 8 numbers.

Back at the shop, I’ve received a ton of advice from people who are pretty damn smart, and who I trust – but none of it was the same. I finally went with the advice of the guy who knew this engine best (he fixed all of the Indy screwups) and modified my carbs. It also was what I strongly felt. So while it is fatter than all of the other suggestions – I went 110/107 as a starting point. I’ll adjust from there based on how the car runs, feels, and spark plug looks.

I also cleaned them up a little, sprayed a little WD40 on the linkage and any corrosion, and wiped off. I put the intake and carbs back on and hooked up all lines and cable. I let the Permatex dry over night and fired the car up yesterday – looking for leaks. It sounds pretty good.

I still need to check for WOT, adjust the idle, and change spark plugs to next hotter before loading up for next races.

Texas Thug

I have a pretty bad transmission leak coming out of the bellhousing. I suspect, front seal, and/or pump gasket, and/or pump bolt washer/seals. So I pulled off the belly pan that was containing it and put the car on Jack-stands. I have a lift and transmission jack, but the guy I hired to take the lead (I’ll assist) doesn’t like lifts and wants to do on the floor.

That happens next week. When we’re done with that, I’ll do a nut and bolt check on it and put the belly pan back on.

Seadoo Trailer

Yesterday I left the shop for a week at my little cabin on the lake. I’d been living in the motorhome for a month, needed a little R&R, and have a lot to do up here. That said, I came down with the bug yesterday afternoon and trying to just take it easy until I feel better. However, one important task I must do is to start my two Seadoos, which haven’t been started in 2 years – and bring them back to the shop to clean up a sell. We never use them and they’re fetching top dollar right now. My double Seadoo trailer has been setting in back of the shop for over three years in the sun. That had the bunks pretty much turned to trash So I ordered some bunk carpet, bought a pair of 12′ treated 2x4s and new stainless steel hardware. I also had to make a new bunk bracket that had rusted away. All cleaned now and made the 100 mile trip to the lake

Finally

To keep the shop rat busy whilst I be at the lake, I shagged up a couple of yards of black mulch for him to pitch into the Oleander bed that runs the length of the Motorhome Port. Naturally, after he weeds and rakes the existing mulch,

Next

I return to the shop next Friday to mow 5 acres, R&R (fix) transmission on Thug, the previously mentioned nut & bolt check; clean up the Seadoos and list for sale; fabricate a which pulley for the stacker; clean up and photo/list for sale two sets of rockers (one for a 440-1 and one for 572-13); clean off a work bench and 5 carts of parts that need to be cleaned, wrapped and put away in storage containers; organize the inside of stacker; and load up both cars and golf cart into the stacker. I also have to service the Coach’s generator – with 1300+ hours and 9 months since last Serviced.

5 Weeks On The Road!

On the 23rd, we leave to drive to the Norwalk, OH’s race. From there, we’ll go to my wife’s Ancestral Stomping Grounds in WNY for two weeks. From there we go to the Moparty race in Bowling Green, and finally we head to the Dave Duell Classic in Indy. After that, my 2021 racing season is over – although I might try to make a regional race if there is one. Over the winter there is a lot to do with both cars to prepare for 2022 – but that’s for a later discussion.

Screamin’ Woody

The rocker set from Jesel arrived, installed, and the motor is back to ready.

The rear of the car was ass-backwards, with the batteries in back of the weight boxes, making it near impossible to get them out. So the weight boxes and batteries were swapped around.

While at it, the rear window was made easily removable, so I can clean the insides of the side and rear windows.

I also removed the old name and numbers, and replaced with something that better matches.

The Stacker

I had some boxes Fabricated out of 1/8″ aluminum. One is the same height and width as the inside fender, and a length that fits between the fender and the lift post. That is to carry loose weight needed for the car’s weight boxes – to change the weight of the car.

I drilled through the aluminum floor and installed threads, so I could easily remove the box, should I want to.

I then drilled holes in the box, bolted them down and filled with weights.

The other was to carry the jack stands in the attic of the stacker. They were mounted the same way.

The in-floor compartment for the winch was too small for both a 9000# winch and the pulley.

So I attached 6 strong magnets to it, so that it can be stowed when not used.

I have a sweeping magnet for when my fat thumbs drop hardware – like valve cover nuts – in the grass. I riveted holders for it and a car mop.

Some HD velco spots will let me keep the T-Handle hex wrenches steady on my work bench

Allante

This was my dream car that I bought new in 93. The AC was repaired and the vent that was cracked and broken was plastic welded with Hot staples to be good as new.

The Petty Tribute Car

The first test drive had the pipes scrape on turns, the horn blow on turns, the transmission’s shifter would pop out of 2nd & 4th, and the motor broke up above 5000 rpm.

The latter was cured with a distributor re-curve and carburetor adjustment. The horn required the steering wheel disassembled many times and played with. Loosening the bottom shifter stops allowed the shifter to stay in 2nd & 4th. The car leaning so much in the turns and scraping the exhaust was solved by calling Espo Springs and More for a set of stiffer springs having a 1″ lift.

I took the car for a ride and it is exactly what I’ve wanted. I took a short video, which sucks because I’m trying to hold the phone, shift and steer a manual steering car.

This car has been rattling around in my head fir almost 20 years, and I’m happy to finally cross it off my bucket list. Here are some Glamour photos I took with my phone when I got back from my ride.

The Magnum GT

If you’ve been following along this blog for the last six months, you know that I dyed the leather, got new Radial TAs tires, and repainted the car. The only thing keeping it from being perfect was an under hood detail and paint, bumpers chromed, paint for the trunk and door jams, and new exhaust. I pretty sure I last posted photos of my cleaning, wire brushing, priming and painting the trunk; and also pulling the drivetrain.

Since then, the motor and trans have been gone through and inspected, resealed, cleaned and painted, while under the hood has been cleaned and made ready for paint.

The bumpers have come off and sent to be crush glass blasted and powder-coated gloss black. They’ll go on my Magnum XE and the freshly chromed ones on the XE will go on the GT.

Magnum XE

I bought a Holley Stinger Throttle-Body EFI with an in-tank fuel pump, 20′ of 6-AN black braided fuel lines, a large black in-line filter with 6-AN fittings, and assorted black anodized fitting to get hooked up from the pump to the black anodized throttle body. Also bought a dropped air cleaner base made for the throttle body. I fell asleep at the wheel photo documenting the install.

I drove about 100 miles at varying speeds while in learn mode. Car drives great when driven sanely. Fast, with no stutters or hesitation. It still has some learning and tuning to happen for when it is hammer time as this motor is about 550hp and much faster than what it limited me to on the first hammer down. I’m sure it will make me happy and the car will run like a raped ape when dialed in. Below is a hammer time drive after 100 mile learn.

64 Imperial Convertible

I’ve been working on getting the car right, and its not far away. I had a leak in both convertible rams, and bought replacements that were suppose to fit off Ebay. Their stroke was about 1/2″ short, so they were cut, threaded on both ends of the cut, and an extension screwed on in between.

While the back seat is out and I’m at the lake, my Shop Rat will vacuum, degrease and paint that area with POR 15. The car needs an exhaust modification as the new factory pipes have the left side has about a 1′ too close to the floor. After the exhaust, the car gets new carpet. Someday, if I win the lottery, I’ll convert it to EFI and overdrive too. Hell, it might someday have a pump gas 440 race motor that I have ready to go into something.

Red, White & Blue

I’m not just stopping at my single-car trailer and three rocking chairs in Red, White and Blue.

I had my Shop Rat paint my fence with Red top boards, White posts and center boards, an Blue bottom boards.

Since Grandson #6 and his mother live at our Beasley residence, I had the playground strip down, the vertical boards painted White, horizontal boards painted Red and diagonal boards Blue. I ordered blue grips for the climbing platform, a red swing and a red toddler swing. The slide is in my paint booth, waiting for me to scuff, hit with adhesion promoter, and paint blue.

But why stop there? I have two chairs and table in front of my shop.

One chair is fixin to be red, the other blue and the table white. Then there’s the furniture on the front porch of my barndominium.

Yup, you guessed it. Red, White and Blue. That porch is fixin to get tripled in size and screened in for front porch time.

Well, that pretty has my shop action up to date.

It’s called Old Hippie’s Damn Face Book. It “Looks & Feels” identical to Facebook, with most of the same features. You have your Profile, a Newsfeed of posts from friends and your Groups, Pages for businesses, Groups for like interests, a Marketplace to buy and sell, Photo albums and more.

The web address is a very simple www.OldHippie.com

It works perfectly with computers, tablets and even smartphones.

The simple goal is to grow a small community of a couple thousand like minded individuals, their family, and their friends. There is no desire to be huge, to make money, to have a Gestapo moderation department apply a Double-Standard of “Community Standards”, or to collect and sell your private information.

If you’re looking for a social community that will not be looking over shoulder and over-aggressively moderating your free speech – then why not be part of our small community by registering, checking in a few times a week, and participating, Old Hippie’s Damn Face Book would like for you to join us.

I’m selling a highly optioned 32′ Aluminum Stacker Race Trailer that I had custom built by Intech Trailers about 4 years ago. It will cost about $100K to have this exact trailer made. Features, in no particular order, include:

• All aluminum construction for great weight savings and better road stability at high speeds. Previously, I had an all steel Stacker trailer the same size, but with far fewer options on 16″ G-Rated Goodyear tires. It weighed 22,500 pounds loaded and I’d average 10 blowouts a year. I had this trailer built to my very high specifications and loaded with the same cars, golf cart, tools, and far more parts & supplies — it weighs only 14,200 pounds. I barely know it’s behind my bus type motorhome.
• I added 1′ increased interior height for 60’s full size cars, but still a legal 13′ 2″ — and goes under the 13.6 low bridges.
• This trailer is set up for two LARGE drag cars. We load a 65 Dodge Coronet and a 60 Plymouth Station Wagon, with a golf cart having a roof – and we travel cross county with ease.
• Triple 7,000 pound spread axles with high speed, H-Load rated Goodyear tires. I’ve NEVER had a flat and often travel at 75mph on Texas highways.
• Optional .050 Aluminum skin thickness for a far better look over .040. It also avoids warping in extreme hot or cold weather and dents from hail.
• Wrapped last year in Antique Bronze. Was previously blue.
• The Roof is heavy duty braced to walk on observation.
• The attic is heavy duty braced to transport a golf cart
• Attic starts 6’5″ from floor for tall people to stand upright
• Full width rear door goes wall to wall to make it easier to load wide cars
• Aircraft cargo strips and Heavy Duty D-Rings
• Floor made of Extruded Aluminum
• Tongue extended 1′ for tighter turns and backing with out damage to trailer or towing vehicle
• Tongue box to house jack hydraulics (instead of taking up a floor cabinet) plus two storage compartments. I have two pneumatic hydraulic jacks and an impact wrench with air for on one side and trailer’s 35 amp shore line on the other side.
• Lift pump in floor compartment
• Dove tail rear for easy loading of low cars and low headers. I’ve never hung a car up loading in trailer or on lift.
• Spare tire mount with new H-Load Rated 17.5″ A Spare tire on front of trailer. A flat (NEVER HAD ON ON THIS TRAILER) can be quickly changed without going into the trailer.
• All LED lights. Interior, Loading, Pit, Cabinet, under lift lights are bright low watt DC LEDs.
• All Driving lights are LED.
• There are 6 Deep Cycle batteries in floor compartment, which can power the trailer (lights, lift, jack) for better than a week in the pits and away from shore power.
• Completely wired for 35 AMP shore power service that automatically powers the numerous 120V outlets and heavy duty battery charger. Circuit breaker box, battery charger and master cutoff switch in street-side upper compartment.
• All aluminum lift with three removable center sections — to service the underside of the race car.
• Two more in-floor spare tire compartments, one containing a new matching spare tire (never on ground) and the other supplies.
• Wall fender compartments with shelving on street side.
• In floor winch compartment with wired 12,000 pound electric winch. Also has a slide in pulley for loading the bottom car, while the lift has a pulley mounted to load the top car.
• Full width upper/lower cabinets with stainless steel work bench and full length closet in front of the trailer.
• Double side doors that open wide enough to drive a Golf-Cart in.
• Slide out door step.
• Puck door lock for greatest security
• Wall mounted race car tire holder in attic
• Wall mounted 5 jug holder in attic
• Wall mounter jack pouch
• Built in Tool Chest
• Large door mounted cabinet with drop down table
• Front & Back wall mounted strap holders with closed cell foam rubber under it to protect wall
• 4′ Rubbermaid wall rack to hold extension cords, blower, broom and mop
• Extra long aluminum lift ramps to load low cars with headers
• Extra long full length aluminum door ramp with lock downs — for loading long cars
• Heavy Duty 30,000 pound safety tongue – for safe towing
• Wall mounted Fire Extinguisher Holder
• Inverter that converts DC to AC – I use on bench for weather station and computer. Master cutoff switch.

Admittedly, the floors are a little dirty when I took these photos, once a year I use Aluminum Brite to make them look like new. I’ll post photos after I next clean up.

I’ve pulled this stacker all over the country with a 43′ motorhome with a 450hp Cummins. It tracks real well behind the coach and I pass trucks going up the mountains. My deal is that I’ll be ordering a 45′ Coach and as such, I need to step down to a 30′ stacker to stay legal. This trailer was built to last for decades with good care and annual axle greasing.

My opinion is that Intech makes the very best aluminum trailers, and they have not experienced the quality/welding problems racers have experienced with trailers like ATC. They do cost more — but are worth it. A trailer with all of these important options (extra height, 17.5 H-Load (and 86 MPH Speed) Rated wheels and tires including two spares, thick skin, extra roof and attic bracing…) will cost you around $100K to order. This trailer is ready to go. will last you years. I’ll sell for $60K. I believe it is a 2015.

If interested — email me at davetheoldhippie @ Gmail.com or call me during reasonable hours at 713-899-7704.

Racing

I’ll start with racing. I loaded up Tuesday morning and Deb, I, Smith & Wesson left at half past noon. That’s 12:30pm for digital Snowflakes. We drove to just north of Hammond, LA (350 miles) at about 7pm, and spent the night in a Walmart parking lot . We left the next morning at 9am and drove the remaining 550 miles, arriving at the staging area of the track at 8pm. The track started letting us in at 7:30am. By 11am my pit was setup, credentials established, and car teched in.

On Thursday you can buy two test hits in the afternoon, and I did so. The first was a 9.48 off the trailer. While that’s normally OK to run the 9.50 Index, the weather is going to be all over the map and I need to bag a 10th. So I took one of the 37 pound batteries out.

I made a second hit and got a 9.45. I have another trick or two up my sleeve if I need it. So I put the car away for the night. It drizzled and light rained most of the night. It is still 1pm, and they claim that we’ll all hit the track at 2pm – but I’m not thinking so. Still light drizzle, track still wet, and this track tends to seep.

We were suppose to have a time trial in the morning, then two of the three Qualifying passes today. Now its down to one Qualifying and no test hits – if that even happens. It needs to stop drizzling and the sun and wind needs to appear for that to happen.

Update 10pm

The track went hot at 5pm, as they were havinf problems getting the timing to work. They finally gave with right lane not getting an accurate MPH and neither lane getting a 1000′ time. We were called at 6pm, but it was almost an hour later that we finally ran because of a lane cleanup.

I went a little more “go for broke” than usual. I usually just try to get in the first Qualifying, then go for perfect in 2nd and 3rd Qualifying. I’m not sure if we’ll get another qualify, so I went for broke. It appears everyone had that plan because my 9.510 on a 9.50 index was only good for 3rd after first round. Pretty amazing everyone did so well as the weather was all over the map, the lanes are way different and you can’t plan which lane you get, and we sat in our cars for and hour.

Family Grows

Last week, Son number 1’s wife gave us Grandson number 4. The wife of his younger brother went into labor a couple of hours later, but Grandson number 5 didn’t arrive until the next day. Everyone is doing well.

My youngest daughter is due in October. We’re hoping for Granddaughter number 2.

My Petty Tribute

I have a 1960 Plymouth that I’ve been building to be a Petty Tribute, that looks like its been sitting out in the fields for 50 years. Click Here is you want to start at the beginning of this build. The latest news is that the motor and transmission has been test fitted and mounts made/tacked in. I’ll have a professional come in to weld the mounts in purdy.

Engine is coming back out and the car , and the body will get about 80 hours of wet sanding 400/600 grit; and High Build Primer and more sanding – until the body panels are as smooth as a baby’s ass. In June, it has a date with the lady in Indiana to wrap it. I ordered the clutch assembly last night; but I’m still needing to find a decent shifterless steering column and a 4-speed shifter.

Screamin’ Woody

So the wagon is getting there. I’m pretty sure my last post spoke of the new red paint under the hood. My shop Rat and Assistant Shop Rat spent the week getting the over spray off the brand new Lexan, and polishing it up. I took the headers to get blasted and recoated.

After blasting, a ton of pin holes were discovered, so I had to go bring back to the shop to get wet welded up. I’ll take them back to the powder coater when I get back home from racing.

1964 Imperial

Still finishing up the leather on my Imperial convertible. Repaired and dyed the front seat, but the the tint was off a little so we had to coat with adhesion promoter and dye all leather, plastic and vinyl. I had to order more Top Coat last light, so the gloss will happen when I get back.

Well that pretty much catches me up, and just in time as they just came over the squawk box saying that its time to get cars ready, as they project they’re going hot in an hour.