Hot Rods Dare to be different - 63 Scout

Sometimes we tend to over analyze the problems. When you change more than one thing at a time it can be hard to figure out what change is responsible for the difficulty. My experience has been to change one thing only and see what the result is before moving on to the next. It's easy to get in deep with multiple mods at once. Glad it's getting sorted out.

 

that's great news. now leak the engine with your leak down gauge. check the butterflies with your feeler gauges. double check the timing with your buzz box pulling back on the rotor to get the feel. record your findings with your tools. your guy wont be following you to the track with his tools so take the time to get used to using yours on the engine before you disturb the tune up. I like to mark things so in a thrash it can go back together fast. I use a punch on the block and mag base. line up the dots good to go. the cap base gets marked at tdc also. I mark one of the flats on the barrel valve adjusting rod. I write on the valves whats in them and what pound they are shimmed to. I have a pit pal tool tray that I put on the hat to service the engine. my tune up is written on it so its always with me at the track. the marks also serve as a quick visual check to see if something has moved. if something has moved it can be caught ahead of time before there is trouble. I cant wait to see the truck run.

 

Good advice... I will do just that.

had a little set back today. Jeff had the scout running when it quit. The pump seized and shredded the belt. Something about a small bit of debris getting in. I was very (VERY!!) careful about cleanliness... still had something slip past. Jeff has the pump function again but how far do you trust it ?? I'm guessing I'll be investing in a second unit and keeping this one as a back up. I hesitate to commit to a billet unit as it's not period correct...

Better it happened at a shop than at the track

 

i filter the fuel as its poured into the tank. you would be surprised how much junk is in the bottom of your jugs. I also use a filter between the tank and pump. not only can dirt ruin a pump it can clog a nozzle. thats a good way to go lean on a cylinder smoking a piston. thats if you are lucky. enderle can rebuild your pump. as far as the look of the billet pump. it can't be seen from the stands with the hood closed but the non period correct spring loaded wheelie bars can so why worry about it. i would get a extra belt to go with the pump.

 

I blew out the tank and lines, filtered the fuel going in, filter between the pump and tank.
I have not seen the pump (yet) so I'm going by rumor and innuendo. New belt arrives at the shop today and Jeff will test the unit and advise... Already on the phone with Alkydigger about a billet unit. The Canadian dollar exchange along with shipping, brokerage and Cdn taxes at the border almost doubles the price... (ouch)

 

Can you save money if its delivered to the melt down as compared to shipping it to you?

 

Yeah man ship it to me and I'll bring it with the green stuff I have for you that is if you don't need it before then I would be happy to help you out anything to keep the tax collectors at bay they get enough in my opinion lol Glad you are getting it sorted out by the way what pump number are you runnin I may have one

 

Last year alky digger was at the event. He may come to it again.

 

Thanks Guys

I can ship it to the border if I need. Just 3 hrs out of my way round trip. I burn the same in fuel than I do money saved. If the current pump is serviceable and I can get some test passes out of it then I"ll have Mike bring a pump for me to Meltdown and I can swap it there. I'll keep the current one as a back up. I may be able to borrow be from a local racer.

Still calling for heavy rain on the weekend... test passes may have to wait until July 1

 

80A-1
There is one locally I am looking at... except the guy won't let it go without selling me the 950 alky carb he has with it. If you have one I would not object putting the green stuff you have for me against it and I would pay the difference. You can never have enough spares. Especially when the "other" race car in our stable is also running the same pump.

 

It's alive !!!
I pick up the beast tonight... already warned the neighbors there may be a lengthy unload that may or may not include a run around the block - you know - so it's pointing in the right direction

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1039559732790954

 

if you set the car with one pump don't expect it to run the same with a different one. the new pump should be the spare even if its the same model. when you have time have them both flowed. you could end up throwing the tune up way off.

 

1st and only pass today with the Scout... Foot brake off the line... it rolled about 20 ft before I put the spurs to it and it pulled a 4 foot wheel stand for almost 60 ft. I went back to partial throttle and shorted both shifts At about 800 ft I opened er up. Knew this thing was trucking but didn't expect a 10.12 @ 128. In bad air ...

HOLY CRAP !! - What have I done ???

 

........Cheese and rice! That sounds like a great pass and lots of potential!

 

Start making weights to hang on the front bumper ....lmao

 

Sounds like you woke up the beast Saxxon.

 

You have awoken THE MONSTER

 

Ok folks... time for a reality check and speech about not being a dumb ass who should know better.



What you are seeing is the damage to the Scout when some moron fired up his race car in the staging lanes without someone behind the wheel... That moron was me. That moron (me) damaged his own vehicle, knocked over a race bike and rear ended the Firebird in front of him The damage to the other vehicles was minor. I was the only injury as I got pinned between my moving Scout and the stationary Firebird. I'm not seriously injured (I made the 10.12 pass an hour later) but I can barely walk today with a deep muscle bruise on my right quad and hamstring which took the full force of the impact. It could have been a LOT worse.

Before you tear me apart (justified) the Scout has a neutral safety switch that was successfully checked the night before, the same day in tech and shortly after the incident. My best excuse was the shifter was between detents and dropped into gear when the truck fired.

But the lesson here is - Never fire up your vehicle without someone behind the wheel... I knew better and ignored it. Now I get to pay the price financially and physically...

 

That sucks. Happy to hear that you are not hurt worse. ( learned that lesson too as my Vette nailed it's door on the garage door track on its way out)
Now when you rebuild the binder front, you can build the tractor weight bar you need for wheelie ballast.....(I can see some green John Deere 50's hanging on the front[emoji1])

 

live and learn. glad you are ok. when that beast is tuned on a good pass i see 8.90s all over it. aren't blown injected cars fun?

 

I think I'll hold off fixing the front end... something like wearing the dunce cap and using it as public service announcement. You can do a hundred things that will earn you an "atta-boy" but that all disappears when you do something stupid...

I can't describe enough how erratic and "soft ??" the 10.12 pass was... I rolled it off the line then hit the throttle about 20 ft out. 2 things happened very fast... 1st - the front end came up hard on the wheeli bars and carried about 60+ ft 2nd - I unintentionally short shifted into 2nd (Bad habit of resting my hand on the shifter). I let off at the 1/8th, pulled 3rd and opened it up. The starting crew mentioned the Scout dipped and moved left at the 1/8th when I let off. They were concerned I had handling problems and put me through tech again. (Kudos for doing that). I also think they wanted a closer look since last year it was running 10.70's and now it's knocking on the 9 second door

Incremental times:
60 ft 1.60..... I normally run 1.48 - 1.50 off the trans brake
1/8 6.09..... Seriously ??? This calculates to a 9.50 1/4 !! ??
1/4 10.12 @ 128

Lessons learned / next steps:
This is with the same tune that came from Alkydigger. I have yet to mess with different bypass settings. My engine temp was 200+ at the end of the run so next time I'll run the water pump. When I did turn it on it dropped the temp immediately. It needs the idle adjusted (easy). The throttle has a very short throw and it's hard to manage especially with it sticking from the ice... I have a longer arm coming as we speak. I need to do something to reduce the fumes in the cab. (Find the right tune, respirator, seal the cab etc)... so what I'm trying to say is - there is a lot more left and that has me worried. God help us all if I put a real blower on this thing and bump the compression...

Thoughts
So... normally racers would be jumping up and down when they go stupid fast and faster than they expected but I'm not so sure. It has never been about going fast... If I had known the changes would have me knocking on the mid 9 second range I would have had serious 2nd thoughts. The whole point of the exercise was to run closer to the 10.50 index at Meltdown in the heat of the day. (Kind of got carried away huh??) If I do run 9's - which seems inevitable - I will need to get the cage certified and of course a competition license. I have all the correct safety equipment now but according to the Meltdown rules if I run 9.99 I will need a parachute...

Suddenly this simple, fun, Dare to be Different and entertain the fans concept has gotten very complicated... I plan on running this weekend (If I can walk that is) and making 1/8th mile test hits so I'm ready for Meltdown.

Stay tuned

 

you bolted together a engine that could drop right into a nostalgia alk funny car. the fumes will always be there just get a mask and be done with it. you need to be real careful pedaling that engine. when you let off the fuel pressure goes way up. when you get back into it that truck will get real violent. it will also sound and feel like a bomb went off. hang on. a chute will also straighten the truck out if you get out of shape. they are not just for stopping. now that you are ruined I don't see you ever putting carbs back on. you will get used to all of this craziness soon enough. you will eventually want more excitement. but don't you worry there is always nitro. good to see its running better. you need to start developing your between rounds servicing. the valve covers should come off for a look; clean the filter etc. getting a routine going were the truck gets a complete check out can save your ass. this isn't a cutesy truck anymore. im glad for you. see you at the melt down.

 

Carbs will NEVER go back on unless somewhere down the line we put this motor in the Prefect and I build something simple and repeatable (434 w single carb) The Prefect has a better center of gravity and a funny car style cage that will certify to 7.50 standards. But that's plan C or D

I'm going to take a serious step back and address this little monster like I'm trying to get a comp license... Do some hard launches then 600 footers then 1/8 mile. I'll be testing again Friday and Saturday this week...

 

Well Saxon I have been away for several days and I didn't see your post I do have a 80 a enderle pump and a pg-150 hilborn one as well which are supposed to be the same sounds like you got it fixed though Just want to say we all have done stupid crap so don't feel like you are alone hopefully I will find out how it feels to go that fast this next week when I get to make a pass in the digger

 

What was the mph at the 1/8?

 

I seem to have misplaced the time slip... I will update as soon as I find it

 

Glad you are OK man! Count your blessings and go on. Looks like you are getting fast in that sucker. Have a great race. Later

 

Im curious what is the wheelbase?

 

98 inches