Holy Fuck, you gots to be kidding!! After you get over it, use that other motor as is. Screw the rebuild, if it runs, beat it. Those are the ones that usually last forever. Sorry to hear about the boomer, though.-MIKE
Forgot to add, if there is anything you need, parts wise, I don't have a lot, but I might have something to help out. Let me know.-MIKE
I know it's discouraging, but it is just part of the hot rod/drag racing game. We've all had this stuff happen and sometimes you just have to walk away for a while and then start over when you feel better about it. We have one of the best, most expensive motors we have ever built sitting in a million pieces right now, trying to get some bugs worked out of it..........this just happens. Bitchin' little J you have there though. Don
I was skeered to go Big Block on my stock 52 frame. As to having a very limited budget: What about a sponsor. I sponsor a guy here locally. He's just a bracket racer running low eights but I give him a few dollars each year to run my logo on his car. Maybe you could get at the very least a junk yard willing to keep you in engines.
Thanks for the words, I was so looking forward to running this car with the Gasser sieres and even going to Thompson, Oh on Oct 15th. The thing that just kills me is that I put the motor together in my t-bucket with plastiguage and have beat it for 4 years. This is the first motor I paid to have built with decent parts and I felt I was conservative on the tune and shifting. It just sucks to put so much time and effort in and it just gets taken away from ya when the fun starts. What the hell, I sound like a girly man now...............
Hope it all works out ..that sucks BIG time.. hang in there..it will be worth it.. Rick ===========================================
I was bummed that you didn't get to run at the Gold Cup race. And all this is even sadder yet. Take a little time to re-group and survey the re-building. Maybe it won't be as bad as you suspect, and the engine builder will take some responsibility.
I had to go back and reread the whole thread again. It really sucks about you engine. Well a long time ago you joked about taking the big block out of your truck and sticking it in the HJ. I guess now is the time! I laughed that you called it the ford bolt pattern because I always call it the Kaiser bolt pattern and I always have to say you know 5 on 4 1/2 and people say no that's the ford patteren. Good Luck I'm about to start on one of mine soon.
Wow Phil this is FUGLY. There's a swap meet at the track (Empire, the scene of the crime) this Sunday. I'll see what parts & phone numbers I can round up for ya.
Art (550Coupe) just made my freaking day by posting this video of the car running second round. THANK YOU ! <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ph0b0taWrfA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
No problem. Tomorrow I'll get the girlfriend to post the other video for you. The season may be over for you now but you'll be back better than ever next year. In three runs you were where I was this summer. By next summer, low 7's !
Your J looks really good going down the track, Phil. Bummer with the engine, but years from now it'll be a great story when your bench racing!
Gettin' big balls now Phil. Never mind the 6's.... your not gonna go faster than me! Especially with those "Chumpion" spark plugs.
ha ha a guy can dream can't he, that's all we got and I don't think those plugs were the problem here. The motor is loaded up and just waiting on tomorrow, hope something works out here.
Phil, there are people who will say when its too late ; "I Wish I Had Of Went Drag Racing"... Even when you break, you are enjoying the sport (sure, it certainly hurts the pocket book and puts a little edge on the weekend) however; you are out there having a great time... You will get it all sorted out and be better for it. Congradulations Phil, you still have an awsome car ! Remember you are having more enjoyment than the majority of people who sit idle, wishing they had of went drag racing...
Neil you are exactly right, I was having a blast for 4 passes and plan on having a lot more fun before this is over. I did finaly take a photo of the plugs, not the best picture but it sure doesn't look lean.
Nope! Don't look too lean to me but #1 and #2 both look they've been through a war. A piston kissin' war! Hey where's #3??? I went to the swap meet at NYRIP/Empire yesterday. I saw Paul F. there but didn't really see any parts that would have helped out your cause. There was a '58 Anglia there that was for sale....CHEEEEEP! It's owned by one of the Mod Gas guys from the GRS.
I couldn't get number 3 out of the head, started a seperate thread on the engine tear down http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=629626
Came in from tearing down the spare engine, turns out to be a Canadian 1972 350 with 2 bolt mains. Nothing special, 1.94 heads but looks to be stock bore believe it or not. The plan is to save what we can, buy the rest and put it in this block.
Hey Phil : I had the great pleasure of speaking to a person this past August when I was on the salt out in Bonneville. I have often looked at the strap area of a spark plug to determine if the motor was lean, etc. HOWEVER; I am told this is not entirely correct. Look up inside of the plug into the base of the plug. Obviously, running the motor at idle/brief period of time after a full pull will change the color of the plug.
All you needed was some motivation? How about this... <table border="1"> <tbody><tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
The Jalopy Journal
