There i was working little by little on the last stages of the senior dragster project. Every step seemed to get me closer to the moment when i was ready for the track. I have a fair amount of property here and so can take it for a rip on the huge lawn although it is a bit bumpy for an old guy like me. I have even ventured down the road once or twice much to my wife horror. Yesterday things really seemed to come together. While i have had it running several times and it was quite drivable I wasnt totally happy with how it ran. After tryng something yesterday I diecided to fire it up. I took my squit bottle and primed all six side draft carbs holding the throttle open to make sure the delivery was good. I flicked on the ignition and touched the start ****on. VarOOOOOM and it was running. Sounded GOOD! Far better than ever before. It returned to idle nicely and i listened to the rumpety rump of the big slant six (244 cubes now)with its mild hydraulic cam. Man it sounded good. I decided to go for a rip . I climbed in while it was running , sat down and pushed the hand brake forward and popped it into gear. I brought it up on the convertor to about 2200 and let go of the handle while still in the gargae. I squeezed the throtttle hard . As it lepped forward toward the open door just at the last second something caught my eye. It was the extension cord I had just been using and it was still wrapped around the front axle. It was getting rapidly a smaller loop as i sped forward. I hit the hand brake full force and lifted my foot. Two back strips are still on the shop floor where the wheels skidded. I stopped about a foot short of disaster and it took awhile to untangle the extension cord. No damage done but there could have been. Brakes work fine ad maybe there is still a bit of life left in this ol fart too. I bet I am not the only one to have this type of experience. Tis funny now but wasnt at the time. Adventures from Ameliasburgh. Ameliasburgh Street Meet is this weekend BTW Don
"Stupidity" comes in all flavors. We have all done something stupid then later laughed about it. I almost had to buy a new trickle charger because I forgot to unplug it from the trunk mounted battery and started backing out of the garage, I guess the half-open trunk wasn't enough of a tell tale sign to unplug the damn thing! I didn't break anything, I just wondered why it was moving when I was moving if it was unplugged? Smart people catch their mistakes, idiots are too dumb to. Marty McF.
I started up my '51 Plymouth once and walked around it listening for an exhaust leak. After I found it, I thought I'd best back it out of the garage so the carbon monoxide fumes don't build up too much (the door was open when I started the car). So, I jumped in, shifted into Reverse, released the parking brake, let out the clutch, and heard the stoller that was folded up behind the car get dragged underneath over our gravel driveway. The legs bent a little and the cloth was kind of dirty. My wife didn't really appreciate it too much, either. I think we sold it at a garage sale, she wouldn't use it anymore after that. Women... ^ Thanks, mcfly!
My first US-car, it was wintertime and I always had to wrench outside back then. I needed to remove the radiator from some reason, so I started with the hard to reach-items, disconnecting the transmission-hardlines. I got back in the house for a short warmup and headed out again. Since it was cold outside I suddenly figured, why don't I start up the engine for a couple of minutes so everything is nice and warm under the hood. So the engine got started and I let it run for a couple of seconds while I slowly got out of the car and walked around to the front. Coming from somewhere under the car, I heard a funny noise. I peeked and noticed one of the transmissionlines squirting red ATF all over the street! Dumb-*** me had totally forgotten I had already disconnected the lines...
I had one of those long tube lights under a car I was working on. The rear coil spring was just the right spacing (wheels off the ground) to hold the light where I could see everything. When I got done doing whatever I was doing, I pulled the jackstands, dropped the car back on the tires and backed it out of the shop. About 10 feet out of the garage I notice this orange cord following me. Yep, crushed the light and pulled the plug out of the wall as I backed out of the garage. OOOPS..... Gene
I was tinkering with my t-bucket one night when I was stationed in California. I forgot I had moved the shifter in low so I could reach under the dash. Well when I was finished I went in to grab some dinner and then thought I should take her for a quick spin around the block. I reach in to start her up and the next thing I know the damn rear tire was running up my leg. Luckely I got knocked down and my finger came off the starter ****on. It was funny trying to explain to my wife why I had tire markes up one leg.
last year i asked my youngest daughter to wash her moms truck , after considerable threats/pleading/bribery , she finally agreed to do so and i gave her the keys to the truck so she could back it out of the garage , a few minutes later i hear a loud noise and i know something has gone horribly wrong! atomic blast? nope , toronado? nope , my little blond haired angel had backed the truck out of the garage but had forgot to open the door..
i had one like that but at least it wasn't my fault! a buddy was driving his full custom 56 ford into his shop when i rolled up in his driveway. when he didnt make it thru the door in one swing he chucked it into reverse and floored it straight back out the door to where i'd parked behind him... chrome bumper, 1.. roll pan, 0
First, only 2 reason's to use an extension cord: 1) Battery charger. Drag racing and battery chargers go hand and hand. 2) Drop light. Since its a dragster and motor work is way more common than underneath ch***is work when a light would be needed slim chance on the drop light. Second, lucky guess ! Marty McF.
Learned 3 lessons in one night when I was 18. #1) Make sure the car is out of gear before starting it. #2) Properly maintained flathead engines start very easily, even in gear. #3) When a 47 Ford Pickup hits the front of a 65 Mustang, the truck wins. (unfortunately the Mustang was mine)
Another lesson...don't give an experimental yank on the protruding crank handle on that tractor sitting there. Damn things have magnetos, and will start happily on a quarter turn in gear...
Back when I was 17 or 18 I got done working on my car, got in backed up and heard a crunch. There was my 3 drawer tool box crushed and stuck under the center section of the rear end.
"All adventures that generate long-lasting bragging rights **** while they are happening." Not sure who told me this, but I have found it to be pretty accurate. Glad you have a good story without too much damage.
Yeah...hotrodders ar PROUD of the expensive parts they have destroyed and the scars from the adventure! Do you know ANY rodders who don't have a totally fragged ring gear or piston they drag out and show people??
Ain't it the truth! 22 years ago at UVA materials dept. I'm talking w/a research Doctoral fellow, he opens his file cabinet drawer, and pulls out a large blackened hemi piston and rod ***y. His buddy Joe Amato had blown the motor.
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