We're getting closer and closer... Tim's childhood buddy Marlo is over pounding dents and slinging bondo... I've been working on the tonnau, Tim and Rodger on the hood... primer and maybe paint (satin finish) this week, Enbloc's (Clark Davey) flathead banger should be here from England by Friday, install the helmet bars, we'll paint the roll bar and frame... I have the wiring all done and ready to be installed, a couple brake lines need to be bent and then start putting it all together! We want to have it running and driving by the end of the month... then we'll have two weeks of dyno time and testing with Clark here... wish us luck! The side boards and windscreen lip get trimmed and a polycarbonate windscreen will be offered up... I learn't how to form and weld aluminum on that tonnau... yea boyeee! See you boys at Bonneville!
Great work. I am looking forward to seeing the T at Bonneville. Great to see Clark's banger will get a work out on the big white dyno.
Good luck! I hope you have someone in charge of picture taking. I'm sure you will be too busy but the journey should be documented. Keep the peanut gallery informed. It's looking great.
Clark should be here at the first part of August, two weeks before Bonneville... You kind of threw me with the name Tony (I assume that's Clark's dad) because all my Italian cousin's were named Tony because they put "To N.Y." on their forheads when they got on the boat to New York! Hahahaha!! Anyway, we're busting ass to get there... the car is #522... look us up when you get to Bonneville and say "Hi" Sam
Nice work Sam!! You sure have accomplished alot in that garage of yours!! Good luck at B-Ville. Jimmy White
The local weekly newspaper ran this as one of their front page stories: Livermore Man Bringing Dream Car to Bonneville Speed Track By Ron McNicoll © Copyright 2010 The Independent When Henry Ford was churning out Model T and Model A cars from his factorys assembly line early in the 20th century, he probably never dreamed that the cars would be able to clock a top speed of 110 to 120 miles per hour. However, Sam Strube has that dream. He is about to see it become reality. Strube, an educator who lives in Livermore, will be going with his car rebuilding team to the Bonneville Salt Flats this week to run a three-mile course at top speed. The record in his modified cars class is 123 mph. Compare that to the top speed of 65 mph from a stock Model A in 1932, or 35 mph from the Model T. Strube, 40, said he will be happy if the car goes 110 mph, because its the first time it will have been run. Strube has received much help from several interested Livermore residents, including Tim Sage, a 64-year-old Sandia retiree. Strube has lived around Model As much of his life, because it was his fathers interest, too. Also donating plenty of labor have been Ivan Miller, a retired LLNL machinist, and Phil Howard, a machinist who lives in Pleasanton. Strube stated, A lot of friends will be at Salt Lake from Livermore, about 20 of us, friends of Tim and I, to watch us race. His wife, Kate, and sons Nathan, 12, and Calvin, 9, will be there. He expects another 100 or so people that he knows from hot rodding and car building to also be on hand. Next week is one of only three or four in which the flats are open for racing. There will be approximately 500 entries that will run at least one or more days during the week. The runs are all single, with no competitor except the speedometer. Although the Bonneville Salt Flats are world-famous, appearing there is not very expensive. The user fee for a week is $500. Work of many volunteers helps keep the cost down. Most drivers are like Strube, in that they are not going for a world record, but just want to build a car, and see how fast it will go. The fastest time turned in at Bonneville has been from a turbojet racer that traveled 572 mph in 1965. However, its wheels were driven by the rockets propulsion itself; the engine did not drive the wheels directly, as piston engines have done. A turbofan car set the world speed record of 760 mph at Black Rock desert in northern Nevada. It created a sonic boom. Strube should be able to handle his considerably slower drive at Bonneville, because of his drag strip experience in hot rods. The seat has been custom made for him out of carbon fiber for strength and lightness. The seat should be good. It took Roger Griffith 200 hours to build it. Strube said that the labor was donated by Reza Goharys Livermore shop, Pro Fiberglass. NASCAR specifications were used for comfort and safety. Despite the comfortable seat and custom suspension, driving the car on the granulated salt flats will be a formidable task. Strube said that driving at Bonneville was described to him as trying to tow a trailer at 100 mph in the rain. The first record at Bonneville was set in December 1898, in a French electric car that traveled 39 mph. The same driver returned with the same car one month later and boosted the record 43 mph. There were fast cars in the old days. In 1909, Fred Marriott drove a Stanley Steamer 126 mph. That record for a steam car stood until last year, when Charles Burnett drove 139 mph at Edwards Air Force Base. CUSTOM LOOK HARKS BACK TO 1950S Strubes car has a Model T roadster body, which is stock from the windshield to the rear end. He changed the front end to a look popular in the 1950s for customizing old Model Ts. The chassis has been modified to endure 120 mph or more. Strube did virtually all of the steel tubing work himself. The engine comes from England. Its a loaner from Clark Devey of London, who came over to see it installed and make the Bonneville run. Later, Devey will take the engine back to England. He has a one-year certificate that allows him to do it, without having to pay any duty. After Devey goes, Strube will be looking around for another engine. Strube got together with Devey on the internet on a hot rod enthusiasts web page . Devey is a big backer of Model As. He has been running the engine in drag race cars there. He picked up the hobby from his father. Strube also has old Fords in his blood. When he was growing up in Modesto, his father restored them. As he grew up, he got into driving Fords in quarter-mile drag races, reaching speeds as high as 130 mph. The big thrill for me is the sense of accomplishment in building the car. I like building something with a lot of detail in it. I can use my problem-solving skills, said Strube. With salt mining continuing in the big salt pan east of Great Salt Lake, the salt flats are diminishing. A preservation group was started, and is calling for saving the salt flats. Strube will have a souvenir of the salt flats to take home with him. As he drives at top speed, wheels will pelt the car with salt. When he gets back, Strube and his crew will have to take apart every component, and clean out the salt. Otherwise, it will rust, he said. click thumbnails to enlarge
Great positive ink guys! But, as we type this they are already on the salt HOPEFULLY passing thier rookie runs!
Looks like Sam made his rookie pass: Speed Week Results Monday, August 16, 2010 Short Course Down Runs Number: 522 Engine: V4F Body: GMR Entry Name: The Bomb Factory Quarter: 86.757 mph Mile1: 87.506 mph Mile2: 0.000 mph Comment: rookie
Yep...on two cylinders no less and water coming out of the tail pipe. Couldn't get the head to seal all week.
that sucks, but hey, the rookie stuff is done!!!! time to go REALLY FAST, and I'm going to assume that last photo was an unofficial test run..if not, don't burst my bubble okay..hahaha
Ahem, yep...went 95 on that run at 3,900 rpm until the water tank exploded because of the busted head gasket.
You guys did a fantastic job! Pat yourselves on the back... Beautiful car, passed tech with no prob and went down the track straight! I predict higher speeds later. Congrats! Keven
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