The event I was at was their "Antique Nat's", run bi-annually. I can't speak to their other event formats yet. I will address a unique thing in getting there. The on-line maps recommend coming in from the south as the quickest route. I did this, and had one small problem. The first Barona sign you encounter is a smallish black background one. Do NOT turn up the adjacent driveway, it's a residence, and that sign's only an advert. It's a pita getting turned around there with a trailer (don't ask ). Just pass the black sign and keep going, you're looking for a large white background sign, that one's the strip entry. Be advised that either direction you approach from, the signs will pop up quite suddenly, as the road's a proper canyon road. That is, very narrow and very winding, with mostly blind curves. But it's fun.
Don't let anything but fear hold you back. As the saying goes from the old days in aviation..."I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya".
Well, everything's ready and waiting for us to hit the bricks in the morning. Hope I can sleep tonight.
I was just going through pics from Eagle Field. Shades of Speed Sport Special!!! It looks terrific!!! Great job!!!
For a couple days now I've been chomping at the bit wanting to post pics of the Barn Job. But I figure Dick should be the first to do the "Reveal". Come on Dick, your fans await.
OK, OK ........ It'll be a bit before I have my chit together on this computer, but here're a couple shots from my wife's phone. The new HA-MB / G-as M-odified R-oadster body, pulling out of the pits at Eagle Field. Heading for the lanes. This one's running Les in the other middie HAMBster. She's coming out nicely with the new gears, but I haven't quite found the right tire pressure yet. She keeps loosening'em up in all three gears. Fun ride that way of course, but not as productive as it could be. And coming back to our pit. Rocky also has a set of awards for "crowd favorite" in several catagories, HAMB dragsters being one of'em. They presented it with the comment that it was going to "someone who could make a brick fly". The phrase instantly brought to mind the "Flyin' Brick, I like that." line of Tommy Lee Jones' from Space Cowboys, and I decided then & there to name the tub "Flyin' Brick". Joe won the HA/GR competition trophy for the meet, and HAMBie as well. He pulls like a race horse on the top end, no one could touch him. Les lost an oil pump on his second run Saturday. Fortunately the engine quit rather than seizing up, so he should be good with a new pump. Gary was having too much trouble from his carbs, and ran his gasser instead of the flattie eight. He'll likely swap to a Chev six soon. Flathead Gary made one run Saturday before succumbing to a bad stomach. He weathered the day, and got some nice runs in Sunday. Jeanna's really coming along in Lee's car and took two from the Flyin' Brick, one with me driving and one with Tom driving. Wheel to wheel airstrip drag races both, the way it was, the way it's meant to be. There're also rumors of a possible new engine for Lee's car this year or next, hmmmmm.
Dick, Those are real nice pictures and thanks for the information on how all ran Sat & Sun. So are you going to cut holes in the frame to loss a little weight or in the lower body? I missed the change question by a little, but I new it was a modified body deal. Are you going to run that single cage in June. I want to be there when you present it to tech, that would be interesting. Glad you all had a fine time and hope to see you in June.
Thanks. Yeah, kay's getting pretty good with her phone, eh wot? The bod comes in at 108 lbs at this time, it's an easy two man lift-off. I'll continue the car's dieting, but there's little left to whittle and still be safe in practice. Sadly no, I'll have the front hoop back on for the ANRA meets. I have to say that I'm having quite an affair with the tub. The only run I removed it was against Joe, for HAMBie (it availed me naught, he freight trained me as expected ).
Dick, Kay does a fine job with the phone, wish mine put out that quality. Were you able to get any time on Sunday with/without the body? Are you going to run with the body at the June ANRA race? Ya, Joe got a real fast hot rod.
Dick, that has to be just about the coolest thing I've seen in a long, long time. Good job! Any plans for paint?
When I was shuffling through Eagle Field pics on the main board I was knocked over when I saw the (former) Barn Job #18. It is simply outstanding. Congratulations on your vision and the look you achieved. Enjoyed the commentary about the Eagle Field doings too. NOTE: To anyone opening this thread, go back to Page 5.
Yep, Tom & I both got runs in on Sunday (in fact, they were improving, as I was slowly raising the tire pressure). Rocky had his hands full, with several set-backs to the schedule, but he stayed on top of it and saw it through. Hell of an effort, and he was really hoarse Monday morning for his trouble, but that's just the way he is, doesn't do things half way. My only run without the bod was the HAMBie run against Joe, I'd hoped it'd help. It did, but nowhere near enough. Yes, I'll run the bod at ANRA. It's going to stay on for the most part now, it's as much fun to drive as it is to look at (I rather like it, can you tell? ). Paint wise I'll stick to the same basic shade of green (I'm still a green freak), but I'm going to drop the metallic bit. It's too new for the feel I like, so a plain dark forest green's next, not all that far from british racing green. Think of the old Chaos club's modified roadster. For the first round I'll leave the aluminum cap unpainted, I'd like to see how I like'er that way. Going to redo the original body panels, lettering and nose art as well in the new green. We have a new neighbor who wants to do the lettering and nose arts, so I can finally get rid of the vinyl crap. I know better than to try it myself, from past efforts. I have a pair of the etched brass HAMB logos that I plan to put on both noses this time around. I'll retire the red '07 one from'er build year and hang it up in the garage (gettin' pretty faded anyway, and I don't want to lose it completely). I only fetched one time slip from Sunday, it was 8.856 @ 78.01 (the HAMBie run, at 14 lbs), but was fairly indicative of the rest. That's half a second off the 8.3xx pace that I was running at Barona, due mostly to tire spin in all three gears on the airstrip at Eagle. I'll start at 15 lbs at Butch's next meet, and work on up from there.
Thanks for the great information on the car and the runs this past weekend. I can tell you are happy with the looks of the car and the results. Looking forward to seeing it up close in June. At this point I will just be happy if I get my car out to the track this time, I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Just got home this afternoon as we went on up to Oakley after Eagle Field to visit some old aviation friends before heading home this morning. I'll just add my feelings about the Barn Job's evolution to HA/GMR. The transformation is too cool to verbalize. I made my last run Sunday against an NE1 rail. Did I lose? Damn right! Am I still grinning? Probably for the next several months! That thing is one fine little hotrod and true to the concept that you don't have to be the fastest or quickest to have more fun than feels legal. Old6rodder has definitely brought his ideas to life and if that car doesn't make you smile you have a serious problem with your grinnits. Given more traction and some practice, the car will go faster and quicker, but as it is now, spinning the tires in top gear and skating through the end of the track a little sideways, I don't know how you could increase the fun factor much more. I haven't had this much fun at the drag races since 1969. A BIG THANK YOU to Old6rodder for sharing his toy. Looking forward to staging with him in the future and swapping rides between rounds.
Great picture Dick. You need to add a picture of the tub to the HA/GR - SDRA Photo Thread for all to see.
That picture could have been taken in the 50's, at the dawn of drag racing. With your permission, I'm going to get a blown up print of it and stick it on my wall.
I'll do that, just need to figure out a format that'll make sense. No sweat, the photog (Neglected Steel) was kind enough to post the color original open, you can click/link this b&w for the one at my Flickr. Hit "Actions" & "View all Sizes" for the bigger one, or right click on the photo there and hit "large".
Used to, not any more. The latest dictum is "open car"s, meaning ANYTHING without tin above the driver. That ridiculous little bit of overhead sheet metal's the difference between just a roll bar and needing a full cage at our et's. The most stupid thing of all (in my never to be humble opinion ) is the original mandate for the front hoop "to prevent incursion of the concrete K-rails", WHICH WERE MANDATED TO MAKE IT SAFER (of course). Sorry, Kiddies, rant over. Hey, I like that ...... Nazi Hot Rod Association. You VILL do it OUR vay!
NHRA has never been the place the really good drag racing took place. They're kinda loke unions, they had a purpose once. Once. But that was a long time ago.
No argument here. Well, Kiddies, I'm thrashing hard right now. The Forever Four's "Antique Nat's" at the new 'Dale (that I thought was next month ) is this coming weekend. However, the tub's hanging in my (one stall, 1918) garage with the paint drying. I thought I had a few weeks to pretty'er up ..... guess what, I was wrong. I'll post up a couple pics of the basic paint before Friday, but the nice-nice stuff'll have to wait a week or so.
Dick, whats the "new dale"? Hope the Antique Nationals is a success. The last time I ran with them was at LACR Palmdale, that shows how long ago it was. Always had a good time and lots of vintage drag cars and hot rods. Good luck, run quick and have "FUN".
Sorry, just another dumb teenage contraction. When they opened it, our bunch shortened the original Irwindale Raceway to "the 'Dale". The new one caused us to add "new" and "old" to distinguish'em. The same with the old and new Fontanas, although we use Fontucky occasionally for the new one as well. And in as much as the new 'Dale's only an 1/8, sometimes we'll get crusty and call the original the "real 'Dale". Yeah, I hope they can deal with the noise thing there and keep the meet alive & well. Perhaps even find another 1/4 for it eventually? Thanks, I intend to ... Haven't run there yet, and I'm a bit trepidatious about the track itself (it can be hard on rigid rear cars). Fortunately, I'm fairly slow, so we shall see ......
Well Dick, that is very interesting. I did not know that there was a track running in Irwindale (be it an 1/8 mile or not). How often do the run cars there? I have not run on an 1/8 mile track so far, but I will take all the 1/8 mile drag strips we can get as apposed to "NO DRAG STRIPS". Is the track at Fontana any better run than in the past? They have had a hard time getting their **** together sence it was started. Remember, Pictures of the weekend if you have time, we love to see them.
Old28, The new 'Dale's an add-on to a circle track over by the gravel pits. They had a management failure last year, but are working their way back. The new Fontana's been down for awhile now, with no word on if/when they'll be back up (it ain't lookin' good). Forever Four's "Nat's" were held at new Fontana for awhile, 'til they closed. This'll be their first Nat's at the (freshly re-opened) new 'Dale, lots of folks are holding their breath, and hoping. I wonder if we should start calling it "D3"? OK, yes, that one was definitely tacky. BobW, Yeah, that's Neglected Steel's great (color) original posting.
As threatened ........ Lettering, nose art, and other odds & ends yet to come, but for now this is what's going to the Antique Nat's at the new 'Dale, Sunday.
The Jalopy Journal
