Projects DRAG SNAKE "Vintage Terror!"

Well The RAM Clutch boys just took my credit card so it is sitting here on the edge of the desk cooling off. LMAO. They are building me a Pro Street Dual Disc 900 Series. It has a higher finger position for good shifting at upper RMP levels and very aggressive friction material. It is the same style unit they build for the NMRA Drag Race Classes that require a diaphragm style clutch. So I am feeling pretty good. Two weeks out. So we should be back on the road (not that we ever have been) pretty soon! LOL

 

Well Jackson that means you have less than a month to grab some hankies to wipe the tears. Whether they are yours or Randall's we have to wait and see! lol Larry

 

Jackson is headed up your way today Larry. He will be at Union Grove this weekend. Out Of Sight Drags I think...

 

Yeah Larry get off the couch and come to the grove and see the car that’s gonna out run that cobra probly won’t be mine lol. but Brian’s here with the nitro coupe it’s gonna be awesome

 

Good luck, looks like a whole lot of rain this weekend.

 

Some family matters came up and could not make it to the Grove. But i was just reading Brian's {racer x} thread and he had a minor hic up with the nitro coupe and I guess Jackson did to. If you guys keep insisting on breaking things just to impress us , we are never going to find out who is faster! lol Larry

 

No Larry Brian didn’t have a minor hiccup it was major mine however is very minor and all I can say Randall better have his a+ game on cause it won’t be long and he is gonna have to make up 6seconds of et not just 5 lol

 

I don't think a 10-20k problem is a small hiccup.

 

Milwscruffy , the hic up remark was a little tongue in cheek humor in praise of Brian's great attitude about these " Hic Ups" . If I destroyed an engine like that I would be sick to my stomach for months. Over the years I have seen him crash, break parts and get out of shape at the top end and literally bounce side to side going through the lights . And he always has the attitude like " No Problem" it's not that bad! lol And Randall, Jackson, Norb, James and all the others that put their heart and soul into it! And a lot of their bank accounts too! lol Now lets get back to Randall spending Zoe's collage funds. Larry

 

Happy Independence Day to all. Be safe this weekend and have a great 4th.

 

Same to you Snake Man!

 

RAM clutch says another 4 days.

 

Are we there yet?

 

I had really good luck with customer service from Ram, course that was probably over ten years ago.

 

I really like them. In fact originally I couldn't get through to anyone. It was just leave a message or shoot an email etc. I emailed a smart ass line about I need a clutch, I would like one of yours, if someone wants to sell me one please call. LOL

When I got the call, he laughed and said they are sort of a family business and they are so busy right now the entire family is in the shop! It is good to be busy.

 

OOOPS there goes another week! Just heard from RAM. We are still a week out. Like every other manufacturer in the Country they are waiting on some part and having issues getting it.

 

I think it's that way all over the country. Nobody is able to anything or just a little bit at a time. Awesome cobra by the way

 

Looks like another week. Not waiting on a part for production. Waiting on a part FROM production to get back from the Anodizer. Oh well. Nothing going on this weekend anyway. Probably just install the Red Barron's Crashed Fokker Tri-plane (that I built a couple of weeks ago) in the tree in my front yard. Curious? LOL

 

Make sure you put one of those smoke machines in it.

 

Who cares about the anodized color by all rights you should never see the clutch but then again that thing sure is a helluva show car lmao

 

This is the kind of thing that happens when I do not have a project to work on, a car show to attend or a drag race etc. I have this really nice tree in the front yard. Last year it got struck by lightning sort of killed a section in the top Eastern side of the tree. Now there is sort of just a hole there.


So my daughter and I are talking about what if anything we could do for the poor old thing. She says how about building an airplane and make it look like it crashed in that spot. We were driving down the road at the time listening to 60s on 6 and Snoopy vs. The Red Baron by the Royal Guardsman came on. We both just looked at each other with maniacal grins.


What I think it will look like in the tree. LMAO


We already get enough folks stopping to look at the '40 Ford Pickup in the flower bed, I am afraid after the Baron is in the tree, we may cause a traffic jam on Elm Street. LOL

 

I know right? And I didn't even get to choose the color. It better be gold. I mean it really needs to match the car right?

 

Throw a mannequin or two out in the yard dressed up with there fighter jackets.

 

So I heard from RAM and the clutch is scheduled for assembly Tuesday. Now as I mentioned earlier this is a dual disk unit in a very tight place. We needed two hundred thousands spacing for the throw up but didn't have it.

Originally I had planned to simply snag another Quicktime scattershield plate. They are .125" thick and that would give us the necessary tolerances and a pretty easy fix.


So this weekend, with the clutch now eminent, I got online to order one. How hard could that be right. Well as it turns out fairly difficult. None of them looked like mine above. They all a different shape at the top. Just to be clear I was ordering a Quicktime unit. I am guessing they would have worked, all of the bolt patterns seemed to line up, but when I hit the order button, every performance sight on the planet said it would ship from the manufacturer. No estimated arrival etc.


So I decided no big deal. I would just snag some .125" plate steel, trace the plate and holes etc. and then plasma cut my own giant shim if you will. I went out to the shop and after looking at the situation decided a better shim would be between the "TRANS" and the Bellhousing. So that is what we are going to do. Smaller area to trace and make etc. I am going to snag a piece steel today and see if we can beat the clutch etc.


Seams the easier, smarter way to do it.

 

Randall you might want to just make a block plate like you were goin to because the trans has to be centered in the bell housing properly so the trans to bell spacer has to be very precise

 

What about the input shaft to crankshaft engagement?

 

I spoke with Tremec and we are good on the input shaft.

 

Well as luck would have it, I do not have to fabricate anything. When I was talking to Silver Sport about potential problems with input shaft length with an extra plate they said you know we have plate that goes between the trans and the bellhousing for just such an emergency. LOL

 

It is sort of funny. Just like @Joe H, I am wondering if another 1/8" will affect the input shaft etc. I would bet good money against it but I certainly do not want to pull this all back out again. So I decided to err on the side of caution and call Silver Sport since they sold me everything including the bellhousing and plate etc.

It took a bit to get through hold mode but I finally got someone on the line from the tech department. Without saying anything about how we got to this issue I just asked the question, would another 1/8" spacer cause any issues. He said no and then asked if he could ask me why I was spacing it out further. I said you probably don't want to know. He said, well inquiring minds you know? LOL

I said well "Jack" sold me on a single stage clutch for this thing saying it would take 6 grand plus launches and shifts all day long. I said I just didn't realize he actually meant ONE DAY. LOL. I said we basically destroyed it in 3 burnouts and few hard launches. He said Oh No. I said no problem, I have RAM building me a custom two disk unit now but even with the new thinner style throwout bearing we still do not have enough room for required cushion etc.

He said you know we actually have a spacer for your trans that goes between it and the bellhousing for just an occasion. Already contemplating fabricating my own I said so you have it in stock. He said yes. I said that sounds perfect, how much is it. He said, it sounds like I just need to send you one. I said I would certainly accept it. So pretty good guys over there even with the clutch craziness.

 

Why do I get the feeling we got a "Oh CRAP now the drive shaft is an 1/8 inch to long!!" coming before this is over! lol Larry