Man, you're going to town on the reconfiguration of the Brick. Seems like you rehearsed all the changes before you "went in". It should win "Most Creative" awards.
Yep, had it in mind as a possibility when I designed the original Barn Job, I really wanted to do a "Midnite Oil" style then but was leery of NfHRA. Been kicking the details around ever since, and finally said ........ well, you get the picture. Perhaps "Most Fun" awards?
Hell no, in fact I took today off to sketch up some float ideas for the contest this year. One of mine, and one for a friend who doesn't draw. Other than that .......
Float ideas? Easy...Take large mug, add two large scoops of ice cream, add root beer, drink. Still have one of those big A&W mugs around here somewhere.
Man, you are constantly braking new HA/GR ground! Maybe if you curve the exhaust pipes back toward the valve cover then toward the back of the car they will allow an unobstructed view and keep the gas out of the drivers face. If you keep them all the same length and long enough to extend back past the driver you may come up with a really cool retro look. Or you could just dump them into a long collecter instead of individual pipes. I'm just glad that I am not the one who would have to weld them up! I don't know what pipes that long would do to low end performance but I can't wait to see it on the track.
Well, I gathered up my skirts and dove into the wiring today, got the wiring part of it done. Still need to put in a battery box, a neutral starter lock-out switch, an external kill switch, and the fuel pump & radiator fan, but the wiring's in & waiting on'em. Got the steering box, shaft, wheel, and bellcrank in last night as well, waiting for the drag link & tie rod kits to get here now. Here're some pics ...... The junction block ...... Backside of dash, starter, internal kill switch & master cylinder ...... New taillight location, new external kill switch'll go right below it ...... Steering box & bellcrank ...... Shot of the "office" (and my muse Tink') ...... and yes, I still hate wiring ......
Yeah, I have three possible styles still on the list, and you've covered two of'em. I like the open pipes design, as it's the most common for the postwar era. I could use pre-bent curves at about 5" radius, and stop'em just before they interfere with pulling the rocker box. I could do the same thing, but pop'em into the bottom side of a single large tube collector. Either a simple tube like the original "Oiler", or ..... I do have an old 4" chromed truck stack with a slash cut curved tip stashed under the house. The same sort of thing, but a 2 1/2" to 3" collector tube off the first three pipes, and another one beside it off the second three. I suppose I could use this to cheat in tuned headers, but that wouldn't be a postwar practice. She'll run with the existing stacks first of course. They're actually just far enough forward not to be a gas problem, but'll be noisy as hell for the driver (me). Sure wouldn't have any more trouble hearing my engine when running next to one of the big cube boys though.
Wiring looks good, even if you still hate wiring and I like the mounting of the quick release on the aft side of the wheel where you can see it. Though I think you are going to need some sort of "firewall" between the cockpit and engine.
Hehehehehe, my creation breeeeeeathes. Sorry, Gentlemen, our cheap camera doesn't have audio. No drag link yet, and it's 2300 hrs, so it's short, and just a quick back & forth or two. Anyway, here's the first flame up of the new Flyin' Brick II. The first roll forward's to lightly check the clutch & brake, the second's a little stronger test, and the third's a short quick "launchito". I'll need to get used to having only the hand brake.
Congratulation on the first shop test. You have set a new time standard for modifying a HA/GMR dragster. Can't wait to see the car on the track, are you going to the Opener or to Barona?
Great to see it move under its own power. With you in the seat I get a better picture of the overall layout. It is so cool!
Thank you, Gentlemen. OK, got one with sound for the second flame-up, but it's a cell phone so the picture's not as good. I don't know yet about Barona or Bako. It'll have to be Barona if I don't get the second hoop fitted to the new cage in time. The drag link & tie rod kits showed up today, so I put'em on and adjusted things. Also fiddled with the shifter a bit more. Carbs are still occasionally being over powered by the fuel pump, so I'll add a regulator.
Car sounds great, mighty short garage for doing test hops. You'll get the other bar on, good grief, you have done most all of the car in less than 4 weeks. Hope you make the opener, we will make Barona on 10/6 and hope the guys from moracing in AZ will come over.
10/6 at barona ?????? works for us maybe by then we can rebuild the other 225 and have all the test and tuninig done ....im like a kid i cant wait to make a pass lol
Hey Dick, do you ever sleep. I mean complete strip down and total rebuild in the new configuration and all this to be running in a few weeks. My hat off to you sir. By the way I love the new look. Nigel.
Dick, that is awseome!!May have to try and make a trip over to Cali to see ya guys run to get a six fix LOL.
Howdy Gentlemen, Had to take a couple days off to do some yard & house work, but here's the latest. Mostly small stuff, more wiring, fuel fittings, etc, but also the body panels for the HA/GR "underlayment". I had to go with a flat "hood" to clear the carbs, so it looks pretty boxy (still need to do an instrument cover/cowl piece). She'll look a lot better when I fit the tub back on'er for the HA/GmR "class". Anyway, here 'tis (sorry 'bout the quality, I had to squeeze'em pretty hard to get'em light enough) ...... Still a lot of small stuff to finish up, belt mounts, cooling system, fuel pressure regulator, front hoop (removable of course), tub body, ad nauseum. Hoping to have'er squared away by March.
Basically finished. I'm presently shortening and narrowing the trailer to fit the car, something I'd intended to get around to a couple years ago. It's good I waited, eh? Should be done there tomorrow or so. Then the car itself'll be coming apart for some leftover small stuff, and chassis paint shortly. She came out even better'n I hoped. I'll post up some pictures before I disassemble'er.
Well, didn't quite finish the trailer, have a few small things to do whenever it quits raining. I noticed that the balance is now a bit more toward the rear, I can jump up & down there and lift the hitch off the ground slightly. It might now be too close for driving the car backing up on'er. I may have to make up a strut for the rear for that. Anyway, here're some pictures of the car ...... from the front ...... from the rear ...... and the amount of extra room the shorter car gives me in the garage when it's in there ...... Still need to change the pipes, rather noisey when you're close to lookin' right down'em. All in all, I'm pretty happy with'er now. Pretty much what I'd wanted to do from the git go. Looking forward to gettin'er up on the street where I can shoot some pictures from the sides.
Dick, the car looks great. What a change. What WB did you come out with? Did the car loss some #'s in the modifications? Have you made up your mind on Barona or Opener for the first race? Looking forward to seeing you guys at the track, been a while.
Wheelbase came out at 102". Three inches over my target, but I decided I liked the sketch better'n the numbers. Haven't had time to haul'er up to Scholl Canyon Dump's scales yet, but She's definitely lighter. I took out more metal than I put back in (also took 10# more off the operator ), hopefully got'er down in the 1300's somewhere. I haven't had a go at re-fitting the front hoop on as yet, so it'll default to Barona until I get the rest of the little odds & ends out of the way, and get to that job. Papa Joe can't run me with only the roll bar, NfHRA's adamant about that since '10. You'll also notice I added a scoop for "carb covers" now that I sit behind'em (another NfHRA rule), it's removable for when I don't HAVE to have it (after all, SU's can't siphon, the jet ramps don't function backwards ...... but try to tell NfHRA that ). We'll just have to wait & see about their heavier fire suits for fronties thing, that's a lot of money & silliness for a pump gas car running 2.5 psi on the fuel line. I'll get the trailer finished up when the rain goes through, then address those odds & ends. I'll try to get the front hoop fitted before Butch's opener so I have the option.
The Jalopy Journal
