Topic: The "Must Post" Thread

[Otto Puzzell]

Shifting into nail-biting mode. 

[Ultra]

Have faith.

[knightfan26917]

Faith only goes so far, sometimes, though....

UGH.



Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic
CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.hobbies.RadioShows.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
* rNwJumpStartCruzNite | 5:30-10:30p; SAT, 05/12/12 | BeefVilla, 1225 W Spring St, S Elgin IL *
"Let's make our escape" __ Creed __ 'Higher'

[Ultra]

Faith goes as far as the faithful take it.

[RayTheRat]

Well, I'm here so I'll post something.  Yesterday I got some work done on the race car.  2 potential problems were investigated and turned out not to be problems at all.  I was afraid that one or two of the spark plug holes in one of the AFR aluminum heads would have to be drilled, tapped and have Heli-Coils inserted.  This turned out not to be the case.  The threads seem fine and the plugs look very good after it was last run.

The other issue was a possibility of the crankshaft snout requiring the same treatment: drill, tap and helicoil because of thread damage (no, I don't screw up the threads on everything, just some that seem to be the very most troublesome) but it's ok and there's enough thread to use a longer bolt than the stock one that retains the vibration damper and to which the main belt pulley attaches. 

So I just need to get the transmission removed and repaired, along with new headers and exhaust system (the thrashing driveshaft really messed up the exhaust.)

[Ultra]

Yes, it really did mess up the exhaust.

[knightfan26917]

*waves*

I came, I read, I posted.



Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic
CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.hobbies.RadioShows.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Can we see beyond the scars?" __ Chris Daughtry __ 'What About Now?'

[Ultra]

[Otto Puzzell]

Moonwalk, stage left

Meanwhile here we have a photo of Biff Tannen meeting his idol, er, em, Diamond Joe Quimby

[knightfan26917]

It's Sunday night.

And I'm wide awake.

Woot.



Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic
CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.hobbies.RadioShows.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
* rNwJumpStartCruzNite | 5:30-10:30p; SAT, 05/12/12 | BeefVilla, 1225 W Spring St, S Elgin IL *
"You take the good, you take the bad" __ Gloria Loring __ 'The Facts Of Life'

[sixtee5cuda]

Boredom is defeated, by increasing the priority of the low-priority items in your life.

Having a busy life means, there are a lot of activities to which you attach a lot of importance.

If you "never have any free time", look at your daily routine, and drop the priorities of some items.

Hi Ray!  Nice car!

[RayTheRat]

Thanks, Bill.  Cort, I hope ya got some sleep.  I just got back from picking up a new seat for the race car with 5-point harnesses.  I fired the car up last night and ran it until it would idle on its own.  It's a cold-blooded beast.  Then I added some more ATF to see if I'd worked a bit of a miracle and got the transmission to function.  Well, the open shorty headers had heat-soaked the starter and it the solenoid wouldn't kick.  So I called it quits for the evening.  Now it's time to go back to work on it.

RtR

[RayTheRat]

Update on the "heat soaked starter solenoid."  My diagnosis was a little bit off.  The tranny case is completely broken.  Not good.  Now I gotta come up with a different solution...like taking the broken one and the old spare to a guy I trust and see if he can make 1 out of 2.

This wasn't what I needed.

RtR

[sixtee5cuda]

With the solenoid getting heat-soaked, might it be a good idea to rig up a remotely mounted solenoid? (Away from the heat)

[RayTheRat]

It does have a remote solenoid.  I thought that the exhaust blasting right on it had caused it to get way hotter than usual and stick.  That wasn't quite the problem.  It's that little crack in the case that goes all the way around that seems to be causing the grief.  The whole transmission is broken free of the motor.  Not good.   

[knightfan26917]

Cort, I hope ya got some sleep.

Sorta.

I just got back from picking up a new seat for the race car with 5-point harnesses.

Cool.  Pics of noted seat?



Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic
CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.hobbies.RadioShows.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Time will heal the pain" __ Exile __ 'Even Now'

[Ultra]

Ouch. Helluva crack.

Good luck w/it.

[RayTheRat]

I just got back from picking up a new seat for the race car with 5-point harnesses.

Cool.  Pics of noted seat?

[/quote]

Here's a shot of the seat and harness.  It would never pass full SCTA tech inspection, but the only thing required for the 130/150 class is that the seat...well, here's the whole thing:

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS:
A four- (4) point roll bar approved by a recognized Racing sanctioning organization must be installed in the vehicle; driver is responsible to provide objective evidence of approval. Integral Corvette-type roll bar is not acceptable.
The seat assembly must be adequately braced to prevent rearward collapse by a portion of the roll bar assembly.
The vehicle must have a 4 point or better seat belt restraint system (5 point is highly recommended) including arm restraints or an approved window net.
Drivers must wear a SFI 3.2A/1 or better rated fire suit including shoes and gloves and an approved neck collar.
The driver must wear a Snell 2005 (or later) approved, full-face helmet with full face shield.
Motorcycle riders must have full leathers either one piece or full 360 degree zip together, leather boots and gloves, and a Snell 2005 (or later) approved, full-face helmet with full face shield. All motorcycles must have a shut off lanyard teathered to the driver, steering damper, all loose parts removed, headlights/glass taped or removed, and OEM or better chainguard.
Tires must be V, W or Z rated street tires or acceptable racing tires with metal valve caps and metal valve stems.
Cars must have an adequate metal battery tie down.
Driver must have objective evidence of tire speed rating. No tires wider than 10" will be allowed, unless the tires are OEM to the vehicle.
(Narrow tires provide better traction and vehicle control on the Salt)
Dual throttle return springs are recommended.
A Driveshaft retention loop is required in the front 25% of each section of drive shaft on rear-wheel cars where adequate retention and control of a broken driveline is not assured by body/frame design.

That's for the 150 class.  The stock seat is ok for the 130 class.

[RayTheRat]

Yet another race car photo or two.)  This is what's left of the race-built transmission (TH200-4R) I just got it out of the car tonite.  It's FUBAR, to quote what a friend said about it.

I'm considering (if the repairs are prohibitively costly) not racing it this year and installing a 5- or 6-speed manual trans (Tremec 3550 or T-56.)

I sure hope this is the end of the carnage.  I don't need to find any more broken parts that have remained hidden and pop up at a very inconvenient moment...like maybe the motor mounts...the transmission mount was ripped in two.  From what I've seen of them so far, they appear to be ok, but ya never know.  I'll find out when I install the new Hooker long-tube headers.

One photo shows the broken trans beside an unbroken (but stock and pretty worn) one and the other just shows the break and how it just goes from one side to the other...the remainder is still bolted to the motor.

[Ultra]

Ouch.  Quite the break up.

[RayTheRat]

As the old rock 'n roll song goes, "breaking up us hard to do."  In my case (pun not intended...or maybe it was) it wasn't so hard to do, but a bitch to UNdo.  I'm now leaning toward a Tremec 3550 5-speed overdrive transmission or as an absolutely "quick and dirty" solution, a TH350 automatic (for those not familiar, that's the transmission that was standard fare for just about every smallblock and I6 Chevy from 1969 to 1984) and an "airplane gear" rear end with a 2.42 or 2.73 ratio (I currently run a 3.73 gear.) 

That would eliminate the need for overdrive, keep the driveshaft speed down and probably give me the top speed of around 160 that I'm looking for.  I can buy a brand-new TH350 for $700, about the same price it would cost to swap the TH200-4R's good guts into the good case.  And I can get a used rear end for $100-200.  It might be enough to limp it into the 130 club.  I dunno about the 150, tho.

Decisions, decisions.

[Otto Puzzell]

Ronnie Spector looked forward to breakups, in anticipation of the, um, remedy. 

[RayTheRat]

I know several other salt flats racers who do the same thing.  Then there are those who try to build things the best they can and see what happens once it's on the salt.  I seem to fall into the latter category, although we've sure had a lotta brainstorming sessions about how/what if/when questions.

RtR

[Otto Puzzell]

You are now reading this.

[Wendax]

Frohe Pfingsten!