Fellow Bolt Breakers-
Today I spent the day assembling a motor...There should be some cosmic
energy involved with a 4th of July motor (OK so you non-colonial types won't
grasp the finer implications), but the engine should be a "firecracker", but
hopefully not the exploding kind...
Tonite I sat on my deck and listened to the remaining "Beach Boy" do his
thing at the local tourist trap and wondered...how similar could the history
of that band be to the reality of racing a 40 year old car be? The Local
hotspot features many of the "Name Bands" of the entertainment world both new
and old. We all race cars of the "olde" classification, but how much have we
changed them from what hey were "back then." This performance was billed as
"The Beach Boys", but only one of the original members was on stage. So it
may be with our cars. How much have we all added or subtracted to what was a
"vintage" car?
One the subject of rebuilds...
Back in the days of severe TR overreving, I used to get about 3 races out of
a motor before the rings and main bearings gave up. After switching to
Redline oiI, I incrementely increased the rebuild interval to about 10
races. At this point the rings were just on the point of replacement and the
mains were due for a change. The rod bearings still looked great. Running
steel guides also meant that the guides and valves were severly wiped, even
with the Redline. Conversion to bronze guides effectively increased the
replacement time to about the same 10 race scenario.
And now...for something completely different...
I had to take a run "over the hill" the other day, a 14 or so mile run over a
mountain pass with a sheer drop off on one side and an unmoveable mountain on
the other. The Yoko's on the street racer were down to the wear bars, and the
sun had warmed the road to about optimum temps, there weren't any other cars
on the road, so I went for it. The car is set up for a little oversteer
condition (the fast way as the corners come fast and furious, and I have been
known to lift a rear wheel under trail braking into a corner...) My new
personal best is now 16 min 20 seconds. That may not sound great, but most of
the road consists of corners, and the majority is run in third gear (second
for many corners and fourth for only a few short straights), so I am anxious
to see what my next set of tires can do. I ordered a set of the the new
G-force KD BFG tires. ). I'd love to see a "Hopland Grade" Grand Prix, but
somehow don't think it will be up there with Sebring...
Hope everyone "Stateside" on the list has a swell holiday...
Nick of Nor Cal
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