At 04:03 PM 9/20/98 -0400, Ron Soave wrote:
>Just got back into Florida from the historic races at Road America in
>Elkhart Lake WI......
First of all, thank you Ron, for the kind words. Elkhart Lake and Road
America are indeed great places, oozing with racing history.
The #55 TT Bugeye took one lap on Saturday mornings practice session, and it
was obvious something was wrong. It wouldnt rev over 4500rpm's and it had
absolutely no power. I putted around the track and came into the pits to
start the trouble shooting process.
After a couple hours of work, changeing distributors,(tried two others),
resetting the timing, adjusting the valves, replacing the coil,
disconnecting the Tach circuits, changing carb needles, and
pistons/dashpots, with NO results...I became more than a little PO'ed.
I knew I had another good engine back home, 2 1/2 hours away..so I left the
car in the capable hands of my son Brad, and the TT pit crew.(anyone walking
past who could be coerciced to help with the promise of a brat....later)who,
while I drove back home to get the other engine, pulled the engine out of
the Bugeye.
Got back to the track about 5 pm(we had an hour before the "no race engines
run after 6pm" rule.) Transfered what we had to from one engine to the
other one(clutch, various oil cooler fittings, etc)and threw it in the Bug.
This without a hoist..etc..just a jack handle and chain and a couple of
strong guys(well, one strong guy,.. and me). Time? 6:10 pm. Screw it, I
need to hear this engine. So I started it and it sounded ok, but I didnt
rev it up to where it had been missing and cutting out.
Went to bed thinking all was solved. A happy guy.
Sunday AM. First warm up, 8:20 am. Again the rule, "No race engines may be
started before 8:00 am." Screw it, at 7:50, mine was started. Revved it
up..STILL missing! The exact SAME miss/problem. What gives? We changed
EVERYTHING..or did we?
Jim Donato, TT partner, looks over at me and says..."Gar, the last thing I
told you to do before you left was change the entire carburator setup."
Well, I had changed needles, and dashpots/pistons. But not the entire
carbs. We dug out a spare set of carbs, put them on..BINGO! ran like a top.
All that work, and if I had just listened to my buddy Jim, we would have
been all set. Thats racing!
Well, for the Sunday race, I had to start dead last. (No qualifying time) 65
cars in this race. Made it to 36th before they threw the checkered flag. I
did also manage to get First in my class.
Jim Donato also ran very well, and the frosting on the cake was when he won
the prestigious Geoff Healey Sportsmanship Award. This is an annual
traveling award(also won by TT Flounder, Wm. S. Thompson)given to the Healey
driver who shows great sportsmanship through out the year. This award is
voted on by only Healey race car drivers and is a very very nice
accomplishment for Jim. Congrats Buddy!
Next Team Thicko happening...Indianapolis RaceWay Park. The Childrens
Museum Vintage Grand Prix, Oct 2, 3 and 4. Come on down.
Gary Speckman
Plover, WI.
#55 Bugeye
Team Thicko
www.thicko.com
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