Rick's 1960 HT

[DKheld]

That's really cool Rick.

I think the "tribute" engine treatment looks great.

You're just going to have to post a video of the car going down the track ......


Eric

[simplyconnected]

I whole-heartedly agree with Eric Taylor.

Rick, is there any rush better than the feeling you get from a good run down the track? Congratulations for busting past that 13 sec. mark. There are few Squarebirds that go twelve seconds. Someday I'd like to see yours. My brother lives on Winn Lake in Lapeer so I make that trek by times. - Dave

[Restifier52]

Back to Lapeer

Today and I was able to match my previous time and speed but not beat it even though I took my tires down to 16psi and started the nitrous sooner. I think the problem was I had an almost empty bottle. Of course better driving will help too. A guy offered to take a vid of me with his phone. He did but the quality is not good enough to post. I am going to Milan on Oct. 1 and I AM going to get some good video!

[simplyconnected]

Rick, do you go with anyone? Good video should have a couple cameras, both on tripods.

You need one camera just ahead of the Christmas tree for the launch. The other camera should be about half way down the track with the traps in sight.

Cell phones don't offer stability or video quality you need. Tripods have the ability to smoothly pan while you zoom, etc. Editing is equally important. If you capture raw footage, I can make your video with music, narration, fade and many other features. The more cameras you use, the better your video will turn out because you get more perspectives. If you have good still pictures, they can embellish your video. Take 100 pictures. Seriously. Use as high resolution as you possibly can. Burn the stills and the raw video to a DVD and mail it to me. - Dave

[Restifier52]

I'm working on getting someone to shoot. I have an old hi8 sony camera that takes a decent video and I do have a tripod for it. I suppose it's time to enter the 21st century and get a digital movie camera. And of course I have my still camera. If I can get more people to take pics and video then I could have a two camera production. If I succeed in getting a bunch of footage and stills I will certainly take you up on your generous offer.

[Restifier52]

Talk is Cheap

Well I did go to Milan but despite my vow I got no one to accompany me and no video. The good news is I got down to 12.559 seconds (with a slow reaction) and up to 111mph. On what turned out to be my last pass I forgot to shift. I decided I was going to keep it in 1st for awhile maybe 5000rpm then go to D and let the trans do the 2-3 shift. This was right after my good run. So after a long, long wait in line I do a decent burnout and stage. Light goes, I go and the nitrous comes on at 2.5 seconds like it's supposed to. Shortly after that I hear a loud noise like something substantial snapping that sounds like it came from the back of the car. I don't know if it coincided with hitting the rev limiter (6500) or not. I lift of course and at about that time realize I forgot to take it out of 1st. I finish the distance slowly and go back to the pit area wondering what I broke but I cannot find anything wrong. I drove it home 60 miles and didn't hear or feel anything wrong. I ain't complainin but I do wonder what that sound was. Anyway I put the cruisin tires back on and did the local club cruise with, again, no problems.
Happy Halloween to all.

Rick

[Dan Leavens]

Rick thanks for setting up the run.

The good news is I got down to 12.559 seconds (with a slow reaction) and up to 111mph. On what turned out to be my last pass I forgot to shift. I decided I was going to keep it in 1st for awhile

I think that would be a blast especially in these old gals

[Dakota Boy]

So I guess my car needs to run low 12's too.

You have posted a photo of your car with black steel wheels above. Where did you get those wheels?

I need to get a pair of those, but am looking for 10" width.

thanks

[Restifier52]

They are Cragar Delux 69 series. Jeg's has all the sizes. With your wheel wells you could get the 15 x 14s. I noticed when I have mine on I could get another inch maybe two of width on the backside but they don't offer multiple backspacing sizes. So maybe I'll look into that when my BFGs are done. No idea how long they will last.

[Dakota Boy]

Hmmmm..... I'll need more backspacing than they offer.

Wheel Vintiques is probably where I'll be heading.
And those M/T ET Street drag radials sure are spendy. Dang.

[Restifier52]

Back On The Road

After much time and effort, and no small amount of frustration, I appear to be back in business. I had my radiator out to make room for the timing chain r&r that Roger told me I needed. He showed me just how loose it had become earlier this year when he was putting in my new Lentech tranny (no AOD shuffle-first is one position, second is another, and Drive is another. The overdrive is turned on and off by a dash switch) . He said it wasn't dangerously loose but I should keep an eye on it. Well the last time I went for a drive I thought I was running kind of hot so I decided to have the radiator checked out and replace the thermostat. I certainly wasn't going to pull the radiator twice so I called the folks in Chicago who built my motor and ordered a new timing set from them. The biggest frustration was finding out the new gear was thicker than the old one. A new crank pulley spacer took care of that, and now I have a 3/8" and a 7/8" spacer I don't need. I also relocated the trans cooler while the rad was out. Instead of being strapped to the radiator it is now on brackets a couple inches in front of it. My drive today showed 150 degrees trans temp. I was not thrashing the car but I did give it a couple short acceleration bursts. My new engine operating temp is right around 190. It creeps up one or two degrees from there when standing or creeping but goes back down when I return to normal cruising. I would like to put in more heat shielding for the passenger compartment. I could feel it coming in pretty good and it was not anywhere near a hot day today so I have some steep cabin temps to look forward to.
So, new posi, new 3:70 rear gear, new rear drums and shoes, new 31 spline axles and the aforementioned trans and timing set. And an air fuel ratio gauge, which is telling me I am running lean. I have my ignition unit programmed to retard 4 degrees when the juice hits (the rule of thumb I was told is 2 degrees for every 50HP) but I did not know what my A/F was, so again I was lucky last year. I went through a couple bottles and didn't damage anything. I will go to the dyno and have a nice fat tune put on it before I use the bottle this time. Then it's off to Lapeer for test n tune. I'm hoping we will have good weather in September so I can meet Dakota Boy at Great Lakes Dragaway and beat him in his own backyard That's gonna be a tall order with that new mill of his, though.

[simplyconnected]

Wait a minute. I'm confused. You live just north of Detroit (The Motor City) but you had your motor built in Chicago??? Don't get me wrong, I love Chicago. I was born there. We have much better engine builders here in Detroit and at much better prices than Chicago ever dreamed of. Chicago has a bad reputation for overcharging for any and all automotive services, (especially at the dealerships where I should think they would take good care of their customers).

For a timing chain, you should have a 'true roller' timing chain set. Summit Racing offers their FE set for $40.00. CLICK HERE. I use this double-roller set and am very happy with the performance and longevity it delivers on my roller cams. - Dave

[Restifier52]

I have no good explanation for that. When I was looking for a replacement for my original Windsor (crate motor purchased at now defunct Ramchargers speed shop in Waterford) I somehow believed that I couldn't find a builder here. I contacted John Vermeersch and he was cooperative but at the same time told me he had more work than he had people to do it. I tried to contact Barry Robotnick without success. I know Barry is an FE specialist but I thought he might be interested as a Ford guy. Then I found a website called FordStrokers.com and I did get a positive reference in that the guy who bought my old Windsor knew the proprietor and said he knew what he was doing. That's how it happened and yes it was costly but I don't have anything to compare it to. So we drove down, put it in my van and brought it back and now it's doing fine under my hood.

[simplyconnected]

John and Elaine Vermeersch are personal friends of mine. They run the Galaxie Club of Michigan and they own Total Performance, 44050 N. Groesbeck. John has beaten cancer and I wouldn't be surprised if he retires soon.

For a 351W, I would not go to John. I would go to Alternative Auto Performance, formerly only a mile from John. Lidio Iccabelli is THE MAN in my book for SBF engines. Lidio and his brother were trained while working at Dorian Ford. (Mike Doran, Jr. lives across the street from me.) Now located on Gratiot in Chesterfield, Lidio made his name installing Vortec superchargers and racing at Ubly Dragway.

Having said all that, I build my own SBF and FE engines. I am retired and I don't have a machine shop but there are many excellent shops I use around Detroit. Restorers NEVER have enough friends and I am proud to call both John and Lidio my friends. Any time I need a source, they always come through.

I'm in the North Woodward area (Royal Oak) where we have our own clique of hot rodders, and an airport that sells racing fuel at prices better than Citgo. - Dave

Back to John Vermeersch... Yes, he is busy but John told me he is giving up the title, "FE Guru". John will always give you the name of another great FE guy in the Detroit area (there are many, believe me). - Dave

[Restifier52]

Thanks Dave. I will certainly contact Alternative if I ever need engine help in the future. Everything seems good at the moment. Even without a whole lot of throttle I am getting rubber on the 1-2 shift

Rick