I can honestly say I really don't know where to start with this blog update. drag racing is always full of ups and downs but the ups and downs always tend to be extreme, this Friday the team suffered both on one day and then it rained!! As already mentioned in my previous update the team have been very busy collecting new parts and sorting the car out ready for this weekends 10th Anniversary of Dragstalgia. Steve went to the car Thursday to fit the new parts then met up with Dave and hooked up the trailer and made their way to the pod and set up camp...so far so good.
With new parts fitted there is a fair bit of fettling to be done so with a safe tune in place the car was started up and it sounded different, now with the Dizzy locked out and different injector nozzles and the correct coil in place it sounded angry as hell.
So everything was looking good for a first checkout pass but then....the car wouldn't start, the problem being a broken coil HT lead a big thanks to Darryl at DASH Racing for sorting out another lead for the team. Steve was looking for a soft 8.8 checkout pass but it turned out to be an 8.4 pass with a 159mph far better than expected.
Video courtesy of SantaPodTV full video click here
With the car back in the pits small adjustments were made to timing and fuel settings also the new catch cans were leaking so they had to be re-sealed as well. Steve was not happy with the way the starter motor was behaving but they towed down for their second run which was a belter a new PB for Steve at 8.25 @ 161.3mph.
Video courtesy of SantaPodTV full video click here
With the car back in the pits the starter was removed and it had basically disintegrated and therefore of no further use, so now the panic starts, the first qualifying run was later this evening and we had no way of starting the car. Enter Roy Wilding who helped us no end this weekend. Roy sourced a new starter at Hauser race cars for us so off Steve went to collect it on the way back he phoned me at the entrance to the Pod to tell me it had started raining and boy did it rain, it finished all further action on the track for the rest of the day which was rather fortunate as the new starter was just a little different and was damaged while trying to start the car hmmm so another call to Mike Oates and another starter was found, nothing more was done that evening apart from sheltering from the rain.
Saturday....
Saturday morning needed a phone call to Moses as the place was flooded we needed floats for the car not slicks, somehow in this mess Steve managed to persuade enough bits and pieces of starter to come together in the right order well enough to use on the car and hey presto it all worked...phew!!
Steve and Dave had to move the car away from the water to fit the starter and thank god it worked or that would have been it for the meeting.
So with the car looking like it would survive another day of racing they towed down for the their first run of the day, with so much rain and with the heat there was a lot of moisture in the air which takes power away form an engine especially a normally aspirated motor, adjustments were made but it was a suck it and see situation which continued for the rest of the meeting.
A strange thing happened on this run, the car is always checked over before each meeting and during this check up all nuts and bolts are checked however!! the front steering arms were not checked and they had come loose as you can probably see in the above video somehow Steve still managed a decent run of 8.43 @ 159.0mph
After much nut and bolt tightening and some more adjustments to try and make up for all the air moisture the team took the car down for it's last run for Saturday this netted a slightly quicker run of 8.32 @ 158.3mph with a brilliant 0.03 reaction time.
But of course that was not it for the day as the team had entered the car for the fire burnout show later that evening. little did Steve know that he was going to be the only car in the show but what a show he put on for the spectators.
Photo by Nikki Marshall
Clip courtesy of Santa Pod Raceway
Sunday....
First job of the day was to replace the parachute pack, the seat padding and the wheelie bar which was found to be a little bent!! it looks like the "hit" is getting stronger and stronger. A quick look over showed no apparent damage from the previous nights fiery show which is good news. So after a quick service the team towed the car down for it's first run of the day still struggling with the bad air but managed 8.46 @ 157.9mph.
Video courtesy of SantaPodTV full video click here
Not too bad but getting the tune right with all that moisture in the air was not an easy task, so instead of hunting for quick times it was decided to just go for the points however! on the next run there was a wee bit of driver error as Steve launched in second gear with a stutter which slowed the car up a bit to 8.88 @ 157.9mph.
Video courtesy of SantaPodTV full video click here
Shame about that run as we would probably have finished in the top 3, never mind. What the team didn't expect was another run which meant a very quick turn around so quick that some of the rest of the Wild Bunch teams didn't have enough time to cool their engines down so had to give it a miss. So on this last run of the meeting Steve ran 8.47 @ 158.5mph.
Video courtesy of SantaPodTV full video click here
All in all not a bad meeting for the team Steve managed another two trophies one for 6th place and one for best burnout.
Unfortunately it was not such a good meeting for two other Wild Bunch teams who suffered major damage, Andy Stones and Frantic and Chris Manning and The Villain both drivers are Ok I hope they manage to repair or replace their vehicles and get back on track soon.
Our team didn't leave undamaged either the slightly damaged flex plate and bodged up starter motor both have to be replaced and we are going to try some bigger injector nozzles ready for the Mopars.
The curse of covid is still with us so I will be missing this years 10th edition of Dragstalgia, but the team of Steve, Dave and Diana will be there along with some family members for support. bearing in mind we have no overseas competitors this year there is certainly a strong field in all classes so it looks like there will be lot of fun to be had. At the VW breakout meeting Steve and the team got the car running consistent in the lower half of the 8's, but that is still not where we want to be so the development continues.
First small change is the catch cans, Steve was told by Graham Rawlings (little digger) at the last meeting that the breathers were far too small for our engine and the resulting back pressure under the pistons could reduce the free revving of the motor. So new catch cans ordered and already delivered along with a few other bits and pieces thanks to Good Vibrations.
Every little helps as they say, a bracket has been made so that the new coil can be fitted this one is the correct one for our ignition system as the one we are using is 40% down on power. Another problem that we have had in trying to get the tune right is the fact that the ignition timing is advancing so much on the run, this has now been solved by locking the distributer down.
While Steve was ordering a couple of spare injectors he came across a small bit of information that he and others including myself didn't know. Some injectors are more suited to blown motors and some for injected motors something to do with the way the nozzles atomise the fuel and of course we have been running the ones more suited to?.....yep blown motors. So another call to the guys at Good Vibration and a new set of injectors are on the way.
A spare flex plate has been ordered as on the last run the car made at VW Breakout Steve heard a knocking noise and fearing the worse checked out all the bearings, only to find the starter motor had come loose and had damaged our flex plate...not too bad but! better safe than sorry. Also a packet of new body retaining pins has been ordered as cable ties don't look too good do they?
So fingers crossed with the updates we have made we will make improvements in time and speed, but that's not the be all and end all we are hoping to have some fun and entertain as well and as such Steve has entered Tight Fit into the annual flame show on Saturday night when he tries his first ever Fire burnout so give him a big cheer when it's his turn. Here's hoping the event is as good as ever and everyone has a fast and safe and fun meeting.
Dave and Steve were up early the car was still in one piece and it was dry with a forecast of more sun, perfect Drag Racing weather. After the trials and tribulations of the previous day today had to be a better day, didn't it?? the pair of them resembling walking barbers poles due to be being well and truly "Podded" They spent the rest of the day covering themselves up and hiding from the sun where possible.
First run of the day the car was left in the same state of tune from the previous day and had been warmed up and checked out. Steve was running alongside Pete Brown the Wrathchild car a staggered light handicap system was in place Steve had to sit on the line for awhile then managed to a few hundred yards more then the quarter mile as he manhandled the car to keep her straight the result was 8.44 @ 157.97mph.
Clip courtesy of Santa Pod Live for full video click here
Perhaps not as quick as was expected but the track played it's part on that run, so back to the pits and quick service and check over ready for the next run, this time Steve was running with Graham Rawlings in the air cooled VW powered "Little Digger" Steve ran a new PB of 8.32 @ 161.35 mph.
Clip courtesy of Santa Pod Live for full video click here
After the excitement of running a new PB had settles down a bit the car was again serviced and checked over and once again it seemed that everything had hung together well and no major issues were found. the car was fuelled up ready for run number 3. This time it was a solo run which netted 8.38 @ 156.72mph
Clip courtesy of Santa Pod Live for full video click here
Usually three runs is it at most meetings but this time there was a fourth run scheduled so again quick turnaround nothing wrong with the car but Steve tweaked the fuel system a wee bit and it didn't work the run against Graham was slower at 8.86 @160.26mph.
Clip courtesy of Santa Pod Live for full video click here
A great meeting in the end we have a consistent race car and it's still in one piece Steve and the team worked hard as usual but came away with big smiles and a hatful of trophies.
Roll on Dragstalgia and lets see if we can bring a surprise or two at that meeting as well.
It's been far too long since the last meeting, The Hot Rod Drags 2020 is nothing more than a distant memory now. I can't go any further without mentioning the passing of two great advocates of our Sport. Dennis Priddle was my hero back when Dave and I were attending Santa Pod from the early 70's onwards, I did shed a tear when heard of his death. Of course even more recent we lost Dave Rowlands I didn't know him that well, I did race against him in Destiny's Angel once but as Colin put it so well he was one of us. I stood in silence along with the rest of the guys and gals at the Pod at Springspeed here in Spain RIP the both of them, both legends in their own right.
First off I have increased the font size of the blog to make it easier to read on cell phones I hope this make a difference. In the last update we were waiting for the last parts to arrive so we could start work on the heads. After numerous phone calls to the States Comp Cams admitted they have no idea when the retainers would be back in stock so a refund was submitted. I would like to give ICE automotive a big shout out as Nick managed to source a set of retainers for us in short notice. Two weeks ago the real work started Steve and Dave went to the trailer dismantled the engine. The heads were bought back to Swindon, new coil, fuel lines and new fuel shut off were fitted to the dragster. The heads were taken to the legend that is "Mr Mopar" John O'Sullivan where in his workshop the machining of the heads was carried out to fit the Big Block valve springs in the Small Block head. some trimming of parts was required to stop parts rubbing with each other.
John O' hard at work
The heads were then assembled. not much room left in there!
While I was watching a damp Springspeed Nationals on live stream Steve and Dave were in the trailer thrashing to get the engine back together. This Thursday Steve left for the Pod got as far as Oxford when part of the Dodge's exhaust fell off, at the same time he noticed a failed valve on the trucks LPG system which was emptying his 200 litre fuel tank.
With camp set up on Friday the car was fired up and it sounded like crap after a lot of thought bashing more fuel was thrown in and some timing and hey presto smooth sounding motor but!!! low oil pressure the pump had failed so with a little financial help from Daddy a trip to Top Speed automotive a new high flow oil pump and sump gasket was purchased all fitted and buttoned up by 11 pm. The guys would like to say a big thank you to Rob and Pete for all their help and loan of tools without which the team may as well have returned home. And to Diana for running around like a looney as usual helping out the team. I am told the team also had help from Tony Underwood as well..thanks Tony.
To make things a little more homely at the track Dave bought a caravan a little more comfortable than sleeping on the trailer floor.
So to Saturday morning the car is good oil pressure is fine and Steve has 11 guests turning up today. First session of RWYB and Steve runs a very safe tune, second gear launch check out pass which nets a 8.79 run at a new PB speed of 161.38mph but!!! he ends up covered in oil as the gasket sealer used on the valley (inlet manifold) was out of date and didn't go off properly so repairs required and a new tube of sealer, second RWYB run missed while waiting for the sealer to set.
Video clip courtesy of Santa Pod Raceway for full video click here
Timing issues put paid to the third run at this point I think the team had just about had enough and was probably thinking it's about time to pack up and go home, but they had family and friends with them today, so after more fettling and probably a lot of swearing the car is fixed and ready to go once again. Once back in the pairing lanes there was a very long hold up due to a huge oil down which meant the fifth round of qualifying was cancelled and at one point. Once the RWYB cars were back on track they only had 25 mins to get them all through. Steve lined up against Ratchet Strap Racings Cheap Thrills slingshot and at the green Steve was gone, long gone! back into the low 8's @ 8.34 at 158mph. and breathe. After missing all day Friday and half the runs on Saturday everything was right with the world again.
Video clip courtesy of Santa Pod Raceway for full video click here
Just a few of Steve's VIP guests on Saturday, also the sun made a welcome return. Roll on Sunday!
The last 12 months have been....interesting? to say the least I am talking about every day life, it has been a difficult time for everyone. We have gone form asking if anyone knows of anybody having this dam virus to just about all of us knowing a few people that have had it, both my youngest sons and their families have had Covid. As for racing well who thought we would see any last year? Well done Santa Pod and crew, Steve managed to attend a couple of the events and somehow managed to get the car to go faster and quicker than ever before whilst being held together with jubilee clips, sticky back plastic and duct tape, and using borrowed parts.
Not too shabby considering the team was not going to race at all last year a decision taken before Covid raised it's ugly head. So as usual during the so called "Off Season" the team have been busy. As already stated in the previous update we had to sort out the valve train so new bigger stronger springs have been ordered and have arrived along with the spring cups the retainers are on order and should arrive soon along with the setting tool.
So just waiting for two more bits to arrive then the heads will be removed form the engine and taken to have the spring seats enlarged to take the bigger springs once this is done we can then remove the rev limiter from the engine which is and has been set at 7000rpm since Dragstalgia 2019. We have had to special order the head gaskets from Cometic as the ones we use are 80 thou thick they are also on their way along with new inlet gaskets. While doing some investigation work Steve also came across another problem or two, the first being that we have been using the wrong coil.
We have been using the one on the left with our MSD 6 ignition system and it produces around 40% less power then the recommended unit which is on the right, so the new coil is now on order also while reading up on all this Steve found that we have been using the wrong plug gap for our engines compression ratio in fact we have been gaping the plugs to twice the recommended size, new plugs on order as well.
The replacement fuel pipes for the injectors have been delivered along with a new three fuel way shut off valve the rest of the fuel pipes are going to be checked soon and replaced if necessary. and we have a Hans device ready to use.
That lot along with the replacing the body panel retainers with more substantial items that want keep falling off on the start line and a replacement screen as I keep cracking ours with my knee getting out of the car and new puke tanks that's about it for the car.
The trailer need work the rear end needs a few more supports and we still have to re seal the body to stop water ingression one of the things we really really need to do is already in hand as a diesel night heater is on the way and the solar charging system for the leisure battery is nearly done, and for the truck an air assist system for the rear suspension has also been ordered and is on the way.
So as you can see a lot of work is in progress or has been completed on the race car and the trailer and truck, I am looking forward to seeing the car perform so much better this coming season both Steve and I have only one concern..can we keep her on the track and pointing in the right direction??. This coming race season Steve will once again be doing double duty as crew chief and driver for most of the season with Dave crewing as always, and hopefully our back up girl Diana will also be on track with the team I am still hoping to get over and drive at Dragstalgia but there's is a lot of buts!..Covid permitting, vaccine certificate's, travel etc etc we will see. Lets hope this year goes ahead without any more problems and we get to race without any more problems.
I don't suppose for one minute I'm alone in thinking "good riddance" to 2020, on all levels of life this year has been one to forget if that is possible. We did however manage to salvage one or two highlights in what has been a bleak racing year.
At the end of last year we had a tow truck that was just about falling to bits we had a trailer that was also just about falling to bits and a race car that was being held together with bodge tape and jubilee clips, so Steve made the call to sit out this year while repairs were applied and to get ready for a full on assault in 2021. We all know what happened, this dam virus hit and it looked like no-one was going to be racing in 2020 which in a way suited us as we were sitting out 2020 anyway. I believe in miracles and we got one...racing commenced thanks to Keith and Santa Pod Raceway. Suddenly Steve got an itchy right foot and decided to run at the Nostalgia Drags, this is where we found out what the problem we were having was caused by? Our fuel pump had decided to go into retirement so Steve borrowed a smaller one from our friend Mr. Colliver. Steve didn't get the fuelling right but was convinced the car was pulling better than ever so made the decision to go to the next event The Hot Rod Drags.
With the ever present help of my brother Dave on the Friday at the HRD Steve ran faster and quicker than the car had ever been before grrr lucky sod. But we had purchased a new pump which showed up on the Saturday so Steve sat out the first run and fitted the new larger pump which resulted in Steve hitting the magic 160mph mark, Not bad when we were supposed to be sitting the year out.
I was sat at home here in Spain watching the live feed from the Pod I nearly fell off my chair, yes there is some competitive feeling between us but I was so proud of my son. We had a very happy Steve.
Steve was convinced there was still a lot more in that set-up but that was it for the year so what for next year??? well new valve springs so that we can un-leash all of the 10,000 rpm horse power along with a revised and updated fuel system to go with the updated valve train. Ok so Steve has turned out to be an ok driver *&^*(!! but the boss will be back for one last go in 2021 at Dragstalgia and yes I will be riding my Yamaha all the way from my place is Spain for one last time. I have already changed the name of the blog site from "Russ's Racing blog" to "Tight Fit Slingshot" next I suppose we need to get rid of the "DangerRuss" sticker on the cockpit and replace it with...."7.SecondSteve"???
Happy New year everyone from the team...Russ, Steve, Dave and Diana
I would like to thank everyone that has helped us this year including Mike Oates, John "Mr Mopar" O'Sullivan and the Ball Breaker Team I hope next year will be a fast and safe one for everyone.
We are living through some very strange and testing times, who would have thought there would have been any racing at all this year but here we are so a very special thanks has to go to Santa Pod Raceway for putting on the events and to everyone on the site for keeping us "Covid Safe" ensuring more meetings this year. But hey! what an event this was? only four classes of race machines and RWYB cars, and it proved that you don't always need the big show cars to be able to pull in the fans and keep then entertained. We had the weather on our side the track was perfect and the PB's were coming at every other run. As usual The Wild Bunch put on stunning show.
B.T.E (Before The Event)
As most of you know Slimline Racing can not get to or attend a meeting without some sort of drama and this was no exception after the Nostalgia Drags and all the problems with fuel and fuel pumps we decided it would be a good idea to buy a new one a slightly bigger capacity one to future proof ourselves So I got hold of AlkyDigger and Steve and I went halves on a new pump, It was supposed to be delivered on the Thursday before the meeting but! due to a cock up with the contact numbers it got delayed by one day, luckily one of Steve's friends was coming up to the Pod Saturday morning so it was arranged that for him to pick the pump up Thursday evening. One problem solved. the other problem involved Steve's health a few days before the meeting an old injury flared up, his arm from his wrist to his shoulder started to hurt and began to swell up then just three days before the meeting while removing a gearbox from a vehicle Steve really hurt his back, then with just two days before the meeting he woke up in the middle of the night in agony he had a huge infection in his ear he ended going to A&E it's a wonder he managed to make it to the track let alone race. Steve was determined to make the meeting he's made of steel that boy.
Photo Courtesy of Scott at Eurodragster
Friday
Steve spent Thursday evening at his friends place just outside Luton so he could get to the car and trailer early, He met up with Dave in Bedford and dragged the car to the Pod.
Camp was set up and all the Covid Safe stuff put into effect then it started! at the last meeting Steve couldn't get the tick over down and therefore couldn't hold the car on the brakes so! first job of the day to sort out the tick over, well this ended up taking most of the day as no matter what Steve did it just didn't want to work. Having paid for the Friday Steve was not going to give in and eventually got the car about where he wanted it.
Around 4pm Steve towed down to the start line with Dave and Diana not expecting too much but just to shake the car down make sure everything was OK for the following two days. well!!!!! I don't think anyone was ready for what happened even Colin the commentator was surprised.
What a run 8.33 at 158.04 mph a double PB incredible and still with the borrowed smaller fuel pump.....thanks Anthony. No time for another run as the lanes were closed. Steve spent some of the night in the trailer I say some because he was cold even with the sleeping bags etc.
Saturday
The Wild bunch were first on track I was sat in front of the PC watching the live feed but no Steve... I tried to phone him and Dave but no-one wanted to talk to me!! then it dawned on my, even though Steve had said he would keep the borrowed pump on the car as it seemed to be working so well I knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself fitting the new one and that is exactly what he had done he missed the first run setting up the new pump.
1st run: Netted a very wayward 9.5 at 151 mph but what a burnout must have been the best that car had ever done.
2nd Run: A bit better, no in fact a lot better 8.63 at 150.5mph Steve reckoned she was a bit on the fat side so some more fettling.
3rd Run: Getting there he ran 8.41 at 157.9mph getting a little excited now more fiddling required.
4th Run: Slowed up a bit to 8.66 at 156.8 mph it was getting dark and Steve was having trouble seeing where he was going and the throttle was playing up again , wouldn't come down to idle. But all in all not a bad days racing considering it was a new pump and a larger capacity than we have used before.
Steve put everything away covered up the car and locked the trailer and like a real racer he is left the site and stayed at his friends place for the night because he didn't want to get cold again.!!
Sunday.
1st Run: Backed up for taking too long to get to the line but this was because the throttle stuck and Steve went too far on the burnout, eventually carded an 8.76 at 153.1 mph. bolt came out of the butterfly linkage on the run car stuck at over 4500 rpm after going through the lights.
2nd Run: With more fettling of pills still ran 8.76 this time at 155.7mph not getting full throttle due to butterfly's out of alignment and was warned over a leaking catch can that if he came to the line with it leaking again he would be taken off the track.
3rd Run: Catch can gasket had swollen up and no longer fitted correctly so Steve moved the pipe from the leaky catch can to the fuel catch can on top of the battery box, more fettling with pills and even slower only 9.03 and a slower speed much head scratching ensued.
4th and final run: Problem found! both the high speed lean off valve and main valve are side by side on our engine and...yes Steve got them muddled up and had been changing the wrong one, so back to an earlier setting and da da da!!! 8.73 at 160.19 mph well done Steve.
All runs on this day were witnessed by his sister, my daughter KT ad family who took a trip up to the Pod for the day with both my grandsons who had a great time. and watched their Uncle Steve go over 160 mph which is a mystical barrier, a right of passage if you like for naturally aspirated small block Chevy's.
The next generation in training my Grandson Leo
Once again a big thanks to Santa Pod for putting on such a brilliant event and for keeping everyone safe and a really big pat on the back for all the spectators for behaving impeccably and of course to the racers for putting on such an awesome show.
That's it for us for this year not bad considering we were going to sit the whole season out even before Covid was a thing, Lets hope the joke that is Covid 19 has vanished by next year and we can get back to normal, Stay safe and see you all next year.
