2010 Front Engine Dragster Week 2011 01 29

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It has been awhile since I produced an update.  I’m skipping around but will go back to fill in the gaps.  So, keep checking the site for past and future updates.

DSCN8984_smallOk, had a great turnout today and it was very productive. A lot of the tasks on the board were crossed off.
Bleed_Brakes_DSCN8955_smallLenny and his grandson (I cannot remember his name, shame on me) bled the drakes one last time.
Coolant_Lines_DSCN8958_smallBill crated a bushing to go around the transmission coolant lines where they pass through the chassis.
Steve installed the drive shaft. The engine was started, the transmission was run through its gears, the transmission brake was tested, and reverse was tested (this transmission has a pro brake in it so you have to hold the transmission brake in order to get reverse). All worked correctly.
Drive_Shaft_DSCN8960_small                                                  Drive_Shaft_DSCN8967_small
Drive_Shaft_DSCN8962_small                                                  Drive_shaft_DSCN8953_small
The fire bottles were removed by Steve, Lenny  and Lenny’s grandson for the trip to Indiana as they are not allowed to freeze (garage is always heated so up to this point it was ok to leave the bottles in the chassis). All the fire suspension lines were check for tightness.
Fire_Bottles_DSCN8974_small                                                 Fire_Bottles_DSCN8987_small
Jack added a clamp on the fuel line as it was unsupported in the upturn to the carburetor.
Fuel_Line_DSCN8957_small                                                 Fuel_Line_DSCN9023_small
Tom made yet another bracket for the dragster, this time it was to add support to the remote oil filter lines.
Oil_Line_Bracket_DSCN8975_small                                                 Oil_Line_Bracket_DSCN8982_small
The valves covers are back from the machine shop were the insides were machined out to reduce their weight. These are case covers and weighed a ton. They are taller than the stamped covers that were used to keep the paint off the rocker arms when the engine was painted. Tom and Vince adjusted the spark plug wires so that the new valve covers would fit under the wires.
Plug_Wires_DSCN8952_small                                                Plug_Wires_DSCN8988_small
As if there was not enough going on we had a side project going on. That project was to build some stanchions that will be used to rope of the dragster at the upcoming show. Billy, Don,  worked on this project. We are build these stanchions from an interesting collection of items. The bases are old rotors (which have been sand blasted), the posts are 2 inch electrical conduit, The conduit is fastened to the rotor with conduit connectors that have had their retaining nuts welded to the rotors (they can be unscrewed from the nut welded to the rotor), The top is a fence post cap that is fit on top of another conduit connector that has been cut in half. The stanchions will all be powder coated so all the pieces match.
Stanchion_DSCN8978_small                                                Stanchion_DSCN8979_small
Stanchion_DSCN9001_small                                                Stanchion_DSCN9002_small
Stanchion_DSCN9007_small                                              Stanchion_DSCN9008_smallStanchion_DSCN9009_small                                                Stanchion_DSCN9015_small
Tail_Light_DSCN8977_smallThe tail light has been installed by Vince. The plan is to light the tail light at the show with a small power supply.
Tail_Light_DSCN8994_small                                                   Tail_Light_DSCN8996_small
The throttle cable was move to run under the oil pressure gauge line as it was kinking the line. Braided line has been ordered to replace the plastic line.
Trottel_Cable_DSCN8971_small                                                   Trottel_Cable_DSCN8972_small
Valve_covers_DSCN9004_smallThe valve covers have been powder coated gold and then clear coated on top of that. Burns down tubes have been added and the completed covers have been bolted on the dragster.
Valve_covers_DSCN9005_small                                                  Valve_covers_DSCN9016_small
Valve_covers_DSCN9021_small                                                  Valve_covers_DSCN9022_small
As a finishing touch for the show Lenny and his grandson bolted on some wheel caps on the wheels.
Wheels_DSCN8954_small                                                  Wheels_DSCN8991_small

 So as you can see a lot of small tasks were completed today that have been hanging on for dear life on the to do list, but are now complete. 

The body that is sitting on the back porch will be coming back into the garage and be reinstalled on the dragster this week. There are a number of tasks that need to be completed to go racing (not the least of which is to address the overheating problem, can anyone guess how that will be addressed? It will definitely get you attention when you hear the solution.) 

The current plan is to load the dragster this coming Saturday, Sunday, or Tuesday depending on weather. We will need a number of helping hands to get it down the driveway. I know that Sunday is the super bowl but this can be done in the morning and should not take too long. Let me know what days you can help out and I will add that into the mix of the weather. I did watch the extended weather tonight and Saturday looks to be promising at the moment.
Body_Pieces_DSCN8999_small