Drag Week 2018 is underway.

[Heo]

Out on a sunday cruise Doug?

[BruceS]

Doug, IMO it's quite an achievement to drive there and back with a 50+ year old car and not have any major embarrassments!  It's likely the right decision to head back home early this time due to Florence.  Hope your son managed to find gas somewhere and is able to follow instructions from the authorities. 

[cjshaker]

David Freiburger just announced that they will be announcing the 2019 Drag Week tracks this Friday morning in Atlanta. First time ever having that info so soon.

That's cool, I hope they come back towards the midwest next year.  The route this year was one reason I elected not to go.  Based on the hurricane, it looks like I picked the right year to skip...

I hope they come back to Ohio

[cjshaker]

A video of Joels pass on Monday. I mislabeled it as his test pass.

https://youtu.be/RtGLkLrhqHU

[cjshaker]

Bruce, except for the leaks, which I'll fix here soon, including all new seals and gaskets on the rear, the car was flawless while driving. I would kid with my son saying "Well, I hope it starts this time", because you literally just have to bump and release the key and it instantly goes to a perfect idle every single time. Discounting the odd ones, and depending on whether I was steady cruising, climbing the mountains or coming down them, it averaged anywhere from 13.4 to 17.8 mpg, with the 13.4 including my pass at the track. Pretty darn good if you ask me! Removing the 2 highest produced a total trip average of 15.1 mpg, and that was loaded to the gills!

[cjshaker]

Sorry for all the posts, but thought you guys would find some of this stuff interesting.
This is Richie Kramptons '57 wagon. This was one of the most ingenious set-ups I've ever seen. It makes me think that the 'unrealistic' blower set-up in Mad Max is only one brainstorm from becoming reality. I'm thinking something like an AC clutch set-up would work. I'm not giving it away, you'll have to look at the pictures to figure it out.

[cjshaker]

This guy stayed at the hotel we were at. Super cool, super clean design, and old school to the max. Except for the front valance and rear decklid, it was all steel...and he DIDN'T pull a trailer!

[Drew Pojedinec]

I was at the motel6. Damn Swedes were drunk and wouldn’t shut up til midnight.
How anyone gets drunk on bud light is beyond me.

[Heo]

Drew, A drunk Swede?? cant be true... nahhh
Doug What rear gear do you have ? i get around 15-16
average to, on my Galaxie  with 2.82 or 2.72 dont remember
exactly . 255-70 15 tires

[thatdarncat]

Post away Doug, the pictures are great. Frieburger & Lohnes gave away the secret of Richie Crampton's '57 on the live feed, so I won't spoil it, but pretty ingenious. Word today is they had to take it back to a shop for some work, but they're planning on coming back and making the drive tomorrow. Funny Car driver Jonnie Lindberg is the person driving it this year, and supposedly that's the engine from his NHRA funny car.

The white Barracuda was built by and belongs to Jim Forbes, aka "Squirel", who has driven his red Nova blown gasser the last few years, and has won his class. Along with running the Nova on Drag Week, he drove it to the event at least twice from his home in Arizona, once on purpose, and once when his tow rig broke down and he just unloaded the car and drove it the rest of the way to Drag Week & back.

[mbrunson427]

Do they just pull the blower belt for street driving and run the air through that throttle body?

[machoneman]

That was my thought too. Dump the belt for street/highway driving and run solely off the TB. Adding the belt back on for the drags would not tale long. Very ingenious!

Do they just pull the blower belt for street driving and run the air through that throttle body?

[cjshaker]

Jim and I talked about that experience of his truck breaking down when I told him I drove from Ohio. He seemed like a genuinely nice and friendly guy. He's an engineer, and you could tell by how well thought out and clean his car was.

Mr Brunson, yes, they pull the belt when driving on the street. Lots more going on there also to make it work. Kevin is right, it's a billet block engine from his Funny Car, converted for water cooling. If they had the bugs worked out, it obviously would have been a top contender in his class OR Unlimited.

Drew, the Swede and Aussie experience is part of Drag Week..lol  Yes, they party most of the night, all week long.

[turbohunter]

Hey Doug this thought may have occurred to you but it would be cool to update the Gal every year for DW. Would be neat to kinda stag 1, stag 2, stag 3 it over the next few years and document the improvement.
Can only go up from here eh?

[cjshaker]

Marc, the Galaxie is just gonna remain a cruiser that we can take on camping and backpacking trips. I like traveling and camping old style, with a tent, cooking out, no electric etc, so the car will fit that bill perfectly. My Mach is my main Drag Week car, and I have plans for some major changes to it over the next 2-3 years. I've mentioned them a time or two, so if you weren't paying attention, that's your fault