Countersinking Brackets & Brainfarts

2014 has been a busy year so far for the race team (me and the car) I installed a new starter when my old one started giving up the ghost. I cant bitch, because I have been using it for 10 years..Has it really been that long???? I also had an epiphany about my shifter. That sucker has given me fits since day one. I dont have the bucks to buy a new one, so my options were kind of limited. I started by relocating it, then building a new handle for it. I disassembled  and re-assembled it about 50 or 60 times during the process. It took me a couple weeks of tinkering before I finally "got it" .

As soon as I did I needed to build a new mount for the neutral safety switch. I built a beautiful mount and was very pleased with it. I decided to trick it out by using countersunk screws to mount it. It was perfect....except that I drilled the WRONG side of the bracket.
F--k !! I quickly cut and polished a new piece and went to drill the countersunk screw again....I drilled one and realized....I drilled the wrong side again....I decided that 1 countersunk screw and 1 flathead screw was what I finally settled on. Getting older has become a battle of remembering things in the short term.

Once I had it working, I realized the cable mount was in the way. Back apart it came.. I cut it off the main body and re-attached to the other side. I then needed to trim the seat a bit.
Once I did that, i was finally done. I'm very happy with the results....especially since it cost me nothing but time and 2 neutral safety switch brackets..

Next up was repairing my throttle pedal. It had bent at the axis. I think because I would use it as a brace to get out of the car. So I decided to build an axle for it to rotate on. I started by using a Grade 8 bolt as the axle that goes thru the mount on the chassis, and build a mount to bolt the opposite end to the floor. I think it turned out nice and it wont ever bend again..

I also needed to address the problem of the front end shaking, so after much consulting, I checked the toe-in and discovered I had none...I made that adjustment and I think we are ready to go again...I really still love working on it and making changes.

I was hoping to run one more But its gottentoo hot and I will have to wait til fall, if not early next year...It sucks, but not much I can do...

So thats the latest from IJD, Thank You to everyone and we'll see you at the races !

A Few More Shots From February 1

Happy New Year....4 Months Late

Well,  Here we go again...After a nice winter I had the opportunity to drag the car out to LVMS to try to finish my licensing. There was a PSCA event on February 1 & 2, plus some Big Show & Nostalgia Testing. We couldn't have picked a better day! It was about 60 degrees and sunny. Steve Rezz once again graciously picked up my car and by 10 am were at the track.

The first order of business was to find our chassis cert. guy Cliff, who came over and gave the car 6.00 and slower SFI Tag. After warming the car up we had an unexpected delay. Pat from the store needed Steve to handle something and he needed to leave for a couple hours. Normally this would be an annoyance, but you know, I had my car at the track and I got to tinker. I was having the best time. Renowned  Drag Racing photographer Tim Marshall drove by my car and yelled "That's what a dragster should look like !! If I had one, it would look like yours!!" He said he take a few shots for me. Once Steve got back we rolled up to the lanes.

The car seemed to get everyone's attention. I think the racers looked at the simplicity of our deal and really liked it. It meant a lot because not many others in Florida "got it".  

While I was prepping to strap in I noticed one of the track officials watching me, so I said HI, He came over and we spoke. He told me his name was Pastor James Scott. I took that moment to ask if he would say a prayer of thanks and safety for me. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life. Here I am, in America, at a race track with my dream car on a perfect day. His prayer and gentle voice simply brought me to tears. This was a day and a moment I will never forget.

The car decided that the High Altitude wasn't to its liking and as soon as I stepped on the throttle for the burn out it coughed and stuttered. As I was backing up I saw Tim Marshall shooting pics, so I waved. It got a few laughs (I never did get any shots from him tho..lol)

The car stumbled an bumbled down the track. Oh Well...

After we got back to the pits, a fellow racer Paul Crifasi came by and gave Steve & I a hand on the tune up and back to the lanes we went. Another prayer from Pastor Scott & I was ready once again!! It started a little easier than the 1st run and I rolled thru the water..I whacked the throttle hard and it came to life !! once I got it backed up and staged, the car made a decent move until the front tires started to bounce a bit. Not wanting to shake the chassis apart I lifted and ran a low 10...again.

It was after the run once I stopped, I encountered the most scary moment I ever had in the car. I released the seat belts and started to exit the car...BUT the lap belts hadn't released and the arm restraints were still hooked and I became stuck. I was trapped and I couldn't breathe. They call it "positional asphyxia" and it scary....Steve got there a realized I was in trouble. He shoved back into the car and got my belts fully released. I was freaking out until I got my helmet off, which seemed to take forever !!!

I decided to not try again because the shifter was acting up...AGAIN! that and the scare with the belts was enough to tell me I wasn't gonna get my license today. As always I had a blast and can't wait to try again....after I fix a few things.

Thank You to Steve & Pat Rezz, who graciously gave me the day off and given me such wonderful support. Thanks also to Paul for giving us a hand... And lastly to Pastor Scott who reminded me God loves Drag Racers....

Jim, Bruce, Stan & Robert...I miss having you at the track....Maybe someday.

Shout out to Max Cackle Photography...I Love Your Work !!