I would like to add that while Bob blew his engine very early in the
weekend, he and his charming family stayed till the very end with his
Triumph Friends. He didn't run off home because his car was broken.
Don Elliott, Montreal
----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Moore" <rem@CBORD.com>
To: <N197TR4@cs.com>; <BillDentin@aol.com>; <rkramer3@austin.rr.com>;
<fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 11:14 AM
Subject: RE: Post mortem on my see thru engine
> Joe mentions something very important here! Bob, after his engine blew
> and he got the car off the track, made an extraordinary effort to warn
> the other drivers from the side of the track that there was an oil and
> debris field by signaling them to move to the off side. It's likely his
> actions saved other racers in his session from additional mishaps and
> potential injury. My hat's off to Bob! His concern for his fellow racers
> is what Vintage Racing is all about.
> The teamwork that weekend among the Triumph racers was of the highest
> caliber with everyone assisting where they could when a need developed.
> This has been noted to me in e-mailed comments I have received from some
> of the spectators of the event. Impressive was a common term used.
> My compliments to you all.
>
> Russ Moore
> Spitfire #49
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-fot@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-fot@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of N197TR4@cs.com
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 10:16 AM
> To: BillDentin@aol.com; rkramer3@austin.rr.com; fot@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Post mortem on my see thru engine
>
>
> Yes, there was a large flash fire out the back. I saw a few flaming
> parts
> scatter out the bottom, thinking they may be pieces of exhaust wrap or
> something,
> not large pieces of aging cast iron.
>
> Then I felt my car skew just a bit.
>
> Bob made like a debris flag, from the side of the track, for a few laps
> while
> we figured out there was some Triumph Roadkill on the track.
>
> > In a message dated 07/07/2003 10:35:35 PM Central Daylight Time,
> > rkramer3@austin.rr.com writes:
> >
> >
> > > For those that weren't there, I had the misfortune of breaking a rod
> in
> > > turn
> > > one at Mosport. The guys behind me tell a story of a couple of
> fireballs
> > and
> > > parts flying about. It's a sad tale. I tore the engine down to the
> short
> > > block
> > > tonight in situ. The number 3 rod broke at the oiling hole at about
> 6000
> > > rpm,
> > > ventilating the block on both sides. No signs of heat damage or spun
>
> > > bearings.
> > > The piston did not hit the head as the rod cracked the liner all the
> way to
> > > the top and the piston wedged itself in place. The blowup removed
> the oil
> > > galley and I think the instantaneous loss of oil pressure may have
> saved
> > > some
> > > parts by keeping metal particles from the oilways. The rod was a
> stock TR
> > > rod
> > > that was magnafluxed, lightened and polished. The big end still
> spins
> > > perfectly on the crank and the small end is just as free on the
> remains of
> > > the
> > > piston. I'm hoping the crank is OK, but I'm not sure. It appears to
> me that
> > > the rod broke, caught the camshaft and broke it, then took out one
> side of
> > > the
> > > block and rebounded to take out the other. Anyhow, that's my tale of
> woe.
> > >
> >
> > Amici:
> >
> > On purpose, or not, Bob Kramer choose to have this incident occur
> > immediately
> > across from the TRIUMPH Competition Paddock, which was just down the
> road
> > from Turn ONE. It was spectacular. To say, "...a couple of fire
> balls" is
> > just
> > not very descriptive. For about three seconds, the entire bottom of
> the
> > car,
> > and thirty feet to the rear was engulfed in flame. Too bad someone
> did not
> > catch this on tape, as it was SPECTACULAR. Bob was sharing a stall in
> my
> > tent
> > for the week end. So we had lots of visitors rushing down to see the
> red
> > TR4
> > with holes in both sides of the block. All but Kas, that is. Kas
> didn't
> > rush
> > down to see it. He said, "I've seen these holes before!" Bob's got a
> great
> > attitude, and his enthusiasm was not diminished.
> >
> > Bill Dentinger
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