Interestingly I was just sent a link to an article from the New York Times on
professions that involve getting dirt under your fingernails. I think it sums
up why we build our own stuff. There is a need to do something tangible and
sitting behind a computer doesn't fill that need at all. In some sick way even
the failures seem to help fill that void. It puts you back to work to get it
right.
www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&em
Bob Kramer
Sales Manager
RDO Equipment Company
16415 N. IH 35
Pflugerville, TX 78660
512-272-4141
-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces@autox.team.net] On Behalf
Of Kas Kastner
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:26 PM
To: Greg "Lunker" Hilyer; 'Friends of Triumph' Triumph; Bill Bartlett
Subject: Re: [Fot] who builds their own engines?
For all those who do build their own engines..........is there any thing
much more satisfying than hearing that devil start up and run smooth.
Always a great feeling. EVERY TIME. (and sometimes a wonder too)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg "Lunker" Hilyer" <Lunkercars@earthlink.net>
To: "'Friends of Triumph' Triumph" <fot@autox.team.net>; "Bill Bartlett"
<BillBartlett@wingnutracing.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Fot] who builds their own engines?
> Gotta' put in my 1.75 cents worth -yeh', I'm that cheap! I too BMO [build
> my own]. Kas of coarse has it dead on and Tony is pretty spot on too.
> Being a car guy I don't do my own dental work and being a perfectionist
> it would take me 100 years to build my own house. On the other hand about
> the only thing I use a torque wrench for is the head because it's
> necessary and the lug nuts because it's convenient.
> My cheapo approach doesn't really involve cutting corners. That's where
> the detail part comes in. As far as I can tell, getting it right the
> first time is the path to cheap. Knowing how I built it and what I expect
> of it dictates how I maintain it. For me, every other year tear-down has
> worked. Each of three times now I've been able to find concerns before
> they became problems.
> One was a very stretched timing chain. Probably explained why I was
> getting astronomical revs but was also about one race from wearing a hole
> thru the cover or worse.
> Another was finding a cracked crank before it came apart [see
> astronomical revs above]. I totally thank cryogenics for that find.- I'm
> cheap but DO want to get it right.
> The third was thrust washers. Improperly installed [by me] or inferior
> material I'll never know, but it was caught in time.
> On the other hand, there was a thread recently about Spridgets. A friend
> of mine [who I can pretty much keep up with or better] has been sending
> his engine back to Speedwell every other race for two seasons now and is
> now ready to go for every four races! If you can afford that, go for it.
> I really only submit this so as not to discourage those those who are on
> the fence as far as BMO. If you THINK you can, with lots of patience and
> attention to detail you can! If you're pretty sure it's not your thing,
> don't. Only hitch is that those who do will always have at least a bit
> more satisfaction - as long as it works. Having said that I will do as
> best I can to avoid The Big One.
> As far as the tally goes Bill, keep in mind that those who follow the BMO
> are probably also the most likely to talk about it. No offense to the
> others but there is a good amount of pride that goes along with BMO.
>
> Greg "Lunker" Hilyer
> TR4 #314
> Albuquerque NM
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