What a great week of speed. The adrenaline was really pumping on
Saturday. We qualified the #79 E/GCC Chevette at 201.632 MPH, right off
the trailer, on a 196 MPH record. Joe also qualified the #251 C/MMP at
165.000 MPH. So we had both vehicles in impound at the same time, what a
feeling.
The next morning I brought the Chevette back at 205.274 MPH for a
203.453 MPH average. Joe didn't fare as well with Lionel's S-10 truck. The
transmission shucked high gear (we think due to improper shut down
procedures) on the return run and Joe had to turn out, the Bonneville
equivalent of a DNF.
We switched the Chevette to E/FCC (using Pro-Blend nitro plus), changed
the gear and ran a 200.029 MPH after popping a rocker arm at the 4 mile
mark. We replaced the rocker, changed the gear again and went out the next
morning. The best we could do was 204.030 MPH, which just wasn't going to
cut it against a 225 MPH record.
In the mean time Lionel and Joe had installed a transmission, donated by
Tom Bryant, so they could go back for another qualification attempt. They
made their first pass and developed a miss around the 2 mile mark, but Joe
ran it through at 156 MPH. They pulled the valve covers in the impound and
discovered that Lionel's truck had dropped an exhaust valve in #3 cyl. No
water leaks so the decision was made to pull the rockers and attempt the
return run. It worked as Joe ran the seven cylinder to a new C/MMP record at
157 MPH. Lionel now has a 90 degree Chevy cyl head for sale.
Back to the Chevette, we figured the fuel injection just wasn't getting
enough air (throttle bodies were to small). Time to experiment, we grabbed
the 1050 Holley and manifold off of the truck and bolted it on the Chevette.
Back for fresh gas and seal the tank. Bingo 213.029 MPH with no adjustments.
That's more like it. OK off to impound, reset the timing check the plugs
and wait for tomorrow. The next morning we had a great start pulled hard in
1st, 2nd & 3rd but popped a rocker again and ran flat for the next 4 miles.
Luckily it pulled 201.742 MPH even on seven cylinders, with an average
207.385 MPH. I believe that's the fastest naturally aspirated gas "E" motor
in a anything but a special construction car.
I had a great Speed Week. Wish I could make it to WOS, but two 5000 mile
trips in one year is probably out of the question.
John Beckett, E/GCC - D/GCC - D/FCC record holder.
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