Well I'm on both sides. I want to keep the old
stuff alive, but the new stuff sure makes sweet
music when it screams by. There's a lot to be
said for a guy who makes a lil' one go fast, but
the shaking of the earth beneath a big one is
awsome. When they first quit racing Allisons and
went to jet turbines I thought the earth had come
to an end - -but now, there is a certain
mezmerizing effect of hearing that jet engine
scream by at a bazillion RPM on the ground! If it
races, it must be neat!!!
--- JAMES CANNON <dr.piston@worldnet.att.net>
wrote:
> Didn't I read a few months ago a extensive
> discussion about pinto motors in
> Studebakers and how foolish that was because it
> would not be as fast as with
> bigger or better powerplants, but now that
> something even faster comes along
> that maybe we don't understand or can't afford
> or whatever we start talking
> about it ruining the sport. Wich side are we
> really on?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Beckett
> <landspeedracer@email.msn.com>
> To: Parks, David <David.Parks@lfr.com>;
> land-speed@autox.team.net
> <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> Date: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 8:24 PM
> Subject: Re: Electronics and New Stuff
>
>
> >David
> >
> >Nice to have you on the list. Sorry to hear
> your not going to be racing
> with
> >us in 2000.
> >
> >I hope I can correct a typical
> misunderstanding here that EFI...and thats
> >all I'm talking about here...is exceedingly
> more expensive than other forms
> >of fueling. What's the price on a new Kinsler
> or Hilborn mechanical
> >injection system today?? Or even a new Demon
> carburetor? They ain't cheep
> >and by the time you add in manifolds, pumps,
> regulators, EGT, lines and
> such
> >your not all that far from the EFI system
> anyway.
> >
> >I don't think Electronics and New Stuff will
> hurt this sport at all. We
> have
> >all talked about how we like the creativity
> and innovation in LSR. Take
> that
> >away and we really will have a problem. If
> anything will kill this sport it
> >is lack of growth. Keep it interesting and
> exciting and we'll be OK.
> >
> >John from Asheville
> >
> >
> >Hi John,
> >
> >Thanks for the welcome! I have no
> misunderstanding, but I didn't buy much
> >new ANYTHING for my car. I got my old set of
> Hilborns at a swap meet. But
> >that's just me, and I'm notoriously cheap.
> >
> >I don't think "low-tech" is all that great,
> and you can sure go faster,
> >better, smarter, longer, with the new stuff. I
> just think it's important to
> >have a place where people with relatively
> little money can race and have a
> >good time. Not to say that people won't come
> out if they don't think they
> >can set a record, because some of my most
> enjoyable years were spent
> running
> >cars that I knew would never be within 50 mph
> of the record. It just felt
> >good to go relatively fast and not have to
> watch out for the cops.
> >
> >Can we keep those feelings alive while having
> the new techno-cars moving
> the
> >records out of site for mere mortals?
> Probably, but I'm not sure it will be
> >such a fun place. I've often thought that it
> might help to establish some
> >more truly "stock" type classes that limit the
> dollars that can be
> invested.
> >It probably won't work to limit technology in
> the all-out race classes, and
> >we have enough classes now without having
> high- and low-tech versions.
> >
> >I appreciate all the sentiments that I hear
> about not limiting technology.
> >After all, thats what racing is all about. But
> there is also something to
> be
> >said for the fun of making stuff out of a
> bunch of parts you have lying
> >around and having it work. you know, doing
> stuff on the garage floor with a
> >hammer and a drill, and then having to get all
> the stuff out of the way so
> >your wife can park her car. It just doesn't
> seem the same as plopping down
> >60 thousand dollars for a car with the new
> best of everything.
> >
> >Maybe it's the fixation on points and records
> that gets in the way. I'm
> >afraid that I am just an old fart reminiscing
> over "the good old days".
> >
> >By the way, do you have dates for the 2000
> ECTA events?
> >
> >regards, David
> >
> >
> >David
> >
> >Nothing wrong with building a car from used
> parts, we all do it, even built
> >engines myself with used pistons, rods, crank
> and heads. Now that I think
> >about it I bet 60% to 70% of my car is built
> from used parts. And one day
> >used EFI setups will be out there too.
> >
> >Maybe what we need is a spec class car for
> those who just want to run for
> >cheep? 71 to 80 Camaro/Firebird w/stock body,
> 350 V-8, turbo 350, single 4
> >bbl carb.?
> >
> >John
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Parks, David <David.Parks@lfr.com>
> >To: land-speed@autox.team.net
> <land-speed@autox.team.net>
> >Date: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 2:41 PM
> >Subject: Re: Electronics and New Stuff
> >
> >
> >>Hi all,
> >>
> >>I have a stock-bodied 1979 Camaro that I have
> have been racing at the Dry
> >>Lakes in California for several years. The
> car holds 3 current El Mirage
> >Dry
> >>Lake records (C/BGALT, C/BFALT, C/BGC) and 2
> current Muroc Dry Lake
> >>(C/BGALT, C/BGC) records, all over 205 mph.
> The car formerly held records
> >in
> >>two classes (215 and 224 mph) at the
> Bonneville Salt Flats, set in 1996
> >>(since blown away by the 300 mph Kugel
> firebird).
> >>
> >>I have my own take on the
> electronics/technonlogy issue, since I have set
> >my
> >>records without the help of any. I run an old
> Hilborn setup (you know, the
> >>coffee can with 8 holes in it) because it was
> more in line with what my
> >>goals were. I wanted to see how fast I could
> go with minimal expenditure
> >>(although racing is never cheap) and, with a
> little help, the car has been
> >>very succesful. I never thought of upgrading
> to electronics because if I
> >>did, I might as well put it in a much more
> aerodynamic package than the
> '79
> >>(like a newer Firebird or ?). It can really
> snowball, and like I said, my
> >>goal was not to see how much money I could
> spend (or at least that's what
> I
> >>told my wife).
> >>
> >>Also, my view of Land Speed Racing might be a
> little different because I
> >>feel that I have been exposed to the "roots"
> of it more than many. Hot
> >>Rodding has always been about inovation and
> seeing what you can get out of
> >>what you've got. With that said, I can't help
> but feel that cubic bucks is
> >>not necessarily the best emphasis. Land speed
> racing is the last bastion
> of
> >>truly amateur racing, and the total lack of
> prize money goes a long way
>
=== message truncated ===
=====
Dick J in East Texas
- - ECTA #72 - -
G/FCC - FX/STR
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