List:
Our 2002 racing season started August 10th with a week at the Bonneville
Salt Flats. We made more changes this year than normal which required
extra time to get ready. As usual, the car sat in the garage from
November to about June before I started preparing it for the season, so
we were working up to the last minute to get the work done.
This year we moved the engine ahead five inches to give the driver a bit
more room and also put more weight on the front wheels for a better
balanced car. I did a complete rewire of the car, installed our latest
version of an air scoop, installed a new set of smaller injection
nozzles and checked the rod bearings, which I reinstalled. Barry did a
lot of fiberglass work to make the car more presentable, but we are
still in primer. Moving the engine was a good thing. The cockpit is much
more comfortable, we have a better firewall, and I have to assume that
the car is in better balance. As yet I have not checked the front to
rear weight, something that is in my plans. The air scoop is an
improvement over the previous one, but is still in transition, not what
we want as yet.
I made the first pass, as usual to check the car out, recording a < mile
speed of 207.135 MPH, 1st mile 212.619 MPH and 2nd mile 221.864 MPH,
shutting off at the 4 mile. All systems seemed to be functioning well.
Now comes the time to get serious, but we have to be careful because we
are uncertain of the jetting because of the change in injector nozzles.
Barry is the designated driver with a goal of getting the D/GCC record
back and entering the Bonneville 200 MPH Club. This has been our mission
since Speedweek 2000.
Barry's first run was - < 209.279, 1st mile 214.178, 2nd mile 222.160.
3rd mile 224.743 and an exit of 225.271 MPH. For his second run we
richened the fuel mixture by .004 and recorded - < 212.242, 1st mile
217.247, 2nd mile 225.450, 3rd mile 228.839 and an exit of 229.448 MPH.
Barry is now qualified to make a return run Tuesday AM.
Tuesday morning, after putting in a .006 richer jet, Barry posted - 1st
mile 217.340, 2nd mile 225.751, 3rd mile 228.847 which averaged a record
speed of 228.843 MPH. Mission Accomplished!! We have the record back and
Barry is in the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.
Of course we are thrilled with the week so far, but we have other
drivers that want to take a ride. Jeff was next in line. We went another
.004 richer and he made his run @ < 199.702, 1st mile 207.591, 2nd mile
220.768, 3rd mile 226.402 and an exit of 228.037. Gary, my brother from
St. Louis, had received his "A" license last year at 221 MPH and was
anxious to take another ride. We advance the timing 2 degrees, went
another .004 richer on the jet and Gary posted a < 199.981, 1st mile
207.419, 2nd mile 219.991, 3rd mile 225.078 and an exit of 225.984 MPH.
We richened the mixture another .002 and made another run. This was the
third pass without refueling and we had a bit of fuel starvation which
dropped the fuel pressure to 38 psi maximum causing a lean out, but our
times were good - a < speed of 212.596, 1st mile 217.300, 2nd mile
224.411, 3rd mile 227.611 and an exit of 228.100. We refueled and made
no other changes. Gary made our eighth run of the week @ < 210.389, 1st
mile 214.998, 2nd mile 223.120, 3rd mile 226.055 and exited @ 226.503
MPH. After looking at the data, it now seems that we are too rich. I
leaned the mixture .006 and Gary made another pass - < 213.485, 1st
mile 218.345, 2nd mile 226.846, 3rd mile 230.085 and exited @ 230.295
MPH. Gary has qualified!!
Friday morning Gary made his return run @ 1st mile 216.691, 2nd mile
225.726 and 3rd mile @ 229.390 for an average of 229.737 MPH a new
record and entry into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.
After record runs, Gary left the Salt to return home and Jeff & Barry
made another run each with some spark timing experimentation which
showed us that we had it right already as both runs were under 225 MPH.
Speedweek 2002 was one of the best weeks that I have experienced on the
Salt. The course was good, the weather cooperated, the car ran great and
the engine now has over 200 miles of wide open throttle running with no
major problems. We are still working on our scoop problem and it appears
that we will have our new 18 degree head motor in the car for the World
of Speed. Dan, my middle son, is coming out of retirement (he drove the
roadster back in the 70s and early 80s) and will be making his attempt
at the 200 Club. I just think it would be nice to have all three of my
boys in the Club. That would make five Bryant family members in the
Bonneville 200 MPH Club.
There were so many others that ran well at the meet I wouldn't attempt
to mention them all, many of them on this list. I was especially
thrilled to see Nolan White get it together for two runs in a row. I
talked with him before his first run and he show me his new gear box he
designed to over come his drive belt problems. It sure seemed to cure
his problems as he posted a 422 mile and a 413 MPH record, even though
he lost a tire in the 3rd timed mile and the chute on the return run. I
was saddened to see the retirement run for #76 Streamliner. This car has
a special place in my memories. In my opinion it still tops the list,
performance wise, of all the cars that have run on the Salt. I talked
with Al midweek and he told me that he was considering retirement of the
car because it can't compete with the dual engine and 4WD cars. I can't
believe that we won't see Al back with another car, however, possibly
the #76 Roadster or maybe even a new Streamliner. The other vehicle that
I want to mention is Carl Heap's Diesel Truck, a 263.487 MPH record is
Impressive!!!
That's my long version, now to get things ready for the World of Speed.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/GCC
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/land-speed
/// what is needed. It isn't that difficult, folks.
|