Bockscar 2.0

[TheHardOne]

Cool to see you were able to get Bockscar out.  I was hoping to be home for that show, been stuck out of town for work though.  Guess there's next year, if we aren't thrashing trying to get a car of our own drug out west for World of Speed that is.

[floydjer]

Good on both you and Neil, Bob....Get the youngsters interested in something other than X-box.

[Stainless1]

Well its been a while since we got to race... We took the car to Speedweek 2022 (rain) and 2023 (slop), it never got off the trailer.  I took the 1 liter out after SW 2023 and put a 3/4 liter in because I thought the salt might dry, but knew it would not support our Goal of 250 with the Liter... Of course the races were all cancelled last year so were didn't get to race it. 
So at SpeedWeek this year we entered in J/BGL and Dave Chambers, the guy that bent the tin and showed me how to do the glass parts, drove.  Dave had an A license from 2020, when he drove the car trying to take the record I had just set.  If y'all remember, the course was rough from the 4-5 that year, and by the end of the week it was crap.  At the time he said all he wanted to do is be able to say he drove over 200 at Bonneville. 
Well I asked him if he wanted to try it again with the 3/4 liter... of course he said yes.  First pass was his shakedown on the short course and try to qualify the car for the long course.  He did a 180 at the quarter so we moved to the long course.
Dave put a 205 in the middle and a 213+ in the last mile so we went to impound on the 187.8 record.  Our return was 183 in the last mile... yes it sucked but the math gave is a 198.825 record. Ran again slower... figured out the bad clutch and fixed it.
Tried again, 206, clutch problem on the return of that one.  Put our last clutch pieces in with our best leftovers and hit 213 again.  The clutch basket was in pieces on the return and we were done. 
Yes, mixed feelings, Dave has a record, just not as fast as we thought it should be.  OK, I am happy, Dave is happy, the team has another record.
I get home and start working on the clutch issues.  The springs are applying 60 lbs pressure each, obviously not enough. The stack height was good so it just needed more clamp.  Ordered a couple of new clutches and multiple springs.  One spring set had promise, but it went to coil bind before the clutch would disengage.   Found some others with 85lbs at the height, shimmed them to almost bind and they were 90-95.  They release the clutch so that's the best I can get. 
We switch the fuel system to E85 and put in the 65lb injectors. 
WoS, Ross does a 213 quarter and a 221 mile.... the shift light in 6th is on just after the quarter.  We run the backup in the morning, a 212 Quarter and a 220 mile, so a 220.5 record. 
Won't do any good to run that on the long course, we are bumping the limiter.  We add a tooth to the drive so now we are 19/27 gears.  Ross runs the long course with a 217 quarter and qualifies in every mile with a 240.7 exit... again he gets the shift light in 6th, this time at about the 3 1/2.  The backup the next morning does not go as well... he does 220 in the quarter but just before the 4 the engine reduces power and the car slows... 232 middle mile to mix with the 237 from the qualifier nets a 234.636 record... engine dropped a valve in cylinder 1. Maybe some pics to follow...
We are back to mixed feelings, but very happy with the little motor that gave its life in the persuit of speed 

[71GSSDemon]

Congrats Stainless.  Sorry for the engine failure

[sabat]

Mixed feelings??? 234mph with 45 cubic inches and wheels in the breeze!!!  Congrats to all    Dean

[Queeziryder]

Bob,
Would an Air over lockup help with the clutch problems?
You could set it up to come in in the higher gears?

[Speed Limit 1000]

Maybe an air over lockup would be good, but the Barnett clutch and springs worked good with a 240 mph exit. Did you build one?

[Stainless1]

Thanks Eric and Dean...
Queezi, had that discussion with the guy that patented air clutches for Top Fuel cars on my way back...
I've read several posts on suzukiHaybusa.org about air clutches in the past when that forum was active... I guess I will go back and reread all that again... but it seems to have held with a bit more spring.  I did get a Barnett clutch, the stack height was short, they sent 3 .063 plates instead of 2, so the stack was about .015 short.  When they didn't want to correct the problem by sending another .078 plate (Barnett is not the company it used to be),  I just put one of my lightly used ones in. I will inspect the clutch in my spare time as I rebuild that motor.  I also took an EBC clutch and a stock spare and basket.   
Well the damage was actually pretty minimal based on the valve head coming off at 12K... I think it hit a bit and then jumped into the valve pocket until the motor shut off... then dropped on the top of the piston where it was laying in the pic when I got the head off. 

[Stainless1]

On the second 213 pass, with the 217 exit at SpeedWeek, Doc Freud did a ride along... and staying in character, he jumped out at the 5... Pork Pie caught it on camera... the first pic the pilot has just been released

[Stainless1]

I forgot to mention Gary, Doc's son, was part of our crew for Speedweek... on the left, driver and now record holder Dave Chambers, Gary and some old guy... Gary also helped keep us entertained during the evening gatherings at the 6....
no we don't take pics of that part...        

[floydjer]

I would call that damage minor.

[Stan Back]

I'm surprised Freud didn't get out at the Kilo Klub.

[Rex Schimmer]

Bob,
Great to see you get another record! The damage looks pretty minimal considering it happened at 12,000. Sure would have  liked to have been there.

Rex and Duke

[Stainless1]

I'm surprised Freud didn't get out at the Kilo Klub.

Stan, Doc also stopped by the Kilo Klub and spent half the meet with Cheri, just like normal... He stayed there to keep an eye on the place for us...

[ggl205]

A quick glance at piston tops looks like you had a good tune on the engine, Rob. That is one screaming little monster. Like you always say, if you are affraid to damage an engine in search of a record, you probably will never get one.

John