Introduce Yourself

[Sumner]

Hi, I'm new. Gonna be a sponge on tech stuff. Gotta study this site a lot. Been trying to make things faster a pretty long time. I guess God likes me I'm still here although a little beatup. Just a little slower on getting things done. Lots of mediocore projects in the back yard. All unfinished. Fieros, jeeps, scouts, blazers, one old 79 corvette and a few kit cars. Oh yeah, a whole lot of vws. I like to fabricate.

My son hot rods a suby STI and I'm building a 914 porsche with a 2.5 turbo suby motor and tranny. Thought about the mile but it's really a street car. I probably don't have the finances to go mile racing.

Gotta read the rules.

The slipperyest thing I have available are some fiero gt's but the power to weight of the subie motor is interesting to me. That probably would be my motor choice.

My son is a ME. He likes fast cars maybe as much as me but is way more educated. I would like to take him to the Texas Mile this year.

Welcome to LSR and the site.  Ask all the questions you want.  We have answers, now are they right??  I guess you will have to pick and choose there  ,

Sum

[Glen]

Charliew, welcome abord. You will find your self spending a lot of time on the site. There is hundreds of years of information here and if we don't know we will send you to someone who does. There is probably someone near you that is into LSR and can help you out as well.
BTW, salt fever is forever. I got it in 1953 and get at least two salt fixs a year.

[thundersalt]

Hey charliew, how come your not at the wedding today? I thought everyone in Crawford was friends with "W".

[MarkV]

Hello to All!

This is my first post, although I've been reading for a while.  I have a strong desire to build a vehicle for the 50cc record, so I'm soaking up as much theory as I can concerning aerodynamics.  I'm more of an engine guy, and a huge fan of 2-strokes.  My racing past involves motocross with a several bikes (Yamaha 100 MX, Bultaco Pursang 360, and Husqvarna 390 Automatic MX) and karting with the Yamaha KT-100 as the powerplant. 

I've been granted a US patent for a crankshaft of my own design, and I have International patents pending around the world.  I'm currently building a second proof-of-concept prototype engine based upon the lowly Briggs and Stratton Model 20, which is rated at 10 HP at 4000 RPM.  My first prototype was based on a 25cc Homelite weedeater engine and, while I didn't attempt to dyno the thing, it had instant throttle response and way more torque than the base engine.  I went and discussed the concept at LSU with the ME instructor who teaches IC engine theory, and he validated my calculated numbers to the nth decimal place.  That engine should have produced 15% more power than the stock engine at the same RPM and same displacement, using the same time-area porting that the engine was originally intended to use, and this second prototype should be in the 30% more power range.  Speed runs are heavily influenced by raw power, so I think I have something that has the potential to seriously challenge some records.  If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to discuss the theory, which works with 2- or 4-stroke power, gas or diesel.  Where would such a discussion go?  I would have thought there would have been an engine forum here, but I may have overlooked it.

   

[Glen]

MarkV, welcome to the LSR site. Sounds like you have some neat projects going on. Where do you start, I would say in the build diary's section. We may need to separate this into 2 sections one for bikes and one for cars. As you on on the other coast you have the ECTA club over there and should find so help at that venue as well. Lets us know what the long term plans are .

[38Chevy454]

Hi to all, been lurking for quite a while, decided I need to take the plunge and officially sign up.

My name is Terry, 44 years old, work as an engineer (Metallurgical Engr by degree) on nukes.  Been making the Speed Week trip for 6 years now since moving to CA.  Live in Livermore, CA (San Francisco bay area, land of fruits and nuts).  Last year I got my daily driver COE finished and drove it to Bonneville, here is a pic if any recognize it, certainly not the most common sight:


I am just finishing the top chop on the COE, took 4 inches out of the top.  Just think of my new speed advantages 

My wife loves Speed Week and Bonneville, I am a very lucky guy!  She also enjoys my hot rodding habit and my new quest to be a real racer and not just a spectator.  Used to drag race a 70 Camaro (high 10's, basic back half ladder bar car), but the drag racing takes so much time and my wife really could not do much with it.  So sold the Camaro, put that engine into a 38 Chevy 2 dr sedan, hence my screen name.  I also use that name on several other boards.  Here is that car:


Now back to why am I here?  I recently picked up a 55 Studebaker Commander to build up into a land speed car.  Here is the beauty      once home at my house:


And here is the car being loaded on my trailer, with the guy that owns the property.  He was happy to see the cars go to some use, his wife was even happer to see them gone!


The car was sitting up in the Santa Cruz mountains for over 40 years, last reg'd 1967.  Too far gone to become a street car, just right to cut up and modify for racing.  Price was right, FREE    :lol: :lol:

Also got another 55 parts car, here is what it looked like as found 


You can just see the roof of my "good car" behind the parts car in the pic above.  Parts car was also free for taking.  Although getting it and the other car home were not the easiest loading operations.  The parts car is almost all stripped down, getting ready to scrap what is left.  Anyone need parts before it is gone?

My goal for the 55 Stude is to eventually go over 200, a personal goal.  I figure start with a smaller NA engine, get the car running good, my driving skills ready, and have some fun.  Then can step up to a bigger engine and higher speed.  I see the car as being stock body, but with an engine swap.  I do not plan to run the Stude engine.  Besides both cars have engines long locked up, my budget dictates something with better availabililty and costs.  Thinking about a V-6 first, then either turbos or a bigger V-8 when I am ready.  Since the front end sheetmetal is messed up and the grille parts are one year only high co$t, I am most likely going with a fiberglass 53-54 front end.

Well, in a quick post, that is my introduction.  Look forward to hanging out and contributing a bit.  Feel free to ask any metallurgical related questions, I'll do my best to answer without too much technical distractions.  Terry

[Stainless1]

My goal for the 55 Stude is to eventually go over 200, a personal goal.  I figure start with a smaller NA engine, get the car running good, my driving skills ready, and have some fun.  Then can step up to a bigger engine and higher speed. 

I think that is how Hooley started if my memory serves me, the phrase "I just want to go 200"    has probably cost more people more money than any of us care to admit...  :|
Welcome to LSR and landracing.com

[Freud]

Neil Thompson just wanted to go 300. He missed. He only went 286 as I recall.

FREUD

[GH]

Great choice of vehicle, love those Studebakers. I have one, it happends to be a 1955 also, email me if you need any info or have any questions. I was going to build for altered and gas coupe classes but after reading about people calling the original frame a "rubber frame", I decided to build my own frame, which meant I could not run the gas coupe class.

[Stan Back]

I read that the 53's were all prototyped with the very small (and light) 6-cylinder in them.  When they got to production, installing the heavy V-8 twisted the frames so the fenders had to be shimmed to fit the hood.  In 54 they upgraded the gauge of the metal used in the frame.  Or so the article said  . . .

Stan

[Bob Drury]

The 53 hardtops were the problems.  They would sag in the middle and the doors didn't close to well.  They came out with a dealer installed shim kit in mid year.  The 54 used a heavier gauge frame.  The weird thing about the Stude chassis is that it is virtually the same from 50 thru the Avanti in the mid 60's.

[Sam Green]

Hi guys, my name's Sam, I'm going on 62 and have been land speed racing since 1965.
Took my first record in 1971 (was broken in 72)  set 3 more in 75 that are still there to be broken should the class resurface. (they were binned due to specification changes in the rules).
I've just started testing a new bike that has shown promising results by bettering our national records.
Glad I found you, looks a good forum.

Regards Sam Green, UK.

[smitty2]

  Hey All!
Been gone for a few months and just want to say it's damn nice to be back in the world!
Sorry to see Jon Amo leave as owner of the site... I owe you a lot man...  I'm glad to see Slim take over the wheel! JA you couldn't have left the business with a more capable Web Master!
I'm so glad to be back in the rain and mud. We built 3 water purification plants, but mostly we did convoy security.... 35,000 miles of CVS! By now I'm sure everyone knows what an IED is.... and yes they were our major problem, but we were pretty lucky as we didn't lose anybody but a few "HEMET" Tankers got zippoed. The Iraqies are really stepping up and really want to take control. The majority of them are fast learners, the only bad guys we ran into were either Syrians, Irainians, or Saudies. All foreign fighters.
All in all... I wish to thank all of the people that support the men and women in the Armed Forces. The majority of the forces fighting in this war are National Guard, and Reserve, people you work with every day... Not all of them are young... most of us are gettin pertty close to rockin chair time ( Like Hell we are!)
Anyway... I just want to welcome Seldom Seen Slim to the helm, and want to wish JA a well deserved retirement... don't be a stranger... just be strange man!

  Glad to be here....     Smitty

[Harold Bettes]

Smitty2,

Welcome back dude! Thanks for your service. 8-) Also thanks for your comments on reporting what is going on over there.

Hope that you will be around for a while and enjoying the site and just being home. :lol:

Regards from the high country,
HB2

[LVMAXX]