4/3/03 - Decided to do a major tune-up on the car.  Checked the setting on all the valves and conducted a leakdown test.  Changed all the spark plugs, installed a new set of NGK-8 racing plugs, gapped at .045".  Changed the oil and filter.  A few months ago I said that Mobil-1 did not make a 40W oil.  Yes they do, 0W-40 with a black label.  This is what I put into the engine.  No more mixing 30 & 50 to try to get to 40W.  I also greased the chassis.   I checked the timing, it was at 42 degrees (too high?).  I left it there because that is where it was during he last few passes.  This may be why it is running so quick in the 1/8 mile.  I will drop the timing back to 37 degrees after the test run.  I turned the start retard on to help relieve the pressure on the starter motor.  This is position #6 on the MSD Digital-7.  Position #2 is the normal 8-cylinder setting.

The leakdown results were not what I expected and may be the cause of the loss of approximately .150 sec. in the quarter after the overhaul (9.21 down to 9.36 sec.).  I found #7 cylinder at 95%, and #2 at 90%.  The rest were at 84-86%.  The rings (Plasma-Moly) on all cylinders should be sealed by now, with over 35 passes on the engine.  This may mean I did something wrong when I assembled it the last time.   My first BBC assembly.  I will check periodically to see how (if) the sealing is progressing.  

4/4/03 - Went to State Capitol Dragway for Test & Tune.  Friday night is not the best time to really get a good run due to the inadequate preparation of the track on Street Night.  All I really wanted to find out was, are the plugs good and will the engine "pop" on the top end.  I came off the line with a .505 light (1.025 in the box), 1.384 sixty-foot time (7.8 PSI in the tires), shift at 6750 RPM, and ran a 9.48 @ 142.8 MPH (full gas tank, VP C-12), crossing the line at 7300 RPM.  The jets are still 90/90 in the BG 1090 King Demon.  The temp. was 70 degrees and the Hum. was 95%.  The car was all over the lane, but the engine performed great.  The motor felt really strong.  I put the car in the trailer in anticipation of the money races on Sat., April 5, 2003.  It rained all day Sat. and the races were cancelled. 

4/9/03 - Accompanied Mrs. Mary Durusau, Community Relations Manager-Bank One, on a tour of the Glen Oaks High School Auto Tech program.  This was one of the most positive things the team has been involved in.  She was impressed with the whole program, the youth and the instructor.  I think all the team members came away came away with a feeling of great accomplishment. 

4/18/03 - Rushed to the track, totally unprepared, I had not taken the car out of the trailer since returning from State Capitol dragway on April 4th.  I felt I needed to check a couple of valves that required setting the last time, #5 and #7 Intake and Exhaust valves.  They were both too tight.  None of the other valves (12) required any adjustment.  I reset the timing from 42 degrees back to 37 degrees.  Added some Trans. Fluid.  The battery was not charged since the last trip to the track and this proved to be fatal.  After making three passes on Friday night and losing in the 2nd round, I put the car in the trailer with the intention on getting an early start and charging the battery on Sat. morning. 

4/19/03 - Arrived late, got into line for my first time trial at 10:45 AM and did not get to run until 12:45 PM.  I will not explain why.  While making my way to the starting line, I had to start the car several times and it kicked back a couple of times, but started each time (I still had the start-retard dialed in the MSD) .  After making a very good run (9.48 @ 140 MPH), in the spectator lane which I do not like, I parked the car and started to charge the batteries.  When the call came for the 2nd time trial, the starter would not engage the flexplate.  There was approximately a 2" section with no teeth.  I moved it to a good spot and it started.  Into the trailer it went.   I will purchase a new flexplate and change the starter.  I have a rebuilt starter with a new drive.  We will fix it and head to Memphis, TN on Sat. to run in the Tri-State Racers Association race on Sunday, April 27, 2003. 

4/27/03 - Did not fix the car yet.  Instead, we took the Jr. Dragster to Memphis for the Tri-State Racers event.  We arrived on Sat., 4/26/03 and that was the regular race night for Memphis Motorsports Park.  Jeremy participated in that event and then ran on Sunday in the Tri-State Racers event.  We has a ball!  This may become my new toy.  We have a lot to learn about running the Jr. Dragster, but I had just as much fun watching Jeremy (Grandson) run as I do when I run.  And with the hot Summer months coming, I may just retire for the Summer and let him run.  

5/19/03 - Finally!  I got the motivation to change the flexplate.  After talking to many racers about what could be causing the problem, I finally went to work.  With the help of my Bracket Masters team mates, we got the car up and running.  Marcus Bowie and Houston Hawkins helped with the work.  We removed the shims from the present starter and now we have much deeper engagement on the flexplate teeth.  Everything sounds good and it starts without any noise.  

We also checked and cleaned all the battery connections and the grounds for the system.  I had one connection on the negative post of one of the batteries that was very loose, replaced this connector.  It could have had me starting on only one battery.  

We will run in Montgomery, AL this weekend (May 25, 2003) in the Edmund Hall Race.  I will be in the 6.00 sec. class and Houston will be in the 5.30 class.  Houston is 2 for 2 in this event.   

5/21/03 - Weds. night test and tune at NPRP.  Everything worked out just fine.  All of my hard work paid off.  The starter works well, and off the trailer I had a .002 green light on the new LED's at No Problem Raceway.  I added an extra .035 to my normal delay box number.  The car ran a 9.39 off the trailer at 142 MPH.  We backed that up with a 9.41 @ 142 MPH.  I was trying to get close to 6.00 sec. in the 1/8 mile.  The two runs produced 1/8 mile times of, 5.976 and 5.989, both at 114 MPH.    The 60' times were 1.334 and 1.333.  On the 2nd run I shifted at few RPM higher to try to slow down, but it was not enough.  

We have the timing at 35 degrees.  We may drop the timing down some more, after we get to the track and test to surface.  The 60' time is going to be the difference.  That's what killed us in Hattiesburg last month, where we had 1.298 sixty foot times.  Can't use a Throttle Stop in the Edmund Hall races to hit the times.  

Earlier in the day I took the car to Mr. Joe Louis at TCI Tire Centers, Inc.  Joe is a front end specialist, and he put the car on the machine.  No adjustments were necessary and the two front tires were in perfect balance.  He also checked all the front end parts up there.  Sonny, at Pro-Fab, had set up the front end and put new tires on the car last year.  The front end must be in very good shape to take all of the pounding and still stay in alignment. 

5/22/03 - Removed the rear tires and had them balanced.  Both were very much out of balance.  Installed a new Ford solenoid for the starter system.  This is the last link in between the battery and the starter.  Changed the Trans. Fluid (dark, but smells OK) and tightened the band adjustment 1/4 turn.  During the last pass, when I pressed the T.B. Button, the car moved back enough to make the staged light flicker.  This is normally my 1st indication that it is time to overhaul the trans. 

5/25/03 - Montgomery Motorsports Park - Edmund Hall's Baby Pro Mod Race.  After winning two rounds, I lost in the 3rd round to The Pruitt Family Nova, when they cut a .441 green light to my .507 green light (my best RT of the day).  I ran a 6.03 on a 6.00 and he ran a 6.09 on a 6.00.  His margin of victory (MOV) was .0066 sec.!  There were only 5 cars left when I lost.  The Nova went on to win Runner-up in the 6.00 class.  All in all it was an excellent racing day.  Masterpiece was in top operating condition and this time, even the driver was doing very well.  We know that we do not cut good lights on the 400 Pro Tree, so that's the breaks of racing.  The Pro-Mods were great, and the competition in all the classes was super, they had an excellent turn-out in both spectators and cars. We are looking forward to the next Edmund Hall race at NPRP later this year.  The ongoing problem with the vibration is still not cured.

Here is another Motel recommendation:  The Best Western Atmore, Alabama.  The motel is located just North of Atmore, AL on I-65, 57 miles North of Mobile, AL or 110 miles South of Montgomery, AL.  They have excellent parking for large trucks, trailers or anything else.  The rooms are clean, large, well equipped and comfortable.  We paid $47.90 for two persons (on Memorial Day Weekend), with an AARP card (or just any type of discount you can claim).  

The trailer parking lot is very large, well lighted with plenty of turning space.  You enter the 2nd entry into the motel to get to the trailer parking lot.  The first entry is for cars, checking in and the restaurant.  

The Creek Family Restaurant is attached to the motel and Breakfast was $2.99 for two eggs, bacon, sausage and two hotcakes.  The service and food was excellent.  They have a All-You-Can-Eat Buffet for $5.99 ea., that starts around 10:30 AM.  The Buffet was out of this world, that is, if you like Catfish, Pork Chops, Red Beans and Rice, Greens, Black Eye Peas and Corn.  The Salad and Desert Bars were excellent too, and there is a bakery on site! 

We also stayed at the Super-8 Motel, just West of Mobile, AL located at Tillman's Corner, off of I-10.  They have special parking for large trailers and trucks.  The rooms are great too.  They raised the prices for Memorial Day ($65.00), but rates are normally around $48.00/night.  

6/21/03 - During the week, starting Monday, I worked on the other Camaro.  A lot has been accomplished in wiring and ergonomics.  All switches were replaced with new switches, a couple of indicator lights were installed.  The line-lock was wired and checked.  Every individual ckt. has been color coded and labeled at each end.  The fuel pump ckt. was wired directly to the battery, including a relay and fuse.  The other ckts. also have individual fuses that are easy to get to and marked.  The parachute release was moved to the top of the car.  A Ford starter relay was installed, the starter cable was insulated and installed.  

I discovered the shifter did not have a working Neutral Safety Switch.  The Hurst shifter that came with the car has an electric type shifter.  Masterpiece (MP) has a air shifter with a air operated Throttle-Stop.  I decided to remove the complete system from MP and install it in the new car, with the shifter.   

The new car had gauges that are not what I am accustomed to.  I will remove my fuel pressure gauge, with braded line, my temp gauge that has the lowest indicated temp at 120 degrees, vice 140 degrees for the gauge that came with the car, my oil-filled Oil Pressure gauge and my memory/playback tach, will all be installed.  Gauge placement has been improved.  The car came with a Voltmeter installed in front of the driver.  This will be moved to the right side of the dash with a Vacuum gauge (from MP).  My new Optima racing batteries will be moved to the new car.  New seat belts must be ordered and installed and the new roll bar padding must be installed. 

The Fuel Regulator, all the braided hose, Y-block and under hood fuel pressure gauge will be moved from MP and installed in the new car.  

I am still trying to decide if I want to keep my perfectly good Delay Box/Throttle-Stop controller (Digital Delay, CTC with Throttle Stop Controller), that I already know how to use, or install the new Mega-300, that has some new features.  Placement of the unit is still being decided.  The MSD Digital 7 Plus, with the coil, needs to be put on a large plate and mounted.  

After that work is done, the motor (540 CID BBC) from MP will be installed in the new Camaro.  

6/24/03 - Removing the gauges from MP is proving to be a real job.  I did all the original wiring, and what a mess!  It is taking as long to remove the old gauges as it will to install them.  Apparently, I have been adding things and adding new things and not removing all of the old wiring.  Just splicing into this and that and running new parallel wires when needed.  Anyway, to my credit, it all worked, but what a mess!  I said that already...

I have the Temp. gauge, the Tach, Voltmeter and Vacuum gauges all in place.  The air bottle is in place for the throttle stop and air shifter.  Because of the aluminum interior, there is not many places that are solid enough to mount anything.  Thinking ahead, the "Positive Throttle Linkage Stop", mounted on the aluminum fire wall, is a problem that I will have to solve.  This is the key to making the throttle stop and the throttle stop controller properly work together. 

I want to place things relatively close to the same location as I had them in the old car.  This would make it easier for me to drive.  I have already had to unwire some of the first things that I put in last week.  May as well do it right the first time, or correct it quickly.