[DAD]

Originally Posted by TQ29m DAD, if you are refering to me, thanks for the "young guy" comment, I do wish I fit that billing! At 76, I am young I guess, as young as I can feel anyway, but I do remember being more agile. You know the old saying, be carefull what you wish for, and I do like to "mess" around a bit, I never did like "stock" classes, costs to much to keep them stock, and with these motors, there isn't much you can do, and keep them stock, if it were me, and it isn't, I'd look in the plug hole, and cc the bore and stroke, and if it was "close", that's about as far as I would go, there is little space that already isn't occupied in that cylinder, and believe me, I've tested it, so aftermarket pistons to me, would be OK, some of the stock pistons were cast, and some were forged, I'd pick the forged for strength, and the cast for speed, and as far as cams go, you can get about as much Hp just by increasing the intake clearances as anything, there's only so much you can change them, without tagging the pistons, so maybe measuring the cam, or degreeing them isn't such a big deal, remember, for every rule you put in, ya gotta be able to back it up with tech proceedures, and everyone that's ever been the "man", you know how much fun that is. As far as the chain vs QC drive, in your case, I'd stay with the chain, it is a lot simpler, maybe, but with the clutch and all that stuff, it's really kinda impractical to try and get the engine where the rules say it needs to be, and still fit in a driveshaft where it is supposed to be, just a lot of work, and expense, when it isn't necessary. Now, if you had the car count, you might be able to add another class, that ran the QC like we do, and no tranny, but again, it'd take a while to build the car count, and you already have places you can run together, so why complicate it, and, not to step on any toes, but it is easier to maintain, and be able to do your own work, on a chain drive car, I have a complete machine shop at my disposal, so if I need to cut a case, or make any "special" parts, I just do it, in MY shop, so I don't have to pay to have it done, just my time. I build my own chassis, and make all my specialty parts, some stuff it's cheaper to buy, than make, that's why I stick with full midget parts where I can, or if it's something that I sell several of, I make patterns, and have them cast, then machine them, lots quicker than billet. I know you didn't ask for my input, but I couldn't resist the implication about being young, and pushing the envelope, I don't push it, I'm very careful when I do something, that's why I like our engine rules, we got a box we can work out of, and it gives us plenty of room to try things, without being a cheater! Bob!

Bob

I do appreciate and value your input. You only got me by 10 years, and I hope I can say that I am as active in the next decade. I've Never met you but can tell by your posts you are a pretty savvy racer. The old school racer may be from a time gone by, I appreciate your ability to make what you need. It is ashame you aren't old enough to have known my old friend Al Davis, he too was a machinest and pattern maker back in the Crosley days. He is the guy that made the first TQ rear ends castings. He was a true craftsman and built some beautiful race cars. This guy would take a lathe and an old round ram Bridgport and whittle crankshafts for them little old Crosleys.

Things may be a lot safer and better for the racers today but in the process we have managed to outlaw a lot of creative people and ideas. Racing means to experiment, AJ and I get into it about that all the time. He likes to stick with what he knows works and it is real hard to get him out on a limb and try something a little different. It is very hard to improve if you don't take a few chances.

Racing has become so specialized and commercial with factory made everything. Now we have people worrying about rules in a cookie cutter environment. If it is not legal it was bought from somebody else and not made by the racer.

To you younger guys out there the best thing I can say about getting old is you can say about anything you want to and people just say well there he goes again. I sure hope that just a little of this bull sinks in.


Honest Dad himself

[openwheel44]

I consider myself an old school racer simply because I AM OLD! I have learned one thing..........

Evolution, you can't beat it and you can't stop it.

[TQ29m]

Originally Posted by DAD Bob I do appreciate and value your input. You only got me by 10 years, and I hope I can say that I am as active in the next decade. I've Never met you but can tell by your posts you are a pretty savvy racer. The old school racer may be from a time gone by, I appreciate your ability to make what you need. It is ashame you aren't old enough to have known my old friend Al Davis, he too was a machinest and pattern maker back in the Crosley days. He is the guy that made the first TQ rear ends castings. He was a true craftsman and built some beautiful race cars. This guy would take a lathe and an old round ram Bridgport and whittle crankshafts for them little old Crosleys. Things may be a lot safer and better for the racers today but in the process we have managed to outlaw a lot of creative people and ideas. Racing means to experiment, AJ and I get into it about that all the time. He likes to stick with what he knows works and it is real hard to get him out on a limb and try something a little different. It is very hard to improve if you don't take a few chances. Racing has become so specialized and commercial with factory made everything. Now we have people worrying about rules in a cookie cutter environment. If it is not legal it was bought from somebody else and not made by the racer. To you younger guys out there the best thing I can say about getting old is you can say about anything you want to and people just say well there he goes again. I sure hope that just a little of this bull sinks in. Honest Dad himself

DAD, here's a piece of th past for ya! Bob

[TQ29m]

BTW, whats wrong with a round column Bridgeport, anyway, that's what I got, however I have updated it with computer controls, I can let it do the grunt work, while I watch it, I don't have a tool rack, or changer, so if there is any drilling or tapping to do, I have to do one or the other manually. Mine has a 48" table, so I got plenty of room on it to have a couple of setups on at the same time. I just don't see how anyone could run even a go-kart, with out machine tools, man, ya get an idea, ya just do it. Near as I can figure from the serial numbers on mine, the base was made in 1939, and the J head was made in 1956, but it still does a good job. If you'll click on that first picture, then click again, you can blow it up, one time, and on the end cap you can see AJ DAVIS cast on it. Bob

[DAD]

Originally Posted by TQ29m DAD, here's a piece of th past for ya! Bob

Bob

Old Al was about as close to a genus as anybody I have ever known and I have known some pretty smart people. Kinda of hard to beat a sand casting when you want a part to look like it belongs on a race car isn't it.

Where the heck did you find those pictures. Sure brings back some memories. It is as pretty to me today as I remember it being 50 years ago.

Back in the early 50's Al decided his oldest boy Eddie needed a race car. This was just a little before 1/4 midgets showed up here in the mid-west. Well he went out and found an old Harley Hummer motor cycle motor, those were rare even back then, then he proceeded to build a front engined Kurtis Roadster knock off for Eddie to play in the school yard with. I guess I was about 8 or 9 at the time but I can still remember feeling just like Bill Vukovich driving that thing around that schoolyard. It came up for sale on EBAY a couple of years ago from some place up in Michigan, wish I had had the money to buy it.

Al had a portable PC computer back then (His Brain). He could crunch them numbers in his head as fast or faster than any nc mill could do today. Them old hand wheels really moved when he got hold of them and always stopped at the right place.

I got one of them little Mills to Bob, biggest problem was finding B&S tooling for it back before they invented China. I call it my whittling machine. I just get close and say what the hay?

Al didn't have too much but he sure made the best out of that he did have.

Honest Dad himself

[DAD]

Originally Posted by openwheel44 I consider myself an old school racer simply because I AM OLD! I have learned one thing.......... Evolution, you can't beat it and you can't stop it.

Phil

When we grow this class big enough to have a Senior Division and they make on-board oxygen legal for the driver (maybe just a little extra for the motor). I'll find an old car and show you a thing or two.

Honest Dad himself

[TQ29m]

There is a similar one on the bay now, it has a half of a Harley 45 in the front of it. Bob

[TQ29m]

DAD, mine is a full size Bridgeport, little by no means, weighs 4k, I've had to use a wrecker when moving it from my shop at home, to our big shop up town, then 23 yrs later back home. At one time I had Davis, and a Peck, and Peck & Davis. Bob

[DAD]

Originally Posted by TQ29m DAD, mine is a full size Bridgeport, little by no means, weighs 4k, I've had to use a wrecker when moving it from my shop at home, to our big shop up town, then 23 yrs later back home. At one time I had Davis, and a Peck, and Peck & Davis. Bob

Bob

I have a little Bridge Port with 42" table. I never met Charlie Peck, but from what I understand he was a pretty good machinist also. His shop was somewhere down in the country, and my Dad described him as an upscale Al Davis. He messed with a bunch of Micro stuff back then and I had a 10 ci. Continental that Charlie had built and he had machine 2 billet rods for them. They were beautiful and when you tapped them they rang like a bell. Talking about Old time craftsmen like those guys were, today is more like telling a folk story. They just get better and better with age.

Honest Dad himself