Social distancing on the salt.
 

 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Here are some additional pictures of both Tim’s and Keith’s cars at the 2020 Bonneville Speed Week event.
 

 

 

 

 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Congrats to Tim for his 192.365 mph run down the salt with the 416 car.  That was a new Y-Block record.
 
The salt surface at the Bonneville Salt Flats was good this year and that helps a lot.  The 560 car campaigned by the Rolling Bones group out of New York and driven by Keith Cornell did manage to make eight runs on the Salt Flats before finally succumbing to what appears to be a timing chain issue.  That M-E-L engine was originally put together knowing that the timing chain set is the weak point on those engines but there are no aftermarket replacements for a timing set that corrects that particular issue.  It now looks like I’ll be engineering some kind of timing set to offset that weakness and now having some time to think about it, I have several ideas.
 
Prior to the engine laying down, it did take several runs to get through some teething problems on the accelerator cable and figuring out what the tune up liked.  Once those problems were behind us, the MPH numbers started climbing steadily.  For the record, that 371" M-E-L likes lots and lots of fuel.  It took all the jetting we could throw at it.  On the morning pass on Tuesday and just prior to the two mile mark, the timing set slipped just enough to retard the camshaft and bend the #5 cylinder exhaust valve.  That started a chain of events that eventually led to additional exhaust pushrods bending and ending this years’ run for the record.  The bent exhaust valve was the show stopper as we did have some spare pushrods with us.  We haven’t looked at the damage behind the timing cover yet but a sheared crankshaft key could be the culprit.
 
The record for the C-AIR class currently stands at 202.508 MPH so the 560 car is now single digits from the record with the last good pass being 193.234 MPH.  Keith and I were confident that there was at least a 196+ MPH run left in the car when the engine went into limp mode so everything is on track for a record breaking run somewhere down the road.  So now the engine gets pulled from the car and while it’s down for a revised and improved timing set, there are some other items that will be changed and/or modified to get the power levels up some more on that 371” M-E-L.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Wow that is great. Looks like all of you are having a great weekend.



Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

An afternoon run netted a 193.234 mph on the time slip. Have made more changes and the 560 car is in the staging lanes for an early Tuesday morning run.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Timmy was very lucky at that speed.... 



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

Keith Cornell in the Rolling Bones car is up to 187.564 and got his 175 wings. An afternoon run netted a 193.234 mph on the time slip. Still running at this time. Timmy McMasters just took the title of worlds fastest Y-block with a 192.365 but hit a piece of pipe, possibly someone's exhaust tube, slowing to about 180. Blew a rear tire and damaged the suspension so he is on the way home with a BIG smile. Haven't heard anything about Charlie Burns as yet.



Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire