tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83997354877774588672024-02-20T08:50:53.760-08:00Pujo! and the Cheese Eating Surrender MonkeysOur Peugeot 505 Turbo S is currently a veteran of four LeMons races, and still hasn't blown up. No one is more surprised by this fact than we are.HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-67107895992849248792011-11-14T12:22:00.001-08:002011-11-14T12:27:46.540-08:00Is it possible?Is it true? LeMons has published their preliminary <a href="http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/events.aspx">list of dates for 2012</a> One of those dates is in the new <a href="http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/">Ridge Motorsports Park</a> in our own backyard of Shelton, WA. A beautiful shiny new track, I would adore the excuse to go take a look at it.
My personal biggest concern? That SCCA National Office uses that same weekend for our local Packwood National Tour. The schedule hasn't been released yet, in fact, I'm sure it's still under negotiation. But I can think of a few teams that would certainly have a hard time choosing between the two events. OK, maybe 3 at the most. ;)
But it's worth a shot.HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-40797681120987334492011-04-01T09:19:00.000-07:002011-04-01T09:25:09.082-07:00Announcement: A Cessation of April Fools TomfooleryI've been flattered and charmed by the response I received over the years to my April Fools gags. It has been fun writing them and seeing who, each year, falls for the www.looflirpa.it link. However, I need to call an end to the fun tradition due to a new professional commitment. Some of you may have read the announcement posted yesterday to Jalopnik that Ray Wert has <a href="http://jalopnik.com/#!5787861/say-hello-to-autoblognik-and-goodbye-to-me">left the site</a> following its acquisition by the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/">Huffington Post</a>. Well, I'm proud to say that starting next week I'm going to be stepping in as Editor-in-Chief of Jalopnik. I've been freelancing under a pseudonym for a few years and am excited to step out from behind the mask of anonymity.<br /><br />Currently posted to Jalopnik is a snarky post with a mashup of Huffington Post's AutoBlog logo melded with the Jalopnik logo. The post implies Jalopnik is going away. This is not the case at all, Jalopnik will continue and is going to get even better. Not to worry, AutoBlog will continue informing the world about the exciting new shades of silver and beige available on the new Camry and Accord. Jalopnik will not. Huffington Post is freeing Jalopnik to be strictly an enthusiast site.<br /><br />Jalopnik is rolling up its sleeves and baring it knuckles. We won't post any reviews of new crossover SUVs or the next Chrysler Sebring. You can probably tell I'm not heartbroken by this. Jalopnik will be where enthusiasts find reviews of new Porsches, Ferraris, and enthusiast cars like the Fiat 500 Abarth or Focus ST. We're going to differentiate Jalopnik reviews from the rest of the pack by actually reviewing the performance of the press fleet cars by throwing sets of Hoosiers on them and entering them in SCCA Divisionals, National Tours, ProSolos, or even track days. <br /><br />We are not likely be invited to the luxurious PR flack controlled product intros where the manufacturers shower high end experiences on auto writers in exchange for favorable reviews. My integrity is worth more than a trip to a French chateau with a group of folks who say positive things about crap cars. We will call BS on the car companies that deserve it (plastic cladding and oversize wheels do not a sport package make) and laud the few companies that deserve it.<br /><br />Jalopnik will be participating in events, not just watching and reporting. An example is an adventure we're taking this summer. I'm going to enter a 24 Hours of LeMons car in the Targa Newfoundland. That's right, Pujo!, the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys' Peugeot 505 turbo is going to run an international tarmac rally. The right seat is currently open... (I'm driving). If you can read pace notes, or can learn by September, and want to join us in Newfoundland, drop me a line.<br /><br />We're also going to feature, in Huffington Post tradition, user submitted content. Are you not seeing content on the web you want? Here's your chance, send me your ideas or even your articles. If it's good, we'll publish it.<br /> <br />I'm not allowed to post anything to Jalopnik until Monday, when the transfer from Gawker to Huffington Post is finalized. I want to hit the ground running. Please send me any ideas you have, even if it's the location of Abe's milk producing goat.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />-Bret "a LeMons Monkey in Arianna's Court" DodsonBret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-31792966079383729332011-03-16T21:19:00.000-07:002011-03-17T08:37:39.034-07:00Street Parked: Solid Axle TR4A<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4720/1218051890_BTkFA-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4720/1218051890_BTkFA-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Wait a tick, what have we here?" Title="Wait a tick, what have we here?"/></a><br /><br />This TR4A materialized one day just down the street from my office.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4722/1218051864_cm5Vm-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4722/1218051864_cm5Vm-S.jpg" alt="Parked in front of Seattle's former Model T plant" Title="Parked in front of Seattle's former Model T plant" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The TR4 and TR4A are instantly recognizable by their hooded headlights and cool fighter plane-esque hood blister.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4737/1218054241_mPW7v-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4737/1218054241_mPW7v-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The bulge scares the rain away" title="The bulge scares the rain away" /></a><br /><br />This appears to be a solid axle TR4A. Most TR4As have independent rear suspension. To appease traditionalist customers and dealers Triumph offered an optional live axle. Is there any other car that offered solid or independent rear suspension as a line item option?. This must have been a frustration to the chassis engineers since the TR4A has a different chassis from the TR4. You identify the live axle cars by the absence of an "IRS" badge on the boot lid and no discernible camber in the rear wheels.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4726/1218052764_CCESZ-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4726/1218052764_CCESZ-S.jpg" border="0" alt="No IRS tramp stamp means added simplicity" title="No IRS tramp stamp means added simplicity"/></a><br /><br />Elegant features abound, check out the side marker light!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4723/1218051936_oaLAd-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4723/1218051936_oaLAd-S.jpg" border="0" alt="It looks like a jet powered arrowhead" title="It looks like a jet powered arrowhead"/></a><br /><br />The headlight styling has never really worked for me. It's unique and stands out, but I have always preferred the look of the TR5 and TR6 headlights.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4734/1218054110_qNEfm-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4734/1218054110_qNEfm-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Did the hood melt over the headlights?" title="Did the hood melt over the headlights?"/></a><br /><br />The dash is classic British sports car - Smiths guages scattered across a wood dash.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4732/1218053479_GbjTr-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4732/1218053479_GbjTr-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Love the banjo steering wheel" title="Love the banjo steering wheel"/></a><br /><br />The profile of this car lived on in the TR5 and TR6. The blister on the door works well with both body styles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4738/1218054149_vG7t6-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Triumph-TR4A/DSC4738/1218054149_vG7t6-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Steel wheels are refreshing" title="Steel wheels are refreshing" /></a><br />I've only seen this car once and I'm glad I had my camera and caught some picture of it. I love that it is not over-restored to the point of being not drivable. As it sits, it car looks ready to drive to the coast for some surfing.Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-70198469588258773602011-03-11T11:54:00.000-08:002011-03-11T13:55:46.071-08:00Street Parked: 1973 Dodge Dart winter driverSeattle is blessed with relatively mild winters. The occasional paralytic light dusting of snow we get completely shuts down the city. The average Seattleite will only venture onto the road cloaked in airbags, traction control, antilock brakes, and all wheel drive, peering from the <s>precariously fall-overy</s> commanding view of their SUV. This makes today's feature car stand out even more! I spotted this lovely brown Dodge Dart on a sleet-filled trip to the <a href="http://www.recklessvideo.com/">video store</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1340/1205554238_DvWyW-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1340/1205554238_DvWyW-S.jpg" alt="This is a handsome car, even with the underbite" title="This is a handsome car, even with the underbite" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From the battering ram 5mph front bumper and the tight chrome panty of a rear bumper, I'm betting this is a 1973 Dodge Dart. You'll notice this impeccably kept survivor has a Michigan plate. Has it migrated west for a rust free retirement?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1342/1205554530_UNDH6-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1342/1205554530_UNDH6-S.jpg" alt="Such a spankably clean posterior" title="Such a spankably clean posterior" border="0" /></a><br />This is an honest, standard car; the sort we don't see anymore. Purposefully capable with no overt pretense of luxury. Gold kit Accord, I'm looking at you...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1339/1205554251_YZRLu-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1339/1205554251_YZRLu-S.jpg" alt="This car is 'just right', not too small, not too big" title="This car is 'just right', not too small, not too big" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a Dodge Dart Custom, a mid-level model in the Dart range. The vinyl roof "Vinyl Roof Topper" in Mopar-ese was a dealer installed accessory.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1341/1205554269_ZYZwN-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1341/1205554269_ZYZwN-S.jpg" alt="Custom, one of just 62,626" title="Custom, one of just 62,626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My suspicion is the full wheel covers come with the Custom package, rather than the dog dish hub caps that would probably be seen on a base model car. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1343/1205554554_6NY4U-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1343/1205554554_6NY4U-S.jpg" alt="Look at all that comfy sidewall!" title="Look at all that comfy sidewall!" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Also part of the Custom package was the snazzy vinyl and cloth bench seating. The cloth seating surface makes this a great winter car. There is no way to make a person more uncomfortably chilled than by forcing them to plop onto a freezing cold leather seat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1344/1205554573_KKt2S-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/1973-Dodge-Dart-Sedan/IMG1344/1205554573_KKt2S-S.jpg" alt="Bench seats: the cure for separation anxiety" title="Bench seats: the cure for separation anxiety" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This Dart was born with the legendary slant six backed by a Torqueflight automatic. In 1973 it made 95 horsepower from its 198 cubic inches (that's 3.2 seriously unstressed liters). This car is so original looking that I bet that same slant six is still living underhood. This car looks new, I'd love to know its story. Is it a survivor? Has it been restored? Is it a Hemi-packing Q-ship?<br /><br />Regardless of its backstory, this is a very cool car to see being used - especially on a day that chased most drivers into hiding.Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-23303938443696470502010-09-27T22:16:00.000-07:002011-02-18T14:46:57.880-08:00Street Parked: Port Townsend Wooden Boat FestivalWashington's Olympic Peninsula is famous for being infested with vampires and werewolves. These creatures of the night apparently have good taste in cars. My lovely wife and I <s>recently visited</s> went last September to the scenic seaside town Port Townsend - PT is a must see for any visitor to the Olympic Peninsula. Our day trip happened to coincide with Port Townsend's wooden boat festival; we came for the quaintness, stayed for the boats, and I was distracted by the Street Parked classics.<br /><br />No werewolf can catch this cat:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4545/1020081519_o8c6v-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4545/1020081519_o8c6v-S.jpg" alt="So curvy, so sensuous." title="So curvy, so sensuous." border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4548/1020082054_rtJB4-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4548/1020082054_rtJB4-S.jpg" alt="Where is Austin Powers' video phone?" title="Where is Austin Powers' video phone?" border="0" /></a><br />These cars are as strong performers as they are stunningly beautiful. What a great car; it's not too perfect to keep it off the streets. However it is clearly well loved and maintained to a good standard. The wheels look like newer 72 spoke chrome jobs - when new, this car likely had painted wire wheels. The shiny knock-off spinner nut is original, notice how it's a left hand thread? That's to keep the forward motion friction from loosening the wheels on the right side (the left side has normal right hand threads). How scary would it be to take a left turn and see a right wheel keep going straight?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4547/1020081823_5BiLR-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4547/1020081823_5BiLR-S.jpg" alt="Righty loosey?" title="Righty loosey?" border="0" /></a><br /><br />MGA driver: Jacob's sports car?<br />Half a block from the Jaaaag this innocent white MGA was dwarfed by its neighbors.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4549/1020082166_ogqya-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4549/1020082166_ogqya-S.jpg" alt="This little fellow's grill won't stay dent-free for long." title="This little fellow's grill won't stay dent-free for long." border="0" /></a><br />This a 1959 or 1960 MGA with a 1600 cc engine and wing mirrors that appear to be from an late '60s AMC Ambassador.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4550/1020082258_2io8J-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4550/1020082258_2io8J-S.jpg" alt="Old guys rule." title="Old guys rule." border="0" /></a><br />With its rollbar car looks like it could have just come from hooning on <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Grizzly+Peak+Boulevard,+Berkeley,+CA&aq=1&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.764224,86.572266&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Grizzly+Peak+Blvd,+Berkeley,+California&ll=37.881884,-122.237548&spn=0.016428,0.042272&z=15">Grizzly Peak</a>. This is an MGA that is true to what having a sports car is all about. Hint: it's not about preserving the car's concourse "provenance". Need wing mirrors? This pair from an old AMC in the junkyard will do the job. Give yourself a scare halfway through a decreasing radius turn? Whip out the hole saw and weld in a roll bar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4551/1020082448_AcvCV-X3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4551/1020082448_AcvCV-S.jpg" alt="From the Craig Anderson school of dash labeling." title="From the Craig Anderson school of dash labeling." border="0" /></a><br />The cockpit of this car features handy captions for the various bits and pieces. It has a "Strangler", "Starter", and a "Piddler" among others. Click the image for a ginormous version.<br /><br />A bundle of snakes gathered by the curb:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4553/1020082632_qUAqi-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4553/1020082632_qUAqi-S.jpg" alt="This is what a motorbike should look like." title="This is what a motorbike should look like." border="0" /></a><br />This Honda CB550 presents my favorite form of motorbike. The engine is visible and beautiful in its functionality with the most elegant headers this side of a <a href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/NW-Historics-2006/Copy-of-DSC02370/79866369_9PRkj-XL.jpg">Cosworth DFV</a>. The rider sits upright and comfortable, not crouched like a croissant wrapped around a giant Skittle as on a present day superbike.<br /><br />BRGMGB:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4619/1020086860_uX2V9-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4619/1020086860_uX2V9-S.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Early MGBs much lighter and more elemental than their later, taller, big rubber bumper shod brethren. This B, with its spots of primer, looks to be getting some cosmetic attention. These pre-smog-era cars are only slightly more complex than a hammer, which makes them great at being reliable old cars. No computers or byzantine vacuum systems means most problems can be fixed by the side of the road with a simple tool kit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4620/1020087044_uNZ87-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4620/1020087044_uNZ87-S.jpg" alt="A banjo to steer her..." title="A banjo to steer her..." border="0" /></a><br />Rollup side screens and a heater are the only nods to luxury on this car. Ever have a car with one speaker?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4621/1020087163_W2QER-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4621/1020087163_W2QER-S.jpg" alt="Such a well balanced design." title="Such a well balanced design." border="0" /></a><br />The low back seats give this car a really clean profile. An early MGB is probably the best low buck entry into a cool classic that can be driven regularly.<br /><br />Who let this guy in here?!?:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4599/1020085193_PrPP9-XL-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Port-Townsend-Wooden-Boats/DSC4599/1020085193_PrPP9-S-1.jpg" alt="R package Miata: dripping with amenities geared to comfort." title="R package Miata: dripping with amenities geared to comfort." border="0" /></a><br />Compared to these cars, my R package Miata is a luxury car!<br /><br />Here's a slideshow of the day:<br /><a href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=13901348&AlbumKey=8tdMu">There be pictures of boats ahead</a>.Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-48340976082830662232010-07-07T08:36:00.000-07:002010-07-07T08:41:28.474-07:00It's official, Packwood National TourThe following letter is being emailed today to teams we actually have contact information for. There's no guarantee we have contact info for your team, feel free to include yourselves if your captain did not get this letter, we do not intend to leave anyone out intentionally. Please bear in mind this is still an "invitational" event and don't want to open it up to just everyone with a cheap-ass car, new or partially complete builds are, um, graciously discouraged.<br /><br /><br />-----<br />Hello LeMons competitor!<br /><br />We’re Sean and Brianne Green, captain (and wife) of the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys’ Peugeot 505. We got your name from the Powers That Be at the 24 Hours of LeMons HQ, but beyond that, we in no way speak for them nor do we have any official sanction beyond a “have fun and try not to run anyone over.” <br /><br />For the Monkeys, autocrossing was our first love; for several of us, it still is. Therefore, when we discovered that the 2010 Arse-Sweat-Apalooza was being held the same weekend as the SCCA Solo National Tour in Packwood, WA, it was easy for us to choose to autocross in our own backyard instead of towing to Thunderhill. This is where you come in.<br /><br />We have been able to arrange through SCCA National office an exclusive LeMons Invitational Class, where we current and former LeMons competitors can play at a non-endurance event straight up against each other, and only each other. This is good for the Packwood National tour ONLY: the weekend of August 6-8th. Pujo! and the Monkeys will be represented by our own Bret Dodson, whom you may have seen in the gorilla suit at tech inspection. We’re ready to remind the SCCA crowd that we don't all have to be uptight glory hounds and can actually have fun at a race. Of course, if you’re already going to Thunderhill, we wish you the best of luck. <br /><br />“Sounds like fun, what do I have to do?” Well, if you’re like us, you probably need to work on your car. You’ll need to present your car in a form that would pass BOTH a LeMons tech inspection (all requirements) and an SCCA Solo tech inspection. Remember, the folks teching your car in Packwood aren’t familiar with LeMons cars, and will need even more assurance than usual that your car will not eject large amounts of debris, fluid, or parts in high-g maneuvers. Watch especially for leaks, wheel bearings, and anything that might be loose in the cabin. Good throttle return springs, battery safely bolted to the car (no bungee cords), good brakes, good wheel bearings (mentioned twice because they really look at these). Same tire requirements as a LeMons race, etc. Like any race, failing tech results in being unable to compete. That would be bad after bringing your car all that way, wouldn’t it? So make sure your car is actually in good working order. They take tech seriously at the National level.<br /><br />Second, if you’re not already familiar with the sport of autocrossing, make sure you at least browse the rulebook available online at http://scca.com/contentpage.aspx?content=61, particularly tech and driver requirements. Remember that autocrossing is not a road race or endurance event, you’ll be getting a grand total of about 6 minutes of racing, and still perform a work assignment, probably on course.<br /><br />Third, please make sure you send an email signaling your interest in competing to Brianne, who is coordinating the efforts: Helltygr@aol.com, this will ensure that you are kept apprised of any additional details as they come to our attention. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to “like” our car Pujo! and we’ll also update with news bulletins there. Those less familiar with autocrossing should be sure to ask for more links to videos and the various “what to expect at your first autocross” articles that abound on the internet. (Of course, your friendly search engines can help with that, too)<br /><br />Lastly, the details for the event as well as on-line registration will be available at http://scca.com/event.aspx?hub=3&event=15170 as well as on the Northwest Region website http://www.nwr-scca.org/solo/index.asp Register for the event as an “A Modified” car, then specify in the “notes to the registrar” section that you are a “LeMons Invitational Class.” Please note that only two drivers per car will be allowed, due to the event format and SCCA’s rules. If you’re not already an SCCA member, you will need to become one to enter, but weekend temporary memberships are available at the race site, it will just add to the cost of entry.<br /><br />Participants are strongly encouraged to come in with all LeMony costumes and themes. We will probably have additional prizes just within “our” class that the rest of the event will not be eligible for. And we even promise not to crush someone’s car.<br /><br />You’re welcome to pass this along to any other teams you know personally that might be interested and are not already competing at Thunderhill. We are, however, keeping this to an “invitational” level, and are trying to strongly discourage folks that aren’t already LeMons competitors. We needed to reassure SCCA that it’s not just a bunch of hoons coming up to leak fluids and jettison large car parts and plywood bits. So, this is not really a good place to test an unknown build. Thanks for your understanding.<br /><br />Sean & Brianne GreenHellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-90794678933214058292010-06-23T20:37:00.000-07:002010-07-07T08:42:20.012-07:00A LeMons Monkey in SCCA's CourtWhat is the most non-LeMons-esque motorsport? National level SCCA autocrossing. While Pujo! has been to a few autocrosses in his life as a racing car, autocrossing was used as a <strike>tuning tool</strike> chance to discover failure points close to home. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Autocross-03082009-Adjust/DSC1073x/488648176_5pxwH-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Autocross-03082009-Adjust/DSC1073x/488648176_5pxwH-S.jpg" border="0" alt="A turbocharged French car should only be autocrossed in below freezing temperatures." title="A turbocharged French car should only be autocrossed in below freezing temperatures."/></a><br /><br />No LeMons car would ever be seen at an SCCA National autocross event. Until now. SCCA Solo Czar Howard Duncan recently suffered a bout of temporary insanity and approved an invitational class for LeMons cars at the upcoming SCCA <a href="http://scca.com/event.aspx?hub=3&event=15170">National Tour</a> event in Packwood, WA in early August. <br /><br />Pujo! is entered and will be lowering the resale values of the best autocross cars in the country. stay tuned to this spot as we embark on this adventure. Will Howard come to his senses? Will we get the People's Curse? What sort of bribery works best in this arena?Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-41023161449636162962010-06-03T22:05:00.000-07:002010-06-18T15:32:06.512-07:00Street Parked: 190SLThis head turner grabbed my attention one morning on the automotive portion of my commute. I yammered on about its coolness to my lovely bride until we reached our parking spot, and then beat feet up to Fairview to see if it was still there. It was; parked across the street from<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="http://site.innerchaptersbooks.com/">Inner Chapters Books</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2281/541540561_YuE6L-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2281/541540561_YuE6L-S.jpg" alt="Hey look! It's a 300SL! Oh wait, it isn't..." title="Hey look! It's a 300SL! Oh wait, it isn't..." border="0" /></a><br /><br />These cars look like the iconic <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/jay-leno/vintage/4346495">300SL</a>. Those rain gutter-like fender flares never cease to grab my attention with thoughts of <a href="http://www.stirlingmoss.com/">Stirling Moss</a>, <a href="http://www.racesafety.com/fitchbio.html">John Fitch,</a> and stories of racing glory in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Miglia">Mille Miglia.</a> However, comparison to the legendary 300SL is not fair to this car. This little fellow is a stylish grand tourer in its own right.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2261/541535593_8Ae7v-S.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2261/541535593_8Ae7v-S.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Wide and low, it presented an aggressive and modern face compared to its European contemporaries, the Jaguar <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XK140">XK140</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_MGA">MGA</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span> It is perhaps similar in market mission to the Ford <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Thunderbird">Thunderbird</a>, as a personal luxury car. I think the styling of the 190SL roadster presents a more sporting flair than the Thunderbird, and more modern performance than was offered by the British.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2263/541535856_vyWdw-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2263/541535856_vyWdw-S.jpg" alt="So many curves in one sheet of metal." title="So many curves in one sheet of metal." border="0" /></a><br /><br />The sleek 190SL shares its chassis with the upright and dowdy Ponton benzes instead of the bespoke tube-frame 300SL exotics. That doesn't stop these cars from having an arresting presence, perhaps in spite of the level of performance they offered.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2257/541543233_SaBa4-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2257/541543233_SaBa4-S.jpg" alt="That's too short to be a Ponton benz." title="That's too short to be a Ponton benz." border="0" /></a><br /><br />This car was not particularly athletic with a 1.9 liter 104 horsepower 4 cylinder engine saddled with toting 2600 lbs across Bavarian hills and dales. For its time (1955 to 1963) this level of performance was acceptable.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2254/541542265_uaqQR-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2254/541542265_uaqQR-S.jpg" alt="I'll show my tail lights to British cars and poorly tuned minivans." title="I'll show my tail lights to British cars and poorly tuned minivans." border="0" /></a><br />This car is the quintessential sports model. Built on a sedan's running gear, it put its best face forward. And does so quite well. I can imagine this car idling stylishly through the pedestrian traffic of Florence, carting some ersatz supermodel to a gig.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2267/541536714_wUGQE-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2267/541536714_wUGQE-S.jpg" alt="What secrets remain untold under that canvas top?" title="What secrets remain untold under that canvas top?" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Even with its saloon car roots, this nonchalant grand tourer is worthy of a longing glance when seen parked on the street.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2272/541537690_4tET6-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/190SL/DSC2272/541537690_4tET6-S.jpg" alt="Is an emblem askew similar to a beauty mark?" title="Is an emblem askew similar to a beauty mark?" border="0" /></a>Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-53115847406671417412010-05-26T22:44:00.000-07:002010-05-30T19:21:30.124-07:00Street Parked: Mercedes W111 250SE CabrioletMy daily work commute includes a 12 minute (each way) stroll through Seattle's hip and newly Amazonified neighborhood, <a href="http://www.discoverslu.com/">South Lake Union</a>. As I dodge <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/local/332081_slut18.html">SLUT</a>s and try to avoid being squashed crossing <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm">Mercer</a>, I sometimes notice interesting cars parked on the streets.<br /><br />This car, a Mercedes Benz 250SE Cabriolet, was spotted in the parking lot of the <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/teslastore/detail.php?s=Seattle">Seattle Tesla dealership</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2243/880478131_z44fb-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2243/880478131_z44fb-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Fintail convertible!" title="Fintail convertible!"/></a><br /><br />Even for an old an Mercedes our subject is a unique car, being one of 954 250SE cabriolets made from 1965 to 1967. These W111 chassis 220/250/280SE coupes and convertibles were the last hand built Mercedes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2253/880478244_96MTF-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2253/880478244_96MTF-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The W111 still had luscious curves between the hood and fender of its Ponton predecessor." title="The W111 still had luscious curves between the hood and fender of its Ponton predecessor."/></a><br /><br />Beneath the curvaceous hood lurked a 150hp inline six backed by a four speed automatic transmission. Although this car is a boulevardier with no pretense of sporting intentions at all, it can cruise the autobahn (or I-90) comfortably at just over 100 mile per hour.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2246/880477290_jMn7C-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2246/880477290_jMn7C-S.jpg" border="0" alt="What stories lurk beneath that bonnet?" title="What stories lurk beneath that bonnet?" /></a><br /><br />I've long been a fan of these Heckflosse (that's German for "fintail") Mercedes. I find the little tail fins to be a charming nod to the car style of 1959, when the first W111s appeared.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2245/880477975_APe57-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2245/880477975_APe57-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Shake those tail feathers." title="Shake those tail feathers."/></a><br /><br />The interiors of this era of Mercedes are wonderful places, with real wood adorning the dash and doors. The thin rim steering wheel is classy with its padded hub and chrome horn ring.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2249/880479126_LX7w5-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2249/880479126_LX7w5-S.jpg" border="0" alt="It's just missing a pipe smoking driver in Harris tweed." title="It's just missing a pipe smoking driver in Harris tweed." /></a><br /><br />While this car looks to have been bumped (the rear bumper is slightly askew) a few times in its life. I have no doubt this car will be motoring luxuriously along in another 40+ years as Mercedes of this era were built to survive a zombie apocalypse.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2247/880476576_GGHFA-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/Mercedes-Benz-250SE-Cabriolet/DSC2247/880476576_GGHFA-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The best cars in the world." title="The best cars in the world."/></a>Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-4300795323581843112010-05-19T19:58:00.001-07:002010-05-30T19:22:14.243-07:00Street Parked: The first GT350The conventional wisdom among Seattle folk is that <a href="http://www.amphicar770.com/amphicarforum/amphicar-lovers-yahoogroup-archives/16897-seattle-yacht-club-opening-day.html">Opening Day</a> of boating season heralds the start of summer, with the apogee of summer in the great northwet being <a href="http://www.seafair.com/">Seafair</a>. In my house, summer doesn't begin until the third weekend of May, when the <a href="http://www.udistrictchamber.org/StreetFair/index.html">University District Street Fair</a> crowds <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ave">"The Ave"</a> with more blindingly white people in shorts and t-shirts than mankind was ever meant to see. My lovely wife and I always visit the Street Fair on Saturday morning in an attempt to beat the crowds. We make a point to devour the best <a href="http://www.kaleenkapiroshky.com/">Piroshky</a> in the world and look for our favorite <a href="http://www.danwestfall.com/">vendors</a> before escaping the crowds.<br /><br />Typically, we park our Miata and stroll through quiet streets to the freshly pitched easy-ups of the vendors. This year was different. As we were strolling down Roosevelt, approaching <a href="http://www.scarecrow.com/">Scarecrow Video</a>, I noticed an unusual car parked on the street.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00692/870500081_WTrGL-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00692/870500081_WTrGL-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Well, hello there!" title="Well, hello there!"/></a><br /><br />My first thought was that this was a <a href="http://www.sovren.org/">vintage</a> race car out for a weekend joy ride. As we walked past, I slowed to check this car out. It quickly became evident this was a unique Mustang.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00710/870503356_akjMv-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00710/870503356_akjMv-S.jpg" border="0" alt="That signature looks familiar..." Title="That signature looks familiar..." /></a><br /><br />While Carroll Shelby has <a href="http://www.allpar.com/omni/GLHS.php">done</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra">other</a> <a href="http://mustangs.about.com/od/accessories/fr/shelbychili-rev.htm">things</a>, the 1965 Ford Mustang GT350 stands out in my mind as an icon in his portfolio. The GT350 is a more usable car for the average person to own than was Shelby's other project of the time, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Cobra">AC Cobra</a>. The GT350 enhances the great looks of the Mustang fastback with suspension tuning by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Miles">Ken Miles</a> (yes, the Ken Miles of GT40 fame at Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans), a package of weight reduction and redistribution, and some good old hot rod improvements (big carb with Cobra intake and headers) which gave this pony 35 extra ponies to take dancing on a race track or curvy road near you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00709/870503134_sktJd-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00709/870503134_sktJd-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Those oil cooler lines are original and have the original Shelby part numbers stamped on those aluminum bands." title="Those oil cooler lines are original and have the original Shelby part numbers stamped on those aluminum bands."/></a><br /><br />This particular car is the first GT350 street car that was built, number 5S003. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00707/870502790_Sqg2V-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00707/870502790_Sqg2V-S.jpg" border="0" alt="That tag reads '5S003' - no, not '5S001', there's a story about that..." title="That tag reads '5S003' - no, not '5S001', there's a story about that..." /></a><br />Wait, shouldn't this car be '5S001'? Well, it is, sort of. The first three Mustangs given to Shelby for the GT350 program had their numbers written on their firewalls. The plan was to build two factory racing cars and one street car. The street car was built using the chassis with '5S001' written on its firewall. However, when it came time to apply the number tags to the cars, the firewall markings were long gone. It has only been through the research of the car's current owner, who is <a href="http://1965gt350mustang.com/">a great steward of these cars' history</a> that this story has been unraveled and this car verified as truly the first of its kind. Early photos taken at the Shelby shops show the first GT350 with a unique rear view mirror mounted forward of typical on the driver's door. While 5S003 currently has its mirror in the standard location, there are visible patch marks (awesomely of race car quality) on the inner side of the door that reveal this car's birth story. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00700/870501579_USq4M-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00700/870501579_USq4M-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Pete Brock photographed, designed, and produced these ads featuring our street parked subject." title="Pete Brock photographed, designed, and produced these ads featuring our street parked subject." /></a><br />This first street car was used to develop marketing material by Pete Brock. In addition to his work producing marketing material for Shelby American, Mr Brock is know for having designed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelby_Daytona">world's most beautiful racing car</a>. I was not aware of Pete Brock's involvement with the GT350 program. He also has signed 5S003's hood.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00711/870503525_SfXKP-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00711/870503525_SfXKP-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Pete Brock's signature. Next to the iconic stripe pattern and hood scoop he designed." title="Pete Brock's signature. Next to the iconic stripe pattern and hood scoop he designed." /></a><br /><br />Another interesting Pete Brock touch on this GT350 is the vented back window. This is an aerodynamic device aimed at venting the cockpit and reducing the negative pressure, and ultimately lift, behind the car at speed. Note how the window dips down beneath the roof of the car.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00703/870502093_BV2JP-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00703/870502093_BV2JP-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Hey, that back window has a mail slot at the top!" title="Hey, that back window has a mail slot at the top!" /></a><br /><br />This car has seen some significant race track experience. At one point it was a racing car and later, in 1985, as a vintage race car, participated in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex_Monterey_Motorsports_Reunion">Monterey Historics</a> at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=&rlz=1B3GGIC_en___US356&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=laguna+seca&fb=1&gl=us&ftid=0x808df09b1a5a4d9d:0x6630d72e8f54fd00&ei=pO_9S9uAJpXKM4_a5LYN&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ8gEwAA">Laguna Seca</a>. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00704/870502287_T6Fdx-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00704/870502287_T6Fdx-S.jpg" border="0" alt="A picture of this car at the Monterey Historics." title="A picture of this car at the Monterey Historics."/></a><br /><br />I was at the 1985 Monterey Historics and saw this car racing on track. I remember it vividly, as I loved the GT350 then as I do now. Small world? The roll bar's collection of event tech inspection stickers reveal a little bit of this car's story.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00715/870504408_YPZgC-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00715/870504408_YPZgC-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The roll bar wears many notable event stickers. This car has some interesting tales to tell." title="The roll bar wears many notable event stickers. This car has some interesting tales to tell." /></a><br />This car is a piece of history. I feel lucky to have encountered it and gotten a chance to understand what it is. As a bonus, the owner started it up for us to hear its unmuffled, 12:1 compression voice. What a treat! This car idles with a deep cackle and revs with the quickness of a racing engine. The side exit exhaust smells lightly of racing fuel, some streetable fuel mixture clearly used to balance the engine's thirst with this car's occasional jaunts around town. The owner takes it out to give his kids rides, setting off car alarms along the way. He gets it; this car is loved and shared with the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00689/870499494_ucizV-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/The-First-1965-GT350-Mustang/DSC00689/870499494_ucizV-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The first GT350 Mustang." title="The first GT350 Mustang." /></a>Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-11157200498869588282010-04-26T16:41:00.000-07:002010-04-26T16:46:53.563-07:00On a serious noteThe Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys are dismayed to pass along this link:<br /><a href="http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100412/NEWS01/4120321/1002/NEWS01"></a>http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100412/NEWS01/4120321/1002/NEWS01<br /><br /><br />Peugeot Holm is where we've gotten a good deal of both new and used parts for Pujo!, to see his garage burn down is the worst thing that can happen. We applaud Brian Holm for supporting quirky cars, and being a genuinely nice guy to talk to on the phone and via email. We're glad nobody was hurt, and are devastated by this news.HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-1464143743224699142010-04-20T15:25:00.000-07:002010-04-20T15:45:45.335-07:00Back to the drawing, er, writing boardWhoooo, wheee, has it been a long time since a meaningful blog post was written. And as I can’t stand reading blog posts about how or why a blog is inactive, I’ll just jump right in with current events. We will get to the past, race wrap-ups, things like that … eventually. But for now, lest the trend in non-blogging continues, we must simply write what must be written.<br /><br />The biggest news for the Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys for the upcoming “Goin’ for Broken” Thunderhill race is the change in team dynamics. You may have heard (from other sources, as we’ve been neglectful) that many of our team members also serve duty on the Autosport Labrats team that was originally put together for a ChumpCar race at Portland Raceway. Captain Brent is continuing the Labrat build with a new car which should be ready to debut at Goin’ for Broken. (follow their details at http://www.autosportlabs.org/blog/) Several team members may do double duty driving and wrenching for both teams. If all goes well, it should be easy to do, but come on, this is LeMons, the whole concept of which is how well you can deal with random monkey wrenches. We knew we had to assemble a core backbone for each team in case both cars are in the pit at the same time. So, team captain Sean is putting together a new batting order. <br /><br /> Bret, the perennial family man, will not be able to join us in May; the joys of having a college-age daughter returning home from far across the mountains outweigh the opportunity to swill wine with his friends. C’est la vie. (Kidding, Bret, I’m sure most folks would rather spend a weekend with Kate than with just about anyone else, and who can blame them?) Alan will be back, and we look forward to the return of Monkey Rick from California, who filled in at our last visit to Thunderhill. The newest Monkey on the team is our buddy Drew, a fellow autocrosser who discovered the joy of road racing on that first LabRat ChumpCar team last Halloween. Welcome to the team! Drew got to spend some time getting to know Pujo! this past weekend at the penultimate wrenching party. We’ll write about what’s going on with the car soon.<br /><br />Another interesting development is the absence (from the strictly Monkey perspective) of supporting women for this race. Neither Drew’s wife, Kim, nor I will be able to attend this race. Much to the disappointment of fans everywhere, this does NOT necessarily mean that Alan and Drew will be dressing up as burlesque dancers or French maids for this race. Sorry. I’m sure the gang will be able to juggle all the myriad things the women usually do at the event, like … like … well, I’m sure there’s something we do besides hold down valuable folding chairs.HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-87107351915437580112010-03-16T15:21:00.000-07:002010-04-20T15:36:53.199-07:00Sears PointlessHere's a compilation of some of the excitement we captured on our in car camera at Infineon Raceway. The driver of the Cavalier towards the end of the video is OK, but he will be wearing a neck brace for awhile. He fractured his C2 vertebra in the wreck.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/user/AutosportLabs#p/a/u/0/SbeaXT-TVfo<br /><br />Sorry about posting this a "cut and paste" instead of a handy link. Blogger isn't letting me insert a link for some reason.TriumphRacerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09412128993417636701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-29419637824235133162010-02-15T11:32:00.000-08:002010-02-19T10:14:01.643-08:00Braking news<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaBIfUw0YZwuIYajegByIjFi6cGIz9eOAVU2x-8QP22RE0wz7CcypRk0eW4Q4QNXV80hKHcYc0XhGFoaoJRiOM4-cTYnvJaWKrv1Cc4rpM5FPwCbhyphenhyphenswWnrf_BItf2bCM6yqqje3hTZks/s1600-h/IMG_0266.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaBIfUw0YZwuIYajegByIjFi6cGIz9eOAVU2x-8QP22RE0wz7CcypRk0eW4Q4QNXV80hKHcYc0XhGFoaoJRiOM4-cTYnvJaWKrv1Cc4rpM5FPwCbhyphenhyphenswWnrf_BItf2bCM6yqqje3hTZks/s200/IMG_0266.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438557946897570002" /></a><div>Saturday Sean, Bret and I got the brakes back together and the car on the wheels. The only glitch was that our bigger caliper shims meant that our bolts were too short necessitating a run to the only open bolt shop 20 miles away in Tacoma. The car looks great on the ground with the new paint job and rotors but an unfortunate electrical glitch courtesy of our rebuilt alternator installation prevented us from testing our work. Hopefully the electrical problem is just a reversed wire and we'll have the car on the street later this week!<br /><br />Monday update: The wires were reversed and the light's now out when the car is off and on when it's running even with the new alternator. Time to get out the service manual again!<br /><br />Thursday update: The rebuilt alternator is no good so we've sourced one rebuilt by a Peugeot mechanic which should hopefully solve the charging problem. It also turns out that there wasn't enough clearance between the rotors and the calipers on one side so we toasted one. Since the race is in two weeks Sean just had the old Peugeot rotors turned (they had plenty of metal left) and we're going back to them for this race and we'll fiddle with the Porsche rotors again before the next race.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyWRfnoXu_CsZ1E1_omCX-T3PWe0sxSDMYLc9IaMoCDqFK_rc5ZItRSX8ilrRxQ6s3DFAhk2z4d17shkJ4Nnw4bKA2ptC0tpcWO6BbzlG7Py9EMVIouN6Se6cMGOUVPsWhPo8VMFLtSxj/s1600-h/IMG_0269.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyWRfnoXu_CsZ1E1_omCX-T3PWe0sxSDMYLc9IaMoCDqFK_rc5ZItRSX8ilrRxQ6s3DFAhk2z4d17shkJ4Nnw4bKA2ptC0tpcWO6BbzlG7Py9EMVIouN6Se6cMGOUVPsWhPo8VMFLtSxj/s200/IMG_0269.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438557881071035730" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9T5ol4TL4p1BbKt3RJWxtKOb7pxuMp44Jnu1bNknTJvHmTkNg9LVByOXtCZnyudckNfVaU-TsGdx1UqKxrRy8VNqpEBos8rK_-BgR8dcrgXfT2KQp66EdfaDXUt-emmlYbwskc8OaVct-/s1600-h/IMG_0270.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9T5ol4TL4p1BbKt3RJWxtKOb7pxuMp44Jnu1bNknTJvHmTkNg9LVByOXtCZnyudckNfVaU-TsGdx1UqKxrRy8VNqpEBos8rK_-BgR8dcrgXfT2KQp66EdfaDXUt-emmlYbwskc8OaVct-/s200/IMG_0270.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438557809793035522" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a></div>Solracerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14340138089413510943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-44374652450072853502010-02-08T10:34:00.000-08:002010-02-08T12:43:15.867-08:00Braking without breaking the bank<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWjSNhxVRLg9Tym0lLvh0ugE_ucUcAL2qf4eZ9fztTzE8tW0GSuxB8SL-eM8rrZLqUmNCSuleh-mt09TOQ88IMY19997NxCswKNUCS3B-PL7AANlNZ7_33mZisPpmWCYh4pwRkuot60N_/s1600-h/IMG_0262.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWjSNhxVRLg9Tym0lLvh0ugE_ucUcAL2qf4eZ9fztTzE8tW0GSuxB8SL-eM8rrZLqUmNCSuleh-mt09TOQ88IMY19997NxCswKNUCS3B-PL7AANlNZ7_33mZisPpmWCYh4pwRkuot60N_/s320/IMG_0262.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435945893817026354" border="0" /></a><br />As those of you who have followed us on the track know the Peugeot has awesome brakes (and from the factory no less). The cost of all the awesomeness is brake rotor wear however so we decided that rather than take a chance we'd put new rotors on for Infineon/Sears Point.<div><br /></div><div>A quick check of the few remaining Peugeot parts suppliers in the USA revealed that 505 Turbo S brake rotors are a) as scarce as hen's teeth and b) cost as much as some fairly sizable jewels, about $350-$400 each. To top it off there are exactly two of them in the USA and if we want extras it's going to cost even more to have them shipped from France.</div><div><br /></div><div>On to The Google. Hmm, early Porsche 944's had similar calipers/rotors to the 505. After much more research I found someone who had claimed to make the conversion with only light machining and a few extra holes to mount the 5-hole 944 rotor on the 8-hole 505 hub.</div><div><br /></div><div>Off to NAPA to get a 944 rotor to measure. There are two choices, a $110 Chinese knock-off or the "value" rotors for $58 each. Being LeMons racers we chose the $58 ones of course and we opened the box to see "Made in Italy" and "Brembo" stamped on them! WTF, the Brembos are cheaper than the Chinese knock-offs???</div><div><br /></div><div>Sean got to machining them and the results are beautiful, we needed caliper spacers about 4 times thicker than stock and 7 extra holes drilled but that was it! 505 owners have sweated for years the expense of Peugeot rotors and we just replaced $700-$800 of Peugeot parts with $116 worth of Brembos, cool!</div>Solracerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14340138089413510943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-60385485609326685452010-02-08T10:31:00.000-08:002010-02-08T12:44:22.009-08:00Pujo! and the Technicolor dreamcoat.After all the abuse that's been heaped on Pujo! over the last 2 years, we decided to be nice to him for a change and give him a new paint job. The best way to describe the last paint job I did is "Epic Fail". Those of you who have been reading for awhile and following our exploits know that in trying to replicate the Peugeot Rally Team stripe scheme, I may have accidentally painted the car like T.C.'s helicopter from Magnum P.I.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiel8JnOq9dFhlJa7kkf93OSUciuyu8YiP71fb_lIYi-tiqa10P7B61_l3x2Pd5q6v4_s9LHNOrO0Oq-e0Qw2pewU-Uubr3DT7FxDLxrvZ5Jjvt2IsZVMoK3Nsne91mUMCY4uOgKyAwMFM/s1600-h/Pujo!.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiel8JnOq9dFhlJa7kkf93OSUciuyu8YiP71fb_lIYi-tiqa10P7B61_l3x2Pd5q6v4_s9LHNOrO0Oq-e0Qw2pewU-Uubr3DT7FxDLxrvZ5Jjvt2IsZVMoK3Nsne91mUMCY4uOgKyAwMFM/s200/Pujo!.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435945307092194866" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMEkpYMxjd5knHVD4D6EUSobbrC7zyG_fnHD3_zh9hyBGIlPoF5ormaMt6amhkQpU4QXqbnxYHDpsz0yvWMlayXxP2HzBtX0n11MkJStM7ULO6oD5_3t8wQHW5rEr_zHrwT7LLH00dOE/s1600-h/opening_credits_low_flying_chopper_full.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMEkpYMxjd5knHVD4D6EUSobbrC7zyG_fnHD3_zh9hyBGIlPoF5ormaMt6amhkQpU4QXqbnxYHDpsz0yvWMlayXxP2HzBtX0n11MkJStM7ULO6oD5_3t8wQHW5rEr_zHrwT7LLH00dOE/s200/opening_credits_low_flying_chopper_full.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435944719162334610" border="0" /></a><br />As you can see, a new paint scheme has been desperately needed for quite some time. Unfortunately, we've been spending more time sorting out mechanical problems than decorative problems and we never seemed to have the time to paint before a race. This time we have everything almost done and we could no longer ignore "Magnum".<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCAV35N_f9QLpLHWSgxy0KJ8RVARsoZC_1QDsphWGvcHBmdxzRDOdJ7X71XzFL1vbiH0AbGcahc92w3Qq33sUBTQe82r-jCiFj7nXcJe7UaKRA_PPHS-ecGlkcMhbpg_dRwTSSkrvbvw/s1600-h/561173068_359257e092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCAV35N_f9QLpLHWSgxy0KJ8RVARsoZC_1QDsphWGvcHBmdxzRDOdJ7X71XzFL1vbiH0AbGcahc92w3Qq33sUBTQe82r-jCiFj7nXcJe7UaKRA_PPHS-ecGlkcMhbpg_dRwTSSkrvbvw/s320/561173068_359257e092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435949149729491970" border="0" /></a> See what I mean? You can't ignore Magnum. Especially with those shorts. Yow.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_E7440BR3SKGYBlkNU77iknJB1ip_4CXg2JJP8ff-hxwt3rqiuT8mgpV77TToU-jIgNqYOa2Bh-X31P4ENQHVe5iZGM_GzSB0HiNJczdV71894h-HB0YUvFKaFbm1L_mAIWQL8WJjjI/s1600-h/100_0010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_E7440BR3SKGYBlkNU77iknJB1ip_4CXg2JJP8ff-hxwt3rqiuT8mgpV77TToU-jIgNqYOa2Bh-X31P4ENQHVe5iZGM_GzSB0HiNJczdV71894h-HB0YUvFKaFbm1L_mAIWQL8WJjjI/s320/100_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435951150801617298" border="0" /></a> Initial sanding and masking comlpete.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY8jL3AIPnqyPldBII6Sl-a16RLAOWU9r0OBeKvFV7Nywelwec6n-dQZwIT1Ouc3LnXIz7NT3vOGTOf0pwBQUp_IGs7WqXqoZuoUIWXmO6kI5fMCcxwlhNNHDqthrOtXvKhybAVj-7P4/s1600-h/100_0021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY8jL3AIPnqyPldBII6Sl-a16RLAOWU9r0OBeKvFV7Nywelwec6n-dQZwIT1Ouc3LnXIz7NT3vOGTOf0pwBQUp_IGs7WqXqoZuoUIWXmO6kI5fMCcxwlhNNHDqthrOtXvKhybAVj-7P4/s320/100_0021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435951670190323602" border="0" /></a> Prime time! That means it's 9pm and I'm missing my shows!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbtaZlF_T_8nqZS1hpDaAfTSDtX5yTRWcYTDNk2sYxRHVGmZishyphenhyphenwfkNEGLRvLo3llcfYoqZO-bti_EdQr9tTKiQjjVLXDRiQ_l5J75Sg2P9oOrEDsJUjJwcp6_kiSApfDAkUJkNLWgw/s1600-h/100_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbtaZlF_T_8nqZS1hpDaAfTSDtX5yTRWcYTDNk2sYxRHVGmZishyphenhyphenwfkNEGLRvLo3llcfYoqZO-bti_EdQr9tTKiQjjVLXDRiQ_l5J75Sg2P9oOrEDsJUjJwcp6_kiSApfDAkUJkNLWgw/s320/100_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435953226505418882" border="0" /></a> If this were a '69 Camaro, I'd be done!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2pLd3owW3Q0q8Hh8_rxO6-2hrYa5kSo_WUCU9jyMlqkHufdURwUbfhNJoYkL6-ePSbHTxXcTAembp-z4ONZAs1WSPa8i7rqHIqKyzx2j2VkMo66Du8CPJEKOGlU-ApC7ALu2GeGVXCc/s1600-h/100_0030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2pLd3owW3Q0q8Hh8_rxO6-2hrYa5kSo_WUCU9jyMlqkHufdURwUbfhNJoYkL6-ePSbHTxXcTAembp-z4ONZAs1WSPa8i7rqHIqKyzx2j2VkMo66Du8CPJEKOGlU-ApC7ALu2GeGVXCc/s320/100_0030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435953861867008338" border="0" /></a> Paint that funky Peugeot white, boy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJDbLtSl_SblPp0h4z55T3H6gm587xzJzPpcxLAn6URrkRtBSBx3WmvRqy2Xj8loMk1_dYX4E4Ujl-ATU364rx95-S9Zk1ADqgcD7WXzgGlYS2BakenhFkoTiEXUz207j5gYhESTRxcw/s1600-h/100_0037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJDbLtSl_SblPp0h4z55T3H6gm587xzJzPpcxLAn6URrkRtBSBx3WmvRqy2Xj8loMk1_dYX4E4Ujl-ATU364rx95-S9Zk1ADqgcD7WXzgGlYS2BakenhFkoTiEXUz207j5gYhESTRxcw/s320/100_0037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435954329107654866" border="0" /></a> Scott has the blues. He's trying to fix my catastrophic paint run. Good luck Scott. When I f*** up, I do it properly.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe8qJEbeNnU3mow0lNG2twTF3huRMFGPEXmHjVvU7c71tcJAqyOHgirh4j8_1AQOKHZzsSNNYGd9eMrzlymlwLk_42mKiHJnr6_LIkaJWTdumkw9BOT3USAQXom6XYrqc1bs0QbzMxIA/s1600-h/100_0038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe8qJEbeNnU3mow0lNG2twTF3huRMFGPEXmHjVvU7c71tcJAqyOHgirh4j8_1AQOKHZzsSNNYGd9eMrzlymlwLk_42mKiHJnr6_LIkaJWTdumkw9BOT3USAQXom6XYrqc1bs0QbzMxIA/s320/100_0038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435955180190454690" border="0" /></a> Red backside. Like a baboon, no?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZz_yhv5CeoLBm0aqRirO56N85xJlXKYkZnFE987lI1c98HgEO0Ioxt0N1ZSv-2hc9xaUg-NSRqz1KUpyt1tCIRx3X9CE6vc_yOmsL14XlY_geSmT9WwUzZMFx5txlE33ODyipS8f-w0/s1600-h/100_0046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZz_yhv5CeoLBm0aqRirO56N85xJlXKYkZnFE987lI1c98HgEO0Ioxt0N1ZSv-2hc9xaUg-NSRqz1KUpyt1tCIRx3X9CE6vc_yOmsL14XlY_geSmT9WwUzZMFx5txlE33ODyipS8f-w0/s320/100_0046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435955627195160562" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvH216AutegE6yX5rnacSR-xuIFA9x_dfWVA-17sQoPe_4Ay5RE_wkooWSX4iInlzsm0GXw4J7R6SdpC3pfCnrFIrw8gfkzTPQ2wpH8poIZwUM-bXesjnHjByRaQgrfOGKB4pwaVSzhE/s1600-h/100_0048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvH216AutegE6yX5rnacSR-xuIFA9x_dfWVA-17sQoPe_4Ay5RE_wkooWSX4iInlzsm0GXw4J7R6SdpC3pfCnrFIrw8gfkzTPQ2wpH8poIZwUM-bXesjnHjByRaQgrfOGKB4pwaVSzhE/s200/100_0048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435956085204509474" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVs7-pm-LjnOy72y1rKJs3-I7cxh7zujytbH-WGkhxUc3trpCRRo2EyErozsK7M7xYjbGC_ZZDwmPQleNi-cIprHZ7w4VVhznGNiw_MZOz15hIYbJEJjVgIJP5aKEPSiEDAAB8vcZ5fU/s1600-h/100_0051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVs7-pm-LjnOy72y1rKJs3-I7cxh7zujytbH-WGkhxUc3trpCRRo2EyErozsK7M7xYjbGC_ZZDwmPQleNi-cIprHZ7w4VVhznGNiw_MZOz15hIYbJEJjVgIJP5aKEPSiEDAAB8vcZ5fU/s200/100_0051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435956430322650226" border="0" /></a> There, much better. As long as you're over 25 feet away.TriumphRacerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09412128993417636701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-45436225895042983362009-12-27T16:44:00.000-08:002009-12-27T17:17:17.727-08:00Ce qui, encore?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_RepnaWstCWHRPstiKT5SSUq1Fqju-qFKIdyUDguD8QhDU51Agf9mf8J9zgHb7ihrvwpibHYgUbVVH0Lbk22wBFNIPJ9tIHg9W-KljZ2fI6nSrku8f2JB0xu5hD5FjJ8dkWPuNPvjcs/s1600-h/LeMon+LoGo+en+Francais.GIF"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_RepnaWstCWHRPstiKT5SSUq1Fqju-qFKIdyUDguD8QhDU51Agf9mf8J9zgHb7ihrvwpibHYgUbVVH0Lbk22wBFNIPJ9tIHg9W-KljZ2fI6nSrku8f2JB0xu5hD5FjJ8dkWPuNPvjcs/s320/LeMon+LoGo+en+Francais.GIF" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420089826615445330" /></a><br /><br />Je devine que nous devons de façon ou d'autre être d'une manière amusante aux organisateurs de CiTrons. Ils ont accepté notre demande encore! Quel est le problème avec ces camarades? Ne nous connaissent-ils pas enfoncent-ils un pieu français dangereux de merde et est-ce que quelqu'un pourrait être tué??TriumphRacerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09412128993417636701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-77574480057706137572009-12-27T15:58:00.000-08:002009-12-27T16:04:03.300-08:00What, again?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kfrDdCuk05bB_U_f7qjbphLc1rXt9rUEdaiTl_eug32ZhcrrxAMrfLovl0MdGDwQZfzfV6Vg33Plbst4UjpEGDue_uhUBeldyWtiN0dVVHMTyZlMEj44CLTOQDABi0JMpt6eRHTeFL8/s1600-h/LeMon+LoGo.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kfrDdCuk05bB_U_f7qjbphLc1rXt9rUEdaiTl_eug32ZhcrrxAMrfLovl0MdGDwQZfzfV6Vg33Plbst4UjpEGDue_uhUBeldyWtiN0dVVHMTyZlMEj44CLTOQDABi0JMpt6eRHTeFL8/s320/LeMon+LoGo.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420070894406242370" /></a><br /><br />I guess we must somehow be amusing to the LeMons organizers. They accepted our application again! What's wrong with these guys? Don't they know we're driving a dangerous French heap and someone could be killed??TriumphRacerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09412128993417636701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-47342209958459505522009-12-02T19:44:00.000-08:002009-12-02T20:55:44.686-08:00Electron redistributionPeugeot is a company with a long and storied history of racing. From rally to Le Mans to LeMons, Peugeots have been tearing things up. Pujo!'s 505 brethren were very successfully raced in SCCA showroom stock in the 80's. With this sort of pedigree, Pujo! is rightfully considered a racing thoroughbred. If this is the case, why did Peugeot place the 505's battery on the driver's side in the very front of the engine compartment? Clearly, we needed to rectify this design oversight. <br /><br />A <a href="http://www.murileemartin.com/">saucy little minx</a> we know provided an <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5107178/junked-bmw-e30s-provide-cheap-easy-way-to-trunk+mount-your-battery">informative guide</a> to battery relocatification using the cable from an e30 chassis BMW 3 series car. The 6 cylinder versions of these cars come with a trunk mounted battery (it's even mounted on the passenger side!) and a long-ass battery cable that an impecunious monkey can score for the cheap price of $6.00.<br /><br />Off to the self service junkyard!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9482/730429430_drQVj-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9482/730429430_drQVj-S.jpg" alt="ewwwwwww!!! trunk cooties!" title="ewwwwwww!!! trunk cooties!" border="0" /></a><br />Of the two e30 Bimmers in the junkyard, one was a 6 cylinder. It was quite a rat of a car. The fact that we were experiencing an unusually strong downpour helped by providing shivering cold to distract from the skankiness of this particular car. Pictured is the positive battery cable after I freed it from a pile of assorted wet garbage in the trunk. It snakes through a tight little hole behind the back seat and runs up along the floor on the passengers side of the car, secured with several hundred little plastic clips.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9480/730429495_ayZNj-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9480/730429495_ayZNj-S.jpg" alt="it smells like cigarettes and mildew in here" title="it smells like cigarettes and mildew in here" border="0" /></a><br />After stuffing the cable through the trunk and into the passenger compartment, the cable was fairly easily freed from its hiding place in the floor. In the picture you can see part of the cable coiled up in the passenger compartment, along with the speaker grill / kick panel that was liberated to allow the other end of the cable to come through firewall from the engine compartment. Notice the hammer perched on top of the toolbox? That's a BMW special tool for interior trim removal.<br /><br />With the cable removed from the scheiße BMW, insertion into Pujo! commenced.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9483/730430109_cdYtF-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9483/730430109_cdYtF-S.jpg" alt="ungh!" title="ungh!" border="0" /></a><br />This involved <s>relaxing</s> contorting oneself into a shape that allows working amongst the racing seat mounts, roll cage, and pointy sharp crap on the floor of the car.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9485/730429865_viP5w-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9485/730429865_viP5w-S.jpg" alt="ahhlp!" title="ahhlp!" border="0" /></a><br />A bunch of <s>pleasant discussion</s> cursing allowed an installation solution to be found.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9491/730429625_R4yiK-S.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC9491/730429625_R4yiK-S.jpg" alt="Bimmer-esque trunk you got there Pujo!" title="Bimmer-esque trunk you got there Pujo!" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We had enough cable length to stretch from Pujo!'s original battery connection to the trunk, where the battery resides in cozy flammability next to the fuel tank. Note that Doug did build a really nice battery enclosure, it's just not pictured here (it's shy).Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-53592757553721505342009-11-30T18:36:00.000-08:002009-11-30T18:49:58.730-08:00Another 15 minutes of fame?And so, we left for Willows. We'll sum up each day of the race, but first, a quick side note.<br /><br />As we got back to the hotel Friday night after a very fun team dinner at Casa Ramos (big thumbs up, by the way), a few of us began to get a photo message on our phones. Apparently, hitting mailboxes that day was the December issue of Grassroots Motorsports. A good friend of ours (hi, Laura!) took a picture of the cover. Who could that be? Why, that's Pujo! on the front cover, right by the banner, the representative photo for the article inside about LeMons racing. Our very own Reverend Scott, there in all his glory coming down "The Slide" at Reno-Fernley raceway.<br /><br />On the Frickin' Cover of Grassroots Motorsports.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtP5VmKljphrFbzz1dnGfcYNaFnKcOd-FT59f7XGms15Jl2f_Tej4Fmsrps8wDDCvYJhCN4pe9L2O0RJg3uBBnkoHwkapmVyaQi-6PNGUbLoZCNwOftw51SIP3xpsNl8vmuT6pkai9juk/s1600/IMG_2885%5B1%5D"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtP5VmKljphrFbzz1dnGfcYNaFnKcOd-FT59f7XGms15Jl2f_Tej4Fmsrps8wDDCvYJhCN4pe9L2O0RJg3uBBnkoHwkapmVyaQi-6PNGUbLoZCNwOftw51SIP3xpsNl8vmuT6pkai9juk/s320/IMG_2885%5B1%5D" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410094389536545522" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Representing $500 racing to everyone who lives under a rock and hadn't heard of it yet.<br /><br />We're giddy. But if you've met us, that's really not a change from the normal, is it?HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-26597977568951152982009-11-29T15:31:00.000-08:002009-11-29T16:08:19.278-08:00We have some catching up to do!Yes, we just got back from Thunderhill.<br />Yes, the car finished the race.<br /><br />But... we'd be doing a disservice if we told the story out of order. So we'll blast through the next couple of chapters and get all caught up.<br /><br />After fixing the transmission (hooray for ingenuity and persistence!), the next few work parties addressed various issues with the car. The shocks were easily rebuilt with new seals and fresh oil (lighter weight, as the heavy weight we'd used before was probably the cause of shock failure). We relocated the battery to the trunk to make it easier to work on the engine, a little elbow room under the hood can make up valuable minutes at a LeMons race. Relocation made easy by a BMW 325 battery cable from our local junkyard. We decided we liked the spring performance with the clamps we'd used, so decided to clip the springs to make the change more permanent and prevent clamp failure. Basic maintenance of course, fluids, all that good stuff. During the course of this, we discovered that we'd need new axle nuts. Contacting our source for Peugeot parts, however, proved frustrating. The Turbo S model is, of course, different from your standard 505 in almost every way that matters, very little is interchangeable. Yes, he "could" get us the correct axle nuts, but like so many of the other parts we've asked him about, they would be about the "very last in the country" and Pug enthusiasts cry when they hear it would be going to a race car. This forced Sean to take the cheaper option. Owning your own aerospace machine shop makes it easy to replicate certain types of parts. A little 2" hex bar, some measurements, a couple hours, and only minimal swearing later, a brand new set of replacement nuts for less than we could have bought them.<br /><br />We installed a more permanent location for our transponder, not that zip ties are a bad thing...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XRsSWMX1cHEd2X1zEngW8MASwIPiMBtPx4Cv1QuJuX0JkYz1mMDoI1TdwVMekmWRJSzGJAccurprTmG8SP9l1dXQ33oGHz3s9KVkoyk5_JGg_8mtP3qr6jbgawo8LgjdvDmj_9lefjQ/s1600/IMG_2818.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XRsSWMX1cHEd2X1zEngW8MASwIPiMBtPx4Cv1QuJuX0JkYz1mMDoI1TdwVMekmWRJSzGJAccurprTmG8SP9l1dXQ33oGHz3s9KVkoyk5_JGg_8mtP3qr6jbgawo8LgjdvDmj_9lefjQ/s320/IMG_2818.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409677458068860610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Time began to run short before the race. It was now less than a week to go, and our big ideas for redecorating would just have to be put aside. There's always another race, right? We had a team meeting to discuss trip logistics and strategies, and our youngest Monkey stepped in to ensure that our art theme would happen as planned, if not on the original scale.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSXKarf04lOZaIdtg76cCeI6G-_DyVJKWWroJzKU0Lnm1gTmWt0h2yj_M9km5N9OP0fUdfQKsEFWLzBAWPorrr2SxePGyqoBYB5zPsqS5CJFc5m21pKkV1KZSduzLlA4dmNbOS04_prE/s1600/IMG_2811.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSXKarf04lOZaIdtg76cCeI6G-_DyVJKWWroJzKU0Lnm1gTmWt0h2yj_M9km5N9OP0fUdfQKsEFWLzBAWPorrr2SxePGyqoBYB5zPsqS5CJFc5m21pKkV1KZSduzLlA4dmNbOS04_prE/s320/IMG_2811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409677125388497314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4h7FIWOoeWckeJFHkyldF7ZZ8JQfCf_KnSmrsW2Tv6c0XzmIat-fnM1Mx7HMlWl1MpS70eiVuj0Iqv84FmX_V8WKF9JtcpbMY6Lzk9J48iPt9k6xAmW6ZU4J1-7JlWA9OxmR6VlxY-Y/s1600/IMG_2809.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4h7FIWOoeWckeJFHkyldF7ZZ8JQfCf_KnSmrsW2Tv6c0XzmIat-fnM1Mx7HMlWl1MpS70eiVuj0Iqv84FmX_V8WKF9JtcpbMY6Lzk9J48iPt9k6xAmW6ZU4J1-7JlWA9OxmR6VlxY-Y/s320/IMG_2809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409681261604837106" border="0" /></a><br />We showed off the work we'd done to a tough audience, Doug's dad who was up from Nebraska, a wonderful man with many years of racing expertise under his belt. He was, to say the least, a bit dubious about our choice of a Peugeot.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UGuWIyOr_HBEDze4zFuSXKar_ymie-oYFyvD_sxDhHoo4TNsz-TV-gbinMa-_rvX3U3a48yEO38x9CFfsK0lyIWbkr5MBJSDW9ZE_rY3x0KJLwNMboO9hw9uraFiNyqfTF-pHvjkblc/s1600/IMG_2816.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UGuWIyOr_HBEDze4zFuSXKar_ymie-oYFyvD_sxDhHoo4TNsz-TV-gbinMa-_rvX3U3a48yEO38x9CFfsK0lyIWbkr5MBJSDW9ZE_rY3x0KJLwNMboO9hw9uraFiNyqfTF-pHvjkblc/s320/IMG_2816.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409678512491699266" border="0" /></a><br />The meeting was as good as a 6-person meeting can be with 2 people absent. Sadly, one of our drivers was feeling the effects of a cold, and another had been hit earlier in the week with swine flu. It was now Sunday night, and we were hopeful for quick recoveries from both guys. Our hopes turned to worry as Bret's fever continued, and by Tuesday, he was officially not going on the trip. At the last race, going from a 6-man team to a 5-man did not hurt us in anything other than the fun quotient. But even though we knew we'd have less daylight, this time was different. One of Doug's good friends from the Rally circuits was going to be coming up from San Diego to watch and support us in the pits. Would he be interested in taking a turn behind the wheel since he was going to be there anyway? After just a few questions which proved he wasn't <span style="font-weight: bold;">completely</span> mental, he agreed. We welcomed temporary Monkey Rick onto the team, and couldn't wait to meet him on Friday.HellTygrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03897192150162140157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-52746453164200289002009-11-19T21:32:00.000-08:002009-11-19T22:00:52.368-08:00Garbled Transmissions Part TroisOkay, that didn't work. We were able to select 1st through 4th and occasionally 5th, but reverse was out of the question. It would appear that some mechanic, the name of whom we cannot disclose, made an error in reassembling the transmission.<br /><br />Back to the workbench!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8214/715316893_8FpDC-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8214/715316893_8FpDC-S.jpg" border="0" alt="We're getting fast at this." title="We're getting fast at this." /></a><br /><br />We determined that the motion of the linkage that moves to reverse/5th was limited. Why?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8183/715301821_abrsz-S.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8183/715301821_abrsz-S.jpg" border="0" alt="The truth is in there..." title="The truth is in there..." /></a><br /><br />Ah hah! The spring and plastic limiter that keeps you from selecting 6th and 7th gears was installed wrong! A <s>quick bit</s> hair-pulling session of puzzling what the correct order is for the spring, shim, washer, plastic chingus, other shim ensued.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8170/685488000_DbCJf-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8170/685488000_DbCJf-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Here's the problem!" title="Here's the problem!"/></a><br /><br />The linkage resorted, we reassembled the transmission for the last time. We were sure to use plenty of assembly lube to make sure things went together well.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8172/685501560_BmiAU-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8172/685501560_BmiAU-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Blood makes great assembly lube." title="Blood makes great assembly lube." /></a><br /><br />We properly torqued all the fasteners...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8226/715315275_YAfvW-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8226/715315275_YAfvW-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Could it be done?" title="Could it be done?" /></a><br /><br />And tossed it back in the car. We've gotten really fast at this.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8177/685502431_UnhzA-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8177/685502431_UnhzA-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Doo dee doo..." title="Doo dee doo..." /></a><br /><br />Where... IT WORKED! WE FIXED IT!!! And it cost absolutely nothing!Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-64413976459371356742009-11-16T10:50:00.000-08:002009-11-16T11:34:05.122-08:00Garbled Transmissions Part DeuxSince we <s>have no idea what we're doing</s> care so much about doing the job right, especially when it <s>involves the dark magic of transmissions</s> is a complex job, we thoroughly washed all the pieces of the transmission.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8135/685495513_WKvS2-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8135/685495513_WKvS2-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Ain't it purdy?" title = "Ain't it purdy?" /></a><br /><br />We initially couldn't determine what was wrong. But, with the gearset out, we noticed the shift selector forks behaving poorly. Turns out that when Hercules made that last shift to third, he managed to send the shifter fork too far along its allowed travel and the little pin that tells the rest of the works, "Hey! I'm in third!" fell out. Here's a shot of the selector forks, the center one is tilted to show the hole that the little pin rides in.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8121/685493081_pqGRk-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8121/685493081_pqGRk-S.jpg" border="0" alt="shafty..." title="shafty..." /></a><br /><br />And here's a shot of our troublesome little friend the pin.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8108/685491729_nAdLR-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8108/685491729_nAdLR-S.jpg" border="0" alt="say hello to mah leetle friend!" title="say hello to mah leetle friend!" /></a><br /><br />With the little pin returned to its home, we put our transmission back together again.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8161/685487771_n5Jwa-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8161/685487771_n5Jwa-S.jpg" border="0" alt="reassembly is opposite of disassembly" title="reassembly is opposite of disassembly"/></a><br /><br />We were very careful to make sure we got the shifting linkage reconnected. It would be a shame to have to take this thing apart again...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8173/685488211_pEoHA-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8173/685488211_pEoHA-S.jpg" border="0" alt="So precisely... (yes, the wire on that rod was a race day fix to the shift linkage before we garbooned it into being stuck in third)." title="So precisely... (yes, the wire on that rod was a race day fix to the shift linkage before we garbooned it into being stuck in third)." /></a><br /><br />All sealed up, we threw the transmission back in the car in about 20 minutes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8179/685502744_DJEkh-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/Cars/LeMons-Arse-Freeze-2009-Prep/DSC8179/685502744_DJEkh-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Back home again in greasy engine bay..." title ="Back home again in greasy engine bay..."/></a><br /><br />Now to test it to confirm our repair worked!Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-30099819054055351622009-10-15T23:00:00.000-07:002009-10-16T08:18:49.447-07:00Garbled Transmissions - Part UnPujo! finished the Reno LeMons event stuck in third gear. Actually, Pujo! proved to be quite capable as an automatique, setting our fastest lap time with just third gear. We decided that even though the single speed transmission was clearly a performance improvement, having multiple gears from which to choose would be good for loading on and off the trailer. Last weekend, the transmission was extracted from our brave patient.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358165_pokHh-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358165_pokHh-S.jpg" border="0" alt="here lies a borked tranny." title="here lies a borked tranny." /></a><br /><br />Today, we decided to crack open the tranny and see what secrets lie underneath its aluminum skirt. With the transmission repair skills of 16th century blacksmiths, we set to work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358254_mmEtM-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358254_mmEtM-S.jpg" border="0" alt="post bellhousing-ectomy attempt to crack the case." title="post bellhousing-ectomy attempt to crack the case." /></a><br /><br />Being stuck in third gear, the gearbox proved reluctant to share its inner workings with us. Being Surrender Monkeys, we <strike>never give up</strike> umm <strike>valiantly continue</strike> are too cheap to take it somewhere to be fixed, so blindly continue forward. (Having a budget of pocket lint and unused postage stamps helps with our DIY work ethic).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358123_MMEhg-XL.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://dodson.smugmug.com/photos/682358123_MMEhg-S.jpg" border="0" alt="Sproing, clink, damn." title="Sproing clink, damn." /></a><br />We eventually prevailed in opening the transmission. But not without the dreaded sound of pieces falling apart inside. This is where we finished for the day. We've got fifth gear (or is it reverse?) out. The selector fork is still immobile. Today we want to find out why the shifter mechanism is stuck; hopefull it's something obvious. <br /><br />Then there is the <strike>simple</strike> frighteningly complex task of putting this thing back together. There was no shouting and only minimal cursing during this session. Stay tuned for part deux.Bret Dodsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13744065458294327605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8399735487777458867.post-47928906174261899592009-10-11T12:47:00.000-07:002009-10-11T13:32:05.154-07:00Lifting old Pugs, 2 schools of thought.The story so far...<br /><br />When we left Reno, Pujo! had some issues. The major one was the (thankfully) jammed-in-third-gear transmission. We were able to finish the race with nothing but 3rd. Ironically setting our fastest lap times with the broken transmission. We actually debated whether or not to fix it, but soon came to the conclusion that even though we get by just fine with the one gear, it really sucks not having reverse. Not being able to let up the clutch pedal while the engine is idling also is kind of inconvenient.<br /><br />This weekend we removed the knackered transmission from Pujo!. We'll be installing the spare transmission from the donor car (Pugly) later this week. Pujo! is showing some substantial oil leakage from multiple places. We might spend the money on a tube of RTV to try to keep some of the vital fluid inside the engine block. Fortunately the leaks aren't large, there's just a lot of them. We'd like to avoid having to fill the crank case at every pit stop if possible.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpx3_sk9YLbZ0sacSoRUNsLMZUYqjFJBvaz-XN4060kg4QLvIffpIa-2AJLrwrhi6XXJz0NHry1Y-0t0rvkVBpZTnj0nOSOSN2R89ssSrnEFP0hCRwbrD8x5FhJfsncV0GgtMYR02GJ0/s1600-h/IMG_2641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpx3_sk9YLbZ0sacSoRUNsLMZUYqjFJBvaz-XN4060kg4QLvIffpIa-2AJLrwrhi6XXJz0NHry1Y-0t0rvkVBpZTnj0nOSOSN2R89ssSrnEFP0hCRwbrD8x5FhJfsncV0GgtMYR02GJ0/s320/IMG_2641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391435950347710370" border="0" /></a> The Forklift. My tool of choice for moving dead French iron. Good for cracking walnuts and opening locked doors too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJcWb_0kiRmUoL1EgExQC-CFWuP1n8Eo3fIobkUX7blCXIQlR2XVHWHh-L_HmqxE3vCDVdhk1KGHPbsw7JUTkK0FgUVZbZ3_hlako9WfLbAZKwXdFkO3ryroRiSDs-TPzrsTy8PbgiI0/s1600-h/IMG_2650.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJcWb_0kiRmUoL1EgExQC-CFWuP1n8Eo3fIobkUX7blCXIQlR2XVHWHh-L_HmqxE3vCDVdhk1KGHPbsw7JUTkK0FgUVZbZ3_hlako9WfLbAZKwXdFkO3ryroRiSDs-TPzrsTy8PbgiI0/s320/IMG_2650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391437278856658130" border="0" /></a> Doug has the goods to please both sexes. Who doesn't appreciate a nice pair of lifts?<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnshYn8UfyNr3TMV8Hc3_WIWA70zGRcQKlAHoRciqJt42gE7hAJO3bSMp00dJkGznc99QRM154RVJXhi_SDMefbINbYMy-uRJcRCPG6483X2J9v8I1-fKqnFph-whzDAc2qEwV6YKb0o/s1600-h/IMG_2654.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnshYn8UfyNr3TMV8Hc3_WIWA70zGRcQKlAHoRciqJt42gE7hAJO3bSMp00dJkGznc99QRM154RVJXhi_SDMefbINbYMy-uRJcRCPG6483X2J9v8I1-fKqnFph-whzDAc2qEwV6YKb0o/s320/IMG_2654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391438195704717970" border="0" /></a> "How did we get an oil leak back here??" Wonders Alan. Sorry Alan, that's one of those inscrutable French trade secrets.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE0X17-2VD-eaf4yr2TzKR5yI1KWVE3SIlHxWeriXPGCK2s8RLkQTYJoh3US6ai9CXc_bWcsrSGtkez0lW4ieSysT6xtLnft-Ki1lhaZ33sG2jTGhM8eOTY8OnkYIGk7UN026fPVDkPE/s1600-h/IMG_2657.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE0X17-2VD-eaf4yr2TzKR5yI1KWVE3SIlHxWeriXPGCK2s8RLkQTYJoh3US6ai9CXc_bWcsrSGtkez0lW4ieSysT6xtLnft-Ki1lhaZ33sG2jTGhM8eOTY8OnkYIGk7UN026fPVDkPE/s320/IMG_2657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391439106469553762" border="0" /></a> Dark matter? We have that. Who knew it was gunky and slippery too. Astrophysicists are wasting their time using telescopes to find the stuff.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiU4P_cSOet-maQPQeQUO-JyvwW4qPUz8Av8Ug1zG-Be7vjcfzB5PfRO5TKJV9tftImJa0ykTqoL1WX8nicstrJX4R6-YQ53QYbOm6CRAeAV8wTCUegAh7SeqWWFpEHCos2K0qTRCDt5k/s1600-h/IMG_2658.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiU4P_cSOet-maQPQeQUO-JyvwW4qPUz8Av8Ug1zG-Be7vjcfzB5PfRO5TKJV9tftImJa0ykTqoL1WX8nicstrJX4R6-YQ53QYbOm6CRAeAV8wTCUegAh7SeqWWFpEHCos2K0qTRCDt5k/s320/IMG_2658.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391439938214051810" border="0" /></a> The old transmission standing ready to begin its new life as a paper weight or a boat anchor.TriumphRacerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09412128993417636701noreply@blogger.com0