Paging SebringBill

[Tom Bryant]

Bill,

I was just looking at the pictures I took of the Triple Nickel at Mid Ohio cornering hard entering the Keyhole Turn. Since you are official pit crew can you enlighten me on the suspension setup on that car? Don't tell any secrets but I am interested in the springs, shocks sway bars frt/rr, ect. That car really handles for a solid axle. I'd be thrilled if I could add some of that to my '59.

This '55 could really hang in there too.

Tom

 

[SebringBill]

Tom,

I'd really like to help you but this is the end I worked on for the entire weekend...

...but I'd be happy to contact Bob and ask him...

 

[Tom Bryant]

That would be great Bill. His car looks lower in the front than yours also. Now since you posted that picture I'm wondering about brakes too. :L Did he do a disc upgrade?

The end thaat you were working on looks like a lot of fun too. Is that a '62 unit?

Tom

 

[SebringBill]

Tom,

If my memory serves he did not have discs (though I do - front!) and yes, I believe it was a 62 FI unit. The rules for Monterey Historics are quite strict so the race cars are much closer to stock than at some other vintage venues.

My car just naturally sits like I always remembered Corvettes - a little higher in the front - like it's always jumping off the line!

At a later date I'll tell you more about the "fun" we had with that FI unit. :duh

Bill

 

[Tyler Townsley]

I believe that is the 'borrowed' unit that was offered after he burned up the one he brought with him.

Can't rember who loaned it to him but it was a real nice gesture as I believe he was racing in the same class?

He had drums in Monteray as I remember adjusting them.

Tyler

 

[Tom Bryant]

That was a nice geature. It's good that they do hold these cars close to their original racing form. It's more fun to watch them make the most of old technology.

Tom

 

[vettefinderjim]

Ah.....suspension

How do you take a 1941 passanger car and win Sebring, Daytona, LeMans. You cheat, that's how. !! As Dick Guldstrand says, " You are not cheating unless you get caught"

Basically, these solid axel Corvettes and their kinpin front ends were not very state of the art. However, if you install front springs that are about 1" shorter, make some mods to the rear springs, bend the front spindles and get some negitive camber dialed in and some positive caster, the car will steer harder, turn faster and break steering box bearings. Add traction bars that look like originals.......but are longer, put 4:56 gears in for short tracking, hide the MSD box under the dash. install a SUPER T-10, Richmond gear with track gears, get the 62 FI , cut the phlemn in half and add 3/4"height, tumble same so it looks real and hide 63 ZO-6 brakes on the front end, trim the car weight to 2400 lbs, and add a 60 year old crazy driver with 42 year old expierence, you may get a racer that performs fairly well. that is "If you pass tech and don't get caught"

It is the most fun I ever had with a Corvette !! And last year being with Joe Freitas was a super treat at Monterey Historic 2002. We made the podium..........what a weekend !!!!

 

[Tom Bryant]

That's a great picture Jim. Makes the old heart beat faster.

Tom

 

[SebringBill]

Tyler,

I checked my pictures and the engine shot was taken on Thursday so it was Bob's unit - you know, the one we spent 7.5 hours chasing solder to get it to work. You looked mahvelous!

We messed with the distributor and the FI unit on Friday morning then went off to the Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally in the afternoon. Bob ran his practice session Friday afternoon and found the spider leaking gas afterwards.

We installed the borrowed unit (from Chris Wickersham (sp) who was running a Devin - in a different class) on Saturday morning after finally giving up on the leaky spider. It was calibrated a little too rich for Bob's setup but at least he was able to run the race - no small victory in my book!

BTW, don'tcha love the support vehicle?

 

[Tyler Townsley]

Bill
I thought it was an after the thrash picture. I got the dirtiest so I did the most work right? LOL. I forgot Chris was running the Devin, but it still was a above and beyond gesture to lend a complete FI unit on such short notice. The only reason Chris got it back was your trunk was already full. I really like the support vehicle. I am bidding on a set of 5 53-54 KH on Ebay right now for the 61 I bought last weekend.

Tyler

 

[Tyler Townsley]

Bill

AJ was shopping the other day and found us a garage.

http://www.sirgalahad.org/tyler/misc/s_garage.jpg

Here is my work area and first customer car.

http://www.sirgalahad.org/tyler/misc/s_wstall.jpg

Here is your work area.

http://www.sirgalahad.org/tyler/misc/s_woffice.jpg

But wait here is where accountants do their best thinking! LOL

http://www.sirgalahad.org/tyler/misc/s_jhon_1.jpg

Tyler

Its a slow night guys.

 

[SebringBill]

Where do you think I get all those great deductions from?

 

[JohnZ]

Hey, Bill - Here's my mini-garage; all the car needs is Skylark wheels and it's yours too

 

[SebringBill]

Looks great, John. Only one thing - it's waaaay too neat for my garage

Oh yeah - replace the dog with a cat sleeping on the hood...