Stupid Pit Tricks

[Greg Reimer 7376]

In 1991, Ron Durham and I hatched a plot to install a legal 402 into a red 71 Monte Carlo that I had.We had about enough parts to build this thing,and Ron had a very clean original 71 SS454 Monte Carlo that was a driver.An ad appeared in National Dragster for a 70 Chevelle E/SA 402 car for sale,Ron called the guy to pick his brain, one thing led to another,the Chevelle owner proposed a trade,Ron went for it,and one November weekend,Ron borrowed my old tired 71 El Camino and trailer to run up to Milwaukee,Oregon,a suburb of Portland,and do the trade.He left Glendora on a Thursday night with the Monte Carlo on the trailer, and came by Saturday PM with the Chevelle,1977 miles later. When I think of all the tow vehicles I've ever had,that one was the worst because it was completely worn out.It made the trip up in the late fall,and I think Ron got almost the last good mile out of it. While driving it to work one day,I noticed that the power steering didn't feel right.I went into work and checked it out as I was leaving,and discovered the harmonic balancer was loose. I nursed it home all 27 miles,and the temperature gauge just kept climbing.When I arrived home, a further inspection revealed that the snout on the crankshaft broke right in front of the timing gear.A large burr at the break kept the crank gear on.That weekend,I pulled the engine and installed a used take out 350 that I had.If I didn't have all those used parts, I don't know what we would have done.That crank lasted less than 100 miles after he got back from Oregon. He must have led a charmed life that time.The Monte Carlo is a bracket car with a 355 small block.We ran it a few times at Irwindale,it could be a stocker some day,Ron and I went our ways, we both still race,a lot has happened since then,but this story of Ron's incredible luck survives.

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Originally Posted by drooze

Truly awesome story.

I guess you are like us "you dont have enough common sense to know you should quit" (and I mean that in the biggest compliment possible)

I was just telling another DP guy tonight, I wont give up on Pomona till I show up late and beg and they still wont let us run.

To give up is easy, to push forward with slim chances is the hard road.

Rock on.....

Common sense indicated that wasn't the time to quit.More common sense would have indicated not to take that much stripe. Being a quitter is the first step to being a loser.Many of life's losers began losing after they started quitting.Actually,that weekend was fun.

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

Being a quitter is the first step to being a loser.Many of life's losers began losing after they started quitting

Couldnt be better said

I think from my observations of human nature people , some people, have an inherent fear of failure. Its is emotionally easier to quit than admit failure.

Me Ive made failure and art....one day Ill succeed at something that will make me rich, but if not Ill be happy to keep trying and failing....how many failures did Edison have before succeeding on the light bulb 1000?

[mtkawboy]

Marty Snowball had 2 stockers at a mid 70s division 2 points race at Bradenton Fl, a cobrajet 69 Torino automatic and a cobrajet Mustang 4 speed. We broke the motor in the Mustang and the transmission in the Torino. Sane people would have called it good and loaded up. Insane peole got the owner to lock us in overnight at the track and we swapped the good motor into the Mustang plus drank a lot of beer. Talk about a long shot happy ending, Sunday he wins stock eliminator in the Mustang. We had 5 or 6 south Fl. Ford racers and dealership mechanics helping and to this day its one of the most rewarding races Ive ever been too and took part in

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Awesome......is Marty Snowball still alive ?

Ask if his family comes from Ohio, Ill bet dollars to dimes were related directly.

Im related to every other Snowball in the country weve found....

Mom is Linda Snowball, Grandpa was..........Rollin O Snowball (yes seriously) Everyone else was a Thomas...lol.....4 generations worth 1 in every line.

Originally Posted by mtkawboy

Marty Snowball had 2 stockers at a mid 70s division 2 points race at Bradenton Fl, a cobrajet 69 Torino automatic and a cobrajet Mustang 4 speed. We broke the motor in the Mustang and the transmission in the Torino. Sane people would have called it good and loaded up. Insane peole got the owner to lock us in overnight at the track and we swapped the good motor into the Mustang plus drank a lot of beer. Talk about a long shot happy ending, Sunday he wins stock eliminator in the Mustang. We had 5 or 6 south Fl. Ford racers and dealership mechanics helping and to this day its one of the most rewarding races Ive ever been too and took part in

[mtkawboy]

Marty is alive & well living in Ft Lauderdale Fl and was originally from Hialeah Fl. His son Robert runs a ford powered bracket {Quick 16} dragster and lives in West Palm Beach Fl. Marty has a competitive 71 Mustang Super Cobrajet 429 automatic stocker in his garage but doesnt have much interest in it any more. I live in Montana now but Ill email him or he will read this on here

[Tod Lane]

[QUOTE=Robert Swartz;167176]As well, learned, DON'T check the spark of an MSD-7 with the coil wire held by your fingers. That hurt! Nuff said.
QUOTE]

Hey, you said "Bump it"...lol
Seems I recall you sizzling on the end of a plug wire attached to a 67 Mustng once....

[Tod Lane]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

Good story Dwight. I had one of those wimpy kid pit helpers myself once. this is the inverse story.

Muncie Dragway, 1986. We had this kid that thougth he wanted to be involved with racing. What he really wanted was a free ride to the drags and to "bask in the glory of the racing" planted in a lawn chair in the bed of the truck, while sitting and eating junk and drinking pop, LOL! Just like being at home, only more exciting.

I can't recall at what point it happened, either late in practice or maybe prior to the start of eliminations, my partner comes back to the trailer and says, car won't start. OK, it's either fuel or the batteries. I had just filled the tank (didn't have a cell, back then), so, unless it's another problem, it's likely the batteries. I yell at the kid, get down here and help me with the generator, it was one of those old ONAN's, the large heavy ones, not exactly mobile. He grabbed the end of this thing, lifted it up and looked at me like I was nuts. He says, where are we going? I simply pointed toward the staging lanes. We were probably pitted about as far back as you could get that nite, so, it was going to be a long walk.

Long story short, after 3-4 stops for him to rest and catch his breath, we made it to the lanes, recharged the batteries. If memory serves me right, went deep into the eliminator that nite. Funny this was, called the kid up the next weekend, asked him if he wanted to go again. He had something else planned, maybe later he said! He did go a time or two more but don't think he was ever as enthused as the first time.

I remember that weekend, that was Pit Stop Paul ! Remember, he came flying around the truck with the floor jack wanting to change the tires like in NASCAR the first time I pulled up to the trailer after a pass? I never did figure out where he thought he was going to get any more tires to put on it since we didn't bring any spares....

I remember you sending the kid after water to cool the car down and he took off with the jugs, but forgot the wagon...

"You gonna tell him?'
"Nahh"

[Dion Hildebrandt]

[QUOTE=Tod Lane;167998]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

As well, learned, DON'T check the spark of an MSD-7 with the coil wire held by your fingers. That hurt! Nuff said.
QUOTE]

Hey, you said "Bump it"...lol
Seems I recall you sizzling on the end of a plug wire attached to a 67 Mustng once....

Reminds me of a guy I saw pull into the pits one day in edmonton at a bracket race, 1967 cuda with this huge promod wing off the back. Real hippie lookin guy, he opens the hood and has an instant crowd. I wander over to see what the fuss is about and this guy is talking about the advantages of having 6 coils hooked up to the distributor on his 340 ci. One guy pipes up and asks 'how fat is the spark off those wires?' so the hippie lookin dude pops off a lead and cranks the engine and be damned if he wasnt thrown back 20 feet and had to change his drawers, shoulda ground the wire hahaha still see the smoke out of his ears.

[Dion Hildebrandt]

I got one more, been around a race track since before i could walk seen a lot of stupid s**t! So the ole boy and I are hangin in the trailer early one cold sunday morning after unloading his car,we had the lawn chairs all set up too. We are looking directly at this pair trying to fire up a super pro mustang, one guy bumping the key , the other guy holding a 10 gallon jerry can......................over the carb. Long story longer this jerry can is flying thru the air with the greatest of ease.....................in flames, the ole boy and I couldnt hold our laughter back. These two guys couldnt chose between the car or the jerry can with which too dose the flames. this was also at a track north of calgary. To this day I still chuckle to myself when I see the perpetrators. hahaha awesome. no one was hurt in the stunt depicted above and should only be done by trained PRO-FESSIONULS!!!