Random Cool Tricks

I have a fuel gauge like that. Five gallon fuel cell. You either keep tabs on it or you walk.

 

Never lift!

You have to watch this one a few times to appreciate everything that's going on. The rate of scenery passing is the first thing you'll notice. The fact that the blower and all the big pieces stayed on top of the engine with the fuel system intact is impressive. Even with a sneeze from the blower the driver didn't lift off the throttle until he cleared the last 66'. After the ignition is killed and the chute released you can see the un-burned fuel spilling out of the dead blower as it settles forward with the chutes tug of deceleration.

I used to really enjoy being strapped into an unforgiving aluminum seat, in a hot fire suit and helmet, sharing a hot little metal cage with three gallons of race gas and 15 pounds of Halon 1301 and 1211, breathing fresh air through a NACA duct in a side window.

Nowadays I'm happy to be able to stand up and walk without my cane.

 

Never ran anything like that ,, that's some amazing horsepower ...
I've run a few stroked and built Harleys down the track ,, but them Blower motors are another animal ,,

 

I made an award for the East Coast Timing Association for a couple years called The Grenade Award. I'd cut one connecting rod and fit it to another to form a set of cross-bones, then add an upside down practice grenade as a skull, all mounted
to a nice plaque.


One meet the recipient was the rider of a Harley Davidson drag bike that blew the entire front cylinder and piston off about half way down the Maxton Mile. The departure of half the engine had lifted the rider up in the air, but he was still going 100+ MPH, so he had to keep riding the bike and try to roll off somewhere near the pit area.

His random cool trick was when he decided to lift his ass off the seat. Half to see if it was still there and half to see where the big chunk that blew off had gone. As soon as he had lifted himself from the seat the fuel and oil from the engine got plenty of air and lit him on fire.

He said as soon as he saw the flames between his legs he figured he'd better sit back down.

He rolled safely into the pit area and other than having his leathers soaked with oil and a few bruises he was fine.

I made all the grenade awards from stretched aluminum mountain motor rods since I had access to a barrel fil of them. Harley rods would've been much more appropriate, had I known.

They still make a nice addition to my gate tensioner.

 

This was my Hurricane Florence fan. Power was out for a week in early September 2018 in North Carolina. We had water up to the windshield wipers on the neighbors cars (ours were on high ground) and if you sat outside the bugs would eat you. It was safer inside, even with water in the walls and ceiling. I had one screen that had been cut by a looter one night. He went splashing away in a hurry when he saw the Crimson Trace from #1 Son's Kimber on his chest. After that our only visitors were an occasional mosquito or water bug.

Battery fans were great, but this one always works. I saved it through ten months of hotel living and relocation to a new house and still see its' value. Bamboo back scratcher and an old beer case. Add a few staples and you're in business. When it's hot and sticky any air movement is a gift. I think I need to play with a full screen door size baffled hanging ventilator on the porch. It'd just swing when pulled with a rope but it'd move lots of air. In the evening it could cool the whole house when installed in a doorway, and could be added to the fallout shelter ventilation plan.

 

What a great idea! A bar within easy reach of the driver!

 

Heck yeah, if I was thirty years younger!

 

Maybe the food at the reception wasn't enough?

 

How do you get the appearance of being inside the bottle? Camera angle.

 

Barbara Eden was hot !!! Id like that job

 

I had a jumpmaster that was so comfortable on the ramp
that he'd wander around and drop streamers over the drop
zone with no chute and only his comm harness as a "safety line."
I wanted to just step out to get some fresh air at 800' a few
times, but that was just from the JP8 fumes.