jt1

I'm using the base comp roller lifters, not the high line (endurex?) ones. They are several years old (6 or 7) and I've had no issues at all with them, despite seeing a lot of abuse. Don't worry about the hookers too much. Mark's car makes some big numbers with them. His torque curve makes mine look like a voltage spike. John

Dave, is that one of the Comp cams ground on a cast core? If so, I've had two and haven't been impressed with the durability, both showed a lot of wear quickly, and I'm using the 977 springs at 1.850, so no massive pressures. My next one is going to be something different. John

I haven't got mine yet, looking forward to it. You've got to see Mark's car to appreciate it, it's a complete package with massive power, nice paint, nice interior, and lots of attention to detail. jt

There has been a lot of discussion of this, and a lot of conflicting info. Of the U joint halfshafts, all the one's I've measured were the same length, if measured center of u joint to center of u joint. The splined diff flanges that snap into the diff are different, and this may be where part of the confusion lies. If you measure overall length of the halfshaft/ diff flange/companion flange assembly, they are different. And, isn't the R200 offset in the chassis? John

I've heard old timers around here use the description I posted above..... but Tony and Mike usually know what they're talking about. I dunno...... John

A NC owner of a CGT hit a cat one day, damaging the cf air dam. The repair bill was a little over $14K. John

That's pretty funny. He almost follows the front car off course when it spins. What track is that? John

The plaque isn't stock, and there's no way to tell for certain about the cam unless you pull the valve cover and check it out. The term "3/4 cam" originated in the fifties when cam science was in it's infancy. Back then, you had a stock cam, and a race cam. The term "3/4 cam" came along to indicate a hotrodder style cam that wasn't stock, but also wasn't as radical as a "full race" cam. Today we have a zillon cams to choose from in incremental steps, so "3/4" and "full race" are pretty much nostalgic terms. It sounds like your car has an aftermarket header on it, not a stock exhaust manifold. John

This is very true. The bottom line is it's all about communication, the only time he should take the controls is if there is a safety issue. Talk to him about it, and explain your position as calmly and accurately as possible. Then listen to what he says, and try it out. The flip side is when he gives you instructions, do your absolute best to execute them as he suggests. This will help him gain confidence in you quickly. Most of the time you can work it out, but if it's not working ask for another instructor, and be prepared to give quick, precise, and logical reasons for your request. A good pilot is expected to communicate intelligently and accurately.

Bingo. There are many combos, build the one you like. I'm working on a 302 now for no other reason than the hell of it. John

Anybody know of a good motel in Rockingham? I don't need a fancy place, but I want a clean comfortable bed, a good shower, and be fairly quiet so I can get my beauty rest. I've never stayed there before so I'm lost. Any good places, or places to avoid? John

I wrapped a set of headers once. It seemed to help the car some, although we didn't dyno it. Underhood temp went down, and you didn't burn your hands so easy working on the car when it was hot, so that was positive. I don't think leaving gaps would be a good idea, because the temp along the header would vary so at the wrapped/unwrapped areas. If I didn't have enough to do the whole header, I would divide it up, start wrapping the tubes closest to the head, and stop when I ran out. That where the tubes are hottest and the most heat lost. You are bound to have some overlap around bends, but on straight sections butting the wrap against the previous wrap should be fine. We didn't have a moisture problem, but it was on a pure race car that never saw street use. John

That first ride is always a rush, congrats. What the combo like? jt

Tom, I would love to....but Oct 14 is my wife's birthday, and back in the summer I promised her we would take a trip that weekend. Yes I know I am completely whipped, but as much as I want to go to Barber, I want to stay married more. And I can assure you a trip to Barber is NOT what she has in mind for her birthday........... jt

I ran across this vid of a not-so-good lap at CMP. Early turn in at T10, then poor recovery leads to a wild ride. Enjoy. Note the datalogger at the bottom of the screen. http://blip.tv/file/365434/ John

I hate rats. I've shot a bunch of them, but if I ever got bit by one, I would go into full ballistic mode. Damn they are nasty. Nice rifles. John

I've got a 680 odyssey in my car. It cranks my 10.5:1 355 with no problems at all. Been in for over three years now. John

That is looking great, really nice. I loved the tube clip, I loved the radiator duct, and now I love the color. Super nice work. John

It's just the combo of different parts from different manufacturers. When I put in my HTOB, I went thru much the same process, although my spacer was 0.150. I was using a Ram clutch, McLeod TOB, GM bellhousing, and Tremec trans. Machining down the front bearing retainer on the trans would have been another solution. John

Congrats! A weekend at the track, 5hrs of track time, and 5K troublefree miles is evidence of a well sorted combo. Good job! John

My first car was a 65 Dodge Custom 880. The first lesson of old Mopars is carry a spare ballast resistor in the glove box! Nice looking car. Enjoy it!!! jt

Try a new ballast resistor, the white ceramic thing bolted to the firewall and wired to the coil. There are two types, two wire and four wire, get the same kind you have. If that doesn't do it, you probably need a new ignition switch. Post a pic. Old Mopars are cool. jt

Is it a turbo car? It's somewhat popular to put a blower on NA cars, lots cheaper than adding a turbo. I've never heard of one with both. jt

1. Maybe, you can give it a try. You will have a pretty good fire in a minute, so be prepared. try to concentrate the heat on the nut itself. 2. Probably so, but usually the trick is securing the case and pinion so that it doesn't turn when you are standing on the bar. 3. You will just have to ask, all you need is a good 1/2" air gun and the proper socket. Finding the socket will be harder than the gun. Good luck. jt

When I did mine we dug thru a bunch of generic shims to find what I needed. I think they were for a chevy truck rear, but I'm not sure. If there's a shop in your area you could try that. Reider Racing has been mentioned as a shim source, but I haven't bought from them. jt