The weeks just keep getting better and better. Last Tuesday I had set up an appointment with Eric to measure the engine from his Tank after his wife had bested an El Mirage record. It's normal procedure to verify the displacement of an engine after a record speed is set to certify it as an official record. Competitors have to get this done before the next meet and we usually do this at the lakes. In Eric's case he was running a flattie and that means pulling a head for direct measurement. His car is as they say a complicated piece with a supercharger, big plenum, fuel lines everywhere for the injection system etc., etc., so it's better to do a teardown at his shop as we don't have to hang around for a few hours after the race was called to get the job done. Another good reason is Mr. Wind and Mr. Dust like to get everywhere inside an engine so off to his shop I went.

Since it's a bit of a drive to his place additional stops were set up to make for more fun. I've mentioned Jack Underwood before. He's one of the backbones of our research library and has an open house every day of the week for car guys so a visit was had to his "Garage". The cool thing is you never know who or what will be happening at his place and the visit was indeed a treat. Since the L.A. Roadster Show on Fathers Day was to happen at the end of the week a group of out of towners from Colorado were there for a visit along with the regulars and it was indeed a jumpin joint. The first shot (JMC_1294) shows just a few of the toys that had assembled outside his place. All I can say is wow!

After some lie swapping it was time for me to hustle over to Eric's for the measure. He had everything ready. As a recap his wife missed getting into the Dirty two club the previous weekend by about .5 mph on her first lap so she went out for a second one later in the day and looped it big time. Seems in the around we go stuff there was a little over revving and valve touching of the cylinder head so the tear down for the measure was indeed a good thing. Several cracks were found around the valve seats (normal flattie malidies) and water was makeing its home in cylinder number 1. The prognosis was outch but the measure was A-OK. The inside of the engine bay was a little nasty with all the dirt from the spin so I had to capture it for you (JMC_1295). Most people don't get to see inside the toys or realize how complicated a machine is that goes really fast so enjoy the gaze. After the measure and certification I made another stop at Richard Parks pad. He lives a couple of blocks from Jack's Garage so more car talk ensued before it was time to go sit in traffic for the trip home.

The next two days were spent scanning the rest of Royce McClintick's shots of his and the Summers Brothers Goldenrod adventures. Wait till you see some of the shots after there posted. Come Friday I goofed off a little and went out to the garage and actually did some work on the race car. Another fire bottle is now in place and that finally ends the updates to meet all the new safety rules. Thank God!

But wait, the day wasn't over yet as the So-Cal Speed Shop had its annual the day before the roadster show party. I got there a little late as the traffic is never predictable on Fridays. After a hoof of a couple of blocks the first car that sad shoot me was parked on the street next door to the So-Cal shop (JMC_1296). Hopefully all you folks who grew up reading Car Craft, Custom Cars and R&C will appreciate how bizarre customs were then and now. This '54ish Ford Pick em up fits right in the mold. I'm still trying to figure out what was used for the grill ornaments. 

About a hundred shots later and chats with Jimmy Shine, Tom Walsh, Dennis Varney, Alex Xydias, Tom Leib et al I was walking towards the street again on my way out and spied one of the coolest Deuces. What rung my bell is seen in this next shot (JMC_1297). Check out the louvers on the top of the hood panels and how they relate to the side panels. Everything lines up perfectally and looks like something Edsel would of back in the day on one of his personal rides. The windshield posts are laid back at a steep angle and ditto the OEM look. What a ride.

Another longer than it should of taken drive because of an accident ensued to the S.C.T.A. Board meeting later that night so it was as they say a busy day.

Saturday morning it was here we go again out to Pomona for a look at a couple thousand roadsters in every size and shape and celebrate papa's day. My first stop was at Ron Main's booth as he was cleaning out his collection. A hundred or so magazines later in a box and I still wasn't finished as the movie show cards were next. I scored again for the foundation with a dozen or so gems like this lobby card (JMC_1294) from 1950 showing some lightweight actor who just happened to like race cars that went by the name of Clark Gable.

After more than a few miles of tromping around Terry Baldwin and I walked over to the Wally Parks NHRA Museum for a special event at the end of the day. A few weeks back Tony Thacker had sent me an invite for the unveiling of yet another special pre and post war lakes racer. Dan and Ashley Webb with the guidance of the original builder and AHRF Pioneer Phil Remington presented a replica of Phil's lakes car he built before he became famous. This car is so good that it would score 200 points on a 0 to 100 point scale. You couldn't get near it because of the throngs getting an up close look at it. The place was packed with some of the best builders in the country vieing to get a closer look. JMC_1292 shows a blurry shot of the masterpiece. JMC_1291 shows the man himself Phil on the left talking to a couple of pals in the guise of Art Chrisman and Dan Gurney. JMC_1293 shows some more of the crowded room with the car center stage. The gent in the center in the foreground is legend Bud Meyer. Isky's on the left in the red had. Tin bender Steve Davis is in front of him. Spied in the back are Mike Herman, Pat Ganall and Bruce Hand. Others on hand were Steve Moal, John Morton, Seth and Tannis Hammond, Bob Wenz, Pete Eastwood, Alex Xydias, Dennis Varney, Dick Guldstrand, Dave Crouse, Mike Spacek and Bob Falcon to name a few.

This one's going to be hard to top. Thanks Tony, Rem and especially Mr. Webb.

For a few shots of the car at the lakes in the good old days check out DFF_112, IDC_003, KTC_012, MTH_081 and RWC_056.