Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

We got a lot of stuff done but it was not fun.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Can't wait for Dumbos first flight !

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Started scaling the car...….what a fatazz car. No wonder why the springs won't hold it up.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

its amazing how much you do your home work on the weight, am 6'6" and need to shed a ton of weight to get into d/s ,, as you mentioned its expensive

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

At the 50th Indy I lost 50 lbs. to get to min. weight for class. People kept asking Patsy if I was OK, or was I sick.

If you do this for fun your not OK and your pretty sick.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

New door glass both sides, thanks Jerry's Glass in Mayfield Ky. Can't run plastic glass in 15 has to be 09 and 10 DP only. Thanks John for saving me some grief and some scrambling next week at Indy. Now I can put dial on window. All support electrical systems work fuel, fan, water pump, lights front and back, and stop lite in the window. New battery for a new car. I still have to find some parts in some bar stock. With a little luck we could be smelling smoke tomorrow afternoon. After almost three years I will be ready.

I'm trying to get the car re-certified this week so I won't miss a qualifying run at Indy next week. I think I lucked out there is a NHRA tech in Benton IL. 75 miles away. Load up the car and let him check out my new, to me, car.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

I typed for paragraphs and its gone. Another day in paradise

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Where’s Dumbo?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry,
Best of Luck to you with your new ride!;)
Stay safe and go fast.:D
Regards,
HB2:)
Dissident

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

I’m excited to see Dumbo next week!

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

What an effort we had yesterday. Everyone working to achieve the goal of going to the track for testing. It was Patsy, our son Chris, Bob Toy, and by phone, Gary Jennings, and Randy Eakins. The car did not want to cooperate on the scales, we think it's binding someplace. It ate up most of the day.
Car is still in shop.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Seems like years ago I remember a family doing a similar thrash and leaving for Topeka with an untested product. #1 Qualifier and a successful teardown followed by several #1's despite the fact that NHRA was throwing HP at it like a politician throwing out candy in the local parade. The little red truck has done ok.

Wishing you the same success with Dumbo.

Pete

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

We tested in St. Louis on Wednesday night then drove to Topeka that night and the next day. It was faster at St Louis than Topeka.

If you remember all of that you are old Kansas Stocker

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

I pulled the plug on Dumbo going to Indy. The thought of a new untested car at Indy was a danger to myself and my fellow competitor in the other lane. I know I would not want to be in the other lane with the pink car in that situation.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Sorry to hear that, I know it's disappointing. I'm sure it's the right decision but still a tough call. I was looking forward to seeing the new car in action, hope you have it lined out soon. Take care!

Dennis Breeden

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

With the knowledge and experience that you have, I'm sure you are making the right call.
Thanks for taking us along on the build.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Bummer about Indy but you made the right call but still you made so much progress with Dumbo been following the build thread hope to see Dumbo fly before the season is done

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

I have to thank John Donato, Jason Schade, and friend and adviser Gary Jennings for their help yesterday. Gary had to identify, defective hardware, suspension "binds", do to my screw-ups, and scale the car to get corner weights correct. Almost forgot wheelie bars, I got them wrong too. Gary is a keep it simple genius. In three hours everything was fixed except the failed suspension parts. My job was simple, I was the go-for guy and then I would watch him work and try to learn. It was intense without any breaks or BS. Occasionally we would laugh at how slow we were since we had gotten old.
It was kind of like when I was a kid watching my father working on something, trying to help by not holding the light in his eyes.

All in all it was a good day, and I needed one of those.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Sorry that you can't make Indy. I totally understand and respect your decision to pull the plug. You want the car to be right and SAFE for you and the racer in the other lane. Good luck and I hope you make it to a race soon.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Hey Big Guy,:D
It is a bummer to miss the Big Go, but it is so difficult to debut a new racecar at the Indy event. It will pay off in spades that you skipped the Indy gig by remembering "softly, softly....catchee monkey" as you sneak up on problems and resolve them so it will pay you back handsomely.
Best to you and yours,;)
HB2:)
Dissident

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

We got the two step working, thanks to David, Chris, and Bob. My job as usual was to hold the flashlight and not shine it in anyone's eyes. The most fun I had was applying the brake, turning the ignition on and off, and overhearing what to do to make stuff work.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry,
Would you mind posting photos of Dumbo at the Gateway test session?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Dumbo is done for the year. It seems we got a block with a porosity problem. I guess some days are luckier than others. Just have to remove disassemble, fix, reassemble, dyno, install, and test. That should keep me out of the bars for awhile.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry, same with my new project. Went to run the car and found we had a bad cylinder. My future plans sound like yours. A lot of future work and $$$. Good luck with dumbo.





Bret Velde
2003 ???

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but your grade points for 2020 will be a challenge for you?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

I will fix that

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

They can still average the last three years as well...Larry, sorry for all the adversity but know the reward will be that much sweeter.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry,
Please let me know if I can be of help in sourcing parts solutions or whatever. Depends on what the porosity issues are, but let me know if you need anything. Dumbo deserves to be flying!;)

Regards,
HB2:)
Dissident

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Is this a 426 combo car, hence the Elephant (Dumbo) reference?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Its a baby Elephant, 392, that's why its Dumbo. If it was a full grown HEMI it would have tusks and a much more menacing look.


I think all will be well after the water is kept in place. But trust me I'm not shy and I always want to listen to different ideas.

Thanks HB2, I have a plan of attack and need a little time to set it in motion. But to be honest a few more magic feathers might come in handy!

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Back to the Pink Lady to gather some points?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Ten LODRS events left this year. Plenty of opportunities.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Did Patsy break her camera? Where are all the pics?

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Years ago when we had porosity problems while running aluminum Oldsmobile small block heads in Modified we encountered weeping or sweating-- our solution was to use either Alumaseal the powdered stuff or something called "Water Glass" or sometimes called "Sodium Silicate" I think is the actual name for it--we got that stuff from a Pharmacy !! The farmers used that stuff on chicken eggs before refrigeration and would dip the egg into and could leave it on the kitchen counter for a few weeks and the eggs would not spoil---Not sure how bad your situation is but both methods either separately or together solved our problem. BUT before you go into tearing it all apart you might give it a try. Good luck interesting build have been following it and wish you well

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

After Rockingham I should be able to make some progress on "Dumbo''. Plan of attack is put on rack, drop oil pan, fill and pressurize cooling system, and determine the source of leak. Remove engine, disassemble, inspect, repair, hone cylinders, assemble, dyno, install, sort out car, go to the Gators.
That should keep me busy for a few days.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

At least y’all have a strategy. ;)

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Larry and Patsy,
Thank you for the joy you bring to this forum for all the right reasons.
Sincerely,
Frank

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Fighting getting the pan off in the car. I don't want to remove center of cross member. If anyone has removed center tube on Drag Pack let me know. Removing trans and CSR shield, that Ray Charles could see that does not fit without modification. I'm going to try something else.

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Thanks Peter.
Got the pan off and no rust on crank or rods, I would rather be lucky than good.
Filled cooling system with water and pressurized system to 25 psi. Raised the car up, got a comfortable chair, blue paper towels, a strong lite, and waited. Waited some more and not a drop was leaking, but in the bottom of the oil pan was the tell tale greenish brown milkshake of water and oil.

It always puts me in my place when a piece of metal is smarter than I am. Now to remove engine and check the top end for leaks. I just knew that when I went to drain the odd bank of cylinders water jacket and nothing came out I had found the problem. Not so

Re: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
 

Well, maybe not found it (yet) but you did locate the issue. I would think somewhere in the block, though, if it was a top end leak there still should have been some water left in the block :confused:
Are you going to have the block pressure tested while it's out?