Re: IML: Great Race Report 1 - Imperial Expeditionary Farce (61)

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

FTP Access requires a password.  
Hopefully Mark Evans will see this and reply to you
off-list to allow us to get your info up fast!

---

If you care, you can pass safety wire through the
ventilation slots on the wheel covers and through the
holes in the wheels to keep the wheel covers on,
presuming that you have a set of safety wire pliers
and  safety wire, available at most motorcycle places.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2062&itemType=PRODUCT

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2065&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=2065


Keep on pushing through - we're rooting for you!

-Kenyon





--- John Corey <jcorey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Well, we're through two days of running (not
> counting the 5-hour run from home to Philly for the
> start).  This is my first access to email.  So far,
> so good.  
> 
> We were up til midnight Tuesday, fixing the backup
> lights to pass inspection so we'd be legal to drive
> to the race, much less IN it.  They had blown a 20A
> fuse in that circuit!  The switch and bulbs are
> fine, and we could get light at low current when we
> fed the switch separately, so in the end, we just
> made a jumper that bypasses the in-harness lead from
> fuse to switch - and all is beter.
> 
> There's juice oozing from the rear axle near the
> left hub, but I'm 99% sure after three days running
> that it's not brake fluid, even though those pads do
> scream from time to time.  The motor seems to be
> doing well.  The idle is rough, mostly because of
> the vacuum leak from the booster, I think, but
> otherwise, it seems to be taking the load.  WE set
> the timing back 2 degrees because it was knocking on
> the hot run down.  It's been fine ever since in that
> regard.  About 14 MPG at 70 MPH.  It burned a quart
> on the way down to Philly, but no more in the next
> two days.
> 
> Handling was awful at first, running on orginal-spec
> bias ply tires (goodrich Silvertown 8.20 x 15, from
> Coker Tire-and by the way, Corky Coker and his wife
> Teresa are running the Race, too, in their 1930's
> INDY racer!).  Lowering tire pressure from 30-33 to
> the spec 24-26 made a BIG difference in that (but
> there's still no cornering ability!).
> 
> Our exhaust pipes are knocking about under there,
> especially in hard going, due to some interferences
> at extreme suspension positions, but I suppose
> they'll survive.  
> 
> Overall, I'm VERY pleased with the car so far.  I
> begin to think we MIGHT make it all the way.
> 
> We did get our first battle scar - the left front
> hubcap went loose on a railroad crossing and I think
> it clippd the left rear fender on the way by. 
> There's a little slash behind that wheel well.  I
> guess when we get back, we'll have to ask for some
> touch-up. From now on, we're running sans caps - the
> gold wheels and stickers make it look like an early
> Richard Petty Plymouth racer!  I'd like to post some
> pix, but not to the whole list? -  (does anyone have
> an ftp site I can access from out here? Kenyon?).
> 
> Our team number is 61, not by coincidence!  We've
> done two park-and-shows during meal breaks and the
> Imp draws a good crowd even in this amazing field of
> cars!  we're racing against everything from
> brass-era cars (1913 Velie, a 1920's Rolls-Royce)
> through Model A's and 40's vintage sports club
> racers, to every kind of sedan you can imagine, and
> some unique sports cars.  None is newer than our '61
> and we are the only Imperial!
> 
> We even had our first IML'er visit on the starting
> grid in Philly.  Thanks, Jeff - well met!  For those
> wondering what license plates we ended with:  NO XQS
> 
> Today, we got some interesting road grime: It was
> raining and we were dodging buggies in Amish
> country.  Those horses have their own kind of
> emissions problems, y'know!  The tops been up and
> down.  We stuffed shoprags in the A-pillar tops to
> minimize the leaks there today and it worked fine,
> even in hard rain.  No A/C at all, alas.  The
> compressor kicks in, but we get no cooling.  Even
> ventilation is severely limited and we think maybe
> one or more damper doors are not opening, as even
> with the fan on high, we can barely feel any
> airflow. 
> 
> Unlike the car, our performance is only so-so. 
> We're in 5th, I think, of 25 rookies, and about 55th
> overall (midfield of 103).  We're getting better,
> though!  It's LOTS of fun.  Although our total score
> wasn't much better today, our better segments were
> better, indeed - we just just made a couple of bad
> mistakes on other segments.  We're off tomorrrow
> from York, PA to Washington, PA - then on into Ohio
> Monday.  More as events warrant!  Stay tuned and we
> welcome any IML'ers who stop by to say 'HI'
> 
> I'll try to post more as practical!  jc
> 
> 


Kenyon Wills
 
 






















-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm