Crankshaft experiment

[Jack Gifford]

Well, yes, it's intended to look like part of an airplane. The body is a fiberglas replica of a P-38 drop tank. Starting in 1947 hot rodders used surplus aluminum drop tanks for the original landspeed racing "lakesters".

[Jack Gifford]

Another test-run with no breakage, this time on a quarter-mile track. Didn't learn much, due to a bad choice of gearing- too "tall" to get the engine into its intended rev range.

[beat]

well, - at least no breakage.

wich is something of a success.


beat

[Jack Gifford]

Tomorrow I'll be at the tenth-mile drag event again... This time with gearing that's more appropriate...

[beat]

[Jack Gifford]

The race car treated me good once more- no issues.
85.3 MPH at the end of the tenth-of-a-mile was 7,100 RPM, which is getting closer to the engine speed I want to see.
I need to improve some things in the cramped cockpit. For example, the required helmet and HANS device prevent me from tipping my head enough to view the harness buckle- a crew member must reach in and buckle it.

[Jack Gifford]

Got in two more tenth-mile runs with no damage. Had to abort the first run- about two seconds out the rear tires broke traction and tried to pass me! Gearing was only increased about 12% and I didn't expect wheelspin. On the second run I stayed away from full throttle for a couple of seconds, so I didn't see the 8,000 RPM I wanted- only 7,250. No more running this year, but I'm anxious to get to a landspeed track next season.

[beat]

wishes you the best for next season.....

beat

[Jack Gifford]

Thanks Beat! I'll be watching for some podium finishes with your 3-wheeler.

[Jack Gifford]

I finally got the lakester to a landspeed event the first week of September at the former Loring AFB (12,600' x 300' runway). Plans for a crew fell through, but other racers were very helpful. It was a long trip- 1,720 miles towing with the '59 GMC- but neither the truck or race car suffered any damage. The prior mile record in my class was 121 mph, which I bumped to 136 on my first run, then bumped it the next day to 150. Amazing success for a rookie racer!

[Barry Creary]

Well done Jack congratulations all your great work paying dividends.

[b50root]

Congrats. Any Video?

[Jack Gifford]

... Any Video?...

One movie- forgot to start the camera on other runs. But it's just a view of the instruments (poor boy's data-logging!). And what I really wanted to see was A/F ratio, but that gauge wasn't readable in the movie . Before next season I'll re-arrange gauges and improve the camera angle. The only benefit of the movie was seeing bottom-end oil pressure not wavering from 100 psi.

[beat]

hi Jack,

this is great news

pushing a record from 121 mph to 150 is a amazing job

congratulation

IMO: at the view of the instruments is maybe some more mph to find...

beat

[Jack Gifford]

... at the view of the instruments is maybe some more mph to find...

Yes, I hope so. I especially need to see A/F ratio since I'm purposely running "fat" to be on the safe side. The conservative tune has served me well so far- no engine issues at all in 10 runs (including dragstrip tests last summer). Now that my licensing passes are out of the way, I look forward to a more aggressive tune-up next year- A/F ratio, ignition timing, blower speed, etc.- and gearing changes to also run the 1.5 mile.