<VV> Convention Report? Convention Articles for Communique

[Levair at aol.com]

Or just a convention report?  Where are they?
 Maybe I just didn't get them. When I got home tonight from 
Portland---8-05-05, my AOL said I give up--I'm not accepting any more E mails. If you wrote , 
please try again. 
   When I checked my phone messages upon arrival home, the first one was from 
Terry Roe, father of Doug Roe. What a nice surprise!
   This trip from Anderson IN to Portland was outlandish in all respects. 
Three weeks in a truck that I didn't trust , and loaded to capacity, with wife, 
granddaugher and dog. We did get to see a lot of sights along the way and had 
very little trouble. 
We blew out a trailer tire in each direction when the heat was 104 deg. so 
much for the flatter and cooler northern route---5,  6% 1st gear grades.
   We probably would not have tried it at all if Matt Nahl had not offered us 
a generous incentive.
      The Roe car had never been on a race track before making the 2500 mile 
trip one way--how outlandish is that? I brought two different diameters of 
tires for changing from track to autocross--that's the only special preparation. 
   Every thing went very well at the track in practice. I got to dice with a 
race prepped 240 Z Datsun. It was instant de ja vu. I ran against the same 
type car in the 70s.
    I ran 6500 rpm , 15 psi boost ( 7/1 engine) . The cylinder head temp 
peaked at aout 450 F. (Clark's guages) and stayed there, using both carb and fan 
water intercooling. 
   The late model GM metallic drum brakes worked perfectly although with 
quite a hard pedal. 
   I really babied the car in final practice, just only charging the corners.
  When starting the first timed run, I was flagged off due to catching a car. 
When I went back out, the boost was 10, then 5, then zero and the lap times 
reflect it. 
   The turbo exhaust cross over looked like a frozen / burst water pipe ( 
someone needs to explain that to Californians) .  I neglected to unwrap the pipe 
for the track event ( long heat soak). I did remember to exchange the .2 AR 
exhaust turbine for a .55 one. 
   I still took FTD by about 3 sec. on the first run. I'm either blessed or 
lucky. I choose Blessed.
   Dennis Leforge rescued me for the autocross by taking the pipe and having 
a local machine shop friend weld it up---very well too. 
    The results for Tweety awards for the NECC Portland International time 
trial are:
Lady Tweety---Joyce Scarr
Corveight Tweety-- Frank Butler
90% Tweety--- Bob Slusher
Vintage Tweety----Jack Pinnard (Ex Tom Shrum car)
Street car--Mark Wright   and 2nd fastest overall, which means you have to 
pressent the Top Tweety to the overall winner. 
Stock Tweety---Tim Mahler
Tweety's Choice---
        for providing car to about 5 drivers, organization, work, numbers, 
and DVDs, by acclamation;
   Rich Shepard.
  NECC will provide the actual numbers.
While the pipe was being repaired Dave Lansgather and I trailered his Porsche 
917 10 K replical to the car show---my granddaughter was fascinated by it. 
When we got back the crossover pipe was done. 
    The Bill Thomas/Doug Roe car was prepped for the autox by changing to 
shorter tires and wheels.
    The course was tight due to the lot restrictions. (7000rpm in first gear 
for me).
I had told the novices during the course walk, to go for broke on the first 
run and make all of the mistakes possible for the feed back. Boy, did I ever 
show them how to make mistakes on my first run. They only give a trophy for one 
run and my only clean one was the third one. My closest competion was a well 
driven Corveight.
 Check with Corsa for the actual numbers. 
   The late model SCCA Corvettes on Hoosier race tires were running practice 
runs in the high 41s and low 42s. My best was 42.1 which sent the Vettes back 
out to make about 20 runs to my three. I do believe one did turn a high 39. 
   I only had the energy to make one fun run. I chose my " babe" to be Barb 
Keosababian. She had been feeding me all morning. I got to spend a great hour 
with Tom. 
   Everything was very pleasant an enjoyable at the convention--Kudos to all. 
My only disappointment was not having a piano available to do the expected 
sing along.

OK, you have my self serving report---where is yours????

Warren