agreed. since i still feel i fall in the "hobbyist" category, i haven't made the plunge on an industrial level machine myself. so far i've been very happy with my hobart.

 

I picked up the AHP alphatig 200 just for tugging aluminum. 700$ well spent. After research had shown them to be a outstanding unit.

 

When you purchase your plasma cutter. Pay attention to the duty cycle. Because most are only 100 percent at 15 amps on the 40 amp units. Which is only good for lighter sheet metal. Believe it or not. The Harbor Freight one is 100% at 34 amps. Thought I would try it, and to my amazement it works flawlessly. I just leave it on 34 amps and it cuts anything I want up to 3/4. Hobarts are very nice welders. Had one for years. Finally dropped the coin for a Miller 252. And wow. Steel or aluminum. I don't believe there is substitute for the Miller. And if you are getting a auto hood. Do yourself a huge favor. Get a good one. Miller, Jackson, or Speedglass. The difference is incredible. I hurt my eyes using a cheap one. Wish someone had told me. Now I have to wear glasses.

 

My eBay auto hood took a crap on me this year when building my shop. Mad props for the fact that it simply stayed dark and didn't allow me to go blind. My replacemt was the higher end variety at 140$. But, the difference is clear. A ton of adjustability and replacement clear lenses as well as a much better head strap.

 

over the course of the last 6 weeks, the DirtyBird made it's way back up to my place. we finished the last little odds and ends and got it running. yesterday we took it to mason dixon raceway for my annual fall Mu11et Militia meet that i put on every year. it was a great time! i had it turned down for first pass, which yielded an 11.43 @ 122. it stuttered when it went into 2nd gear so i knew we had a little work to do. i found the rear float was high so i adjusted that and i hopped in the car. 2nd pass was an 11.13 @ 122. we turned up the shift point and added 4* of timing and i put chucky back in the car, and was rewarded with an 11.006 @ 125. i gave it another 500 rpm shift point and bam, 10.96 @ 126.7mph. the car needs more converter truthfully, and could use more gear as well. no weights as the scales were broken still. for a racetrack that charges $5 for each person to scale their car, they sure do stay broken i might have to say something to management about that.

here's video car runs hard on the back end too.


time slip looked like this:
60': 1.576
330': 4.562
1/8: 7.028
MPH: 97.88
1000': 9.157
1/4: 10.962
MPH: 126.78



more converter and gear and it'll go 10.60's, i'm sure of it. the mph is most definitely there.

 

Cool Matt.
Keep me in the loop when you have the next one...maybe I can put in for the day off if I know about in advance

 

Ol girl was scootin!

 

What's the quick and dirty on the build? Thanks. Eric L

 

quick and dirty:

-stock ls1 with a custom cam from martin smallwood. 232/242 .620"/.609" 110+3. untouched 241's other than a fresh valve job and a slight mill to straighten them.
-vic jr with 750 proform centered holley
-1 3/4" long tubes, 3" dual into 4" single exhaust
-10" 3500 stall "Jegs" converter (private labeled by Transmission Specialties). it was a $250 converter, lol. th400 with RMVB. no transbrake
-3.73's in a 7.5" 10 bolt with welded spider gears.

it's light. i am guessing 2900lbs or less with driver. it's pretty well stripped down and has tubular k-member, a-arms, and coilovers. it has manual brakes as well.

we are going to do an 8" converter and do a moser 9". it will get more gear as well.

if you want to sit and read more about it, you can find the build thread here:

http://www.thirdgen.org/forums/organ...et-bomber.html

 

Thats awesome!!

 

It is awesome. Surely has more in it! Any plans for heads for that thing? The hearing and converter will surely wake up some more.

 

going to focus on gearing and converter, and i'd guess i should probably have him consider more safety equipment...

 

Happy Thanksgiving Neanderthals!

 

HappyTurkeyDay to you and the rest of the knuckle draggers

 

Indeed. Run you turkeys! :p

 

Garage should smell of fried turkey for the next week or so

Not fried in garage, but about 5' out the door and the smell always fills the air....good for a little bit, but after a few days.....not so much.

 

Think I'll get some headers and a new shifter and throw the drive line from the 94 GT in to my 89 coupe. Eventually.

 

OK, finally got to the trans guy to pick mine up....he said it was a mess....pump had low pressure (replaced), added extra clutch to the high gear (5 now, was stock 4 and very burnt ).
So the reason it was hesitant to go into drive, MPH way down, and the 17% slip the old converter had should be fixed.......I hope.

Now time to get it put in and ready for next year.

 

awesome news. i'm just a small amount of money away from my new transmission being shipped. i can't wait.

 

Sell blood ?

Sell semen ?

Stand on roadside with a sign saying you need $$$ for a transmission (being honest helps, or maybe even funny) ?