[DeTomaso] Big Bend ORR Parking Lot Tech Session

[asajay at asajay.com]

Just make sure it was the high premium TRACTOR Race Oil.  The other  
stuff won't work.

Asa Jay


Quoting Mad Dog Antenucci <teampantera at yahoo.com>:

> Tommy Gun,
>
> Great reports both JT and you.  Looking forward to MF'r getting out   
> of taking to bed ;-]> and giving us a report on his engine.
>
> Congrats to all of you.  Okay, Its Bob running the GUMBALL RALLY next!!!
>
> Just added 11 quarts of Penzoil Race Oil that AJ and Paul recommended.. ;-]>
>
>
> Mad Dawg Antenucci
> Team Pantera Racing
> The 1st & still the only vintage race team in open road racing
> www.teampanteraracing.com
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Tom Di Iulio <tomdiiulio at gmail.com>
> To: pantera list <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 6:30:48 AM
> Subject: [DeTomaso] Big Bend ORR Parking Lot Tech Session
>
> hello all,
> as usual, it sounded like at least mike and i were working on our cars right
> up til we left for the event. while checking air pressure on the tires, i
> noted the day prior to leaving denver that my rubber valve stems (2 of the
> 4) had cracks in them. that could be a bad situation if one lets go at high
> speeds! a trip to the tire store had new metal stems on and i was ready to
> go.
> the 750 mile drive down (trailering the car) was pretty uneventful. weather
> got warmer, land got flatter. got to the hotel and unloaded the car. got
> thru tech just fine and did some high-speed test runs on the course just to
> get the feel again. all was good.
> friday, i'm heading into the parking lot for the driver's meeting. i notice
> a big cloud of steam in my rear view mirror and look for a place to stop.
> everyone comes running over and we commence looking for the source. we had
> to stop work to attend the driver's meeting (mandatory) and began working on
> the car again when the meeting ended.
> we finally saw that the overflow tank (original) had finally rusted thru and
> had a pencil eraser-sized hole in it's bottom. now what's the chances of a
> 37 yr old overflow tank rusting thru the day before a race? it was actually
> very lucky that it happened as mike was able to patch the hole with an epoxy
> putty. a few other minor adjustments and i was back in business.
> as usual on race day, mike had supplied john taphorn and i with wonderful
> course notes to let us know where we should be along the course at any given
> time. he had also "seeded" the course with special markers so we could
> easily identify our location.
> well, i don't run with a navigator (never have) and it gets a bit busy on
> the course trying to watch your gauges, keep an eye out for the markers,
> look for other cars, read the notes, check the stopwatch, drink beer (no
> cupholders!), and oh yeah, drive the car.
> needless to say i was way ahead of my time as we finished the first leg and
> decided to just drive the car and forget trying to place for a trophy. i was
> the only car in my speed class that didn't have a navigator and i figured my
> chances of winning were slim to none.
> i had an absolute blast on the way back, passed 3 cars (1 in a higher speed
> class) and finished several minutes ahead of my scheduled time.
> after shutting down in the parking lot, the overflow tank starts burping up
> fluid again, leaving a nice puddle. people are pointing but i'm grinning
> from ear to ear. she got me home and that's all that mattered.
> the car ran great on the course, engine was turning at around 5400 rpms,
> speedo was hovering around 140 but i think it was closer to 133 actual. i
> kept waiting for a piston to launch thru the rear deck lid but it never
> happened. i learned i had my tires over-inflated (44psi)  and will run at a
> much lower pressure (32-35) in the future for a smoother ride and more road
> contact.
> they say racing will expose any weaknesses in your car's equipment and that
> is certainly true but it also reminds you of the great community of friends
> you have when you're in a tough spot. special thanks to mike frazier and
> john taphorn for helping me out that hot afternoon in the parking lot prior
> to race day.
> the big bend open road race is the best course of them all and i hope some
> of you will consider making the trip next year. i promise you'll love it!
> tom di iulio
> denver
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