Dirt Missile rebuild begins

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by WSSix

What ever happened to Frank anyway? Did he move an open another shop elsewhere not focusing on the PT world? Just curious.

Keep us updated, Greg.

Good question Trey! I had heard that he’d moved to Canada.... but I never hear his name mentioned so I have no clue.

RE the dirt missile

Motor is out and on it’s way to Texas for Scoggins Dickey (Kurt Urban) to tear into and see what’s what.

A few parts have been ordered etc

The plan is to work on it this week — and do what they can without parts — then take a break and wait for parts to come in — wait to hear what’s with the motor — and then get back on it. We’re planning on being done in March if at all possible. SPEEDTECH is all over it!!

[gofastwclass]

Very cool. This thing is moving forward faster than bad news!

[raustinss]

I let my fingers do some searching a few years ago Frank's name came up tied into some steel company somewhere in the Toronto area . I tried to post it here but due to his safety and such it never made it past the mods . I'm sure hes moved onto something else now. Sorry for the hi jack Greg.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by gofastwclass

Very cool. This thing is moving forward faster than bad news!

These guys are just all over it — they understand my situation.... And I really appreciate them even taking this on! Most shops wouldn’t. Nobody wants to take on other peoples problems like this..... They usually don’t come out looking good on it - you’re taking on a basket of worms with a lot of people watching and waiting the eventual outcome..... So my hat is off to SpeedTech for helping me maybe see this thing actually turn in to a race car.

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

We’re planning on being done in March if at all possible. SPEEDTECH is all over it!!

March 16-17 first NASA Norcal event at Sonoma. Just trying to help!

[CJD Automotive]

Originally Posted by Flash68

March 16-17 first NASA Norcal event at Sonoma. Just trying to help!

I'm thinking Daytona for Optima...Outlaw class! Then sign on to a track day at Sebring the following weekend.

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by CJD Automotive

I'm thinking Daytona for Optima...Outlaw class! Then sign on to a track day at Sebring the following weekend.

The Dirt Missile Reincarnated on 200 TW tires? Yeah, no.

[Che70velle]

Greg, I might have missed it in the initial build specs, but what is the wheelbase of the car in inches?

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by che70velle

greg, i might have missed it in the initial build specs, but what is the wheelbase of the car in inches?

it’s short on quality...... Long on excuses..... Missed the mark wide by a mile.....


Lol


look up a 1970 mustang - should be right there.

[GregWeld]

I’m going to post a list of what was done right on the car....



Now for what was wrong......


Motor badly overheated.... to the point that it began melting the temp sender...
Oil starvation
Dry sump tank was only a 2 gallon — requires at least a 3 gallon
Exhaust valves burnt - not one good one
Lousy tune
KRC P/S pump burnt up (no cooler)
2000* header coating burned off
Wiring and connectors melted
Ridiculously heavy steel (cheap) driveshaft
Plumbing for the AirJax too small and not balanced
Custom made headers blocking access to plug(s)
Brake lines almost cut thru

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So — the entire car is being rewired
Motor sent to Kurt Urban at Scoggins-Dickey Race Shop for complete rebuild
Replacing the block - heads - cam - lifters - rocker arms just to name a few parts
Block will be upgraded to the RHS version
SpeedTech has added - oil cooler - power steering cooler - tranny cooler - rear end cooler (with pumps etc)
Laid the radiator at an angle and will exit via hood/front end
New lightweight Mark Williams aluminum driveline that weighs 6 pounds less than the cheap steel shaft did without the yoke! 18 #’s without yoke vs 12 #’s complete with yoke - and it’s tested to 3000 #’s of Torque
KRC P/S pump sent back for rebuild - new one ordered - repaired version will be “backup”
Heat shielding added to firewall and tranny tunnel
Headers modified and returned to Jet Hot for re-coating - and will be wrapped upon reinstall as well
3 gallon dry sump tank to replace the 2 gallon version
Wheel tubs rebuilt
NACA ducting to cooler
Brake line mounting revised so they don’t rub and get cut

This is just some of the mods and repairs that I can remember off the top of my head..... trust me —— there’s much more done, and to be done. Basically there was not a single item done correctly so the car is being rebuilt from the ground up.

We’re ditching the Super secret Sutton BS decoupled three link rear for a simple three link — and we’ll test that - and may still yard it all out and replace it with a Torque Arm - but not sure at this point which way we’ll go.

Front LCA’s rebuilt with gussets and pickup points so they won’t fold like a taco under braking.... (Suttons Secret Sauce version folded TWICE on Mike DuSolds car under braking - damaging his car!

The rear wheel tubs were only the Back 1/2 of a tub
There was nothing on the front side of the wheel so the battery and fuel lines were all exposed to everything and as you know no front tubs

So basically I threw $200,000 down a rat hole known as Ron Sutton Race Technologies —— and SpeedTech is doing a marvelous job of straightening it all out so I’ll end up with what I should have gotten from Mister Secret Sauce in the first place.