GARAGE
Several changes have occurred which affected that date.
1-The garage money unfortunately had to be used to keep the business alive. Sad but true: without advertising, there is no business, no race car. The $6380 went to pay for this coming year's yellow page ads (partially). John Force is probably over this particular hump.

LIFT SYSTEM
The pivot system is in, but we found now that the BODY mountings to the rear tree are a source of flexing. So we're going to add two more stiffeners affixed to the 1/4" aluminum rear bulkhead to reduce the sway. This is all towards making the lift system very precise and repeatable. In times past, the uncertainties of all the little loosenesses and flexing resulted in the tin getting beat up a bit. Not a serious thing, but hey, we want those cosmetics to be flawless, you know?

ENGINES
The engines are STILL at Barrington. He is great, but is SLOW. With the money crunch, I've not bothered to bug him, as he represents cheap storage (and knows it).

TRANSMISSIONS
One transmission and torque converter have been sold off, and the proceeds will be forwarded to Mike's Transmissions as a deposit on a Godzilla-glide (when they become available). This trans will have a larger input shaft, about 4 times stronger than present Vasco units. This proved to be a weak area for us, and the breakage there cascaded into basically trailering the operation (blown input shaft, over-rev, broken blower belt, body damage, bent valves, damaged pistons, blown engine, cut tires, etc.). Obviously, this is an important point of protection and investment. We still have a ready-to-go fresh Powerglide with Vasco input, shield, 2 J&W bellhousings, and both a 9" and 10" converter.

REV LIMITER
I've purchased a PSI rev limiter for this very reason. Sadly, as mentioned in previous updates, the Auto-Meter limiter system did not function well, and had been disconnected. The correct thinking was there from day one, the unit had been installed at the outset, but proper equipment didn't exist until recently. We're looking like a candidate for the Darwin award of race car equipment!!

DUALLY
The new dually engine has not yet been installed. The existing engine and trans will be sold off once the beefier units are in. We're just out of storage space here (particularly without the new garage). Got a GREAT deal on a 454 and Turbo 400 for anyone who's interested!

GENERATORS and AC
The trick 4000-watt Onan has been upstaged by a 6500-watt unit. The  4K unit will be sold to Randy Laur for HIS funnycar operation.
A 19000 BTU Frigidaire air-conditioner has become available for the trailer for the price of repair only, about $200. This is a 220-volt house unit of extremely large capacity, and will be mounted on the front of the trailer over the work bench, blowing through the upper cabinets.
The Chicago 4400-watt generator and 11 HP Briggs engine combination formerly mounted on the tongue of the trailer is up for sale for $300.

DRIVER COOLING
In the driver cooling department a major advance has been discovered. A company named Parker Pumper makes the very cooled intake air device which I've been inventing for two years. I've contacted Parker, and will go to the shop soon for a demonstration. 

THOSE DARN TIRES
The tire situation is a maddening one: they fit, they don't fit. The precision lift geometry was designed partly to insure the 36" tires could work without danger of being cut, etc. The basic problem is I have a wide chassis and a narrow body. There is NO room to go in or out to accommodate the tires. When I remade the wheel wells, I used spacers around the tires to insure enough room. Sadly, I was fitting the whole thing to 34" tires, THINKING I was giving myself plenty of insurance room for the larger units. I'm going to do a bit more relieving of the fender well flange to see if I can get enough clearance, and possibly shim the body up an inch or so. If that fails to work, it's off with the 36" tires and back to a brand new set of 34" Goodyears at $840. If so, Randy Laur will be the lucky recipient of the great deal on the 2 pair of 3-run 36" slicks I got at the Winternationals.

CREW and PROMOTION
Bob Barnes has been hounding me weekly (and sometimes more often) to get him a promotion packet with which to approach sponsors. It's great to have a crew that forces me to accomplish things. The packet is roughed together, not yet duplicated.....it's just about finding TIME!! He is also scoring an inventory of grade 8 bolts for the reassembly process.

SELLING OFF
So I'm currently working the business to provide the funds to play. I haven't yet paid myself back the garage funds, so that project is idled for a bit.
I've inventoried everything I can sell and if all gets sold, about $8K can be raised. This would be VERY helpful.

SPONSORS
Of course, a smart sponsor could come in and cut a great deal right now for about $20K, and the whole operation would be done in about a month, and out there doing displays!!