Speedweek 2009 Blog 1

So, for Speedweek 2009 Blog 1, I chose a few pics that are some of my favorite. TRod photoshopped them to make 'em pop even more. These pics were taken right after Craig Pike, owner of MyRideisMe.com and good friend and I made an "inspection run" down the 8 mile Long Course race track. :O All I have to say is what a cool memory. The first Hecht to make a run down the salt even if it was an inspection pass (hey, I'm in Quality, what do you expect). The track was pretty dang smooth for a naturally occuring dry lake bed. Sure, it was dragged and prepped weeks prior to get it worthy for those 200-400mph+ speeds.

Craig's roadster that I rode down the track can't get any cooler or more Hecht-like. It is a metal body '27 T Bucket Ford roadster running a 2.3L Pinto motor with dual Weber carbs on, hot cam and lakester header. I don't know much about roadsters, but people kept commenting on its suspension setup and I think it has a lengthened chassis slightly. I can find the full specs on MyRideisMe.com in Craig's virtual "garage". Anyway, its the sort of car a Hecht might build with that odd little 4 banger. It was running rich, so it sounded nasty (in a good way). Once it cleared out, it got up and went good. It's runnign 4.11 gears on a C3 (no lockup converter, but its been rebuilt, so she's shifts good) trans.

Craig's roadster's name is Bonnie. So, getting to Bonneville is somewhat of a homecoming for Bonnie because of her namesake and Lakester build style. This was Craig's first time at the Salt and he became infected with "Salt Fever" way before he stepped bias ply on the Salt. He's hooked and he'll be back. He, with my and other's help, plans to write a book about Bonneville. It should be a fun project that we work on during this year. More info to come on that.

Anyway, there's no tach (or speedo, gas, nothing gauges) but Craig said we probably got up to about 70mph or so on the big course a few times. COOOOOL!!!! There's no experience more sweeeter in a vehicle than an open top roadster. Just like last year, experiencing Bonneville inspires me to build my own roadster to drive out to the Salt and get it Salty. For now, I've got a '32 Roadster plastic model that I will treat as my own and do it up proper. :)

One of the coolest things is driving in virgin Salt. It's pretty wet and sticky and if driving an open wheel ride, flings salt everywhere. You'll see that Craig ziptied black hose onto the Webers to protect against inhaling NaCl into the intake system. In later pics I took of the street rods that drove on the flats, the Salt gets everywhere. I really love the pics I took with the salt on coupe roofs and on valve covers and headers. Man, Bonneville is Rad! :)

That's it for Blog 1 I guess. Back to work tomorrow. I already can't wait for next year. Maybe I'll even try and go to World Finals in October (there's World of Speed in September, but baby Zrod is due in Sept, so that's a no go).

In the following Salt Blogs, I'll put up pics (I took about 500+ pics total) of race cars, the pits, the sweet car show at the Golden Nugget in Wendover and our little campsite. :)

See You On The Salt!!!

Hechtspeed