My D-I-Y Class 8 Chevy

[partybarge_pilot]

Looked good till you broke it!

 

[Josh 8]

After the b1k last year when the trans failed, I was... burned out a bit. But I watched that video you posted and it revs me up to do “simpler cheaper funnier” little races for a while.

Thanks.

 

[scottm]

Yeah without a crew of 20 to rebuild the truck after every race, it's all you can do to make it to a few smaller races every year. How long did it take to rebuild after your big roll, Josh?

 

[Josh 8]

Let me think.... Munched it April of 16 and had it driving again in December the same year.

But it wall wasn’t that bad. The cab was crunched and all the fiberglass and mounts were smeared off but that was the worst part. The chassis was straight. I was able to save the left front beam that got bent and made a new radius arm. The part that hurt was that it broke the trans case and engine block. I had to have a new block machined and trans built. Then the new trans fialed at last years b1k.

Just today I spent some time cleaning the shop out to start working on it again. I have th400 I am puttin in it now. But I have taken 8 months off from it. Needed a break. And the Mexico thing put me in the poor house. But I am in one piece again and excited to do some small races. I have been thinking about the snore Caliente race.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

name that movie!

I'll do better:



And now for something completely different.

Your encounter with a tree. I think I recognize just the spot where the incident took place.

Very glad it's just your wallet and race that took a hit, instead of you or your co-dog.

You have a new rdc member joining this thread, Ethan, who's looking at getting into truck racing from his far north home.

Folks like you and Josh can help him learn as he tags along, and see how an all but one-man-show can reach the starting line.

Doherty's ten year old thread shows how life and etc. can get in the way:

New Doherty Motorsports class 8

We'll let him discover Philofab on his own...

Carry on.

 

[Josh 8]

You know... I was just reading my post above do realized you have to be cognizant of how you say things. Back in the 80’s or 90’s you could say you “blew a trany” and think nothing of it.

 

[scottm]

Ha yeah true, trany is different now.. Monte python and John Cleese have come up with some of the funniest movie scenes in history. Another of my favorites with John:

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

You know... I was just reading my post above do realized you have to be cognizant of how you say things. Back in the 80’s or 90’s you could say you “blew a trany” and think nothing of it.

Yeah I kept blowing crank seals.



But better than a cranky seal:



Which was still better than an angry SEAL:


Or a leaky rear main seal on a SBC:



It's too hot to be out in the shop this afternoon.

I know, I know. Cya!

 

[scottm]

It's slightly less bad than I expected. The lower A arms are OK, and the subframe and left upper arm can be fixed. The left trailing arm and three shocks are bent, and the sector shaft twisted off. But amazingly the Dana 44 snout and hub are OK. Apparently it pulled out of the upright without bending.

 

[Josh 8]

Wow. That’s bad enough.

I would not try to add strength to the snout bolts. It’s probably a good thing the bolts failed. I would also throw that snout away.

 

[Pickuptrucker]

Awesome thread I just read the whole thing! Keep it up!

 

[scottm]

Thanks Pickup! I gave up on the subframe and cut it all out. It was going to take almost as much work to fix it as to just replace it, so I'm going to upgrade it to 2 inch tubing and redo the steering with a new Howe ported box and ram assist. Most people can't believe I have gone this long with $150 carquest rebuilt boxes without a ram. But then the tree hit would probably still have ruined the Howe box AND the ram!

 

[Sreidmx]

Woowwwww that’s gnarly carnage!! I’m surprised that it looks mostly like material failed which is good imho because that meant all the stuff you attached to it was not the weak link.. if I had my choice I’d be swapping arms in a heartbeat vs having to worry the spindles etc being the weak points


Sent from my iPhone using race-deZert

 

[jimpat]

interesting write up !!!
Not many people could do what you did, you should be proud of your self
jim

 

[scottm]

Wow, thanks Jim! I wish I had raced back in the class 8 heyday with you guys!