Gloomy
weather, -10degC (14deg F) cold outside, midwinter darkness and some booze makes a man contemplate. What
was really achieved 2014? Basically nothing if you ask me… at least until I opened
up the Bonneville picture folder and pour another Makers Mark over the ice cubes.
I think the basic problem is that if you, for
better or worse, have an project oriented soul you’re always bound to strive for the end
goal and hence you’re destined to be worried about the progress. To be constantly thinking
about if the chosen solutions are correct or not, while nervously looking at the calendar.
Because you’re aware of the fact that nothing, and I mean nothing, in this world is time independent.
Not even the most wonderful dreams.
But then, as my finger click for the next picture, I get back in time, not way back, only one year and I can proudly see a certain progress. I can see a progress that cannot only to be measured in meters of weld seam. Instead, the
non-certified but still correct
measure would be, meters of fun.
Because we’ve
designed this race vehicle to be while having genuine fun in some kind of swirling
mixture of storytelling, weld smoke, machining chips, bragging, garage parties,
music, deadly serious engineering work and concentrated creativeness
while creating t-shirts and The SSR logo.
Last but definitely not least, we've created the SSR
Speed Shop which will promote boosting devices which we know a lot about
and really like ourselves. Speed parts which
can empower gearheads in their search for real power and speed and as well make
us aware of other inspiring projects to which we really would like to
contribute. Nevertheless, let
us give you a tour
through the first year…
First of all, our logo and our dream. I hope and guess you'll understand.
October 2013: A couple of
days after the Land Speed Racing Amazon idea came alive, we bought a hillbilly Amazon from some
nice young hillbilly Amazon owners in a hillbilly area. Since this felt ok, my dear wife
Carina was as pictured, happy.
After loading the stuff we all experianced a thoughtful moment. Why?
Home at bay,
we’re all happy again. The coffee machine was blurring in the background and we
felt moment of greatness. Unclear what type of greatness, but again, greatness.
October 2013: Since we needed a north-south mock-up Volvo N-engine, from which we later on can take the oil sump and engine mounts etc, we bought a Volvo 960 6 cyl engine with 400000km on the meter.
It turned out to be a good decision.
November 2013: We read the SCTA ruels and regualtions and invited Tim Walker, a real aerodynamic expert. The result? Some coffee stained drawings and nice a evening in the garage. Anything else? A lot more work...
November 2013: But before starting to run, the team needed to show the ability to walk.
It was obvious that all of us could handle workshop equipment, but could we
work together? We started with three hours of rust repair, one in each corner of the car.
Quietly cutting, grinding and welding with a surprisingly effective result.
Conclusion: What could possibly go wrong from now on? We'll race on the salt
and the dirt.
We needed another roof, so we went to Harry. AmazonHarry. Kalle determined as always, took the
biggest available angle grinder and applied force. Floby, the village nearby, experienced
as a consequence a blackout. But eventually we got our roof.
We left a Picasso creation behind.
December 2013: With the Amazon roofs in various positions we started to think about our position and how to chop the top.
The measuring period started...During this period we measured and measured...did I mention measure?
We reinforced the body and measured again and waited for the big event. Then...finally
The
cutting Edge! Action, action, action...sparks, smoke and noise, a tribute to Shiva, The destroyer! The creator!
Yeeehaa!
Yes, we're posing, posing like hunters. Why? We haven’t any major fuck-ups and the result looks' cool. If we’re proud? Perhaps a little…
December 2013: The first Christmas Party SSR party. Christmas carols were sung...
February 2014: The SSR team had to use all their negotiation skills to get hold of Gruvsäters old front end. Eventually nobody knew who was really the winner. But we're all happy.
The modified Volvo 140
front end needed however even more adjustments to fit our Land Speed application. But
that's why you have milling machine. Isn’t it?
March 2014: Early Spring, the Team and a chop top Amazon body. Life's great!
A wooden coffin with new born baby.
April 2014:Good Racing Stuff arrives from over there (US of A)
In April 2014 we were as well proud of our new T-Shirts. Pictures illustrates fresh t-shirts on happy gearhead !
May 2014: The SSR Spring Break Speed Worship Event was a really rocking. Next year's SSR Spring Event will be mindblowing.
The Royal Rockers in action.
June 2014: Chop top body + new frame = Love!
August 2014: A serious
speed part is always breath-taking. A moment of silence.
We jumped over to L.A as well to get som Land Speed Racing insight from Erik Hansson. Thanks Erik! ( and yes we know, we still owe you a SSR T-Shirt...)
September 2014: The transmission, the clutch and our homemade SSR flywheel meet each other for the first time. A perfect fit.
October 2014: Our wagoon starts to look fast.
But we need to feel reasonably safe as well...the cage took a lot of design and workshop time.
December 2014: Yes,
the SSR Christmas Event this year was a success. All kinds of people in
different ages were howling to the beat of The Daltons a newly invented acoustic
group and yes, there were spontaneous dancing.
Our cage is now more or less complete and in place and Teddyhead has delivered more good stuff from the land of Coca-Cola!
Conclusion: The bottle
is empty and I feel fine. My first negative view on our slow progress
has vanished and I start to realize that we’ve actually done something 2014.
It seems
like the race car after all is coming together piece by piece and we have as well
managed to connect some good people on our journey to The Salt. And there is more to come....
But again, we'll have to remember that, we're just some Lonesome Cowboys...
Happy New Year
From Salt Slush Racing Team!
