Wish I reached paperback writing skills

You who have access to Swedish media can very soon go out and buy your latest issue of Gasoline.
Why ? Well, beside of that the Magazine is a very cool Magazine, run by some even cooler Guys and Girls, the SSR Bonneville 2018 adventure is told in a 5 page article.

For us it's great to be remembered in the gloomy end of November, to dream back and plan for upcoming race at Bonneville next year. You know, plans are already made and hotels are booked.

The Article is written by Håkan a team member who's nursing (treating) a brooken dream of writing classic books, not simple paperbacks. Here we talk about true hardback books with it's origin in the hardboiled heritage of writers like Jack Kerouac and James Elroy. For us who as individuals, are closer to Executive Cowboys than hardcore dropped out beatniks, it's enough to keep the dream on distance and have our edge experience in the to be fast lane at Bonneville.

So meanwhile we're struggling with writing and story telling skills, take some minutes and check our blog and, occasionally, enjoy great writing although not yet even on paperback level. So far we operate on monthly printed on glossy papper.

Go out and buy your copy November 30th 

In the article you also see som pictures from Erik, Ruth and Rick's racing as well. And let me tell you,  these guys are suffering of some really severe SALT  FEVER. Beyond what is possible to cure.

So enjoy the article and have a good one !

Salt Slush Racing's Winter Retreat

Sunshine, Salt flats and Speed Week pops up in our mind and we're preparing for the 2019 race season on dry lakes in the US of A. But we've faced the brutal reality and accepted that there we're in the middle of the coal dark autumn in the north of the northern hemisphere far away from our Landspeed race Amazon in California. 

We've to cope with the absence of light and get ready to take responsibility for our own mental health. So, here's a status report from the Salt Slush racing winter retreat.

Modern life has modern problems. We're here talking about limp home mode on a El Camino 1970. When it runs, it runs like a dream but more adjustment are needed. Anders will fix it, be sure of that. The LS engine, equipped with Magnuson Supercharger, will make it all worthwhile.

Pictured: One cylinder bank of our soon to be Ardun V8.

Last conrod connected. Hour is getting late.  

Eight out of eight ain't bad. It feels really good to finished this part of base engine assembly.

I managed to borrow an oil pan for the Ford Flathead from Lars Davisson today. Remark: The oil pan was not for sale. I need to find a new one for Lars. Anyone got a Ford 1946 oil pan for sale?

Winter is coming up and Carina tryin to make the flea market snow blower come alive. Yes, the Tecumseh engine has now got the spark back!

We all strive for comfort. Magnus is here practicing steering column packing while trying to find a good position for the seat. Yes, he's focused.

Kalle will make his belly-up Vespa shine like psychedelic northern light. But will he convert from rocker to mod? Nobody knows yet. We'll soon find out.

Outside our workshop, the last standing hollyhock is trying hard to ignore the fact that the sun has left the sky.

Workshop Weekend Highlight! Film time!

What you have learned in you workshop today? How has your project proceeded today? Did you use your finger to make a sign in the dust that grows thicker on the hood, or did make a real breakthrough?

In all projects there's ups and downs, there's miserable moment when whatever you touch breaks, when orange peel paint is all you can produce. But there're as well these happy moment when you've learned something or made a breakthrough. We had such a weekend.

 

Here's what happened.

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Yes, it's only 2 out of 8, but still, everything seams to work, the Ardun Engine build took a step forward when I could confirm that all custom made parts fits. Besides, I've learned how to assemble Spirolocks without a tool. First one took an hour, second one 15 seconds.

Meanwhile,  Anders managed to crank up his LS engine with Magnuson Supercharger successfully. Not tuned yet, but still, it runs!

After a little shake down, changing some parameters, it was even time for a first test drive. Out under the grey Gothenburg sky!

 

The speed god was obviously on our side because the Gothenburg november rain stopped for a couple of minutes during test drive. That ain't bad...

Continuous Learing.

Knowledge comes if you study hard and get experience. You've heard it over and over again since you were a small kid. So have I. But there's another factor to add to the learning process as well. Cheapness.

Let me try to explain. When I was a young car guy I once bought a really cheap aftermarket distributor to an old Benz (a W114 230/6 if I remember correctly). When I took it out the ignition device out from the non branded white box, I noticed that the weight difference compared with the original stuff from Stuttgart was significant. My young, innocent and unsuspicious mind thought; Lighter is better!

Until I slowly and carefully pushed the distributor holder/spring in to its position...only to notice that the little spring made a hole in the paper thin distributor cap. Curtain down. 

By some reason, this was a turning point for me. I went into next period in my motor life that I can describe as;  The quality period. Always bought quality from that moment. OEM parts or trusted aftermarket parts or high quality tuning parts. No more wasted hours in the garage! I've learned something! This lasted for several years. 

Until cheapness took control of me and rewired my brain. Suddenly I've bought a radiator for my wife's Jeep at skruvat.se for a very low price. It was obviously time to relearn the basic again.

Buy cheap and enjoy the pleasure of redoing stuff.

From left: the good, the bad and the old worn. We're talking about radiators, not else.

The bad.  Yes, the traces of coolant fluid is a leakage. A hole was included in the low price.  Yes, the fins bent out of the box. Yes, the box was cheap too.

The good. VTC Åberg provided good quality stuff. Yes the box were good too.

The good one assembled. Only the electric fan is missing at this moment.

Guess what? It doesn't leak....

The change was faster the second time...besides, a sealed Jeep makes Cina a happy car girl.

I've know learned what I already knew before. Go for quality and do the job once.

Same goes for turbo's and superchargers...

Never give up! or Just another car guy week.

You've got to go beyond the crave for comfort to find peace of mind. 

You've got to have a problem solving seeking soul searching for solace and be willing go against expectation and status to find pleasure in the resonance of fate.

What the f...?
We're talking about a car guy/girl week when things goes wrong, when sleep goes down, when working hours goes north and you start to question your lifestyle.

Hers's a summary:
A Swedish Freedom Icon called Big Bengt died. An auction was announced.  

Big Bengt was not the shy type. But eventually he left the building.

Carina's auction bid won and she got a couple of old lawnmowers. 

Which was fine. But the C20 Chevy pickup all of a sudden got hot when an old cooling hose cracked and sprinkled the engine compartment outside Anderstorp. 

A road repair involving scotch tape, removed thermostat and getting to know a nice cool gang of car guys and girls were needed to reach our final destination called home.

Back at home, the hose was replaced and we we're all happy. But not for long. Soon another cooling issue appeared in our life. It was now time for a MOPAR moment. 

The radiator (pictured) gave up in our old daily driver muscle SUV (Jeep Grand Cherokee 1998 5,9). We ordered a new radiator from skruvat.se. Unfortunately, the new radiator were leaking too. Crappy stuff from a crappy supplier who offered crappy support.

Simultaneously, it was time for our Magnuson Corvette to go through the annual Swedish car inspection...

 

...which rightfully failued due to this..i.e. worn out tires. 

The moral of this story:

If a lot of problems occur at the same time in your life, even if it's painful and take lot of time to find solutions, it's a good thing and well worth the effort it takes.

Because it feel good to be capable and it feels even better when something is accomplished and all is solved.  

Always.

Hence, go out there and solve something!