Waiting.

There was a time before it all broke loose. A time when we had to fight our own dreams, capacity and shortcoming only. When we were free and the blue sky was the limit. When head gaskets, boost pressure and economy was the only familiar stoppers. It was a good time and it's only two years from now. Feels like a long time ago.

We couldn't see the Pandemic coming because those who survived the Spanish flu are five feet under and not able to alarm or celebrate survival. 

Fast forward from 2019 to 2021. We're here and we're waiting. Waiting for a normal. I wouldn't say the new normal. I would rather say that we're waiting for  freedom. Freedom to meet, race and travel. To live our (yours?) dream again, like we used to do. To live fast, but not not necessarily die young.

Salt Slush Team at Bonneville Speed Week back in 2019. The 900hp Amazon was ready and roaring. The Salt was wet and we were somewhat sour since we were waiting for the salt to dry (you should here think of the painting process). But still, we were there, in the middle of a dream.

 

 We cannot enter the US of A. Which means that we're unable to prepare our race car, visit Magnuson Superchargers and Borg Warner Turbo System face to face. 

While waiting at home in the cold rain we're keeping our mind busy with stuff that we have at hands.

Like looking at the Serge Blue / Cream white dashboard of the Old Olds -49 Rocket that recently came back from the paint shop.

  

While in waiting mode, we study stuff too. Amusement and argument comes together. At the same time. Somehow.

- An eight stack! Nice!

- But how about the tolerances?

- There's no milk to the coffee!

- I have another idea...how about...

- Detroit Electric was trying too... really early on...and Grandma Duck liked it a lot, but it went belly up eventually.

- Where were we... 

- Shut the fuck up...here's an interesting project.

At this point I would like to quote, Carina saying: 

- The Big Lebowski. Not only a comedy. It's our friends on any Saturday. Which is good. Really good.

Why this post? Because we're waiting. For freedom, speed and boost pressure.

And the New Roaring Twenties. 

That's why.

 

First Fire, Easter Resurrection and to be relieved.

-You've got to let me know when you're starting up the Ardun V8!

Many of our friends have said that. 

And I always answered;

-I'll let you know, of that you can be sure!

Even though I meant every word I said, I knew, deep in my heart, that it would be impossible. Because to debug an Ardun Engine based on a French Ford Flathead would take days and only very few would be patience enough to hang around for so long. 

But anyhow. It happened today. Planning took five years. The actual build and machining took only three.  

Easter 2021 was fully occupied with finding and correcting errors. But finally, the old military engine was resurrected as calculations were confirmed and machining made was proven correct.

Victory. Carina and the Ardun Engine. After the fumes. Relieved. In comfort. Somewhat exhausted.

To fight to the end. Petter, Cina and Magnus all helped out to and made the Ardun First Fire happen. Today.

Cina captured the very first combustions and shall we say, the first fire.

I got a way.

I still need a haircut though.

No misfire. No smoke. Reasonably fast combustion. Sounds fast. 

I'm not happy...I'm euphoric inside.

But it's not ready yet. A few oil leakages needs to be sealed and vaccum to spark advance machined. But it runs and it runs good too.

That's all.

For now.

 

Story Served at Salt Slush Speedshop. By those who won back in the dark ages.

Before it all started there was darkness. Freedom was just a word. A seven letter word that some have heard but few have learned. At least not in Sweden. Because we were captured. Captured in a repressive system. A system who knew what was good for you. Some would call it repressive tolerance while others refer to Plato and the The Republic. 

Some others would call it bureaucratic torture. I'm inclined to agree to the later statement. Because basically everything was forbidden. If your dream was creative and you had a thirst for freedom, you were doomed. Heavy as lead. Hence Hot Rodding, Tuning and building cars was a big time annoyance for the socialists in charge back in the bad old days.

But when there's pressure from above, the underdog forces awakes. Guys with brains, balls and passion appears from nowhere. Because they were needed.

In those days I was really young, but I understood that freedom was not just any word. It was a word of importance.

 

There were a few, I would say two, who brought light in and creativity back to car and bike society in Sweden. The two that did more than many was Göran Ambell and Sture Torngren at Wheels Magazine. Yes, they started the magazine too. They relentlessly fought The System until they rightfully won. They found their way forward through the political jungle and made Sweden a better place to live. Think David and Goliath. Think Goliath RIP. The flow of young guns that felt the need to flee to the US of A to seek freedom stabilized. 

Why this story now?

Because this Good Friday we had the pleasure to offer Göran Ambell and Marie lunch at the Salt Speed Shop. We loved every minute of their company. Göran is a storyteller with stories to tell and yes, he's still building cars and he's still writing about it.

We didn't want to miss a out on any relevant contribution related to the creative side of the car (in this case military) hobby,  So we invited Tomas Terräng. A man who has done more than most of us and can tell us all about it.

To a lunch meeting such as this, it's of importance to arrive in an appropriate vehicle. Ford and Chevy pick up trucks was the choice of the day for most of us. I took the Olds.

Salt Slush Garage lunch. To events like this we would have like to invite more people, but the Pandemic stopped us from doing so. Pictured; Kalle, Göran, Marie, Carina, Tomas and Magnus. I took the picture...

 

Ragnar, our garage neighbor noticed the absence of howling angle grinder, rattling milling machines, got worried and came over.  Yes, he and Annika got lunch too.

 

Yeah, I almost forgot. Tomas Terräng gave us a present. A Table Candlestick based on a rear end transfer case. Serves a candy bowl too. It just needed some final touch. Which Kalle provided without protection in his Sunday best.

Overall, we had lunch from 13.00 to 18.00 and even though we exchanged a lot of good stories, there are more to be told. Believe me. Just pick a topic..

 

 We love it.

Start up, First Fire...Love and Angst.

It was seven years ago. I walked back and forward. Nervously. I was in engine test cell area surrounded by other engineers and we were just about to start up the first prototype of the all new 1,5L 3 cylinder turbo engine for which development I'd been in charge. There was cool champagne in case of success.

Fast forward four years. We're in California. This time for Salt Slush Racing and were about to race. There was tension in the air. Exciting, exhausting and fun.

Then what happened? My wife found a second love and she found it in Erik's workshop in California. At first I ignored it. But it was a strong love. To an Ardun engine. It was complicated, but at some point I understood that I had act. I had to start the process. The process of building an Ardun Engine.

 

Carina in California Dreaming mode, at Erik's place. 

Where it always tends begin.

 One year later with support from Ferguson. Don Ferguson.

She was now in possession of a pair Ardun heads. 

She was in her throne with all cylinder heads she needed.

We needed a base engine as well, so we turn to Tomas Terräng, a man of (old) war (equipment) and French Connections. 

He provided a French Ford Flathead. With 4' Mercury crank. All good.

 

Fast forward to 2021. Our Ardun engine is built. Carina is proud and at ease.

I'm proud too...but...

...but again somewhat nervous. Because the Ardun First Fire is approaching fast and there's no engineering squad around to support there's no big corporate budget either.

Blood and oil pressure is raising.

There's spark. 

There's fuel.

 In a couple of days we'll know more.

Heaven or hell?

No clue.

Stay tuned.
 

Paint, Pipes and high hopes!

There's something in the air. Even at latitude 57 there's a sense of Spring. It's cold outside, but that hard white light has started to shine on us. These dry, freezing days with blazing sun sends a message. A message that reaches birds, bees and bears. Saying that it's time to get going, time to wrap up and be prepared for some fun and some sun.

 

There're another type of animals that starts to get active at this time of year. I'm here talking about wrench monkeys and garage rats. These species gets going too. Because they don't want to miss out on races, meets, shows and other type of gear-head get-together.

 s 

 Red...Yellow...GO! 

Some of us have been working hard throughout the Pandemic with our projects to be ready when the light switches from yellow to green and the Second Roaring Twenties goes live.

(Yes, this red light comes from Indianapolis raceway)

  Dreams and high hopes are intensified at this point in time.

 As the welding smoke clears it's time for some step stool cruising. 

I won't say; Buckle Up.

   

 Time for the Rocket to be towed away to the paint shop.

 

In and out. As the Rocket is aimed for the paint shop (Universalteknik, Gothenburg) another fastback with aircraft association takes off off from the same facility.

 

The door carrier. Salt Slush Policy: 

When possible, always transport your stuff in style. 

In our opinion a  Magnuson Supercharger equipped El Camino is an appropriate means of transportation. Always.

The eagle has landed. It's home at bay. But that victory feel soon goes away as the spring light reaches the garage door and a new question emerge. 

Will it run this summer?

Nobody knows.

 

Epilogue: When the cold and darkness disperse, dust on hoods tells a tale. That it's time to open up the doors, let the sun in and roll up the sleeves to get ready for the season that is coming up. 

Corona or not, the sky will be blue this summer too!

Tailor made by Salt Slush Racing. Science & Racing

Salt Slush Support Science and Relentless Racing souls. Why? First of all, because we can. Secondly, because we like advance research related to combustion engine at Chalmers University of Technology. But we like guys who never give up their dreams too. 

At this point in time, questions are coming up. How does Racing and Science merge?  Here's what keeps it all together. The Machine. The Salt Slush CNC plasma cutter that Anders built in his spare time.

A machine that idles in the Salt Slush shop, ready to do deeds. All it needs is to be feed with an numeric 2D drawing and a piece of metal. If you don't have a drawing but a good idea that can be presented in a 2D drawing, let us know. Because we can most likely support you. We can help out and you can avoid a weekend of flange and bracket manufacturing.

 

He who waits for race parts will be rewarded. Drawing done. The Plasma cutter warming up...Eric is waiting calmly.

 

...couple minuites later, puzzle pieces produced. Christmas already? Nope. This an every day business for us at Salt Slush racing.

Coming back to Science. This is the Salt Slush made glass covered combustion chamber analysis device that Chalmers are using for high-speed camera analysis of combustion and flame propagation.

 If your project only needs a flange, bracket or adapter. We can help

 If you need something more advanced that's two dimensional- We can do that too.

 

 

The Social Side of Salt Slush

We're not lone Wolfes. We're social animals. No matter profession, age and background we're all garage rats and we're reasonably easy to please. All we need is a good warm workshop, numerous projects, stories told and dreams exposed.

Petter, the Professor provides a proper garage lunch. 

No angle grinding allowed at this point in time.

Thomas Terräng a witty man with many stories in his mind.

A man who have lived a life more colorful than most of us and are able to tell us all about it.

Story telling as it supposed to be.

Hampus. Carina's nephew. Fresh license. 

18 year old and owns a BMW. 

What could possibly go wrong? 

We're trying our best to support and guide him in life.

Should he be looking at a BorgWarner EFR or an AirWerks turbo for his Beemer?

We're there to advice.  

 

Our garage neighbor Tore, a man of solid wisdom who support salt slush when needed.

 A great friend to have.

 

Summary; In times of isolation it's more important than ever before to socialize. To comfort yourself with meeting your likes when possible. 

To talk about the things you like.

To laugh and smile.

To have fun.