Noot

Movie Review: RUSH

Our hometown, classic, art-deco Charles Theatre is currently showing Rush, directed by Ron Howard. I went last night hoping for a new LeMans-type movie, and I didn't get one. However, this movie was not disappointing, just not what I wanted. I am a former "fan-product" of Formula 1 Racing. I followed the series closely from 1977 to about 1982. I was a teen, and knew the correct pronunciations of racing names such as Jabouille, Depailler, Ligier, Tyrrell . . . and my favorite drivers? Gilles Villeneuve and Niki Lauda.

I would have enjoyed seeing more of the "tech-type" nuances in Rush that only a true motorsport fan or former racer would understand. It portrayed James Hunt as a total party boy (which he kinda was), but it took away from the serious rivalry between these two drivers. It appeared they pulled a couple original cars from museums or collections and filmed stunt drivers (or slow, aged former drivers) for race footage. It looked staged. The last 15 minutes of film is the best part of the movie - The Japanese GP rain race - and whereas both drivers meet next to Lauda's aircraft and reflect on their racing and life differences. Actual stills and historical data on both men end this movie and form a lasting impression on one of the greatest seasons in any type of motor racing. The 1976 F1 World Championship and the storyline that went with it.

Rod Straightness 101

This test for rod straightness always seems rather mundane.

If your motor was running ok, why check it?

Here's why:

Especially, if you are building an engine from a variety of parts - this is a very important step in the process. S&S Cycle and Jims both offer a long "precision pin" which you can insert in your bushing, and run down to the cylinder base. You can use a feeler gauge (I use a thin piece of carbon-type paper) and determine if your connecting rods are slightly bent. The pin should hold your paper between the pin and the base on each side - you should feel a drag on the paper . . . On my engine, the front rod was perfect. The rear rod was off (+.016) which is quite a bit ! I bolted my lower in the stand, C-clamped it to the bench, and using the special tool the boys made years ago . . . proceeded to bend my rod back for straightness. Do a little at a time. First, I got to +.006, then +.004, then .000 (perfect). However, the rod may "relax" a bit back to a positive reading . . . so you may want to go beyond (-.001 or so . . ) and it will relax back to a zero reading. It sounds crazy - but, this is the way you do it. S&S has full instructions how to make a tool. Now you have the best chance for less drag, better ring seating, better compression, increased power and longer engine life.

Carroll Resweber

Don't mess with Texas flat-trackers . . .

Factory Racer - 883cc

Danny Lyon emailed me . . . (self portrait shown)

I sent an email to the publisher for Danny Lyon, and he (himself) emailed me back. I asked him if he knew what ever happened to Brucie? (I thought I might try to contact him and do an interview.) Danny doesn't know what ever became of most of the subjects in Bikeriders . . . and suspects many are unfortunately now deceased. It was very nice of him to respond - and probably wonders why all these "new" kids are hip to his book, you see? Thanks again Danny !

Lesson: Finesse Tape 101

For my friend Desmond . . . to answer your question. If you are striping a car with Finesse Tape, the way Bob Spina taught me to finish off the ends as shown above.

1. Lay down a line of tape on the bottom to give you the sharp edge you want.
2. Bend your ending lines of tape (like the top photo)
3. Paint in your stripes (multi-color job shown)
4. Remove your tapes . . . and you get this neat, sharp finish of lines on your stripes. I like this method better than going back with a striping brush since it's faster and leaves a cleaner line.
5. You can get "professional results" and you don't have to be a professional with this method.

Last Nite . . .

. . . around my town - it's cold out !

Cardboard cutout from H-D . . . cool.

Movie Nite - Hmmmm, which one?

It started !

Old bank building in CC . . .

Beck seals the deal . . .

They look like turbos . . . but, a turbo runs off the exhaust?

Some kind of supercharger?

All steel with slicks !

VETERAN'S DAY IN THE USA

Email from Warner . . .

I open my email this morning, and I get a response from Warner Riley himself . . . cool.

Hello: The 1970 H-D streamliner set the record twice in October of 1970. The 1st time the bike went 255mph using an 83 cubic inch Iron Head, and then the bike went 265mph using an 89 inch Iron Head. These motors were run on high percentages of nitromethane fuel. In 1971, I used the 89 inch motor to gain a personal entry into the 200 MPH CLUB and in 1972, I used a 96 inch motor to set a record at 206mph. I also had a best ever speed of 212mph in 1972. The 1972 motor was a 3 1/2" X 5" and it used steel cylinders with fins, that were made by S&S Cycle. The 206 record bike ran on 92% nitro and was quite reliable. The 83 inch motor was 3 5/16" X 4 13/16" while the 89 inch motor was 3 7/16" X 4 13/16" and the 96 inch motor was 3 1/2" X 5" . . . With 92% nitro, these motors only wanted to rpm around 5000-5200 and now I think more advance and/or fuel additive would have been a smart way to go. -Warner W. Riley

Thanks Warner for taking the time !

Bonneville Question "Just the Facts"

I asked a "Very reliable source - Jeff Wiley" the following question after Bake's comment to get some solid numbers on what it took to go over 200mph on the salt in 1970.

My QUESTION: Seriously, how many rpms can a 5" stroke iron Sportster on nitro turn? I know it depends on balance and strength, but - One guy said his motor at Bonneville (stroker Sportster, a shorter 4 3/4" stroke) rev'd to 6800 rpms - and when he hit slick spots in the track - it revved up even higher. How many rpms do you think Manning and Riley spun that streamliner?

REPLY: I saw the pictures of the streamliner on your blog just a few minutes ago and laughed at your comment about "7,8,9 grand." Reality is, at Bonneville an ironhead stroker doesn't like to rev over it's torque peak which is about 5700-6000. I've ran mine over 7200 at the drags, but when I had my motor in Leo's bike we had it geared for 210mph at 5800 !
The rest of the story, is George Smith never ran much over 65% nitro and they hurt the front piston in the motor on the first run for the record, so they did the return run only using third gear (close ratio KR road racing gears) and never put it in high, so they turned it 6000 or 6200? The lower gear lessened the load on the motor and they got lucky and it held together long enough. Leo always thought that if they would have jetted it up and put 90% in it - it would have went 280 or 290 maybe? Anyway, they set the record and that was a big deal though. Jeff said, "I was there in 1970. I was a young punk, age 19 at the time, and my 75cu in. XLCH ran 152.8mph on gas - unstreamlined. My bike was the centerfold in Street Chopper Magazine in October or November that year. I didn't know the magazine had taken the picture, and I went to the store to read the new magazines and was shocked to see my bike in the magazine. As Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know - The Rest of the Story."

Just for the record, I (Noot) always like to get my facts straight, and this is one way to do it - talk to people who know or who were actually there that day. It's the foundation of good reporting.

Cheryl's Coconut Shrimp !

Projects

'59 XLR "Tribute" Swingarm (powdercoated and ready)

Cast Iron Paint (by Por-15) and my secret blend

K Model Wheels (press in shafts-no nuts)

. . . more knuckle stuff.

Rikki Rockett & Spina at SEMA Show Today !

Bob Spina endorses (and uses himself of coarse) FBS line tape for all his flame and graphic custom paint work. I've been using this tape all summer . . . (almost out) and it works excellent. It leaves no residue, comes off clean, stretches how you want it . . . and "It just don't bleed !" You can get FBS tapes through TCP Global, or ask your local distributor to get with the program and start stocking it . . .tell 'em Bob Spina sent ya - and get your shit together - throw out your other crap - and go FBS !

Dick and Randy

. . . a couple guys that went farther than footpegs,
grips and air cleaners . . .
Gardena must have been the hotbed o' choppers?!

King Kenny (and Corky again)

Waldheim World Series 1982

This guy on a vintage snowmobile racing site asked if anyone had any photos from the Waldheim Sask. World Series of Racing. Look what I found. You can see us (the Yamahas #16) pitted next to Hulings & Thorson. I was going through the photos (since I was there racing in the Junior Divisions with Gary and Berry Hickle and Noot). Hickle raced with Hall-of-Famer Joe Matusek(Pabst Rupp) and Wayne Nicholson, Mickey Kardowsky, Tom Gara . . . and hey, it's Fullerton . . . and those Canadians were fast, but we kicked their ass !

The bottom photo shows Hickle getting a bad start, but according to my records - he got that Yammy (and probably his sore shoulder) warmed up for a few laps - and then smoked right by everyone for the win. It ain't over 'til it's over !

Bonneville, Utah - October 1970

Bore: 3.365"

Stroke: 5"

89 cubic inches

265.492 mph

. . . with a single engine Ironhead stroker.

I would like to have heard that sucker wound out to 7,8,9 grand inside the tube on that
record run . . . wow ! Only Cal ever knew . . .

Chris' 1963

We get the lower end all rebuilt, pump set, cylinders fitted . . . short block is rebuilt after discovering the "welded Timken" and melted seal . . . and a way-ward spacer floating around in the gear case????

Heads next: revealed a loose guide (pulled out with my fingers) and a valve seal that had fallen off (which Noot said acts like a pumper and can really make it smoke, since the guide is shorter now - to make room for the seal) . . . and a galled valve, and one that looks like it hit something (might be bent?) Changed the "grinding" throwout bearing and kicker gear in the tranny too . . . Enuff Znuff !

Motorcycle Collections

The "Billy Bike", a real 1945 "45 cu in" and the 1963 FL . . . that '63 is so cool. When a dealership or museum acquires an old motorcycle that's traded, etc . . . it now sits idle for everyone to enjoy. But, to me it's almost like the bike is being held hostage all of a sudden. The life it once had with the owner that rode it for years and years on countless excursions and adventures is gone for now. It's dead in the water. Nobody is enjoying the whirring sound of the pan motor after a long weekend on the road. The smell of oil and fuel, the heat, the snicka-click of the 4 speed. It's just there in body - but, the soul is now stagnant.

TZ750

. . . race wired !

1961 Trivia

Eisenhower and Kennedy were both President

The Beatles played the Cavern Club for the first time

Gas was 32 cents a gallon

The numerals 1961 look the same upside-down !

Learning Curve . . .

I'm building a new? motor from broken parts again. I guess that's the best way to learn this craft by doing again and again. We'll run a vintage Sifton 412 cam (dated 1973), Wiley dynamically balanced the flywheels (his secret %percentage), McFarland milled the heads and I cleaned up the ports a bit for Rowe nitrate and HD valves, we'll try the magneto again. I bored the cylinders +.010 for 8:1 Gary Bang pistons - and my trusty Super E . . . all this for an extra kick in the britches. Thanks to all the new people who sold me stuff that's been in their sheds and basements and abandon houses for years and years and just want to see me go go go go go go . . . .