Tigers List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Bob Palmer <(email redacted)>

Listers,

Apparently one of the main reasons we own Tigers with insanely souped-up
engines is to SCARE OURSELVES; to wit, these and other similar recent posts.

At 08:13 PM 10/1/98 -0400, (email redacted) wrote:
>Naw, still working on the car. I just order about a bazillioon $$ worth of
Art
>Morrison Frame, strut suspension, Wilwood disk all around, 9" rear , Coil
over
>Rear shocks, panhard bar, pinto r&p. I am currently designing the roadster
>type rollcage )like a dragster). Art will bend it up for me. I have my DSS
306
>short block, main bearing stud girdle, two Garret T03 turbos. I plan on using
>Windsor Senior heads (2.02I, 1.60E stainles steel valves, Crane rockers on
>7/16 studs. My rear gear ratio will be 2.80:1 and I am using a Ford AOD with
>0.68 overdrive. Tires will be Mickey Thompson 30 dia (good for 500+
>mph).Haven't yet got all the parts but working on it. I was away from the car
>for 4 months - mother boeing got behind in qual testing a new digital
computer
>systen for the Army Avenger ground to air missile system. Then I had to
get my
>oldest into Auburn, yada, yada, yada.
>
>I suspect it will take a while to get it all together. I will post to the
>group periodically to keep everyone informed. Oh, BTW, I expect to get 650hp
>at 15 psi boost and when I get it really cranked up to 22 psi, another 200.
>

Also, Bob Hokanson wrote:

>Allan, you make me proud, but just think if you had a line-lock. AMAZING
>how much smoke you can get off a set of tires!
>Bob
>B9470168
>Powered by a Weber carbureted, nitrous injected, roller cammed 322 ci Boss
>Ford stroker motor. NOT a ride for the faint-of-heart.
>
>
>P.S. Next month I turn 54 but still going on 18
>

Way back in about 1978 I had started to do a little autocrossing and had
even run Ontario Raceway once or twice when I decided it was time to toss
my tired, 150k+ miles, bone stock 260 and get a REAL MOTOR. Had a HiPo 289
built up for me by a boat engine builder up in Pasadena (Bishop/Buehl
Racing). Got it installed and running just in time for the SAAC convention
in L.A. that summer. Now these guys knew how to put on a party. Lots of
Cobras, R-model Mustangs, Tigers, etc., etc. And, best of all, they rented
Ontario Raceway for a whole day of open track, almost totally unrestricted,
free-for-all fun (even including passengers). Got a helmet and seat belts?
Fine. Go out and have some fun!! They did divide us into three groups
though; basically fast, faster, and ridiculously fast. Well, thanks to my
buddy Mike Rosato who helped organize (?) this event, he decided that with
my new motor I aught to be in, yes you guessed it, group three. OK, fine.
After all, I am here to scare myself a little; right? So, they call group
three and I take the newly powered beast out for its first real
balls-to-the-wall run. First couple of laps I take it kind of slow just to
get the feel of things and check oil pressure, temperature, etc. Lots of
time for this down that very LOOOONG straightaway. So, OK, this time I hit
the straightaway and floor it. WOOOOW!! This is GREAT!!! One third the way
down the straight and the speedometers already pegged. Hey, we're having
fun now!! (BTW, I have a passenger on board.) Suddenly I realize we're
getting to the end of the straightaway awfully quick. OHHHH SHHHH*TT!! Now
I have to turn right!! To make it even more interesting, they had
barricaded the oval just past the end of the straightaway to force us down
onto the infield road course. DOUBLE SHHHH*T!! Well, lets just say my
adrenal glands swung into emergency mode and for a brief moment I wondered
just what the hell I was doing. But then this poor sot next to me is kind
of counting on my doing the right thing (like turning right pretty soon),
so I muster up some courage from somewhere and manage, without hitting the
brakes or something equally stupid, to pull off a reasonable looking exit
onto the road course. I figured out later I was doing pretty close to 160
mph down the straight.

As I think back on this experience from time to time I can only thank God
that I didn't spend the kind of money on that motor that DrMayf. and some
of the rest of you have!! I figure, without making some serious aerodynamic
modifications that are wind tunnel tested, a stock Tiger probably goes
airborne somewhere around 165-170 mph. Some claim sooner!! Anyway, DrMayf,
I have a friend here in San Diego who runs the old General Dynamics wind
tunnel. Maybe, we could bootleg a little time to study your car's
aerodynamics before you push it past 200 mph. This is a LAND speed record
you're after, right? I think that means that at least one wheel has to be
touching the ground at all times, although I'm not fully up on the rules on
this detail. In any case, I think there are a lot of us who would travel
quite a distance to watch you give it a go, so please keep us informed as
to the expected time frame so we can start planning. How about the week of
SUNI? Then we could swing by Bonneville on the way to Big Sky. I'm sure
that, either way, I would give us something interesting to talk about when
we got there.

Bob







Robert L. Palmer
Dept. of AMES, Univ. of Calif., San Diego
(email redacted)
(email redacted)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted)

Yeah, right on brother. As to the aerodynamics, you are absolutely right. The
rolled front valence pan just wedges air under the car and then, Houston, we
have lift off! But, I will have a full front air dam to prevent that from
happening and with a little flare to provide down force. Art Morrison is
concerned that I may have more down force than I want! We'll see. As soon as I
get started welding all of this "stuff" together, I'll set up a web page and
pass the ifo along to everyone that way. Thanks for the offer of the tunnel,
how about a model instead of full size car.

Larry

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted)

Very curious, especially concerning the all to recent and continuing arguments
for names of Alpines with Ford V8s. I do not believe in any instance I ever
tried to palm my V8 powered Alpine of as a Tiger. Never. I have stated that I
wish to have the fastest Sunbeam on the planet and when I drag race it, the
quickest. As to INSANELY Modified, I also ask to whose standard? Do I plan on
driving this vehicle on the street? Absolutely not. Is it a bonafide race car?
I believe so. I has the original Alpine steel body and underpinings. While
everyone has a right to an opinion and I listen to those opinions, I do not
believe that tagging someone with INSANE is reasonable. My chioce of
recreation is surely not yours, but it is mine and I take offense to your
characterization.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Bob Palmer <(email redacted)>

DrMayf, et Listers,

Are we having a bad day or are you just pulling my chain? First, did anyone
raise an objection to you using an Alpine chassis? Certainly wasn't me.
Actually didn't know and don't care anyway.

As to my use of the word "insane", as in "Apparently one of the main
reasons we own Tigers with insanely souped-up engines is to SCARE
OURSELVES;" , I only meant it as an exaggerated description of a very high
output engine, not the mentality of the owner/builder. But, come to think
of it, for most of us at least, spending about $50k on a "grenade" motor
would have our spouses and investment counselors questioning our sanity
just a little.

Anyway, damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead Larry. Can't wait till you
light the fuse.


Bob

At 02:46 PM 10/5/98 -0400, (email redacted) wrote:
>Very curious, especially concerning the all to recent and continuing
arguments
>for names of Alpines with Ford V8s. I do not believe in any instance I ever
>tried to palm my V8 powered Alpine of as a Tiger. Never. I have stated that I
>wish to have the fastest Sunbeam on the planet and when I drag race it, the
>quickest. As to INSANELY Modified, I also ask to whose standard? Do I
plan on
>driving this vehicle on the street? Absolutely not. Is it a bonafide race
car?
>I believe so. I has the original Alpine steel body and underpinings. While
>everyone has a right to an opinion and I listen to those opinions, I do not
>believe that tagging someone with INSANE is reasonable. My chioce of
>recreation is surely not yours, but it is mine and I take offense to your
>characterization.
>
Robert L. Palmer
Dept. of AMES, Univ. of Calif., San Diego
(email redacted)
(email redacted)