Slow old poop
15+ Year Contributor
- 707
- 7
- Jul 24, 2005
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Cedar Rapids,
Iowa
I have a similar story. Underradar will verify, correct or expand as necessary, because he was there.
The legendary Doctor Jack T in Wisconsin builds fire-breathing, mega-horsepower 3000GTs that he typically brings to Road America every year after a long winter build. Jack T has held various quarter mile records, including (help me out here, Jim) a run in the 9s (or low 10s, or something equally amazing). He also fabricates some of the most advanced arrangements of huge turbos, intercoolers, radiators, piping and whatnot. Ya just stand in front of his engine bay and gape at the engineering ingenuity on display.
I only wish he had turned his attention to DSMs...but I digress.
Anyway, Jack T has a habit of finishing things at the last microsecond before the Road America events, so sometimes the first time he actually starts the car after the winter build is at the track. Consequently, he's been known to do five laps before something breaks and he's back on the trailer.
One year he showed up, did his five laps, and retired in a cloud of smoke--because a rat had crawled into the turbo piping while it was sitting in a pile of parts in the garage, and got assembled into the motor! Apparently, it got sucked into the turbo on startup, which put paid to the turbo.
Gotta watch those mice and rats in the winter. They get into everything! They also tend to eat wires, insulation, seat cushions and so on.
: When is the Hastings event I promised to go to? :
That really sucks. That was a stroked motor too, wasn't it. 
Cracked the piston???
