Hurry'in Hoosiers

Here is a pic from my collection of friends doing what makes us all tick; go'in fast. This is Old Timer Billy Earl taking a lap around the remnants of Jungle Park. With my friend Chuck Faulkner on the rail. Here in Indy it's not hard to get infected with all forms of racing bugs. Between J.W. and myself, we have contracted incurable doses of drag racing, motorcycle racing, stock car racing, sprint cars, go carts, and even a few races down Derby Hill on a Skate Board. But the latest strain of contagion "SALT FEVER" is a very highly contagious form of infection. I think we are going to post a "SPEED POX " sign on the shop door---to protect any successfully domesticated guys that may innocently wander by the shop. Are you feel'in the need for some SPEED!---we feel your PAIN.

Noise Maker for Gear Heads

If I had a hammer and you had a thumb, hold it on the nail, and I'll make it feel numb! the--unknown poet Well,Harbor Freight has "struck" again. We just nabbed a Planishing Hammer from the local outlet. These little suckers make more noise than a pre-schooler with a drum set. They also will flatten your lil pinkie if your not paying attention. We have some metal pieces to hammer out for the nose of the SPEEDWAGEN, so now we can make some aerodynamic do-dads to finish the nose and cover the suspension parts. J.W. grabbed us a new motor for our compressor, so we will be able to hammer non-stop.

Super Saturdays' @ the SPEEDWAGEN

The Speedwagen Formula for a Super Saturday

Sunny Day + Warm Temps+Hot Rods+Good Friends= Super Saturday

The warm weather brings out the Hot Rod's at the Speedwagen Shop.

Today we had Speedball Ludlow and Susan out front in his T, and Brad was out back racking the pipes on his 55. Saturday is a good day at the shop to "Bench Race" and spend some time with good friends.

Come on by some Saturday!

"ALL THE WORLD'S A JUNK YARD"

"All the world's a junk yard, and all its cars are RACERS"

---William Shakeysteer

The Speedwagen is a classic example of the (soon to be) famous quote above.

We have scrounged the Junk Yards of the Globe for the componentry necessary to GETRDONE. When J.W. and I started the scheme for this car we had no preconceptions. We started with a rule book and looked for a class record that looked like it would be a challenge, but also an obtainable one. Then the formulation of the components to fill the bill was conceived on the back of place mats at the local greasy spoon. Only at Bonneville would you find a car with a chopped German body, grafted to the nose of a stretched French car, that is pushed by a Japanese motor from the rear of a VW tranny,that turns Porsche axles, and steered by a model A Ford front axle that has GM brakes. And last but not least, the Nuts behind the wheel were made in the U.S.A.

Speedwagen to the RESCUE!

The Speedwagen rescue truck saw action this weekend.

A 1938 Fiat body was rescued from the rafters of a rural garage in Ohio.

This Topolino had been hanging from a 2x4 for many years,but now it is safe at the Speedwagen compound.

The lost Ark of N.O.S parts

Treasure just keeps showing up at the Speedwagen back door. These goodies are parts for a 53 Chevy Truck . They were unearthed in a shed that was full of Racoon and Possum Poop. In true Indiana Jones style, J.W. and I drove the critters off and nabbed the goodies.

I hope you're having as much fun as we are!

Plan of ATTACK

There is plenty of stuff in the works at the Speedwagen shop. Jim has been busy putting together a new air compressor set up, so we don't keep getting ahead of the air supply. We are moving things around in the shop to make room for an English Wheel,and a Plannishing Hammer. We still need to mount the tube bender to the floor. Speedball Johnson is loaning us a Tool Room Lathe. We have hopes of parking a Bridgeport Mill next to it. Speedball Stailey is building a Fuel Injector test fixture (hopefully not a flame thrower). And a road trip is shaping up Saturday to get the Fiat body from the Buckeye State. ----Does anybody want to go mow my grass-----?

Straight Axle 101

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/135_0312_solid_axle_front_suspension_details/photo_14.html

Here is an article that is an overview of straight axle front ends.

We are in the process of doing some modifications to the front suspension of the SPEEDWAGEN.We need to get the frame a little lower in the front. We also need to finalize the shock mounting set up.

The rear suspension is getting some adjustments also. J.W. nabbed some rotors,caliper mounting brackets, and calipers for the rear of the WAGEN. When the gang at Buggy Works see us coming, they automatically warm up the cash register.

e-bay strikes again

E-Bay true confessions

There I was with my e-bay motors search window wide open.

I was peering into the dark recesses of garages around the world.

I knew there were some parts somewhere that wanted to come reside at the Speedwagen Shop.

Much to my surprise---A "37" Fiat Topolino altered body popped onto my screen. ( gasp)

Ooh-La-La a French beauty, --And much like Dr. Strangelove, I tried to grab my hand.

But alas, it was to late---the "BUY IT NOW" deed had been done.

Now all we need to do is figure out how to get it home!

Move it over Danica!

Speedball girls are nothing new in Indiana. This little dirt track gal is the Daughter of Mid West dirt track racer Roy Hamilton. Today she is known as Speedball Vicki (Hamilton) Woods, and you can see her feats of driving skill on I-465. The tradition of sticking kids in race cars for a photo is still alive and well at the Speedwagen shop. We welcome a chance to plant the seeds for tomorrows racers---girls and boys!