InDaShop
Dont Tread On Me
I posted on the "Friday Thread" that I was going to a BBQ at Gizmo Labs, AKA Contrivance Engineering Racing on Saturday for their annual Houston Bonneville racers get together. Here's my picture tour of the day.
I know this is totally off topic for offroad (even though there is a 4x4 IFS/IRS Landspeed Car at the bottom), and even the cars are museum type stuff I post these for the fabrication, racing, love of motorsports side.
My son West (3.5yo) has been looking forward to this all week, he loves riding in the hot rods. Since the Riviera is the only one with seat belts and they are in the front seat he rides in the front. LOVES IT!!! Couldn't stop saying all week "When we going to go get the hot rod, daddy? ", how awesome is that? So our day begins after his swim lesson ends at 10am. We are on the road to the shop at 10:15 to pick up the Riviera. Its dirty as hell sitting in the breezeway of the shop. Not to worry, we'll head to the car wash, add some petrol to the tank and go stretch her legs. Houston on Saturday was amazing weather, sunny, breezy and got up into the mid-80's.
I wish I had a pic of West in the passenger seat but it's hard enough to drive in Houston Saturday traffic in a cool car, people seriously try to hit you while gawking, giving the thumbs up etc... After the car wash and fuel it was only about 11am, and I wanted to get over to Gizmo around 11:30 so since we were running early, West and I cruised another 10 or so miles the wrong way just to feel the wind in our hair (or lack thereof for me) and stretch the car out. Nothing beats no radio, windows down, and the sound of a stroked bigblock Buick Nailhead running down the interstate.
1965 Riviera
The SHOP!!! All insulated, central A/C, White ceilings, white walls, and most impressing WHITE floor!
Their Fabrication room.
Yes a Torchmate TM2 4x4 tucked back in the corner.
Now the Contrivance crew is a bunch of older well funded individuals that to say they are engineers doesn't scratch the surface of the proficiency of this group. They campaign 2 separate LandSpeed Cars., one of which has set a record in 6 separate engine classes and all over 200mph with their AA being a few MPH shy of 300. Here West poses in the Yellow car, and the records are on the fairing, missing is the 297mph AA record they got last August. And a little offroad connection here is that the driver for those records is Ro Yale, Ro is Austin "MuddyBlzr" Bitner's uncle.
West driving, the GMR (Gas Modified Roadster). To explain the size of the cockpit, I can not get into this car. My legs are physically too long from the foot to the knee to be able to make the bend under the cowl.
One of the things I haven't done on our car is the axle fairings. Just ran out of time last year. These guys not only nailed the fairing, they whittled a piece of plastic to attach to the wheel so the fairing is complete even though you would need clearance to turn. The plastic pivots inside of the fairing. Yep, will be doing this, and thanks to Blase I already have the plastic for it.
BTW this modeled is good for more 6hp on this car. Thats smoking!
The first car I'll highlight is a '23 T that these guys finished just before last years Speedweek.
Some of the detail is cool, like how they jumped the water necks down on the radiator, or the Brass cap on the fuel rail made to look like a shotgun shell primer.
Now, this '32 Roadster is probably my top 2 or 3 '32 roadsters out there since he changed to these new magnesium wheels I like it a bit less than before when it wore Black steelies with caps. It was built by John Marchman.
And a Fat Lucky interior to boot. They are kinda rare, the Rivi has one though!!!
Next up EXPENSIVE scrap pile!
Another duece roadster. Clean simple, but I still like them shiny and this one isn't.
About that time BBQ and cobbler and ice cream was served. West didn't really eat his brisket so I got double served. But the Ice Cream he tore up. Sitting with us is James Jard and Tom Teske. Tom has been on the Jards salt venture for quite a while but went with us last year. Miles and Kelly know Tom as he helps me out on any mechanical stuff that I can't figure out. Super great guy.
I was about to wrangle West and head out, but some other boys his age showed up and it was ON!!!
Ab Faye and his grandson Hayden
At this point its pretty much on for the boys. I mean museum quality collection of cars, and at least 3 are over 100 years old, and no velvet ropes!!!
West driving a 1907 REO horseless carriage
1909 Cadillac
Not the best pic but 1911 Ford
Fighting over honking the horn on a '23 T.
Taking the 1911 Ford for a spin
Now I said earlier these guys have their **** together. Neil the lead engineer is going through his Solid works rendering of their next car. I'd seen this cars blueprints a year ago, and some of the major components that had already been built. None the less it will be 4X4, IFS and IRS, but would get killed at KOH!!!
Its effectively an upside down airplane. They are almost ready to send all the machine files out for parts and hope to have the car going in two years if I understood right. Their goals are 500mph+
Neil, Marchman, McFaddin
and a little zoom in action of the e-Prototype
And a partying shot before I wrangled West off a workbench and into the Rivi to head home.
LoneStar catchcan!!!
I didnt lie, he was into everything, but I was so proud of him, he behaved 99% of the time, and was so much fun to have out and about with me.
I know this is totally off topic for offroad (even though there is a 4x4 IFS/IRS Landspeed Car at the bottom), and even the cars are museum type stuff I post these for the fabrication, racing, love of motorsports side.
My son West (3.5yo) has been looking forward to this all week, he loves riding in the hot rods. Since the Riviera is the only one with seat belts and they are in the front seat he rides in the front. LOVES IT!!! Couldn't stop saying all week "When we going to go get the hot rod, daddy? ", how awesome is that? So our day begins after his swim lesson ends at 10am. We are on the road to the shop at 10:15 to pick up the Riviera. Its dirty as hell sitting in the breezeway of the shop. Not to worry, we'll head to the car wash, add some petrol to the tank and go stretch her legs. Houston on Saturday was amazing weather, sunny, breezy and got up into the mid-80's.
I wish I had a pic of West in the passenger seat but it's hard enough to drive in Houston Saturday traffic in a cool car, people seriously try to hit you while gawking, giving the thumbs up etc... After the car wash and fuel it was only about 11am, and I wanted to get over to Gizmo around 11:30 so since we were running early, West and I cruised another 10 or so miles the wrong way just to feel the wind in our hair (or lack thereof for me) and stretch the car out. Nothing beats no radio, windows down, and the sound of a stroked bigblock Buick Nailhead running down the interstate.
1965 Riviera
The SHOP!!! All insulated, central A/C, White ceilings, white walls, and most impressing WHITE floor!
Their Fabrication room.
Yes a Torchmate TM2 4x4 tucked back in the corner.
Now the Contrivance crew is a bunch of older well funded individuals that to say they are engineers doesn't scratch the surface of the proficiency of this group. They campaign 2 separate LandSpeed Cars., one of which has set a record in 6 separate engine classes and all over 200mph with their AA being a few MPH shy of 300. Here West poses in the Yellow car, and the records are on the fairing, missing is the 297mph AA record they got last August. And a little offroad connection here is that the driver for those records is Ro Yale, Ro is Austin "MuddyBlzr" Bitner's uncle.
West driving, the GMR (Gas Modified Roadster). To explain the size of the cockpit, I can not get into this car. My legs are physically too long from the foot to the knee to be able to make the bend under the cowl.
One of the things I haven't done on our car is the axle fairings. Just ran out of time last year. These guys not only nailed the fairing, they whittled a piece of plastic to attach to the wheel so the fairing is complete even though you would need clearance to turn. The plastic pivots inside of the fairing. Yep, will be doing this, and thanks to Blase I already have the plastic for it.
BTW this modeled is good for more 6hp on this car. Thats smoking!
The first car I'll highlight is a '23 T that these guys finished just before last years Speedweek.
Some of the detail is cool, like how they jumped the water necks down on the radiator, or the Brass cap on the fuel rail made to look like a shotgun shell primer.
Now, this '32 Roadster is probably my top 2 or 3 '32 roadsters out there since he changed to these new magnesium wheels I like it a bit less than before when it wore Black steelies with caps. It was built by John Marchman.
And a Fat Lucky interior to boot. They are kinda rare, the Rivi has one though!!!
Next up EXPENSIVE scrap pile!
Another duece roadster. Clean simple, but I still like them shiny and this one isn't.
About that time BBQ and cobbler and ice cream was served. West didn't really eat his brisket so I got double served. But the Ice Cream he tore up. Sitting with us is James Jard and Tom Teske. Tom has been on the Jards salt venture for quite a while but went with us last year. Miles and Kelly know Tom as he helps me out on any mechanical stuff that I can't figure out. Super great guy.
I was about to wrangle West and head out, but some other boys his age showed up and it was ON!!!
Ab Faye and his grandson Hayden
At this point its pretty much on for the boys. I mean museum quality collection of cars, and at least 3 are over 100 years old, and no velvet ropes!!!
West driving a 1907 REO horseless carriage
1909 Cadillac
Not the best pic but 1911 Ford
Fighting over honking the horn on a '23 T.
Taking the 1911 Ford for a spin
Now I said earlier these guys have their **** together. Neil the lead engineer is going through his Solid works rendering of their next car. I'd seen this cars blueprints a year ago, and some of the major components that had already been built. None the less it will be 4X4, IFS and IRS, but would get killed at KOH!!!
Its effectively an upside down airplane. They are almost ready to send all the machine files out for parts and hope to have the car going in two years if I understood right. Their goals are 500mph+
Neil, Marchman, McFaddin
and a little zoom in action of the e-Prototype
And a partying shot before I wrangled West off a workbench and into the Rivi to head home.
LoneStar catchcan!!!
I didnt lie, he was into everything, but I was so proud of him, he behaved 99% of the time, and was so much fun to have out and about with me.
