Special thanks to Ken Bayliss, Lloyd Lariviere and brothers James and Jason for helping get a few things off our list today.
We couldn’t complete much of it because of missing or failed parts. The brake reservoir was leaking, never had one of those leak before, so the brakes couldn’t be bled. The water pump was hitting the bolt on the timing cover, naturally the one that was just sealed by GM. There is no fuel pump mounting plate for the Crate engine, or push rod, that has to be ordered and I
can’t find my release bearing, hopefully it might be at the high school, making the completion of the engine assembly not possible.
Good news is that Josh Watson is making great progress on the painting of the entire Mod panels and the LM parts.
We need a good week now because the Late Model is schedule to go for lettering a week Monday at Creative Edge.
Gary Elliott
Things Getting Done For Both Cars On A Few Fronts
This weekend should be a big one for us as we try to get a bunch off our list. The panels for both cars are being painted now by Josh Watson. His Dad Glen Watson has been a very successful Super Late Model racer for years with OSCAAR. This picture shows the red panels now painted green……note the Quaker State sign in the back ground, Josh set that up, pretty cool.
I am proud to have Josh do the painting for our Modified and Late Model, can’t wait to get them back and then send it to Creative Edge for lettering.
We will hopefully get the drive line in the Late Model this weekend as well as the wheel bearings packed, brakes bled and lead in stalled.
Special thanks to my crew member Lloyd for coming to help this weekend and Ken Baylis and his crew for offering to give us hand on Saturday. More soon.
New Engine For Late Model Now For Some Serious Assembly & Prep
I know it’s filthy….but that’s okay right now.
Picked up the Late Model from Jason Legge on Tuesday night. Then Wednesday I took all the Mod panels and some Late Model parts to Josh Watson for him to paint. Got the new engine from Bennett Chevrolet today. Now to cram over the next few days.
Thanks to my grandson Gehrig and his friend Ryan who stopped by to help me get the engine off the truck and move some things around. Also want to thank my CVM racing buddy Brian Watson for giving me a hand Wednesday night getting the Late Model unloaded.
Nothing like help from great friends and family.
Saturday and Sunday, if all goes well. we will get a lot done. More soon…….thanks for visiting.
Late Model Finally Home……..Now The Marathon Begins
I picked up the Late Model from Jason Legge who has been very helpful to me this winter. We have a long list of things to do. We don’t want to miss any scheduled events, it’s important to keep our streak of 753 consecutive nights going.
The next few weeks will be intense, but it’s the only way to be ready for opening day.
The list is quite long, can’t really post it here but some things include getting the nose and fenders painted, picking up the engine from Bennett Chevrolet in Cambridge today. Installing all the bolt on parts, a complete maintenance of the car, all fluids and install the drive line.
The body panels, being painted by Josh Watson will be done the middle of next week. If all goes well, the car will be ready for the body panels to be installed and be completed by the following weekend, April 30th. It then goes to Steve Lyons for lettering on May 2nd. Steve Lyons, will do his magic, he hopes to have it done by Thursday or Friday, opening day is May 7th. Going to be close, going to be tight, but the good news is that Lloyd and I will get some much needed help from Ken Bayliss who answered my posted plea on face book for help……thank you Ken, our racing family is awesome. More soon. 🙂
Mod List Getting Smaller……Thank You Lloyd
The past few days have knocked off most of the first list for the OSCAAR Modified. Lloyd came down and we got the wheel bearings repacked, a complete nut and bolt, the brakes bled, the led painted, the chassis painted and an oil and filter change.
The body panels will hopefully be dropped off to Josh Watson by Tuesday as well as the Late Model parts to be painted. Once those are installed it goes to Creative Edge for lettering then a final scale.
When the Late Model gets here we have a fairly big list on it that includes all the things on the Mod, as well as installing the led, assembling the new engine bolt on stuff, water pump, clutch, starter, carb, prime the engine, install the distributor, wires, power steering etc. Top up all the levels, add water. Then install the drive line and the painted body panels. It then needs to be started, and once that gets a thumbs up it goes to Creative Edge for lettering. The Late Model season starts before the Mod…..things are very tight right now, but we still look good to be ready for opening day and keep our streak going.
Thanks for visiting, more updates soon.
Preparing Mod Chassis for Paint
What an ordeal it was just to get my Mod chassis power washed this week. A good friend came over Sunday to help sand some panels, in preparation for Josh Watson to paint. Then we put air in the tires and loaded the rolling chassis in the trailer so I could head out Monday and get it power washed.
I stopped at Canadian Tire and bought some Gunk degreaser, then went to the local coin wash. I got set up with coins, quarters and had my stuff ready to spray down the chassis with the Gunk. After dropping the trailer door I undid the rear hold down strap and started to use the winch. Soon I saw the RR tire was flat. I could not budget it. It was too heavy to push with no air in one tire. I jacked up the trailer thinking that would help tip it backwards but no luck. So I reloaded and drove away discouraged.
But!!! I thought about Bill Grisdale having a power washer outside and I could get air in the tire, and maybe he would let me do it there. He said sure, so I headed quickly. The boys in the shop put air in the tire. I was good to go….accept the battery went dead for the winch. They came back out again, I felt stupid, not being organized, and apologized. They were cool and we got it off. The location was perfect, out of the wind and close to home.
Now to soak the chassis and frame down. Are you kidding???? I forgot the Gunk at the coin wash in Waterdown. I was thinking, is this my first year racing??? I decided to go into Grisdales APC store and see if they carried degreaser and they said yes, I was pumped…..that is till I was informed they were out of stock. So I reloaded the car with the boys help and went home, put the battery on charge and planned to try again Tuesday and this picture shows the job getting done.
With just a few weeks to go to get both cars ready I can’t afford to do things twice lol….still looking for help if anyone can assit Lloyd and I over the next few weeks, sure would be nice. PM me if you can help us or email me at garyelliottmotorsports@gmail.com.
It’s April…We’re Way Behind….I Hope Never Again!!!!!
The Modified is done chassis, shock, engine wise, but the body needs complete sanding, all exterior and interior panels, then it has to be loaded to power wash the chassis and frame, drive line etc. Wheel bearings will have to be repacked and brakes bled. The body panels go for painting the end of this coming week, then it must be reassembled…then taken to Creative Edge and lettered. Once that’s done I need to buy tires and a final scale before the Modified hits the track…..Currently I am sanding the body so Josh Watson can paint it for me. The body will still be black with a green interior and once Josh is done I will send it right away to Steve Lyons for lettering. A lot to do on this car yet…..The Late Model should be home this week. I have more work to do on it, including putting the 604 together with all bolt on parts, installing the driveline, bleeding the brakes, repacking the wheel bearings, then scaling it. Then I am sending it to Creative Edge for lettering. Not really a lot but the Late Model season starts in a month….I’m not sure how much is left on the LM, it’s not home yet. No real panic yet. I would like to get some practice in for both cars before practice day, if we can make it for practice….going to be close.
My other concern of course is getting some help. I am using whoever will lend a hand, and today one of my Dart friends is heading over to sand the Modified body….my plan will be to start on both cars right after this season ends and get a good jump on 2017….but this season demands my upmost attention…thanks for visiting more updates soon.
Modified Now Home……Mostly Ready But Appearance Details
A little behind, but the Modified is home now. Bumpers out getting Chromed at Metal Coaters. New paint to be done on the sheet metal of the Modified, decals will be and then sent to Josh Watson to do his magic.
More updates on the OSCAAR Mod soon……the Late Model is still being worked on at Leggers Race Shop. They’ve done a lot of great work on it and we will cram once we get it home…opening day a month Saturday for the LM at Flamboro…….More on the Late Model early next week.
CVM Legends
I posted this picture the other day and noted there was one racer that I did not know his name. Steve Trendell message me his name this morning. He is sitting on the second row, at the far right. He’s Bob Beck, and I should have known him because in 1973 my brother-in-law Harry Bow bought his first race car from Bob, a Chev Coach #46. Harry changed to the car to #35.
In case you missed the names of those in this picture they are from left to right…..Row 1 George McLeod, David Elliott, Keith Barton, Wayne Varley and Charlie Beck Jr……Row 2….Me, Ray Hughes, Al Bowman and Bob Beck……Row 3……John Karley, Tim Martin, Brian Atkinson, Steve Trendell, Mike Williams and Rick Jones.
Great guys and all with great memories and stories throughout the years. I will always maintain that the best thing about racing besides being able to race, is the people you meet.
Oakville Trailers Returns for 2016
How great it is for our team to have Ron Easton of Oakville Trailers sponsor us for the 2016 race season.
I have dealt with Ron for many years with all my cars, our CVM Coupe, Late Model and now Modified. There isn’t a race car that Ron and his shop can’t build, fix, fabricate or repair.
This will be our 3rd season running the Oakville Trailer logo and we very proud to have Ron and his team with us in 2016.
If you are in need of a trailer, or getting one safetied, or getting repairs done for any of your vehicles, give Oakville Trailers a try.
The shop is equipped with a licensed mechanic, who can do most repairs and maintenance on all cars, vans and light trucks, as well as provide DOT safety certificates…….call 905-469-8939