Introduction - - - kind of late, I maybe a redneck

[Jim Hackett II]

Welcome to the forum Jim.

I wished you lived close.I started collecting used parts for a small block Chevy 400ci motor that I would like to finish someday.And I'm not getting any younger............

Back in the day and growing up in central Indiana when gas was cheap and hi-perf parts were at the dealer for the daily driver weekend drag racer.

First build was a homemade 302, 4 bolt 327 block turning a stock GM forged 283 crank with the small journal Z-28 rods on 10.25:1 GM forged pistons with straight plug 1.98 Corvette heads fed thru an Edlebrock and a Holley 650 and the 30 across GM solid lifters and cam kit (the heck with the Q-Jet. If only that Q-jet would hold a tune.) Hanging out at the local speed shop and learning all I could. Working for parts usually. Copying everything Smokey Yunick admitted doing.

All that goes back to the summer of '70 or '71. I don't think I had 200 dollars in the whole thing. I doubt it. A still on warranty low mileage 300 horse 350 was 100 bucks at the honest junkyards. Week's wages was 80 bucks net.

As late as the 1980s I would have had a whole mess of good Chevy mouse parts, mostly new copies of the old GM parts. Induction is way beyond the tuning of a double pump Holley and was even then. After I fell all was gone. Including this Mopar thing I had been toying with. Tools ripped off and etc.

Today I scratch build R/C Sailplanes either from plans or CAD of my own designs. Wooden sailplanes feed the techno-junkie in me now.

I am grateful to have been around central Indiana when the gasoline was 110 octane/cheap and cars could get out of their own way. Cut school all May and head up to the Speedway. Or party like one should at the Nationals for Labor Day. And both.