Happy Holidays, People of the Fuel...

Took the purple one down to the track yesterday for her first test and tune passes with the injection unit. We had the "Wildman" help us with the "tune-up." The "Wildman" has a ‘41 Willys that he has been running since he was 16. He is now probably about 56 years old. Yes... it is fuel injected. When we started the purple one up, she would not come back down to idle, so he took the stacks off and adjusted the butterflies by tapping them with a screwdriver and listening to the tone. He then used a dollar bill folded in half lengthwise as a feeler gauge to "fine" tune them. He told me to use a one dollar bill because that is all you will have left in your pocket after setting up for injection. <g>

He accompanied the purple crew to the starting line and was there with me the whole time. I did my burnout; he walked up to me, peeked in and said, "Don't be afraid of it now." In a tiny, squeaky voice I said, "OK," and proceeded to stage the car. Pushed myself through the lights big time (no trans brake) and motored off down the track. Got about to 1000 feet where Flyin' Phil was standing – yes, Flyin' Phil -- and proceeded to oil myself down with oil that was coming out of the front breather on the unit. Didn't panic; shut the fuel off and coasted through the lights... 10.80.

Took her back to the pits, where Flyin' Phil approached me with a shop rag and tape and said, "Here, you have graduated. Tape the rag on the bag of your glove. Give it a wipe with each hand. Then count to five and duck." <g>

We addressed the breather problem with an oil filler neck off of Wild Bill's ‘78 Suburban , put some 200 MPH tape on it, and went back off to the staging lanes. As I got in the car again, the Wildman came up to me and said, "Punkin', don't be afraid of the car." I replied "OK," and he got about two inches from my face and said, "Don't tell me, girl... show me!"

Took her back up, did a roll-through burnout, and kicked up a piece of rubber. Scared Earl and me half to death; we thought something had fallen off the car ( I have never thrown rubber before ). I staged, launched, lifted wheels, and motored off, thinking to myself, "Yesss... I showed him I wasn't afraid." Cranked off a 10.39 at 131.95.

I actually was running out of gear at the big end -- thank gawd -- because I needed to stay above 9.99 ( no cert.. yet). (Note to Uncle Patty and Chris Stinson... roll cage upgrade.. <g>)

My last pass of the day was a 10.04 at 127.60! A better Christmas I couldn't have had... To be " oiled down" with a Standard 1320 brother in attendance, and to have a fuel injected digger... what more could a girl want?

I present to you all -- my family -- "Purp's FED, wheels up and tires wrinkled... "

Happy Holidays to all...