tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1179772143419778892024-02-06T22:01:00.493-06:00The Rocket Shophelping new gearheads learn the hobbyBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-38411994767748311652018-02-08T11:12:00.002-06:002018-02-08T11:12:36.782-06:00Commitment anyone? I've been writing this blog for a few years now and every once in awhile someone reads it and leaves a comment. In this world full of opinions and different points of view this is just another one to add to the mix. Does it matter ? Does it effect anyone ? Who cares ? I don't know. Does my writing just sound like a bunch of personal ranting ? Does it seem generally negative ? Aren't Christians supposed to be joyful ? I want to be truthful and say that I find it difficult most days to be joyful. I try to be thankful for what God has blessed me with but joy is tough for me. I miss the good old days. If there is such a thing.<br />
As a Christian I try and share my faith and be obedient to God's calling in my life. I also believe that faith and action should go together. I'm also a car guy. A hot rodder and drag racer. God has given me a circle of influence and gifts to share. I also like to pray. God has answered so many of my prayers and I could go on for hours but there is a bunch of prayers he hasn't answered as far as I can tell. Those are my prayers for people. Praying for people is different. I see people all over that seem locked in a self destruct pattern. I so badly want to help them in some way but I have no idea how. They don't listen, they waste whatever help is given. They are just stuck. I think commitment is a big problem. They commit to the wrong things and don't commit to the right things. An easy example is marriage. I ask a guy who is carrying a child, "are you married"? He says "well basically I am". The truth is you are either married or you aren't. Did you go to a preacher and make promises and sign your name?<br />
Commit to a church. I see people all over who drift from church to church to see what benefits they receive. Do they have good food? Good singing? Will the pastor look after me? They use up the pastors time with counseling self inflicted problems then they reject the solutions he gives. If he doesn't tell them what they want to hear, they will just go to the church down the road.<br />
Commit to a project. Since this is a blog for car guys I couldn't leave this out. Switching from one project to another without finishing anything happens all the time in this hobby. Its the biggest waste of time and money imaginable. I try and coach young guys but few listen. They are locked in cycle of bad decisions. Many times guys tell me about their project and I just keep my mouth shut because I know they have no clue what they are talking about or they are just flat out lying to me. I really liked a line that Luke Skywalker said in the newest Star Wars episode. " Everything you just said, is wrong". I could be saying this all the time.<br />
After all this whining I must say that its not all bad. There are people who make it all worthwhile. There are friends who care and who stick by you. Who commit to something good and see it happen. Who listen , learn and put into practice. I also have to believe that my prayers for people are being heard by God. How does a sovereign God change people whom he has given a free will? God is way more patient than me. He also know what it takes to change people and he is willing to do it, or let the devil do it. That's a scary thought actually. I better wrap this up before I raise unanswerable questions! I'll close with a verse that's been on my heart for over a year. Jer 33:3 Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things that you do not know.<br />
God BlessBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-72039920372878104462017-07-03T12:59:00.001-05:002017-07-03T12:59:09.627-05:00My first forty A couple days ago i reached the ripe old age of 40. In my 40 years I have learned alot and i'm sure I still have lots to learn. I've become cynical of some things and i've become more thankful for others. In this post I want share some of the lessons i've learned and encourage you to not make the same mistakes I have. In the last couple years of selling used auto parts i've learned alot about people.<br />
Lesson number one: A person who takes the time to tell you how honest they are, how their word is unbreakable and how they would never back out on a deal no matter what - that person will lie to you and rob you. A truly honest person will not go into trying to convince you of their righteousness.<br />
Lesson number two: Pictures. Asking for more pictures. When someone sees your ad on a website for an item he is interested in and asks for more pictures do not give them. Just make sure you have a couple decent pictures in the ad and a truthful description in the first place. He is looking for a reason NOT to come and purchase your item. These guys wear me out and i've taken to mostly ignoring them. Especially if their first statement is some thing like : Do you ever come to Saskatoon? This person doesn't want your item very badly and you would do better to find a different buyer. It just takes time.<br />
Lesson number three: Focus on doing one thing the best you can. I see alot of young guys in the car hobby who buy tons of cars and dump some money into them all then end up with a whole lot of nothing. A bunch of junk and none of it done right. Not fast, not good looking, not good handling, not good on fuel and not reliable. In short it doesn't do anything very well. If it was 2 of the above list it would be worth it. Also kids buy what happens to be easily available and not what they really might want. Then a short while down the road they want rid of it after they've spent a few thousand dollars on it and have had nothing but trouble. They don't stick it through because they never really liked the car in the first place. I've heard it said so many times that this car is "My dream car" yet that can change in about 5 minutes when another option shows itself.<br />
Lesson number four: God is good and he is in control. People experience pain and heartbreak all around me all the time. They question if God is good and who is in control. God's perspective is not like ours. God is not like us. I'm thankful for that. If God was like men, he couldn't be trusted. He would seek revenge. He would not show mercy. He would lie, cheat and steal. People reject God, brag about their own righteousness and claim they are in control. They do not trust God or humble themselves before him. The Bible says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. This is a major key in our relationship with God. Do you feel that God is your enemy or your friend? Check your pride. God is my heavenly father and i've learned that a father does certain things. He protects his family. He disciplines his children. He gives and he takes away. He gives them what they want - if its good for them. He may not feel the need to keep them informed of his every move but tells them what they need to know when they need to know it. He loves them. As a child of God I also have responsibilities to my heavenly father. To obey. To listen, To respect. To honor. To be thankful.<br />
This broken down world is falling apart all around us. Don't delay any longer to repent of yours sins and humble yourself to God. Believe in him. The death of Jesus on the cross satisfied the justice of God for the breaking of his law which we do all the time. Now is the time of salvation. There will be day when everyone will be judged and held responsible for their actions. We want justice for others. Yet we have a way of thinking we will be exempt. Only those that have forsaken their own goodness and trusted in Jesus Christ will receive eternal life on that day.<br />
<br />Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-62614948512537141682017-02-21T13:46:00.002-06:002017-02-21T13:46:44.121-06:00Who's your friend ? The hobby of hotrodding is best done with a few good friends. Doing stuff by yourself kinda gets boring after awhile. We were made for each other. Over the years (i'm turning 40 this year) I've had friends come and go that were great to be with and we helped each other build our cars. Road trips to pick up parts and days at the races were great times we spent together. Friends get married, move away, chase after careers and even pass away. Some friends stay with you for life. I want to attempt to define friendship. Or more specifically list the attributes of a true friend as I see it. As a mechanic with a shop you tend to have lots of people try to be your friend. Always wanting something done or to use your shop. I don't mind this if these same guys will phone you up just to hang out or see what they can do for you. True friends give and take. Not just take. Do they really want to be around you or just when they benefit? Thats point number one.<br />
Number two, do they listen to you or do you sometimes wonder if they see your number on their call display and not answer the phone? Most guys have a cell phone in one of two places these days. Their hand or their pocket. When i'm with some of my friends they are constantly checking their text messages or messenger notifications. Yet when i call or email they seem hard to get a hold of. Sometimes I never get a call back or a return email. Whats up with that? Or do they just treat everybody like that?<br />
Point number three, Do they have the same interests as you? I have noticed that the car hobby is pretty all encompassing. Its takes alot of time and alot of money. Its a life style. Not many car guys are into sports. Because sports are the same way. And by sports i'm talking football, hockey, soccer, baseball, etc... If you are going racing and your "buddy" wants to stay home to watch the super bowl thats a good clue your friendship isn't to deep. When your friend would rather help you change a transmission in a snowbank than watch "street outlaws" , he is a keeper!! One of the biggest things to remember about friendships is to be one. Not just sit back and judge others performance. Even a true friend will tend to disappoint you occasionally but don't hold it against them. Be quick to talk it out and move forward. Don't hold a grudge.<br />
The Bible says " There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" and Jesus himself says of his friends " I will never leave you nor forsake you" and "greater love has no man than this, that someone lay down his life for his friend". The Bible has lots to say about friendship. Read the book of proverbs. Read the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Read about the most famous friends : David and Johnathan. How do your friends measure up? How do you measure up? HOW DO I MEASURE UP?<br />
Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-1269347702881158812016-09-15T15:58:00.001-05:002016-09-15T16:04:37.594-05:00What are you learning? The world of hotrodding is changing quickly in many ways. Some ways are good and some not so much. In some ways it desperately needs to change but isn't. I recently embarked on a new challenge that i might regret. My first LS engine buildup. Magazines have been pushing these things on us for more than ten years. I've heard of and seen a few JY swaps running in the eights with boost. This sounds cool and entices kids to scour the internet and wrecking yards to grab their LS cores. These motors have very strong blocks with cross bolted mains and excellent flowing cylinder heads. To bad GM didn't design the heads with the same head bolt configuration as an old school small block. Also something to note is that boost works on any engine. Not just LS motors. For my buildup i've contacted a few cam companies to see what they recommend. After giving them all the very same data, its amazing to see the huge variation between the cams they suggest. Most of the cams have specs that are so far out in left field from what i would choose that i'm wondering if the company was looking in a crystal ball or throwing darts at their catalog. A few of the companies (probably old guys) gave me specs that were right in line with what i would choose for a typical serious first generation small block chevy.<br />
Who's in the LS game? Go to a few LS specific forums and read the posts in the "lounge" area. You will see posts like "whats your favorite video game machine" and "do your parents charge you rent". This should give you a clue. Go to some muscle car forums or engine building forums and you will find "have you had your prostate checked" or "project car buildup with son" in that same lounge area. I feel a little sorry for the kids jumping on the LS band wagon (like me at the moment). They aren't near as cheap or as easy as you are lead to believe. An oil pan is in the 4-500 price range. They have junk powdered metal connecting rods, You have to take the heads off to get the lifters out, they don't bolt to an older tranny without an adapter, The valve train is non adjustable. Have you seen the wiring? I'm dreading it. My HEI takes one wire to make it run!<br />
I would like to see more young guys building nice 350's and 454's to get their feet wet in the drag racing hobby. Learn how to properly build an engine, learn how to choose a cam and put together a combination that works. Ask questions from guys that have been there. Ask your dad to do it with you! Find a group of friends and have a friendly competition to see who can go the quickest with a given car such as a g-body or fox body. One thing that needs to change is the whole rat rod trend. When did not doing something right become cool? Wasting money on junk and calling it "patina". Or buying up every piece of junk car available because its cheap then spreading your money over them all. This will end up in a whole bunch of unfinished projects of which none are you proud of. I see guys all the time who would never spend $3500 on a good set of CNC ported high quality cylinder heads but will spend $10,000 on 20 different vehicles and only one ever becomes roadworthy and its still a half done heap. My advice here is to set goals, focus on the goals, do it right. I hate buyers remorse which comes from buying the "cheaper" part.<br />
This all leads me to my current spiritual lesson. Who are you listening too? Read 2 Peter chapter two in your Bible. The wrong advice will in fact cost you something. God is a God of Wisdom, Order and he invented common sense. He is not the god of foolishness, Confusion, and cheap experiences. Young people listen very closely. God has commanded all men everywhere to Repent because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. God is Holy. God is Just. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. Jesus said "everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock". Suffering and trials will come, but do you have a foundation like the rock? Or will you be swept away? Don't believe everything you hear or read. Find mentors who have withstood the test of time and who's lives bear fruit for God's kingdom. Do they just want your money? Or are they also setting a trap for your soul? False teaching sounds enticing because they leave out repentance, sin and humility. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Do you think you can manipulate God with magic words and he will give you what you want? Does God need your money in exchange for a miracle? Do you think that the "faith healer" has God under his thumb to do his bidding? Jesus down played his miracles but the Charlatans I see brag about them and are proud of what they should be ashamed of. Educate yourself my reader. Pray for discernment. Its in short supply at the moment.Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-72480951476166983012015-11-26T22:30:00.002-06:002015-11-27T21:40:18.545-06:00Auto possession (AP)Do you believe in demon possession? An evil spirit moves in to a person's body and controls them? As a Christian who reads the Bible I believe it is real and does happen but I'm not sure that I've ever seen it. What I want to talk about today is something that I have seen and is quite disturbing. I'll call it auto possession (AP).<br />
There is something about old cars that I can't quite understand. Somehow they command a weird power over some people. To start this discussion I must first confess that I am in the auto parts business. I travel around within a hundred miles or so of my home and buy old junk vehicles, drag them home, and part them out. Every last nut and bolt is for sale. This is part of how I earn my living and put food on the table. I encounter alot of folks infected with AP. It's quite easy to spot, maybe you have it? I put up ads on local bulletin boards asking to buy old junkers and I see yards full of them all over the place yet I get very few calls. Why wouldn't they want rid of them? I pay cash on the spot and more than scrap value.<br />
The symptoms of AP are easy to spot: A man with one foot in the grave says he won't sell because he is thinking of restoring the car one day, never mind that the car is so rusty there is nothing left to restore. Another tell tale symptom is the disproportionate value AP victims have on the things they own. You could offer to buy his wife's wedding ring off her finger and he would consider selling it but if you made an offer on the bullet holed 62 Pontiac 4 door in the bush with a tree growing through it he would chase you off the farm. Also viscous dogs are a sure sign. This guy is guarding his hoard of junk from other AP victims who may try to steal from him. I stay a long way from those places. Likely spot to get shot through the front door while knocking if the German Shepard doesn't get you first. Is that a human femur in its mouth?<br />
I often wonder what happens to these hoards of junk when the owner dies? These guys usually seem to have no heirs. Likely the local Rural Municipality brings in a track hoe and drags them all into a pile, crushes them with the bucket, and tosses them on a semi-trailer headed for the smelter. If only the owner would have sold them first he could have afforded a nice vacation or to fix up his falling down house. I wonder if some type of recovery group could be formed to help these guys? Could more than one of them be in the same room without a fight? Or would they have some deep respect and sympathy for fellow victims? How would the auto's be exorcised? Tough questions to be sure.<br />
This all leads me to my current thoughts on being mastered by possessions or sins from the book of 1 Corinthians 6. When we are mastered by something we become a slave to it. Slaves are things that are owned. Do you want to be owned? Or do you think you are free? Jesus talked about freedom. He said that if the Son sets you free then you will be free indeed. He also said that the truth will set you free, and he said "I am the way, the truth and the life. Pretty big claims. Check it out for yourself, perhaps you aren't a victim of auto possession but other addictions have beset you?Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-84040551182751814082015-11-06T17:07:00.001-06:002015-11-06T23:22:05.397-06:00The hotrodders wifeThis is a woman of unmatched quality who has found her? She has skills and abilities like no other. She is worth far more than CNC ported cylinder heads or an aluminum big block. Her husband trusts her with his stash of parts buying cash. She spots cool project cars from a distance and thinks twice before mentioning them to her husband all the days of her life.<br />
She helps with wrenchs and air tools and has helped lift heavy parts into the back of the pickup many times. She knows about the mail order speed parts coming from far away and doesn't say anything. She lays awake at night while he is out street racing wondering if he will be coming home with a smile on his face or in deep thought over a new cam he may need to buy. She has learned how to make do with value village clothing and home grown vegetables so the car can be faster.<br />
She is an expert at bleeding brakes and has a very strong left leg. She knows that racing is not profitable but doesn't complain. In her hands tools feel natural and a tow rope is not foreign to her. She gives generously even though she doesn't have much. When racing season is over she is thankful if the engine doesn't need a rebuild and the transmission still works fine. She even occasionally wears car guy t-shirts and impresses her friends with her knowledge of Holley carbs.<br />
Her husband is respected at the track and his name is on the top ten list in his hometown. She asks him if his SFI racing jacket is still good for another season or has it expired? She knows there will be hours of bench racing with buddies this winter as they all hope to be the quickest on the street next summer. She laughs at the gear head jokes and even knows why they are funny. She may even make a suggestion that the whole family should go to the track togther more often.<br />
Her husband is very thankful for her and even likes to show her off at car shows because she is so beautiful. Many women have many good qualities but in her husband's eyes she far surpasses them all. Don't be fooled by models on TV or in magazines. The wife of a hotrodder is much more to be thankful for and appreciated. I am so lucky she hangs out near my toolbox.<br />
BrianBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-17697625985463304072015-07-14T12:23:00.001-05:002015-07-14T12:23:59.200-05:00ADVICECan you accept advice? Can you give it tactfully? This hobby of drag racing and modifying hot rods is full of information. Some true, some false. The internet has allowed the average back yard hotrodder to hide behind his screen and toss advice unto the web as if he were a seasoned veteran. I like posting on forums. Forums are a great way to learn but BE CAREFULL!! The dude telling you to get a bigger cam or grind down your pistons might be a seventeen year old kid who's high performance knowledge was gained by bagging his mom's car around the block. I've noticed that when I give some advice to a newbie on say, facebook, that there are usually ten others giving the wrong advice and giving it more adamantly than I. Which advice do you think the original poster is going to take? Why the one that is cheapest and easiest of course!! There is so much mis-information on the internet that its impossible to tell truth from lies if you are young and inexperienced. Hands on, years of experience is rare. The people who have it aren't always eager to teach it. When someone asks for advice from a more experienced hotrodder, then ignores it all, the advice giver feels mocked. Then the advice giver is more reluctant to help out next time. Even worse is to ask for help or recomendations on parts then go buy other parts just because they are cheaper or worse yet , Chinese knock-offs! This past week I was the advice taker and the advice giver. Both positions taught me some strong lessons. Asking for advice is a good idea if you are asking the right person. When you finally find the right person, Shut your MOUTH and open your EARS. Giving advice is more difficult. I like to help people out especially if I see them making poor choices. In hotrodding poor choices are exspensive. Some people seem locked into a cycle of poor choices and can't or are not willing to get out. The lesson i learned here is this: Good parts are exspensive, Bad parts are even more exspensive! I recently built a new 540 cubic inch big block chevy. I was able to part out my old 489 and cover half the cost of the new motor. I used that 489 for 5 years and was able to get good money out of it because it was all good quality parts. This made building the new motor much easier on the wallet. Giving advice is tough because it takes tact and kindness. I may not want to accept advice from someone just because they are so arrogant in giving it that i am made to feel dumb. Nobody wants to be humiliated. One way to tell if someone is locked into a cycle of poor choices it to look at their car.Does it have a bunch of useless junk on it? Like chinese speed parts that came from Ebay? Does it never seem to get any faster? The car is locked in the 13's and so is the owner's brain. He can't mentally go any faster. If he had a blown alcohol dragster it would still only run 13's. Its as fast as his brain will let him go. When he buys parts he tells the engine builder he wants to make 600 horsepower but at every decision along the way he reasons that the cheaper choice will still work for him. He ends up with 350 horsepower and running 13's and telling everybody that he really didn't want a car that was hard on gas and he just intended to build a "CRUISER". This guy won't race you because he knows he will lose, he prefers to talk big and maybe even mock your car as not being a "STREET CAR". Is what i'm saying sinking in? Racing for 20 years and selling speed parts teaches you this stuff. Also making bad choices and wasting money should be a good teacher. I learnt both ways.<br />
My next topic is about life choices. As i see guys making bad choices with cars, I also have lately seen some really messed up people. From one bad choice to another. Locked in a cycle that is in their brain. God allows this to happen but he sends warning signs all along the way. Are you listening to God's warnings? You will reap what you sow. God will not be mocked. Sin leads to death. These are tough things to hear but are eternal truths from God's word. Will you finally listen to God when you are sitting on the edge of your grave? I've heard a catch phrase lately that is a total lie. Its this : It will happen sooner or later.... Referring to people learning bad habits or addictions. The truth is it doesn't need to be this way, the half truth is : go with LATER. In conclusion my simple advice is to refer you to God who is the giver of Truth. He knows infinitely more than I and will not steer you wrong!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-55378275120687530422014-11-15T16:11:00.000-06:002014-11-15T16:11:06.265-06:00Building season The summer is behind and now its time to push my bucket of bolts into the shop for Saskatchewan's long cold building season. This is why we have such nice hot rods in Canada. We can only drive them for 5 months of the year then work on them for the other seven. This also gives us lots of time to save up money, dream about then finally order that shiny new part that will make our car the fastest thing in town. This is all fun and not much beats the feeling of opening up a box of new speed parts! There are guys that build all their toys from used stuff as well. They get great satisfaction from making stuff work that they find cheap. This is also a fun way to do hotrodding but it usually takes longer because of waiting for the right deals or treasure hunting wrecking yards or kijiji. Re-purposing is the newest buzz-word i see on the internet. My wife likes to take some old wooden door, pallet, or window frame and somehow make it into a shelf or decoration for our home. I like to take an old engine or rearend and upgrade it to work in some way in my next project car. My problem is that I have so many ideas for projects but I often have to step back and decide what i can afford or have time to build. The main thing I'd encourage guys to think about in the hobby is to have a plan. I see many young guys with no plan. They just know they want to build something cool and fast. They tend to make bad choices, spend money on the wrong stuff and end up disappointed selling a half done project for a huge loss. They work with what they happen to have because it was free instead of paying a little extra and getting something worth building. Why spend one cent on a 305 chevy when you can get a 350 core for $100 ? Why build a 5.3 LS when you can spend a little extra and get a 6.0L ? Why build a 454 when a 496 rotating kit costs the same amount? Why spend a bunch of money on rebuilding iron heads when you can go to aluminum for an extra $400. I've made some of these mistakes and i'm here to tell you to be patient and do things right. It will always cost more but when you see a guy who's engine doesn't make the power it should because he bought chinese cylinder heads or went with a flat tappet cam when he should have went roller, a few extra bucks is a small price to pay. Buyers remorse never happens to a guy who buys the best parts. It happens to the guy who bought something cheap thats really worth nothing. I made a big purchase this year that i feel good about. I finally bit the bullet and bought an aftermarket block. It was exspensive but will hopefully last for many years and be a strong foundation for big horsepower.<br />
As I usually do I would also like to take some time to talk about the lessons i've been learning in my faith. I really like hotrodding but i really Love God. Living within God's kingdom and seeing him lead my life has been the biggest joy and blessing this year. I have found him to be completely trustworthy. People that don't trust God don't know what they are missing. This summer I started praying that my family and I would experience what it means to be in God's family. We went on a vacation out Vancouver Island and God answered our prayers. Every time we went to church we met awesome people who are part of the family of God. They showed hospitality to us and we did really cool things that we wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. I love salmon fishing but its terribly exspensive to hire guided boats. On our first Sunday on the island I swam with thousands of Salmon! It was an experience I will never forget. Then I caught a big King Salmon and got a fish cleaning demonstration from an ex - commercial fisherman! The second Sunday we were invited onto a 35 foot cabin cruiser and went out fishing in the pacific ocean twice. We loaded up on Koho salmon and bottom fish. It never cost us a dime! Usually when I'm on holidays I never seem to make it to church. Not Anymore! Lately I've come upon the verse Ephesians 3:20. Take some time to read it and ask God to show you its potential and your potential in his Kingdom. You will never be the same.Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-30426272524518698282014-02-05T12:10:00.001-06:002014-02-05T14:33:00.053-06:00its got a thousand horsepower man I've noticed in the last couple years that dual purpose street machines are leaning more and more towards single purpose drag cars. The line is getting harder to define for street or race car. Any car that can be driven down the street is called a street car. Even if it gets 3 mpg on race fuel, breathes through 4 inch exhaust and has 14 x 32 slicks. This is all fine by me and makes me want to step up my program. It seems as though a thousand horsepower is the new benchmark and showing up at the local street races with anything less is like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Of course by "street races" I mean a top ten list shootout that will become a TV show and have its own website! I have real street race footage on video but posting it online seems like a good way to get sent to jail. I'm not quite sure how that works? Maybe if i blur out the faces, liscence plates and bleep out all the talking along with the scenery that shows the locations? Might not be to enjoyable to watch then.<br />
So 1000 ponies is what i wanna talk about. Its definitly attainable but whats the best way to do it? If you know me and have read my past postings you'll know that i like big motors. If you start with a big motor over 500 cubic inches then making 600 hp is easy. Preferably more. Then use nitrous to top off your 1000 hp goal. This is all simple but here is the kicker, how are you gonna stick that on the street? A 500 hp car that hooks will leave a 1000 hp car in the tire smoke and there is no catching up when 2 or 3 seconds are spent blazing tires.<br />
Also if you've been following along you will have read and seen pictures of a project car called "The Ghetto Blaster". After taking a few months off, today is the day when i finally fire up that project again. Teaching young guys about hotrodding is a passion for me and it allows me to share my faith in God. Last year we got the car running and driving. God willing we will tune it this year and get it to the track. I'm very excited about seeing everyone one who took part in it go down the drag strip. I'm hoping for a high eleven at about 113 mph in the quarter. The car weighs 2910 without driver and some of the drivers are pretty light. We never tackled paint and body on the Ghetto Blaster so it still looks like a pile of junk hence the name. I'm not sure if or when paint and body will happen. I had dreamed that a journeyman body worker with a similar ministry would be interested in taking it on as a way to teach young men those skills and about God. Please contact me if you are that man. As far as what we still need to do to the car, It needs new wheels and tires for the back before it hits the track. I'm looking for a set of 15 x 8 weld draglites with around 4 inches of back spacing and a set of Mickey Thomson 28 x 9 slicks. I will likely purchase the tires new but if any readers have these wheels to sell please let me know. This whole ministry has taught me so much and built up my faith. My original goal of building a budget race car was based on what money i thought we could reasonably come up with. I was thinking in terms of what i could accomplish. God however had a much bigger and better plan. We likely have well over ten thousand dollars in this project and alot of high quality brand new parts. I'm so happy I didn't need to spend hours and hours searching for used parts and trying to scrape up money. God is good. If you are a believer please pray for me and the young guys involved in this ministry. If you are not a believer then believe me when i say that if you trust Jesus and turn your life over to him you will never be the same. You will have a purpose and joy in your life as you allow God to direct your paths.<br />
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<br />Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-50233003399598675652013-10-02T14:33:00.000-05:002013-10-02T14:35:39.954-05:00What a year..Here i am a few months later and so much has happened. Since i lost my welding job in April I have experienced so much and felt so dependent on God. Finances have been very tight and everything I do is weighed in a scale of how badly I need it. Being broke sucks but i'm not starving. God continues to provide. In my last post I told you about "The Rocket Shop School of Performance". In January as a way of reaching young men with the Bible I started hosting evening classes once a week to learn about building race cars and study the Bible. In Febuary the students pooled their money and bought a project car. The plan as detailed in my last post was to run 10's for $5000 and do a wheelie. That proved to be a lofty goal but through the guys donations and a few other generous donations we have came a long way. Our car is a 78 Pontiac LeMans. We built a 11 -1 CR 383 chevy with dart SHP heads and a big comp solid cam that should likely put out around 450 hp. We put it in front of a complely built turbo 350 with a 4000 stall one of my 9 inch rearends with a strange center, 4.10 gears and a 35 spline spool. We also installed a 6 point roll bar and built the car to run as fast as 10.0 at 135 mph. Realistically it should run high 11's. We did not put nitrous on it as i realized it is beyond the scope of this learning process at this point. All through building this car we have taken the time to study the Bible and spend time in prayer as a group every single night. We have learned so much an I myself am thankful that God used me to lead this ministry. The ministry has had many ups and downs. I have found myself at all ends of the spectrum emotionally. I'm sure no one who took part learned near as much as I did. Sometimes I felt very let down by God and other times I felt so thankful and amazed by Him. My faith was tested many times and I think I failed lots of those tests. It seems ironic that the year I have no money I end up leading a ministry that required boat loads of it. I had also looked forward to getting the LeMans to the track this year so the guys could get a chance to race it. We were all prepared to go and needed only one more part to finish the car. We needed the center section for the rearend. We had the money to buy it but had very little time. A guy called me with a used one for sale and we saved up the money to buy it for $1400. Then the guy wouldn't return my calls and we ran out of time to buy a new one. I had spoken to the guys about how we should have faith that God brought us this far and he would provide for us as he had every step of the way so far. I felt so let down when the day came and went for us to race. Everyone had worked so hard and given so much of their money towards building this car that I just couldn't believe we missed our chance. God however does not work on my schedule and has a bigger picture in mind. This has all been part of the tough lessons I have been learning. With the car basically done the mechanical phase a decision needs to be made. Paint and body. The car will pass tech and is ready to race but it defintly won't look good doing it! I'm not a body man and my shop is not equipped for body work. I need God's leading as to the next step because he always has our best in mind. If you are reading this and are also involved in some form of automotive ministry I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading<br />
Brian<br />
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Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-45050598006426196952013-03-06T13:42:00.002-06:002013-03-06T13:42:58.513-06:00contact me (please)To contact me, click on the email button in my profile. Email me directly at <a href="mailto:brianj_taylor@hotmail.com">brianj_taylor@hotmail.com</a> or phone me at 306-752-5558. To comment on a post (this would make my day) click on the comments link at the bottom of the posting.Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-89994091131425718082013-02-15T15:24:00.002-06:002013-02-15T15:24:41.080-06:00new direction for meFinding one's life path can be a tough thing. I've been looking for my whole 35 years. I'm not just talking about a career but thats definitly part of it. Money is deceptive. Chasing the almighty dollar is fruitless. You can never have enough and there is always more stuff to own. Sooner or later you have so much stuff that it begins to own you. You can't sleep at night because you are worried about all your stuff. It might get stolen, it might rust away, it might break down or get destroyed by a storm etc.... I live on an acreage so there is certain exspensive pieces of "stuff" i need but i hate owning. A good example is a tractor. They are very exspensive, require lots of maintenance, exspensive to repair, should be stored indoors (especially in winter) and with a diesel engine they can be hard to start in cold weather. I need a tractor for moving snow and vehicles but i hate all the aggrivation of owning one. Another annoying machine is a snowmobile. I love ice fishing and hunting so a snowmobile is necessary but they are such unreliable pieces of junk that i also hate owning them. All these exspensive items brings me to my recent life lessons on money. Over the past 8 years i've been living a double life. All summer long i've been working at a small factory building agricultural structures. It is hard, tiring, unhealthy work but it has a few benefits. The plasma and welding smoke is brutal and lifting heavy steel all day along with kneeling on the floor to weld is very hard on my body. I will likely not live to be an old man if i worked this job my whole life. The main benefit is the good pay and i work good hours (7-4) and its not very far from home (15 min drive). In the summer I make good money but the job doesn't allow for much time off. I'm paid in such a way that if i take a day off, i lose more money that what i would have made by working that day (ya its hard to understand) so i don't take time off in the summer which is the best part of the year where i live. The other half of the double life that i mentioned is at home in my shop working as an auto mechanic, selling performance car parts and building performace cars/motors. This career also has positive and negative results. I get to be home and spend lots of time with my wife and three children. I have lots of time to travel and hunt / fish with my family. I love working on and building hotrods. I love meeting and talking with other gear heads. I have time to work on my own projects (just put a bigger cam in my malibu) and for all this i am thankfull. The big downer is that i don't make any money. There is only 10 - 15% markup on speed parts and all hotrodders seem to know of somewhere cheaper or easier to get stuff. Hotrodders love buying stuff online from the states (they don't seem to mind paying freight / brokerage) and it seems like a dying hobby. Few young guys are getting into it. If your dad wasn't a hotrodder chances are very slim you will be. So to conclude my story, in the winter when i have all the free time, I have no money to enjoy all that free time!<br />
This all leads me to share my newest adventure. The Rocket Shop School of Performance! Over the last 3 weeks i have been hosting evening classes out in my shop that i have really enjoyed teaching. We learn about building performance cars and spend a bit of time in a classroom type setting then move to hands on work. Then near the end of the evening i take a few minutes to share a lesson from the Bible. I try to make God the most important part of my life and this class has allowed me to use my gifts to serve him. This class is what i look forward to so much each week. Building into the lives of young men is very important to me. There are much wiser hotrodders out there than me but God has gifted me to share my faith with these young men. One of the tough parts of the class is keeping stuff in my shop to learn on. So far we have tore down four small block chevy's and i'm ready for something different! Through a friend who has the same vision as me we felt it would be good to have a project car. This will help the young guys to unite and have a common purpose. The idea that came to my mind was a drag race car. Not a street car (been there, done that many times). The goal i presented was for 5000 dollars to run low 10's and do a wheelie! This is a tough challenge. The best way to meet these goals that i could think of is a 500 hp 350 chevy built from mostly all used race parts (remember its not a street car) and a 200 dose of spray all in a light, cheap car such as a g-body. When its all done it would be so rewarding to haul it to the strip and give each student an opportunity at making a pass with it. This is also a big test of faith for me because i neither have the money nor free parts to make it happen. So far we have a 4 bolt 350 block and a set of resized stock connecting rods. I'm looking for a used forged crank, forged high CR pistons, aluminum heads, solid roller cam, turbo 400 tranny, 4000+ stall convertor, shifter, roll bar and many more things. Being a race-only car makes things simpler and cheaper but still a good challenge. I also haven't nailed down a car yet for sure but i do have my daily driver 81 malibu wagon. It still runs and drives great with a V6 so i hate to tear it apart just yet, especially since i might need it to drive to work this summer. This is an opportunity for my vast readership (good one eh?) to help. Finding deals on parts plus telling me of possible other methods of meeting our goal. Do you think there is a better way to run low 10's for $5000 and do a wheelie? Let me know! Also if You are a Christian or even better a Christian hotrodder, please pray for me and the young men who are a part of this ministry. Deep down i'm hoping and wondering if God might be changing my life path through this ministry of his. God bless you and thanks for reading.<br />
brianBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-54724070869156865092012-11-20T09:02:00.002-06:002012-11-20T09:02:14.602-06:00sleeper stang videoFinally the long awaited (at least by me) conclusion to the sleeper stang trilogy. Check it out and leave a comment. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VCg1nLPerY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VCg1nLPerY</a>Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-44522574888087652852012-11-09T21:54:00.000-06:002012-11-09T21:54:15.759-06:00winter projects & summer memories Here in Saskatchewan we are blessed with a long cold winter. The perfect time for every hotrodder to pull his car into the shop and do a bunch of modifications. As with any project, one modification can lead to another. I plan to do a cam swap but that means timing chain and valve springs and since i plan on pulling the motor I might toss in a 4000 stall convertor. Stabbing in a bigger cam is one of my favorite mods. Its a fine line between going to big and not going big enough. In my small block chevy days i put in my share of "too big" cams. These will actually slow you down. If you make that mistake once or twice you become very hesitant about putting in a bigger cam ever again. One of the things you learn from reading hot rod magazines is they are always preaching about staying on the milder side when selecting a cam. Thats all fine if you want to go slow! Not me. I'm all for going big. With a big block its hard to go too wild on the cam if your motor is built for power. A serious motor deserves a big solid roller cam. <br />
This past summer was like none other in my books. I came face to face with a kind of evil I hadn't given much thought before. Pride in all its ugliness. Its something we are all guilty of but we seldom recognize it unless its in someone else. When we consider ourselves to be without guilt before God then we know we have alot of pride. When someone says " Nobody's perfect" or "I'm not perfect" that means they think they are just about perfect. Speaking of evil, have you noticed how many t-shirts, tattoos and window stickers are all skulls, skeletons, demons and twisted wickedness? It nearly makes me sick. Why are people so hyped up on death? Do they want to die? All those things are an outward sign of whats in the heart. The bible says that " the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked". Give your heart a check-up. Do you fill your heart and mind with junk? An easy way to tell is by keeping track of what you say. Are you always saying good or bad things about people? Our mouth is the gateway of our heart. Jesus said : "those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile a man". The problem is we are born with a evil heart, then we continue to make it worse. Unless God steps in, the present and future for men is very bleak. The bible also says "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved". Thank God, he has stepped in. What are you waiting for?<br />
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Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-57018524741947642142012-07-09T23:16:00.002-05:002012-07-09T23:16:40.026-05:00car show suggestionsI really like small town, main street car shows. The whole community comes out and has a good time. I've participated in two so far this summer and i've come up with a few suggestions that i think would improve shows for everyone. <br />
1. Update the music selection, I'm sick of 50's tunes. Play stuff that younger people (under 50) want to hear.<br />
2. Don't charge a fee to the guys putting cars in your show (isn't this obvious?)<br />
3. Change or discard the whole voting / winner selection thing. Hardly anyone votes anyways<br />
4. Don't invite the cops, or at least ask them to cut some slack<br />
5. Door prizes are cool but i don't need any more wax thanks<br />
6. Weed out guys putting in there daily driver chrysler lebaron that they are just trying to sell<br />
7. Put on a show, like maybe a funny car starting up and doing a burnout or something to grab everyones attention, especially the kids.<br />
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If you have any more car show tips send them to me and maybe i'll post them up. I've also made some good progress on the sleeper stang project. I've raced three guys and gotten beat three times. I need to lower my sights. The car actually runs pretty decent and sounds real good. I've had to upgrade the fuel system and I also stuck in a higher stall speed convertor. I've now come to the conclusion that it needs less gear. I've found a set of 3.55's that i hope to buy and get in before i go to the track. I've had it at the two shows and nobody even gives it a second look, Mission Accomplished!! Thats what a sleeper is supposed to do. Only like 2 guys have looked at the motor and figured out that something didn't look right! It also has a mostly complete interior with a back seat so i can take the whole family to shows. I've got a video on youtube of the engine running on the stand from this winter and now i also have a video of the car running and driving. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR0Nsjf-tzY&feature=g-all-u">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR0Nsjf-tzY&feature=g-all-u</a><br />
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check it out and leave a comment. Thanks to my hotrodder buddy Brock for making these video's.<br />
brianBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-84550725507887631672012-03-19T12:08:00.003-05:002012-03-19T18:00:20.731-05:00Spring is on the way! This time of year really gets hotrodders gears turning. There is nothing like the feeling of sneaking out to the nearest stretch of dry pavement to test out all the winter modifications. Its also completly necessary to burn off the hard crust of outer rubber that forms on racing tires over the winter! The biggest decision yet to make is how soon do i renew my liscence plates and is last years race gas in my tank gonna still be ok? Sure .... let er rip!! Its also this time of year when my phone starts working again. I'm sure the thing has been broken all winter! Guys start looking for parts for stock cars, demo cars, off road trucks, race cars and hotrods to finish off their winter mods and prepare for the new season. I'm also thinking I need to write some courtesy tips for kijiji junkies. After a winter of replying to guys that are trying to get something for nothing I get very frusterated. So here goes in point form:<br />
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1- If you don't have any money for the item you want, please don't bother me<br />
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2- One word reply's such as "100" when the item is listed for $150 are just plain rude, Making low ball offers is fine but at least be polite.<br />
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3- Do you really think I want to trade a good pair of racing mufflers for your autographed UFC cap?<br />
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4- If my price for an item is very low and i've given a big explanation of the item please don't ask me to go take more pictures. Especially if you don't have any money anyways.<br />
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5- Please read the whole ad before replying. My explanation will probably answer most of your questions.<br />
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6- If i've listed all the offers that i've allready had for an item please don't reply to offer me the same amount.<br />
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7- If you really want my attention and want me to take you seriously, phone me, I'm a person, I'm usually friendly and I love chit - chatting with car guys!<br />
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8- please don't tell me how dumb I am for putting a chevy motor in a mustang, I've allready got that memo<br />
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9- If you think my prices are too high be polite and make a fair offer, i might go for it, just don't call me a jerk and leave a false return email adress<br />
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10- MOST IMPORTANTLY -- If you say you are coming to look or buy at a certain time or a certain day--DO IT!!!!! Lying is Lying...... We all have to live on this planet together so lets try to treat each other the way we want to be treated!<br />
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I've bought and sold thousands of things and I love doing it. I'm not getting rich but I try to be friendly and help my customers the best i can. I like hearing about guys project cars and maybe offering some ideas or accepting your advice for my own projects. One thing I've noticed that we guys could work on is taking the time to ask about someone else's project. If all i did was talk about what I'm doing and how awesome it is and how great I am it really turns guys off. Listen to each other and ask questions, show a little interest. That makes everyone happy. I've also really learned how to spot if a guy is lying or doesn't know what he is talking about. If your going to tell me stories about your car make sure they are true. If you say it has trouble keeping the front wheels on the ground, or you once made it from saskatoon to regina in 45 minutes, I'll subconsciously relegate you to BS-er status in my brain and never beleive a word you say ever again. Thats all i can think of for today.<br />
brian aka prairiehotrodder<br />
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PS- I'd also like to give a little dig for the saskmustang.com forum. If you are from saskatchewan and like mustangs get over there, sign up and make some friends!!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-74715127776651106872012-03-04T12:35:00.001-06:002012-03-04T12:37:24.852-06:00Men and Marriage (and hobbies)Yikes!! I recently came across this video from one of my favorite preachers. This is sorely needed in our culture and in our own lives. I felt very convicted and encouraged as well to be responsible. Please take the time to watch. Also great for single guys and women.<br />
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<a href="http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/men-and-marriage">http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/men-and-marriage</a><br />
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brianBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-60562403511092191372012-01-25T19:41:00.003-06:002012-01-27T19:30:15.188-06:00motor runnin!! After much time and money i finally managed to get the 454 for project sleeper stang running. It started up pretty quick on the stand and with the help of a young gearhead named Brock I broke in the cam and set the timing. We ran it through a set of used mufflers then when it was all finished we cut them off to hear it roar through the open headers. There is nothing like the smell of baking high temp paint and exhaust fumes from a fresh engine! I also picked up a good used turbo 350 tranny with a 2800 stall convertor a while back and i took it in to my favorite local tranny shop to get a hardened roller clutch race put in it and the pump freshened up. Now the engine and tranny are basically ready to go into the car. It will be interesting to see how much power a big cam, too big headers, single plane intake with good heads will make with 8-1 compression. Feel free to let me know what i'm doing wrong! I 've nearly got as much money into these 781 heads as a set of aftermarket aluminum would have cost me. The main reason was going to the bigger valves with the 11/32 stems caused alot more machine work to be necessary. I've probably got $1500 into the heads!! So much for a budget buildup! <br />
I also took the time this week to go on a northern Saskatchewan ice fishing trip. I highly recomend Silence of the North lodge for their great fishing and great hospitality. We stayed two nights and had great fishing for walleye and lake trout. We spent two hours opening up a snowmobile trail through the thick bush to get into paranteau lake to catch lake trout so now is the time to go since the trail is clear. One downside of the trip was that i lost a piston in my snowmobile about 9 km from the lodge and had to tow back. Snowmobile's are even less reliable than my hotrods and thats pretty bad!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGqgVxx0p-UheZI6ckbvl_iIL8qnXi1CagTvtcFUO2BvR4emt50_yTCkdOGHYoBrNUsmF4gO5xCFjI1QYtD0h5Z804bM6fcNDI9e6URJbiNeQwKOu-uFiMq9zJ_cdgttO57vh-lvloDI/s1600/IMG_1373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="300px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGqgVxx0p-UheZI6ckbvl_iIL8qnXi1CagTvtcFUO2BvR4emt50_yTCkdOGHYoBrNUsmF4gO5xCFjI1QYtD0h5Z804bM6fcNDI9e6URJbiNeQwKOu-uFiMq9zJ_cdgttO57vh-lvloDI/s400/IMG_1373.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div> Also glad to report that Christmas and new years holidays were great for me and i was able to spend lots of time with family. Hunting coyotes is allways a big deal at our house and we managed to nail a few over the holidays. Every one was skinned and sold, none wasted. Fishing and hunting are great activities to do as a family and much like hotrodding and working on cars it is great bonding time for fathers and sons. What are your best memories of times with your father? Some guys sadly have very few good memories of their fathers. Don't let that happen to your children! Thats all for today, feel free to respond using the little white envelopes at the bottom of this post.Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-26508981631320016962011-10-02T16:12:00.000-05:002011-10-02T16:12:58.115-05:00sleeper stang readers tips I have slowly been finding deals and picking up parts for project sleeper stang. I recently bought a set of Elgin 2.19 / 1.88 valves off of ebay for around $98 plus shipping. These would have cost over $200 from milodon or manley but I guess i'll find out how good they are. I would like to give my readers a chance to offer any sleeper tips for this project. Just to re-cap, its and 89 mustang notchback that started life with a 2.3L 4 cylinder and is now getting a 454 big block chevy. What ideas can you offer to make this car look ultra stockish or slow but really fly? Keep in mind that this is also a cheapo buildup with alot of used junk. The big buck items that i've bought are the PAracing crossmember and the dynatech headers. Everything else is used, chinese or on sale! <br />
Also at this time I would like to encourage my readers to read the gospel messages that i have posted along the right side of the screen. I'm sure most readers are men and we men have a big responsibility. As a man raises his family, So the family contributes to a larger community and eventually the direction of a nation. If men teach and model Godly principles the nation prospers. If men stray from God and are selfish and sinful the whole nation will become ungodly and wicked. Take a closer look at natzi germany. Compare that to where we are headed and what lies we believe. Watch <a href="http://www.180movie.com/">http://www.180movie.com/</a> In my own life it is a constant battle to be a Godly leader for my family. I fail many times. We men need to help and encourage each other in biblical living and to keep from sin. Lets fight to save our families and our nation by turning our hearts toward God. Jesus said that the most important commandment is to love the Lord your God with a your heart and all your soul and all your strength and to love your neighbour as yourself. Lets obey that commandment for our own good and for the good of our children and our nation together.Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-21024994378934139882011-09-18T23:21:00.000-05:002011-09-18T23:21:29.008-05:00i did it!10.92 @ 123 on the motor. 9.84 @ 134 on the bottle. Awesome day !Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-25285919444287323152011-09-17T17:29:00.000-05:002011-09-17T17:29:17.544-05:00Finally!!Here I am, its september 17 and my car is all loaded on the trailer with new slicks, 210 hp nitrous jets and a barrel of race gas ready to race! God willing I will skip church tomorrow and make it in to SIR for the afternoon street legal drags. I've been really looking forward to making a few passes and my brother-in-law is bringing his 11 second 99 mustang as well. Its a very sweet ride and sports a 2V 4.6 based stroker with an aluminum block, patriot heads and a kenne bell blower. Alot of it was put together in my shop and I really enjoy working on it together with Ryan. My other bro-in-law Trevor is putting together a nice 72 dodge shortbox with a healthy 360 that should break into the 13's and be very fun to drive. I really miss the days when a bunch of friends did the hobby together including working on, racing and going to car shows together. Its been a brutal summer for me but things are looking up. Since I injured my ankle I kept working and it isn't healing very good. Any wrong step and I get a shot of pain. Now my summer work is winding down and i hope to take a break before i start into any major project cars. Hopefully I will post my times on sunday or monday. See ya at the track!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-80664854379983235022011-08-09T10:53:00.000-05:002011-08-09T10:53:32.695-05:00Who's in control?Lately life experiences have been teaching me some lessons. So many of my plans this summer have not happened. I have wanted to make it to SIR to race a few times and all my planning has been futile. Also I have been working very hard to pay off the last of my debt. On August 5 I got my paycheck and for the first time since I was 19 (15 years ago) I paid of my last nickel of debt to the bank. I was then broke but at least have no payments. I was looking forward to saving some money and making my family financially secure. Then on Saturday Aug 6 while hurrying to pull an engine out of a truck in the rain, I jumped out of my tractor and sprained my ankle. The pain was unreal. The muscles on the side of my right foot were stretched and I momentarily passed out. Thankfully a man was at my shop loading a car at the time and he helped me limp to the house and my wife drove me directly to the hospital. The doctor was very helpful then proceeded to question me about the fuel injection system he was planning to use on his kit car! Later on when I got home from the hospital I got my wife to help me pull one cylinder head off of the 454 I had removed during the rain. We found that it was fairly fresh .030 overbored and has no ring ridge. It will make a great short block to use in project sleeper stang. I had it running and it was missing but soon found that as usually happens with big chevy's a lobe was gone from the camshaft. Now here I am at home, no debt, no money, and can't work. I thought I was in control of my life! I had big plans for this summer. I had been planning to be in Chilliwack BC on the last day of september to fish the salmon run on the vedder river. I'm now saying " If its God's will".<br />
Thankfully God is in control. Hopefully from now on I will remember to look to the Lord as my planner. Also as a side note please read the comment that an anonymous reader left on my last post. He was absolutely right. Shame on me.<br />
Switching topics, the next car show that i really enjoy is the casino car show in Prince Albert and the date was changed to Aug 12. So if it's God's will and I can walk / drive by then I hope to be there! If it doesn't rain! Also please feel free to leave a comment on anything I've posted using the little white envelopes below or join my blog and be a follower. I promise not to send you any junk mail.<br />
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verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.<br />
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brianBrian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-29486032693326914392011-07-24T14:40:00.000-05:002011-07-24T14:40:59.271-05:00update :Well, I never made it to the track. It was raining so i never went because i have a 2 hour drive to get there. I'm looking forward now to possibly August 7 or September 10. I really want to run flat out and see what my car will do with the 210hp nitrous jets in my cheater plate. I'll post before i go and hopefully have another chance to meet some of my readers!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-60847901717731694542011-07-15T23:47:00.000-05:002011-07-15T23:47:50.059-05:00upcoming track day ( i hope!)I just wanted to let all my readers know that on july 23 i hope to make it to SIR for the points race. I'd like to meet anyone who reads this blog ( its possible that someone does!) I'll be racing my malibu and i hope to at least get a few test runs in before i get eliminated from the bracket race. Hopefully the weather is ok and lots of spectators come out. I've had a busy summer and haven't posted anything for a long time but lots has happened. I made it to PA for the canadian tire car show which is one of my favorites and last night A&W in melfort had a fun little car show. All the local street racers came out and we had a real fun evening! There hasn't been any progress on my mustang project car but i have lined up a few used parts that i hope to pick up when i go to saskatoon. I found some V8 coil springs for it which i will need to hold the big block and also a stock V8 tachometer for the cluster because it still has the 4 cylinder tach. It works but it's not fun to always divide by two to get the proper rpm reading! Oh also i found a real nice .020 over 454 shortblock that I will use in the mustang. Now all in need to find is some heads. Please comment and encourage me not to get lazy and buy some exspensive aluminum heads - this is supposed to be a budget junkyard screamer!<br />
Anyways, hope to see ya at the races!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117977214341977889.post-87499397745435852072011-05-24T22:03:00.000-05:002011-05-24T22:03:01.492-05:00run whatcha brung The hotrodder scene is full of over used, tired out, dried up cliche's. I get so sick of hearing them that I instantly wonder if the person saying them has any clue what they are saying. "Run whatcha brung" was one that I heard many times in my early street racing years. It meant that if you showed up to race and your opponent had a lighter car, bigger tires, bigger motor or a nitrous system, oh well, to bad for you. Nobody said it was going to be fair. On the other hand if the odds are stacked in your favor, oh well, run whatcha brung right? "There's no replacement for displacement" this basically means bigger is better when talking cubic inches. Guys with big motors never stop saying it untill you reveal a nitrous system they didn't know you had! "Three quarter race cam" this is just a little bit smaller than a "full race cam" and it means that the guy who says it knows nothing about cams. "355 american" this is a special high performance engine built in a secret american machine shop in very limited numbers and installed in various cars and trucks that somehow were smuggled into Canada, or it is an old 350 chevy that is bored .030 oversize. "400 american" same story as above. "blue block or orange block" when talking chevy engines obviously orange must be better, why not get an orange block and paint it blue? What a sleeper that would be! "cheater slicks" this refers to..... I'm not really sure, maybe tires that hook on the street but may or may not be real slicks?You are a cheater if you use them though! "NAWWWS" If you say this it means you beleive everything is true that happens in the fast and furious movies and you probably have a honda with a 4 inch exhaust tip on the back. "Bone stock" When a street racer says this it means an engine with a cam, intake and headers and it is about to blow your doors off! " Ported and polished and blueprinted" This means I dropped my motor off at the machine shop and i got a really big bill when it was done, I'm assuming these things were done because I got charged alot of money! "Rat rod" I posted on this awhile back but its basically another word for "I'm to broke or lazy to make my car look decent". As you can see there is lots of automotive jargon that needs to be scrapped from the hotrodders dictionary. They are mainly introduced into our hobby by non-car-guys pretending to be car guys to impress our women and teenagers! So men, here's what to do. Teach your wife and kids the gear head lingo so they can identify the fakers! You don't want your own family members to embarass you by spouting off some goofy two-bit movie line in front of your real car buddies do you? Educate them! Make them read through this blog! Its the right thing to do!Brian Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612188729278138825noreply@blogger.com1