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FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

On a prepped track, a short, sharp burnout is all that is needed to clean the road debris of the tyres and slightly warm them...

'course, muggins here can't help himself, and treats it like a smoke machine until he runs out of room to the start line

Cheers,
Harv

Harv wrote: Fri Mar 14, 2025 7:35 am On a prepped track, a short, sharp burnout is all that is needed to clean the road debris of the tyres and slightly warm them...

'course, muggins here can't help himself, and treats it like a smoke machine until he runs out of room to the start line

Cheers,
Harv

You say that like it's a bad thing

Rippa photo!!


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Hey Harv. On the subject of dissy issues, I've used Vintage Racing Developments in Epping to build my electronic dissy for the HAMBster. I haven't touched it in years and it has never let me down. He's a nice bloke to deal with, even coming to WSID a couple of years ago when he knew I was running to check how it was working. Check out his website at what he builds for racers and restorers.

VRD do great work. Dave rebuilt the dizzy in Graces Ute when it was eating rotor buttons, and supplied the o-rings and tapered gear pins when I had that pile of magnetos converted to grey motor. He is good people.

Cheers,
Harv

More $&@“ ignition problems. When wringing the motors neck then backing off sharply, it stalls. Not great on the highway, rather embarrassing after a burnout at the drags (don’t ask me how I know). 14.4 second pass. No burnout for the second run (ashamed of my earlier stalling). Thought I had gone around the water box but must have caught some water - spun like crazy off the line, 17 second pass. That’s close to stock grey motor time

Erratic pinging under mild load again. Have had enough, and ponied up for an ICE ignition set. Should have followed this advice some time ago, but was too stubborn.

Now have a coolant leak, somewhere on the drivers rear above the starter. Can’t see it with all the steering, headers and booster in the road, so borrowing Number One Son’s borescope. From memory there is a welch plug at the engine mount, and some more in the bellhousing. The bellhousing will be easier to get at… and an excuse for more converter

Shed still hasn’t been built (they are digging foundations today, 4 months in), so likely repairs in the open driveway.

Cheers,
Harv

Time flies.

Shed done, and wagon went in for some TLC. Forgot how nice it is working inside a shed with everything handy instead of walking up and down the driveway.

Coolant leak turned out to be a head gasket. Easy enough to get the heads off, not so much fun getting them back on again. A rocker cover gasket that refused to seal. Got there in the end.

Fitted the ICE ignition (magic box of sorcery, voltage booster, coil, dizzy and leads). Runs a lot better - no more pinging under initial acceleration, or stalling when backing off. Runs well under "spirited driving".

Some more test runs and some tidy up, but looking good for Day of the Drags next month.

What a saga that MSD ignition turned out to be:
I screwed up making No1 plug lead, it had high resistance so the dizzy would fire THROUGH the rotor plastic and burn it out. At least two tilt tray rides home and replacement rotors, one ride from Mount White.
Had the billet dizzy module crap out, replaced with a CDI box.
Replace coil, though suspect that was overzealous.
Learned that a CDI ignition has enough zoot to jump a 4" gap and throw me on my backside.
Corroded the inside of the billet dizzy, twice, before replacing with a knock-off one.
Had the replacement dizzy module crap out.
Suspect the module is again shagged, giving erratic timing.
There is no doubt I am a slow learner.

Cheers,
Harv

Harv,

I have a few friends that used MSD for their ignitions, they have had similar discomfort.

The parts have been made in you know where and failed similar to your story.

I'm not sure if ICE is any better but they have been getting good reviews.

Greg

I have had ICE for a couple of years now. No problems at all. Every now and then I consult the chart and dial in a new curve- keeps me off the streets. In recent weeks I moved the coil from the steering box brace, on to a bracket I made to sit above the engine mount. Works just the same. The computer box is sitting on the carpet under the passenger seat. Not very professional, but keeps it out of the engine bay and makes it easy to flick the curve switch. I had to add some length to the wiring loom with no ill effect. If you are not a fiddler, they are set up and forget I think. Oh, and peeps are in Melbourne and very helpful and interested. They are 100% made in Aus I believe.