Made it to Canada!

More on the crossing later. Right now it's pouring rain and we are having lunch at a service center. 

Watertown, NY

We arrived in Watertown, NY last night around 10pm. If all goes smooth at the border we should be at our hotel this afternoon and then at the track at 5:00. 

Leaving later today

We moved our departure time to later in the day.  We'll overnight close to the border and cross tomorrow morning.  Weather wise it's not looking very promising.  The prediction for the past week has been rain on Wedsneday, Thursday and Friday.  Even if I did have a full set of rains tires, I would never go out on a track that's new to me. Now in a Formula Ford, that's no problem.

Just a little more time

Well, didn't get it loaded on the truck Saturday.  Just plum ran out of time.

Still sitting in the shop Sunday morning.

Sunday noon, I really need to get this loaded up today.  The weather forecast is rain for Monday.

Finally at 6pm.
 My time-management needs some tweaking. I really thought this would all be done Sunday morning.  Still more to load, but just about all the race car support is on the truck.  

Mosport - YouTube

Learning Mosport.  For me, it helps to associate similar corners with tracks I've race at.  The 2 tight corners and long straightaway at the bottom of the map is very much like Road Atlanta.

Packing the truck

First, the new dog rings arrived yesterday.  It's one of those things I don't think I'll need to replace during the weekend, but now I have spares just in case.
The goal today is have all spares and support equipment loaded in the truck along with the car.

Dog rings back ordered

The dog rings have been on back order but are now available.  They just shipped yesterday and I should have them Saturday or Monday by the latest.  That's cutting it close.  

Watkins Glen, NY

I was traveling up to Geneva last Friday and stopped in the research center in Watkins Glen.

Mike Knittel's 1970 Chinook Formula 5000 car on display in the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY   Looks great!

Race update:
Starting to pack up tools and parts and I have to make a list of all items for both borders.

Border update

We'll, I talked to the Canadian Border folks yesterday.  Their senior adviser told me it was a unusual request but should not prevent us from crossing into Canada.   She also said expect to be delayed and question, mainly because the inspecting border agent might not be familiar with this particular situation.
With that information in hand, I think we will give it a try.  The only change is leaving a day early.  We planned on leaving early Wednesday morning and getting to the track at 5 pm.  Registration is from 5-9 pm.  But, if we get held-up at the border and late to registration.  That would leave us arriving Thursday morning and setting up.  We would miss the the morning test session.

Links
Historic Canadian Grand Prix
Entry list
Facebook

Car's ready

The car is now 100% race ready.  Finished up the last details yesterday.

Border crossing in limbo

As I've mentioned in the past, crossing the border in a large commercial truck is difficult. These trucks are importing products and a lot of paper work and driver background checks are required. The problem is my truck travels interstate and must be commercial registered and have a USDOT registered number. This is because of our antique business.  So I'm in the same boat as the big 18 wheeler tractor trailer trucks.
My only option was to re-registered and re- insurance the truck as a non-commercial  vehicle.  To make a long story short, I just heard from my auto insurance company, the truck is now considered a mid-duty truck and must have commercial insurance(I use a different company for the truck now). Their policy has changed, I did have this truck insured with them when I first purchased the truck.

So, I'll take to the phone on Monday and try to determine if I can cross the border with no intent on commercial commerce.

New battery installed

Just installed the new battery and this should solve the starting problems we had at Austin last year.

Looking to have it together and finished by the weekend.  

Canadian Historic Grand Prix update

Everything is coming along in good fashion.  The car is just about ready.  Have a new battery on order that should be here Wednesday.  Once that's installed, the car will be finished.  Then it's packing and inventory.

My favorite job, polishing rims.  3 down one to go. 

Dog rings

Dog ring time again.  I ordered a couple of dog rings from a Calif. outfit last year.  There about 1/2 the price of the Hewlands and a different designed.  We'll, yesterday I was going through my gear box container looking to see what spares I had and happened to notice the new dog rings a bit larger than the old ones.  I went to the dog ring web web site and sure enough they sent me the wrong ones.  Need to exchange these.

The new one is on top, old on the bottom.  Not even close.

Engine run-up

Removed the starter motor, disassembled it and did a good cleaning.  It's open to the elements and doesn't take long to gum up.

With it cleaned up and installed, I was ready to start the engine.  Now the big test was the magneto kill switch.   Started the engine and threw the main switch off, sure enough the engine stopped right away.  It worked!  I'm very glad, really didn't have a plan "B".  So now the focus is on Mosport in June, just about 4 weeks away.