Helmet finished

Finally finished the helmet.  I don't know if I would have tackled this before Mosport now knowing how long it would take.  But, it's done and that's good.

Getting closer

Less than a week now.  Just have been working on the helmet.  Have an antique show in S.Jersey tomorrow and have been getting ready for that.  Come Sunday it's back to race prep.

Now it's polish and add decals.  

Car show and trailer

One last item for the trailer was a test run with the car.  I had been planning to do a car show for the past month but the weather has been bad.  This would give me a chance to test the trailer on the highway and to unload and load the car looking for any problems.  So the Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ was having a car show.  All went well, no problems.

Not quite as fast as a speeding bullet, or should I say an artillery cannon shooting a projectile 12 miles.

When I got home I unloaded the car, moved the trailer and placed the car back in the shop in just 12 minutes.  Using the box truck would have taken at least 50 minutes. 

If your interested, nice new Lamborghini for a mere $460,000.
 I do like blue. 

Helmet progress

Painted the blue.  Notice I had to increase the white and lower the blue.  The opening on the new helmet is larger(and lower than the old helmet) for people who wear glasses.

Wet sand everything.

Ready to shoot the yellow.  

Painting the helmet

I was on the fence whether I would have the time to paint before Mosport.  The answer is below.  It really needed to be done, it's almost part of the car.  That's about 5 hrs of work .  Another 5 hrs should have it done.   I steal the time from someplace else. 

Using the same process from the first helmet.  

Mask.

Prime.

Shoot the red.

Today I'll shoot the blue, then Monday the Yellow and clear.

Mosport, 2 more weeks

Wow, time is flying.  The bigger projects are done.  Now it's all those small details, like buy race gas, bleed brakes, charge battery etc.  A course the big change this year is no more box van to haul the racer.  Now it's a pickup truck and trailer.  Hoping unloading and setting up should go a lot faster and easier.  Storage space should be about the same and the biggest change is, no more USDOT to deal with.  Yea!
So, there are 10 entries for Mosport.  Nothing like the 45 for Monterey this year.  But 10 is not bad for a East Coast race.  From 2009 to 2012, Watkins Glen never got more than 11 cars.  Road Atlanta had 11 and in 2010 an event for the F5000 cars in Circuit Mont-Tremblant only had 4.  It would have been nice to have 15, but 10 is good.

New Helmet

Yes, I had to replace my old helmet.  Many race organizations have a helmet rule of no more than 10 years old.  Mine's 13. It's very much like my old one.  Not sure if I'm going to have time to paint it before Mosport. 

Progress

Yes, making progress.  Finishing up the gearbox.

I learned this tip for Eric.  When you remove the gear fork, the shims keep it centered on the shaft.
Also when it's installed.

So far, so good.

Now the problem.   There's a lip at the bottom of the fork that rest on the shaft.
This is where the round shims would go for adjustment.  For my adjustment I needed less shims.
There was no shims.  So no adjustment.  After Mosport, I take it to a machine shop to remove about 020. thousands.

All back together.

What's new

The trailer parts for the suspension repairs are completed.  Also check the brakes and bearings, all good.  I have nothing else planned for the trailer, so I'll call it done.
Received the dog rings, that trans work is planned for next week.
I've updated our race schedule.
First is Mosport in June.  I've added Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec.  A track with a lot F5000 history.  The date for this is July 12-15.  Then it's a quick turnaround to Road America July 19-22.
Hoping the new trailer will save time on loading and unloading, and a lot of physical effort.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there.

Mosport just 5 weeks away

Wow, time is flying.  All the tires are now mounted.  One more item checked off on the to-do list.

Mounting Goodyears

One down, three to go.  

Trailer work

Getting around to finish work on the trailer.  Needed to replace bushings and bolts.  Both are on order and should have them next week.  Also have dog rings coming next week.

Parts of the suspension for the axles.  The bushing are almost non-existent. 

Can't wait to use them

Nice new Goodyear race tires.  Should get a couple of events out of these.

Tires ordered

Goodyear tires are on the way.   Getting them from  SascoSports down in Virginia.  There a sponsor of our Formula 5000 race series.