Mopar Muscle Association UK

Following on from Part 1: To set the scenario; Me and Philth changed our soiled under garments and got on with the job in hand: Saturday Night, 6.00pm, a bunch of Noddies and Ordinary Boys? I make that Booze O'Clock! Pete Walton on BBQ, Big Banana and Little Banana on Werthers Vodka, Philth on breaking tables, and plastic plates on his head whilst dancing to Zorba the Greek, sweet! Over to the Club House and I am assailed with the band/dodgem/clubhouse music, all at the same time (pants!!) My headache is getting worse. (Don't take pills, can't drink. Take pills, can't drink.) Took pills AND drank! 2.30am comes around and we are back at the camping grounds eating Joe's (Jeff's Brown's boy) Hula Hoops (Mmmm!) whilst wondering about the stars etc etc. The early night puts me in good stead for Sunday and I'm up and under me car by 10.30 After the wafty run on Saturday I have a good look around my rearend One spring clamp is loose and another looks a bit askew. Off come both rear shocks for a proper tweak out of the car. They are both set to 50/50 and reattached. Had a sensible chat with TwoLanes( ) and he was talking about actually driving the car and keeping it straight, I've always been under the apprehension that after my 60ft the car drives itself and I just let it drift wherever it wants to go, as those in the barn at Santa Poo will testify Fire it up, roll round and join the Queue............1ft in front of where I was pitted Finally get up the front and roll round to the far lane, slightly nervous pervous. Do the ritual.......Yellows! Bang! Good launch, here we go......Bang! The 1-2 shift goes well! Bang! The 2-3 shift goes well, bit of a misfire at the top end, roll it out.....Here's one for you probability boys; The car I raced was the same Grand Sport Torino as my fast run on Saturday. Philth brings the slip: Me; 11.85@111.22, Grand Sport: 16.28@85.84. (Previous day: Me; 11.85@111.42, Grand Sport; 16.13@86.59) At least he is making use of the excellent tail wind!!! What are the odds of that happening???? Anyways, back to the pits and Philth sez the run was dead straight, thanks Dave (TwoLanes). A big debate follows on what to change while I eat more bananas and Red Bull. Nothing is changed and off out again I go. In the fire up lane things get confused and I end up against a giant white and blue flamed Chevy pick up with a big gas bottle in the bed. It's an HRG number thing. Roll round, do the ritual, roll in to full stage, wait for him (burn down.....NOT!) Yelloows! I take off like a Guy (Papworth) chasing a Pie. 60ft! I'm ahead!! Mid track, I'm still ahead! but I can sense him! Running over the stripe and he's next to me! Roll out, back up the fire up road, behind the big white pick up Philth looks excited! Oh! Yes! 11.722@112.88!!! Fantastic! The Chevy? 11.691@119.39. Reactions were: Me; 0.265, him 0.242. Winning margin? 0.054. Nearly had the big block Chevy!!!! Back down the pits and it's time to call a halt. Turnip kindly supplied the full 10lb Nitrous bottle and 3 1/2 runs meant there may be a run left, but not worth the Q to find out. Every full run improved on my 11.97 at the Nats so I was one happy bunny. The horror of packing up ensues: Re curve the dizzy, put the exhausts back on, re-attach the road wheels, pack up the tent, unfurl the Tool Tent and pack all the gear in the car. Last run @ 14.04, Leave Shakey @ 17.45. Not bad really, been there at 19.00 before now......Martin Walker gives us a new route home, much better, I might add, getting us onto the M40 @ J11 instead of J15 as we normally do. Great cruise home, lots of stop/start on the M40 and M25, but thats when you see the kids pointing!!!! Stopped at South Mimms for gas and a Pasty.......Go to where we usually stop and see the rabbits, it's dark so I punch the main beam off me footswitch......No Lights! Lost me low beam, only sidelights! Oh, well! Follow Philth's Suport 'Scort home until the A127. Make me way into Hornchurch Village and blast past me regular pub. "Taxi!" I hear some bloke shout out! Roll round the service road behind the High Street and rumble past the ever present Coppers, idle home, into the drive and that's it, my dragging (proper strip) in this country is done........................

High points of the weekend;
My best ever ET and MPH
Blue's best ever ET and MPH (For the Dart)
All the rest of the MB peeps best ETs and MPHs
Dunc running 9.4 on Buggy Springs in a full weight E-Bod, respect!
Little Chef's Cooking
Gasser running 1/10th quicker than me

Low Points of the weekend;
Duncs engine going Bam!
B1 Bri's engine going Bam!
That Fuel Altered that went Bam! (No cylinder walls left, it was a sight!)
The Band on Saturday
No Budgie 'til Sunday lunchtime
My last meet at Shakey.............That's the worst.

Thanks! To Philth, Blue, Twolanes, Gem, and everyone who was there and talked to me! Man! When you cannot remember everyones names that you have talked to or who have talked to you, you have definitely arrived. No disrespect to anyone, you are all stars and I thank you all for knowing me!!!

Funny Conversation;
Dutch bloke "I understand you are going to Australia"
Spooky!!!!!!!!

Excellent story kev your gonna be missed bud

i managed to see a few of your runs this time mate, the taxi is awsome in the launch and looks the dogs, im gonna miss it and you but expect lots of news from down under when you get there,

Great write up Kev. i am left feeling happy and sad at the same time though?

Spot on as ever Kev, a really great weekend, good racing - but more importantly good company

Great part 2 Kev. Will look forward to reading you race reports from OZ

Is this the blue Grand Sport you had your spooky runs with ?. I was behind him in the fireup road at the nats several times then got paired up with him. Pity i never got to race him at the HRD's as he would have been shocked at how much quicker the Duster is now

http://www.moparuk.co.uk/racegalleries/ ... _7580.html


It has been a real pleasure watching the Taxi inprove over the years and reading how you ( and your crew ) have done it

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Great write up Kev It's been emotional.

Thanks Chaps!
One more Hi and Low point;
Hi Point: Simon's mental fingers. (You gotta see 'em to believe 'em!)
Low Point: Pete Wiseman turning up with the "Street" Dart on a trailer behind a big flash Camper van!

High Point - bringing a spare door to get past scruitineering and chainnging it in the pits at 07:30 on Saturday?

High Point - still beating the Taxi

Whats Hot

Finally getting the Nitrous controller to work on the 3rd run
Finding out that ET Streets hook as hard as slicks (No gas)
PB's to Duc, Blue,Kev, Paul et all

Whats Not

Grenading the 'box on the 3rd run
Thinking your ET Streets are spinning as the revs climb to 7000 as you sit stationary in first gear
Going slower than I was 2 years ago

Great stuff Kev, glad I was there to catch your last event before you go, would have liked to have had the last pic of the taxi in action on her last UK run though, but couldn't make Sunday

well done Kev,didn't realize it was your last meet will you still be here as a spectator early in the year or is that it ?if so sorry i never spoke.we would have all come over for a drink if we had realized.

Like everyone else , Kev,thorough;y enjoyed reading and (ocassionally) witnessing all the Cab madness. I think (on the old site?) I can recall you hitting the 13s some time back, seems a long time ago! You've been an inspiration to many of us.
Best of luck!