You know those race shops that are so clean you can eat off the floor. That’s not me. My work bench / card table is so clean you can set a coffee mug on it.
We got the first Christmas package from TrailGlow late last week. The team is installing the illuminated number panels on 1107. I took the pit signs home and soldered them up in my workshop / card table on the front porch.
Here’s some video that I shot of it early this morning before I had any coffee. It’s bright. Very bright.
Fresh from the makeshift paint booth, we start prepping 1107 for the SNORE 250 and beyond.
Today we narrowed down our rough running engine problems to an over exuberant electric fuel pump. It was putting too much fuel into the carburetor, resulting in rough running. Apparently some $40 fuel pressure regulator will fix this. Otherwise, the car is in good shape and we’re tweaking around the edges in preparation for the SNORE 250. While they did that, I filled out paperwork for the Baja 1000.
Creech can’t make the 250 but has generously offered to let us use his truck and toy hauler to t0w 1107 to Primm for the race. Richard, Crusty, Scott ‘n Carrie will go down in the truck, Roxanne and I will head down separately.
We’ll only be running the new TrailGlow numbers on the car for the 250. Right after the car returns, Shawn and I (mostly Shawn) will touch up the paint, add the rest of the sponsor logos and prep the car for the trip to the World Diabetes Congress in Montreal.
I also got ohhhs and ahhhhs from the team when I demo’d the TrailGlow pit sign, that, because I didn’t tape the bare wires, nearly set the car on fire on the drive over, according to Shawn. Fine. I’ll solder and insulate them.
Here’s a few shots from today’s work.
And here’s a 12 second video, via 12seconds.tv, of the engine not running very well, shot with my birthday present from Roxanne, a custom-designed Flip HD camera:
Rough running engine on 12seconds.tv
You should see the outtakes and bloopers reel.
As previously mentioned, BF Goodrich’s Nation of Go team stopped by Sunday afternoon while most of us were standing around watching body-and-paint man Shawn Kovach-Long paint 1107.
Roxanne made a nice chili, because, as everyone knows, a race team marches on its stomach.
We talked about their project, we talked about racing, we talked about our working with the International Diabetes Federation and raising awareness about the risks posed by diabetes. It was a great time and they’re doing a great thing. We wish them the best of luck.
Click on this cool shot of Shawn to go to Nation of Go’s Flickr set of their visit.
Paul with TrailGlow made this pit sign for us. I’m pretty sure it will be visible from other planets.
I first saw Paul’s work at the KC Hilite’s Midnight Special race when some race truck tore past us at Road Crossing 11 (RX11) and all its numbers were lit up like neon. I turned to Roxanne, pointed, and said “As God is my witness, I’ll own a set of those.”
It’s been a few weeks and Paul was kind enough to come on as a sponsor of the team and has treated us like royalty. Not only is he providing us with lit number panels for the SNORE races and the Baja 1000, but he’s sending illuminated pit vests, an illuminated pit sigh (above), a set of illuminated sponsor and contingency logos and the pièce de résistance:
Oh yes, a set of HID lights with the Desert Dingo Racing logo laser-etched in the glass. Batman, eat your heart out.
Have you got what it takes to ride with us in Baja? (Answer: If you have a Twitter account, then yes, you do.)
Updated: Added a few new names.
We’re doing a thing this year to support using #WDD09 as the “Official Hash Tag of World Diabetes Day”. Anyone who uses #WDD09 and #DesertDingo in a tweet between now and November 21 will have their name carried in the car with us during the Baja 1000. Heck, we might even pick one lucky tweeter to get a random souvenier that we pick up in Ensenada.
So tell your friends, retweet it or use the “via” tag if that’s how you roll. We expect to be live blogging and twittering during the race and we’ll mention everyone then, too. Here’s who’s with us so far:
@pepperdey, @craig3010, @Kyrans, @Ceekay74, @becbeat555, @nscrwriter, @WeCreateBuzz, @DirtForge, @eauxneaux, @4x4club, @JaimeH, @elgringoinspain, @ATV_Rider_Mag, @klafountain, @LuvShaker, @JeffDomingues, @TormentedOne, @amazydbygrace, @AC_Cyclebetes, @khexter, @polakueche, @MandMSynthetics, @CureT1Diabetes, @danamlewis, @ChurchGr8Oval, @Snafam, @rex_emerson, @Diabeterific, @poxaV, @MelTangel, v6shell, zymurgy, CeeDeeAych and Sylverrose,
(If you tweeted it and you don’t see your name on this list, I blame Twitter. Shoot a tweet to @DesertDingo and I’ll be sure to add you.)
Thanks!
P.S. We’ll be at the World Diabetes Congress in Montreal next month. Be sure to find us. We’ll be the only ones displaying a ’69 VW Beetle.