New Home for the SPF Cobra Replica

[jhwalker]

Adam has been assigned to Okinawa, Japan. The assignment is for a minimum of 4 years, so it is time for my SPF to move to a new home. Adam is finally throwing dad out.

http://www.racemph.com/ Motorsports Park Hastings, Nebraska, is the new home. George Anderson manages a very active track, and has a climate-controlled, secure building for "arrive and drive" folks, as well as keeping staff on hand who finish off Shelby CSX cars and do other contract projects. No problem for #2117 to reside with the arrive and drive cars. Hastings is 400 miles further East from Wellington where the car has been stored, so will be easier for me to join in on the SPF owner events going forward.

I will drive it over to the new storage place in early November. As part of storing there, I will have access to the road race track when the track is not booked (last weekend there were 120 Ducati's racing there). And the mechanics are familiar with SPF's for when I do the inevitable on the track

I am pleased, Adam is pleased, Terri is pleased.

[jhwalker]

I drove the SPF for the first time since the dyno tuning that was done back here. It is out of control, in a good way. Sounds different, and with the cold roads here it spins the big MTs much too easily (in a good way). I will some better sound tracks with a little vid. Crazy. It is probably just as well that I didn't have this power on the 3000 mile trip.

[Tetge]

I know that I do not have to tell you, but be careful with those MT's on there. They are scary in wet weather and they do not like the cold. So, with lots of HP, and a short wheelbase and all, a light foot would definitely be the best policy. PMachy once got caught with MT DR's out back, in a thunderstorm on the way to Famoso with his black '03 Cobra, and he reported that he was scared to death and he was sure, even at a very low, limping along speed, that he was going to die in a ditch. So, be careful out there.

[jhwalker]

I know that I do not have to tell you, but be careful with those MT's on there. They are scary in wet weather and they do not like the cold. So, with lots of HP, and a short wheelbase and all, a light foot would definitely be the best policy. PMachy once got caught with MT DR's out back, in a thunderstorm on the way to Famoso with his black '03 Cobra, and he reported that he was scared to death and he was sure, even at a very low, limping along speed, that he was going to die in a ditch. So, be careful out there.

I appreciate it, but these STs are very weather-friendly. I have 4500 miles on them and a good bit of "wet pavement" time. It IS cold too and I may run into some light snow. The new-found power makes it a different car. If I get to the Hastings track/storage early enough, I will take a few laps on the road course, within the weather limits of course. This is Geezer Walker, not Thrill-seeker Walker. And Terri asked me come back alive


Adam and I had a moment of nostalgia today. He will soon no longer be in custody of any of the Walker "stuff". No SPF Cobra, no Ski Nautique, no Expedition (with its 200K miles of GREAT service). I helped him load his '72 Datsun on his trailer, and a couple of crated engine blocks too. Seemed like the old days.

[jhwalker]

I'm here. Actually got here at 5:50 pm, but what a tough day. meow

The owner of the track, George (who is a CHARACTER) said that he can't remember a wind warning. Many other warnings, but not a wind warning. The SPF was all over the road, and it was gust after gust. Plus hundreds of trucks being blown all over the road. Colder than I expected, and I did not have sufficiently warm clothes. 400+ miles of no Bueno. But the SPF ran well... And it is safely tucked away in the storage garage. I will get up at 4am tomorrow to get to the airport by 5am for a 6am initial flight. Should be back home by 4 or 5 pm tomorrow.

[jhwalker]

It turns out that I dodged a bullet. In Hastings, Nebraska, the wind is blowing 45 mph today and there are 3 inches of snow where I dropped the car off.

[Brakelate]

Looks like a really neat place! At least for a few months of the year without inclement weather. I will have to look on the map and see where that is exactly. Can't say I've been to Nebraska. Maybe that is time for a change... trailer the Supermoto or other bike(s) out and do some PARADE laps just to scuff the tires and enable me to say "I've been there, run that". While taking in a lap or two with you in the SPF.

I would have busted a gut to watch that big Diesel Truck 'World Championship" race!!! Looks like good fun! Glad the car and you made it back to shelter safe and sound, if not a little weather beaten and chilly. Good to see you FINALLY really starting to use and seemingly bond and enjoy that vehicle. It's been a long road, and you have a lot of patience, time, money and everything else into that thing. Glad to see it sounds like you are finally getting the returns and rewards of sticking with it. Good On Ya!

[jhwalker]

Thanks. I do like the car "in reality" now rather than intellectually. If it has been shaken out on the track where it is not some form of death machine, I like to see you push it harder than I would around that track.

We are trying to set up a week-long May SPF SCOF (the little SPF owners club) event at the track. I have been lobbying for some timed 50 to 150 runs, after a 100 mile cruise, and then a 4 (6?) hour "see who can rack up the most track miles " event, no changes other than gassing up allowed between the 100 mile cruise and the events. It would let us put together a performance book by each engine type. After all of the miles I have put on #2117 this year, I feel pretty good about reliability (knock on wood).

You would like the good ole boy who owns the track. A real character.

[xbacksideslider]

I'm feeling some envy . . . .

Good for you James.