This was a VERY strange year for mechanical issues. I blew a water pump the Monday before Turkey Run, had one air freighted in, installed it, and left on Thursday. Drove all the way to Daytona (250 miles one way) no problems. Went to go to dinner Thursday evening and as I pulled out of the RV resort I kicked it a little and got a facefull of antifreeze, like buckets of it! Pulled off the road, coolant pouring out of the new water pump.

Had AAA pick us up and take me back to the campsite. Next morning I had Enterprise Rent a car pick me up and I spent the morning finding parts to repair the pump. Of course no one stocks a Ford Racing short pump, so I used gasket paper and lots of permatex and got it to hold. It worked fine Friday night and all day Saturday.

Sunday we are heading home and 5 miles from Daytona, as I am following Don and Dan towing Dons T behind the motorhome, I start hearing rattling from my engine. It gets louder, so I signal them to pull over, and by now it is really noisy. So we pull Don's T off the trailer, put mine on it, and we drive to the nearest U Haul dealer (about 25 miles) where I rented a truck and trailer to haul my 27 home. I am not sure what happened, but I suspect something in the valvetrain, like a roller rocker or pushrod.

Bill (Gastrick on here) got part way to Daytona and the hemi in his 32 lost fire. He had to flatbed it back home and come in his daily driver. On the way he passed his Brother Rod, whose Vette also lost a fuel pump, and it went back home too. WHAT A YEAR!!!!!!!

I also learned my 27 is not the fun long distance cruiser it was when it had a mild 302 and 3:70 gears. The 331 stroker with 4:30 gears is cranking 3000 rpms at only 60 mph. This setup would be much happier in the quarter mile than going down the interstate. I spent more money on this engine than any other one I have owned, and it is turning out to be a little too radical to be practical on the street. Live and learn.

Lots of people were boiling over going into Turkey Run on Friday. It took Dan and Don over 2 hours of creeping to get inside. They said the people running it really had it screwed up, and the plywood that had been laid across the track to keep oil off from the cars entering really slowed things up.

Don