Racer thought..

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Slow list, so I'll throw out a new thought..

At our Convention this weekend, I bought my race number (#576) and
received the rules book.

To fit "stock" class you must have a "complete body tub" a "production
4wd frame" and an unaltered firewall.

Hmmmmm...

someone reminded me of the Traveler in the backyard.. and I had an idea.

Place a 100" Scout II body tub on the 118" frame.  Set it up so the rear
wheel wells are where they should be.  Build new "front" body mounts for
the body in the appropriate place.  Move the motor back 18" or so so it
sits in the "stock" 100" WB position relative to the rear axle and the
body.

Then toss the front clip on.  The front axle will probably be entirely
uncovered to the front!  *BUT*, it'll be a stock and complete body tub,
and a production 4wd frame.  No alterations to the firewall.

I'd probably do a low spring over with full width axles again.  The only
real issue is how to go about hooking the steering column that is now
18" rearward to the steering box at the corner of the frame.  yes, this
whole contraption would look a little silly... but it would have good
weight distribution, and it would be, per the M4x4A race rules, *STOCK*

Can I bend the rules or what?  It'd even still be a "Scout II",
technically speaking!

Maybe for next year.. I have the Traveler frame and tub.. and a rusty
100" tub I was going to scrap.. and a spare 304/727... axles... hmmm...

I'm also still pondering "names" for the racer.. my friend said why his
old racer (the blue one I cut up) was called "Ditch Runner" - it was too
fast for the field and too slow for the street.

I received a lot of "farm implement" and "tractor" ribbing.. which
prompted me to think, "CORN FED" for plates.. ;-)

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout