I never thought you would say that either
Hey folks...Bill Van was the original Mr. NAFTA. He had an idea of mass producing good hydros very cheaply in Mexico across the river from Rio Grande City. The idea was an inexpensive way for beginners to get into pro racing with a hydro and Yamato. It was all coming together when Bill Van figured out the drug smugglers thought a hydro might be a good way to move some goods. Bill Van never cleared a fence quicker than that. We also had a project going down there at that time with Ray Hardy and it cost us a bundle. Between politics and drug smugglers, the border area is a very bad place for outsiders to do business.:mad: I don't know how much Bill Van lost, but with us it was around 600K and 4 years wasted.
Bill, I didn't realize that the idea came from you, but the fact that it was thought out because the ZAK pipes wouldn't slide makes sense. As far as I know then, only you, ZAK, Ray, Tim, Jack Chance, me and my Dad ever messed with one. The first three generations were very erratic like you said. I don't know if you ran a fourth generation. Ray did a major design change and it eliminated so many of the variables that could cause it to malfunction. Then it was just a matter of getting the balance right and which rotary valve to use.
And you're right about my Dad's kitchen. That was the focal point of his home. He didn't have any plans when he built it. He stood on top of the caliche hill overlooking the race course and figured out where he wanted the kitchen. Then he took a stick and drew the rest of the house around it for the builder to see where to put the stakes. The two main bedrooms entered directly into the kitchen as well as the living room and bar areas. When Hurricane Celia blew the house down, the contractor was able to put everything back together except the roof. Because there were no plans, they could not figure out how the builders did the original roofline. The way they figured it out was I blew up some aerials I had taken of the original house.
There have been so many racers at our house I once thought of putting together a list, but I don't know if I could remember all of them. They were from Australia to Germany and Canada, Seattle to Lakeland, Bakersfield to Ohio and all points in between. I cherish the times you, Eileen and others spent with us. If I could remember the recipes, I would start a thread on Baldy's House with some pics and stories. There are many, many members here on BRF that my Dad entertained there.
1 Attachment(s)
I'm learning some stuff here
I didn't know Bob ran nitrous. He DID have good acceleration coming off the corners. I didn't know about the others either. AND I didn't know we got one of your Do Fram usis. Sounds kind of Chicken you know what. I hope it didn't mess you up Bill. Looking back at my test book, I am kind of remembering some stuff.
After Ray sold his hard chrome plant in Chicago and got a divorce, he came down to Texas to help us put our business plan together for a hazardous waste disposal facility, then manage it. He worked days at our machine shop at Alice Specialty and spent many nights past midnight at my Dad's working on the plan. That machine shop is where he built and improved the Do Fram Us.
According to my test sheet, our original was built by Larry Haufler, a machinist in Corpus Christi, and pit man of Steve Jones. So Steve had one version or another himself. That first one of ours apparently didn't work very well and we got one from Harry. According to the book, that one had tolerances that were too close and swelled too much when tightened down. Our first test with it was on a B Konig in December 1974. As I was out of the cockpit most of 1975, we didn't do much with it. Ray came to Texas in 1974 or at least early in 75 I think. Our third unit, and a redo of Harry's original was a pull type, rather than push. It was erratic and would work only one lap then stick at the top end position. By the end of December 1975, I was back in a boat and Tim was down testing with us. Our CAV no IV was back to the original ZAK push design, but with more clearance. Bill, I'm thinking that this is the one you sent . We were getting ready for the UIM OA,OD and OE World Championships coming up in February. I think Harry hustled you to get it to him because he and Ray Hardy were both probably there for the testing also. And if Harry and Ray were there, that means Bill Van was too. Since Eileen was a stewardess, Bill Van could fly anywhere he wanted. He would pop in for a popsickle in July.;)
Ray made a better Do Fram Us later that was a completely different design, and it took the erratic behavior away. I still have the complete setup we ran on D41994. Of everything we sold to Harry Bartolomei, that was one of the things we kept. I also have one of the ones like you sent us, as well as a ZAK carb spacer. I was going to post some pictures of that stuff earlier in the year, but Joe said No. That was a secret and we decided to keep Rays invention to ourselves. Well at least a half dozen guys have kept it too I guess. We never showed it to Dieter either. As you know, you can't see it unless part of the motor is disassembled.