Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[GENE LANHAM]

Thank goodness Unlimited Hydro went for the Lycoming Turbines.

Allison collectors I am sure are happy.

BUT—the Lycomings don’t make enough NOISE—They don’t like salt water—-and they don’t like FOD—-

[jackiewilson]

Took All morning to fernagle the gearcase , stuck my last remaining gold prop on it . May have to ditch the centre section completely—- think it might just work .
See if i can twist up the teeny-weeny red flywheel .
That damn double dip rear canopy is causing me some grief —

[FUJIMO]

...chip off the 'ol block, if ever i've seen one... scratch on the right side of sam's face...?...

[jackiewilson]

...chip off the 'ol block, if ever i've seen one... scratch on the right side of sam's face...?...

Sam has a massive gold, diamond and emerald ring that i bought her mother at the London Boat Show after a particularly profitable period in my life . Mum gave it to Sam on her fiftieth birthday.
She never takes it off—even sleeps with it on. Usually manages to scrape her face with it at night when she’s sleeping

[jackiewilson]

Ok Fuji—OLD BOY —PETERS 90–GENE—here’s one for you —“ROBERTA NICHOLS” ???Held the women’s quarter mile drag record from 1966/69. No, i never met her and I didn’t know her—— but i know a lady who does.

[jackiewilson]

By the way— motor for “MERT” !!!!!!!!!
Did away with the centre section —- works a treat- looks like a proper race motor. Did this on the single pipe, think i have to rethink for the 12 carb twin pipe version .
ENJOYING FOOLING AROUND AND FERNAGLING in SUPERSHED — slowing down though — leaving a lot of dross in the wake.
Seem to be a lot more PERNICKETY about what’s acceptable these days ——- has to not only be right — it has to be seen to be right . Think i heard that somewhere before ?????????

[jackiewilson]

Roberta Nichols, 73; Developed Alternative Fuel Vehicles for Ford

Roberta Nichols, a pioneering female aerospace and automotive engineer who led development of alternative fuel vehicles for Ford Motor Co., died April 3, 2005 . She was 73.
Nichols, whose married surname was Yakel, died April 3 of leukemia at her home in Plymouth, Mich.
The holder of three patents for the Flexible Fuel Vehicle, Nichols worked for Ford from 1979 until her retirement in 1995 as manager of its alternative fuel vehicle department.
She worked extensively on methanol, ethanol, natural gas and electric vehicles, and began experimenting with hybrid electric and gasoline vehicles.
A veteran of boat and vintage car racing, Nichols in 1994 drove Ford’s electric Ecostar van in the 600-mile American Tour de Sol, believed to be the world’s largest electric and solar vehicle road rally. She finished second, behind another Ecostar.
“We expected to come away from the rally with more real-world information about the performance of the Ecostar under these kinds of extreme conditions,” she told Battery & EV Technology trade magazine after the race. “What we didn’t expect was to do so well in our first race.”
Enthusiastic about the engineering, Nichols always had doubts about the affordability of all-electric vehicles. Ford recently canceled its electric vehicle project.
“There is no one best choice” in fuels, Nichols told Automotive News in 1993, suggesting that natural gas served well for fleets, electric vehicles were good as commuter cars in large urban areas such as Los Angeles, and methanol and ethanol were useful for several varieties of privately sold vehicles.
In her initial study of hybrids, which are becoming increasingly popular a decade after her retirement, Nichols told Automotive News in 1993 that the extra weight of special equipment posed problems.
“From an engineering point of view,” she said, “it is not one of our favorite vehicles.”
Born Nov. 29, 1931, in Santa Monica, the only child of a Douglas Aircraft Co. engineer, Nichols grew up following her father to junkyards, learning to weld and helping to work on his vintage cars.
“I just grew up not knowing that girls weren’t supposed to like to do those kinds of things,” she told Woman Engineer magazine in 1992, after she had become a role model inspiring young women to go into her male-dominated profession. “As soon as I start talking to people about engines, they know I really do know what I’m talking about. It doesn’t matter anymore that I’m a woman.”
Nichols, while raising a family and working, earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from UCLA in 1968, a master’s in environmental engineering from USC in 1975, and a doctorate in environmental engineering from USC in 1979.
She began working as a mathematician at Douglas Aircraft and later was in computer technology at Space Technology Lab Inc. in Redondo Beach.
From 1960 to 1979, Nichols was a data analyst and researcher for the El Segundo-based Aerospace Corp., a nonprofit organization created by Congress in 1960 to provide technical direction for Air Force space programs. While there, Nichols worked on weapons systems and air-quality problems.
In 1978, Nichols also formed California’s synthetic fuels office and single-handedly converted a Ford Pinto station wagon to run on methanol. A year later, a Ford official learned of her work and hired her. With her help, Ford delivered its first fleet of methanol vehicles to California in 1981.
Nichols often said: “My first love is the internal-combustion engine.”
Initially, Nichols branched into what she called “funny fuels” not to curb air pollution, but to enhance the performance of internal-combustion engines in the boats and cars she raced.
From 1966 to 1969, Nichols held the women’s world record for quarter-mile drag boat racing. She also raced hydroplanes and, from 1964 to 1972, headed the board of directors of the National Drag Boat Assn.
By 1972, Nichols decided to concentrate on racing vintage cars -- particularly a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300-SL Gullwing once owned by actress Jeanne Crain that she bought in 1968. Nichols raced the Gullwing at Laguna Seca and other venues.
She raced a methanol-powered 1929 Model A Ford to her personal best, 190 mph, at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
Nichols was the first woman chosen as a fellow by the Society of Automotive Engineers -- one of about 270 fellows among the organization’s 80,000 members worldwide.
In 1989, the South Coast Air Quality Management District awarded her one of the first five Clean Air Awards for her work with alternative fuels.
She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Lynn Yakel; a daughter, Kathleen McDonald, from her earlier marriage to the late William McDonald; two stepsons, David and Dennis Yakel; a sister, Jacqueline Oblinger of Oxnard; and four grandchildren. Her son, Robert McDonald, preceded her in death.

Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Myrna Oliver

BOB while i knew a little about her from Kathy Flo Henderson , i didn’t know she was that involved . Kathy knew her as a friend and from drag racing in Southern California.
I didn’t know that drag racing started in lake Perris before moving to long beach.!!!!!!
Feel free to comment.

[jackiewilson]

WOMEN!!!!!!!!! Women in racing as we know it .
My knowledge of women in powerboat racing is somewhat limited , mainly owing to the fact there has never been that many of them !!!
I know of “treasure” who raced a RAVEAU, and MOLLY BALLOU who raced a drag Jones at over 110mph [which was pretty damn quick in the sixties .
Over here in the UK there were a number of ladies who excelled in power boating .
Top of the list for me was FIONA BROTHERS ——- there were others, PAT AINGE— ROZ KNOTT—— Gina Campbell had a bit of a dabble at one time .
Different game in offshore —— Countess of Arran [ Lady Fred to all her friends]. Lady Aitkins ——. But you needed a huge handbag to go racing in those days.
Betty Carstairs was from a much earlier day, but she was highly successful .
My own daughter Sam might have been, but she was far too aggressive—argumentative—-knew it all. Andy Elliot and Tiff Needell, once complained bitterly to me about her aggressive style of racing, said she was a lunatic and would sooner drive through them than round ‘em . [she was eleven years old at that time]
Of course there’s room for women in power boating— there just haven’t been that many of them . ???????????

[jackiewilson]

C’mon guys —there has to be more !!!!!!

[WaterZebra]

C’mon guys —there has to be more !!!!!!

Pretty short list:

Kim Jernigan - IOGP driver in USA
Tammy XXXXX? - Canadian / USA

[powerabout]

Pretty short list:

Kim Jernigan - IOGP driver in USA
Tammy XXXXX? - Canadian / USA

There's a girl in F2 from...Europe, raced with us in Macau in T750 but had a crook back.

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

Knew there had to be some gal that i would overlook completely, BETTY COOK IS THAT GIRL.
‘Twas Phill Rolla that got Pruett the job of throttle man for her — he trundled off over to California from Bradenton. Gave him a new lease of life for a while . But not for long — Pruett always had the wanderlust.
Betty Cook is without a doubt the most successful offshore women racer of all time . She dropped Pruett fairly quickly and won consecutive world championships . Was also a very nice person. Did meet her once at one of the powerboat magazines dinners at the LONDON BOAT SHOW. Those meetings were awesome , seemed like the whole world of power boating got together tha evening in January at EARLS COURT.

[jackiewilson]

HEY,BOB, can you clarify that Shelby is here and now—- today—at the moment !!!!!!!!
long time since i knew much about drag racing, . Was a time when Kathy used to send me all the drag boat news from the USA.
Remember the time GABELITCH. ?????/ BROKE THE 200 MPH FOR the first TIME EVER. Crossed the line— time came up and he removed his helmet in celebration. Kathy simply called it no run for the infringement . He wasn’t happy—- but he knew what he had done !

[Lake X Kid]