Car looked good on the beach... water was high this year, bit windy but Sunday was beautiful

Quik9r

Thanks buddy!!!

Remember yourself and Al picked up green 1969 4 speed GM A bodies on 3-27-1969!!!

Ryan W31

Thanks!!

Yes the water is very high, we were happy to be on the beach, we were second in line behind the red 1965 Chevelle owners.

Ryan W31

Holy-snapen-ole-snap-on-a-vich!!!!

I just looked at the calendar PSMCDR is like 23 days!!!

Oh s#%^*+=

I was going to have trialed drag racing by now and be all prepared.... I will be in the garage.

I looked at local drag strips and we have three that I can find, Grand Bend, St Thomas/Sparta, and Cayuga all are 2 hours away... I may be a virgin at PSMCDR....

Ryan W31

So tonight I got in the zone!!

Pulled the drivers seat, sill plate, carpet pulled back, removed the shift hump, and OEM shifter. I installed the Hurst Stret Super Shifter that Al installed back in the day. (First I mocked it up on my rebuilt M20, that saved lots of hassle as I had the reverse arm from another shifter mixed up with this shifter)

It shifts nicely now, I plan to adjust the rods a wee bit so the pin goes through in neutral (it was adjusted perfectly on the M20 but needs a touch up on the M22Z, I was so eager to take a test drive I couldn’t wait to set it up again... also I had crawled under, over, under, until I could barely get off the concrete floor.

Drives so much nicer now!!!

I don’t really like where the shifter handle places the T handle so I will soon fit an extra H 442 handle to this shifter and bend, shorten, as needed to get it where it feels right.

Love the shifter!! Al was right to put this one in the car.

Ryan W31

PSMCDR Prep!!

I Worked away on the Cutlass today.
Changed the oil,
Started adding gauges (oil pressure installed),
I set up the shifter (in neutral the pin goes through easy),
Pulled the driveshaft for a final fitting of the driveshaft loop (that is a hell of a job in the driveway) now I can weld up the DS loop as it finally fits!!!!,
Replaced the T handle with the original push down for reverse ball (I like it better)
Started figuring out what to do with the Red H boot..... and a few other odds and sods.

Al and Leslie Corporon visited yesterday, we took a cruise in my car, then went to dinner in their 70 Skylark, great friends, great visit, great cruises!!

Ryan W31

I cleaned up the Cutlass and made a Wedding drive playlist. A friends daughter is getting married today and I was asked to drive the bride and her two bridesmaids from the parents house to the wedding venue.

I am stoked, to me this is as fun as a basket of kittens!!!

Ryan W31

Thanks for the great evening Ryan. Enjoyed our visit and dinner with Amy and yourself.

Appreciate the ride in your car. You have come full circle. Our cars are exact opposites.
Experiencing them with others. Priceless.

The other week I had the honour of driving our friends daughter and bridesmaids to her wedding.

Her Dad Bart passed away a couple years ago so I was pretty touched to be able to sub in and be a teeny part of this important day.

I even had Jamie make a wedding drive play list on Spotify in an attempt to be a little less of a dinosaur.

The photographer took a few photos at the wedding location as Breanna was walked from my car to her wedding. (I can’t wait to see these)

Ryan W31

Very nice Ryan....you deserve this honor.

Thanks for sharing.

Dan

PSMCDR here we come!!!

I have been doing small items to get ready and spent tonight packing tools and parts.

I swapped a T handle on again and really like the feel of it today. I could not love the 4 speed more!!!

Bruno Beltrame loaned me a trailer and I rented an HD truck, and Des Ryan is coming with me :-)

Amy and Jamie are coming Friday and Saturday.

Al and Leslie Corporon are coming in their 1970 Sklylark.

And to top it off Diego, Casey, and some of the Project W31 “Students” will be there cheering on the W31 cars!!!

I hear there will be a few on site to kick my butt!!

I am loving life, and could not be more excited/scared to compete!!

Ryan W31

Correction.....Al and Leslie are not driving the '70 Skylark :(

Dan

Yup now I remember they are driving the truck.

Ryan W31

In a million words I could never describe today fully.

I experienced my first seven drag races, and the whole experience was better than I could have ever imagined.

Des Ryan is travelling with me, and we have been nattering on like school kids. What a great friend. He was running and jumping in the air after I hit my new low ET.

Leslie and Al arrived and have been my team captain and co-captain. They even had Team Weaver W31 Racing T shirts made for the gang!! I am so thankful for them and their friendship.

Johnny and Debbie Cariveau came special to be part of the weekend, staying over night in tHer camper for the racing weekend. These guys are behind me 100%. How do I find such wonderful people?

5 of the MSU Project W31 “Students” Plus Diego and Casey we’re here today to share in this W31 event and I am overwhelmed at the support.

Phil Welch and John Kenneally drove 13 hours to join in on this momentous day.To say that was over the top would be an understatement.

Amy and Jamie arrived to bring the sun shine today!!! This is how my family works in real life too. I am blessed with the best family I could imagime.

Gary Place, Thomas Payne, Animal, Ron, Kurt Karch, Chris Smetana, Bruno Beltrame, Dan/Dennis Jensen, Lyndon, Bob Ashton, the Mahers, Paul Richards, Tim Clary, and many many many more people have approached me and followed along on this journey.... Well today was a new pinnacle!!!!

I am 100% sure if I could stay awake another minute I would add 50 more names!!!

Drag Racing a W31 is about as fun as is humanly possible!!

I will fill in the details tomorrow.

Ryan W31

Well done Ryan.....I knew you would have an awesome experience.
Now go out today and beat your personal best ET.
Have fun :)

BTW....close your vent window, that is at least a tenth of a loss :)

Dan

My first run was a learning experience. I waited in the lanes, put my seat belts on, and the final prep step was to put my Dad’s motorcycle helmet on. Dad was on our minds all day long. I know yesterday would have been a highlight of Dads life without question, and I brought his helmet especially so I had a little memento of the great guy I call Dad.

Composed myself.

Gave a couple hundred high fives and peace signs/Dr Olds Symbols.

I was summoned to the burnout box, and gives the swirling hand signal, I did a good tire spin but had decided not to broach the 4 speed burnout technique till a later date.

I zoomed ahead way past the staging bulbs and started to stage with my rear tires. (This is all on film so I can not deny any of it) The track official gently waved me back very nonchalant so as not to embarrass me.... I could hear my cheering section yellling.... Weaver you are staging with you back tires, put up your windows, etc, etc. So I backed up and staged properly.

The lights stepped down and I saw green.... go time.... I fairly casually went through the gears and eased off on the gas... then I realized I wasn’t even at the finish line.... BTW there is no start or finish line.... would that not make sense??? Where is the race over?

End result... I had more fun than a barrel of monkeys!!!

15.98 ET
77.4 mph

Fun and Fun and Fun!!!

Ryan W31

----Ryan,,, Good people attract other good people. You are a shining example!......Bill S

Well said Bill.

Priceless Ryan :)

Dan

Thanks guys!!!

Ryan W31

I will dig through my time slips when we get home for the exact details but here is a summary.

I had ET’s mostly in a reducing order from 15.98 to 14.3 and MPH from 77 to 96.

Ryan W31

WHAT A BLAST! So happy to be part of your weekend Ryan, thanks - next year:13s !!! And I will run and jump even higher!

Channeling our inner Dick Landy

Des, you are Dandy!!! :-)

I can be Grumpy :-)

Check out the pin Gary Place brought me.... my fun meter was pegged!!! Way over red line all weekend!!

Ryan W31

I was car 047 and Keri Radde was car 006.

You may notice that she kicked my ass, three times in a best 2 out of three.

Awesome lady, part of the Maher group that invades PSMCDR with cars for every member of the family.

'

Cars/stogies/fun, Dick would love this stuff!
All great so far and looking forward to more w/ Team Eager Weaver!:headbang:
:beers:
~ Pete

.

This picture is the screen saver on my phone :-)

Ryan W31

Glad you finally got the car out there. You did a great job!
Paul Richards

Well done!

Thanks Paul!!

You are always motivating me each year to keep progressing.

I love watching you and your car at the track as you and it are sorted out!!!

I loved racing and feel great about my results!!

13’s next year!!

Ryan W31

Many thanks!!

Ryan W31

I had to convince Keri to take this picture.... although she warmed up to the three wins to zero wins theme pretty quick!!!

Ryan W31

----Love those T's, Ryan! You done good, my friend. A weekend without breakage is a positive. Don't ask me why I know that, and you surpassed that hurdle. I was in your country while you were smokin the tires in mine. Just got back 2 hours ago. Love Canada! I think it's the cleanest country on earth, and everybody seems to be smiling all day long......Bill S

Great job Ryan! Loved the videos too

Thanks Bill, Al and Leslie Corporon has the shirts made as a surprise.

Hope you had a great trip!!

I am a proud Canadian!!! (Life is good here, we should all be smiling)

Ryan W31

Best weekend ever!!!

Ryan W31

A few PSMCDR pictures.

I have not come down after this trip, not even a little!!!

Ryan W31

Great photos, car, family, experience and restoration. You should be proud. Now get her into the 13's. :biggthumpup:

Thanks!!!

13’s.....Absolutely!!!

Ryan W31

Status... temporarily grounded.

I pulled the trans, and met Nick in North East PA to hand off. He has disassembled, analyzed and sent all the “shifty bits” to Craig Wright in AZ. Craig quickly diagnosed the torque lock sliders as “NG” and the 1-2 was too tight. Nick used the items supplied as a kit but the kit didn’t work as planned. The trans is going back together currently.

I have to have the car running soon as next Friday Weaver4, the Stagers, and Kenny Kroeker (a local photographer working for Bone Stock) will have a photo shoot here in town to make an article for an upcoming Bone Stock and Modified Muscle Car Magazine!!!

Weather is turning so I am not sure I will get another drag strip event this season but will be ready!!!!

Ryan W31

M22Z (3) version 2.0

Nick Morocco has my M22Z (3) rescue completed. New sliders, new shift forks, shift shaft welded, heavy spring for combs, it should be happy now!!! He even added a drain plug (magnetic)

Ryan W31