[Chevyman]

OK you asked! Well it's Saturday morning Nov. 9, 1968 and I had a major problem on my hands. No, I didn't have to work, no my girl friend wasn't late, and no I didn't loose my Beach Boy Albums. The night before I drove over three hundred miles and couldn't wind it past 5500RPM. This was disgraceful and embarassing! After all I had been reading all the magazines about the testing that they had been doing and constantly they talked about 7500-8500RPM. The talk of the day was about the mouse that roars! 800cfm holleys, 2.02 valves, 11 to 1 compression, solid lifter 30/30 cam, and all the rest. Did I own the only 302 pony car in the nation that peaks out at 5500 ? Man I was wreck trying to figure this out. It was pouring rain without any let up, but I was determined to come up with a solution. At wits end I decided it was time to go visit Lee Parks owner of Chevron Speed Shop across the river in Davenport, Ia. When I arrived it was still pouring rain. I went in and explained my major malfunction to Lee and he began to quiz me with all of the usual potential problems. Finally he says let's try something, Chevyman. He suggests that I go out, not him, get the distributor and bring it in. Well after driving clunks for couple of years, I always carried tools with me. Still pouring rain I grab my 9/16 box end that I still have with my other keepsakes for the car, and remove the distributor. I handed it to Lee and he sticks it in his Sun machine. Soon he has it spinning and he asks "did you say it is done at 5500RPM?" Yep. He comes back with "delco points have a very weak spring and what you have is point float." So he sticks in some Mallory Points and heavier weights and lighter advance springs and suggests that I go give it a whirl. Back out in the rain I go. I throw the distributor in the hole, time it close enough by ear, tighten in down, and jump behind the wheel. I was soaked but I had plenty of napkins from Debs Drive Inn from the night before, so I started towelling off. Now it was time for the show. I backed out of the lot onto the street while still coasting backward just ever so slightly, I jammed the Hurst forward into first and dumped the clutch. It roared with tremendous power, I hit all four gears at 7500RPM and only traveled 20 feet. I hit the binders, backed up 15 feet, drove back into the lot, and went in to ask Lee how much do I owe? "That will be $10.00 please." I left the building with a wide grin.