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Old 02-05-2014, 06:53 PM   #1
Old Henry
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Default A red-letter day

Finally met another barner in person today - the only other one in our state as far as I know - Elmo Rodge fka Wayno stopped by my house for a visit.



Took a cruise in Old Henry to Sonic for a malt, sundae and visit. A most pleasant and interesting guy. It was fun to learn about him and his interesting life and passion. Learned much about squeezing speed out of a flathead on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He may even get me there some day (only 3 hours from my house). I look forward to seeing his most interesting home, shop, drop tank race car, and '36 at his place some day.

Thanks, Wayne, for the red-letter day.

P.S. You can tell from his picture why his avatar is what it is.
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Last edited by Old Henry; 02-05-2014 at 07:00 PM.
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Old 02-05-2014, 08:02 PM   #2
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Looks like you guys had fun.
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Old 02-06-2014, 12:19 AM   #3
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Default Re: A red-letter day

It was a very good visit. Thanx. Wayno
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:19 AM   #4
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Great to meet both of you almost in person,LOL one in short sleeve shirt and one in a quilt lined flannel long sleeve shirt. Must be the blood flow out there. LOL ken ct.
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Old 02-06-2014, 09:53 AM   #5
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Default Re: A red-letter day

That was a fun ride in "Old Henry". As Craig has mentioned before, we've attempted this meeting for quite some time but I haven't been around when he's come through Salina. Lemme tell ya, looking at the dashboard on "Old Henry" is worth the price of admission. Wayno
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Old 02-06-2014, 10:35 AM   #6
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Great to meet both of you almost in person,LOL one in short sleeve shirt and one in a quilt lined flannel long sleeve shirt. Must be the blood flow out there. LOL ken ct.
Heck, it was a balmy 30° here. We don't put on coats 'til way below that.
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:48 PM   #7
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I can't remember the last time we've seen 30. I'd be out in a t-shirt and shorts. +1 right now.
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Old 02-06-2014, 01:57 PM   #8
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Default Re: A red-letter day

elmo you got that tank on wheels yet? last time I saw it it was on the back of your pickup at the salt trev
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Old 02-06-2014, 02:52 PM   #9
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Yeah...what's up with the tank???
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Old 02-06-2014, 03:03 PM   #10
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Heck, I figured his smile alone would be worth an extra 10 degrees on a cold winter day. Haven't seen Wayno since five of us shared a ride in a '53 Plymouth wagon and had burgers at the Buffalo Inn on Antique Nationals weekend. Maybe again this June Wayno?
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Old 02-06-2014, 09:52 PM   #11
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52Merc and Bruce, I've run the past 2 years with a best of juuuuust shy of 150. This year should be great fun with the improvements over the Winter. Stay tuned. Lee, that was gobs o' fun. I'll be thrashing to get ready for Speedweek about June. You're about due for a trip to Bonneville aren't you? Wayno
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Old 02-07-2014, 06:33 AM   #12
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Default Re: A red-letter day

I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Wayne a few times. Even enjoyed a nice Mexican lunch with he and Model A Lady during a visit here a few years ago.

I see no reason why Wayne can't get into the 200 MPH club. A simple matter of overcoming a few obstacles.
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Old 02-07-2014, 09:22 AM   #13
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Good to see that smiling face Wayno. We missed getting together last year on my way to and from Lake Tahoe but I am hoping to get back out your way in 2015 for Speedweek at Bonneville.
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Old 02-07-2014, 06:49 PM   #14
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Prof
I believe unclemax is in SLC.
Bruce

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Lasts long time

Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Henry View Post
Finally met another barner in person today - the only other one in our state as far as I know - Elmo Rodge fka Wayno stopped by my house for a visit.



Took a cruise in Old Henry to Sonic for a malt, sundae and visit. A most pleasant and interesting guy. It was fun to learn about him and his interesting life and passion. Learned much about squeezing speed out of a flathead on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He may even get me there some day (only 3 hours from my house). I look forward to seeing his most interesting home, shop, drop tank race car, and '36 at his place some day.

Thanks, Wayne, for the red-letter day.

P.S. You can tell from his picture why his avatar is what it is.
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Old 02-07-2014, 09:04 PM   #15
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Quote:
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Prof
I believe unclemax is in SLC.
Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time
Right you are. I totally missed him there.
Wish I'd known when I first started on Old Henry. The 97 carb was the first to need some work.
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Old 02-08-2014, 12:53 AM   #16
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elmo Rodge View Post
52Merc and Bruce, I've run the past 2 years with a best of juuuuust shy of 150. This year should be great fun with the improvements over the Winter. Stay tuned. Lee, that was gobs o' fun. I'll be thrashing to get ready for Speedweek about June. You're about due for a trip to Bonneville aren't you? Wayno
Wayno, are you going to use that beautiful new high zoot manifold that you dug out of the trailer to show me last year? If it goes as well as it looks, you may get a red AND a blue hat!
Are you coming out here for the El Mirage opener?

Doug McHenry
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Old 02-08-2014, 10:06 AM   #17
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Doug, I should be at El Mirage in May. I don't know if the Tank will be. Yes, I'll be running the new fuel injection manifold this year along with AEM data acquisition and engine management. Should be "interesting". Wayno
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:39 PM   #18
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Default Re: A red-letter day

My first stop on my 500 mile road trip last weekend was at Wayne's garage in Salina to see and learn all about his belly tank racer that he's built and run at Bonneville the last two years hitting 137 mph in 2012 and just under 150 mph in 2013. He and a friend have fabricated a new fuel injected intake that they hope to hit a record (over 180 mph) with this year. Here's his car and what I learned about this most fascinating car and the man that's designed and built it.



Wayne and his car built out of a the belly tank from a WWII airplane. The front axle is from a 30 something Ford. The tires are dragster front tires. The windows were made by an aircraft manufacturer per Wayne's specifications. Entry is through the panel on the roof that opens up.

Here's from the rear:


Right behind the cockpit is the 15 gallon water tank that holds the water to "cool" the engine for it's short run without a radiator. It has standard Ford rear axle tubes shortened attached to a special differential that has quick change gears on the rear end. The silver tube is for the parachute released by the black cable on top of it. He's fabricated a real cool cover for the tube out of a Ford hub cap (forget which year). The engine is on the stand at the far wall and the transmission is under the plastic at the front end. The cable on this side of the parachute tube is an external shut off.

Looking into the cockpit from the left side:


The silver knob/lever on the far right releases the parachute by pushing it forward. The 8 ball is the transmission shifter. Above that is the starter button, then ignition, then fuel pump switches. Just ahead of that partially hidden by his knee is the inertia kill switch to shut off the engine in the event of a crash. The steering wheel is removable to get in and out of the cockpit and has a tachometer mounted to the middle of it. The gauge above that is air/fuel mixture. The net below it is to keep Wayne's feet and legs from leaving the vehicle if it crashes.

The cockpit from the right side:


The red tank above the net is the fire extinguisher for the front end that is activated by the black knob left of his left hand. The silver lever next to that activates the hydraulic brakes. The gauge above his left knee is water temperature. The yellow light above that is a shift indicator for the transmission.

Wayne reclining in the driving position:


There are pads on each side of his head that just barely clear his helmet to keep his head from getting knocked around if he crashes as well as pads on each side of his shoulders to keep them lined up with his head if he crashes. He looks between his knees out the front window and has some side view through the side ones.

He fabricated this apparatus to test the flow of various configurations of cylinder heads that's pretty cool. (When I first saw it I said it looked like the apparatus that the "Absent Minded Professor" produced Flubber in. He said there was a little Flubber in there along with the flux capacitor from "Back to the Future".)


He has created a very nice comfortable home for himself out of this old school building that's pretty cool.



Once again, a very pleasant visit with a most ingenious and ambitious "car guy".
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Last edited by Old Henry; 03-04-2014 at 12:27 PM.
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:28 PM   #19
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Default Re: A red-letter day

Henry, your choice of word makes me squirm! "When" he crashes?
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Old 03-02-2014, 09:40 PM   #20
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Man that is cool as all get out!!!
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