In a message dated 10/12/98 7:58:46 AM Central Daylight Time,
tstricklan@shl.com writes:
>
> This is where it gets sad/stupid/miraculous.
>
> Robert T. has been the king of getting ribbed on the list for quite some
> time now. Scoot over, Robert - thanks for keeping the seat warm. Went to
> the line for a second run and my foot just kinda slipped off the clutch and
> my other foot just kinda didn't push the gas down. Killed it on the line.
> Puttered through with a 24 second scorcher.
>
> Here's the sad part. Next run, Alan Short and I paired up. He had run a
> 15.2 and was cutting close lights - it was gonna be a great race. I
wanted
> my shifts to be fast, so like always, I was shifting hard. First gear, no
> spin, second gear hooked up great. I remember reading Jon's posts about
> hitting 5th instead of third, but I have never had a problem with it. I
> sure do wish I had missed the shift by popping it into 5th. Do you know
> what I did, boys and girls??? Tat got reeel smohrt and slammd his
> tranzmishun into furst. The first gear in the shift pattern. The one
> you're supposed to use when you're starting from a dead stop. So I'm going
> 50mph or whatever d it feels like I hit a brick wall, tranny makes this
> funny cheese grater on a chalkboard sound, my motor turns over quite a bit
> quicker than I think the factory recommends, and my tires do a quick
reverse
> burnout. Instinctively put it in third and nailed it. Ran a 16.whatever.
> While I'm returning to get my time slip, I'm wondering what color and
> consistency the fluid will be that is sure to be leaking from my drivetrain
> and hoping I can find Alan to give me a ride. Freddy Kruger couldn't have
> scared me more............
>
> I swear before God and my Country that I don't plan on ever purchasing
> another truck that's not a Dodge. I crawled all over and under and through
> the thing trying to hear something, but everything sounds the same. A few
> quiet rhythmic knocks and the ticking of the injectors - just like new.
The
> tranny had the same quiet whine it did when I got it broken in at around
> 10,000 miles. I had to keep asking myself "was that sound there before",
> but I've done that a hundred times before - these motors just aren't
kittens
> - they don't purr. Anyway, point is, on the surface, I can't identify any
> mortal wounds. Anything I can check without tearing the thing apart???
> Tough truck with a spastic shifting owner. Thanks - sorry so long.
>
> I am seriously considering making a shift pattern plate with a spring
loaded
> gate to prevent this from ever happening again.
>
> Tate
>
>
>
The preceeding letter was brought to you by all the "slushbox" bracket racers!
Glad the Drag T/A's worked for ya.............BTW Tate I will have some pics
of the DML Houston gathering up soon. They look great....
Gene in Baytown
95 SLT
99 R/T
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