Engine is at home and waiting for installation this weekend. It looks amazing. I had a great time at Acme Speedshop this past Friday and I cannot wait to get this thing in, primed and started up. The neighbors are excited too, especially when I set the timing while reving the motor at 5,000 rpm :)

Third Wave Advertising MGB

Earlier this month we were able to finally wrap the car in its new livery. Introducing the Third Wave Advertising MGB.

Third Wave and Think Racing are set to compete together in four races in this year's upcoming SCCA SARRC championship.

Yes, we are going club racing in this vintage bodied MGB. Once we obtain the SCCA license, we are going vintage racing. The hybrid approach will allow us to rotate in and out of different series.

Picking up the new motor this Friday!!

I have Good Friday off, so I am traveling to Greenville, SC to Acme Speedshop to pick up my new (and first) race motor. Immediately after my October driver's school, I yanked the old modified street engine and took to Hap Waldrop.

For a few months we worked out my plan. This motor has:

Acme fully ported race head

JE flat top custom Acme pistons, with nitirted low tension top rings with gas ports

Stock rods with ARP rod bolts balanced

Crank is std/std and balanced

David Headley race oil pan

Rollmaster vernier timing set

Comptune CT-295 race cam ( same cam grind Eric Kruger won the runoffs with)

APT CF-04 lifters

ARP hardware thru out

12.2 to 1 compression ratio

Fully blueprinted

David Headly aluminum backplate

Fidanza Aluminum flywheel

Competition heavy duty pressure plate and clutch disc

Durabond cam bearings

As was planned from the beginning, this is a starter motor - probably more motor than some starter motors - but one that can be improved upon as I get more seat time.

Dad is in town at the end of the month and we are going to get this thing mated to the transmission, installed and the oiling system plumbed.

Latest update:

Since my last post we have been busy. I had the new roll cage put in the car and painted it. When my dad was in town, we re-wired the car minimizing the amount of wire and circuitry. It also cleaned up the engine compartment and dash area.

This has been a pretty hectic time with work and travel, so I have had to compact a lot of work into many small points of time on those days that I have time. The car is just about back together. Third Wave Advertising and I are finalizing the graphics package and Hap Waldrop is building my motor and carbs.

I'll post some pictures soon of the progress. I still need to bleed the brakes and connect the brake bias knob. Also I need to align the front wheels, bundle the wiring under the dash, put a bulkhead fitting in for the accusump, drain the fuel tank (replacing the fuel with a higher octane - from 100 to 110), put in the fuel test port, soften the tires and several other smaller things. Once the motor is complete, Dad will drive down and help me with the installation.

There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. On April 19 & 20, I'll attend my second driver's school at Daytona International Speedway and upon successful completion, I'll be off to the races. But it will be a circus getting to that point all the way up to the actual school itself. I will be in Chicago Friday, April 18 and will have to fly directly to Daytona. So, my dad is going to fly to Greensboro and tow my car to Daytona meeting me there. Hap is also coming along, so I am flying him from Greenville to Daytona. It will be great to have him there to help set up the car and support dad while he takes care of me. These driver's schools are intense. When not on the track, I'm in the classroom. I am totally reliant on my crew to have the car ready and on the grid for each of my sessions. And dad does a great job of also helping me into the car and get my gear on prior to each session.

This is an exciting time. I will be glad to have this build past me. It is very consuming and draining all at the same time. However, finishing these schools, competing in two races and getting my competition license will be an incredible payoff.