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Blue Racer Strikes Again!

480 Views 5 Replies 0 Participants Last post by  Navy Lifer
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After having an awesome time at Indy, we were on a mission to get back to NJ for the LISST Drag Day. We were about a 1/2 hour from home around midnight when I started hearing a strange sound. I checked for warning lights and looked for smoke outside the car, but everything looked fine. I then figured it was the highway making the sound because the pavement had just changed. I then did the logical choice to stop hearing the annoying sound, I turned up my stereo. I was driving in the fast lane at least 80mph, when all of a sudden my car whipped me around to the right of the 3-lane highway causing me to do a complete 360. I kept on the gas and didn't brake and cars were all around me driving off the road trying to avoid hitting me in the spin. I could just see headlights everywhere as I was making the rotation. After I was out of the spin and facing the right direction, I let off the gas and rode it out to the shoulder until the car came to a stop on its on. I did all this without hitting anyone or the guard rail and while my daughter was sleeping in the backseat. Once stopped, the car dipped down toward the front right. I called Chris on my phone because he was too far ahead of me and didn't see it. He had me look at the tire. The tire was bent outward, but full. He turned his trailer around and looked at my car. It turned out the noise I was hearing was the wheel bearing disintegrating. We left the car there and came back early in the morning with parts to fix it. I was NOT going to miss racing today. Unfortunately, there was a lot of damage. The brake pads were destroyed, the caliper pins were bent, the castle nut on the spindle was worn off where it rode around on the inside of the rim. Chris tried for an hour to get that nut off, but it wasn't moving. We found a garage to tow and fix my car. I was still determined to make the race. We asked if we could race SSONIC together, but that was a no-go, just in case we both made it to the finals. I even wanted to rent a B-Body, but there wasn't time. Mike Cassino was such a sweetie, he let me borrow his car to race even though he had a broken posi (No burn-outs for me). I red-lighted against my buddy Nabster in the 1st round, but had a great time. I did not miss the race! ;)
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Geez Michelle! At least you had some practice on how to handle that sorta thing thanks to Putnam Park...


Glad you're ok and it's fixable.

Now THAT's determination!!!! Way to go Mike for letting her borrow the car. :D
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Michelle;
Glad you are ok. That must have been pretty scary and I am sure SSONIC is proud about how you kept your cool and powered through it.
It was good to see you and the family yesterday.
Bill
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i think 360's should be your signature move
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Originally posted by projectSS (FOR SALE):
i think 360's should be your signature move
You might have something there. ;)

The blue racer is still in the shop. They are having a hard time finding a spindle for it. More damage than we realized after they used a torch to get the castlenut off. Bummer! I'll be happy as long as I have it back for the next ECIRS race in August.
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Michelle,

Knuckles should not be an issue, as they are available new for a very reasonable price. I recall your car is a 94, so it uses 9/16" lower ball joints, unless they were upgraded.

From THIS thread:

Here's some PN's with "cost + 10%" pricing:

Knuckles

JA9 = 9C1 police package
JB9 = WX3 Impala SS

JA9 (9/16") 9C1 HD disc/disc, 1A2 wagon 94-95
18021052 L 18021053 R
Under $50 each
NOTE: use in place of JB9 knuckles listed below


JA9 (5/8") 9C1 HD disc/disc, 1A2 wagon 95-96
18021377 & 18021378
About $60 each
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