[Sam]

I was sitting here looking at all those wheelstand pictures and thinking I wonder if I should submit.......and there it was on page 2, my picture of Trevor's six foot wheelstand submitted by Sam. I take it that's Sammy who crewed with Trevor on the car. That'll be Sam on the far left wearing the baseball cap. Others include Stu Bradbury and John Ledster. I offered the picture to Trevor who didn't want it as he didn't collect pictures. I remember replying, 'Trevor, one day you will retire and all you will have left will be memories and your pictures'.

Correct it was me.... I would have given credit for the picture but I could not remember who had given me the copy, (names not being a strong point)

working on the cars meant that you'd never have any pictures, never have time to take any!! I spent 35 years helping people go fast and have very few pictures beside the ones in my mind, mind you I've got a head full of experiences and tales that would most would not believe.. and I met some great people along the way from all different motorsports..

Things are different now... check out my website and you may find I've infringed another copyright http://www.doubledensity.co.uk..

[Sam]

That would be one of them..... regarding that engine rebuild some recent things I've heard after 30 years or so..

While we were working, TY having been long since tucked up in bed with John Bolton next door, trying to be as quiet as possible and not get caught.. every now and then we would hear something and would stop and keep very quiet for a few minutes just in case the management were about..... after a few minutes we'd think we were safe and carry on...

Nothing unusual there then... well as I say last year someone tells me that a certain John Hobbs was in the cabin next door carrying out a similar operation on his Bike, apparantly like us lot every time they heard a noise (that'd be us then) they would keep quiet then when they started work we'd hear them and stop... could be the only instance of a fuel car and bike being worked on in shifts....

We did put the door back on.....

[Sam]

Talking of Vic H, he came round on saturday and we spent a couple of hours chatting, we speak on the phone a couple of times a week...

Take a look here and you should recognise a few faces.....
http://peterdonaldson5305.fotopic.net/p48503789.html

Picture by Peter donaldson at the stunt night in Feburary..

left to right Vic H, Chris Bishop (TY days) Me with the tea, and Paul shaw (later TY days)

Vic is quite amazing as he can remember everyone and what they did when.. It's good to pass time with him, he is still an altered man through and through and is one of my biggest supporters..

If your ever around when we get the car out again (the new workshop is just about finished) drop me a mail and I'll make sure is Vic is about and call round and see us, you know you'll leave smiling..

Cyril Hooper (one of Vic's mates from the altered days) also comes with us to most meetings or demo runs..

[Duckndive]

That would be one of them..... regarding that engine rebuild some recent things I've heard after 30 years or so..

While we were working, TY having been long since tucked up in bed with John Bolton next door, trying to be as quiet as possible and not get caught.. every now and then we would hear something and would stop and keep very quiet for a few minutes just in case the management were about..... after a few minutes we'd think we were safe and carry on...

Nothing unusual there then... well as I say last year someone tells me that a certain John Hobbs was in the cabin next door carrying out a similar operation on his Bike, apparantly like us lot every time they heard a noise (that'd be us then) they would keep quiet then when they started work we'd hear them and stop... could be the only instance of a fuel car and bike being worked on in shifts....

We did put the door back on.....

Mick Peirse who crews for The Mob was involved in that escapde ...."think"..

[Sam]

Ah yes he who came out with the immortal line(thrown in completely at random in a drag racing conversation, in the bar after a couple on the way over) " I really don't know where the next really good rock band are going to come from" to which John Bolton replied " I pleg your plardon" and I guarantee that those two sayings will never be forgotton by anyone there...... in fact after not seeing VH for over 25 years I walked up behind him in the pits at the pod and said "I pleg your Plardon" and without looking behind to see vic's response was " F******G Sam Freeman...

it won't mean much to most but as I say it was one of those times when you needed to be there... mick and John had it ripped out of them ever since...

Good old days...

[Sam]

Oh and as a by, I believe Mick was in charge of the leadlight during that rebuild........

The leadlight for info was a 5 foot standard lamp that was in the room.. the shade was removed so we had the benifit of the 60 watt bulb... best thing was that Mick could stand behind the crowd and shine the light.. we didn't even break the bulb..

Also in reply to rogers bit about owning up.. maybe we didnt make as much mess as the bike boys, we did stack the beds in the corner and roll the carpets up before we started work....

and just for info for anyone reading this who wondered why we removed the door to get the rebuilt engine out (at 5.00am).. simple really the donovan block empty weighs 175 ish lbs (75Kg for the youngsters), so it was carried in sideways ie the crank bore went in across the door frame.. well add a billet crank 8 rods and pistons, cam and lifters, oil pump, pan, blower pulley, etc and it weighs a tad more.. so it required more than 2 to get it out and into the van so it went out at 90° to the door frame.. the problem was that the engine was slightly wider than the frame with the door in it.. rather than try and remove the outer head studs from the block and make it more difficult to carry I decided that we could just about do it with removing the door.. I was right but can't remember if anyone skinned knuckles etc..

The security guards at Mantorp were surprised when we turned up to refit and finish building the engine... but the face with the biggest look of surprise was one Roy Phelps who had left the track the previous evening seeing that we had damaged a crank and had no spare (crank or engine). He arrived back the next morning just as we fired it up... nothing ike the smell of nitro in the morning... it was explained to him that we had found an engine reconditioner (main perkins agent in sweden) who was at the track who persueded his crank grinder to meet us at his works to grind the crank. I think I got the crank back to the hotel at about 10 pm. and we started work..

to hear the story as it should be told then you have to listen to the Hammond version as Roger quite rightly pointed out there is no one better at regaling a tale. He has a way with words..

[Duckndive]

Ah yes he who came out with the immortal line(thrown in completely at random in a drag racing conversation, in the bar after a couple on the way over) " I really don't know where the next really good rock band are going to come from" to which John Bolton replied " I pleg your plardon" and I guarantee that those two sayings will never be forgotton by anyone there...... in fact after not seeing VH for over 25 years I walked up behind him in the pits at the pod and said "I pleg your Plardon" and without looking behind to see vic's response was " F******G Sam Freeman...

it won't mean much to most but as I say it was one of those times when you needed to be there... mick and John had it ripped out of them ever since...

Good old days...

yes that phrase did crop up from time to time when Vic was around........

[Duckndive]

to hear the story as it should be told then you have to listen to the Hammond version as Roger quite rightly pointed out there is no one better at regaling a tale. He has a way with words..

Yes Vic would make a great stand up comic... . the auidance would be rolling on the floor in histerics

One of his other great lines i remember was....

I,d Walk a Mile and a Half over Broken Glass Just to throw p******s ** *** ****

youl be able to fill the blanks i,m sure............

[Sam]

Erm, to get back to the point of the wheelstands and reading several times of altitude achievments I submit for your delectations a picture of my altered.. not strictly a wheelstand but it has achieved 4 wheel altitude none the less..

[ukdrn]

Great picture Sam, that looks really scary!