Back from Philadelphia & Baltimore, USA
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 8:30PM I am just back from a quick trip to The States. I got to see my wonderful daughter in Philadelphia on my way to attending an international conference in Baltimore. Unfortunately I got food poisoning at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Newark, New Jersey on the way that put a damper on my time in Philadelphia. I recovered by the time I got to Baltimore . . . and the National Aquarium. Here are some photos from the trip.
Baltimore harbour from the hotel window.
These things seemed to be left over from the last Ice Age in Baltimore Harbour.
A view to the US National Aquarium where, interestingly, they have a lot of fish that you can photograph!
A Box Fish head . . . . .
A Large Mouth Fish . . . . .
The underside of a Sting Ray . . .
They even had some snakes in the habitats at The US National Aquarium. See more photos from the National Aquarium in my Travel Photo Blog section.
Progress!
Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 4:05PM 
The 1UZ is a good looking engine, no?
Supercharger placement is the next big job . . . . .
Supercharger is mounted and the intercooler piping is all connected (as of October 3, 2009).
More Race Car Progress . . . and Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers
Monday, September 7, 2009 at 6:11PM Yep, the day when I start up my new fuel-injected, supercharged HEMI V-8 in my race truck is getting closer. Go to my Racing Projects Blog and read the recent updates.
I finally found the 'last lens I needed' for my camera bag. I now have a lens for every situation I may encounter in my travels: the amazingly sharp Sigma 70mm DG Macro. I shot some test shots in my garden when I got home and they were stunning. I remembered that I have more then 100 flowering tropical plants in the garden, so I have opened up a new section in the Travel Photo Bank called "My Garden Flowers & Leaves" -- check it out -- it will grow as I take new photos and go through my collection. A few samples:
Ah! Nature!
Yes, these orchids just grow outside on their own . . . . on the trunks of my palm trees.
Down for a new engine
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 7:09PM I woke up at 5:00 this Sunday morning and trailered my race car the 150 miles across Thailand to the race shop that will be installing a new supercharged race 1UZ V-8 engine. It will be about eight (8) weeks before I will see the race track again . . . but when I do . . . it is going to be really fun with a blown and injected HEMI! You can check the progress at my Racing Projects Blog link.
6:30am: Getting ready for the long trip down the road. Owning a race car in Thailand has been a lot of fun . . . and very interesting.
A new home for my Familia drag truck for the next eight (8) weeks or so (this IS Thailand!).
Poor thing . . . . having its heart ripped out. My little 3100cc (191 cu.in.) straight six was an excellent motor and provided much excitement . . . and around 550 horsepower on only 0.9 bar (13 pounds) boost. But I hear the call of a V-8!
I purchased a set of 32 Brian Crower valve springs and nice fuel rails for the 1UZ V-8 yesterday. Most of my parts order from The States have arrived. The only parts I need now, other than what may need to be fabricated in the process of the engine instllation, are the eight fuel injectors.
High flow fuel rails for the 1UZ.
Dr. Jeff Harper
I spent yesterday down on the floor in the shop fitting the 1UZ V-8 into the Familia race truck chassis. A lot of time and care was taken to phase the drive line: after leveling the racer in all planes, a line was drawn on the floor that exactly passed through the centerline of the rear axle pinion yoke and the transmission output shaft before the engine was moved about so that the front of the crankshaft was also on this same line. The engine fit in the chassis very nicely and, although it is tight, there is enough clearance for headers to clear the steering. Whew! Go to the Racing Projects Blog for an update.
Plenty of room!
Dr. Jeff Harper
August 29 & 30: Spent the week-end at the shop working on my racer. Some good progress - see it at the Racing Projects Blog link (above):
Progress cocntinues . . . the aluminum firewall has been polished and the 'front horn' of the chassis has been cleaned, sanded, and detailed in advace of the final bolting in of the new supercharged 1UZ V-8.
I have been having a major discussion with all of my racing buddies here in Thailand about the feasability of using E85 fuel (available in Thailand) in my supercharged engie. It has been very interesting.
Back to Racing . . . Almost.
Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 2:13PM I went to the track last night with every intent of testing my newly "made right" race car . . . but the skies opened up just as I got there and I, along with abut a hundred racers, ran for cover. I sat around my shop, put a new dust cover on the race car (and painted an orange line in front to make it easy to find when re-covering the car), and at 11:30 my Norwegian friend, Thomas, arrived from Phuket for some bench racing and engine combination talk. I am hoping tonight will be clear and dry . . . . but given that this is the Wet Season in Thailand, anything can happen.
