Dave W

Thank you Nathan, You dates choices are noted, I plan to give everyone severals weeks before the final selection is set. Dave W

“Clubmen of Michigan” I’m in the planning stage of organizing some more blats in southern Michigan. At this point I’m looking at these 2010 tentative spring, summer, and fall rallies dates. But this year I would also like to start at different locations across South-central Michigan so we have a little different mix of roads. Please PM me if you have weekend preferences for any of the dates posted below and if a Saturday or Sunday works best for you. We are looking at a later start time around 10:30 in the morning, it seemed to work much better last fall, because it makes it easier to reach the departure location plus it’s warmer. Actual Blat time is just over two hours, not counting, the stop for lunch or gas/pit stops. Tentative locations and dates Spring: Ann Arbor-Dexter, . . May 15-16th or May 22-23rd Summer: Howell, . . . . . July 17-18th or July 24-25th Fall: Mason, . . . . . Sept. 25-26th or Oct. 2-3rd Please let me know your preferences. I’m open to any and all suggestions, plus if you know of any local conflicting race or rally dates, please contact me through the forum or E-mail. Thanx Dave W dave.whitt@dana.com dave.whitt@metalsa.com

I replied directly to you before I looked on the forum. This explains the design. It's a tray type. That should work pretty good. Thanx for the picture Dave

A PM has been sent, I could not find any pictures of the baffle/sump design the link. http://www.abperformance.co.uk Dave W

Josh Before you put in the baffles, get a section of piano hinge. Then add a few holes to the bottom of the baffles, then screw the hinge over them so it allow the oil to flow towards the oil pick-up screen while cornering. You do not want to do this again. could get a little $$$ Dave W

The Blating weather is just around the corner Spaz. It's time to start the motor swap. I just shoveled all the piled up snow in front of the Seven's garage door for 2 hours. The temp is suppose to hit 45* in southern Michigan this Sunday. I plan on cleaning a lot of dirt and mud of the car late sunday afternoon. Dave W

Sent the link to Dave Watkins. I'm sure he will enjoy it. Dave W

I would question "The Camber Tire superior in-line stability". The stabiltiy issue is probably not an issue on the race track, but on the road with a light Wt car, it is highly likely to cause the vehicle to pull to one side unless the tires are prefectly matched side to side in pairs. I spent two weeks in the britter cold tracking down a suspension design problem, that ended up being a cambered tire miss-match. On the track probably OK, on a light Wt Seven, I would wait until someone else can prove that the camber thrust is not a issue or they can control tire profile that good, before I would put my money down . Dave W

I gave up on polishing the fender spats after 3,000 miles. It was impossible to get them to shine. I then used a 220 flap wheel on the surface in a vertical pattern so they have an etch type surface. They now get cleaned with steel wool and bug-tar remover/polish. Only takes a minute or two to get them clean. The bottom inch of fender is cover with bedliner which has to be touched up on a regular bases. I just added some short mud flaps last year which did cut down the sand blast affect by about 50%. Dave W

Santa left a new flywheel under the tree, so I'm out in the garage every nite this week until 9 or 10:00. I Just add another layer. If I'm lucky I can open the garage door this weekend and let some of the 21* warm air in, while I'm droping in the motor/trans. This is perfect weather you do not even have to hold the wrench, it just sticks to your paw. But it is a pain when your air tools ice up and will not work. Dave W

I just used 5/8" contruction foam glued to the tunnel, foot wells and sides. Probably less then $10, and less then 2 lbs. No heat problems at all. besides adding insulation, make sure you are getting the heat out of the engine bay. Dave W

I would try higher shock setting. I have GAZ shocks with 160lbs springs on the rear. I'm running 12 clicks on the rear, or a little above middle way in damping range. Dave W

The Fall Rally on Oct. 10th is a GO. The MSN weather gods now predict sunny but cool weather for both days of the weekend. The rally arrival time is being moved a little later to 10:00AM because the projected low temp for the day is a coolish 36* with a high of 57* in the afternoon and 00000% rain. We will leave a little after 10:30AM. We will be stopping for gas before heading out of town. About 30 miles into the blat we will stop at a road side park for a pit stop and to top off the fuel tanks for the BEC Sevens carrying a spare gas can. Plan on stopping for lunch around noon. See ya there Dave W

Rally up-date for October 10th Arrival time at the Big Boy restaurant in Mason is between 9:30 and 10:00 for coffee and route tickets. A little after 10:00 AM we will start the blat down route 36. We will stop for gas in Mason before we head out to Dexter trail. About mid-way through the run, we plan on stopping for lunch at Curleys near Grass Lake. Lunch break at noon: Curley’s Pub & Grill 12227 Seymour Rd Grass Lake, Mi 517-522-3500 Actual road distant has been reduced by about a 1/3rd compared to the summer route. The Projected weather forecast has a morning temp of 47, and an afternoon high of 55. The kicker is the 70 to 80% rain, for both October 10th and on the 11th rain date. The rain is also projected into the early part of the week with no clear weather breaks in front or behind the weekend. If this weather pattern continues there’s a high probability that the rally will be Cancelled. If we go with the Rain date or cancellation, I will post the change on this web site by noonish on Oct. 9th. Fair weather Dave W Dave.whitt@dana.com

“Clubmen of Michigan Fall Rally” The Fall Rally will be on October 10th “Saturday” starting in Mason Michigan, 48854. We will meet again at Bob’s Big Boy restaurant, 660 North Cedar Street [517-676-4401] but we will have a little later arrival time, approximately 9:30AM. The restaurant is located just off of route 127 which runs south out of Lansing Michigan. You will want to get off at the Mason exit number 66 for route M-36. The restaurant is about a ½ mile south of the exit. A little after 10:00AM we will finish off the last cup of coffee and either add or subtract layers of clothing for a hopefully dry 35-60 degree temperature. We’ll start the blat down route 36, stopping for gas before we head to Dexter trail making a big S.E. loop down through the Waterloo Rec-Area. Actual road time should be about two and half hours. The route will consist of about 50% of the summer route with the other half being new roads. We will keep the best roads from the summer run and add some better roads for fall. Rain date is October 11th “Sunday”. If we opt for the rain date I will posted the notice by noonish on the October 9th, on this web site. I’ll supply turn by turn road list and will pre-run the route, plus flag the turns that do not have road signs. Dave W Dave.whitt@dana.com

We are looking at another rally either the first or second weekend of October. It would probably start in Mason Michigan again. Please PM me by next Monday if you have a preference for the 1st or 2nd weekend of Oct. Thanx Dave W

Dave Watkins' wife, "Jan" took a few pictures at Big Boys, I'll see if we can get them posted. The other Dave W

The Clubman of Michigan rally scheduled for the 29th, is going with the rain date on Sunday the 30th. It appears that Mother Nature is not going to cooperate for the road rally on this coming Saturday. The Sunday rain date looks much better. So the rally is being postponed for one day and will start on Sunday August 30th. Arrival time is still between 9:00 and 9:30. We will start down the road at 10:00. There is only a 10% chance of scatter showers on Sunday and a high of 63* but a coolish 52* for the start in the morning. See you at the Mason's Big Boys Dave W

The Rain date "Sunday" is not looking much better. I will post it here if we go with Sat or a Sunday run, :-( or possibly complete wash out!! Michigan weather???? I will post the notice around 12:00 Friday if it is a GO. Dave W

Jon Depending on how many show for the Aug. rally, I may try to do another rally in early Oct. I would like to give everyone a months notice. I'm sort of in the same boat. My daughter has a cross country meet almost every Saturday from Sept. thru mid-Nov;. only one open weekend. Might be able to do a Sunday run. I'll see what kind of feedback we get. Thanx for the interest Dave W

Hyper To be an “OFFICAL MEMBER” of the Clubmen of Michigan. You gotta show up . . . the more the merrier. Dave W

Nathan That looks nice, you did a great job. What is the the stone shield material on the rear fender? Dave W

I would think the easy way would be just go up one size on the rivet nut. I put a doubler plate behind each rivnut that attach at the aluminum body panel areas. I used plates about 2 x 1.25 x 1/8thk alloy "some had to be trim a little fit" plus also used e-poxy betweeen the plate and the panel. I've collected a few cones, both forwards and backwards and the fenders are still hanging on. Dave W

Clubman of Michigan 1st Annual “Clubman of Michigan” rally on August 29th in the thriving megalopolis of Mason, MI. 48854 We will rendezvous at the world famous Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant, 660 North Cedar street [517-676-4401] at approximately 9:00AM. The restaurant is located just off of route 127 which runs south out of Lansing Michigan. You will want to get off at exit number 66 for Mason and route 36. The restaurant is about a ½ mile south of the exit. At around 9:00 as we arrive will have breakfast/coffee, followed by more Coffee, Bragging, Boasting, BS, & more Lies about our Sevens and pre-view or adjust the planned route for the morning. A little before 10:00 we’ll start the run down route 36 to Dexter trail and on to some more local back roads for a couple hours. Or until we run low on gas, when we get tried, or mom calls to tell you it’s time to come home. Rain date, Aug. 30th. If you send me an E-mail, I will notify everyone on the list, to let you know if in fact we have to go with the rain date option. This notice will be posted by noonish on the 28th. Looking at these area roads: Howell & mason Dexter trail North territorial south west run M-36 between Pinckney & Mason Your Suggestions welcomed since I’m not 100% familiar with the area. I will try to pre-run your suggestions and the selected roads to minimize Michigan’s free MDOT pot hole wheel alignment service. Dave W Dave.whitt@dana.com Cell 248-705-8473