Good guy alert...

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Bill Dedman

bill dedman
Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
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Location
Conway, Arkansas
My car WAS a partnership car, with Freddie Nielsen, when one day about 4 months ago, he makes me an offer I can't refuse, to have it ALL MINE, so I take him up on it.

So generous was his offer, he basically GAVE me the car, after his having performed countless hours of A-1 quality work on it and having spent considerable cash...

Another "good guy"!

It's all my project now, which got me to thinking about the enormity of this undertaking, and how much work is involved.

It's a LOT for an old geezer like me (I'm 75; Freddie's 76!) and would be virtually impossbile without lots of help from more experienced people.

Well, it's hard to find people with experience in turbocharged slant sixes... look around; do you see any???? LOL!

But, there was one guy who took us under his wing and offered a TON of well-advised, educated, INVALUABLE help to get us started with this daunting project.

His name is Tom Wolfe, and his FABO moniker is shaker223.

He had built a turbocharged slant six that made over 500 horsepower on gasoline, and powered his 3,300-pound '70 Dart to an 11.02 at over 120mph, in the quarter-mile.

See it run, here...
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAxRmoDgsdY"]Turbo charged Slant 6 11.02 @ 120.56 - YouTube[/ame]

As I understand it, that run was into a 15-mph headwind!

Anyway, he OBVIOUSLY knows what he is doing with this, and offered to share what he knows with me and my partner, completely.

He started out by giving us detailed information on what pistons and rods to buy, and where, and endless lists of necessary parts for assembly. He even engineered a lower-price group buy for stronger, special-order, ARP head studs, which we participated in.

He set up our blow-thru (Holley) carb, and built a deep (oil) pan for us.

We lived a thousand miles from this guy and had never met him...

AND we were almost twice his age!


Still...

He saved us untold dollars and kept us from running up countless blind alleys... saving us many, many, hours in the building process.

He did it all for just a few small (minimal) fees for time and materials it had cost him.

His contribution to our car was PRICELESS!

That kind of help is just impossible to find!!! Really!

It's my car, now, and is about ready to make its first pass down the drag strip; the car is ready, and I have a new (to me) trailer to get it home, if it should need it.

Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating right now, but it IS November, so I may have to wait awhile.

In the meantime, I would like to take this opportunity to say that this whole turbo slant six idea, and its successful implementation, is in NO WAY mine; I am not that smart.

No, Tom led the way (along with Ryan Peterson's having built and tuned a similar motor,) doing all the endless R & D to make things work the way they should.... and then sharing all of that with us.

Without his expert advice and generous help. we still wouldn't have the head on this thing...

Thank you, Tom!!!! You da man!:cheers:

Bill
 

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Congrats on the very cool car! And the same to the great relationships you made throughout the build!
 
Wow,it's great to know some people really are good. Congrats Bill,on a well executed and built car. I hope to see some drag vids one day!
 
Tom truly sounds like one of the 'good guys'. Congrats on getting the car ready. Here's hoping the weather cooperates and you can get some runs at the track soon.
 
That's awesome! You have a great friend there and you are a nice well deserving guy, cool story :glasses7:
 
Looking forward to 2015 Bill :glasses7: I sure enjoyed meeting Freddie Nielsen and your home town friends :coffee2: to be honest it felt good to be around folks older then me that drive like a crazy man on a mission on the interstates there :D Hope to enjoy some BBQ again this next racing season, What a great crew you gathered on this build Bill, you have kept many folks here on the edge of our seats watching y'alls every move and set back

See you and Freddie at CenterVille Drag strip Bill :cheers:
 
Looking forward to 2015 Bill :glasses7: I sure enjoyed meeting Freddie Nielsen and your home town friends :coffee2: to be honest it felt good to be around folks older then me that drive like a crazy man on a mission on the interstates there :D Hope to enjoy some BBQ again this next racing season, What a great crew you gathered on this build Bill, you have kept many folks here on the edge of our seats watching y'alls every move and set back

See you and Freddie at CenterVille Drag strip Bill :cheers:

Memike,

I have been very lucky to have met a whole bunch of great people who have showed an interest in my oddball project, and didn't just laugh and walk away, shaking their heads.

FABO is full of smart, interesting and sincere enthusiasts who have been helpful and encouraging, almost to a man. I'm fortunate to have found this place!

Having said that, I'd like to apologize to all concerned for having taken so long to get this bucket of bolts almost to completion. I have been plagued with one problem after another (mostly, health-related, but, always time-consuming,) but had great help from my ex-partner, Freddie, who took up the slack for me and did a lot of things a lot better than I ever could have; he's talented that way!:cheers:

I am pretty much ready to race this thing, having only a jet change to accomplish, before I load her up and haul her to Centerville for her maiden voyage (60 miles, one-way.)

As reported earlier, I bought a new video camera to document some of this, and as soon as I learn how to upload the footage, you'll be seeing that 50-year-old relic, lumbering down the strip, no matter how slowly...:happy1:

It's been a long time coming!!!!:violent1:

Thanks to everyone for all the encouraging comments; it means a lot to me...O:)
 
Thanks for the Kind words Bill. Just trying to help where I can! Hope everything went smooth and starts ironing out for you.
 
Thanks for the Kind words Bill. Just trying to help where I can! Hope everything went smooth and starts ironing out for you.

Tom,

Those weren't just "kind words;" if not for your excellent, accurate advice, we'd still be gathering parts and not have the head on the motor, yet, I am sure!!!

You saved us TONS of time and, more importantly, money!

Almost "there", at this point... I'll keep you advised! :blob:
 
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