Oct 24 - 2006

Another loony is here!


It's my old friend and former drag racer Kent Edin in Umeå who
just received his 1996 SS and wants to go drag racing ASAP!
Originally the plans was that our common friend Lennart "Bagarn"
Bergqvist at Autoshop Racing Engines in Orlando, Florida, would
build him a real "Bostic Killer" engine, but since Lennart sadly
passed away, it felt natural that Karl Ellwein of Ellwein Engines
should build this stroker. Very very interesting!



So another blackout'ed Impala SS is aiming for the Quartermile!
The owner also has a BLACK belt in Kyokushinkai karate!


Kent has already invested in a kompressor but wonders
a little about the installation.


No no Kent, not there! The socket is under the PCM box but you'll
need an US adapter as well... Welcome to the wonderful
world of Impala SS! And God Bless! =)



Gentle Giant
Kent has chosen to name his project after our
absolute favourite band in the early 1970's.
English Gentle Giant consisted of enormously
talented musicians who were more like music
experimentalists. The group's purpose was to
"expand the frontiers of contemporary popular
music at the risk of becoming very unpopular"

And they never became a group for the big
audience, instead they were called "the
musicians group".
And Three Friends back in Umeå - Kent,
Per "Sicke" Wiklund and me - found them
and a lot of beer vanished to this music.
Wikipedia on Gentle Giant


Jan 6 - 2007
Déjà vu!



We've seen this before! Kent Edin has bought EXACTLY the
same rear end kit from Alston Chassisworks as I did! They
were ordered to send same EVERYTHING! Kent is smart!


Kent wants to have a run in 2007. Hurry hurry! Yahoo! Fun!


Jan-Åke Norberg of Norbergs Race Cars in Umeå is a nice guy
who will help Kent to make a quicker SS than mine! I will too.
But just how did they get that led boat up there...?


This is no stupid! (drag racer himself) Already having a chassis
jig in his garage... Keep us updated guys!
Yes, you maybe know that Kent has ordered a blown "Bostic
Killer" from King Karl Ellwein's ELLWEIN ENGINES...the most
powerful engine built by Karl so far!
1200 hp or bust.
Dang it, I have to update a few things... =) Looove it!



Jan 7


Another SS-floor gets holes made for a 4-link...
They use my website as an installation instruction but that doesn't
necessarily mean they will follow it to the letter.


Fab9 is fixed to the jig with the help of aluminium profiles. SS is
welded to the jig. Yes, they fixed this rear end in the middle of the
wheel wells, a 3/4" backwards compared to the stock rear end.


Jan-Åke has the tools and the speed. He has built rollbars, rollcages
and chassis stuff on quite a few race cars so the SS is in good hands.


Crossmember here...hm...yes...

 

Jan 16


Karl sent a picture showing the F.A.S.T. XFI system that Kent Edin
has bought for his Gentle Giant project. Also the Service Manual
for the B-platform, the "Bible" which will come in handy many times.


Jan 25

Now they have a Manual!


Jan-Åke Norberg holds the manual that Kent Edin has made.
Will this help them to achieve their goal?


Interesting contents in their Manual =)
I wonder what Page 3 says...?


No one can escape the dirty work of removing undercoating
to be able to weld. It's a mission of a real Hero.


Rear end and suspension is finally fixed in the Gentle Giant SS.


Looking good!


Aha! An interpooler! Different from mine but it will work.
Are you buying it or making it?


March 2


"UH UH ARRRGHHHH!! UH UH!"


Since Jan-Åke's new investment in a hydraulic tube bending
machine hasn't arrived yet, Kent Edin needed all his Karate
skills to help out with the tube bending... I sent them my
cardboard dummies but I don't see them using them in any
picture?


And dzhiz a little little more...jaahhh!!!!


Jan-Åke was very keen on the tube bending and therefore he
could be very happy when fitting the 1 5/8" chrome moly main
loop in the Gentle Giant SS of Umeå, Sweden.


Floor box covering the 4-link looks all right. Maybe a little
too high in back or is it only my memory? Can the rear seat
really go enough low, in furthest back...?


March 25


Looki looki! They've been working in Umeå! All pieces of the cage in Kent's Impala SS are in place, except
the small ones which will be strengthening the corners. When all are TIG-welded it's time to raise the
body to weld underneath.


Three pictures of the swing out solution


Kent forced Jan-Åke to show the swing out's function. The bars can also be removed from the car which was
what Kent wanted for his personal needs. This is the design also I thought about having in the Blackout SS,
but that was before Mr Al Holt changed my mind. So Kent bought my Chassisworks 1 5/8" swing out kit.


A lot of cutting in the floor awaits in the whole car before raising the body.


Kent wants to go racing NOW!


And Kent decided already in the early 80's when visiting my Whiplash Camaro garage...?



March 29

Oh my... Oh my...!


I just got an email from Karl Ellwein of Ellwein Engines in
Maryland U.S.A. There were some pics of the things that
Karl will build Kent Edin's engine from - "King Of Spades"
Karl wrote:
"All of Kent's motor parts are arriving. His cylinder heads are the best
I have ever seen. Advanced Induction is the company that ported the
heads and installed the valves and springs. All of it is NASCAR
endurance quality components. I'm very impressed with the quality.
They use the Newen top of the line valve seat machine".
-


Karl: "Also Jesel shaft rockers, Morel endurance solid roller lifters, Billet core solid roller cam,
ported LT1 intake.
I'd like to build a motor like this for myself soon".


April 21


The world is out of grey Impala A-pillar instruments pods. If you
get hold of a black one, you need to paint it grey like Kent did.



Autoshop-delivered TCI 4L80E. Just like mine. The converter is a
TCI Super Street Fighter.


This ProCharger intercooler is dimensioned for 1300 hp. They
will rebuild the inlet and outlet when engine and blower
is mounted.


A little less weight on the frame with some artisticly made SS.


Soon time to engage the body to the frame again.


April 22

Follow the build "live" daily!


Good friend Karl Ellwein in Maryland USA is now working full
time to finalize Kent Edin's Bostic Killer-LT1 "King of Spades".
1200+ HP
And we're also awaiting dyno results in the beginning of May!



Click logo above to be transferred to the exciting engine build!



May 3

Very good Kent and Jan-Åke!


I'm so happy to see how they follow my idea and that it works, again! We're all so excited to
meet on a drag strip again! It's been at least 20 years ago, we both had Camaros and I was
untouchable. I don't think Kent, or Jan-Åke or actually the whole racing community of Umeå,
or engine builder Karl Ellwein of Maryland, USA, will settle with that again!
Now it's a REAL PAY BACK TIME! =) I just LOVE IT! And I wish our common friend and mentor
late Lennart "Baker" Bergqvist had been involved in this! Maybe he is after all? Who knows?
Well, he built Jeesus in 2003 on a trimmed budget
(my choice) so he is absolutely in!


Kent's engine "King of Spades" built by our friend Karl Ellwein of Ellwein Engines. NASCAR and
Pro Stock-companies are invited with their state-of-the-art-products after Karl's ideas!
On its way to the dyno (on carb). Will it exceed Jeezus dyno result of 500 hp w.o. supercharger?
You'll very soon find out! Follow every move here, click the logo:






May 4

545 HP on motor!

A satisfied Karl Ellwein called me after the dyno session of
"King of Spades" at Engine Master's #4 McKeown Motorsports.
Yes, Yes and Yes, they're on the right way and will have one
of the absolute quickest Impala SS racers in the World when
sorted out on a track!


They exceeded my Jeezus 500 hp on motor - LOW compression
(static, they 8.7 me 8.5) NO blower - with a 545 hp @ 6300 RPM
and torque was a 520 ft.lb @ 4800 RPM! AND they will have the
larger F2-blower (mine is a smaller F1R). Hooolyyy shiiiit! =)
Video from Karl here:
ellweinengines.com
A new motor is born!
Why am I happy when I'm the target?
Because I like both Karl and Kent and the state of progress.




May 7

F2


Karl Ellwein holding the ProCharger F2 that'll power up Kent's "King of Spades" 383. I still use
the F1R (reversed) on Jeezus but have reached and exceeded the limit for it - too much blower
revving -
and should also step up to the F2. I told Kent and Karl about it early on in their
planning so they could choose the F2 to Fast Forward to the right level from the beginning -
less revving and more volume instead. McKeown Motorsport will fabricate a crank support.
That's also a good idea: >Jeezus Crank Support




May 15

And Kent is following


Kent Edin and Jan-Åke Norberg are moving the whole trunk floor (and fuel tank) 3"
backwards just like we did in Blackout. This to get the needed space for the Anti Roll Bar.



It's nice when it's done. Congratulations guys!

June 1

Gentle Giant going back together


See! Kent even has the original floor cover mat left.


Mmmm. The swingout design looks good!


Is that the original carpet? Good condition!


Kent is more complete than me, he has the speaker covers. I still haven't got mine from Hawaii...


Janne checks the fine handicraft from the fine people of Gothenburg.
Time to put it together.


And get that Rossler Brake into the 4L80E. And get me a couple of these T-shirts Karl! I want XXL.
(On a second thought after my own 2007 season with this transbrake...keep it outside of trans!)


September 19

Hail The King!


An exciting moment in Umeå! Janne and Kent open the flown engine
box from Karl Ellwein of Maryland, USA!



"King Of Spades" is finally here!
It's here to help Kent Edin in his Impala SS "Gentle Giant" to conquer "Jeezus" in the Blackout SS
beginning in 2008 season...we guess it will be a Norrland Tour - races at Pite Dragway, Skellefteå
and Sundsvall...and then European Finals at Santa Pod in September...


Kent will have a much smarter (?) fuel system in his Impala SS. No fuel cell in the trunk, only this
aluminiumbox in the right front corner of the engine compartment and a 7.0 Magnafuel pump etc.


Anti Roll Bar is finished.


Looking very good guys!



November 10

The King is in


Kent Edin and Janne Norberg in Umeå are constantly working to get the Gentle Giant SS ready for next
summer so they can race against Blackout Full Size Racing when we show up and look for them...


Today the King of Spades engine and the 4L80E transmission is finally in their place! Now only the rest.
Electronics, headers build (x2), crank support, water, intercooler...oh!...it is a lot to do, now I
remember =)


The crossmember is done in Kent's Impala SS which means that they finally can ground the car on
its wheels. Congratulations to a rolling car guys!


2008
Kent has a new garage. Too...


Hey, Kent seems to follow me in everything! Not only is he building an Impala SS, now he also has a
new garage for it! Actually, we'll have three Impala SS parked here in July! Check it out:
>RACES 2008

Good investment Kent!


A little too much hardener, maybe?

JANUARY 7


This is Kent's F2 kit for his "King of Spades" engine. These parts will propel the torque and power to new
exciting levels. Can Blackout SS and "Jeezus" really meet this threat? I see something wrong though,
it looks like rubber belts!? What length are they Kent? We must get you something better...
(Nice to have a newly painted garage floor to take pics on, isn't it?)



Wow! What a spectacular kit this is! The F2 is much larger than my F1 for sure. And Kent is mounting
it on the engine instead of on the frame which I did. Both good and bad issues whichever way you
choose as I see it. The best thing about this set up is of course the steady alignment, for belt life.
But it looks like the belt has to be quite long? Hm? But another thumbs up is that it seems that the kit
can clear the hood and Kent doesn't need to make a hole in it...nah...what will it be like with some belt
clearance on that blower pulley?
Anyway, it will be interesting to follow all the needs of
Hot Rodding you have to do in order to get this to work. It's never a bolt-on.


A first concern is where ATI damper is sitting visavi the distance to the block in comparison to my
engine and the Crank Support which we've made for Kent's application. I don't use Optispark anymore,
but I'm not sure that has affected the distance of the hub? I guess we're talking millimeters of a
difference between our engines and I had the Crank Support kits made with an extra length for the
customers to cut down to their specific lengths. Smart huh?
One problem for Kent though is that the whole F2-kit has to come out forward from its mounting on the
engine a full 80 mm - more than 3" - for the pulleys to line up! That is much!


Some misalignment could be spotted at Kent's setup. About 80 mm of it. That's a little more than 3".
Of course they need to rework the ProCharger bracket a great deal...what's it made for anyway???


If he also could lower the package in order to shorten the belt which now is incredible 1584 mm
(compared to mine 1280 mm). You shouldn't use the belt tensioner on the outside of the belt.
That can also be solved with a shorter belt.


Oops! Through the hood! Another reason for lowering the whole package. This is also one of my reasons
that I choose to put my ProCharger on the frame: >BLOWER_MENU



Kent's blower relocation



The F2 is now mounted as low as possible in Kent's Impala. Only the
rear bracket is used, together with tube distances and long bolts.
The brackets are cut both here and there to give more space.
Outlet is straight down for an tube going forward to the IC. But where
will you take all the incoming air from? A hole in the hood maybe?


The view from underneath. They're now down to a belt length of
around 1500 - 1550 mm (from 1584 - 1600 mm)


Even if some cutting is done to the ProCharger brackets there can
still be some work needed to give that water hose clearance.


Hmm...much better! But will it be clearance enough Kent?

February 27

Kent's broken camera, but still a report


Wow! This will be the look of the Gentle Giant SS - hungry!


So this is the chrome moly framing which Jan-Åke has made for the Gentle Giant front.


And this is the mounting. Looking good! You guys make me look second already.


Very very good looking! Both carbon fiber shaft, safety ring and x-member! Full points!


Simpson is OK.



March 4 - 2008


Kent's differences more and more clear


We see more and more the differences between Kent's project and mine. Like the intercooler.
Much smaller than the one in Blackout. Will it work? According to ProCharger it will.


But will this 90 degree silicone tube still be sitting there after the first run? Luckily the worst pressure
is on the hot side of the intercooler...


Since Kent still will use the Optispark distributor (the MSD version) the crank support of my design
couldn't work straight out of the box, because of the interferrence with the spark plug wires, which
I don't have there anymore myself.


Same thing on the passenger side. But gladly we can now see their solution by drilling new holes to
move the bars away from the distributor. Good solution. M
akes this kit still workable on all LT1 Gen II.


It's also needed to grind off some material from the tube sitting by the alternator bracket. The bracket
also needed some carving as you can see on the picture just above this one.


March 12

Titanium into the fight!


More and more signs of an important showdown to come! Kent sent these pictures of his newly
fabricated titanium bolts for the 4-link! It makes a total save of 8 hg...is it 28 oz? Weight Watchers
are now into this!
But it was not only for weight, Kent didn't like that the threads of the bolts in
the kit met the uni-balls. "It's getting grinded over time"


King of Spades now also have the same engine plates as Jeezus.


May 19

Kent has fixed his camera, at last


Race fuel tank and pump in their places! Looking good.


Janne also seems to be keen on programming and mapping.


Kent's boxes for the engine management and the transmission management are in the same place
as my boxes. Perfect, but no place left for gloves....


Smart guy Janne Norberg holds a World first LT1 product for the Optispark ignition, so it can work with
the sequential cam signal. It's a 0.3 mm thin stainless wheel that is manufactured with the help of a
computer program made by Janne himself! Janne also found the laser company that could make the
wheel. Hello LT1 tuners from around the world, Norberg Race Cars is ready to take your orders!


Now Kent's window net installation is done also. Neat net. Nice together with the swingout and all.


On / Off. The Janne Norberg solution to the lower bar hook up in the front.



May 28

Kent's shocking shocks!


This is unfair! Kent never told me! =) He had this pro Robert Cameron
to secretly build new exclusive adjustable Street/Strip front shock
absorbers for his Impala SS "Gentle Giant". His friend and
neighbour (!) Robert is a well known shock engineer in the worlds
of Rally, Racing and Boats... Damn Kent, my neighbors are a retired
Physics Teacher, a retired CEO of a private hospital, a pair of
Company Psychologists and a Priest!
Well, I'll take help from the Priest I'm telling you!!



Hmf! So what is the cost? Or is it only for neighbours?...


The re-bounce will be adjusted by the knob on top (left). Original Impala SS absorbers - de Carbon - were
used to measure the right gas pressure, for the manufacturing. Curves are shown on a computer monitor.


Kent hopes for the best. Just receiving my Job Spetter-tuned F.A.S.T.
mapping file by email. Remember that it also went a couple of miles
on the roof of an old Volvo...
Hope it works in your machine, Good Luck!



June 3

Slicks are in the mail


A very nice and serviceminded lady at the Post office at Lindholmen
helped to get my Hoosier slicks shipped in a hurry to Kent in Umeå
who hasn't got his ordered slicks delivered yet - and they're going
racing with Gentle Giant already this coming weekend!
Spring Nationals at Piteå Dragway! This will be their first real test of
the whole car so Good Luck guys! But don't drive too quick... =)
E X C I T I N G !




June 6
- Swedish National Day

Gentle Giant loaded!


This looks good! Welcome out of the garage "Gentle Giant"! Hungry?


"Klonk" Oh!? Is it that low now?
Kent Edin and Janne Norberg have had some busy hours to make Gentle Giant ready and to load it on
the trailer. It's time! Yes, I've even asked the local pro photographer Richard at Ulkhyvlers
to have a special eye on them this weekend so you all will see it!


Ready to go racing! You have been following this Gentle Giant project on this site for 18 months and
now you'll watch the first attempt at the drag strip at their first test at Pite Dragway this weekend
June 7-8! No idle, rich plugs, flexi blower belt, this'n'that...but now they have to get out and try it all!
Hm..these Hoosier slicks...I just saw them here in Gothenburg recently...strange...
Good work guys, break a leg! Call me anytime on anything! On which color on the christmas
tree you should go'n'things! Begin with an 11 something ET. I did.



The Kent Report
First dragstrip runs with the Gentle Giant SS




June 7


The suspense is killing me!

20:10
I'm waiting for Kent to call me after his first run!
We've been talking to each other all day by phone.

* When he was driving there this morning.


* When he unloaded the Gentle Giant from the trailer and it didn't start.
* When all the interested people gathered around the SS.
* When he was drinking coffee.
* When they started it.
* When they were in line for inspection.
* When they missed first Qualification round because of a burnt off oil pressure cable.
* When he stood in line again.


"Kent, call me directly when you take off your helmet before you get the timeslip to hear what it was like!"
-Yes, I will.



20:25
First timeslip of Kent Edin's Gentle Giant SS:
11.689 @ 181 kmh / 112 mph

And this is after a very careful beginning:
* Burnout on 1:st gear only, spun in the start.
* Way too rich, uneven run, 8 L / 2 Gallon of fuel was used.
* Gearshifts set at 5000 RPM, should be at least 6000 RPM.
* And first run nerves...

A very good start of the car that I think will be very very quick! No more runs today. Tonight
adjustments on issues abov
e and tomorrow Eliminations and new reports then!

Fun thing is that I've been guessing Kent's first ET to be 11.6, maybe because that was
also my best ET at the premier of Blackout SS - it was 11.684... 5 thousands!)


Another fun thing is that the quickest Kent ever drove his nitrous
SB Camaro back in the 80's was 11.89

Kent Edin will enter the Dynamic Top ET list at place 50 with his first timeslip. My guess
is that he will take big leaps up on that list on each run they can make. Certainly looks
like a 10-second run is possible already tomorrow if they can sort things out?


June 8


10:00
1911 Kg - 4213 lb!

Kent had Gentle Giant on the scales this morning including himself and the result was a bit shocking
at least to me as it was 102 Kg / 224 lb lighter than Blackout SS = 2013 Kg / 4437 lb!
Strange because Gentle Giant is more or less a copy of my car except for the fact that Kent has his
original metal hood! My hood is carbon fiber! So it he should be heavier!
There is no justice on Earth! =) But congratulations Kent!


Just to be safe Kent changed to a new belt on Sunday morning. He also told me they had a 26 PSI
boost peak yesterday! And now he was working with one of the spark plug wires since it was broken!
They don't know if it was broken already during the yesterday run?
Good luck today!



11:15

TUBE BLEW OFF!


Kent's 2:nd Qualification round. This time Kent did a good burnout - with smoke. Gears shifting at 6000
rpm. But then he heard a bang on 3rd. Staged anyway but felt the loss of power so he just took the car
for an easy transport run down the strip and back to the pits. It was one of the induction tubes that
couldn't hold the 26+ PSI boost so it blew off in both ends!!


Now they're trying to secure the tube with all kinds of ideas and materials. Those "silcone" tubes from
Dahlhems also just cracked open! Kent was lucky that his brother Sune came by, and as the engineer
he is he was of course immediately set into good use in solving the problem.
One more Qualifying run before Eliminations.
Hurry!



12:45

Stabilized but no gain


Tube was holding. Kent tried to better the Reaction Time (which you Qualify on) but it was hard to keep
it staged on more than 1500 RPM. Brakes can't hold the car, possibly because of a lack of vacuum
(I know!) So Kent redlit and car died for a second in the 60's. Picked up strongly but had misfirings on
higher RPM. 12 something. But sparkplugs now looked OK! Janne had taken off 20 % of the fuel
and that seemed to do it! Wow! Usage down to 5-6 L / 1.5 Gallons. Eliminations soon.



15:00

11.658 @ 193 kmh / 120 mph


Kent lost 1st round but bettered the timeslip a little! He was satisfied with the weekend anyway since only
small things broke - the best timeslip of Gentle Giant was however performed on 7 cylinders! And now Kent
knows where he's going with the project and knows what to do. It can take years to sort out every new
problem but I have a feeling that it will be quicker here...? Congratulations buddy!
Much has been done, and more to come!

Get that brutal SS of yours sorted out and see you in July. As our Godfather "Big Daddy" Rafteseth
use to say: "I will bring the pain"
=)


A special thanks to Richard at race.ulkhyvlers.net for the nice pictures!
Go there and see more of Kent and all the others at Spring Championship at Pite Dragway



June 18


Unique 2" headers on their way!


Janne Norberg of Norberg Race Cars - Umeå's brightest shining star in my eyes (without even having
met him in person yet), is coming along just fine with our unique headers with 2" primaries for Kent's
and my SS! There are no 2" headers to buy for the SS, you need to fabricate them. These will help both
Kent and me to take our induction performance to the next level. (That's why I could invest in the new
race intake manifold). And since that smart guy is welding them in an evolving jig, you too can order a
pair which will fit any B-body! Make Sweden green - send dollars! My guess is also that Mr Karl Ellwein
of Ellwein Engines will order a couple of pairs for you Americanos
who are interested in boosting
performance?



...and this is the special race muffler that Janne is making for Kent. He is doing all the right things.
But what's just thrown on the floor? Keep it clean, at least when taking pics. Like me. =)


June 23

Looks perfect Janne!


Look at this header! An absolute minimum of pieces and welds! Really good work there Janne! Now the
world has great expectations on what you can do on the tricky driver's side...? The cylinder 7 pipe
will be very interesting, straight into the steering...! Good luck!


And they fit! Remember these are of 2" pipe diameter and are coming out a bit from the heads because
of the needed exhaust plates. The normal aftermarket 1 3/4" headers you buy can be an issue in this
tight B-body engine compartment. Kent says: "They actually fit a little better than the headers that
Karl lent to us"


3.5" collector looks good in its place! Minus flanges and bung for the lambda sond. And evacuation
pipe/valve - which will be used on the collector on the opposite side of the lambda sond, of course.
We don't want to drag oil fumes into the lambda sensor, do we?


June 30

The Saint from Umeå!


Janne Norberg did it again! He didn't even think that the driver's side header was more tricky than the
passenger side. Well, what can you say? Congratulations to us all! Janne has already impressed the big
shots that daily visit our TBDGIT and I'm sure many others. For an example: "...that guy with those
Umeå-headers..." Lars-Inge Johansson said today and nodded his head, and he ought to know
with + 25 years of welding headers and cars and what have you!


That # 7 pipe that I thought would be the trickiest to make because it points straight into the steering,
wasn't any problem for Janne. Kent adds that these headers is possible to mount with the spark
plugs already in the heads. Another trick is that the # 1 and 2 pipes (furthest to the front on both sides)
are possible to loose separately from heads and the collectors and that makes it it easy to access
all the spark plugs. "Much easier and quicker than with bought headers" says Kent.
This is getting better and better!





How Kent did together with Karl and me. Click it!





August 28

Kent is going hunting



Kent is going back to Pite Dragway and the Autumn Championship
this weekend to pick up where he left off in his sorting out of the
"Gentle Giant" Impala SS. Actually he only got three (!) timed runs at
the Midnight Sun Internationals in July and stopped at 11.075 @
203 KMH / 126 MPH. The best 60-foot time 1.752 clearly indicated
that power was not there. It came later in the runs but with misfires.
So Kent, all of us within the Impala SS community wish
you good hunting. At least bring back a 10!
Follow it here: www.shralulea.se




August 30 - 31


No mosquitos!

Kent on phone from Pite Dragway this morning:
"I've just passed inspection but it's rainy and cold, smoke puffs out of your mouth when you
talk. So I don't talk so much. At least there's no mosquitos around anymore, it's too cold
for them, that's good. But I don't think it will start at 11 as planned because
of the rain. They have promised better wheather.

It must be a 10 second run already in the first try, it feels really good now with the new spark
plugs and less timing and things. We've been study the loggings carefully at home. One
problem is that converter only stalls up to 2000 RPM while the camshaft is from 4000 RPM so I'll
do some flashings today as well, I call you when something to tell. A special hello to Karl".

This report will now continue at
>Pit Lane ..>General Discussion ..>Kent's Revenge



King of Spades - the powerful stroker 383 from Ellwein Engines. The MSD Optispark distributor has
been a point of problem, where the cap bolt has unscrewed, even with Loctite. So Kent and Karl will
address that problem, asking MSD first. When it happened here at the last race of the season in Piteå,
the engine died out on the track and the car had to be towed back to the pit. There Kent tried to fix it
before last qualification run on the Saturday - but missed it by 10 minutes.



But he got another chance on Sunday morning. Burnouts has been OK and the sound even better.


Kent tried to conquer all the small problems in his Gentle Giant Impala SS at the last race in Piteå.
The aim was a first 10-second run but it stopped at 11.94 with new problems...


Low boost thanks to the unhooked tube to the "pressure burger" and
that was forgotten in the Big Disassembly Project when the need of
renovation of the MSD Optispark occured. Again. That means that
a lot of things has to come loose just to access the Optispark.
Kent, I know that the racing seasons disappears quickly when
dealing with problems like these!


...at least you are still running on the very same rubber belt!




2009 - January 7

Kent's exhaust system finalized


Janne and Kent are soon finished with the complete 3" exhaust system in Kent's Gentle Giant. No
crosspipe is needed since Kent will be taking the exhaust system out of the car at the races and
only use the short race mufflers he used last summer which gave that special LOUD BIG sound!


Kent's catalytic racing converters are very small but are said to clear the
emission targets at the yearly inspection.




2009 - December 11

Kent is shifting


News from Kent Edin in Umeå is that he's giving up "automatic"
in his automatic transmission! His 4L80E is like mine, it's supposed
to shift on pulses from the on board TCU-box which is preset via the
lap top. Well, it doesn't always happen. Both Kent and I have had
some problem to have it to shift on accurate RPM. I have had a whole
season destroyed because of this. Kent has bought a TCI shifter and
will shift manually in 2010. As I see it, this will be an advantage for
Kent unless I do the same. Maybe I'm too stubborn to keep my
concept? Or is it stupid? I want it to work...
Kent has also kicked his TCI-converter goodbye and invested in
a Vigilante race converter like mine, but he will have 3800 as a
stall speed compared to my 2000. His big F2 blower hits it big
at around 4000 RPM, while my smaller F1 is attacking at
any RPM. That poster looks interesting too?!





2010 - March 10

2nd Carbon fiber SS-hood
by Michael Anderbrant!



There he is! Michael Anderbrant in Kusmark!
The Master creator of lightweight body parts! His products
are wowed in drag racing pits and garages around the world!
Even though he looks like he did 20 years
ago he is now very busy in the manufacturing industry and do only these car parts as a hobby - if you
manage to get hold of him and knock him with your wallet!
Kent managed to do just that after a long hunt! Congratulations!


Kent's hood is made in the same forms as mine, of course, the forms are made of the plug which is
made of my original hood. The difference between our hoods is this half NACA-duct that will bring in cold
air to the F2-blower. I chose to bring in air in the front of the car while using the hood to let air out.


The original hood in the background is about three times as heavy. Note that famous inside design that
is a Anderbrant trademark. Kent is working the brackets.


Special brackets are needed to get this masterpiece hood to work in the car just the original one.



2010 - August 20-22




Welcome Kent Edin and Gentle Giant SS to the World of 9's!


Finally! After "only" four years he nailed his first 9 second run with
the Impala SS he built for this goal. Well, the goal was sctually to get
a quicker ET than the Blackout SS - 9.84 - but the 9.9981 was close
enough for a celebration! Phew... :-)


Proof! First run on Friday! Then over the weekend he never reached
the 9's again, but he backed it up with the unbelieveable string of
10.03 - 10.04 - 10.04 - and a 10.04!


If you feel like a target at 9.84 like me? Yes certainly...
Kent has locked in on this target and while hunting he climbes the
world list, now at #11: www.ImpalaSSdynamicTopETlist


Kent's Impala SS Gentle Giant and its Karl Ellwein built LT1 383
engine "King of Spades" has a BIG sound and attracts people
wherever it is started.


Kent lost in second round of Eliminations on Sunday but was happy
anyway. Finally he reached the 9's and is breathing down my neck!


2011 - January 24

Kent comes to life again!


In the middle of the northern Umeå winter Mr Kent "9.99 Still Hunting 9.84" Edin sent me some pictures
to show that is still believing that he can beat me. Now with some more modifications like a new
aluminium fuel cell (it's Jan who welds really, but Kent likes to think he can TIG weld, much like
myself actually...)


I've seen this layout somewhere else...? This is the best place. Kent had a better idea before with a
small race-only fuel cell in the engine bay with very short fuel lines! That was smart, until it was found
that the fuel was getting too damn hot in that environment and just splashing around in a too short
system! Hot fuel is too big and because of that bad performance! Too small cell as well, but points for
being creative! Now Kent and Janne will go the proven (cough cough!) way.


Going under ET 10.00 in drag racing demands an engine diaper or an "oil spill tray" just like the one that
Kent is holding. They have made it themselves and will add the brackets for it when they go underneath
the Impala SS in trying to find a way to mount it. Kent, it is fun to see that also you have ended the
winter deadlock and continue your hunt! Good luck Kent and Janne!
See you at Bilsport Action Meet in August, if not earlier...? Tierp Arena in June?


February 12

Oil tray á la Kent Edin


"Simplicity is a virtue" says IKEA. That goes for Kent's oil tray as
well. Welded by Janne Norberg. By the way, Basil Fawlty once said
"Too much butter on those trays..." and pointed on what the
Spanish waiter Manuel carried on, and he protested and said:
"No no! Uno, dos, tres...!"


Mocked up right under the engine. It will sit in four bolted brackets.


Tailormade. A string of silicone and it's done! Thanks for the tip Kent!



June 1

Kent revving up



Tailor
made >KENT_EDIN_GENTLE_GIANT


Robert is the man with the Dynotech in Umeå. He normally works
with BMW's and the likes of 1200 hp and such but said that Kent's
car was the first one to force stuff from the walls and shelves...
The torque on Kent's engine was of course another kind of torque!
Dyno couldn't hold it on 3rd gear so they had to do it on 4th, the
Overdrive! And they quickly found out that the turbine is slipping
about 1000 rpm too much. So they "only" noted 835 hp on the
rear wheels. Kent will be back later with a TH400 and another
turbine to get the reading of 900+ rear wheel horsepower...
But first - The fight @ Tierp Arena!



June 11 - 2011

F I N A L L Y ! ! !
Kent Edin saw the light at Tierp Arena!


My good friend Kent finally nailed it! As he promised in 2006.
He said he would build another Impala SS and be quicker than me!
Big hugs and congratulations! Hahaha! Yiephii!



The aim was to go under my 9.84 and he did with 9.74 - a whole tenth
of a second! And it was backed up with an earlier 9.76!
It took more than four years but now his Gentle Giant SS is quicker
and faster than Blackout SS. Now we hope that he'll drag it through
traffic inspection as well... ;-)
All about Kent's Gentle Giant SS here!


During three days of qualifications Kent went quicker and quicker
while I was going slower and slower! So we fixed a lot of things in
Blackout SS to the better and were convinced that all problems
were gone and that I would be back on my 9's on Sunday
at 1st Elimination Round...


...but it stopped here on the way into the arena! One gladiator short!!!
Fuel pump just died and Robert Karström had to stop filming and
came to rescue in his HQTec shuttle so we could push the 2 tonner
out of the way! Damn it! Or in Swedish; det var ju himla synd!


Why did the fuel pump die? The 30 amp fuse burnt! Why?


Because this one ground cable wasn't reconnected after we changed
to the new CYBB - Chinese Yellow Big Battery! And - there is no bad
luck! This is my own bad, I should check everything, always.
Will I ever transcend this level, before I sell?


The FIA Swedish Internationals at Tierp Arena was a HUGE success
for everyone that is involved in drag racing! Just ask our friends Carla,
Rick and Dave from London who came over to race their Camaro in
Stock/Super Stock, a class that isn't active in the UK!
I will be back with a proper report - more on Kent vs Me and much
more about this terrific European Champion drag race! Sit tight!





More as it happens...