Have you ever clicked your REFRESH button?



The fun continues here in July and onward.


July 1

Check it out!


The report from the first race at Tierp Arena is done and you are
welcome to take part of our family's approach and our first happy
impressions as paying visitors at this fantastic arena and premiere!
It has its own headline in Galleries, please click here:
>Tierp_Arena_May2011




June 29

Tierp Arena - 3rd event!!
NDRS Nationals II


Can you spot our small Impalas beneath the Tierp Arena drag racing
gladiator stadium? Team Blackout SS is going back, since NDRS
and Speedgroup just have announced the 3rd race in Tierp!
See you July 29-30 (Run What You Brung on Sunday 31?)
More info from us soon! Meanwhile visit tierparena.com



June 28

He's getting there!


Lars-Inge Johansson bought it brand new in crate. Today's Chevrolet
LS7 engine is a 505 hp injected 427 smallblock with forged titanium
connecting rods and more... Read about it here!!


The package is together, the LS7 now has a TH400 attached which
has a Gear Vendors overdrive on its tail! The transmission have had
an interesting tour through Danielssons Bil at Ekerö.


Lars-Inge loves to be back putting together his Chevelle 1966. Again!
As you remember he won the Street race in Mora 1981 with it, sold it
in 1982 and just bought it back! (Please scroll down to May 19)



June 25

Our new aluminium boat


Well it's not a new boat, it's old. But it was not expensive and this
one can take you on adventure just like as other boats.


Grand daddy Thore built a small trailer for Axel to tow it behind the
4-wheeler. Grand daddy is and has always been a super constructor!


See, I mounted the GoPro 3D setup on the 4-wheeler in hope to get
a few short clips through the woods down to the lake.


At last!


See what I mean about adventure! We (I) fumbled with the oarlock
so it dropped into the lake. Luckily it was close to shore and the
"Cold Master" himself jumped in and got it back!


A good opportunity for some more 3D filming with our 2 camera
Go Pro system. I think we got some really funny stuff. I will tell you
when you can have a look at it on YouTube.


The Svärdlong (Long Sword) lake is rich on fish, like whitefish, pike
and perch. You just need to be patient and know what you're doing.
Yes, like in all fishing.



June 24

Midsummer snaps!


This time I found an old baking tray, placed all the different snaps
bottles on it and poured crushed ice in between, and finally water.


Into the freezer.


24 hours later.


Our wonderful Midsummer lunch served in the cottage! Boiled fresh
potatoes with dill, different herrings, hard boiled eggs, thin bread
with sliced cheese, extra salted butter, milk, beer - and the snaps.
Every midsummer, simple and heavenly. Cheers!



June 18

Tierp Arena - 1st event
NDRS Nationals


The report from our first visit is soon done! Please come back to
see our first happy impressions as paying visitors at this giant arena
for drag racing! This is Svedberg's new Dodge seen from the stand.


Tierp Arena - 2nd event
Sweden Internationals


I'm also working on the story of how we came to Tierp and how our
racing (shooting for timeslips) was. Robert Karström's Pro Mod
home/TV studio is big! We want our own bus to be just like that.


And we will also need to change to new rubber bushings for the arbor
support! But hopefully at home and not along the road as Robert and
I had to do! It was a kind of a "quick fix" since the "racing rubber"
box of Team Blackout SS was very helpful! Still, it took some
8 hours for us - cross country Gothenburg to Tierp...
At the race Robert had an excellent idea and aslo the equipment
that solved an old nagging Blackout problem and really took
our Impala SS forward again!


It was fun to meet Kent in person again, but when racing him I always
saw him through the windshield going away from me to the finishline!
And I thought "My SS is going just great...but...over there
is Kent...where is he going...wait!" =)



June 14

Exquisite!


Suddenly it popped up in the morning traffic! A "split window"! A 1963
Chevrolet Corvette. I could hear the low engine rumble. Lucky owner
had his side window open. Slow speed. The reddest car around!
What an injection for the senses it was! Even though I have seen
many of them on car shows and stuff over the years, but when
this car shows up as a single character in real life...WOW!



June 1-8

Earlier preparations


Due to a shitload of work at Vingaland Film I haven't had a decent
chance to update this NEWS page as I would have liked to do.
One of our shooting days were in Volvo's own studio where we filmed
the result of a very fascinating project - the Volvo C30 Electric!
So, just so we don't miss anything important (haha) I'll now have
some time over to show you here below what changes we made on
Blackout SS before the race at Swedish Internationals
at Tierp Arena June 9-12.


It was hot already on June 3 and Kenneth Feldthusen was sitting
outside his Northrace garage and grinding clutches on his own built
machine. This guy has a lot of good ideas, and I got a few
from him again for my SS.


Kenneth's garage is filled with things that boys like! And I mean
filled! Tools, instruments, materials everywhere - and also
behind that! =)


This is what Kenneth wanted me to build with his help! The mock up
shows that this will sit sturdy in the aluminium head with three 3/8"
bolts and in the other end we anchor the blower bracket!


This hurt a bit of course! "Won't it crack under load Kenneth?"
"Nah, not if the threads are tight, only if theyr'e loose"


It's nice to finally have it there. It's the blower mount No 4 so now the
blower hopefully won't move anywhere during acceleration, if it ever
did before? Just mount the belt safety cover and it's done.


Finally he helped me to cut some aluminium brackets for the extra
engine tray.This cutter he made himself back in the vocational school.
Thanks for your support Kenneth!


Axel's more brutal engine swap was also a success!


Rules: Extra oil tray


"Maybe you can use this one?" Grand daddy Thore heard the specs
on the extra engine tray so he offered one of his flower boxes. The
height was perfect - 5 cm - but the length was a little too short.
Thanks anyway!


So I asked the welding company owner Micheal Hernwall to put
together a similar one. It should reach from front of the harmonic
balancer and to the mid-mount engine plate...


...but since I don't have that luxury of an extra engine mount on the
back of the engine I let it go even further an inch.


To get it up enough to keep it from hitting everything on the ground
it had to be form cut for the frame. When mounted on the races a
string of silicone will seal that area. Note that the rear brackets
are mounted to the frame.


While the front brackets are attached to the Crank Support tubes.
It's all mounted with M6.


Hopefully my dear Jeezus 396 stroker won't be needing this extra
tray but now we have at least followed the drag racing rules for
sub-10 second cars.
This is what we will use until engine is out. Then we get the
opportunity to cut away in the frame and make a better tray.
After placing the thick absorbant cloth in the tray it was time for a
gift from the fridge! Thanks Mikael Hernwall and those you got
into the welding! And Thanks Kent Edin for the bright idea.





Click headline above


The former important easthetic Blackout SS rule of "forbidden color
yellow" was terminated in a flash, at least until I find a black, red,
grey or white spray can... This happened when Kenneth and I visited
TH Petterssons in Mölndal and discussed with their staff among
hundreds of different batteries! Until I change the whole electrical
system in the car, this is the right choice for Blackout SS which
always has a tendency to drain too much amp during the runs!
That obviously may affect the work of the injectors and pumps at the
top end. This is a 100 Ampere Hour source and hopefully that will
hold the need of all the electric gizmos in the car. And it will also
be charged between rounds by a new blue (sigh!) 30 amp charger.
The ridiculous weight of 32.3 kg - 71.2 lbs (!!!) is a lesser problem
than its colors...


Axel helped with polishing the racing wheels, it was some time ago
but since we were going to our new home Tierp Arena we wanted
it to shine a little bit more than in the usual "used car condition"


Camaroskroten


Just before going to Tierp I had to visit Camaroskroten (the Camaro
breaker's yard) to pick up these NOS El Camino rear fenders from
the wrecker boss himself Björn "Feppel". These fenders should go
with us in Robert Karström's bus next night to Tierp to be handed
over in the pit to Competition Eliminator racer Per-Erik Lindgren
who should take them home to Piteå until the race in Alastaro,
Finland where he - on his way to the race - should hand them over
to Kjell Ekström as soon as the Finland ferry arrived in Vaasa.
That's a way of saving money for friends!


Björn has good name in the business after having imported wrecked
cars and parts from California since the early 80's. Chris Condor and
I made a story in Bilsport on Camaroskroten back then to enligthen
the readers about this smart service. And it's more than Camaros
of course, it's all American cars and parts and some goodies Björn
keeps for himself, like this sunburnt 1965 Impala!


So cool! Can I see it? The first 396!


1965 was the last year of the 409 V8 and the first for 396 which was
something that came out of Smokey Yunick's "Mystery Engine!"
This was the real start of the Chevrolet Big Block revolution which
would prosper for the rest of the 60's and in a way still is prospering!
Click the picture to get a licking size version of it covering the
whole screen! In courtesy of the Blackout Licking Department.






June 11

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!



June 1

Kent revving up


Our showdown at Tierp Arena are coming closer and closer and Kent
really want to win over me in our own fight within the Super Gas
class. As you can see he even booked time on the rollers for the
"Gentle Giant" SS to fine tune the Karl Ellwein built 383 stroker
LT1 engine "King of Spades" which has a ProCharger F2...
All about Kent's project here: >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!


Happy Birthday Karl!


Karl Ellwein turned 15 in the American Bicentennial
year of 1976 and got his favourite cake, his mother's
famous German Chocolate! Now there are 35 more
candles to blow out for Karl. We wish you the
happiest of birthdays and a good year!
/ Your Swedish Family!



May 30

Le service formidable!


The French oil company Motul have in Gothenburg a service worth
to cheer! When you need your 10W-40 Syntetic oil you just call
Crister Wigstrand at 0706-21 45 05 and he just drives to you with it!
With a smile! This is the closest you come to typical North American
delivery service - in Sweden! And I can't think of any other oil brand!
Thanks!


I'm not choosing this oil only because Motul's service. The quality of
"Ester synthetic oil" is something my supercharged engine needs!
I once bought a giant supply of VP Oil's Synthetic 10-40W oil but
when the nice terrorists made it hard to import fluids from the USA I
didn't hesitate to contact Motul who also made this oil and proudly
labeled it "good enough for the Le Mans 24 hours". Enough said!
And this oil smells coconut as an Ester oil should do! I love it!


May 29

First Export Edition


The famous, sweet Bolero X tomatoes were breeded in a hard way!
A long trip inside a caravan, above the Polar Circle, into Finland
and visits at three Swedish drag strips in 2008 - Fällfors, Pite
Dragway and Mantorp Park! I have succeeded in bringing up
new ones every summer since then and now the fourth season
is on! One of these three plants will get flashback from their
ancestors when the nitro fumes are spreading over the pit area
at Tierp Arena in June 9-12. And there will also the handing over
happen, when our good buddies and drag racers Carla Pittau and
Rick McCann take over the plant to start a UK plantation in London.
Tthey are coming to race Rick's Camaro in Stock/Super Stock.


May 27

Race schedule updated!


Our plans for 2011 can be seen here: >RACES


Karström is da man!


Robert Karström saved Blackout Racing from a lot of problems
when letting us to transport our Impala SS and everything, in his
specially built race bus, to the FIA race Sweden Internationals in
Tierp June 9-12! Maybe some of you are asking: "But how about
the road worthiness of the SS then?" And to you I say - Cheers!
I have no more to prove in that subject and now I saved a lot of time
and extra work since I don't have to roll it through the yearly traffic
Inspection first... And SS is still as road worthy as past years.
Thank you Robert!


Robert Karström is still building on his own Mustang Pro Mod (for
it's brother class Top Doorslammer) but a lot of time has been
used to rebuild that fantastic bus (you will see more pictures from
it in use soon)! And Robert do everything himself so it takes a lot
of time! In addition to that he also is an owner operator of a
company in the area of programming and support and such!


Even if the Mustang hasn't left the garage yet, there has been some
engine changes since we visited last time June 8 in 2007
It's now gonna be twin turbo... Watch out!


Updating the safety


The SFI-tag was out so new belt had to be bought before racing this
season. Stroud USA couldn't re-certify my former belts quicker than 4
weeks (double that) and the European dealer didn't even answer my
mail in the matter so I called my friend in Umeå, Jan Pehrsson who
is running Simpson Sweden. In two days they were mounted.


Jan did remind and learn how to fold the ends in the safest way.
"Two times and one extra"


He also reminded me to use steel wire to lock the hook.
So my >SAFETY pages will soon be updated.


This is Jan Pehrsson at Simpson Shop at Tierp Arena. In the middle.
Good trackside service!


May 24

More Tierp to come!


Svedberg and Fredde are two racers who of course are looking
forward to see my small report from the first race at Tierp Arena
in May. I have a lot of pictures that need to be polished first,
and for the moment I'm more engaged in my Impala SS than
working on this Tierp page.


But hey, come on over and enjoy drag racing from the best seats
in Sweden. June 9-12! Be there or be square, for real!


Umeå team Albin Frank in Super Comp qualification. Dad Anders
"Brälla" Brändström overlook things. This was the best photo
angle on this race since the west stand wasn't finished and
therefore empty of people.


Jan Gunnarsson and Adam Flamholc seen from the stands.
More to come!



May 22

Look at these guys!


Now more black than purple! (Compare to May 13 further down!)
These black tulips are the most impressing in our garden so far!


Amazing stuff! Thanks again Rigmor!



May 19

Back at the Love Ranch!


Finally the 1962 Thunderbird arrived to Umeå after 2.5 long months
in transport from the USA! So Thomas Öhman and Marita Sundin are
in love again! Also Marita remembers the carefree days of the early
70's in his earlier '62 T-bird. Now they have a much fresher T-bird to
cruise around in than the one they had more than 35 years ago!
- It was in even better condition than I had expected, said Thomas.


"Gubbdagis" means "daycare center for older men" and that would be
appropriate for this afternoon when all of them gather to bring out from
the containers the cars from USA they bought on Ebay the last
winter. Relapse is very common these days and it's understandable!
Congratulations Thomas Öhman!
Öhman's Own Page


29 years later!


Lars-Inge Johansson just got back his 1966 Chevelle he sold in 1982
and it's the same car which made him a legend in Sweden when he
built it, raced it and won the "first legal streetrace" in Sweden with it!
That was a very special race which we organized within Bilsport
Magazine at the Mora Airport in 1981 to gather street racers from all
of the country as a first step to conform and legalize this racing.
Fun detail: the Chevelle was in the same condition today as when he
sold it with the same paint he once put on! No rust, not even a
something in the finish of the paint! Good work Lars-Inge!!


Lars-Inge bought it back from the second owner after him and it was
preceded with some careful phone calls over a long time before it
actually happened and the owner said OK to sell, just because it
was the originator asking. And that moment actually happened
here in our Dodge van on our way back home from the premiere
drag race at Tierp Arena! Thumb's up, deal is on!

He is so happy to get his dear ol' Chvelle coupe back, without engine.
But he have already ordered a brand new factory Chevy LS7 engine,
the smallblock, with aluminium block, titanium rods and more. This
time Lars-Inge wants to cruise with it (not race) and it will be a hectic
period in his garage in Uddevalla because it will happen this summer!


This is the picture Lars-Inge has carried close to his heart so many
years. Before this coupe he owned a 1966 Chevelle station wagon,
"Skåpet" in Swedish, in which he raced and earned the unofficial title
"Fastest on the West Coast" including Gothenburg which was a great
feather for the young guy from the small town Uddevalla!
Anyway, this car transfer means that everything can start all over
again since Lars-Inge also has moved back to Uddevalla after all
these years! So ace photographer Condor and I can then visit him
there and make an article about him in Bilsport Magazine,
and then we arrange a secret race in Mora...
Bonus Chevelle information:
After selling this above coupe Lars-Inge moved to the hottest place
in Sweden concerning streetracing - Stockholm. There he built
another station wagon from scratch and nothing in only 8 months
and won Stockholm Open - to seal his legend for ever!
I wrote so much about Lars-Inge in Bilsport back then and he
later also moved up to the Pro Mod ranks with a 1966 Chevelle
station wagon built by himself and he was going 6.7's before
the bad crash with it closed that avenue of pleasure..
Check out a glimpse of that Chevelle PM at Santa Pod here



May 17

Birthday gift


I had my birthday and suddenly a low rumble was heard from down
the street! It was Sören "Fixarn" Fjellstedt in his 1966 Pontiac
Starchief. He brought me my new slicks and my new frontrunners
as a birthday gift (no, I had to buy them myself). Thanks Fixarn!
Yes, these tires were imported in his container with some cars.


May 13

Plum Crazy Purple!


The "black tulips" from one of my Facebook friends and Norwegian
lady Rigmor Bjørnerem weren't that black you could expect, but
well, I knew they would be into the purple but I was still so amazed
and happy over the color because it's so strong and it reminded me
of the Dodge Plum Crazy color campaign in the early 70's.


I wonder if they had "black tulips" back in 1970? This was one of
many groovy ads seen in the automotive magazines which of course
influenced us all, in one way or another!
Please check these out: google.se/search_plum+crazy+purple



May 6

Winning Challenger!


On our way to Tierp Lars-Inge suddenly shouted "Turn off here!"
in the middle of the countryside not far from the Örebro town.
Thomas "Totte" Landberg in Vretstorp is one of his friends in the
custom car business and he's the guy who put on the paint and
finishing touches on this fantastic 1970 Challenger before taking it to
Bilsport Custom Show to win People's Choice and other awards!!!
However the owner is Peter Holmert, Stockholm, and he had the
UCC - Unique Custom Cycles - to create most in the project.
Also Lars-Inge worked on it when manufacturing the stainless
exhaust system and stainless lining for brakes and fuel.
-It's as nice underneath as on top, Lars-Inge confirms.
Congratulations to all of you!
Note: Bilsport Performance & Custom Show is the oldest and by
far the largest car show in Northern Europe, always including an
invited handful of the very best custom car builders from the USA.
(The competing magazine Wheels insist to call it Custom Show
only! The head name Bilsport seems to have disappeared
on the way to the printing...? And the magazine Street & Strip
calls it Elmiamässan only. Haha! )


This modern 6.1 L HEMI deliver the same horsepower that the
legendary 426 HEMI did, 425 hp! Enough in this car wouldn't you say?


The Air Ride system to lower and raise the Challenger is so cool.
Kompressor and tank for that was mounted and hidden in the trunk
beneath the hat rack and the control was built into
the middle of the dash.



Majestic Tierp!


Humble arrival - at idle speed - inside the enormous compound! You
can only see it for the first time once...and it was...majestic!


Lars-Inge Johansson and I were amazed over the finish on the first
all-concrete track in Europe! And it wasn't as sticky and thick as
a "normal" dragstrip. Mirror feeling.


The Kjell


Kjell Pettersson tested the new PA system the night before the
premiere! He was happy as all of the rest around-the-clock working
staff. The Kjell must be the European person with most experience
of track facility building and hands on track preparations! He have
spent years both in Sweden and England doing this and knows
the right people in the USA. No one over here have more
experience. Simply put, he's The Kjell.

I'll be back ASAP with a small story from the premiere which we
visited as supporters, not racers. Keep your eyes open!



May 5

Blue cars are at home!


What have we here now then då? A container is opened and the
blue cars from Florida are spreading out in the surroundings.
Here's a 2009 Dodge Challenger! Owned by Mr Mopar Wikström.


Aha! Smileys confirm that these are the Florida cars which was
much talked about further down on March 8! So this should be
the Tommy Aga Olsson's 2006 Mustang GT!


The Challenger. Dodge still owning the details. Like the NASCAR
fuel cap. (Scroll down to January 10)


Hm!? Hmi?


Not the 426 of course, but the 5,7 Liter. The owner didn't know the
exact specifics.


This is the 5 L Ford engine. The owner didn't know much more
of the exact specifics.


But it did run like hell! The stick shifted Mustang GT schreeched
at the powershifts down the TBDGIT test track! After Tommy had
done it I was invited to do it and couldn't resist it!


Also Simon imported a vehicle! How come it isn't blue metallic??


Tierp Arena - here we come!

The Tempel is ready - the People will go on pilgrimage!
We will drive cross country in our Dodge van on friday afternoon to get there in the evening, while most
of the racers will be installing during friday. Around 200 teams will race here at this "small" NDRS
spring event! That's noteable! And nobody knows how many supporters will attend? I think it will be BIG!
Nobody wants to miss the premiere of this all-new-specially-built-all-concrete-track HOME of Swedish
drag racing! That's why our family go, and Lars-Inge Johansson with us - and of course thousands of
others, we will all hopefully be happy supporters at this "rehearsal for the big one"!
Team Blackout Full Size Racing is aiming to race here at the big FIA Sweden International on
June 9-12 where we - beside enjoying the event as such - hope to race side-by-side with Kent and
also meet Birgitta Bergqvist coming home to meet all her Swedish Autoshop customers! Our friends
Carla & Rick from London will also race at Sweden International at Tierp in June!
But first we have a lot to enjoy this weekend!
We have not been waiting all winter for this - we have been waiting all life!
So here we come!

All info about everything: Tierp Arena

If not in place - follow it LIVE via this page: eurodragster.com/Tierp_NDRS_Nationals



Global Bolero trend


Not only did I start up this Bolero Bar Cafe in Porto de Mogane when
we were visiting Gran Canaria in March...


...my friend from Umeå, Mikael Lindberg, also discovered my new
chain of clothes boutiques in Leszno in eastern Poland when he was
there watching Speedway Grand Prix live! The Bolero boutiques are
riding on the strong fashion trend of red-white (and even white-red).
Nowadays Bolero means so much more than Bostic Bolero!

May 3

Austin in ADRL Pro Stock!


Birgitta and Bagarn's son Austin Bergqvist, 18 years, (tallest man in
the background above) is now working full time for Billy Dingman's
Racing and the ADRL Extreme Pro Stock where driver Tony Gillig
is pushing the 820 ci '08 Cobalt to 4.10's over the 1/8 mile!
It must be a "hand in glove" deal both for Austin and Mr Dingman,
since Austin was grown up around super cars and super engines at
Autoshop after school, and his parents "King & Queen of Orlando"
was also engaged in Dingman's IHRA Pro Stock campaign with
Jerry Haas as driver some years ago.
Dingman Racing has been after Birgitta for doing the clutch in their
Pro Stock but she politely said No because of her engagement in
the Autoshop business. (Birgitta did the clutch on the IHRA car).
Congratulations Austin and Billy Dingman Racing!
More early Autoshop memorabilia here: Autoshop_History
And their own website (best place to buy and ship parts!):
Autoshop_Racing_Engines.com
Patent pending


I have just recently invented a Bare Feet Protection Table in case of
sudden snow, and this picture taken today shows that it works!
We could have been sitting here with bare feets in the hot sun (which
we have had for weeks). The shock of a sudden low temp, snow and
hail would have been relieved since the feet had been kept dry!



April 30

Fabulous season opener!


They managed to assembly a car in that short time, they managed
to take it to the Test'n'tune at the 1/8 mile Malmö Dragway and
they managed to clinch the new track record of 3.981 @ 296 kmh /
183 mph and 60 ft 1.02 seconds! Congratulations Team Kendall!
Looking forward to Tierp Arena next weekend!

April 28

MasterChef Vingaland


There are zillions of food and chef programs on TV nowadays and
some of them are really interesting and exciting - but not even close
to the real thing which we at Vingaland experienced during a
day-away board meeting conference on a mansion outside
Gothenburg! As a surprise in the evening we had to make our own
three dishes dinner! Guided by pro chef Fredrik who gave us some
tricks to pull off at home!


The Vishyssoise entree with broiled lobster, white asparagus and
Yellow star-of-Bethlehem was made by Hans (left) and Fobbe.


The main course broiled Atlantic Cod was the responsabilty of
Anders Haraldsson and myself.


The cod was wrapped in Lardo and presented on a bed of primeur
and with potato balls fried in butter. Red wine steak sauce. All sauces
in all dishes were also handmade by ourselves, even the truffel mayo!
The dinner was delicious of course!


The dessert was nothing less than fantastic!
Baked rubarb with mascarponemousse and vanilla glazed
strawberries made by Markus and Erik from a Jan Hedh receipt!


The menu is the parachute when doing a jump like this...but the
presence of a "real" chef like Fredrik is the best guarantee!


April 27

Watch out Alana!


We where filming at the heart of the Volvo Wind Tunnel so we had to
be extra cautious so we accidentally not could start and rev up
that propeller! Canadian Alana DaSilva from Vingaland wasn't scared
at all, even when she stood there in the middle of the flow holding
light and filter. Yes, it was of course monitored by the Volvo staff
and the prop was set on slow...but it still changed my hair style.
The propeller's maximum air velocity is 200 kmh / 125 mph!
(we'll turn up the speed in our post production)

"Going up the country..."


Axel always takes care of the last distance to the cottage. Good
training. We had our Easter holiday at the Bengtsfors cottage in
Dalsland again. Axel's hat from Grand Canaria is still in good use.


Spring for sure, and the step into Summer! Who can resist the
Wood Anemons?


This is what Axel is all about concerning the staying at the cottage -
driving twowheelers and fourwheelers from morning to evening - day
after day. And now we have to buy a larger twowheeler cross for him
since the Yamaha PW is to small. So if you have a tip for a fairly
used 4-stroke enduro for a teenager, please call 031-50 50 53


Looki looki! What have we here stoved away? An old Crescent
moped with a 50 cc Sachs engine and a 3-speed! It's Agneta's since
a long time back and she wants it fixed! The gearbox is broken so if
you have such a gearbox for sale please call 031-50 50 53 in Sweden.
(If you have a 5 hp cylinder for it...call me too...with quiet signals...)

Remember the Holks?


See, it's working! The nesting boxes - "holks" - we (me, myself and I)
made in the garage on January 24 in 2009 (check NEWS!) have been
in good work ever since! Here a blue tit is preparing it for this
summer. I'm glad to be to any help.

April 21

Turbo Twins!


Busy days at Lindahl's giant engineering workshop in Vargön. The
season of 2011 is starting in couple of days and the (at least) three
Pro Mod chassies aren't more finished than this one! Magnus and
Mikael was running around, smiling and shouting and I tried to follow
them around and after a while I didn't know who I was talking to or
which chassie or where in the building I was. However, I did
understand that they will have two race ready cars on wheels;
one with the blower engine and the other with the much talked
about turbo engine! And different classes will be approached!


-Welcome Bostic, said crew chief Frank Johansen. Always in good
mood, like the rest of the team! But I'm glad there's only one of him
and that he is not running around working...


Göran Larsson in the Kendall Racing Team is the owner and master
brain behind the Lindahl Twin's turbo campaign! Even if it seems
that Mikael will be the driver as usual.


Göran is making the critical exhaust system for the turbo set up.
I must say it looks really good!


Göran have made this intake from a blower intake. Yes, like all of drag
racing Europe I'm also looking forward to see this running!
And to listen to it!



Congrats Big Brother!


Still playful and creative like a teenager, my brother Björn turned 69
years on April 21! So we paid him a visit in Vänersborg on our way
to Dalsland. My gift was a signed book from world famous glass artist
Ulrica Hydman-Wallien which amused Björn very much since he also
is into glass art since more than a decade! I have also taken two
of the pictures of Ulrica in that book... :-)


Björn was of course delighted to also get the Auto Culture Classic
Car Calender of 2011 from our brother Sune!


Painted by hand, the 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe, one of the
twelve automotive arts made by our brother Sune which are decorating
this calender. Sune is now more and more using the modern 3D
technique for his arts. This calender is produced by the well renowned
automotive connoisseur Walter Dennemoser in Wiernsheim, Germany
who worked with Sune on this particular project.
You can see a lot more here on this site (and order as well):
www.autoculture.de



Happy Easter!


We started our Easter holiday here, with a surprise breakfast on
Ramberget overlooking Gothenburg. I woke up Axel and Agneta and
rushed them to put on clothes and off we went in a hurry, breakfast
already packed. A simple but breathtaking adventure before the sun
broke through the clouds. With this we wish you
all a Happy Sunny Warm Easter!


Proud craftsmen!


Abo and his sons came to Sweden from Iraq eight years ago and
started an automotive workshop. Hard work has given them a fine
working business. And the shop itself is clean as a dentist's office.
We have been there with a lot of small and big problems concerning
our other cars than the Impala SS and it has always turned out to
the best! Did you remember the Dodge after the T-bone? Check
December 28. Insurance company wanted to wreck the van...and
now take a look! Thanks Abo! Maybe I should hire Abo Bilservice
as mechanics for Blackout...? We can at least recommend them:
Kalbruksgatan 1, Gothenburg. Phone: 0737407827


Seeing is believing!


Latest shot from Tierp Arena! Two and a half week before the premiere
whicjh Team Blackout will experience as cheering audience among
many thousand others! Follow the exciting development here:
tierparena.com



April 17Three Blackout Tulips


The three black tulips I planted on November 8 just before first snow
have now showed up. I got them from Rigmor Bjørnerem in Norway
in exchange for a couple of seeds of Bolero Tomato. It will be
exciting to see just how black these tulips really are!



April 9

See you soon macaroon!


We have now bought tickets for the premiere race at Tierp Arena
May 7-8! We will not be racing because it's too early in the season
for us (too much left to do with the Impala SS) but we still want to
experience this first event of the new drag racing Sweden!
It feels like a huge wedding is on and all dragracers of Europe are
coming! We don't want to miss anything. This is the
First Go on Tierp Arena. See you!
Book and buy tickets easily here: tierparena.com/


Macaroon. What has this to do with the Tierp premierem really?
I have no idea but Agneta wanted me to show you a picture of what
"macaroon" is. Yes, first I also thought it was something with the
pasta macaroni but apparently I was wrong so I had to pardon
myself like this...




April 7

Tierp Arena - The new
Swedish dragstrip!


Now we can clearly see how the creation is following the plans and
blueprints! It's nothing less that fantastic!
And it's busy days until the premiere in May 7-8 and the big Sweden
Internationals in June 9-12! My personal guess is that even the "small"
premiere race in May will be huge because so many want to go there
and have a look on the so much talked about wonder!
We haven't been waiting all winter - we've been waiting all life for this!
More to see and read here: tierparena.com/



Italian or Iraqian job?


-It looks like the Italian flag, noted Agneta when we were checking the
status of the repairing of our beloved Dodge Grand Caravan which was
so badly treated by its fellow traffic vehicles on Dec 28 and Jan 5!
But in our family we don't let Italians to fix our cars, since a couple
of years we are very found of an Iraqian family in Gothenburg who
fixes anything, very swiftly and to a good price. They are proud
owners of their business and that you can tell when visiting them
in the super clean shop! (However, they will not paint the van)


There were no problems to find the doors for our '97 Dodge either.
At Borås Bildemontering I could even walk around and have a choice
between many doors in different shape. For both left doors in
no-rust shape I paid 4000 SEK, around 630 USD.




April 1

Finally it's on its way!!


My new engine! 3000 horsepower! It took Birgitta Bergqvist and me
almost a year to find it! It has a lot of history and I promise it will
continue to make history now as Blackout SS moves in from the
street and becomes a Top Doorslammer in 2011! More on this story
of this very special Bagarn-built engine and the almost finished rebuilt
of my "new" Top Doorslammer Impala SS tomorrow in this place!
You can click the engine-picture to see a larger pic of this former
IHRA Pro Stock engine, now an "OUTLAW" Pro Mod engine...
Beware folks! Now it's all in!



March 28

Keep on trucking!


An opportunity opened up for Blackout Full Size Racing when Patrick
Wikström had the task to sell this Volvo FH12 for a friend. I think that
I already have proven all my planned points in having a legal, long
distance running Impala SS going 9's. Now we could have a little
easier time to go drag racing with a ready-to-start SS on the bed.
And instead of the two gas guzzlers - the SS and the Dodge Grand
Caravan - we could go with one diesel FH12. We could even make
a living corner in the front of the bed, a small kitchen and beds.
To try something new. I was close to buy, but I didn't...
Maybe I will regret, maybe not?




March 26

Sorry, still closed!


Dancing fanatics Thomas Öhman and "Masken" Karlsson visited
Logen (The Barn) in Täfteå a few miles outside of Umeå, to see if
it had opened for 2011 season but it was closed! However, they
will re-open May 7! www.logen-taftea.se
This place now have a cult status after the mini-series
"Dansbanan i Täfteå" in Swedish national TV!



March 25

Våffeldagen 2011!


Again, look how Agneta is spoiling us on the Waffle's Day!
I'll soon be back with more NEWS from our recent vacation abroad
and more. Sorry for the delay, but I'v e also been signed off with
a very bad cold. From bed I see the horizon now! Stay tuned



March 21

Finally it paid off!


My poor friend Linkan put every dime he had on his turbocharged
Nova and nothing at all on clothes, living and such! And see what
that got him - on a cover of a CD album of the blues band Wolfman
Jack featuring Swedish guitar legend Clas Yngström! The picture
is from the article Condor and I made for Bilsport Magazine in the
early 80's and was picked up by one of the band members John
Edén B who is a son of Linkan's friend Anders "Brälla" Brändström.
Now you can pre-order the CD record via following link, and
also book a ticket for their release show at Droskan restauarant
in Umeå April 9! I should be there. Linkan too!
wolfmanjack.se
Here's a preview of one of the songs from the new album:
Listen: Wolfman Jack - Gotta move



March 11-18

To a better climate


5 hours away are the Canary Islands. Just outside Africa, and south
of Miami in latitude. The flight went very well even if Axel asked the
old lady next to him if she got false teeth...but she really didn't mind,
she said she had a good talkative company.


Lego's latest dragster was finished on the flight. It was a Swedish
plane from Stockholm in 1957 which began the whole charter
tourism era on these islands! wikipedia/Canary_Islands


You must collect them all... We choose Gran Canary this time,
stayed outside Puerto Rico. We've been to Tenerife and
Fuertoventura before. Click map to get a big one!


As you know by now, this site is as much for my family and relatives
as it is for friends and car maniacs. That's why you are constantly
stumbling over no-car material here, and I 've said it before - I think
that is one reason why this site is so popular?
So with that in mind,
welcome to
read more
about our
vacation:
>GALLERIES >VACATIONS >CRAN_CANARIA



David III interfered!


David III sent this picture in the email. It was taken on the top level
at the volcano Tedie at the neighbour island Tenerif - and David III
claimed that he had a problem with the gravitation there, like on the
Polar Circle! I can't just believe it, I think he just jumped to get his
picture published here in the NEWS of www.blackout.nu


Mount Teide at Tenerife seen from our balcony at Gran Canaria. The
level David were at, is about 2300 meters above sea level (7550 ft)
while the summit is at 3717 meters (12195 ft) which makes Teide
the highest peak in Spain.



March 8

March 8 - International
Stripper's Day...eh?


The gentlemen Tommy and Patrick are discussing a sponsor deal
with the CEO of Pure Platinum in Fort Lauderdale for their OFAB
BOSS Blower Camaro Pro Mod! Hm...am I missing something?


Another blue car bought!


Mr Ove L Johnson (middle) sold this 2006 Mustang GT to Tommy so
now Patrick and Tommy have two blue metallic cars to be sent in a
container to TBDGIT in Gothenburg. Congratulations both of you!



March 4 - 5

Car bought and parked


First sign of life from Tommy AGA on the distant planet Florida!
The first thing they did was to buy a 2009 Dodge Challenger. My
guess is that Mopar-man Patrick Wikström is behind that choice.


My next guess is that the Challenger is parked at
Palm Beach Raceway close to Micke "Gullan" Gullqvist's pit.
There is a 1/8 mile shakedown for Pro Mod there in the warm up for
the Gatornationals on Friday...


Just in! This picture shows that I was right! Tommy and Patrick in
the middle of things. But...long pants? Is it cold or are they
to protect from the heat?


He is in there among the hot shots! Weekend results and galleries:
www.competitionplus.com/shakedown


Patrick and "Gullan" had a lot to talk about...




March 3

Tommy AGA has landed
in Miami!
Reports say that the jumbo airplane has landed in Miami and the
group of Patrick and Simon wikström, Mr Bertil and Tommy Aga
Olsson are in good health at the immigration gate! Their adventure
in The Sunshine State has just begun. And Tommy has promised
us reports from this first ever visit in the USA!





February 28

At the Polar Circle again!


After my last visit here in the summer of 2008 with my family and
our guest racer Karl Ellwein from Maryland, it was fun to suddenly
find myself levitating again at the Arctic Polar Circle!
I was there in a team together with my long time friend and
working buddy Christer "Chris Condor" Ljungaeus, like thirty years
ago when he took the first levitation photo, for Bilsport Magazine.


We flew from Gothenburg via Stockholm/Arlanda to Luleå and then
only half the trip was done in time! From here a rental bus north to
the Polar Circle and further. When we landed here at Kallax in
Luleå (above) we had the civilian side on our left and the military side
on the right, where I did my service for the King and the
Kingdom of Sweden 1977-1978 at F21.


We made a quick stop in Jokkmokk, but didn't stay here at the
classic Hotel Gästis (Guestis). Condor and I stayed here in 1982.
Then when we had our breakfast there on 1st floor a very angry
man called "Lapp-Anders" came walking on the other side of the
street and hit and kicked everything in site while cursing loudly!
We were informed that he was on his way to the office of the Town
Community! I comforted Condor that this is how we do in Norrland.


WANTED : AXEL'S NASCAR JACKET (right) Only PÅ knows what
happened to Axel's favourite jacket after we forgot it in his clothes
shop "PÅ's Fritid" on our tour in 2008 PA said that all loose stuff
were thrown away when they moved last year...


Look what we found above the Polar Circle! A B-body! A Caprice from
1992, that will soon be 20 years old!


It was once sold by Bob Baker in El Cajon, California.


We also stopped in Harads at Lapp-Simons and his ol' giant reindeer.
But they had closed their shop and told us to drive
another quartermile...


...and then we arrived at Svantes Vilt & Bär (Game & Berries).
Christer Johansson had a good tip...


...here we could buy the best tasting reindeer meat in the world - the
Sjaunja - which is marinated raw in a special way. Eat as is. Hm...




February 23

Swedish Chef!


Agneta is very busy these days and is running around with boxes
and Undermat products. The big show and market Passion för Mat
(Passion for Food) is coming up this weekend at Eriksberg here in
Gothenburg, well it opens already on Friday and you can expect to
see and taste a lot of exciting dishes as well as meet with famous
chefs. More about this on the "Aktuellt" page at Agneta's new
Undermat website (which I also work with)



February 15

Lunch in Gothenburg


Thomas Öhman called and said he would come for a quick visit. He's
from Umeå 1000 kilometers away, 620 miles! So he was on a three
day tour for the NSA to deliver stuff in Gothenburg and he said he
mainly wanted to meet Axel during his one hour stop before
going home again.


Axel got his 13th year birthday gift from Öhman, a radio controlled
airplane! A kit Axel built in a blink and tried indoors just briefly.
We felt that the plane had good power so we'll await the street
to dry up so we can take it out for a real flight...


Then Öhman demanded to see the garage which he hasn't seen
finished. Last time he visited was in the middle of the rebuild. I lied
a ton here about how much I was working with the SS every day.


Then he took out his DVD of the film "Love Ranch" to show us the
scenes with his newly bought 1962 Thunderbird. His sister Lotta,
living in Luxembourg, could find the DVD real quick (the film is not
released in cinemas in Europe yet!) and send it to him.


Lotta is not - and never has been - interested at all in her brother's
"silly car hobbies" but when she heard that English actress Helen
Mirren (above) drove around in that Thunderbird in the film she made
an instant change to Big Enthusiast of American Cars and founded
Thunderbird Club of Luxembourg! One member.



February 13

Big bird supports Gullan!


The Crane bird whispers what Micke "Gullan" Gullqvist did with his
Camaro on the 9th of February at Palm Beach Raceway in Florida
(former Moroso track), as Gullan noted "In the middle of the Jungle".


Gullan bought the successful B2B2 Pro Mod Camaro he borrowed
in 2010, it's also the car Melanie Troxel drove in Europe last year.
It has a new paint and is prepared for the big
NHRA GATORNATIONALS in Gainesville in Florida - March 11-14!
He is of course racing with the awesome R2B2 team.


Gullan will have an army of big birds and Swedish supporters
surrounding him! Among them, for the first time in the USA, handled
by Patrick Wikström in a leash - Mr Tommy Aga Olsson!!
And Tommy has promised to take pictures and make a report of
the whole trip for the Blackout site!




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!


February 11

Blackout on You Tube


At last! I have now arranged a You Tube Channel of my own, in the
name Blirro since Bostic was taken (!). My own films still are
presented on the >VIDEO page here on this site together with
background comments and links to reports and more reading.
However, on the Blackout YouTube Channel all Blackout clips
are collected - my own clips and from other filmers too. And
from others who have released my clips on YouTube years ago
and already have gathered fun comments. Added to that my
favorite clips from around the Impala SS world.
Click here: Blackout Film Channel





February 7

Tierp Arena Fast Forward!


At Monday evening February 7th the contract that approves Tierp
Arena to arrange one of the great races in the FIA European Drag
Racing Championship was signed! The new Championship race date
is June 9-12, and yes, as soon I heard the good news I booked hotel
room in Tierp for the same weekend - and I got the last double room...

FIA EUROPEAN DRAG RACING CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR 2011

I also booked a room for the "First Go" - the drag racing premiere
weekend at Tierp Arena which will be held at May 7-8 with
the NDRS Nationals.
I could race in Super Gas just to make the historic field but probably
my SS is up for the yearly traffic inspection that weekend, but we'll
go to Tierp just to watch the premiere anyway. Won't miss it!


The all concrete 1/4 mile drag strip was done already last year. Now
they're pouring concrete for the main building!

It's all here, in English too: Tierp Arena



February 6

Congratulations Axel 13!


Axel is a teenager! It hit me when he was sitting with class mate
Madeleine in the seat furthest back in the Dodge when we were driving
some of his guests home. Normally he want to sit up front! Now he
bossed me around and loudly ordered rock music and demanded
the light to be turned off! What the...?!


Axel had a birthday party with a "Movie Theme" and we had some
nice moments searching for pictures on internet and then working
with them in Photoshop...I though it was fun anyway... :-)


The movie was "Marmaduke". This cinema had the service of short
breaks now and then during the film so the youngsters could go and
fill up from the table of unlimited chicken wings, popcorn, chips,
Cheeze Doodles, Coca Cola and much more! Yes, we also offered
sticks of healthy carrot and cucumber (but it was only me standing
there alone in the kitchen eating that, I must be very old!).
After having a very old 20" TV set for 10-15 years (it died just before
christmas, thank you!) it is just hilarious to enjoy 46" in full HD
and a film playing from a Bluray disc on the Play Station 3! WOW!
And this group also just LOVED to play the Grand Turismo 5 after
the film! A party too short of course.
(Note: I put on the lights to take this picture above, otherwise it
was total darkness in the room...eh...cinema).



February 5

Congratulations Öhman!


Finally he did it, he bought a Thunderbird again! He has talked about
it for a long time, and he wanted the same model that he owned in
the 1970's! Now this beautiful cruiser is on its way to Umeå
from Phoenix, Arizona, USA!


This is Öhman's earlier 1962 Thunderbird in a photo from 1974 with
Lelle Järvenby leaning on it. We were on our way to Mantorp.
Look for more of this material further down...


This is the ad he found it in and this is what it said:
"Another beautiful Tbird! This one is a 62 landau emberglo/
metallic chestnut with a white vinyl top. Clear AZ title with box
A under 98,000 miles, orginal black plate california DSO car
(I have the plates). Very nice car, although not perfect, but all
original. 390, most power options, slide away steering wheel, etc.
Paint and chrome are in good shape, no rust! Interior is also
in emberglo and nice. Mostly detailed engine bay. runs and
drives great, fun car to cruise in!
The car also has real Hollywood Movie history! It was actress
Helen Mirren's personal car in the Movie "Love Ranch" starring
her, Joe Pesci, and Sergio Peris-Mancheta. I have the signed
document stating its use in the movie"


Click this You Tube link to see the trailer! There is very long
scene with the Thunderbird at 1:35...


I know that Tommy "Aga" Olsson will wonder why Öhman didn't buy
this Lincoln Pimpmobile while at it? From the same movie,
a Pimpmobile worth its name, that is!

Thunderbird memories!

Hahaha! It's really fun to look back. This is one of my photo albums
showing us going with Öhman's Thunderbird to Mantorp in 1974!
If you click the picture you'll get to Öhman's Own Page where
you can have a closer look at these pictures which are "cleaned".

We will of course be back with some sort of report
when the "new" Thunderbird arrives in Umeå!


Roaring Viking 1972!


Hazze From's beautiful injected Ford Capri Funny Car "Roaring
Viking" in the inspection line at Anderstorp Raceway in 1972. I found
a couple of pages of photos from this race in one of my oldest
albums when searching for Öhman's Thunderbird. Behind in line
is late Pelle Westin's 1968 Pontiac Firebird with 400 engine, and
that was the car we came here in. Umeå - Anderstorp was well over
1000 Kilometers / 620 Miles one way. We raced, and then we took
it home! And that was the trip when I was called "Bostic" for the first
time! Yes, I will show you the pics from this race when I'm done
with Dave Buckland's 70's which is a fantastic tresury!



February 1

Hello! Testing testing texs


Sorry for the interruption but I now have a new computer at home! The
old can was way too slow to work with, it could take hours to open up
and work with a picture in Photoshop and export to Macromedia
Dreamweaver where I make this website! Hours! With a new lap top
and newer Photoshop and Dreamweaver programs it takes only
minutes, as it should be. But it's scary to make the transfer, you don't
want to lose a code or a pixel, but It looks like I have succeeded?
Thanks Ye Ol' box for everything we've made together but it's time for
you to go to the Computer Heaven while I'll play with the new
HP Probook 4520S which only cost 3195 SEK!! Under USD 500!!!
External hard drives, a large separate monitor and wireless keyboard
and mouse makes the work easy!


Madame's Thunderbird!


This picture? Well, it's actor Helen Mirren driving a 1962 Thunderbird
in the film "Love ranch" and that particular car is on its way to Umeå
to the new owner - Öhman - who had a 1962 T-bird already
in the 1970's... More about that soon...


WonderFood on the web


Congratulations to my wife Agneta who now have a real website for
her company Undermat! It's not at all finished but it was quickly
made here at home thanks to my new computer and programs!
Check it out:
www.undermat.se




January 26

More memories added!


Pit lane at Santa Pod in 1985! Wow!!! A punk girl with whitened face!
This was worth a photo to take home and show the people of Umeå!
Mikael Lindberg has found a couple of more old pictures so I have
added more to the report from 1985.
Click link below:







January 24

Kent comes to life again!


In the middle of the northern Umeå winter Mr Kent "9.99 Still Hunting
the 9.84" Edin sent me some pictures to show that he 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 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!) 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...

All about Kent here!




January 20

Turning point


Here's a strong turning point, when my ProCharger unit came back
from service from the manufacturer, again! Via Birgitta at Autoshop
of course. When it was sent away broken I felt that this was a dead
end since ProCharger's design change of the F-1R didn't suit me
and my carbon fiber belts. And I didn't want to go through the whole
R&D yordeal again to make this work. I felt like selling it all! I'm sure
you've read that between the lines last year here at this site...


I changed my mind when Birgitta called me and said that ProCharger
had found the problem of why this unit shredded belts and broke
and "PROCHARGER SAID IT WAS THEIR FAULT!"
Eh...what? What did you say?


They found a mounting mistake of how the internal gears where
set up and they said "Sorry" and repaired it for free (!) even if I hadn't
sent in the signed warranty papers (which I normally never do). I have
never before heard of an American company, or any company, that
confessed like ProCharger and said "Sorry"! Ok, my whole season
of 2010 was destroyed because of this fault but I still think that
ProCharger is a company worth a salute for this stand!
And a salute to Birgitta Bergqvist at Autoshop too, not only for
taking care of all the administration and hassle with the US
companies, but also because I know that her years in the US
automotive high performance business, her tech knowledge
and her clout are major factors for a happy end like this!
An "end" that also is a new beginning, I'm so back into drag
racing again! Sometimes it doesn't take much.




More 1970's for you


At the finishline at Santa Pod in the 1970's. Do you recognize it?
I'm working on the great premiere of "Dave Buckland's 70's" soon!




January 18

Amazing racing!


Axel and I are very often glued to our new Panasonic 46" Full HD
TV. Especially when playing the much talked about Grand Turismo
5 game on the Playstation 3! Wow what an experience!!!
You can choose several kinds of race cars and fantasy tracks or
real tracks like Daytona in Daytonas Beach. With this line of real High
Defenition iIt's like being there! Axel and I like the two Impalas of
Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr and to have some tight racing!
But there are still no good Drag racing games made in the world!
And that's unbelievable!




January 13

More drag race nostalgia!


Dave Buckland has a treasure of old photographs he took at drag
strips around the UK in the 1970's! I saw some of them on Facebook
where we are friends and he offered to send all of them to me! I will
now work as quick as possible to finish this page which I think will
have the potential to be one of the most popular pages here at
www.blackout.nu. Dave is still taking pictures today and he and his
wife Christine are members of the "Heaven & Hell Racing Team"
of Carla & Rick and were to Veidec at Mantorp last rainy summer.


Just look at this picture from Santa Pod! American Tony Nancy is
pushed in the lines in his Top Fuel dragster!


So typical English! Homebrewn...things!


This is also typical English! What it is? I have no idea but Dave will
try to remember to each picture when the page is done.


Svante Eriksson, from Umeå, was early to Santa Pod and raced his
Hemi Jeep together with his brother Rolf. Funny thing is that they
used to drive it (first Jeep) to England but over there the organizers
placed them in the Compeititon Eliminator class because the
Eriksson brothers would have killed everything easily in a Street
class with their 10 second Jeep. Well, they killed in any class!
They were The Unstoppables anywhere!
Many more pictures from this treasure ASAP and then they
will be larger. Thanks Dave!



January 12

Follow us to Santa Pod!


-Let's drive aboard the ferry and have a beer! shouted Lennart
"Bagarn" Bergqvist. Now the story of our adventure at Santa Pod
in 1985 is done. 26 years, my God, time flies!
Please click this link:




January 10

Beauty and the Beast!


Suddenly it was there in TBDGIT, a 1970 Dodge Charger 500!
It is Sören "Fixarn" Fjellstedt who is transferring it from USA to a
happy customer somewhere in Sweden and needed to park it for
a while. It is a car in original shape, no mods!


Top Fuel-Thore and Tommy Aga Olsson are strictly Ford people but
they can't resist a hero from Chrysler, neither can I in the Chevy
camp. Some models just have to be celebrated over the borders
or else we would be denying the spirit of our love for muscle cars!


Imagine the impact on a Chrysler guy like Patrick! This car opens up
his memory lane. And he wants it himself! Engine is a 383 Magnum.


Firehawk Indy 500 is the name of the tires! I don't want to precede
Fixarn in telling too much because this car have an extra ordinary
story and he will write about it in Wheels.


Cult! Pistol grip shifter from Hurst was an option for manual trans!


This NASCAR fuel cap on the left rear quarter is the coolest thing
with this model, I think!


Old stickers. The pink color has even disappeared from the Zoom
clutches sticker.

Bonus film, click link or picture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kSNwAidSk




January 7

Micke's Memories


Mikael Lindberg from Umeå was the driver who took care of us back
in 1985. He had the trucker's driving license CE so he could legally
drive Linkan's "Sur-Olle" Chevy Suburban with the Whiplash
Camaro '67 on a trailer to Santa Pod in UK. It was a long haul!
Recently he found his old pictures from this adventure so I will serve
them piece by piece with comments from our common memories.
Thanks Micke!


All these pictures will be found on a page of its own on this site, and
then much larger too! Birgitta talks to late Lennart "Bagarn"
Bergqvist while I'm entering Whiplash. Here you can see our invention
"the 12 V bottle heater for nitrous bottles" which we thought was
needed to get the pressure up on chilly days. It all began with
wrapping my seat warmer from my old Volvo 145... A separate
battery warmed the bottle.
When our friend Dale Vaznaian from NOS saw it he asked politely
if he could use it and we said "You're welcome!" because he was
always so helpful with us. Today the bottle heater is a Standard
of the nitrous industry, but it began here.
More about this bottle heater.



January 5

Hit AGAIN! What the...?!


Can you believe it!? Axel and me creeping slowly from home again!
Another route to avoid the crossing where we got hit a week ago
(December 28, check it out in Old News). This time another red van
slided into us! And hurt left rear quarter which got by in last crash!
Next time: please hit left front fender which is a bit rusty...


This is a very snowy day with all sorts of official Warnings! But we
had to go and help Axel's grand daddy Thore who was stuck on a
ridge of snow on the street with all four wheels in the air on his
Toyota. Grand mother Sonia calls it "Lille Skutt" - "Little Jump"!


On our way home, on the exact spot where we had the collision, we
encountered a guy with even larger problems than us - he had a Ford!
It went everywhere except where the driver wanted it! He had no spike
tires either, so it did not help! I'm from Norrland so I carry a big bucket
of small gravel/sand back in the Dodge, so we gave him a couple
of hands of this and towed him straight again.


Home again, barely! Marks of the encounters everywhere...


I had to open the door this snowy night to let the
eyes see the summer!




January 3

Twist and shout!


The twisted tube was fixed and that stubborn big black Impala SS
once again went to a drag race! One of the shortest ever!


So far so good...but next second, dead stop! Click bar below to read about it:


Even more depressingly fun reading...



January 2

Is Albert tame?


When is a budgie tame? Is it when you can't write in an usually calm
environment because something green is flapping in front of you?



January 1

Y E S !


I haven't even been holding a cigarette for a year! And after also quitting wet "snus" (snuff) I now consider
myself totally free from the chains of Nicotine! Even it still haunts me, I will never go there again!


W H A T ?


I modified his own New Years' card slightly, in his own style I would believe...
"Nobody believed Chris Condor when he said that Uranium was - HOTTER THAN NITROUS!"
"For a short moment his Audi became the fastest car in the world"
"Questions gather around the phenomena Chris Condor, where is he now?"
"Nothing is like a decent chain reaction"
etc.



December 31

Happy New Year!


It was stormy at midnight, the firework rockets which still had enough
power to climb above the houses were drifting. It was no idea in even
trying to fire up and send away a Khom Loy / Thai lantern.


We were out already at 5 pm to see the big traditional firework from
the local Göteborgsposten morning paper. We saw it from a
distance and the weather was calm at that time.


We could even send away a Khom Loy.


We choose Khom Loy instead of fireworks now. Last longer, less
expensive and animal friendly. And not dangerous.




December 30

Congratulations Tommy!


Eldsjäl 2010 - Driving Spirit of the Year! Tommy Månsson - the boxer
who have had a long journey from being ranked 5th in Sweden, to
being a total drugs and alcohol outcast, coming back and starting a
boxing club BK Revansch (Revenge) to take care of youngsters.
Sweden loved him for that and voted him # 1.

Have a look at our films
Filmed by Chris Condor, directed and off-line by Bostic
Bolero, on-line by Niklas Johansson and Anders
Haraldsson, Vingaland film.

Tommy Månsson, Boxing
www.vingaland.se_movies_bostic_eldsjalar_TOMMY.mov

Carin Jönsson, Horse jumping
www.vingaland.se_movies_bostic_eldsjalar_CARIN.mov

Börje Gustavsson - Glider flying
www.vingaland.se_movies_bostic_eldsjalar_BORJE.mov

UNIK - Club of the Year
www.vingaland.se_movies_bostic_arets_forening_UNIK.mov

Gasarna Speedway - Young Leaders of the Year
www.vingaland.se_movies_bostic_arets_unga_ledare_Gasarna_Speedway.mov

These films were shown in Eldsjälsgalan TV4 December 30th.
To watch the whole 2 hour show click on this link (it is
only up until January 6th):
www.tv4play.se_ELDSJALSGALAN



We were there! Back row: Bostic Bolero (director from Hell, away
somewhere?) Ann-Sofie, Axel, Agneta. Front row: Alana, Jenny,
Sacharias and Felix. We all played Bingo and were close to
the millioooooons!


Grand Finale! All artists and all winners singing Happy New Year!
Impressive!


Axel thought it was a terrific night out with dinner first so he proposed
a toast in coke! And his new blues brothers tie read:
On A Mission from God




Click the bar


Depressingly fun reading...



Don't miss it tonight!


There will be some speedway action on Swedish TV4 tonight 20.00!
And a lot of action from other sports too!


Working class hero! Not only should Chris Condor compose the
picture, keep the camera steady, focus and listen to the never ending
nagging and giggling from the director ;-) He is also the technical
director and is responsible for the expensive equipment. That's the
glamour you'll find behind this highly successful business filmer and
photographer! I'm so glad that everyone have a chance to see a
glimpse of his work tonight on TV4 in five films we've made together!
Niklas Johansson and Anders Haraldsson at Vingaland did the
on-line work. Don't miss it!


Boxing trainer Tommy Månsson surrounded by Anna Broberg,
Eyeworks and Bostic Bolero, Vingaland Film. Tommy in Sölvesborg
is one of the Eldsjälar (driving spirits) contestants who will be in
tonights TV4 show. We've made a short story about Tommy.


Elvis? Don't think so, but a wide range of artists will entertain!
Agneta, Axel and I and some friends will attend the show tonight
so we will play Bingolotto for the 5 million SEK that are up for grabs!
I need the money for some Impala SS parts...
We'll wave to you from Section F!


El clicko: www.folkspel.se_Eldsjalsgalan_2010

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