How Does a Blower Bentley Work

So, what made the Blower Bentley's so special? Well, the blower hung off the front which upped the horsepower, and halved the gas mileage.

No matter, here is a link to a video from the show Massive Engines which explains how the supercharged 4 1/2 litre Bentley worked. Love the sounds!

My New Faston Hanks Novel. Free Sample. We're Going After A Blower.

It's been 8 years since I wrote my first novel, Hunt for 901. I took some time off from writing books, but picked it up again 18 months ago when I found out about the perfect missing car to be the star of the new novel.

A missing Blower Bentley.

I'll tell more, but here are the links to pre-order it. Or, at the very least, do go ahead and 'like' it. It would mean a lot. Links for around the world:

USA - http://www.amazon.com/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/1780920180

Germany - http://www.amazon.de/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/1780920180

Japan - http://www.amazon.co.jp/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/1780920180

UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/tags-on-product/1780920180

Canada - http://www.amazon.ca/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/1780920180

France - http://www.amazon.fr/Hunt-Blower-Bentley-Kevin-Gosselin/dp/1780920180

There were 50 Blower Bentley's produced. That is a fact. Of which, 49 are accounted for. That doesn't mean 49 still exist as some were wrecked or rebuilt into other cars, but there was one. Serial number SM 3912 that was last heard of in 1939.

I've pulled many of my Bentley facts from the work of Michael Hay.

So, this new novel builds on the limited facts around SM 3912's previous owners and the modern day hunt for it.

With alternating chapters between WWII and the present day hunt by automotive archaeologist Faston Hanks, Hunt for the Blower Bentley is a page turning thriller.

If you like WWII history or novels, you'll like this book. If you like cars, I think you will love it.

I've listened to my readers and upped the pacing and left behind a lot, but not all, of Faston's love of food.

It is without a doubt, many, many times better a book than 901.

Hope you enjoyed the prologue.

Mk Jaguar Differential Fluid Change. Stinky.

The 62 Jaguar was leaking fluid from the rear differential at a decent rate. Especially after a long run when the gear oil would get nice and warm.

I suspected, and still do, that the culprit was the drain plug.

So, with unknown oil in the diff, I set about draining and then filling it with new oil.

I choose valvoline 80/90 as it is ok'd for hypoid style gears, exactly the type of gears that the MK2 puts the power to the ground with.

It was not a bad job. Except for being careful not to strip the male-end soft-metal drain plugs. I used a new crescent wrench to get them off. When replacing I used a thread sealant, this has helped me stop pesky oil leaks in the past.

The filling is always a bit messy, but a 6-inch length of clear house made it a bit easier to get the fluid in.

How'd it work? Don't know. It is too hot in Denver to be driving that thing. Like wearing a wool suit with a leather vest is how it feels on summer days.

And, if anyone can explain why gear oil stinks like burnt hair mixed with old french fry oil, I would love to hear it.

Cars & Coffee Boulder / Lafayette, CO 8/6/11 From Electric to Elite

I chose to trailer up my race car and put a sign in to try and recruit some folks to join, or at least look in to, 944 SPEC racing. I saw a few laughs from the people who prefer to polish their cars, but no real serious interest.

The highlights to me at this gathering were the electric Beck Porsche Speedster. Usually I am a small fan of replicas. But, this to me has all the right things about a replica going on. Pure electric power in the light and stylish Speedster body. Well done.

The other highlight was the lovely Lotus Elite. Just take a gander at that narrowing roofline and tidy Coventry Climax. So delicate. So fragile. Like the lead actress in the Black Swan.

Oh, and I threw in the Pagoda Benz because they are often overlooked but make a very practical classic. And in maroon it is especially fetching.

Actually. It is Creepy. & This is 300th Post.

Actually, your van, sir, was not creepy. Until you went and put this message on the back. I caught this at a stoplight in Lakewood, CO.

And, I have a bit of a problem with the sentence anyway. The word 'just' is an unnecessary modifier. Better to say, "It's not creepy, it's European."

Finally, no van can be a 'creeper van' unless it is a windowless panel van. Geez.

Helping a Fellow Racer

Try this on for size - you just buy a new-to-you racecar and take it to the track to run her. And, as you are letting the car idle and cool down after your last session you hear an unmistakable knocking sound.

You feel your stomach get tight.

You get dizzy.

Yep, you just spun a rod bearing.

What a way to get into racing. So, in the spirit of our series where a lot of people helped me get on track I've been helping another racer get the blown motor out and swap in a new-ish one. Just with refreshed bearings and baffled oil pan.

Somehow, working on others cars is so much more enjoyable. I guess it is that you can just drive away and not have to look at the broken heap.

M3 Hood Bulge Vulgar Show of Virility?

I kept the photos B&W to give them a perverse bit of Mapelthorpe arty-ness.

I walked past a BMW M3 with the ridiculous hood bulge and it just struck me as gross. Vulgar. Showy. Like a male animal puffing and grunting to gain attention of a female partner. Really, was there no other solution?

So, it struck me that the M3 bulge is really like a man in too tight of a pair of pants. Like Beckham above, or John McEnroe in the '70s. The bulge is the automotive equivalent of strutting around in a speedo, thrusting your ugly bits out for the world to see. 'Lookee here, I have parts that you can make sex with.'

Give me a car without a bulge any day of the week.

Race Car Motto

Every race car/team needs a motto. Something to rally around.

And the Hunt for 901 Writer Racing 944 has a motto. And now that it is in vinyl, it is official.

Really, if you don't finish last it is a successful weekend. So, "If you're not last, you're first!" is the motto. It is a little rejiggering of a Ricky Bobby quote. Listen to Ricky explain it to you here. He didn't trademark my version of it.

This won out over "Press on Regardless" and "Fast. Cheap. Reliable. Pick Two."

And the placement on the rear valance I think may be a nice distraction as other racers try to figure out what it means.

Cayenne in Action. Desktop Quality Pic.

This is the follow up email to last week pics. A friend of mine who drove his Focus SVT at the open track day grabbed this shot of the Cayenne towing, or is it 944 drafting, on the deserted HIghway 36.

Deserted except for cops who make sure you don't speed on the way to the track.

I do need to tell my friend to clean his lens though. Geez.

New Race Program vs. Old Race Program

Finally put all my stuff together and got the 'new old' race program hooked up and took her to the track.

Pretty fun comparison shot. Wow! The Cayenne makes towing sooooooo much easier than the Wagoneer. The Waggy got the job done for sure, but it swayed and groaned around the road. Wagging more than Ulysses' dog.

I believe I've lost some of my grassroots cred with this setup, but the 901 looks great. I have more pride of ownership of it now. And being 1" lower, it handled easier(not faster though) than last year. But ease of driving means more consistent lap times and better tire wear.

Out of pocket additional expenses(those not covered by selling other cars and parts) to upgrade the tow car and paint the race car as well as get new tires and alignment and decals? Near as I can figure $1,000. No one is cheaper than a Connecticut Yankee.