#24 Race Car - Rea, Weir, Mumford
After l returned from the very first salt meeting in '90, I conveyed to anyone who would listen how great it was. After talking to Chris Weir and Wayne Mumford, it was agreed between the three of us to put together a race car.
The #24 car, as seen at the '96 Salt meet.
The idea was for us to use various bits and pieces we each had lying around our garages. So, around April 1990 a plan was formulated. Our car was almost ready for the '91 salt meet. Actually, we left for that meet without having started the car, and we never really got it running right at the event! But we came up with our team motto of "There's Always Next Year".
Basically, the car runs a mildly worked flathead, running through an early Ford side shift 3 speed to a Halibrand quick change. The front axle is a drilled '34 l-beam with late spindles. We run no front brakes, but utilise '48 Ford drum brakes out back. The chassis is a shortened (from both ends) '29 Chev, with a Model 'A' rear cross member locating a 'T' Model spring. The body is a 'glass '24 'T', with a steel turtle deck, and bobbed steel '32 grille shell, with aluminium insert. The multi piece bonnet and scoop is all aluminium located with Dzus fasteners.
This is how the engine looks in it's current configuration.
All work has been carried out by the 3 of us, however, a number of local businesses (Gippsland Powder Coating, Paul Ledger-Drouin Signs, Hyatt Radiators, Trafalgar Tyre Service, Hancock & Just-Truck Alignment Specialist, Custom Fibreglass and Weir's Treated Timber, as well as Noel McGregor for louvres and some machining, have contributed parts, and services that have made the financial commitment that bit easier.
Wrenching on the flathead at the '96 meet (nice tow car). In the background is Mark Hadfield's very fast Mustang.
The fastest No 24 has gone is 118 ('Speed Ace' Mumford at wheel) with a single 4 barrel carburettor. Since then we have fitted Hilborn fuel injection, which we are still trying to sort out. We haven't been able to match the 118 mph yet. Oh well, "There's Always Next Year!"..
By Geoff Rea
This article first appeared in Issue 8 of the ASRF Newsletter in January 1997.