What happened to Rare Bear?

[grampi]

Was RB healthy in Sunday's Gold race and Strega was simply faster, or was RB having some problems?

[Steve H]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

Was RB healthy in Sunday's Gold race and Strega was simply faster, or was RB having some problems?

John Penny said that he did the best he could with a "Stock engine"
What that means exactly, I don't know.

[grampi]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

John Penny said that he did the best he could with a "Stock engine"
What that means exactly, I don't know.

Did they go back to using an R-2800?

[Gary Osif]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

They bought one of the 3350s that was originally going to be on the B-29 FIFI.

GO

[Box A35]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

479.088 is what they ran on Sunday. Um, that is pretty strong, but not stronger than Strega's 491.822.

From what I have gleaned, that was on stock 3350 power with the slow nose case.

Not too shabby for a stock 3350.

[grampi]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

479.088 is what they ran on Sunday. Um, that is pretty strong, but not stronger than Strega's 491.822.

From what I have gleaned, that was on stock 3350 power with the slow nose case.

Not too shabby for a stock 3350.

So they're not running any juice on this engine?

[Gary Osif]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

I haven't heard if they put the 'squeeze' to her or not. AT 479mph, I wouldn't doubt it.

Maybe one of the crew can enlighten us(I hope!)?
Gary

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

I haven't heard if they put the 'squeeze' to her or not. AT 479mph, I wouldn't doubt it.

Maybe one of the crew can enlighten us(I hope!)?
Gary

I'm not "one of the crew" but I think I might have an answer... If you push a stock engine too far, like year's past Bear engines, it will certainly blow up.

One of the things folks always talked about on the Bear was all the oil on the sides during test runs, or any time she was not pushing at race power.. There's a "secret" in there but I think you can figure it out, race engines need to be loose enough when running "slow" as in, normal world power settings, that they will push out crap around the rings and such.... reason for this is so when they are really pushing out the power, the parts find the sweet spot and don't tear things up.

I believe there is, at least, one IF1 engine builder who heats the parts up in an oven before measuring and then does the measurements for final assembly specs...

Anyway, that's my longish maybe half right answer...

[Pdawg]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

They bought one of the 3350s that was originally going to be on the B-29 FIFI.

GO

From what I heard the engine was on loan and intended to go back to Fifi which might explain the consevative approach this year.

[flyingjibus]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

The engine was purchased and is now the property of Rod Lewis.

[RichH]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

If the goal of your re-engine program is to improve reliablility, would you "loan" your engine to a race team so they could thrash on it for a while?? LOL!

[Hans Oberev]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

I was told by a crew member the engine is from Fifi and that it was not stock. I just figured team orders were to break her in slowly and Penney's speeds during the week certainly indicated that was in fact the strategy. If you were Rod Lewis would you go after Strega head to head when she was running so strong or would you play the attrition game. Bear might have been able to go faster but still not able to match Strega and might have blown up in the process. I think Rod Lewis was playing the attrition game but that's just my hunch. That is what I would have done in his place. Hats off to Voodoo for attacking Strega like they did. Very aggressive race strategy! I agree...they are getting closer to finding winning speed. That would be cool.

[marada mx3]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

Is Lewis (money man/owner) making those decisions on strategy, or would that be Cornell?

And, if the engine was intended for Fifi, why would this engine not be stock? With the short amount of time that the Bear crew had it, how much modifying could be done? I think it was more stock than not.

My $.02
Tommy

[AirDOGGe]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

Yes, the Fifi motor was stock in a sense (a mix of parts from several versions of the 3350), but not a race-prepared item, and teams HAVE loaned spare engines to other teams before...good sportsman-like folk out there...

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: What happened to Rare Bear?

I heard it was a ADI problem. Old ADI system shut off automatically when power was reduced & system aboard had to be turned off manually & after mayday was called they sorted it out & it wasn't really a mayday situation. Next year they will have a complete race engine ready to go.