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A friends 79 lost it's thrust at a 1/4 mile racing beginning.
He launched and the Vette didn't moove, this was a non professional race on a old US airport in Germany ( Bitburg ) where this event is done once a month and everybody can join.
His 79 Vette is has a 350 GOODWRENCH engine with the original auto tranny. I think a 3.08 rear.
Well, not a lot of power to get this:
Is this a normal weak point ? Shouldn't the shaft U-joint straps give first ?
I think he was lucky this didn't happen on the highway with 80 MPH or more.
A little bubble gum and duct tape no problem, also might want to grease that wheel bearing.
The bearing does not need any grease anymore as it will be of course replaced, together with the spindle. But your right, it looks pretty dry.
The bearings are not seized, nor did they have any play. Possibly been redone not too long ago. The Vette is only for 1 Year in my friends posession, so we don't know.
I guess, once the spindle breaks, only the pressed in bearings keep the wheel ( a while ) in situe, but who knows for how long while making a nice 180 on a highway at elevated speeds.
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
That may have had previous damage to it and it just took the drag launch to finish it off. Good thing it did not happen on the Autobahn. That could have been really disastrous.
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