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Project: Midnight Panic

robsjeepyj said:
Little off topic but where is the best place to watch mountain havoc these days?
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Seems like they focus mostly on social media anymore, lots of reels on fb, & instagram,

Ibex off-road videos on YouTube usually always puts up some good coverage of the event,
I believe they already have 3 courses from this year posted.
 
Skipped_Link said:
Seems like they focus mostly on social media anymore, lots of reels on fb, & instagram,

Ibex off-road videos on YouTube usually always puts up some good coverage of the event,
I believe they already have 3 courses from this year posted.
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Thanks, I'll take a look at Ibex. I really don't like the reel coverage thing.
 
ridered3 said:
Got anything new to update us with?
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Not really, made a torque converter change, & ordered parts to make a minor fuel system change,
I do plan on taking the truck to mountain home Idaho next month & run it at their sand/dirt drags,
That’s just a good opportunity to get it out & feel it out a bit,

Allison & I did some testing & adjustments on her seat along with her NecksGen head & neck restraint,

Here’s a little video testing the belts, & straps, (NecksGen straps were way long)
I’m also trying to get her comfortable & proficient at strapping herself in for the most part.



Maybe next month I’ll have a little more to update with.
 
Skipped_Link said:
Not really, made a torque converter change, & ordered parts to make a minor fuel system change,
I do plan on taking the truck to mountain home Idaho next month & run it at their sand/dirt drags,
That’s just a good opportunity to get it out & feel it out a bit,

Allison & I did some testing & adjustments on her seat along with her NecksGen head & neck restraint,

Here’s a little video testing the belts, & straps, (NecksGen straps were way long)
I’m also trying to get her comfortable & proficient at strapping herself in for the most part.



Maybe next month I’ll have a little more to update with.
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Cool deal on some minor changes and can't wait to see this thing ripping around the sand/dirt drags!

Pretty cool on the safety factor of both teaching but getting her comfortable with the process.
 
I was trying to update the thread, but it’s been a busy day,
The YT vid pretty much covers it better than I can write it out anyway.

I’ve got a pretty busy fall coming, but I’m trying to put a plan together to get this thing fixed before to long,
Worst case it will get the backup engine if this one needs anything major,
It really looks like a good repair on the one head & a couple gaskets should get it going,
Then quit trying to push these mls gaskets so hard.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Any reason why you are not running copper head gaskets in an engine like that? And I'd assume there are no fire rings either because of the MLS gasket choice.
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I thought I could get away with running the mls, they are common in more mild boosted applications.

Levigarrett76 said:
Awesome video, and that needle nose pete is cool as hell, whats under the hood?
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The Pete is running a B model 3406 Cat.
 
Cool video! Couple thoughts, I’m amazed how easy it appears you change the tires. It was in fast forward, but still it seemed like you just roll them up and tilt them on. The tire on my HEMTT are smaller/lighter then yours and I have a hell of a time putting them on. I’m thinking it’s because of the flat tread. Do you have more trouble with the big claws?

Second, and probably a stupid question, is the gear shift on the Peterbuilt stock? It seems like it’s overly tall and kind of floppy. I assume you like it like that or you would change it. It also seemed like a long warm up time on the Peterbuilt. Is that a normal thing?

I suppose your wife was kind of scared watching/filming that last run. Does that cause any friction? (Don’t answer that, Not my business)

Last, is there any reason you couldn’t put a couple temporary limit straps on the front for runs like that? Seems like it would make for a better ride. (More visibility) I guess it could make the tires not hook as good.
 
WaterH said:
Cool video! Couple thoughts, I’m amazed how easy it appears you change the tires. It was in fast forward, but still it seemed like you just roll them up and tilt them on. The tire on my HEMTT are smaller/lighter then yours and I have a hell of a time putting them on. I’m thinking it’s because of the flat tread. Do you have more trouble with the big claws?

Second, and probably a stupid question, is the gear shift on the Peterbuilt stock? It seems like it’s overly tall and kind of floppy. I assume you like it like that or you would change it. It also seemed like a long warm up time on the Peterbuilt. Is that a normal thing?

I suppose your wife was kind of scared watching/filming that last run. Does that cause any friction? (Don’t answer that, Not my business)

Last, is there any reason you couldn’t put a couple temporary limit straps on the front for runs like that? Seems like it would make for a better ride. (More visibility) I guess it could make the tires not hook as good.
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I attribute the tires being so easy to the jack, having a pendant in hand & being able to raise/lower the axle at the push of a button really helps,
The claws are easy easier to work with, the 19.5L is the most ignorant tire I’ve ever had to manhandle 😆

The shifter in the Pete is probably 8” or so longer than stock, that length might amplify the sloppiness in the video, but any older road ranger is pretty loose to begin with, I’ve driven trucks with tighter shift towers, to be honest, they just don’t feel right.
I’m not sure how long the warm up time was, but I usually always give it 15 min or so, plenty of time to build air, make a little heat, & give the truck a once over,
I’m a firm believer in warm up time, no matter how damaging to the environment the media says it is, 😉

My wife is usually quite high strung & very vocal when I’m driving, (no matter how many times I tell her that no matter how loud she yells, I cannot hear a damn thing she says, 😆)
This time she was surprisingly calm,

As far as limiting the front suspension that could be a possibility, but drag racing the truck is not a primary function of the rig, otherwise it wouldn’t have 26” of travel nor weigh 8k+ pounds,
This was just a good opportunity to drive it in something besides bug dust.

SLOWPOKE693 said:
How much boost does it make now?
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Looking at the GoPro footage it’s between 17 & 20 psi
 
If last weekend wasn’t cool enough, this weekend I got the opportunity to put my butt in the seat of a full blow race monster truck,
Some of the old P4x4 members may remember Go4BrokeOffroad especially in the Ford section & his tuff truck racing,

I’ve know Jerrod for over 20 years on the internet, & for a while now he has been driving monster trucks for a couple different owners, all while putting his own truck together. This summer he completed his truck & just attended I believe his 3rd event,
His inspiration & drive is probably the single biggest reason I am making Midnight Panic a full blown monster truck,
Well this weekend the show he was at needed a driver & he gave me a call, after a quick scramble to arrange some days off, the family & I ripped up to Oregon with a helmet & fire suit in hand,
They ended up putting me in one of the Tripple B motor sports trucks, “Boss Gator”
After a quick tutorial of the operation of the truck I was all set & went directly into prep/pit mode, (I can tell you right now I am strait lost without my own trailer at an event)
But we managed,
The show itself consisted of
1 pit party, (set up the truck in display visiting with fans, signing autographs etc)
2 post pit party (returning trucks to the pits & staging them for intros)
3 intros
4 starting the show with 2 wheels skills
5 tuff trucks
6 three rounds of monster truck j-hook racing
7 tuff trucks
8 MT freestyle
9 post show autographs

Saturday was a 2 show day, so all of the above took place starting around 11:00 & ending a little after 3:00
Then starting again around 5:00 I think, the whole day was really a blur as far at time goes, I just did what I was told, tagged along when needed & was only really ask to “not tear up the truck to bad”
The truck itself is a very nice Dan Patrick (PEI) chassis with fabricated F-106 housing & Pettibone pie pan outters (close combination to what I’ll be running)
Overtime CNC shocks FTI 2speed transmission & FTI drop box) I’m not sure on the specs of the engine, all I know for sure is it’s an iron headed BBC with an 8-71 & Enderle bird catcher, Also the fellow responsible for transporting the truck & driver of the “lone wolf” (the other Tripple B truck) told me “that engine no so good, I don’t think it last much longer” 😆

I’ve never been a 3d body guy, but after the pit party I totally see why truck owners run them, fans love the character & that translates to t-shirt/swag sales which is money in the bank!
That said, visibility sucks!

So going into the 1st/morning show I stayed extremely conservative for 2 wheel skill, trying to do a bit of a sky wheelie then just a little jump, this was truly my first opportunity to feel the truck out.
In racing I really kinda threw caution to the wind & went all out for all the truck would give me, even being the lowest powered truck there I managed 2nd place,
Then switched back to conservative mode for freestyle, with the exception of attempting a stoppie, I had planned on not attempting anything like that, but accidentally put myself in a position to where I either tried it, or really looked foolish 😆 certainly wasn’t a Tyler Menninga moonwalk, but not a terrible first attempt,

Not that placement matters in the monster truck world (outside of the fans) but I still pulled 2nd place in all 3 events,

The couple hours between shows is an absolute mad house,
Two trucks making major repairs, (Lone Wolf pulled the transmission & replaced an input seal because of an oil leak 😳)
Jerrods truck was solid needing nothing but a little oil from a previous o-ring leak, so both his truck & my loaner got fuel & ready for the next show,

Show two Allison got to ride in Jerrods truck for intros, benefits of a two seater!
I upped the game in 2 wheel skill attempting another stoppie (obviously needing a lot of practice here, but I can see this trick coming to me quickly)
Racing, again wringing the truck & old engine out I reeled in the 1st place finish “beating out Lone Wolf by a tooth” according to the officials & announcer.

Freestyle I run the truck until the temp light was flashing at me, I kept it really conservative & just gave the crowd some entertainment for as long as it would stay cool after a couple rounds of racing,
At the end of the day I was able to return the truck in one piece & basically needing nothing more than fuel & an oil change, so I felt pretty good about that,

I met some wicked cool people, & had the most fun I’ve ever had with a steering wheel in hand, definitely set the hook!

Jerrods YouTube channel has several of our runs from both shows including some of the tuff truck runs if you guys want to check them out,
Jerrods truck is Anubis
I’m occupying the seat of Boss Gator

The early show


Late show


The focus this winter for midnight panic will be getting together a solid monster truck oriented big block Ford, & some 20 ton hybrid axles, then spares of everything! 😆
 
I'll make sure to tell Tyler when I see him at his dad's in a few weeks you think your better than him now! Hahaha

Those long days are long, having worked many, many monster truck shows here in DSM and surrounding areas as track crew it's an adventure for sure. So cool you got to drive one finally!
 
SMI17 said:
I'll make sure to tell Tyler when I see him at his dad's in a few weeks you think your better than him now! Hahaha
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Tyler was the first person to message me as soon as my wife posted pics,
He’s a great kid (relatively speaking from my older perspective) & very talented driver,
Tell him I said hello,
 
Skipped_Link said:
Tyler was the first person to message me as soon as my wife posted pics,
He’s a great kid (relatively speaking from my older perspective) & very talented driver,
Tell him I said hello,
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I've know that kid since he was 8. His story to get to where he is now is great and been fun to watch.

Will do!
 
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