DAKOTA THUNDER

 

 

 

26th April 2007 - Testing at Santa Pod

On Thursday 26th April 2007, we took Dakota Thunder to Santa Pod Raceway to do some testing with the motor. Everything went well and after chaining the Jet down we made some real smoke, fire and noise. We ran the motor up to 80% and it all sounded very well.
Thanks to Martin Hill for all his help so far and also to Darren Prentice for letting us use the track.
Thanks also to Stu Bradbury & Pete Stafford from US Automotive for your services and to Darren West of Power Race Graphics for the Promo Graphics.

Below are a few photos taken from Santa Pod.
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19th - 20th May 2007 Extreme Vehicle Show at Elvaston Castle Country Park.

On the 19th - 20th May 2007, we took the DAKOTA THUNDER to it's first Booking, ' The Extreme Vehicle Show ' at Elvaston Castle Country Park in Derbyshire. Myself, Christan ( My Oldest Son ) & Stu & Bev Bradbury attended. The Show was attended by over 7500 People over the Saturday & Sunday & hosted some Cool American Classic Cars & some Modified Cars from todays Cruizin Scene !

The Weather on the Saturday was Wet & Windy & due to problems, we could not fire up the DAKOTA THUNDER until late Saturday night. At around 6.45pm, we pulled the DAKOTA THUNDER into the Arena & after some trouble with the Starter Plug, we fired up the Truck. After 3 Minutes of trying to Idle the Motor, we had to shut it down, due to having Air in the Fuel System, which makes the Jet Engine run high & low, and stops you from getting the Motor to Idle, which is normally at 40%.

We decided against running the Motor again on the Sunday, due to this problem, and did not want to damage the Burner. We had lots of posative feedback from the Crowd over the 2 Days
& we made a lot of new fans !

Sammie Winward ( Katie Sugden in Emmerdale ), spent part of Sunday afternoon talking to us & asking questions about the DAKOTA THUNDER, including "Could I drive this?" !!!!!
Sammie had lots of Pictures taken with myself and the Truck and also with my eldest Son, Christan, who could not believe his luck!. Thanks to Paul, from E.M.P.R.A Events, who strived hard to put on a Great Show. I think he achieved this judging by some of the Feedback on the Cruizin Forums.

Thanks also for all the help we had from Conrad, Nicola & Friends from the www.kroozinnorthwest.co.uk who helped us over the Weekend, when we needed it.

The DAKOTA THUNDER Team look forward to working with E.M.P.R.A Events again in the future,
when we can put on a Great Flame & Thunder Show with the truck without the
teething problems that we had this time.

 

Below are some Pictures from the Show.

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7th May 2008 - Up-date

The Team are happy to now be looking at attending some RWYB Meetings at Santa Pod Raceway, in the very near future. We will be out, mainly for Junior to gain some experience in the Dakota Thunder Jet Truck, and also to get the Truck set up, prior to Junior licensing.

It has taken us longer than expected, to get to the Race Track, but this has mainly been due to our Custom Build Stainless Steel Exhaust Business, taking up most of our time, as in any new Business. But, now the Business is flourishing, we can afford to put Sundays aside, to attend the RWYB Meetings.

The Dakota Thunder was Tagged by the NHRA, before it left the USA, for 2 Years & this carry's us into May 2009. Mark Norton, from the UK Drag Racing Tech Comittee, has visited us & checked the Chassis, and confirmed to us, that everything is in order, apart from asking us to fabricate into the Drivers Cockpit, a small front cross brace, at the front of the Cockpit, where the Brake Pedal is.
This is a very small, simple job, but will need to be done, prior to the Tag being issued,
when the existing NHRA Tag runs out in May 2009.

Mark has confirmed to us, after talking to Geoff Martin, that the NHRA Tag is valid, until it expires.

We have fitted a 2nd Hot Streak Solenoid, for the Afterburner & also removed the Tailpipe & Afterburner, to make some adjustments, which have now all been completed, and everything
is re assembled, and we are ready to go.

Thanks to Jerry Segal, Dick Rosburg & Mike Pond from the USA for your help.



Picture was taken by, Conrad aka Rodderz on KroozinNorthWest.co.uk