« イギリスのGoodwood"Festival of Speed" | メイン | US Drag Team その2 »
2008年7月19日
US Drag Team
[English version below]
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と言うのも今回、ショー3日間の手伝いをお願いしていたのです。
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簡単なMeetingを済ませ、その日はおしまい。 翌日は5月末にLAから送り出された、MOONEYES Dragsterと会場で待ち合わせです。
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ピカピカにポリッシュされたマグネシュームホイルは、塩害でこんな状態になっていました。
過去にSweden、日本と、数々の海を渡って来たMOONEYES Dragsterですが、こんなホイールになったのは初めてです。
良くみると、マグホイールを履いている他のDragsterも同じ状態です。
参った！ピカピカに磨かなくちゃ！でもこうなっちゃうと簡単には光りません。
他のDragsterはマグホイールがグレーになっていても結構似合っているのでいいですが、MOONEYES Dragsterにグレーホイールは似合わないので、磨くしかありません。
丸一日といってもヨーロッパの日の入りは10時頃なので、バッチリ12時間はあったので、何とかここまで光らせました。それも手でです。
会場には仮設Drag Stripが作られていて色々なロゴがある中、嬉しいことにMOONロゴを発見！
でも良く見ると、左の"O"の内側にアイボールの黒が入っています。
これ、ベルギーのBug Inで販売されていたコピー物と同じデザインです。
きっとそれから拡大したからこうなったのでしょう。
ヨーロッパもオーストラリア同様、結構MOONのコピー物多いです。困ります。
この日は磨きで一日終わってしまいました。
イギリスの天気は一日に曇り、晴れ、雨と、3回は必ず変わり、結構不安定な感じ。
ショーは金、土、日と3日間あり、その内、必ず一日は雨が降ると聞かされていたので天気が不安でした。
しかし、なんと3日間とも1日必ず3回ずつ変化しましたが、大きく崩れることもなく安定していました。
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このイベント、USでは参加台数が年々増え、特にナイトロを使うDragsterはエキゾーストから火が出るので、音と火とが何台ものDragsterから放たれ、凄い盛り上がりになります。
MOONEYES Dragsterはガソリンなので、これでけの台数の中に入るとその音は何も聞こえません。
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隣のナイトロ仕様のゼッケン15番が、面白がってバンバンふかすので、こんなになっちゃいました。
このシャツは1963年、MOONEYES Dragsterがイギリスに行った際、Dean MOON達が着ていたクルーシャツです。勿論当時物です！
彼らはDrag Strip会場を手伝ってくれた現地の人々です。初日はこのように決まった服を着ていましたが、
翌日には、帽子にはMOONステッカーが、そして2人は差し上げたMOON Tシャツを着てくれて、
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これ、強制した訳ではありませんよ。彼らの気持ちです。嬉しいではありませんか？
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これDickiesのライナー付きジャケットですが、夏だというのに、陽が無いとこれが必要なくらい寒いのです。
そして最後にDragsterに収まる方、そうです、この方がこのイベントの主催者で、この土地の持ち主でもあられる伯爵様です。
次回は Dragster以外のレースカー等をお見せします。
Arrived in the UK、and the first thing to do was head over to MOONEYES Dealer NAMCO. That is to say, I asked for their assistance during the three-day show. NAMCO owner, Miles, got two friends to help out as well so we headed to their shop, JUAREZ Traditional Fabrication, a Hot Rod Shop operated by owner, Marco and Andy who met us there. After a simple greeting and introduction, that was all for the day.
The following day we went to the exhibition area to see the MOONEYES Dragster,
sent over from LA at the end of May, that was waiting for us.
There was heavy rain the day before but when we got to see the MOONEYES Dragster,
the weather was clear and look at the wheels! What had been Magnesium wheels
polished to a bright shine, was exposed to the salt-air and turned to this current
state .
In the past, the MOONEYES Dragster has traveled to Sweden, several times to
Japan and crossing the ocean frequently but this is the first time I've seen
the wheels like this. Looking carefully at the other dragsters with Mag-wheels,
it was the same situation.
I can't take it! They must get polished up to a bright shine again! But in this
current state, it won't be easy to get that shine. There were other dragsters
with Mag-wheels that were gray and still looked good but the MOONEYES Dragster
doesn't match without the polished wheels so there was no other option.
After a whole day's worth of work, in Europe the sun sets about 10PM so it was
about 12 full hours of labor, this was the result. That was by hand too.
The display "Drag Strip" at the exhibition for the dragsters featured
all sorts of different logos. I was pleased to see a MOON logo too! However,
if you look real close, you can see the inside of the left "O" in
MOON, the black of the eyeball shouldn't be there.
Interestingly enough, this was the same design as the MOON decal we saw being
sold at the Bug-In in Belgium. I bet it is caused by enlarging the initial design.
In Europe and Australia, there was an alarming amount of MOON-Copies. This is
concerning.
The day ended with only enough time the wheel polishing.
The weather here in the UK is cloudy, sunny and rainy, constantly changing in
those three parts making for an unstable feeling. The show is for three days,
Friday through Sunday and I'd heard at least one day would rain. However, those
three days had all three parts of the weather but there wasn't one full day
of rain so it didn't crash the show crowd.
Our exhibition space inside GOODWOOD was a Drag Strip display on the cricket
playing area.
The 11 Dragsters transported here from the US had a Cacklefest, an event in
which the engines are started and revved up.
At this event, the number for US vehicles has increased year after year. To
have this many Nitro Dragsters together is one thing but to have them produce
the thunderous sounds and flame blowing exhausts all at the same time is sure
to set off the audience. The MOONEYES Dragster is run on gasoline so to be among
these other dragsters, you can't hear anything.
To start, an English boy is shown how to perform a Flag Start by an old timer
Drag racer.
After being taught, he does a jumping start from off a plank.
All the Nitro-burning dragster came prepared with their gas masks for the Cacklefest.
Nitro-burners produce a strong smell and causes eye and throat irritation to
people nearby. However the MOONEYES Dragster runs on gas, so a gas mask isn't
needed.
The number 15 Nitro-equipped next to us was enjoying the moment and really giving
the gas
This shirt is from 1963 when the MOONEYES Dragster came to the UK. It was one
just like Dean Moon and crew wore. Of course, in those days!
That's who helped at the Drag Strip exhibition, but on the opening day, this
is what was worn. The second day it was a hat with a MOON sticker, and the other
2 helpers wore MOON T-shirts that I gave to them. The last day, all three of
them were decked out, MOON Style and together looked like MOON members like
long ago. This wasn't at all planned but how ironic. All three of them were
into it too. Isn't that a great feeling?!
Participants of the US Drag Team and the US Drag Team jacket. This is a Dickies
jacket with inner-liner but even though it's summer, once the sun goes down
it's cold enough to need one.
Lastly, there were people that got to sit in the Dragster. Yes, that there is
the GOODWOOD Festival of Speed host and owner of the estate, Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox,
Earl of March, or Lord March as he is known in the UK.
Up next time, the other dragsters at the show!
投稿者 mooneyes : 2008年7月19日 10:00
