© All content is protected by copyright. It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this site without express written concent of the owner/author.
It is not permissable to save and print or display in any fashion any of the images found here without express permission of the author/owner/copyright holder.
It is not permissable to save and print or display in any fashion any of the images found here without express permission of the author/owner/copyright holder.
Site intended for display at 1024x768 or larger.
Find out how you can get involved with the next 'Wheel of Dreams' project. Email Michael Clark today!
michaelclark@mts.net.
michaelclark@mts.net.
This is the story of the '40 Chev raffled off in '08. Reprinted with the kind permission of Michael Clark.
Previous portions of this story can be found here.
Part Fourteen: Power from the people
More donations roll in for our street rod project.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Battery Man!
The Caped Crusader of automotive electrical is celebrating 22 years of protecting Gotham, uhm, Winnipeg motorists from the evils of dead batteries, sick solenoids, and altered-state alternators. With our recent donation of a brand-spanking new Motomaster Eliminator battery from local hero Dixon Barrow, it was high time to secure a donation partner for the electrical needs of the Wheels of Dreams project car.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Battery Man!
The Caped Crusader of automotive electrical is celebrating 22 years of protecting Gotham, uhm, Winnipeg motorists from the evils of dead batteries, sick solenoids, and altered-state alternators. With our recent donation of a brand-spanking new Motomaster Eliminator battery from local hero Dixon Barrow, it was high time to secure a donation partner for the electrical needs of the Wheels of Dreams project car.
In case you've just pulled out of the parkade after a 4-month nap, The Wheels of Dreams project vehicle is a 1940 Chevrolet Master 85 two-door sedan, which is currently receiving a street rod makeover by the Hillbilly Garage near Garson, Manitoba, and the El Diablo's Car Club. Every aspect of the Wheels of Dreams car build is a complete donation. When complete, the car will be raffled off in 2008, with all proceeds going to The Rainbow Society, a Manitoba-based charitable organization that grants wishes to children within the province living with a life-threatening illness. You can view the entire Wheels of Dreams series at their website; www.therainbowsociety.com.
Leading the charging system is a 65 amp Delco-Remy alternator, which according to The Battery Man's General Manager Brett Duseigne, should be more than adequate for the electrical needs of the Chevy. "In the old days, you had nothing but a radio and heater," said Duseigne. "The amperage rating that you choose for a project depends on how many accessories you're going to be using." We're keeping that amount to a minimum, but there will be plenty of items receiving power that never did before. The vacuum wipers will be swapped for a 12-volt electrical upgrade kit, and it's expected that our donor seats from Team Auto Parts will have at least a power driver's seat. The Sony of Canada head unit will need some juice, as will the amplifier from our JBL Audio speaker upgrade. Add a trickle for the custom-built digital dash cluster, currently under development at FJO Racing Products. Don't forget about the lights, which will receive their zap via a Painless Performance wiring harness, which is currently enroute. The heavy chrome case of the alternator can receive additional amperage, if the need presents itself at a future date. "We could easily remove the guts from it, and make it a 94 amp unit," said Duseigne.
Getting our GM Performance Parts 350 mill to turn over means a high-torque starter. The engine, donated by Vickar Community Chevrolet, will get plenty of cranking from this new Delco-Remy unit. Rebuilt electrical parts are starting to disappear from many shelves. "Replacing parts with new instead of rebuilt makes a lot of fiscal sense, for us and the customer," said Duseigne, who will also be donating custom high-gauge battery welding cable. "It gives you very little electrical transfer loss," said Duseigne. The Battery Man crew is no stranger to charitable causes, supporting such organizations as Winnipeg Harvest. "It's all about trying to be good people." said Duseigne. "It's important to give something back."
Speaking of good people, there's some new one's in our fair city, in a great giving mood. Worldpac Canada has agreed to supply the Wheels of Dreams project car with the latest in high-end synthetic fluids, for the various sumps and reservoirs of our street rod. The company, which is the largest wholesaler of import auto parts in North America, will also be supplying long-life engine coolant for our coming-soon custom radiator, as well as any needed filters through their growing domestic lines. "It's a fantastic idea," said Jason Yurchak, Director of Sales and Operations for Western Canada. "The Worldpac organization supports numerous charities throughout Canada and the US, and what better way to do so than with a car like the Wheels of Dreams." Yurchak was recently in Winnipeg, putting the finishing touches on the company's new 11,000 square-foot distribution warehouse. This is high-end import-spec juice, with such names as Lubri Moly and Red Line Lubricants on the shelves. It may be a Chevy, but it will purr like a Mercedes.
Leading the charging system is a 65 amp Delco-Remy alternator, which according to The Battery Man's General Manager Brett Duseigne, should be more than adequate for the electrical needs of the Chevy. "In the old days, you had nothing but a radio and heater," said Duseigne. "The amperage rating that you choose for a project depends on how many accessories you're going to be using." We're keeping that amount to a minimum, but there will be plenty of items receiving power that never did before. The vacuum wipers will be swapped for a 12-volt electrical upgrade kit, and it's expected that our donor seats from Team Auto Parts will have at least a power driver's seat. The Sony of Canada head unit will need some juice, as will the amplifier from our JBL Audio speaker upgrade. Add a trickle for the custom-built digital dash cluster, currently under development at FJO Racing Products. Don't forget about the lights, which will receive their zap via a Painless Performance wiring harness, which is currently enroute. The heavy chrome case of the alternator can receive additional amperage, if the need presents itself at a future date. "We could easily remove the guts from it, and make it a 94 amp unit," said Duseigne.
Getting our GM Performance Parts 350 mill to turn over means a high-torque starter. The engine, donated by Vickar Community Chevrolet, will get plenty of cranking from this new Delco-Remy unit. Rebuilt electrical parts are starting to disappear from many shelves. "Replacing parts with new instead of rebuilt makes a lot of fiscal sense, for us and the customer," said Duseigne, who will also be donating custom high-gauge battery welding cable. "It gives you very little electrical transfer loss," said Duseigne. The Battery Man crew is no stranger to charitable causes, supporting such organizations as Winnipeg Harvest. "It's all about trying to be good people." said Duseigne. "It's important to give something back."
Speaking of good people, there's some new one's in our fair city, in a great giving mood. Worldpac Canada has agreed to supply the Wheels of Dreams project car with the latest in high-end synthetic fluids, for the various sumps and reservoirs of our street rod. The company, which is the largest wholesaler of import auto parts in North America, will also be supplying long-life engine coolant for our coming-soon custom radiator, as well as any needed filters through their growing domestic lines. "It's a fantastic idea," said Jason Yurchak, Director of Sales and Operations for Western Canada. "The Worldpac organization supports numerous charities throughout Canada and the US, and what better way to do so than with a car like the Wheels of Dreams." Yurchak was recently in Winnipeg, putting the finishing touches on the company's new 11,000 square-foot distribution warehouse. This is high-end import-spec juice, with such names as Lubri Moly and Red Line Lubricants on the shelves. It may be a Chevy, but it will purr like a Mercedes.
As for more local support, how's about a Local? The membership of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 3005 has pledged $100 to the Wheels of Dreams cause. The Local comprises the union staff at Bristol Aerospace, with about 400 members. A special thanks to union member Steve Borynsky, who spearheaded the donation request. "This is a great project to help sick kids," said Borynsky, who has also put forth a formal challenge to other locals and unions, to match or beat the donation. These dollars are sorely needed to complete the Wheels of Dreams project car, especially for unique parts that we are in the process of sourcing.