verle

An open letter for KyleDallas; hopefully others can benefit.

Duke is an engineer by education and experience. He exhibits traits that are common to many engineers, he sometimes responds harshly to someone who doesn’t understand and who questions things in his area of expertise. Engineers tend to be people who have concentrated on understanding and solving technical problems and never develop good interpersonal skills. I can say that because I am a retired engineer.

KyleDallas states:

“I believe I am the only one in this section who has worked on and been privy to the most powerful naturally aspirated Engines in motorsports and the technology and personel that surround them.(Pro Stock).I'd be more than happy to take instruction from the engineers on the forum here who have built engines that have produced over 2hp per cubic inch with heads they machined from rough/unfinished lumps...
I'd also be willing to let any engineer here apply their Isentropic studies in a practical cylinder head porting excercise or engine build off against me on the SBC/ or on SBC heads.... Im sure the results would be educational.”

I do not question your experience and you are probably the only person here with that experience. That is not the question.

Who am I besides a retired engineer? A life long hot rodder, have owned Corvettes for 40 years and one time racer. I raced Corvettes with some local success back in the 1960s. I won my class at the AHRA National Drags in the 1960s in A Gas Dragster and won three rounds of Top Eliminator before losing. So I have a little experience with racing engines; all obsolete with today’s parts and technology.

But this is about this forum…..

Some people here are interested in building the most horsepower they can afford for their Corvette. I am sure you can provide help in achieving their goals.

Others, myself included, are interested in improving the performance of their Corvette while maintaining stock appearance and while using mostly OEM parts.

This is the area Duke has been addressing, not building an all out race engine. I for one do not want a Pro Stock engine in my Corvette; I drive it. I have other cars for hot rods with engines appropriate for their use. Duke’s information is useful when applied to the configuration Duke spells out. As everyone should know, the secret to an engine that runs good is the right COMBINATION of parts. That combination is oriented for a particular goal. Duke’s goal is a good running street engine. If some of Duke’s advise is applied to an engine that is a different configuration it may not do well. So everyone must make a judgment if it will apply to their case.

KyleDallas, your goal seems to be to run Duke off this forum. Is that the case?

Could this forum not be better served by questions seeking clarification? Questions that hopefully would produce explanations of use to us all. Have you so much knowledge and experience that there is nothing you can learn? That is not the case with me and possibly others here.

Ask questions, seek knowledge, and help others. And if you disagree, do so in a technical manner, not a personal attack.

67vetteal

Unfortunately Duke has left this building a long time ago. Therefore I'm asking what this posting is about? Al W.

verle

If you will read the thread:

"For you cam gurus out there, how does this compare to an LT-1? "

You will see that Duke returned, at least temporarily.

Verle

dennis sellards

aaronz28

Kyle was harsh, no doubt about it, but Duke has been just as brutal every time someone questions his methods or his pontifications and no one comes running to their aid and slamming Duke for yelling at people for misspelling and challenging the professor.

wmf62

Aaron...
thank you....
Bill

woodsdesign

Personally I want my corvette to be the best it can be. I don't want a race car. I want my engine to look stock and run good. That is fun for me. If someone is a little harsh (for lack of a better term) but has some good ideas, that is fine with me as I can take it. Everyone has their own way about them and that doesn't mean that they are a bad person or don't have knowledge. In fact that is a quirk of some of the most talented engineers. So bring it on. I will take your wrath if it will benefit my cause. Which is to build the perfect Corvette. For me.
jm2c

Woodsdesign

GCD1962

Duke reminds me of a friend in the 60s. He too was an engineer and would engage in discussions for hours and hours, lots of theory and all the points seemed sensible. In the end the friend would consistently get his doors blown in on the track, by the garage mechanic "car nuts"
Moral - what seems to be the perfect setting on paper or in theory, doesn't always translate into a winning combination.

I always thought Duke a little aloof - he thought all aftermarket performance items were merely marketing schemes by the manufacturers to get people to spend money and that buying them was a waste of money.

Hitch

No good can come of this....

BADBIRDCAGE

You got that right.

I always read Duke's posts and considered the position from where he was speaking. Many times his posts were above my level of comprehension in the engineering world. That didn't make them bad or wrong, just above my level of comprehension.

I was able to learn things from him. I did not always agree with his "logic". But that's just me.

Rich

7vettes

magicv8

Here's some good:

Observations of an engineer or two.... you know you're a geek if...

Someone says, "What are the odds?" and you calculate them.

You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

There are two members of the opposite gender on your bed, and you're on your computer.

In the bathroom, you can hear people talking about calculus.

A friend calls you and wakes you up with a homework question, and you can't get back to sleep until you figure it out.

Your professor asks the class if anyone saw the football game yesterday, and it is followed by a minute of awkward silence.

........... add some onto the list, but they have to be funny - not mean

327Heaven

Okay guys, take it from an old coot: time to chill out and smell the roses

I for one take what information I can digest and apply it to my particular needs. Of course I don't understand everything that is presented here, BUT, this is a forum of freely shared ideas isn't it? Take what you can use, ask questions about what you don't understand, and take with a grain of salt those "experts" who slam each other based on their feelings of superiority.

I came to this forum for the knowledge it provides. What I have learned thus far? (1) Nothing is absolute (2) Yes, personalities suck (3) best damned site for mid-year information found anywhere

Time for another beer

Blkblt

Yep. That sums it up for me also. I received great information from both parties in question here. Much of is was over my head, but all forced me to follow-up and learn. THAT was the ONLY reason I joined this Forum 8 years back. It continues to be a fun and educational ride!!!!

To all, including KyleDallas and Duke, where ever you be!

Geek's 65

Totally agree with this statement but would also throw in that when I was rebuilding my engine and looking for insight, Kyle provided it. When I explained that I was an electronic engineer and not a motorhead with a solid foundation, he dumbed it down for me and provided me with great information that I could use to make my own informed decisions. I go back to the original question of "What was the point of this?" Both Kyle and Duke are invaluable to us all.

Geek

Donny Brass

Engineers explained ... why they are like they are

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Understanding Engineers - Take One:

Two engineering students were walking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"

The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, Minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want."

The second engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice; the clothes probably wouldn't have fit you anyway."


Understanding Engineers - Take Two

To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Understanding Engineers - Take Three

A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a Particularly slow group of golfers.

The engineer fumed, "What's with those blokes? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"

The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept Golf!"

The priest said, "Here comes the greens keeper. Let's have a word with Him."

He said, "Hello, George! What's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

The greens keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind fire fighters.

They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."

The group fell silent for a moment.

The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."

The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if there's anything he can do for them."

The engineer said, "Why can't they play at night?"

Understanding Engineers - Take Four

What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers?

Mechanical engineers build weapons and civil engineers build targets

Understanding Engineers - Take Five

The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The Graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The Graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The Graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

Understanding Engineers - Take Six

Normal people believe that if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it isn't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

Retired Engineers

An elderly engineer went to the local drug store and asked the pharmacist for the little blue "Viagra" pills.

The pharmacist asked "How many?"

The man replied, "Just a few, maybe a half dozen. I cut each one into four pieces."

The pharmacist said, "That's too small a dose. That won't get you through intimacy.

The old fellow said, "Oh, I'm past eighty years old and I don't even think about intimacy much anymore. I just want it to stick out far enough so I don't pee on my new golf shoes".

magicv8

Blkblt

Having worked with engineers all my career, I love these!!

Thanks for steering this somewhat strange thread in the right direction!!!!

silverslashstreak

In 1971 I was a 2nd year Mechanical Engineering student at the U of Arkansas. A friend of mine, a 5th year ME student came over one afternoon to help me with one of my classes. At the time I was torquing down the heads on my room mates Nova we had just done some hop up on and my ME buddy took a look at the torque wrench and ask me what it was. I said Bob that is what you have been studying about for the last 5 years.

As soon as the semester was over I switched into Finance. All that to say most engineers are brilliant, but are often times lacking in practical application.

ctjackster

bunch of freakin engineer types thumping their little pocket-protector chests each trying to claim they are the true know it all - look, Kyle, Duke, the others (you too Aaron), you all have great thoughts to share (I learn from all of you) - howsabout practicing a little tolerance for other views, and then you guys can coexist in the same space?

look, those of us who are real true head-knockin bad asses and used to being the leader of our own little packs in real life are able to figure this "no man is king" thing out, I have to beleive the engineers can . . . .