Story Behind The Monstrut Controversy (1 Viewer)

[Keith Burgan]

Anita,
Kloeber's team obviously put some money into the creation of the package if Mike statement about Greg Werner putting up a six figure sum to get things rolling is correct. This may have been all eaten up by the CFD work and other design considerations but the fact remains that the originator of the concept did not just provide the idea. I understand from Brad's comments that he had in the vicinity of $40,000 and Ron about half as much again in the project but the intellectual side of things was/is Kloeber/Werner's property.
I have not spoken with either Brad or Mike since this deal blew up so I am relying on the 1320 TV interviews for my info on the controversy. I have worked with Brad on a couple of projects and he is a great guy and obviously builds some of the fastest cars out there. Likewise Mike is an extremely sharp crew chief who is not afraid to explore new technology. Powers enters the picture as a businessman trying to get what he wants to advance his own program. I don't think that the blame can be laid totally on anyone's shoulders as all involved contributed to the current situation via various actions on their own part although I do feel that Brad should have apprised Mike of the situation before it got to the point of no return.

Roo Man

 

[Rajunz]

Exactly what I said in my previous post on this. Power's should not be blamed for this, he wanted to purchase something and made a deal. I also don't blame Hadman for wanting to recoup his $$$ back out of the project, I understand that he is in the business to make money, but he should have had that conversation with Kloeber before the deal was finalized.

 

[nick name]

Roo,

You know the parties involved and I don't but I'm not sure that I would let everyone off so easily.

Assuming they wanted this type of wing constructed and didn't have the skills themselves to specify the important parameters and details, how much do you think that Powers or Hadman would have had to pay for a consultant to get the necessary info?

I'm not saying that Powers's present personnel or Hadman are incapable of doing the job, merely pointing out that we all seem to be assuming that Kloeber's inventiveness and experience are of no particular dollar value.

I deeply respect Hadman's skills and reputation, but its seems to me if he was able to do this project on his own he would have done so a long time ago. The key seems to be Mike's input on exactly what was needed.

If the design was to be sold to someone else to recoup the money, it would seem fair to me that everyone involved should be paid for their efforts.

Back when I was racing full time, and even now in the computer field, I constantly run into people who believe that expertise and ideas are intangible things. It's a sore spot whenever I see a concept come to fruition without the inventor / developer getting fair value for their brainpower and experience.

Anita
Kloeber's team obviously put some money into the creation of the package if Mike statement about Greg Werner putting up a six figure sum to get things rolling is correct. This may have been all eaten up by the CFD work and other design considerations but the fact remains that the originator of the concept did not just provide the idea. I understand from Brad's comments that he had in the vicinity of $40,000 and Ron about half as much again in the project but the intellectual side of things was/is Kloeber/Werner's property.
I have not spoken with either Brad or Mike since this deal blew up so I am relying on the 1320 TV interviews for my info on the controversy. I have worked with Brad on a couple of projects and he is a great guy and obviously builds some of the fastest cars out there. Likewise Mike is an extremely sharp crew chief who is not afraid to explore new technology. Powers enters the picture as a businessman trying to get what he wants to advance his own program. I don't think that the blame can be laid totally on anyone's shoulders as all involved contributed to the current situation via various actions on their own part although I do feel that Brad should have apprised Mike of the situation before it got to the point of no return.

Roo Man

 

[Tom]

I wonder what Garlits thinks of it , technically its just a carry on of his design

I was just going to say the same thing. It's pretty arrogant of Mike Kloeber to whine about it when he is NOT the originator of the Monostrut rear wing. In fact, Garlits and Co. already took the initial flak and headaches from NHRA to get the monostrut on the track, so Klobeber's beef doesn't hold water here.

 

[summer]

Didn't some one come to Pheonix test a couple of years ago. Was it Bernstien? NHRA turned it down if I remember. Klober was not the first to have this idea. So in reality Fuller was not the first to ever have one on a car.

 

[Nick Name]

Is this Powers, the same guy that built the "Nostalgia" funnycar with a modern batmobile body?

Jay

 

[Raconteur]

Is this Powers, the same guy that built the "Nostalgia" funnycar with a modern batmobile body?

NO - John Powers III is the Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car owner, not David Powers.




.

 

[Nunz]

I'm a HUGE Garlits fan, but didn't Cerny & Mooody run a mono back in '72? I remember the car being the 2nd TF in the fives, and I think won the big race at Ontario. Garlits definitely made his work, however, in the modern era, going 323 with it a few years ago.

 

[stanman]

I can't help but wonder if there are any similarities between this situation and a R&D agreement that was made with MBE Cylinders and one of the persons involved in Mono-Gate... where an outstanding bill for $6446.15 (Invoice #10539) is still owed? And maybe that led to the wing assembly being sold to a 3rd party?

 

[Rajunz]

I was just going to say the same thing. It's pretty arrogant of Mike Kloeber to whine about it when he is NOT the originator of the Monostrut rear wing. In fact, Garlits and Co. already took the initial flak and headaches from NHRA to get the monostrut on the track, so Klobeber's beef doesn't hold water here.

I don't think that you will ever find anywhere's that Kloeber claimed to be originator of the Monostrut rear wing. But you have to abmit that there is a huge difference in what was on the back of the Swamp Rat and what is on the back of the Valvoline car right now!!!

 

[Doug in the woods]

Where did DPR get the mono strut they wind tunnel tested in Canada?
I recall reading somewhere this is what took place.
Different builder or ??