Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General CyberWake for Ray, the OF

Since we don't have a bar to adjorn to, we'll have to hold the wake right here (as Ray would have wanted).

So the rules are simple; tell us something about your relationship with Ray and then have a sip of the cold one of your choice in rememberance.

Who's going to go first? What? OK just one story...

Ray had to come to Kansas City for a conference and I met him for a steak. I didn't exactly know what Ray did for a living, but I had a couple of clues. His .sig in those days was from llnl.gov, that clue escaped me for awhile until I remembered where Ray lived and I figured it was the Lawerence-Livermore National Labs (hot stuff). So why's he coming to KC? Opps, Allied Signal built the non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons in KC. Hmmmm.... Then one day on the list someone was talking about airbags and Ray responded with a long technical answer regarding the 'squib' explosive charge that actuates the bag. Double hmmmmm... Seems like Ray knew an awful lot about what it takes to get to get a 'fire' started. I believe that if you needed something blown up (like a large city ;-), Ray was your man.

Thanks Ray, for being my friend!!

That explains his "I'm an EE with just enough mechanical background to be dangerous". A whole new meaning...

I live with a feeling of deep personal loss... and I never met him personally. How much of a good man it takes to be like that?

------------------
--alex | 96 GL(sort of) V6 ATX | 98 SE V6 MTX Sport

I remeber wrestling with some struts at Squires place in KC several years ago. The only way we got through it was with several calls to Ray. He helped with tips from changing the plugs to initiating the reality of putting the 3.0 Duratec in.

Here's to Ray!!




------------------
Greg Litterick
98 E0 T-Red
#613

I remember the first time I talked (typed) to Ray. August '98 as I was researching my next vehicle after tiring of my '96 S-10SS. Hum, SVT makes a Contour huh? Wonder if there are any aftermarket items for it... do de do de do... Searched the web... Found Atascadero Ford, called them up and talked with Gary Starr, head of Internet sales. "Well, sorry, we don't carry anything for the SVT in terms of upgrades... hold on a second. I met this guy last week talking of something similar... (shuffling around in the background)... they have a website. WWW.contour.org, this guy's name was Ray McNairy." O.K., next stop contour.org. Hum... mailing list huh? Subscribe to something something american.edu. First mail from me, "Attn: Ray Mcnairy". I gave my background, thoughts on the SVT and regular Contours and received very insightful feedback from Ray concerning what mods worked, what didn't and what I could expect from each. I distinctly remember his comment "The only bad thing for a young pup like you is going to be your friends thinking you're turning into an O.F. like me. Don't let them talk you out of it until after you test drive one."

A couple of weeks later after hearing the "you're getting a four door?!?!?!?" from my friends, I made my deal on my "Silvie", '99 SE MTX and picked it up Oct. 6th. First mod via Ray?s insight, KKM. We went on to talk about dyno charts, exhaust mods, etc., etc., etc. We also talked about my other love at the time, a '74 Fiat spyder... His first comment? "I think Fiat means rust in Italian"

After meeting Ray at the KC '99 meet, I knew he truly was the very special person he seemed to be over the net. Kind, insightful, and always willing to share an experience with the group. We all kind of huddled around him like the little Chihuahua does to the bulldog in the WB cartoons... "What mods are we gonna do next Spike, huh Spike, huh? Come on Spike, lets do some mods today Spike..."

A great loss to our Contour community, Ray... we'll carry the torch for you from here.

From here on out, all BNM products will have some way of paying homage to one of our fallen leaders as my personal contribution to his remembrance.




------------------
Brad Noon
'99 SE MTX, many mods
http://www.bnmotorsports.com

Hey guys, I archived most of those posts about the 3 liter... here's the first one I remember of the first true possability...

From: Ray McNairy [mugwump2@WORLDNET.ATT.NET]
Sent: Friday, April 23, 1999 12:19 AM
To: CONTOUR-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Subject: Oh MY Goodness!! I'm in LUST

OH MY GOD, there is justice in this world!!
From Paul Amaral at Ford outlet.

>>Paul, got this from the inside. Can you get the 1999 Taurus/Sable Duratec
>>3L short block? And if so, how much? I'm in no hurry as I'll probably
>>need a part time job to pay for it.
>>
>>>>As for the 3.0L Duratec fitting into the Contour. Been there, done
>>>>that, and
>>>>you would need some "Depends" when you tip into the throttle. See the May
>>>>issue of " Motor Trend " as there is an article on the 3.0L Cougar S
>>>>that has
>>>>the 3.0L in it. The issue with the 3.0L is that you require a latest level
>>>>production short block
>
>
>Hello Ray,
>
>I think you might be pleasantly surprised by this one. The 24 valve DOHC
>3.0l for the 99 Taurus retails for $1146.00 and we will sell it for $860.00
>plus actual shipping charges which shouldn't exceed $50.00. It is in stock
>in Detroit only at this time. Let me know when you get a job and we will
>get it coming for you.
>
>Take care
>Paul
>

Ray-Old Fart Emeritus-McNairy, Owner of Sofia,a 95 Contour
V-6/MTX, Extensive mods, too obnoxiously long to list.


------------------
Brad Noon
'99 SE MTX, many mods
http://www.bnmotorsports.com

I remember when Ray first came up with the THF. I did not have a clue as to what hose to put the pipe plug in. We did not have pictures of the "fix" yet. I emailed him with my phone number and within 15 minutes the OF was on the phone giving me step-by-step instructions. He did the same for me this past August when my cooling fans ran constantly. I remember sending Ray a set of +4 plats and waiting to receive his "blessing" on them. The thing that impresses me the most is that you felt like you "knew him" even though we had never met.
Being on this list since just about the beginning (11/96), I felt very close to him.
This has been very painful and reminds me how attached I have become to this list.

Barry-another OF

The OF as I know him always answered my posts even when the rest of you guys thought they were stupid. He was a great host to anybody new to this forum. And the rum and eggnog was
in rememberance of you. "The OF" I just wish I had that many people when I pass on that liked what I did and could say like we are saying now. "There goes a guy that meant something to all of us" And OF. if you are looking down on us. Hey! I hope you are smilling because the car your driving up there needs no work and is faster then we could ever hope down here!

When I was first getting over the fact that I HAD to sell my old fire breathing Saab 9000 turbo (many, many, mods, very, very fast) the only car I could come up with that I could afford AND could come close to the Saab's performance was my friend's 95 SE. After poking around the net for some 'tour information I landed at contour.org Just reading the archived info was soon not enough for me, and I joined the email list. Getting my hands on my 'tour took 3 months, not the three weeks it was supposed to, so the list was my daily outlet for my growing contour habit. The more I read, the more I kept seeing posts from this guy Ray McNairy. The more I read, the more I began to appreciate what he had to say. Unlike most auto lists I had been on, this one was full of good, honest technical information. No hype or sticker power, just the real deal stuff. Ray became the "last word" on any of the hair-brained ideas that we could come up with, and he always answered our questions without the slightest bit of derision.
I know Ray had been sick for a while. I kept thinking of him as I was reading Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About The Bike" - the story of how Lance overcame an almost terminal case of testicular cancer. I kept thinking that I would see his presence grace our inboxes soon enough, but unfortunately thats not going to happen now.
Ray's legacy is the maturity level of the CEG. His presence and keen B.S. detector made sure that this site (and the email list) were a place where knowledgeable discourse took place.
If I am not mistaken, didn't Ray come up with the throttle hang fix? Maybe we sould rename one of the best contour mods after one the best contour enthusiasts we had?


------------------
Alex S.

95 SE MTX
Midnight Red w/all options

Susp: Koni, Eibach, Kumho Ecsta Supra 712 205/50Z/15

Motor: KKM, ASP, Magnecor, +4's, Grizzly Street clutch, SVT flywheel, SVT rear motor mounts, resonator removed, TH fix, EGR restrictor, Ported MAF, Mobil 1

Audio: Kenwood eXcelon X815, Infinity Reference speakers

Other: Badgeless, KKM pedals, 885 fog bulbs