I took my car racing this weekend. My goal with this car is to run 10.0.
Last year at Beaver Springs I ran a best of 11.42, on motor.
This year I ran 11.36 @ 117.64, so I was happy I beat last years time.
So I hooked up a 150 shot, and ended up running a 10.45 @ 125.64 but then it happened.
The motor shut down and wouldn't restart.
I got towed back to our pit area and my friend started to pull the plugs. The even side looked good, but then he hit #5 cylinder and there it was, the ground and tip were completely smashed, not melted, but smashed and water was in the pan.
He thinks we dropped a valve and cracked the head.
But hey, I at least got a 10.45 before it happened. I think it would have been a faster run, knowing that around 3/4 track, I felt a hesitation but I just stayed in it because I wanted my first 10. I didn't know that my first 10 was going to be my last one for awhile......
Not sure what I'm going to do until we look at all the damage but the thought of a 700hp, 489 or 496 sounds good.
I work on 3 cars that run there. One is a 65 Nova with a 489. It dynoedat 660 hp runs 10.20. We ran it two seasons had it rebuilt. Ran it 3 more seasons and rebuilt it last spring. We make about 200 runs a season. Seths built it and has been as reliable as you would want. I assembled it this time. It is pump gas 10 and half compression with a hydraulic roller cam.
That is on an engine dyno. My HP to weight calculator says 525 to the wheel. It sounds low but I checked it a few times. My junk small block combos put down 425. I work on a 69 Nova with a Patriot crate motor they claim 430. It puts 446 to the ground.
Sorry guys, didn't know that I got any replies, no message was sent.
Here's an update, the #5 cylinder is totally wasted, cracked from top to bottom, and it looks like it started to split, going around the diameter of the cylinder. The exhaust valve broke off and was laying inside the cylinder and the piston looks like a moon crater. This is just not going to buff out no matter how hard we try. All the exhaust valves were hitting the pistons, so it was a matter of time, but maybe the 150 shot just helped it come a bit earlier.
The new roller rockers, each exhaust valve retainer and by the roller tip were showing rubbing signs and it appears that they were not riding on the stem of the valve but on the retainer. Too many things happened to this motor to think what may have caused this. Some people are saying weak springs, some people say over-revved, some people say improper pushrod length, but we will never know, it's history and on the way to the junk yard.
I'm parting out what I can to get some block money and then we will see what happens with a new and bigger build.
Hey DS1, were you up there that day? I went up on June 25th.
That's bittersweet by pure definition. Congrats on breaking into the 10s. Sympathies on sacrificing your engine in doing so. Let me brighten this up for you just a bit, blown engine and all: you went faster and did so quicker than probably anyone was able to without truckloads of $$$$$$$$$$$ and 100 corporate sponsors in 1960. Now doncha feel better already? I only added that cause I know you can't throw a wrench at me and hit me.
Let me close with this: There are two kinds of racers, those who have gone there and done that and blew an engine doing it and those who have gone there and done that and are gonna blow an engine doing it. As the British SAS motto reads" WHO DARES WINS"
Congrats again in joining the 10 second club.
WILL
Thanks Will....and to everyone else.
My wife said to me on the way home, you don't seem to upset about this. I said this is racing, yes I'm upset, this is the first year that my health has been good and I wanted to go race the car, but the fact is, the next time I hit the track, I'll be running 10's without the help of nitrous and 9's with help, so it s a win-win situation.
She then looks at me and says, you better get a second job!
I have not been down all year. Do you have the gold 69? I have a chance to go tonight if it does not rain. I'm building an S10 to fill the gap until I get the next Camaro built to race. Sold my white 68 4 years ago
Nope, I sent my wife to nursing school and that's going to cover my second job income.
She's done in less than 30 days....WOOHOO can you say aluminum heads....LOL
I have a new machined 4 bolt block with GM Forged crank, GM dimpled rods and new speed pro forged pistons at my machine shop. it's a 427 as I was planning a Yenko Tribute. Changed directions and don't have a home for it yet.
I have a new machined 4 bolt block with GM Forged crank, GM dimpled rods and new speed pro forged pistons at my machine shop. it's a 427 as I was planning a Yenko Tribute. Changed directions and don't have a home for it yet.
I got a set of dimple rods sitting on my work bench, that were polished, balanced, have ARP rod bolts and the ends bushed for floating pistons. Only thing I just discovered was, 7 rods are dimple rods and 1 isn't.
After all these years, I just found this out.....
UPDATE: the 408 had a steel 3.76 crank, that is getting sold and I was talked into building a 496.
As soon as the crank leaves, the block is then going to the machine shop to be checked out and cleaned.
We're going to run the Mahle piston's with a 48 dome and I think Scott said the heads are 119cc and if I'm correct the compression is going to be close to 13.2:1.
Update, A buddy has a 4.25" Eagle crank and 6.385" H beam Eagle rods sitting in his garage for me.
While waiting for a new motor, I got bored. I've been wanting a tubular radiator support and decided to build one since I had all the material laying around.
Here is how I laid things out:
Next I got the radiator mounted and put an "L" shaped headlight bucket support, which I made out of 1/4" steel tubing and two small weld tabs. I then made an aluminum bracket to mount to that support and bolted on the overflow can.
I'm going to try and mount the tranny cooler, in the space between the overflow can and the vertical support. I got to installed the driver side headlight bucket support and then after that, it can be un-bolted, final weld and painted.
Not bad for a cost of $0.00 for material and about three hours of work.
Nice job!!!!
Looks like things are coming together
What does your car weigh ??
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