Listen to a pre-war flathead V8 roadster running on nitro

[777]

I was wondering whether or not it would be worth the effort / WoW factor to run Nitro in the Belond roadster since that was his fuel of choice.

I like to keep this car as authentic as possible and have been kicking the idea of mixing nitro in the tank around for awhile.


So I added this link to the roadster running on 20% Nitro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLFTO0Bx9-E



but Sandy's "Hot Fuel" fuel formula of choice in 1942 was 58% Methanol, 20% low octane gas, 20% Nitro, 2% Castor oil, 572.0 cc Xylene per gal., 46.3 cc Ethyl Iodine per gal., 1.0cc per gallon Ethyl fluid. I Didn't blend this and I don't recommended doing it either.
Instead I blended 55% Methanol, 20 % Nitro, 20% race gas 4% Benzol and 1% Castor oil.

Results: When the jetting is close you can barely tell there is nitro present but as it loads up there is a bit more cackle and it does rev a little quicker. Yes it burns your eyes and people do know your running alcohol and the castor oil is pretty easy to decipher. That seems to get more people excited then anything else.
But I also tried VP M5 which is a complex hydrocarbon, methanol blend and it does run a lot harder on that but it smells "orangey" and I'm not sure either is really worth the effort.
At least this way if you were wondering what it would sound like if you tipped the can on your flattie, now you have an idea.

[Human Fly]

My no no area feels funny!

[Jimmy B]

Hear that fucker snarl!!! Music I tell ya!

[captmullette]

damn!! a bad ass flattie

[flatheadpete]

Sounds pretty angry. I like it!

[CAL]

Thanks, that made my day.

[SUHRsc]

thanks....

[v-v]

Post some more video at your roadster, it sounds so MEAN!!!!!!!!!1

[plan9]

since nitromethane and methanol is expensive as shit, (plus all the other stuff you are mixing in $$$$) I'd only use it for showing off. i get what you are trying to accomplish though... wish i had sound at work!

20% is conservative, which is good... at El Mirage we gained about 10 mph with a tail wind, we started off with 100% methanol for a baseline then mixed up a batch of 20%. the 296 flathead happily made power up through 6-6500 rpm.

pump gas was shit during Belonds time and nitro didnt cost $25.00 or more per gallon. i bet the Castor oil was used to help preserve gaskets and seals. make sure you drain the fuel system after use and make sure you never go lean or your motor will eat itself

[777]

Thanks for the info Plan 9,
You might find this interesting, the old timer I got Belonds fuel formulas from told me they ran the regular gas because it would help to light the nitro.

Also I was hoping for more cackle myself and did go as high as 50%. It was more pronounced but it seems to me that the more fuel you throw at it the more it wants and it doesn't seems to ever flood like gas does but the fuel system just can't flow enough volume to keep up with the demand.

Note of caution for anyone who may attempt this. Advance the timing at least another 10 degrees ahead, to give the slower burning fuels more burn time, it seems unlikely that it will detonate, I went as far as 40-degrees ahead. And don't be scared to go Big on the jetting; actually I probably could have thrown the jets in the trash. My emulsion tubes are .125 and the jets are .098 for this set up.

On jetting. Once you go way outside of the fuel curve, think more then 7 jet sizes, the A/F ratio goes to rich in the tubes and the air bleeds will need to be opened up to compensate. I tapped the air bleed and installed screw in air bleeds instead. Eventually I also need to bore all the holes in the emulsion tubes and added another set of holes.

[777]

Originally Posted by v-v

Post some more video at your roadster, it sounds so MEAN!!!!!!!!!1

I'll work on it; I might pull the extensions off and head over to the Don Blair ceremony, uncorked, tonight at the Parks museum, if so I might be able to get something better shot.

[Human Fly]

What are the details on your flathead???

[JC Sparks]

You are going to need bigger tires. JC

[Unkl Ian]

Originally Posted by 777

they ran the regular gas because it would help to light the nitro.

There were lots of different chemicals used to "ignite" the Nitro, because it doesn't really want to start burning.

[Malcolm]

WOW. That sounds AWESOME -- Thank you!!


Malcolm

[Kustom Linez]

Awesome sounds great!!

[Tman]

What Malcolm said! Thanks!!!!!!!!!

[jambottle]

That makes the hair on the back of my neck,stand up.I was up at Mike Longley`s in Florida, a couple of years ago and he started up the henderson Roadster for me and it gave me the same Feeling.I wonder if he has a vidio of it running.

[JeffreyJames]

Best sounding engine ever. Ive listened to that like 5 times since you posted it on the 40's thread.


Any chance of a run down on some of your engine build?

[Iceberg460]

Holy shit! That thing sounds f'in awesome. Thanks for posting man.