Well Bob, you only got the modifications started and you have your first match race and you were hoping to have another HAMBster style car to race. Big inch Ford 6 on gas takes on injected flatty on alcohol best of 3, looking forward to it, just make sure 2b don't tip a little "POP" in the tank. Nothing like a purpose for your winter project.
The 390 will work fine. Put a #35 or #40 pump squirter on and orient the carb north/south, not sideways.
The "match race" at the Meltdown will be lots of fun. Sure hope I can hold up my end. 2b-banjo really knows how to make his car run strong. I got the radiator and fan mounted, then put some time in on the hot rod project in the other stall. 'Bout then my worn out shoulder and thumbs yelled "stop". Had to take today off to rest the old bones. Thanks Frenchtown Flyer for the advice. That greatly simplifies the throttle linkage. I'll be borrowing a dial bore gauge so I can determine what direction to go regarding pistons and overboring.
Got the throttle linkage done, the gas pedal modified & front floor is finished. The 1/8" thick rear floor had to be extended forward to cover the longer driveshaft. Also I moved the driveshaft hoop to conform to the rules. Just about done with the mods for now. When the engine and trans go in in the spring the rest of the changes will be made. Some of those are: a new shifter, radiator hoses, driveshaft & a Moon-style gas tank. In a few days the chassis will be put on the trailer and tarped for the winter.
Sounds like the race car is going into hibernation for the long cold winter that looks like it will start next week in your area. More room in the shop to complete some hot rods. Stay worm and keep use in the loop. While we have some nice cool weather out this way I have also started some modifications on the 69 Suburban, new intake and carb. Hope to get body modifications done on race car this week then start on the block. Head is at machine shop now.
It's taken apart and ready to go into "cold storage", outside, behind the garage. I'll have all winter to find good deals on the parts I need. And to get the engine work done.
Ah, winter; that time of year that we in SoCal recall why we're here once again. Sorry, SoCal law requires each of us to annoy a minimum of one "back-easter" each November, I choose you. Seriously, it'll be cool to see'er turn out in the spring.
Thanks, Old6. Being annoyed is far better than being ignored. We poor souls in this area are known as Upper Mid-Westerners or as I sometimes say, Mid-Southern almost Canuks. Mid-50's and sunny today. Unfortunately a day of raking and bagging leaves.
My long time friend who won C Gas class at the Nationals in the 60's and ran a funny car for a number of years has always done all my engine machining. Sadly, he's suffering from an illness that worries me that he can't be accurate anymore. Based on this I went to a little one man shop 40 miles into Cheese Head country. He's a good guy who has done engines for a neighbor. I visited there today and we agreed on the work to be done and on the price. He's reasonable and fast. Next week I'll drop off the 300 block and rotating assembly to get the ball rolling. Even though it's colder than a well digger's behind, time flies when building an engine. Only problem is, I don't know where the money is coming from...
That seems to be a problem I have as well, maybe it is a Minnesota thing. I just keep swiping the card, I figure when it wont ring the register, I am finished.
Got to finish one of those on going Hot Rod Projects and get it sold. Must be a little nippy these days out in the shop. Grandkids said low/high of 16/24 deg in MI yesterday. It may cost more to heat the shop than you will spend on the motor. You are right about the time, race season is just around the corner.
It's been hovering around zero for the high temp each day lately. The salt won't even melt the ice and snow off the roads. My garage and house have styrofoam walls a foot thick. There are concrete and rebar columns and beams imbeded in the styrofoam. I keep the garage at 65 degrees and the cost isn't too bad. It's heated with an overhead gas furnace. I think the short block will be around a thousand bucks.
Well. here it is Dec 16th. And it's gonna be 81 degrees today,But a chili 61 tonight..To cold to work on our car, hahaha..Now you know why we live in Cal......
I bet you California boys don't have to clear a space in the truck with an ice chisel and snow shovel. It warmed up to the mid 20's today so I trucked the 300 Ford block off to the engine machine shop. Hopefully a .010" bore will clean up the already .040" over cylinders. If it works out I can use big block Ford forged pistons at $50.00 each.
Bob, don't let these guys kid you, I had to wear a long sleeve shirt today, But it was a very thin one, Temp hovering at 62 deg today. That picture of the motor in your truck, shows a guy that is serious about moving down the ET ladder. Stay worm, lots of Hot Apple Cider.
With the motor at the shop and the chassis buried in the snow I needed something to do. Back on Page 39 is a pic of the vintage Land Rover pickup I bought out of a junkyard last spring. I disassembled it (hundreds of 1/4" fine thread nuts and bolts holding the body together) only to find that the frame was too rusted to save. So here's how far I am on the new chassis and driveline. The firewall is steel so I am currently replacing portions of the foot boxes. 283, 200R4, S-10 rear, triangulated ladder bars with fake C/O's, junkyard MII front end. During the winter and the holidays, the HA/GR site is a little slow so I was hoping you guys wouldn't mind a little off topic show and tell.
cool. Id love to find an old International Harvester Scout 800 series... But in this neck of the woods they rusted out pretty fast.
Bob, I know what you mean about the nuts and bolts, I used to work on these things for a living. Not only all the bolts but some are even a Whitworth thread. Then there's the welded in trans mount so you have to remove the seats and floors to get the trans out. Oh fun days.
Nice to hear from you hoffbug. Saxon, on the main board has a quick Scout. I saw him run at the Meltdown Drags last summer. Yes, Nigel a miserable vehicle to disassemble. There won't be any "Landie" remaining other than sheet metal.
Got a call from the engine shop. The 300 block received a clean bill of health. It magnafluxed okay and it will clean up with a .010" rebore. The shop couldn't get the forged 390 Ford pistons I want so I called Summit. They tracked down a set, even though Sealed Power said they were out of stock. Cheaper and they let me buy six instead of a set of eight. Ordered ARP rod bolts too.
That is some good news with the block and pistons. How soon to get the block back? Those rods with ARP bolts will last you 20 seasons. The rear of the Rover looks top as all your work does. Keep pictures coming.
Do you realize that standard 390 pistons are 4.050", meaning that you will have to bore the block to 4.050"? That doesn't leave much room for a clean-up bore down the road as .060 is about max for a 300. 352 pistons (4.000 bore) will work if you take .050 off the top.
FTF, the block is already .040" over. That's why I was hoping a .010" rebore would clean it up as there had been a little water in a couple cylinders. Unless something goes wrong this short block should last me a long time. I don't race a lot. (Mainly like to build stuff).
Oh, I misunderstood - I thought you were shooting for a 4.010 bore. I've used 352 V8 (4.000 bore) pistons in the past. That's another option. They require a .050" cut off the top. At any rate, 300 blocks are plentiful and relatively cheap. Good luck with your rpoject.
This probably isn't worth a post. But I'm excited. The nice UPS guy delivered six Sealed Power forged pistons and a set of ARP rod bolts today. Frenchtown Flyer, If you swing by this thread, I could use a little advice on what to do to the head to develop around 300 ponies. (Very limited budget) Yes, there's been some 300 Ford engines on Craigslist pretty cheap. I've resisted as I hope I don't need spare "bullets" to race the casual way I go at it.
One horsepower-per-cubic-inch and "limited budget" unfortunately do not go together for this engine. You will need premium high performance parts throughout to reliably achieve 300 horsepower and not have to worry every time you sidestep the clutch or let go of the trans brake. Having said that I would go with Chevy 1.94 intakes, 1.55 or 1.6 SS exhausts, screw-in studs, roller rockers, ported head with polished combustion chambers, a three-angle valve job, and a FelPro # 1024 head gasket and a Mr. Gasket #260 intake/exhaust gasket. Given the constraints of running an HA/GR chassis I would say mid-tens is achieveable with a 300 six - if you are willing to pop for good parts.
The Jalopy Journal
