Projects Gene (Moonlighter) Cromer's A/G Willys Resurrection

havent heard anything lately, sure hope gene can make it to the melt down! looking forward to seeing the car and gene of course!

 

How about as far as HP wise? I understand its a crap shoot, but say with a stock block SBF 500hp is gambling. Just wondering how capable a FE block is.

 

The cross bolt mains give the 427 some umph, but the bores are thin. Its very common for 427's to have cyl. walls barely.100 thick, on the non thrust side. Before Robert started making his own blocks (the cast iron versions are .250 thick @ 4.375, that's .142 over std) He'd run 4.280 (.047 over, with block filler). The two bolt mains start moving around past the 600HP range and/or high cyl. pressure applications in the 390, 410, 428's from what I'm told. My brother in law Chris Whitney, also races FE's in Stock Eliminator. His best iron head 390 made 496hp, and ram 10.70's @ 124 in F/S @ 3470lbs. He built a legal Edelbrock headed 390 that made 517, then we did some pistons for an Edelbrock 390 Stocker that Lance Line (Pro Stock racer Jason Lines brother)built. I'm not at liberty to say what it made, but it dropped our jaws, and Lances dyno is very conservative. Most good 428 stocker engines make 560-580, Lance's 428's are stouter yet. The 428 guys best bet (before the Pond, or Genesis block), was sleeving down cross bolt 427 blocks. If I were Gene, I'd sell some of his production blocks (they're worth some money), and get a Pond block, it'll take a bunch more steam, however, the production block would take enough steam to put a little more pick up in The Moon Lighters legs. I'm guessing a bit here, but the production cross bolt block might stand 800hp for a bit..,anybody know better?

 

Think this would help?

 

Yep, girdles are always better than nothing. My dad had problems keeping the main webs in 265/283 & early 327 blocks. The 3.000 stroke 265/283 cranks didn't have alot of counter weight in them, so when you drop the hammer on one with 60-90 lbs of flywheel, pressure plate, & disc @ 6000+ rpm, the crank would try to "whip" itself out of the mains. Dad first strapped the main caps which helped a little, but the girdle was a big improvement, and adding counter weight to the crank helped even more.

 

I've been 9.22 @ 143+ at 3350 lbs. with an unfilled '63 center oiler and a flat tappet cam. Those stock blocks can take plenty of power if you build them right... I think we will be faster this fall in killer air with some little changes we recently made too. Mr. Cromer's car runs damn good. It just shows you how good those old FE parts really were. I'm so happy to see that FE out there kicking but and taking names. I'd like to see him put a good C4 in there. We picked up a bunch switching from a C6 to a C4.

 

I don't know, but Gene ran an FE Wedge in an altered wheelbase mustang circa mid-late sixties, and it ran as low as 8.35 on nitro. That would have been pretty stressful.

--- Steve ---

 

Has anybody brought up to Mr Cromer how much more he might push the Moonlighter? With the gear change, he must be looking for a little more lol.

 

Since you mentioned the Mustang, Moonlighter Too. Gene shocked me the other day, while talking about the spool in the Willys. He said that he always ran a open rear in the Mustang. He evidently got it to hook.

 

Some of the Fuel Altereds ran open rears back in the day too, it kept from climbing guard rails.

 

I've often wondered what ever happened to that Moonlighter.

 

I think running an open rear end was more common back then, than we think. This is a really great story, and a really good thread. Still my favorite.

 

The Moonlighter still wows the fans, 5/31 @ Shady Side Dragway.

 

^^^^Beautiful

 

An instant classic shot!

 

Every time I see the wheels of the Moonlighter in the air I am so thankful to everyone that help Gene get back behind the wheel.

I remember a few people ask me did I think Gene was going to race the car or just do some exhibition runs,,,I think even the naysayers have now become believers.

I knew Gene was still a racer at heart but I believe with all my heart he has exceeded his own expectations,,he was my hero when I was a kid,,he still is! HRP

 

Amen to Gene being a hero for his racing abilities and the type man he is when not behind the wheel of that iconic Willys. Behind a great man is a great lady-always! Ruth!

 

Here's a great video from Shady Side made by Bobby Bennett of Competition Plus.com
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152448127584894&set=vb.656399893&type=2&theater&notif_t=video_comment

 

This video is what the South East Gassers Association is all about.

 

Thanks for posting Frank and a big thanks to the guys at skull garage for the great video. HRP

 

Anyone wanting shirts pm. me and give me your mailing address, size and the blue or black color.
Gene,

 

Gene
I sent a PM to you about a t shirt. Gary

 

Just dropping in to say hi because I haven't been here for a while. The new hamb setup had quit letting me know there had been stuff posted on here so I hadn't stopped by. As y'all can see by the videos Gene has been running the wheels off the Moonlighter. On my way in I checked, this thread is over 375,000 views Thank's for all y'alls support.

 

Gene, I sent a message also, they are conversations now?

 

Man, i

Its comments like this that are music to my ears (eyes?). Too often, old farts like me tend to miss the fact that technology has come a long way since we were youngun's. The fact that we can combine the best of the old and new, using state of the art materials while preserving the visual points of the older engines is just a win-win situation. I'm a diehard carburetor and points guy but if the newer material available makes my engines better I'm all for it.

 

Btw I just watched that video that Frank Taylor posted and got a kick out of that '57 Chevy treeing the hell out of Quain. Maybe he was on his lunch break. lol

 

You guys really do gassers right! That looks like a great series. Gene's is very cool being a Ford 427.

 

The guy in the 57, Dale Wilson, is the real deal. He works on his own car in the back yard, no shop, and is happy to be on the track with the South East Gassers. While some of the guys are spending big bucks trying to get into the 5's, Dale is just hoping to break into the 7's. I wish there were more like him.

 

Hey folks, head on over and check out the thread that I just started about the Moonlighter being featured in The Rodders Journal. What an honor for Gene and his hot rod! Here's a direct link http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...urnal-shows-the-moonlighter-some-love.928658/

Quain

 

The Moonlighter is going to be at the Day B4 Father's Day car show in downtown Anderson, SC tomorrow. Come on out and see the Moonlighter and a whole bunch of other great looking cars.