Hot Rods Dare to be different - 63 Scout

Hey Dave, I've got a 35 tooth pulley on the shelf, if that helps.......
Ralph

 

Yup...that helps. I'm running a 32/34 for the 5% combinations. Running 34/35 would be closer to 1-1 and create a little less hp. Hopefully that will let me tune the chassis a little at a time

 

Just read the whole thread awesome...

 

Pretty amazing story Saxxon (though I've only read half so far.) Long time Scout owner here, though I've never thought of it as a drag racer.

Obligatory photo of my '63, as she was in 1973 (the white one), as she sits today & some old pics from the manual





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Sharp eyes will notice that mine has an 800a body sitting on an 80 chassis. It has the bigger 4 cyl from an 800.

 

Wow - dude - didn't know you knew Jungle Pam Hardy !! (Or did every girl look this way back then?)
It's funny how I have one of the most photographed Scouts on the internet yet I know very little about the stock vehicle. All that's left from the original plow truck now race truck is the body and frame. I was invited to the International Harvester gathering this year for a 25th anniversary but was unable to attend. That would have been fun

 

Thanks - It's been a fun ride so far. More to come I'm sure (I Hope)

 

I owned both of the Scouts in that photo of my sister on my old Yamaha. The one on the left I had in the 70's & the white one I still have today.

Ooof! I missed this:

LOL I'll have to rib my sister a bit now.

 

Isn't this a nice way to end off the season.

Gasser Wars Magazine devoted almost half of the current issue to the Meltdown event. the coverage was awesome.
Bonus - for me anyway - is the Scout made the pictures and the Prefect got a 2 page spread with a pretty awesome write up

Thank you Gasser Wars Magazine

 

Sounds like an overall good year, congrats man

 

Swade - you have to get your J to the meltdown. You won't regret it

 

Epic thread. That Scout is righteous brother. Hope next year gets set even better. Thanks for sharing.

 

So... me being me and somewhat of an A.D.D. kind of guy... I find myself at a crossroads for the Scout. No... I'm not selling it so put your cheque books away...

When I went the blower route there was always the thought to go fuel injection. With the Prefect running alcohol it makes sense to run the same fuel. Of course the plan was to do this in phases. Like something new every 2-3 years not each season. But here is my problem...

I have been struggling with fuel pressure and fuel delivery since adding the blower and carbs. I also have an overheating problem which makes the weekends seriously un-fun. The plan this winter was to tear out the existing fuel system and pony up for something that can take over the world ($1000 end to system) that will look modern and not be well hidden. At the same time drop in a bigger, more efficient cooling system ($6-800 ish)

I now find myself in a position where I can sell off the existing carbs, linkage and fuel lines for a decent price. Add that to the budget described above and I cover off the cost of a 4 port Hilborn system ($2900 shipped / set up) and changing to alcohol would solve my over heating issues. (Or create different heating issues) Of course this leaves me with a new set up (again) and no idea if I have swapped one problem for others. Plus... is adding more hp the smart thing to do a short wheelbase Scout ?

There is even an option of selling the entire blower system and revert back to a single carb setup. This would be adding 13.5-1 pistons, a big roller cam and 1050 dominator to make 600+hp and take 150 lbs off the front end - but it loses the "cool" factor of a blower or injection.

Here are my options as I see it.

1. Stay with the current carb set up and drop $1600ish into it to continue chasing the demon - for something I will likely want to change in 2 years or so
2. Sell off the carbs spend the same $$ as option 1 and convert to the 4 port and alcohol. But this would be another new set up and venturing into the unknown.
3. Sell off the entire blower set up and build a 600hp single carb "bracket" motor. It loses the "cool" factor but gains repeatablity and simplicity

Open to any and all opinions.
Anyone out there with experince with alcohol and blown injected alcohol feel free to chime in with pro's and con's

 

Keep the blower and go with the injection. I think you could be satisfied with that, and it would work very very good. I want to go with a two port on my 471! I dont think I could ever give up my blower. Like you stated, THE COOL FACTOR !!!!!

 

I'll take what is behind door number 2 please.

Don't fear the injection or the alcohol... Besides.. what Canadian worth his salt is afraid of alcohol in any form?

Dump the carbs and don't look back.

 

Just got word that the Scout will be featured in Canadian Hot Rods magazine coming out this month. I was aware of the feature but wasn't aware it was going to be 6 pages !!

Watch for it. (Dammit - didn't make the cover)

 

Cool! Six pages is a lot! Also, I'm thinking the '57 Ford Gasser on the front belongs to HAMBer Hotroddonnie. How can I get one of thes mags?

 

Chapters carries it up here. A couple of the American folks say Canadian Hot Rods is available down there. I'll post up where if I here specifics. The editor mentioned it should be on the shelves by the end of the month

 

Get 'em up Scout!
How about the LSR version...
Dual turbo-4's, 0ne driving each axle?


Hey, rippin' ET's and SIX pages! Really, this is an unbelievable achievement!

 

I just read the Canadian Hot Rods article. Great stuff, Dave! Congratulations! Good photos too.
Ralph

 

Found it on the magazine shelf of the local Woodmans Supermarket here in Rockford. Very nice article.

 

That's one I haven't seen before
Thanks for posting it

 

My "take over the world" fuel system has come in. For 2 years I have been fighting fuel delivery problems. The 406 / blower w twin 650's is a far different creature than the single carb set up I was running on the 377,. My fuel pressure has been fluctuating at idle and dropping dangerously by mid track. I can actually feel the truck lay down and my time slips show that as well.

Over the last 2 years I have thrown money at new pumps, lines and a variety of stuff. I was almost to the point of fire saleing the blower set up and going back to a single carb set up. But before I lose the visual impact of the blower I decided to throw one more wheel barrel of money at the Little Beast and see what happens.

So the new system is based on a Magnafuel Quickstar 300 (up to 950 hp - forced induction) with built in filter and return at the pump. The regulator is a boost referenced 4 port unit that will retain the 4 individual -6 feed lines to the carbs. The -8 primary feed from tank to pump to regulator is becoming -10 with fewer bends (Braided line the whole way) and the 8 ft long -6 return line will become a 2 ft -8 line direct from the pump. I am also relocating the return port on the tank to as far from the pick up as I can make it. (Reduce airation).

With any luck this will solve my problems and let me swap the pulleys for more hp (700+) without frying pistons. I really want to be running low 10's locally and closer to the 10.50 index at Meltdown with the Great Lakes Gasser group. That way I can still cut my horrible lights and have a better chance of actually scoring some points for the team.

If this does not solve my problem - the blower comes off !! - and I'll update the 406 with 14-1 pistons, .700 lift cam and a single 1050. Maybe a tunnel ram and shaft rockers so I can buzz the crap out of it - for spectator enjoyment of course. This set up will give me well over 600hp and reduce the weight by 150 lbs off the front. The ONLY reason I have not already done this is the fact that I LOVE the blower setup and the look / image... but chasing the demon is getting old and I'm not having fun at the track.

 

no prob.

I'll drive it for ya next time.

 

Driving it's a blast !!
It's looking at the timeslip afterwards and seeing signs of aluminum on the plugs because it's leaning out that's pissing me off. I would love to flip the pulleys and let'r rip.

Last pass of last year I flipped the pulleys going from 5% under (6lbs boost) to 5% over (10 lbs boost). According to the dyno that adds about 100 hp and 80+ lbs ft of torque low in the rpm range. I even took 500 rpm out of the trans brake control hoping to keep it safe. The beast launched like it was possessed and torq steered it's way towards the centerline before I lifted. All I can say is ... HOLY CRAP !! It's an entirely different animal when the iron lung is making boost.

 

just picked up CDN HOT RODS today, congrats on the writeup, cool scout!

 

No, It's certainly never fun having your pistons melt.
I blew a hole through a piston once on the street, but I just lost power. I imagine at WFO on the strip that would mean a big noise and lots of excitement involving fire extinguishers.

 

I had one of those - lessons learned - moments today.

Over the last 2 years I have been fighting fuel pressure problems and the truck nosing over around the 800 ft mark due to a lack of fuel. To address the issue, I swapped out one pump for another, changed lines, regulators and an assortment of other (expensive) stuff. \decided this year enough was enough and invested in a full Magnafuel Quickstar system with regulator. This changes from a -8 line to a -10.

So as I'm making the changes and I happen to pick up the -8 fuel shut-off AN fitting I was using and looked inside to see how it worked. I was shocked to see how small the pass through was. All this time I was trying to move fuel through a -8 line that had a -4 (or less) constriction through the shut off valve... Crap !!

Don't regret the change over... but ... damn !!
I am now convinced there was nothing wrong with the last pump (Holley Billet) or the stainless lines I replaced. The problem was the shut off valve...

Guess we'll see... Opening day at the track is this weekend... and of course it's been raining for 2 days

 

Always a good idea to look inside any fittings and valves in a system. The smallest one restricts every thing else.

 

Congrats. Be sure to get a couple hundred extra copies! Not to steal your thunder, but I'd like to either get a copy (do they make it all the way to Florida?) and / or find about more about the maroon model a altered seen on the cover, too. Later, Gary