FLATCAD RACING Bonneville 2011 Build

Just received the rear-main crankshaft seal plates from Don -- as usual, great quality CNC work!

Explanation: We've moving the thrust main bearing from the center (stock FlatCAD) to the rear (like a BBC). In doing so, we needed to come up with a whole new way to seal the crankshaft.

When I designed the crankshaft flange for Crower, I made it take a large one-piece seal out of a Diesel engine. The seal runs around the perimeter of the crankshaft flange. The flange is basically a thicker Ford FE - but without the 'groove' that you see in the FE flange perimeter. The perimeter OD will be precision ground by Crower as a seal surface.

I designed these seal plates:

a) The steel one mounts against the block - it attaches with 6 bolts --> two into the main girdle and four into the new rear main cap. There will be a thin gasket between this plate and the block. I'm sure we'll slap on some "form a gasket" of some sort as well

b) The thicker seal plate is made of 6061 aluminum, it has a recessed location to press in the one-piece seal. It uses a set of counter sunk allen-heads to attach to the steel block plate. It will have a gasket between it and the steel block plate.

c) Oil Drain Back: The inside bottom of the seal aligns with a "trough" that I put into the back-side of the rear-main cap, which also has a hole through the cap, and a 1/2" channel that goes into the crankcase area. This gives the oil a place to go -- back to the pan.



I'm hoping that this whole scheme will work . . . looks like it should to me

 

Nice work Kevin . . . I'm sure Chris will make some fine "badges" out of these -- they'll be attached to each head.

 

Wow!

Dale, Don, Kevin, You guys rock!

This thing is looking good!


Oh, and plan9 just told me of the best use of a Flatcad Racing shirt yet.

He stated that his shirt got "soiled with spilt methanol/nitromethane"-
When I asked how that happened he said "I was changing pills on the Hilborn and it got more than a little messy, drops of it got onto the shirt. After a few choice words I thought that was a good way to break the shirt in. "

That's freakin great!

 

The three bottom halfs of the heads are done (at least with my portion) wheeew... still chugging along.

 

Damn those look pretty Kevin!

 

Great stuff -- love the way they are coming along. I can't wait to see the 'tops'! Can you make the little water manifolds as well? If you don't want to include the 'hose nipple' portion, we can always make that part on the lathe and just have it TIG welded to the 3-bolt bases.

B&S

 

Kevin

PMs sent to you are you getting them ?

 

Sorry about that I will send you a PM right now.

 

Wow looks like its coming together, great work guys.............keep on keepin on......

 

yup

 

Hey Gang: Was off for a few days - took a trip to Canada to pickup another hotrod "project" (like I need another one). This one goes to the back of the line - as the FlatCAD is is front, then a road-race OT Mustang, then my 34 coupe.

Talked to Spud Miller from Fuel Injection Enterprises out West -- he just completed all the magnetos for Bonneville. We have two tall-deck mags, one as a spare:

1) Puts out 4.2 amps -- put your tongue on this and turn the shaft
2) Puts out 3.9 amps

A stock Vertex magneto puts out about 1.3 amps --- so these suckers are hot! I had him put in rare-earth magnets, new high-output primary windings, etc.. These are now hot enough to run blown alcohol or fuel if need be (not this year boys!).

For those of you who don't know:

1) Stock Vertex Magnetos: When you buy a mag from Vertex, they come with regular magnets and low-output primaries. These are fine for sprint-cars, non-blown, non-fuel applications as they don't put out a lot of heat and you can run them continuously on the track or the street. These 'normal' magnets do slowly lose their charge when you run them (not when they sit) -- so you need to have the magnets recharged as their output starts to reduce.

2) Upgraded Race-Only Magnetos: For all-out 1/4 mile racing, blown applications, nitrous, fuel, etc -- we want more out of them. I had Spud put new higher-output rare-earth magnets, new primary windings, etc.. (these are all external coil OXC mags). All the components are designed to really increase the output and the magnets don't need to be recharged.

3) Down Side - Heat!: When a magneto has been upgraded to these high levels of outputs, they are NOT continuous duty items -- like anything else --> higher amps/output, higher heat. These are for short race track usage only.

4) Street Conversion - Keep the Rare Earth Magnets: If I want to use one of these mags on the street, then I"ll send it back to Spud and have him change out the primary windings to lower the outputs to somewhere around 2 amps . . . this I can run on the street. Also, having rare-earth magnets means I don't have to worry about the output decreasing as the magnets weaken.

5) Cost Comparison - Spud is the Way to Go: A brand new 1.3 amp output Vertex mag runs about $1250 - $1300. It makes no sense to buy a new one, then pay another $500 to "upgrade it". What I do is buy used mags off of evilBay (paying about $200 - 300 for SBC/BBC stuff), making sure I have the right rotation, base, etc.. When you buy mags like this, you have no idea as to what is in them - so just consider them cores. Then I send the mags to Spud and it costs roughly $500 to put all the high-output stuff in them, rebuild them, new bearings, whatever is needed. Now you have a very high output magneto and you'll have about $800 or so in it. This beats the hell out of $1800 if you started with a new Vertex.

6) Rebuilding a Stock Vertex: If all you want to do is buy a stock Vertex, keep the standard output, have it recharged, rebuilt, tested and not upgraded - costs roughly $200 or so. This means you can have a really nice Vertex for a total of about $500 -- a lot better than $1300!.

I highly recommend Spud for magneto work:

Here is his contact information - tell him that Dale and the FlatCAD team sent yah!

http://www.fuelinjectionenterprises.com/

541-990-2485 -OR- email: [email protected]

 

Thanks for that info Dale, will have to give those guys a call............

 

Hey Dale, thanks for the link, breakdown and referral... your work is looking damn fine!

If you were still in SoCal what mag re builder can you recommend? Ive got an early front mounted Ronco/Vertex I'd like to get rebuilt at some point. Thanks!

Buddy - you ready for Bonneville?

 

Mike, I'm ready- I just hope we can get the car ready! I'm still waiting on a couple of the guys to return emails, so that we can coordinate this whole event.

I'm probably over-worrying this to death, but we still have a bunch to do!

You ready?

 

i dont think you will be 100% settled until after Bonneville... you get some time to catch your breath and then it happens all over again. haha

at this point im confident the next flathead will be finished in time, but i need make phone calls to various people to move forward... sorta like you but im the one that needs to call

 

Always something good when I check in here.

 

Great information Dale!

Got my Flatcad T-shirt today!
Will wear it proudly next weekend at the Kala Raceway!
Fingers crossed that you will make it to Bonneville!

K

....................................
Taildraggers&fenderless

 

Well Buddy I am sure you have been waiting for these pictures, so I will let them speak for themselves!

 

WOW!! Excelent work!!

...................................
Taildragger&fenderless

 

Oh yea! Those are awesome!

 

damn Keeper those are just BEAUTIFULLLLLLLLLLLLL........

 

Kevin, that is simply outstanding!!!!! I can't wait to see those in person.

-chris

 

Those heads look way cool

May I ask why their in 2 pieces?



Sent from my iPod touch using TJJ

 

Since we had to machine them instead of cast them, that is the only way we could create the water passages.

 

DOH!
Didn't think you'd run water for the short passes
(hangs head in shame)


Sent from my iPod touch using TJJ

 

Wow!! Beautiful heads. Makes me want a Caddy just so I can have a pair.

 

Ok now you are making me nervous about cutting the chambers on those, That is some great work ---- I BOW TO YOU --- My guess they are ready for me to pick up next week and get started Right ?

Great work Keven !!!

 

Unbelievable. Just outstanding work. I love this thread!

 

Son of a Bitch! I leave my dang computer for 1/2 a day and all sorts of great stuff shows up!

Kevin . . . you must be like a little boy in a candy store . . . with a fist full of money! Those are AWESOME --- great machine work.

This is exactly why the original plan that Buddy, Chris, Kevin and I had to design these in SolidWorks and drive CNC from the designs is so damn cool -- the results speak for themselves and then some.

I promise to never be away from my computer again . . . OH CRAP! How am I going to finish the block porting/relief work and watch my computer at the same time

Keep at it boys n' girls -- we just HAVE to make the salt!

B&S

 

Has anyone REALLY thought about this build? I don't mean the technical, design, or mechanical work, but the TEAMWORK!

I don't think I've read about another build, that was coast to coast, and had more HAMB members, working closely together, than this build has. If you were to sit down and dream about the 'perfect' HAMB build, I believe this would be it!

Regardless of what happens on the salt (and I believe we can make a good showing), this build, because of the camaraderie and team work, has been a kick in the ass!