FLATCAD RACING Bonneville 2011 Build

Liberty box, niiiccce.

Is that one that can be converted to air shift?

 

nexxussian, I'm not sure!

I've never used an air shifter, so I'm not sure what it takes.

 

Happy new year to all the flatcad team

 

Happy New Year to you too, Don, and all of the Flatcad team and supporters!

Thanks everyone!

 

are we on for the dyno soon ?

 

Unless there is an unforeseen delay, the dyno will happen the week of February 13th!

 

I will be there

 

I haven't either, but I've been looking into them for the Berkeley, Liberty has some, just wasn't sure if that was one.

Happy new year.

 

Erik, out of curiosity, I'll find out!

Because we're going to run an HEI and engine management, and therefore switching classes for El Mirage, I'm thinking of adding an alternator. I'm afraid the HEI, gauges, fuel pump, and electric chiller water pump will be too much of a drain on the battery.

The engine layout is done, and there is not much room to add anything else. In addition, we will not need the alternator in vintage class, with the magneto, so I don't want to spend a lot of time and effort on this.

I'm leaning towards a mount on the rear end, and running it off of a pulley at the drive shaft.. Any one run one like this, or have experience with this setup?

 

at 200plus you should spin the alternator enough

 

LOL! There's only one way we could go 200 mph- and that would be one fast car hauler!

 

Or a Rocket in your a...
Dont be so pesimistic!

 

Oh yea of little faith..........

 

Last time I checked, you were building your Lasalle!.....guess it's been awhile!.....WOW unbelievable what you and the FlatCad crew have accomplished! awesome job and my hats off to you one and all, for a fabulous job well done!!....looking forward to seeing/hearing that bad ass flaty come to life!....I'll be with ya all in spirit, as you continue on......good luck guy's!!......later, Doug

 

Hey Dale did you get the anodes I sent your way?

 

Cover it real good Buddy otherwise it will be one run and its done.

 

Just got my Flatcad Racing tee shirt the other day, very nice indeed! Does this mean I own a lock washer or something on the car? For all you thread followers out there, pony up some cash, buy a shirt or two and help these guys get this puppy on the salt!

 

"Cover it real good Buddy otherwise it will be one run and its done."

Course you can always use the extra salt for Margarita's

 

Received the new/replacement rear seal last week - reworked the rear seal plate to give more relief and will remount it tomorrow.

Then - had to replace the radiator on my truck . . . has been leaking (solder joints) . . . figured it was in the 40's today, just better get it done while I can. As usual, took a lot longer than I expected (rusted bolts) -- hose clamp drama, etc..

I'll be really cranking on the FlatCad engine assembly this week - have just about all the misc/small pieces that I need to get the whole long block together . . . time to get it done and ready for the dyno.

Still have to make dyno headers - so I have to step it up and act like it is July instead of January!

 

If everything goes as planned or close to planned, what is the dates for your El Mirage appearence? Would like to come out as a booster fan.

Vergil

 

Vergil, it's May 19-20.

Love to see you there- Thanks for the support and tee purchase!

Will you be bringing that wicked pickup of yours?

 

Planning on driving it out but as to the wicked part it is questionable but I do love driving it. Thanks for the reply, putting the dates on the calendar and looking forward to it.

Vergil

 

Vergil, I sure think it's wicked cool- I look forward to seeing you there!

So, what do you guys think of a front mount dizzy?

Collin and I are working on a cast, front mount dizzy, timing cover, based on Fiftyv8's cast cover (pictured below).I've talked to Fiftyv8, and he has no issue with us doing it.

The mount will allow for the use of the Ford front mount dizzy, or Flatheads Forever (Norm Frick) angle drive, also pictured below.

The setup on the FlatCad is fine for the race engine, but I think the front mount timing cover will be more suitable for a hotrod.

 

Hello Buddy

Good to see that things start coming together!
Could not find the Flathed angle drive (Flathead Forever)!?
Do you have a link?
Would have been nice to find a angle drive with a fuel pump attachment.

Br
Kjell

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

 

Buddy,

The Flat Cad motor is so nice, everything done right. It is making one Mopar flahead down in my shop a little jealous. Keep up the good work. Can't wait for the dyno report. We need a video on Youtube with audio..

N B R

 

Ouch May 19-20 is Eagle Field, damn hoped to see you at at El Mirage but will be at Eagle.......oh well maybe Bonney this year..........

 

Guys, thanks for the kind words!

Carl, what was Toymaker thinking? Dammit, and I voted for him 3 times! Lol!

I just got back to town yesterday, so today I headed to Pinkees, where Erik had mocked up the axle fairings we were looking at.They are a lot bigger than I thought, and now I'm not sure that they might not cause more harm than good!

Erik thought switching to a tube axle might help, and going with quarter eliptical springs?

 

End of Week Update - Lots of Progress . . . but my Monkey Frigging Fingers Have Had it!

Sometimes I wish I had a monkey paw that came right out of my forehead, would be great for valve keeper work . . . and smoking cigars . . .

Things are in full swing again on the engine front - had to get through the Holidays a bad cold, truck drama . . . just life shit I guess.

1) Rear One-Piece Seal Plate - Redo . . .

One thing you realize when making custom engines, that there are always issues to resolve . . . you can't be in a hurry. There are times when I WANT something to go easier, but then I can see something just isn't right and I'm old/wise enough to make myself stand the heck back, think through the problem and fix it.

When I designed the rear seal plate, I didn't have the actual seal in my hands, so I didn't anticipate that the teflon seal needed room to flare outwards. After I pressed the seal in and mounted the plate a couple of weeks ago, the crank got a lot tighter. I used to be able to easily spin it by hand (without the pistons in) - but the seal bound it up. Hmmmm . . . WTF? I decided the seal had to be binding it.

So, I took it back off. Then - another problem . . . how the hell do I get the seal back out? Didn't think of that now did I! I put the plate in the mill and cut four areas where I could put a big punch in and drive the old seal out. (Added that to my 'design fixes' notes).



Then I opened up the rear seal hole diameter about 1/8" (radius) -- this gives the seal a place to expand into. Did all of this on the lathe. (Another entry in the 'design fixes' log book.)





Relieved the bottom of the seal - so oil can easily drain through a trough I put in the rear main cap . . . back into the pan.

Remounted the plate -- life is now good! Crank turns easily once again. I'm glad I didn't forge ahead and just "run it" -- it's these small details that you have to pay attention to.




2) Valves - Mother of All Evil on the FlatCad!

We're using off-the-shelf BBC Manley Severe duty valves - with the exhausts cut down to our seat width. The spring package is all modern stuff from Comp Cams, with moly retainers, 7 degree locks, etc.. The springs needed aluminum spring spacers to set the correct installed height.

a) Exhaust Spring Spacers: .170 thick
b) Intake Spring Spacers: .200 thick

I validated the spring pressure (as I always check everything - can't trust that the parts you get are what you think they are).

a) Spring Pressure: 140 lbs on the seat (installed height of 1.8") and 290 open. This is what we need for our big-ass mushroom cam. If we go to a roller cam, we'll probably need to increase the spring pressure another 50 lbs on the seat. (Rollers are different than flat tappet).



Here is everything ready to start the mind-numbing assembly process . . .



I Think I'll Slit My Writs! - Assembling the valves, springs, retainers and keepers is a real PITA in a FlatCad. I've never seen anything quite like it. I made my own tool to use the camshaft as a place to brace against. It has a threaded bolt and a 'cup' that holds the spring. The nice thing is that when you drop a keeper - it just falls into the cup. This tool saved my ass - it just worked exactly as I planned and made everything a lot easier.





All valves are in! Now that makes me one happy camper . . .

3) Valve Seat Extensions - Now What the Hell are These for You Ask?

Well, all the valves are going in BEFORE the lifter blocks and lifters -- frankly, this is the ONLY way to do it. So how the heck do you get the lifter blocks in? The technique is to open up the valves and space them UP at full-lift, so you can then slip the lifter block in. I've heard about guys winding rope and other things under the valve to hold it open. Maybe easy with 65 lb springs and .350 lift . . . that isn't our gig!

I pondered this for awhile and my biggest concern was how to EVENLY prop the valve open - such that you don't put a lot of pressure on one side of the valve head and not the other? We have racing springs in this thing - so at 300 LBs open, my worry is that if I don't hold the valve open and with the same pressure/height on all sides, I can easily bend them. I'd never really know it, but if that happens, then they don't seat - and it could even cause us to sneeze the blower. So I came up with an idea to make what I'll call 'Valve Seat Extenders' -- a bit of Viagra for the valve seat.

I used 1.75 and 2.00 DOM tubing to machine two intake and two exhaust seat extenders. They have 45 degree machined surfaces on the bottoms and tops - to pickup/index on the seat in the block and on the valve seat of the valve.



Here yah go - pictures of them holding two valves up . . . pretty cool hugh!



Anyway - these are some handy little tools to have not only for assembly, but to take to Bonneville. I wanted to make sure that we have all the tools necessary to replace a valve if we need to while we're there. Having all these things sorted out is good insurance . . .

That is it for this week - onto the rods/pistons next week.

Things are moving along (dyno time is near!) . . . stay tuned ole' FlatCad Brothers and Sisters . . .

 

Dale, I feel your pain. I am working almost alone on this lakester (Tom is handling the engine) and at one time tonight was addressing 5 or 6 separate items. I had to call my partner Tom 400 miles away and rambled on like a schoolgirl!

 

I hear yah! Buddy is busy as heck on the car side of this -- I'm slogging away on the engine. I'm very fortunate to have the machine tools and equipment that I've acquired over the years - don't really believe I could do what I do without it. There are just too many custom things to make and "problems" to resolve -- without my mill, lathe, welder, surface grinder, etc . . . I'd probably just ride a bike!

Keep after it! Wish I was in your area, would be glad to lend a hand. Maybe I'll stop by next summer when I come out to the Hills to see Mom.