I am curious as hell too!!!! Sam, what is the end story??? Did you buy the motor from LA32 or is he keeping it?
ya know i too was wonderin about that . ALSO wonderin why we NEVER heard anything about that body that midnite motors was suposed ta give away ????WONDER WHAT HAPPEND TO THAT ONE >i posted all kinds a junk in hopes to WIN that roadster body oooh well i never win anyway.
I sent him an e-mail congratulating him and offering him cash for the motor... and he replied saying that he was going to talk to RACEFAB about the motor and see what the motor was all about... I told him to take his time, that it's just going to sit there until he makes a descision... FWIW, our gang doesn't care, either way, what he decides to do... the motor's bottom end is STONE STOCK... cast crank, cast rebuilder pistons that are down in the hole (they lower the compression and allow for decking of the block)... the heads are a set of 461's that Fred has ported up real nice, and they have stainless valves etc. But in order for us to continue running this thing (and to get it into the high 9 second range) we will need to outfit the motor with forged pistons, a solid lifter cam, maybe a forged steel crank and a better set of rods... and our injection unit... on alcohol. So, the motor is really a nice street motor... not a race motor... what my partner and I decided was that it would be nice to run the thing at the Goodguys drags in November... now we do not have the resources to build a motor ourselves by then... so, buying the raffle motor is the quickest way to be running there in November. After that, we'll pull the motor out and I'll go through it to make the changes needed to make it more of a race motor... I am by no means saying or understating the engine... and I know RACEFAB would agree, that the engine is a fine street motor, that makes plenty of power for even the heaviest of street cars... it's just not something you would want to rev up to 7,000rpm on a regular basis. Also, if LA32 decides to keep the motor, we have several options for the car... none of which will run by November... but all of which will prove to be fun... Our first option will be to re-cam and give the almighty blessing to my Partner Tim's old 283 that he has sitting on the side of his house... on alcohol, with a new solid lifter cam (swapping out the Duntov 30/30 that is in it) the thing should push the BFD into the 10's... it has 11.5:1 compression and ran in the high 12's in Tim's nova 20 years ago... Another option that I thought of... and one most everyone on the HAMB would enjoy... would be for us to build a junkyard motor... it would be kinda fun to see what we can do with say... $999... I would more than likely shop the wrecking yard for a short block, the swap meets and e-bay for heads (maybe just do a set ourselves) and only buy new when it came to the cam, lifters and gaskets... my guess here would be that we could easily run in the low tens or maybe high nines for "a buck under a grand"... now that sounds fun! What do you guys think? I'd also think it would be proper for LA32 to chime in and let us know what's going on... I'm not pressuring him to decide if he wants the motor or the cash... I'd just like to hear the story about how he won, how he found out and how shocked he was that he won! To tell you the truth, I don't think he has posted much, if at all, since he won... Sam.
Hello guys sorry for all the suspense but Im moving into a new house and the wife is really cracking the whip so my Hamb time has been somewhat limited. First I have to give a huge thanks to Ryan for this great place we call the hamb and to Racefab for all the time energy and $ he devoted to the raffle.When I logged on and saw that I won my jaw dropped. Im the stereotype of the guy who never wins anything so it was shocking to say the least. Its pretty wild to follow the build up and everything and end up being the winner. Sam has made me a generous offer which Im still considering seriously.I know its present home is good one if I decide to part with it.Sam I will give you a call this weekend. My plans for the motor would be to put it in my roadster and have some serious fun with it. The best part about the raffle was to be able to support the hamb although Im pretty jealous of everyone who got to go the drags. Next year I plan on being there no matter what. Thank,Louie
louie, you didn't ask for my 2 cents worth, and i usually try really hard to keep my big mouth shut, but i gotta say this. you really need to keep the engine and put it into your roadster. there's nothin' wrong with the existing 3x2 sbc you've got in there, but from the looks of some of the pieces which seem to be missing, i'm guessing it's not cuttin' any 11 second times right now. get the mrs. moved into the new castle this weekend. next weekend get the engines swapped in the roadster. then the next weekend you and the mrs. can be cruising in a piece of history. after all, how many bomb factory digger motors are out there putting smiles on faces while taking people to the malt shop? i know that "a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" but if it were me that's what i'd hafta do.
Nobody asked either, but here's my 2 cents. Have you priced shipping from Livermore, CA to New Jersey? You would probably be better off taking Sam up on his offer and finding something back east with the money. Good luck, and congrats.
Louie! There are a few things that I would weigh too (now that I know where you live!) but the main question would be "where will the cash be spent"... I know if it was me moving into a new (to me) home... nI, or my wife, would find plenty of things to spend the money on other than an engine for the hot rod or another car part for the hot rod... if that is your case... I think it would be best if I boxed it up and shipped it to you... if you are the type of guy who can keep the car fund separate from the wife...uh, I mean LIFE fund... I'd take the money and put it where you most need it... ON THE CAR! Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you... I should be home all weekend... Sam.
Speaking from the perspective of a guy who has no real car fund and entire car so far has been built by scrounging, luck, a few crazy deals, and the incredible generosity of people I met as a result of the HAMB, I think Sam may have the right idea. Or you can easily separate funds and the money will be well spent. Congratulations either way.
The Jalopy Journal
