Hot Rods World's Fastest Model T at B-ville

A guy from a model t club down in San Diego came to our local meeting last night and told a little story of his first trip to B-ville this year to see a fellow Model T'er try to set a record with a T in a stream liner. In short, and because the copied material I got at the meeting is too poor to scan for here, Joel Young took an old retired diesel streamer from the 70's, up dated it to comply with today's rules, built a turbo'd Model T FLATHEAD and ran a best of 166.25 mph. A slower run on the wet salt equaled out to a record about 160. Oddly, he didn't give us the exact record so I'm guessing 159 and change?

Engine pumped out 180 hp on the dyno at 5000 rpm. The car's number is' 845 FIBFS' in case anyone has pictures of it.

166.25! There's gotta be a smile on Henry's face where ever he is.

 

The two run average for the record was 160.116.

DW

 

http://brawnerhawk.com/BRAWNER_HAWK_related_bonneville_2009.htm

quick search got this.

 

Thats just too cool 160 with a T motor. I'm gonna guess after market crank?LOL

 

Here are some pictures of the engine build:

 

160+ change on a 99.448 record... that's how 2009 records fell @ B'ville this year....30-50-60 MPH more !!! Great year to make speed.....I was told the only thing model T about the engine was the block....Everything else was AMERICAN INGENUITY !!!! or would that be ENGINEUITY??? anyway congrates to all the participants and record breakers for sure....by the way USFRA ( Utah Salt Flats Racing Assoc.) meet runs Sept. 16-19 at B'ville...

 

Yeah, they used a 5 main crank set in a cradle that was in turn set in the T block.

Only original T parts, block, front cover plate, generator mounting plate and the oil fill cap.

 

Not only that, but the old record was with an A block. Vastly improved over the T and traditionally thought to be a much better place to start...until now. lol

 

And a couple extra main webs welded in!!!

 

I may be wrong about this but it is my understanding that the advantage of the T block is the ablity to open up the intake ports with out running into water. As you can see, the intake has been very much opened up.

 

The Mancillias Brothers in the 4 ever 4 club have been doing this for years with A blocks.

Well, I take that back, they make their blocks true for port intake blocks by adding and then welding runners in there, not just opening it up so you're probably right.

Ed Winfield did the same thing you mentioned on his famous 2 up 2 down engine.

That might be the only advantage of a T block when you consider that it has no provision for oil pump, water pump or distributor not to mention a crank that looks like a big paper clip.

 

I would like to see more pics of the motor or as the race car. please!

 

X2 please!!!

 

From the link posted earlier.

 

Now that he has done that...how about putting the engine into a speedster or something and seeing how fast a whole T will go!
"...it has no provision for oil pump, water pump or distributor not to mention a crank that looks like a big paper clip..."
He took care of the first three with that aluminum block, it looks like...I doubt the original multi-coil mag would have survived...imagine those magnets slung up towards SLC and a few down to China...

 

Iron block original Ford T. Pretty much the same pictures. Guy just knows how to make a T run.

 

the old record was set with a totally bone stock model a motor complete with stock 3 main crank and babbit bearings. the only thing that was added on was an eaton blower from a late model thunderbird and i don't think it was even making measurable boost.

this "t" has 5 mains, 4 intake ports, electronic fuel injection, a turbo, and obviously a lot more into it than a stock model a with a baby blower.

i don't want to take anything away from anyone but there is a lot more behind the numbers here. for example, we have made a best one way pass of 155 mph with a turbocharged model b that had 2 intake ports, three mains, a stock crank, and stock rods, and mechanical fuel injection with 5 psi of boost. all of this was in roy creel's open wheel belly tank style lakester. our motor has never seen a dyno so no idea on a power number.

either way the race is on for the first four banger flathead to break 200 mph. we've already got our new streamliner chassis about 90% complete and will take our cumulative experience from the past 12 years of running model b's and hopefully come up with something that gets the job done.

 

I love it!

 

I dunno, maybe the pictures are early on during the build of the engine. Obviously that path changed at some point.

 

I was never in favor of Turbos on V4 or V4F motors. Just don't belong. Not to sure about EFI. But it's to late now.

 

Who has photos of the engine in the 'liner with the turbo plumbed to the carbs?

Also seen in the video is a skinny long haired hippy driving the chase truck, the infamous "Berserko" Bob Doerrer, JJ's crew roady and general wild man of east coast funny car racing in the 70's. Bob is still active in the game, doing the PR work for Bob Gilbertson in Charlotte, NC.

 

Wow, goes to show where there is a will, there is a way!

 

Amen!

 

I think the ECTA forbids turbos on vintage engines. XF, XO, V4, or V4F.

Looks like the SCTA has opened up the technological floodgate. I remember Ron Main's Flatfire having a computer controlled "tuner" system.

I'm not gonna complain, its just neat seeing a 100 year old flathead achieve that level of speed. Whatever they went through, you know its a labor of love. I seriously doubt the aftermarket for T hop up parts is going to surge a great deal. I personally think its a fantastic accomplishment. The more pictures, the better.

Hud

 

i guess you're more easily impressed than i am. the fastest one way pass for a four banger flat head prior this 166 mph run was 155 mph and it was done in an open wheeled lakester. sure i'll congratulate anyone for a record. a record is a record. but compared to other speeds in similar classes it's not that impressive. not to me at least.

btw the scta allows turbos and efi on vintage motors in the special construction category only. no turbos or efi on vintage motors in vintage classes. it's been this way for a long time.

 

THANKS! As a T nut it is nice to know they can fly with some updated changes.

 

I'm impressed that the record was achieved with an engine based on a T block. But I guess you're right, I am easily impressed.

I was in the 4 ever 4 club back in the 90's, not as a racer, and saw first hand just how hard it was to make the bangers scream and not litter the track. But even though I'm not a racer, I do know that the difference from a 155 run and a 166 run is much more significant than just 11 miles an hour.

 

good luck...... do you have any pics of the old belly tank I know new streamliner will be best for the record but tanks are so cool
Bill

 

In my opinion, it's no easy feat to make a flathead banger powered vehicle go over 120 mph. So anyone that can do it gets a thumbs up from me.

 

Does anybody have some pictures of the crank arrangement?