I'm Gonna Build A Dragster!

[Dirtyrat]

Wow, this is a huge difference with the .300 dish to flat tops...
I imagine some testing is going to happen to see how close the valves are to the new pistons then?
One of the motors I built I used clay on top of the piston to verify lift and clearance with the valves using flatter pistons than stock..

 

[Gulf Rat]

That's a great build, think I might look into building one...

Gulf Rat

 

[bob w]

The block has been bored and honed. I brought it home so I can partially assemble it and check piston to deck clearance. It will go back to the engine shop to have the head surface milled to create a good quench with the head.
Received the oversize valves and screw in studs today. That prompted me to try a little bowl and combustion chamber clean up. I haven't ported heads since 1964 so I am being very conservative. Better to do too little than go too far and ruin the head or actually reduce performance.
DR, I tend to use pretty mild cams but I will use clay to make sure there is ample clearance between the pistons and valves.

 

[bob w]

I checked the deck height and found the piston in the first cylinder .013" down. Put that piston and rod in the number six hole and it was .024" down. The block will have to be milled on a taper to get zero deck height front to back.
Also dropped the head off for screw in studs and oversize valves. A .030" mill on the head will produce 11 to1 compression ratio.

A couple days ago my computer screen suddenly said "good bye" and shut off, followed shortly thereafter by that smell of electronic components frying. Smoke curled from the grill of the box. I'd say it's well done. I'm now very slowly navigating around an iPad.
Sure hope the thousand pictures in the cooked computer can be recovered.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Does that seem odd to you that they are different?
Are the rod journals the same size?

 

[bob w]

DR, It's not uncommon to find front to rear variation on the deck, especially on inlines. This one was a little extreme though.

 

[Old Iron]

DR, It's not uncommon to find front to rear variation on the deck, especially on inlines. This one was a little extreme though.

Every 400 Gm small block, I've built, is .011 taller deck height from one side to the other.

 

[LarryJ]

Hahaha really? you hide pieces around? My wife would be glad if I did instead of keeping all the junk in our garage... maybe I will give it a try!

I am excited to see how the project comes out!

 

[bob w]

All the machine work is done and all the parts have arrived. The cam timing gear is an interference fit on the cam. I have been putting off assembling the gear to the cam because I have heard of failed attempts. But, I have to get on with this project. Put the aluminum gear in the oven at 300 degrees for a half hour. It pushed on about a third of the way by hand and I was able to tap it the rest of the way with a short piece of pipe and a hammer. Went nice and straight. Even though my setup looks crude be assured no cam lobes or bearing journals were harmed during the assembly process.

 

[vintageT]

Very cool build! Being a Mopar guy I wish you would have stayed with the slant, but I also understand the need for mo power!

 

[bob w]

Put the cam in. Installed weak checking springs in the head for No. 1 cylinder. Put the crank in and a piston and rod in the No. 1 hole. Found Top Dead Center. Degreed the cam. Checked piston to valve clearance. Checked valve geometry and determined I need longer pushrods. Ordered them from Smith Bros. Due in a couple days. After a misadventure trying to use Big Block Chevy rocker arms, I got a nice set of Harland Sharp aluminum rockers designed for this engine.

Should be able to assemble the long block in the next couple days.

 

[Dirtyrat]

The cam gear installation looks like fun, some of the fitment stuff we do at work involves freezing bushings overnight to put them in...

I'd like to hear more about the BBC rockers and what the issue was as I also have a ford 300 sitting around.

 

[bob w]

The short block is assembled. Waiting for the pushrods, a special head gasket and a few other parts. Shouldn't be long now.

DR, the BBC rockers, I bought OEM ones, not racing units, provided very poor geometry. Valve stem contact ran across the whole stem going from valve closed to open. The pushrod was way to close to the end of the pushrod slot. These problems were solved by using the Harland Sharp aluminum rockers designed for this engine.

This is NOT a cheap way to go racing. The dragster would be faster with a used small block Chevy bought off Craigslist. Oh well I guess it's the challenge...

 

[bob w]

Now working on fitting the Powerglide to the Ford engine. After some fooling around I got the JW flex plate and and hub adapter installed. I removed the original stick shift pilot bushing from the crankshaft using the grease and driver method. Worked good. I had to trim the large bolt pattern lugs off the 9" converter in order to fit the small diameter flex plate. Going slow on this build to avoid mistakes.

 

[bob w]

The engine, bell housing, converter and Powerglide transmission are finally united. Everything went together well. Pushed the dragster in the garage last Sunday and did a little work on it tonight. Still have plenty of small tasks including building a header.
Don't want to jinx myself but being ready for the Meltdown Drags the third week in July should not be a problem.

 

[I-R-POPS]

Progress is good! Hope you make the big race.

 

[bob w]

Thanks Pops. I'm plugging away at it. Dumped the engine and trans in the chassis today. Started building the exhaust. Six individual pipes with flares on the end. What you see is just the stubs for the front three cylinders. The pipes will curve to the rear when done. Weed burner style.

 

[Old Iron]

You've really mad progress on this build since the last time I checked in on you [cl [cl [cl
I don't want to jinx you either. I'm pulling for you to make the drags.
Here's something to practice on even though it isn't a pro tree.
____________________________

___________

 

[bob w]

Dragster's got pipes. There's a little flare on the end of each pipe thanks to Dave's Muffler Shop (no charge). Those big aluminum rocker arms won't fit under the valve cover. Some fabrication is in order.

Thanks for the tree, Old Iron. I need all the help I can get.

 

[Dirtyrat]

That looks wicked!

Will the Clifford valve cover fit those rockers?