XXO/BVGC '38 Chevy Coupe Build

[Kiwi Paul]

I`ll have to hit Dennis up for a ride in that Modified after he gets the drive system finished.....if I`m not too shaken up afterwards maybe I can give a coherent torque/horsepower/seat of the pants report...

[38flattie]

Paul, we'll need a preformance report after you take that ride!

I would think it would make just under 200hp-with the long stroke and boost, it should be a torque monster and preform well!

[38flattie]

Engine assembly has begun!

Dale installed the crank, rear seal assembly, and the girdle today!

The pistons should arrive from Russ Meeks tomorrow.

[38flattie]

I received an email from BoredandStroked today, so I thought I'd share the engine update:

·         Made good progress on a lot of things

·         All parts came in – just waiting on the heads, but have plenty to do in the meantime.

·         You were right on the bright silver coatings – looks fantastic as really sets of the red!

·         I worked on the rear seal plate – made gaskets, got everything mounted and the seal was too tight on the crank flange.    There went about 3 hours of work!  So, I took it all apart and I’m going to relieve the back of the plate a little more to allow the seal to flex a bit more.  Only bad news – costs us a new seal  ($45 a pop).   This was one of those 1 step forward,  1 step back deals.   Good news – everything fits on a gnats ass – just too tight and I don’t want to burn the seal out of it.

·         Switched gears to the cam stuff.   Made a temp gasket and mounted the timing plate – then started into the tedious process of setting up cam thrust plates, Torrington bearings, etc.   One thing I didn’t like is that the came lobes are not centered in the lifters.   Was wondering if it was what Joe Panic did – or the stock cam, etc..   Took everything off and put the stock cam back in the block – it too is off quite a bit (especially the front 4 cylinders) – guess that is the way Cadillac made them.  Obviously we can’t “fix” the cam itself, so I did work on the thrust system to move the cam forward about .060 – which helps.   We should consider this before you have the other roller core ground – may have them give me more clearance on the front thrust surface to move the cam forward even more.    (Didn’t want to rework this cam – as it has been heat treated – so I modified the thrust plate instead.)

·         I then spent a bunch of time making a thick thrust washer to exactly set the end-play on the cam.  Essentially, instead of allowing the thrust plate that Don made to stop the cam from coming forward (out of block), I’m using the roller bearing in the mag drive to control forward thrust.   Then I’m using a special Torrington bearing to control rear thrust (in addition to the Donovan brass washer).   This way, we have no metal on metal thrust surfaces and the cam will stay exactly where I have it.

·         I used my surface grinder to exactly size the thrust plate and clearance shim.

·         I have two Torrington thrust packs ordered from Jegs – will pick them up this morning.  (I was using a temp one for setup yesterday – isn’t the right diameter).  We’ll have a spare one in case we need it.

[38flattie]

Russ Got everything coated, and it all looks great!

[38flattie]

Does anyone happen to have contact info for Kenny Kloth?

I'd really like to talk to him about those big roller cams he ran.

[fwillyj]

-Kenny's cell phone is 1-801-694-7396

[maguromic]

Buddy, You know Dema did his cams.  Tony

[38flattie]

fwilyj-Thank you very much!

Tony, thanks! That's one of the things I was going to ask him. I received a couple of pictures of one of his cams, and it's crazy-lots of lift, and the duration is unbelievable!

When I was at Bonneville, I kept hearing Dema's name from almost everyone running a vintage engine. Dema is out until the 9th, but said we would get on the roller cam then! It will be interesting to compare my current cam with what Dema produces!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

[38flattie]

Here's the latest story from BoredandStroked- and man, he can tell a story!

"So, I start looking at the cam, looking at a valves, looking at the lifter blocks and decide that it is possible for about 3 out of 4 valves to be in the block and still slip the lifter block in (only one lobe is 'up' and will interfere). On the 4th valve, I'll assemble it and then make a special valve spacer (goes under the open valve head on the deck) - to hold it open so I can slip the lifter block in AFTER the valves, springs and keepers are in. Seems like a plan . . . but wait, the plot thickens - just like my waist . . .

Okay . . . but how the hell am I going to compress the springs and assemble the springs, retainers and keepers? There is no obvious way to compress the springs and get the keepers on! So I stare at it for awhile longer and decide that Cadillac must have made special tools - so I'm going to make a special 'Spring Compressor' tool! Got my imagination going - God gave me a brain, so I best try to use it.

So - I decide to create a cool little tool the has a bottom piece that fits over the cam lobe (which keeps it centered), has a cutout radius to follow the cam shank diameter (1.00"), then a bolt to use to compress the spring, then a special 'Top Cup' that has a shelf in it to hold the retainer.

I made the cup piece on the lathe - then welded a bottom on it.

I used the mill to cut a window out of the side of the cup - so I can get the keepers in. Also, the cup will save my butt when I drop keepers . . . as you know you will and they can hide in all sorts of places in the bowels of the engine.

So here yah go - my 'Compress O' Matic' tool - fresh from the lathe, milling machine and tig welder."

[38flattie]

Ok guys, we can use a little help here! Woody is going to do some computer simulation port flow work for us.

We have been unable to get scans of the port molds we have. We need to get them scanned into a usable 3-D CAD file.

If you can help us, please PM me!

Thanks in advance!

[maguromic]

Buddy, Give me a call. I am only around for the next few days, then off to our Asia office. Tony

[Anvil*]

Just a comment that it is fairly normal for a lobe to be offset from the lifter centerline. The intent is to rotate the lifter slightly as it moves over the nose of the cam.

[38flattie]

Anvil, I agree with you.

Based on the fact that I'm having a roller cam made,  now is the time to get everything set up to have it centered correctly for roller lifters.! 

[38flattie]

I just spent the last 1/2 hour talking to Kenny Kloth. What a neat guy!

Dema didn't grind his cam, but did spec it out after Kenny ran it.

We talked about the flatheads, and he was already aware of mine. He gave me some great info, both on the engine, and transmission. I had no idea that he had trashed Muncie trannies 2 years in a row!

I'm going to have to think about this Muncie deal.....