FLATCAD RACING Bonneville 2011 Build

Hey Bert - first of all a big THANKS for checking in and posting . . . we need all the supporters and curious 'on-lurkers' we can get! Also, thanks for the note of encouragement - helps to know that for all the endless babble that I write, that somebody gets some value out of it.

Have a great day . . . hope to someday see you on the salt!

B&S

 

I see you're into early hemis. Heres a pic of one I just built for my latest project, a '29 roadster pickup. I'm building it just to showcase the hemi., a '55 Dodge. I must have a thing for Dodges, I learned to drive in a '34 Dodge sedan, a year in my mothers '48, a few years in a '54 station and my avatar is my first hot rod build, a '27 DB

 

Oil Pan Rail Model -- SolidWorks:

Took the girdle model and made a new variant for the oil-pan rail. It needs to have a 'dog-leg' in the front to go around the front main cap and bolt to a 1/2" aluminum (6061) timing cover plate. This makes the front pan-rail a bit "thin", but it should be okay for what we're doing. I didn't want to countersink the front main cap 12-pt nuts into the girdle as it would weaken it -- and I want to maintain the strength of that big-*** piece of steel.

The pan rail will be made out of 3/8" 6061 aluminum, then the pan itself will be fabricated and welded to the rail. No big deal here - just typical custom pan stuff.

Due to the "dog-leg" above, the guy that Buddy has making the pan is probably "cussing me" about now! Can't say as I blame him - but that is why he is in the custom oil-pan business and I am not!

Also, received the SolidWorks connecting rod model from Crower, so I'll add it to my lower-end ***embly such that I can calculate the minimum pan depth that we need to clear everything.

This is a dry-sump motor, so the pan does not need a bunch of capacity, but it does need to be able to collect the oil and keep it off the crank!

Here is a picture of the pan-rail model:

 

Bert, cool engine and car!

Don, real good talking to you today!

I met with WZ Junk today, about some body mods to be done this winter- bigger chop, etc.

No pics yet, but progress is being made. The body work is about 80% done, I picked up a wiring harness today, and the chiller and radiator tank should be done this weekend.

Josh is water jetting the pan rail Dale pictured in the above post, and I will take it to the oil pan fab guy on Friday. Chute and fire system should be here late this week.

Pics to come!

 

Nice looking Hemi! I love all things Hemi - just about every version of them (starting with the Ardun). Chris and I have been pondering doing some OHV heads - not sure for what lower-end/block . . . just thinking about it. What I'd really like to do is make a 'cammer' type flathead -- like the stuff that Estes did for that ill-fated Indy Ford - but with a modern belt-drive. Would love to see two big cam covers on each side of a flathead . . .

 

Rear end is going back in the car tonight. I decided I didn't like the gears available with the 4:86 pinion, so the car now has a 4:11

Body work is 90%, and the car is heading to the paint booth in 2 weeks.

I met with the lettering guy today. We still have 3 sponsor spots available on the car- contact me if you'd like to be a sponsor!

 

buddy you are a hard man to keep up with, this thing is makin great strides......proud to have had a small part of it

 

Well I can finally post some good news. I am sure I have been making some of you on the team nervous. I gave Buddy an update but I am not sure if he let the rest of you know.

I have been going through a bit to get these going. Long story short while I was on a business trip my cnc guy screwed up two blocks and lost his job in the process. His mistakes started a discussion and his at***ude lost him his job.

Now short one operator/programmer I have got things back on track and we are moving forward a a good pace once again (after getting a few more chunks of aluminum).

 

Don can I get in line for one of these? (I drew it and I think it would be bad***!...I will pay for it of course)

 

Sam, we feel very fortunate to have been lucky enough to have you get involved with this!

Kevin, that head looks *****in'!

 

No Prob at all PM me Your shipping address please

 

Hell Kevin . . . we weren't expecting "collateral damage" due to our FlatCAD project - sorry to hear about that

With that said - the picture you just posted looks really good! Fantastic that you've been able to go to a 'Plan B' and still get the parts done. Also, you're not making me nervous -- I've got plenty to do on my plate as it is . . . I knew you'd come through!

Don is checking to see if he can pull a 'Combustion Chamber Rabbit out of the CNC Hat' . . . we'll all stay tuned.

Keep the chips flying

 

I will have the answer today ,, also I will be going to LA. the first of the mo.3rd thru. 5th. If the heads are ready I can pick them up and not risk any shipping issues. Let me know

 

Off topic LaSalle sedan I saw at the parts store in Omaha yesterday, had a 500 ci caddy. Very street roddy but is an excellent quality job. Black body was flawless. Hope you don't mind me sharing this. ~sololobo~

 

So Dale, is this the next generation Flathead!?
Outstanding work you guys are doing these days, hard to keep up.
And you have time to fill us in with the progress too!
Really looking forward to see this racer finished.
So B&S could start on his cammer flattie? Or?

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

 

Very cool...sent you a PM

 

thanks looks like ill be there this year, doing a c/str out of texas the texoma flyer, watch for it. ill be all over the place. FLATCAD, the texoma pit and hooley if he is out this year. cant wait. keep the fire going buddy.... sam

 

Hey Sam, just wanted to say 'THANKS!' for some really nice work! I've not yet seen it in person, but the pictures told a nice story. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of the extended FlatCAD team!

 

Damn Buddy these shirts look stylin.............

 

Carl, I think it's the 'models' that are making the shirts look good!

Glad to hear that you're able to bring your grandson to B'ville!

 

Just a reminder-We still have 3 sponsor spots available on the car- contact me if you'd like to be a sponsor!


Now, I'm gonna hijack my own thread here, to show you something really cool!

How about cast 4-71 blower intakes, for the Flatcads? These are soooo cool, and this is the prototype!

You know you're gonna want one!

I'm not the one making them, but I can get you set up with the guy that is! <!-- / message --><!-- attachments -->

 

Really got deep into the whole porting game this weekend - pretty much about all I've done. My damn hands are numb and I've had enough of this **** for now. Porting is one of the dirtiest, nastiest, time-consuming, stressful activities there is . . . especially when you're porting a block/engine that you've never done before.

I've put about 20 hours into it and I'm somewhere around 1/2 done - and I'm pretty fast at it. It is "fun" for one intake port and one exhaust, then it is just plain drudgery . . .

Here are the tools of the trade (at least what I use). I buy 100% carbide double-cut rotary files. I buy both short ones and long ones -- and cut the shafts of the long ones down to about 4 ". High quality carbide cutters can really make the cast iron fly - but you better know what you're doing and you better have some idea as to how far you're cutting. It is quite easy to go through and hit water - especially if you don't have experience with the particular casting and/or have a sonic tester.

Notice the sonic tester - this is the 'Cat's ***' for porting - first time I've used one.



Notice the array of carbide rotary files - I use two of them the most, one a 'flame' tip and one a rounded tip.



Once I've finished all the heavy carbide work, I'll do some stone work in the bottoms of the bowls and to smooth things out a bit.



The following are a set of port pictures -- starting with stock and progressing through the different port stages. I just used my phone camera - so excuse the rough pictures. It is hard to take porting pictures and truly convey what is going on. Trust me on this - there is a LOT of material being taken out with the carbide cutters

Stockers:





I start out with the carbide cutters - pretty much do 80 - 90% of the material removal with these. There are two different types (cast iron/steel and aluminum) - the ones I showed above are all for cast iron.





You can really do a pretty nice job with just the carbide cutters (once you get good at it). My goal is to have to use as little stone and sand-paper roll work as possible!

I stop and use the sonic tester and take measurements in about 8 - 10 areas of the bowl and port throat. The thinnest I go is about .120 - with an average thickness more like .150 - .170. I'm being a bit conservative at this point - don't want to ruin the block just to chase a few horsepower (this is a VERY nice block and it has some special attributes that I'm not going to talk about!).

It is more important that we get this engine done, that I don't screw up a block and that we get the car on the salt. Also, I don't know how much porosity these blocks may have - getting below .120 thickness makes me a bit nervous. We can always decide to port it more after this year

Once I'm done with carbide, I use some stone work in the bottom of the bowls and to blend some of the carbide cut areas:



Now I've done the first rough p*** with a very co**** sand-paper roll.



There is a big huge valve guide boss-hump in the bottom of every port. As far as I'm concerned, it just takes up port area and constricts everything. I've ground the hell out of the bottoms of the ports - to remove the complete boss, open up the port and get as much flow as possible.

Guess we'll see if we can make any horsepower with good ole' Medusa - snake headed ***** that she is

More to come - stay tuned!

 

Better you than me, brother. No way would I have enough patience for that! Great job!

 

Wow Dale those cleaned up nicely.......Good work

 

I'll take some better pictures once I get all of them done, have put the relief in, etc.. It is pretty impressive how big I actually managed to get these ports -- with a 'blower stuffing in the charge', I believe they'll flow pretty well.

B&S

 

New name for you B&S, "Porting King"!
Do you use cutting oil when useing the carbide cutters?
I use an old cutting oil from Wynns, seems like they hold out longer, and feels smoother when cuttimg!?
The downside, smells like he...ll!
Don`t remember, did you mention the price for the sonic tester?

Kjell

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

 

Cutting Oil? Heck no - we don't need no stinking cutting oil!

Even if I wear the cutters out, I'll just buy new ones. I like the cast iron to get the heck out of the way - so having oil in there would cloud up my ability to see what I'm doing.

I keep a big shop vac next to me - and I'm constantly vacuuming up the ports (getting the cast-iron filings out). Visibility is the biggest thing for me - so anything that keeps the material 'sticking' in the area I'm working on would not be my gig.

 

Point taken!
Mabe just me beeing cheep, but those are expensive where i buy them.

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

 

I just want to drop a note. It has been a dream of mine to run at the flats after spending years on the drag strip, but real life usually gets in the way,so to allow us sitting at home to take a small part in watching this effort unfold has been a real treat and I thank you for that. The tech involved is fascinating and it is very interesting to see each hurdle cleared. Be it a full blown race car or a small garage built every effort has meaning and is rewarding in it's own right.

Best of luck in all of your racing endeavours,

 

It ain't much but it's progress...