Projects Austin Somerset Gasser Build (DragNasty)

So back to the build. You know the old saying one step forward and two steps back? Well I am living it right now. Not only that, in typical fashion for me when I stepped back I kicked over a whole new line of dominoes. Take a look at the 454 now:

So this weekend I talked to several guys running blowers at the race track. By the end of the day I had convinced myself, even though we are not planning on over driving it or running tons of boost through it, I still want a forged crank. I had several builders tell me for what I was doing the cast crank and two bolt main would be fine. But you know me...at some point I will not be able to help myself...I will flip the pulleys and turn it up.

If I am going to do it, now is the perfect time (well actually last month was but now is better than later) so this morning we started taking the engine back apart. However what we found inside surprised me. The motor was supposed to have forged pistons and rods in it but it did not. After pulling it apart we found a set of Speed-Pro Hypereutectic Pistons and standard old stock rods. After a quick call to my builder he apologized for the mix up and ordered me a new set of forged pistons and rods. He is also a stand up guy and since I was about to order a forged crank he offered to sell me an Eagle brand at cost and balance it for free.

Finally with all new "forged" rotating assembly pieces on the way I decided to have the block drilled to make it a four bolt main. Something I nearly did the first time but decided against it. ...And with the dominos falling all over the place anyway, the machinist doing the drilling offered me a killer buy on a set of billet main caps so...bing bang we are about to have a nearly bullet proof bottom end ready to take what ever we decide to throw at it.

 

Well I picked up the block this morning and WOW, how cool are those crazy HOWARDS Billet Main caps? The machinist said they weigh more than 20 pounds each! Pistons and rods made it in but the Eagle crank was a no show. I asked for them to cut a second keyway 180 degrees from the original and it ads a day or two to the delivery. So no motor assembly this weekend.

 

Awesome build... I love unique Hotrods!

About those caps... 20 lbs at start or after finished cut?

 

You know after you asked about the caps, I got to thinking, 20 lbs is a lot. The more I thought about it the more it seemed an unreasonable amount. So I went and out took one off to weigh it.

Just over 9.5 pounds. Still a pretty good chunk of steel.

 

Since we had no motor parts for assembly we decided to do some body work. We ground the paint off the driver's side rear door opening and then welded it shut, something I have been procrastinating for months.

While I was slowing putting the spot welds to it, Dad took a rubbing on the large door handle opening and cut a piece of sheet metal to fit it.

After he ground on it a bit to make a prefect insert, we tacked a welding rod to it so it could be handled without dropping it inside the door and loosing it forever (which is exactly what happened to the first one)!




I also cut out the ONLY rust on the entire car which was just above the wheel well opening and installed a patch panel.

 

Before we pulled the body off the chassis last month, we marked the fire wall for what would have to be an indention for the distributor. It was close but we estimated at the time that we would need at least a 2" deep space. So today, I marked and cut a Capital "I" shape into the fire wall with the intentions of carefully pushing the area in and then adding pieces to complete the opening.

Above you can see the original cut about an inch below the opening. I spent quite a bit of time laying out and marking those cuts. Making sure they were straight, level and centered etc. Now I ask you, what kind of yahoo goes to that much trouble with out at least feeling on the backside to make sure there is nothing in the way? Me... I totally forgot I had a piece of 1" square tubing welded there which is how the removable sheet metal tunnel is mounted. That first cut not only went through the firewall but blasted right into it as well. There was enough heat that it warped the sheet metal below it and I had to cut nearly a .25" relief straight down from it to get the area to lay flat again.

We played with the area that had been pushed in until we were happy with the opening. Then made a pattern to cut sheet metal inserts for the top, bottom and back to complete the box. I thought it would be easier to leave the top and back insert together.

After getting the top and back insert in place I started the slow process of spot welding it solid and then added the bottom piece to complete the indented area.

While I was tacking in the bottom insert I also set about spot welding the mis-cut area as well. A bit of grinding and we will just forget all about that nasty little first cut.

 

Really coming together now.
Seems like your engine guy didn't anticipate anyone taking his work apart and actually looking what parts had gone into it. Hmmm.....
At least he made it right.

 

yep....

 

Maybe a little bit of that combined with the fact that they are a pretty big shop and crazy busy. I really think he was surprised. I know he thought it had forged pistons etc. because we talked about the "blower" audible and he said I was good to go from the piston and rod side of things. Anyway it is about to be all good (as they say)...and then some.

 

So with the Engine internals finally headed down the right path, the question comes up about how to feed this monster. Not only did we make the "Blower Audible" as I like to call it but we are also running E85. Even without the blower sucking the fuel, you have to plan for at least 1/3 more fuel (meaning bigger lines and bigger pump and higher pressures).
I think we got it covered:
This is the MagnaFuel ProStar 500 Pump with Filter Unit
- Up to 2000+ HP
- 25 to 36 psi (13 amps @ 28 psi)
- #12AN In/Out, #8AN Bypass

 

Wow you could pump a few lakes dry with that thing and find Jimmy Hoffa's body

 

I know...I kind of over did it (as usual). But after adding the blower to the mix I am sort of glad to have that little number back there ready to push fuel. You may be half right about Hoffa though...'cause I am pretty sure it is going to wake the dead! LOL

 

That big pump is going right back here in the trunk on the passenger side of the fuel cell. The fuel cell is a 16 gallon unit. That ought to be good for about 16 miles...LOL!

I installed an 8AN fitting in the top for the return line and I am going to use both those 10AN fittings on the bottom to feed the 12AN line into the pump via this handy dandy little Y fitting.

The tank already had a small factory vent in the top which I switched out with a larger 12AN fitting.

 

I learned something about these plastic JAZ fuel cells on the Model "A". After a while, the top sort of collapsed a bit. So this time, I cut a piece of 2" PVC pipe and wedged it vertically in the center.

 

This crazy build thread has been skipping around like a fat girl at a Square Dance. Sorry about that, we just have so many irons in the fire right now it seems we are being pulled in about 10 different directions. So with that in mind, let me tell you what I did today. I have a brand new set of PRW roller rocker arms (you have probably seen them). However with everything that has changed in the motor since the "Blower Audible" they are really the last concern I have. Eight pages back or so we started building a fairly high horse flat tappet 454. However (and you have seen the progression) it has morphed in to something fairly wild at this point. SO:

Today I ordered a set of Comp Cams Ultra Pro Magnum XD Rocker Arms. They are engineered from 8650 billet steel and are "Lifetime" Guaranteed! Finally, just like the fat girls going square dancing, this top end has to have a girdle. So that is coming from Comp Cams as well. LOL!

 

So here is the full build sheet (post Blower Audible):
- 454 Chevy Block 30 Over
- Drilled for 4 bolt Main
- Howards Billet Main Caps
- Forged EAGLE Crank (4.0 Stroke) Dual Keyways (Balanced)
- Melling High Performance Oil Pump
- ATI Super Dampner
- CFR Billet Water Pump and Crank Pulleys
- PRW High Volume Water Pump
- Ported and Polished GM 990 HI-PERF Heads
- Manley Valves and Springs
- Cometic (MLS) Head Gaskets with Vitron
- JE Forged Pistons
- JE Forged I-Beam Rods
- Comp Cams Roller Cam
- Comp Cams Roller Lifters
- Comp Cam 3/8" Push Rods and Guides
- Comp Cams Magnum XD Roller Rockers and Stud Girdles
- Cloyes Double Roller Timing Chain and Gears
- New Style Weiand 671 Blower Kit
- Dual Holly 650 E-85 Carbs
- Enderle Style Bug Catcher with K&N Mini Filters
- Sanderson Headers
- MSD High Torque Blower Starter
- GM 125 Amp Mini Alternator and Summit Racing Billet Low Mount Kit
- MSD Pro-Billet Distributor
- MSD Blaster 2 Coil
- MSD 6 AL Digital Ignition Box
- MSD Superconductor 8.5 Spark Plug Wires
- NGK Plugs

 

You know I purchased a chrome oil pan from Speedway out of their garage sale section more than a year ago. It was marked down because it had a very small dent. It cost me $25, a bargain I didn't think I could pass up. However it was a cheap chrome pan to begin with and last month when we THOUGHT we were done with the engine we found it did not fit very well. The holes all lined up correctly, but the arches in the ends were both off and would not work at all with the one piece gasket we had. We got it on with a rubber mallet and black RTV but I was not happy and I certainly would not want to try it anywhere else but on an engine stand with the motor upside down! So while waiting on parts this week, I snagged a Moroso, which has the appearance of the stock pan. And while I was out today I picked up a Wix Racing filter.

 

Looks like it is another "bodywork weekend"... Piston's arrived but they are the wrong style (non-floaters). They will not work with the rods etc. Plus the Crank has still not made it in...cutting the second keyway has really put it behind schedule. Man I really hate bodywork!

 

We started this morning looking at the original gas cap on the driver's side hip. My original thought was to keep it in place and put the shut off switch in the cap. It would have been cool but not very safe. If the car ever got upside down or laid over on that side the switch might not be reachable.


So we removed what was left of the neck and cap exposing a perfect two inch hole just above the rear fender.


We took a scrap of sheet metal and clamped tight enough on the drill press to get a hole saw to cut us a perfect patch.


However the fuel hole is not exactly on a flat panel. So I took our little circle and did a bit of hammering with a body hammer on the anvil. This gave it a bit of a concave shape which fits the hole like a glove.


After a couple of rounds of tack welds we did a quick grind down to check the fit. Then after several cool down periods continued tacking until we were happy.


The final profile of the patch is perfect and it will take a very small amount of filler to vanish the original fuel filler hole for ever.


Speaking of filler, we did some quick final grinding around the spot welds on the driver's rear side window chop work. The extra time we put in welding this area really paid off as there is hardly any filler, less than 1/8" max.


We took our time cutting in the body lines on both the fenders and below the side windows.

It is hard to see in the photos, but all the lines are factory crisp. We have some final sanding to do on this side but the fill work and initial sanding has finally confirmed exactly what I anticipated when I first saw this body style several years ago: Chopping the top and loosing the rear door will simply make a perfect two door coupe!


We also welded up and filled all the holes along the bottom of the door and rear quarter area from the factory moldings. Even though body work is about my least favorite thing, there was a lot of grinning this afternoon in shop.

 

Looking great. Can´t wait to see it one colour.

 

You and me both.

 

Good! I'm not too late.
Read through this entire thread this morning, and would like to make a suggestion. Concerning the discussion of radiusing the rear wheel opening or not.
Can you cut out the arches in such a manner as to make them into removable skirts?
That would give you the larger opening of the gasser look, but you could easily change up the look for whatever the situation.

Roger

 

I am sure it could be done and not a bad idea. I thought of that too...kind of like this:


However the whole look of the radius (in the Gasser World) is having something (preferably a tire - lol) sticking out of it. If the tire is sticking out a couple of inches it would be hard to have a skirt etc. Honestly, at this point the tires are tucked for two reasons. One, that is where they ended up with current axle configuration and wheel offset etc. And two, I have enough body work at this point (which I hate) with out opening that can of worms.

Besides after seeing it on the road (sort of) or at least setting on its own I am really digging the body lines on the Somerset etc. Those rear fenders look they have bulged out just to take the tires. I will definitely get around to the radius at some point as that is how I have always seen the car. But I will have to find a rim with a different offset and then use a spacer to get the tires were they need to be. I will need to gain about 3" or so per side.

For now though I am just digging its (confused personality look) as some HAMBers call it. It fits me pretty well, on my best day, MY personality is generally nothing to far above confused!

 

Yeppers... They're big!

 

Actually I did get some clarification on the weight. Apparently, they START with a 20 pound piece of billet steel.
Makes more sense.

 

I was going over the build notes last night to make sure I have not left anything out. I did notice that I did not mention the oil cooler so since there is very little to report on the continuing body work saga I thought I would go ahead and ad it now. I had a great little Derale oil cooler unit hanging on the wall from the Model "A". I never got around to installing so there it hung.

Since one concern with the Huffer is extra heat, I figure the Austin is a much better application for it anyway. We are still trying to decide exactly where to put it but the Moroso filter block adapter arrived last week so we will be ready when it goes back together to place the cooler and plumb it up.

 

FEDx Man dropped a package off today. They have been on back order so long I nearly forgot about them. I just stumbled across them one day online and thought it was a really good idea. Honestly, before I saw them I had never even thought about it: Universal Joint Girdles! These are from JEGS and have ARP bolts and nuts.

 

Pretty slow progress this week as it has just been too hot when I get home to even think about working. But I have been thinking ahead a bit. At some point we will be ready for some crew shirts to sport while we play around the Austin so I have been playing around with a logo. I wanted to incorporate the "Flying Wheel" from the Austin Emblem with the DragNasty name etc. This is what I came up with:

 

I did choose the last variation of the NHRA class designation for the supercharged gas class, circa late 1960s. If I understand it correctly, in the beginning it was A/GS and then it evolved to AA/G. The Supercharged guys didn't really like it but NHRA was following suit with designations that anytime you see a Double letter it was a supercharged class. Finally NHRA allowed for AA/GS and as the Gassers died, at least they were happy again!

 

From an old Lion's gasser guy, thanks for the fine work and progress shots. Keep up the good work, many of us live through your adventures. You will be rewarded for your dedication and for being true visions. Dick M