Technical How fast will it be?

I am concerned that my 51 Styleline might be too fast to do occasional track stuff without adding a cage, frame stiffening, and all the other required safety stuff (blankets, diapers, ect...). I really don't want to put a cage and a lot of race stuff in the car to take away from the cool 50s look.

This became a concern since the machine shop didn't do a good job on lifter bore consistency and when we pulled it apart to bore them to size, we found metal crushed into the bearings. We then found build up and rust in the water jackets and crud in the oil galleys. So we have been cleaning it up and re-checking clearances. While waiting to get things done, a friend punched in numbers on a dyno program and we may have over built the engine. The program says it should have 730 HP @ 6900 with the small carb and intake. (Edelbrock low profile intake with a Holley 750) We will also test it with a taller single plane intake and a QF 830 which put the HP above 800 at 7500. We're putting the engine back together and the heads are about ready to bolt on. We plan to try both intake/carb combos on the dyno once it is all together. It is a 505 cu in Mk IV with 700R4 and 3.55 gears in the rear with tires that will clear the factory body. The heads are flowing 435 at .700 with good velocity and chamber and port work. We should have the compression down to 9.0 - 9.5 max. The plan is to have a full interior, factory upholstered seats and lap belts. I'm thinking I can add the shoulder straps without taking away from the stock appearance.

It's been a while since I've gone down a track, but will this 3300lb. car get into mandatory roll cage territory with this setup? Not sure if ignition modules with rev limiters are OT or not so don't know if we can discuss options to keep it in the proper ETs. I know we can't talk spray or boost so it isn't planned for the car, but the engine is being built to be OK with it at a later time.

 

I'm sure you know roll bars are required for cars faster than 11.50. It should do that with ease.
My guess would be mid 10 seconds.

 

If it has cool 50’s look tires (narrow bias) I doubt you will have the traction to go too fast. Not to mention suspension.

 

you can have a lot of power and not run a quick ET...although mph might be up there. With the setup you have, this might be the case with your car.

We can talk about boost here. As long as it's kind of on topic, like a GMC based blower, or one of the older design blowers or even turbos. The EFI stuff to make turbos work like most modern cars have, is off topic. But things like the Olds 215 etc that came with them are old enough that it's allowed to some extent.

I think my mild blown 427 is making about 700 hp, 2750 lbs empty, been in the 9s, and requires a full cage (not just a roll bar) because the floor has been modified.

11.50 for a roll bar, somewhere in the 10s or 9.99 you need a cage, but you really need to study the rule book to know for sure, because there are a lot of variables. 10s you need a transmission shield, diapers usually depend on the track/event but could be at 10.0 or faster or slower.

 

@squirrel So are you saying limited traction and high gears it will be slow but the mph will be fast. Say a 11.50 at 130 mph. Instead of 10.00 and 130 mph.

 

I forsee long, smokey burnouts in your future.

 

At that power level it would need a well thought out suspension to have any hopes of its potential. A pair of slicks and slapper bars ain’t gonna cut it.

 

So this is Supercharged 505 ci? Edit: wait 750 cfm carb on dual plane? 435 cfm at .700" lift and only 9:1 compression?

 

Called a top end charge.......Have to have some power to make up for the short end........130 is in the 10 zone for the 1/4, but.........hard to overcome with that much difference........

 

yeah, that's how it works if the gearing and suspension and tires aren't quite right.

But you can get a pretty good idea of mph based on HP and weight...there are online caculators

 

This motor will not get a blower. Not unless I really get bit by the bug and then it will be tubs, cage, 9" and hang on. I think I still have an GMC 671, but I planned to stay away from serious racing and just enjoy it as fun. But with sick week this past week, I think it would a ton of fun to do some drive and drags. So, I wouldn't say never.

And yes, I planned on traction limiting me so I don't get too carried away. But, once it hooks it should take off quickly. Just hopefully not too quickly.

 

505 and a 671 ain't gettin that serious.

 

my 871 and OT bird catcher is on the boat.

 

Now your talking more serious.
I made are heap run 11:33 so I pulled it off the track and have started the upgrades to make it safe. Take it to the track and run it if it pass tech, the track guys will let you know when you have had enough fun.

 

http://www.wallaceracing.com/et-hp-mph.php

 

We need a bench racing trophy on the HAMB.

 

Remembering that back in 1964 my 55 Metropolitan convertible had a nut welded in the toe board below the gas pedal with a bolt screwed into it as a throttle stop that I should have damned well kept my little wrench off. Meaning that a simple adjustable throttle stop may keep the ET in line while still being able to adjust it a bit when you want more poke.

 

This will be one of them there “street brawlers”.

 

The engine was built originally for a pulling truck at 10.5 - 11.0:1. That wasn't going to be competitive so I am having a 502 at 14:1 built for the truck. Iron heads went with the truck engine. I intended to keep the car to a cruiser and occasionally go to play days at the track. This took me to FloTek heads with a 133 chamber bringing the compression down to the low 9s. My head porter didn't like the flow characteristics and has since corrected the chambers, ports, flow characteristics and brought the flow numbers up. The cam isn't ideal, but with 635 lift and a 114 lobe separation, it should be street able. Doing solid roller lifters to up the top end rpm range as I feel this engine will need to rev to work best. The QF 830 flows much better than 830 so we'll see where it goes. If power falls off after 6500 then the 750 might be enough. If we aren't happy with the numbers, it is easy enough to change the heads and bring the compression back up but I am fighting the urge to build a "Street Brawler". The chase for low ETs will eat a lot of Green. A lot of my build is spare parts.

 

Any pics of this build? 800 horse in a stock appearing 51 Chevy is insane to me.

 

The pile of parts is in the shop, I'm making room for the car still so I can get the stock drivetrain out and the newer stuff in. As it sits now it looks stock, because it is. The front end will come down just a little. Other than that, I like the stance and want to keep the stance. Wheels undecided at this point. I need to get the rear end in and see what will fit with what back spacing. Leaf springs and traction bars on the rear is the current plan. This year make it a driver and get comfortable with it. Next winter do the body work and make it pretty.

 

Are those bullet holes

 

If you follow stock appearing drags there's many cars running 9.30's and quicker on Coker tire bias plys, it's really amazing how fast some of these guys are with a car that looks like it's right off the showroom floor.
So if the suspension is right it can get down on a skinny tire, I'd like to see what the dyno numbers say on your combo.

 

when that vette gets its nose in the air, it sure don't appear stock underneath!

 

Yes. They go through both back windows. Which reminds me, I need to order new back glass. They were that way when I bought it. It does add character and says the car is a fighter. LOL

The vette above appears to have drag shocks on the front end and more than enough HP to carry that front end. Lighter springs and drag shocks were things we used to do to help transfer weight to the rear wheels. At least that's what we did and it seemed to work. Figuring out the front springs and shocks are for after it is running mostly. I have lighter springs already for it, and will see what I need for shocks. Not sure if drag shocks are still a thing. As I recall they allowed the wheels to drop easier and had more cushion (resistance) when they touched back down.

 

look into Viking Double Adjustable shocks front & rear and Caltrac bars. With a good rear tire and suspension, this car should easily dip into the low 10's, I'm not sure the 700R4 will like it though.

 

see plenty of rides with high HP motors that never see a track. look at regulations for your local track. not going for true performance suspension and transmission and intake/carburetion will certainly limit your final numbers. run a Rev limiter no matter what.

 

Drag shocks are now a whole industry unto themselves!

 

Santhuff’s are pretty popular with the S/SS guys. Pricey, but probably one of the best.

 

I think you will come out ahead if you start building your chassis and suspension and open the wheel wells up to hold larger tires before proceeding. When you cruise, people can't see the larger wheel wells and you can run a large street tire. If you don't take a serious look at the rear suspension needs, I don't think you can harness the engines power adequately. At a minimum you need a roll bar bar whether its required or not. Careful planning can make it unobtrusive..........but I always thought a roll bar gives a street machine some character. You also need something better than a lap belt.