viable combo for nostalgic gasser

Also here is the phone number. 828-863-1201

On the 429 deal would you run a truck crankshaft or car crankshaft ?

Also could or do the rules allow you to run the truck crankshaft and set it up like a 9000 rpm truck pulling engine ?

Just my ignorance thinking out loud !

whitefield wrote:On the 429 deal would you run a truck crankshaft or car crankshaft ?

Also could or do the rules allow you to run the truck crankshaft and set it up like a 9000 rpm truck pulling engine ?

Just my ignorance thinking out loud !

Not ignorant at all;
you could, as long as the engine looks the part on the outside and is the correct cubic inches but, you have to hook this up at the starting line, the same over & over again, with a regular single disk clutch and that manual shift transmission ... without breaking any parts; (or it just costs you a bunch of money).

Going a lot faster than anyone else is not an advantage as you WILL be penalized with more weight so everyone else runs close to you. Going just a LITTLE BIT faster than everyone else seems to be the best way to go.

whitefield wrote:On the 429 deal would you run a truck crankshaft or car crankshaft ?

Also could or do the rules allow you to run the truck crankshaft and set it up like a 9000 rpm truck pulling engine ?

Just my ignorance thinking out loud !

I was thinking about the forged truck crank to but, more for the beating of the 4 speed this thing is going to take. I would also think four bolting the block would be a good idea also, for the higher rpm he will be running.

southcross wrote:Just find an old Falcon or Comet or Fairlane...............

That's the part that kinda sucks if you want to run a small/narrow/light Ford body from that era, not many choices. That limited number of small/narrow/light Ford body styles, (the early 60's Falcons, The early 60's Rancheros, and the early Mustangs), is a small pool to choose from. And even the junk bodies are kinda pricey these days. Heh, a tiny '60-'65 Ranchero gasser with a 429 would look damn cool.


What about aftermarket/race "shift" style  4-speeds, are they legal (for safety & less breakage reasons)? I'm talking about stuff like the old Jerico top loader 4-speeds, if you paint them black they might look a little more like a Ford top loader.

rmcomprandy wrote:..........Going a lot faster than anyone else is not an advantage as you WILL be penalized with more weight so everyone else runs close to you. Going just a LITTLE BIT faster than everyone else seems to be the best way to go.

Heh, sounds just like NHRA index class racing. If you're one of the faster cars in a class you gotta walk that tightrope between sand bagging just enough to not get slapped with more weight, but still just fast enough to get to the finishline first.

As I posted earlier in this thread a majority of the cars are running a hightower transmission . Some are running Jerico's . They understand that the tire compounds and the track prep just about eliminate running a stock toploader or a Muncie 4 speed. As long as the shift is clutch assisted it is fine. That is why I am running a Liberty prepped toploader and I bought it right from a guy that went to a cluchless 5 speed for his car . Not a gasser.
There is one Falcon station wagon running C/Gas with a Cleveland . That is Jimmy Huff the Cleveland engine builder. Quite a few early Novas and Falcons a few Fairlane's.
If I could find a candidate I would build a 55-57 T-Bird . For now My Morris Minor has the chassis built and the body ready for paint . So it is my race car. I know that the short wheelbase is going to be a handful, but I see some of the longer wheelbase cars getting loose too.
There are no electronics allowed in these cars so if you are a good enough driver to judge how fast you need to be then you sir deserve to win. Go to one of their races and see the excitement and close racing. This is not index racing. Last years season points champion in A/Gas has won one race this year. There is not been a dominant car. Only one car pumped for cubic inches as far as I know.
This organization is filling the grandstands and setting attendance records wherever they go and now are a stand alone race and not just some time killer like some of the nostalgic races. The amount of cars being built is going to double the amount of cars at each race in a year or so. Remember this deal started with 2 cars 5 years ago.
I still am not getting any recommendations as to what piston and rod combo , cam suggestions. Engine weights. You can find out more about the class on their website and watching their videos or contacting Quain Stott directly. I have a cherry 429 block that has been vatted line honed and decked and rough bored it will be .030 over. I have a crank that has been checked for cracks . turned .010-.010. and polished. That is what I am going to use. Is a stud girdle needed? Do I need to pour the block? I just need to fill the block with parts , build the mounts and headers so I can get it ready for next season. Can I turn a flat tappet 429 stock crank motor at least 7,800 rpms?

I found the engine weights in another post so I have that info. Thanks.

southcross wrote:.............recommendations rod combo.............Is a stud girdle needed?............Do I need to pour the block?.............

Since it's not going to be a really "big" engine & you might want to spin the crap out of it IMO you might want to........

(A) definitely grout the factory/OEM block if it's not getting an aftermarket block.

(B) definitely use rocker stud girdles if it's not getting $haft rockers.  

(C) use a piston that gets you as much compression as possible.

(D) zero deck it (or close to zero) if it's getting aftermarket steel rods.

(E) maybe think about aluminum rods if you really want to zing it up there.


Also since these are only 1/8 mile deals you can probably experiment with throwing more rear gear at a combo (just to see what happens) as long as it doesn't make you're overall first gear ratio too violent at the hit.

Also since these are only 1/8 mile deals you can probably experiment with throwing more rear gear at a combo (just to see what happens) as long as it doesn't make you're overall first gear ratio too violent at the hit.[/quote]


Ya know, Dave, "too violent at the hit" may not win but it sure is a crowd pleaser   I remember the 60's gassers and I've watched this retro bunch.  In both cases the fans loved the guy who looked like he was riding a fuel injected pogo stick.

I have a 5.29 and a 4.56 so I can play with the gearing. Scat or Eagle rods. I have never raced a big block Ford ,but a bunch of big block Chevies and keeping the valvetrain together just requires good parts and maintenance.

.

http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2291&gid=247

Did you look at this cam ^^^? Comp Cams have a couple of larger ones but, they are both single pattern. You might consider a custom grind on something like this because there are not a lot of big shelf grinds at the RPM level you are after in SFT's.

I PM'd Randy and he recommended using the 440 Mopar rod 460 piston combo. My local machine shop can handle the crank grinding and the balancing.
I just need to get some parts coming so I can get the process started. I have work to do on the oiling system to get that ready. No pan clearance problems with my straight axle setup.
I did look at the Lunati cam specs. I will go with a custom ground solid flat tappet cam .
Thanks for all the help and am looking for used parts . Like a tunnel ram and oil pan.

I have a buyer for my heads and cam . Just need to sell my 5.0 short block so I can get started on my 429. Anybody need a good deal on a .040 over 5.0 short block with Mahle forged flat top pistons and Scat H-beam rods ? PM me for details.
I am having trouble finding a shop that can bore my lifter holes to .904 so Randy can custom grind me a cam.
Anyone in Florida know any good engine shops in the central Florida area that can do that ? I have checked with a half dozen shops who said they can do everything but bore lifter holes. Approximate cost I should expect to pay ?