top dragster scratch build

[crowe-t]

I like the twisted, curvy look of the headers too.  I say use them.

[comp1839]

so, again i had a few minutes this morning. the pattern was "in process" all weekend. grabbed some rudimentary tools and formed the body. don't know if it's a keeper yet but, for now it works.

tools needed.

pattern.

roughed in body. still needs a cowl.......and a nose. also made a dual chute mount for the rear.

side view.

[comp1839]

i also wanted to show you the scoop paul (mr68gts) modeled for this build. it's friggin' awesome!!!

 

 

 

thanks paul!!!

[ClayK]

Outstanding! Love that metal work Sherm!

[Codi]

What a difference Dave when you look at pics with and without the body work.  Still asking the same ol' question, is there anything you CAN'T do?    I wouldn't know what you would do differently to the body as it looks perfect just the way you fabricated it.   cheers, tim

[Ace-Garageguy]

Always a real pleasure to stop in and have a look at this thread. Scratch-building doesn't get any better than this.

[Red rocket 10]

It should be illegal to build something so beautiful...............Great Job Dave !

[Mooneyzs]

Dave.... that is some exceptional work my friend. Love seeing how you are making your templates for patterns and then actually forming the Aluminum. Gorgeous work.work . Love seeing the work on the scoop that Paul has model up for you, it's just awesome. You are about ready to.fire this bad boy up!!

[Art Laski]

Nice sheetmetal work, Dave. Your real-world skills really shine on this build!

[Nytrozilla]

Perfect timing. My bulk shipment of adult personal hygiene products arrived today.

Like Art said, "Your real-world skills are really shiney."

That may not be an exact quote.

Bravo Bro.

[comp1839]

thanks guys. i'm coming down to the final bits on the '37. perhaps i can add a little inspiration to paul's build. i had a pair of badly hacked up olds cast valve covers and i decided to resurrect them and make them fit the newer version drce1 head that i run. after much cutting and machining and welding i came up with these. they'll be replacing the moroso fabbed units i had on the car originally. i like these much better.

 

 

let me know your thoughts.

Edited November 14, 2017 by comp1839

[John Teresi]

Dave........So Very cool.......love them

 

[Belugawrx]

My thoughts,...?

A black wash on those would look great .....

Lmao

[Belugawrx]

You need to put up a sound bite of that monster

[10thumbs]

Wow.

The Alclad looks great on those carbs.

What scale is this one?

[Mooneyzs]

Dave... Loving the Progress on the '37. It is looking killer. This guy needs to get on the ball and get the items you need drawn up for the Dragster and get them printed for  you. I apologize I have slacked on getting them done for you.

[comp1839]

john, thanks buddy!! always appreciate your input.

bruce, we'll see what we can do. i have a video or two around. have to figure out how to load them.  i can assure you.......it does rumble. hehe.

chris, it's all good bro. been a little too busy to do any modelling as of late any ways. give me a yell when your free.

[Mooneyzs]

Dave... Sounds good my Friend, I will call you this weekend so we can catch up.

[Codi]

With regard to the "rumble" this car makes, I can happily verify it is one NASTY sounding BEAST.  To shamelessly quote the old ad, "It isn't your fathers Oldsmobile"..........  The list of pieces and components machined or fabricated himself on this car is testimony to Dave's all around talent as a fabricator/builder.  Congrats Dave, looks fantastic.

[mr68gts]

thanks guys. i'm coming down to the final bits on the '37. perhaps i can add a little inspiration to paul's build. i had a pair of badly hacked up olds cast valve covers and i decided to resurrect them and make them fit the newer version drce1 head that i run. after much cutting and machining and welding i came up with these. they'll be replacing the moroso fabbed units i had on the car originally. i like these much better.

 

 

let me know your thoughts.

Dave, I really like the Olds covers! Things look bad A$$ on there! Dang I like tunnel rams and Dominators but the temptation to go EFI twin turbo is too great lol. I guess I figure if I have a 2000hp capable block I might as well use it right? lol. The um, Dart is going to need some "restructuring" though haha. With your dry sump do you run a scavange in the valley? I'm researching dry sump systems for mine at the moment. Some have said that if the pump is pulling to much vacuum that they have had to run piston squirters. like the updated front end btw.

I will be back in action ont he SW parts soon enough, got a lot of catching up to do on some things.

Paul

Edited November 19, 2017 by mr68gts

[comp1839]

chris, THANKS!!! always good talking to you. you seem to get me motivated to get back to the bench everytime we talk!!!!! hehe.

tim, thanks!!! soon, we'll be cruising to lunch in this thing!!!!!!!  maybe by years end (so i'm told) so bring a jacket............. no matter the temp. as long as it ain't precipitatin' ........we're rollin'!!!!!

paul, i gotta agree with you. the EFI and twin turbo package is the way to go any more. it's way more drivable / tune-able. and the dart is such a wonderful mopar body to start with!!!!!!! i'm jealous THAT's for sure!!!!  i'm not really super up-to-date on cylinders heads for small block mopars but, those w9rp's look like they could flow some pretty good numbers. i would think easily 2000 h.p. capable.  i think edelbrock does make a set of victors with your bolt pattern. i have a question, do the P5 small block prostock heads work on your block?  i know the cam lobe sequence is different but, those are freakin' awesome heads.

  as far as the dry sump, on the 604, that's in the car,  i am not running a scanvange line to the lifter valley. it's a 5 stage. 4 scavange to the pan and 1 pressure to the block.  on the 730 i am running a 6 stage.......4 to the pan, 1 to the valley and a pressure stage. it will be vented to atmosphere or a vaccum break with a VERY low setting.  personally i don't think it's worth that much effort for a street motor.  between putting piston oilers in and pump maintenance (to maintain that much vaccum the pump will require periodic rebuilds). i don't think, on a "street car", you need every horsepower you can get. especially, when you can create more boost. i also like alot of oil on everything in a street motor. your A8 block will require a scavange line to the lifter valley,  unless you open it up and let it drain back. the block doesn't have a fully enclosed cam tunnel so 50% of the lifter oil and all of the cam oil, is still going down over the reciprocating assembly.  are you considering oil returns from the heads to the pan? this will reduce the oil in the lifter valley. in the end it's all about what you're willing to do and how much you're willing to spend for horsepower. gotta say i love where you're going with this project!!! please keep me up to date on it. best of luck!!!   although you and i both know.....LUCK ain't got nothing to do with it.. hehe.

 

let me know when the new scoops ready, so's i can order one.

[mr68gts]

i'm not really super up-to-date on cylinders heads for small block mopars but, those w9rp's look like they could flow some pretty good numbers. i would think easily 2000 h.p. capable.  i think edelbrock does make a set of victors with your bolt pattern. i have a question, do the P5 small block prostock heads work on your block?  i know the cam lobe sequence is different but, those are freakin' awesome heads.

  as far as the dry sump, on the 604, that's in the car,  i am not running a scanvange line to the lifter valley. it's a 5 stage. 4 scavange to the pan and 1 pressure to the block.  on the 730 i am running a 6 stage.......4 to the pan, 1 to the valley and a pressure stage. it will be vented to atmosphere or a vaccum break with a VERY low setting.  personally i don't think it's worth that much effort for a street motor.  between putting piston oilers in and pump maintenance (to maintain that much vaccum the pump will require periodic rebuilds). i don't think, on a "street car", you need every horsepower you can get. especially, when you can create more boost. i also like alot of oil on everything in a street motor. your A8 block will require a scavange line to the lifter valley,  unless you open it up and let it drain back. the block doesn't have a fully enclosed cam tunnel so 50% of the lifter oil and all of the cam oil, is still going down over the reciprocating assembly.  are you considering oil returns from the heads to the pan? this will reduce the oil in the lifter valley. in the end it's all about what you're willing to do and how much you're willing to spend for horsepower. gotta say i love where you're going with this project!!! please keep me up to date on it. best of luck!!!   although you and i both know.....LUCK ain't got nothing to do with it.. hehe.

 

let me know when the new scoops ready, so's i can order one.

Dave,

Flow numbers I have seen on the W9RP's have been 380 ish to 400 range. There are 2 types of P5 heads. The first or early style was the non Hemi and the later version is the hemi style head. Although they are both a Polysphere and not a true hemi. The later head requires a split lifter pattern (48 and 59 deg angle) The block I have is a straight 48 degree block. Also the P5's have from I have seen moved bore centers and require an R4 block. I actually almost pulled the trigger on a new in crate R4 block but they are all short deck and iron so I chose this block instead. (9.6 deck height vs the R4 of 9.0 roughly) 

Yeah the lifter valley is completely closed in on my block but the bottom of the cam tunnel is open to the crank case so there can be some oil flung from the crank but I don't know how much the dry sump under vacuum is going to control that. Maybe low vacuum would be best. I was thinking a 4 stage with one being in the valley but a 5 may be better for me. (do they make an H beam rod with pin oiling?)  I have an idea for a oil pan that can use the windage to help shear the oil from the crank. Dunno if it will work or not but I will design it and talk to maybe Olson and see what they think. I also need to design up my intake which once I have the heads I can figure out something for that. I think I can run the machined parts through work but I will talk to them and see once I get closer.  I've got a lot of research to do yet on this thing, that's for sure!

Will do on that scoop. I was reworking it when things went haywire again so I think it was close when I stopped. We thought last Monday the house was going to be someone else's but their lender didn't like something so it fell out of escrow literally right at the last minute! I wish this roller coaster ride was over lol. Won't be until we have our own place again though.

Happy Thanksgiving BTW

Paul

Edited November 21, 2017 by mr68gts
Grammer

[Red rocket 10]

I can't wait to see and hear it buddy !

[comp1839]

happy thanksgiving to every one!

paul, your 3-D cad skills will be infinitely useful in building your engine. i wish i had your talent. i hope you'll let me see some of your design efforts on your engine. oh, and yes, there are quite a few companies that do pressurized  pin oiling on h-beam rods. carrillo and crower come to mind. i'm sure there are a ton more.

saw this on visner's facebook. food for thought.

 

leonard, how are you doing? i'm hoping to get a video made from IN the car very soon.....hint hint !  hehe.

[Codi]

You've got great taste Dave.  Visners intakes are just gorgeous, am I to suppose that there is one planned for your 37' someday?  Maybe on top of that new monster engine you're building out?   

Cheers sir, tim