I am in the middle of assembling this seasons race motor.  I really want to get it on the dyno by the end of this month, but we will see.  I am pushing everything with this motor.  A big crank, a big cam, big compression etc.  The net result is that everything wants to hit or interfere with everything else.  The crank hits the cam the rods hit the block …….   These were all known issues, but you have to check everything.  I have the crank laid in although I decided to go with larger thrust bearings taking end play from .008″ to .004″.  I also have laid in the pistons and rods and put the rod caps on.  I have not torqued anything down yet.  I am going to get ARP bolts for the main caps as that is the only stock fastener left that might prove a problem at 8000 rpm.  I sized the rings and everything went well and I am happy with the set up on the pistons.  I had to send the cam to Delta as I was not happy with the clearance of the lobe to the crank.  They will recreate the profile but with a smaller base circle.  When I get that back, I should be able to close up the bottom end after I have verified the cam timing has not changed.

Still working on the solution for the transmission 5th gear support.  I prototyped one idea, but it will not prove out.  So, back to the drawing board.  I am working on another solution, but it appears that I may end up using bushings as I do not think we can stabilize anything I attach to the end of the input and output shafts of the transmission as they screw on and it is difficult to predict the tolerance of the threads.  It is very likely that this lack of tolerance would tear up bearings.

The pictures of our trailer are the damage we received while in Canada picking up a car.  We were rear ended by a guy doing about 55mph.  Fortunately he hit one of the walls of the trailer or he would have went right through the door.  This is a well built and stout trailer.  The hit was much harder than the pictures would leave to believe.  His Ford Escape was destroyed in a big way.

Going up tomorrow morning to pick up Mike’s new race car.  Number 4 car in the stable!  Yet another car that has a full liter of displacement on me.  damn!

joe