IT'S SPRINGTIME! Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racin'

Post #1 by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:45 pm

Here are some pics of the engine I will be using this year. I fired it up yesterday. I plan to run it in a week or so.

Post #2 by **Geezer 300** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:09 pm

That sure is purty

Post #3 by **Harte3** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:36 pm

Awesome

What ET and Speed are you shooting for?

Post #4 by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:48 pm

Harte3 wrote:Awesome

What ET and Speed are you shooting for?

8.80s @ 150, Lord willin'.

Post #5 by **Harte3** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:07 pm

Good luck and many safe runs to you :!:

Did you fabricate the intake? It appears to be an IR? Whoops,...I should have looked closer.

Post #6 by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:27 pm

Harte3 wrote:Good luck and many safe runs to you

Did you fabricate the intake? It appears to be an IR? Whoops,...I should have looked closer.

Thanks Harte3. I fabbed the intake, valve cover, mag drive, headers, water neck, water pump cover, alternator mount, gage pack, etc. I also did extensive mods to the carbs. They idle great, which has been a problem in the past. Getting the idle speed slow enough without making it run pig rich was the problem.

Post #7 by **Mustang_Geezer** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:37 pm

Greg,

Cool stuff!!

Do you race strictly at Milan or do you run around some of the other area tracks? Just wondering if there a chance of seeing you at Martin US 131??

Later,

Post #8 by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:43 pm

I have a 14 week points race schedule at MDW. I plan to race at the Hot Rod Reunion in St. Thomas, Ontario, CA and the Thompson, OH Gasser Reunion (with my '33 Willys coupe). I also want to introduce my oldest grandkids to junior dragsters this year. Maybe one of them will carry on the FTF racing tradition.

Do you ever see Jerry Arnold at Martin? He runs some mean Ford and GMC sixes. He goes there to test.

Post #9 by **82F100** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:33 pm

Greg, Good Luck this season.

Post **#10** by **STEVEN.** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:09 pm

X2. ~OO6.

thelastf100 · Post **#11** by **thelastf100** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:32 pm

wow that looks nice, do you race 1/8 or 1/4 what is your e/t or what do you think it will run with the new motor,,,,thanks,,,,keith

thelastf100 · Post **#12** by **thelastf100** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:48 am

sorry i miss the 8.80 @150

worken2much · Post **#13** by **worken2much** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:17 am

Best of luck. That rig looks like it would go into the eights at half throttle. If you have too many of those cross flow heads cluttering up your shop let me know. I'd stop by and get them out of your way...........

Have fun/
Worken2much

Ferris Bueller · Post **#14** by **Ferris Bueller** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:32 am

Very cool. Looks like you ran it up to 2400 when you last started it.

IndianOutlaw72 · Post **#15** by **IndianOutlaw72** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:01 pm

just wondering since its a race motor and a str8 6 where do you peak it out at rpm wise.

American Thunder · Post **#16** by **American Thunder** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:38 pm

That thing looks awesome. Is there anything on it that you havent made?? Have you lost count of the hours invested? Seriously impressive stuff. Good luck at the track!

Post **#17** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:41 pm

I rev it to 7400.

I haven't kept track of all the hours spent - it is a "labor of love". But, for example, I spent about 200 hours making the intake manifold. It required me to make four sets of hammerform dies just for the runners.

Mucho head work done too.

I hope it runs good this Sunday. We'll see.

American Thunder · Post **#18** by **American Thunder** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:11 am

Gonna post some vids?? I would really like to see and hear it scream down the strip.

Post **#19** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:32 pm

American Thunder wrote:Gonna post some vids?? I would really like to see and hear it scream down the strip.

No. But somebody posted a video of it on Youtube a couple years ago.

1970mavguy · Post **#20** by **1970mavguy** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:27 pm

looks mean, good luck at the track!

just curious whats with the right angle dizzy?

Asa · Post **#21** by **Asa** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:48 pm

i'd bet the right angle dizzy is something he fabbed up from a better race part than what the 300 had available, then he had to figure some way to get it to clear the intake, thus the right angle

shmoozo · Post **#22** by **shmoozo** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:35 am

I'm a wee bit curious about the transmission. It looks like some sort of automatic. What is it?

American Thunder · Post **#23** by **American Thunder** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:05 am

Asa wrote:i'd bet the right angle dizzy is something he fabbed up from a better race part than what the 300 had available, then he had to figure some way to get it to clear the intake, thus the right angle

Right angle mag?

American Thunder · Post **#24** by **American Thunder** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:05 am

shmoozo wrote:I'm a wee bit curious about the transmission. It looks like some sort of automatic. What is it?

Looks like a powerglide

Post **#25** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:21 pm

yUP, tHE RIGHT ANGLE GEARBOX IS TO CLEAR THE INTAKE. sOME RACERS HAVE MADE CUT DOWN IGNITIONS THAT WERE CRANK TRIGGERED. oTHERS RUN OFF THE FRONT OF THE CAM.

SATCL

Its a Powerglide transmission with a timer activated air shifter and a trans brake.

Post **#26** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:23 pm

THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER wrote:yUP, tHE RIGHT ANGLE GEARBOX IS TO CLEAR THE INTAKE. sOME RACERS HAVE MADE CUT DOWN IGNITIONS THAT WERE CRANK TRIGGERED. oTHERS RUN OFF THE FRONT OF THE CAM.

SATCL

Its a Powerglide transmission with a timer activated air shifter and a trans brake.

Yesterday it ran 9.12 @ 144 with a "soft" tune up on the engine and chassis. A good place to start off the season. Nothing broke.

TCIC 300ci superbeast · Post **#27** by **TCIC 300ci superbeast** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:56 pm

FTF if you even know in advance that your coming down to GREENE county or there about, i would like to come out and see it fly

TCIC 300ci superbeast · Post **#28** by **TCIC 300ci superbeast** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:59 pm

FTF if you even know in advance that your coming down to GREENE county or there about, i would like to come out and see it fly

shmoozo · Post **#29** by **shmoozo** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:42 pm

American Thunder wrote:
shmoozo wrote:I'm a wee bit curious about the transmission. It looks like some sort of automatic. What is it?

Looks like a powerglide

That's what I was thinking it was, but I'm so NOT an expert I decided to ask.

shmoozo · Post **#30** by **shmoozo** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:45 pm

THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER wrote:... Its a Powerglide transmission with a timer activated air shifter and a trans brake.

Cool. I was thinking it looked like a Powerglide and wondering if I was right.

Was it at all difficult to make it work with the Ford engine or was it just a matter of using the proper adapters?

Oh, by the way, that header looks like it was custom made by somebody who has some experience in such things. I bet that critter makes a glorious loud noise when you're tearing down the track, too.

Post **#31** by **Lazy JW** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:59 pm

American Thunder wrote:
Asa wrote:i'd bet the right angle dizzy is something he fabbed up from a better race part than what the 300 had available, then he had to figure some way to get it to clear the intake, thus the right angle

Right angle mag?

Yup. Ford, in their short-sightedness, neglected to consider the possibility of anyone ever needing to mount a magneto (which is longer than a normal distributor) in conjunction with a CROSSFLOW head (which has the intake on the "wrong" side) so 6re6 had to fabricate his own right-angle drive for the magneto. Cool.

Joe

eeyore · Post **#32** by **eeyore** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:35 am

Wow Greg!, I've had never seen one of your motors up close, very nice. I for some reason had thought you were using 3 four barrels with individual runners, obviously I was wrong. You are the master of the hammer form. Did you use a hammer form for the valve cover as well? What type of welder are you using for your creations? TIG I would guess, MIG can weld aluminum, but I wonder if that nice a job could be achieved.

I would love to know the particulars of your engines. Have you ever considered writing a book on the big six? Something like the Schjeldahl brothers did for the small six. It seems as if you could take it much deeper than they have.

eeyore · Post **#33** by **eeyore** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:38 am

Oh, and good luck on the 8.80's. The faster you go the less I get laughed at when I tell friends I want to build a six!

Did you ever get the head gasket issue sorted out?

Post **#34** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:14 pm

eeyore wrote:Oh, and good luck on the 8.80's. The faster you go the less I get laughed at when I tell friends I want to build a six!

HAW HAW HAW HAW!! Me too. Usually when the subject of drag racing comes up in casual conversation I sometimes mention, "Oh so you're a drag racer? Me too. I just have an old 'Ferd' with one o' them straight six truck motors in 'er."

Then I wait for them to ask how fast it has run.

Did you ever get the head gasket issue sorted out?

Yup. I am using one of FelPros hipo gasket with a flattened fire ring and metal foil heat shield between the bores. I raced all last year with ONE gasket. I also had to resurface the block and head surfaces AFTER putting several runs on them. We'll see how it holds up at these increased power levels (vs the slower back-up motor).

Post **#35** by **THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:32 pm

eeyore wrote:Wow Greg!, I've had never seen one of your motors up close, very nice. I for some reason had thought you were using 3 four barrels with individual runners, obviously I was wrong. You are the master of the hammer form. Did you use a hammer form for the valve cover as well? What type of welder are you using for your creations? TIG I would guess, MIG can weld aluminum, but I wonder if that nice a job could be achieved.

I would love to know the particulars of your engines. Have you ever considered writing a book on the big six? Something like the Schjeldahl brothers did for the small six. It seems as if you could take it much deeper than they have.

Thank you. I formed the valve cover with a hammer and dolly mostly. I TIG stuff mostly at the local community college where I used to teach welding part time.

My racing life is pretty much an open book - I'll tell you everything I know EXCEPT the speed secrets and tricks that other racers have confided in me. I will not violate their trust and put them in a situation where they lose a competitive edge if what they are doing becomes common knowledge, or worse, gets them outlawed. I know some prominent drag racers and I try to stay on their good side by maintaining this trust.

But I would like to write a book someday. The only way to do it would be to jump in with both feet, acquire some high end photographic equipment and audio recording equipment to shoot and interview the best of the best. Like Leo Santucci did with the Chevy six. I want to interview some engineers who worked on the 300 six program at Ford before I lose contact with them too. But for now I have some projects to do. I can see a time when my joints are too arthritic to race, my eyesight is too deteriorated to weld, and the fire in the belly is gone.

Then I'll do the book.

6RE6

IT'S SPRINGTIME! Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racin'

IT'S SPRINGTIME! Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racin'

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