Blair asked me to post this update on the engine, which is now in the car and has had some track testing:
Had a "fun" day last Monday testing. We rented the track at Steele, Al last Monday to make a few passes on a tamed down Super Stock T-Bolt. My friend and customer Rich Allen came down from NJ to yank the handle on the Liberty, and Joe Cunningham, who helps Richard with his car, came to tweak the clutch. The car is the bright red one that sold at Mecums last year. After some conversation, the new owner had me do a 500" stroker capable of making some laps so he can learn to drive the car without using up the legal engine. (Edit - the 500" stroker is the engine described earlier in this thread - Jay) We ended up doing a SS legal top end, legal bore size in the block, and a stroker rotating assembly, with a little cam (.700 lift). This engine can be changed into another SS bullet with a cam change, and a 427 rotating assembly. It has big tires(106 rollout), and I put a 4.86 in the rear to keep the rpms low at the finish line with the stroker combo. After reading the data, it would pick up notably with a 5.14, and also with a little bit less clutch than we left in it. The tight clutch will last longer for the learning curve of the new owner. After a few short hits to tune the clutch, Richard made a couple of full runs......a 9.07 and a 9.08 at 148+ in the heat of the day. The track was marginal by that time, and the car was spinning the tires through high gear. The car is legal SS/B weight, and never got past 7100 rpm on the runs. We were all smiles that it ran 9.00's in the 3000+ DA, in a fairly detuned state (not talking about Alabama). I had a local witness to the occasion who posts here, and happens to own a SS Fairlane himself! We all had a good time and a good visit among FE friends. Richard went back home and ripped off a 9.22 with his own SS/F Cobra Jet last Friday also, at the D1 points race. I need to stay away from the racetrack! The burnt tires and fuel will have me putting my junk together if I am not careful!
You could honestly put tires and mufflers on the car and drive it around. It has fairly light valve springs normally used in late model dirt engines. A set of those big M/T DOT tires, and it would make a heck of a drag week N/A beast......but then it would need a trailer hitch also.
Blair Patrick
