IS THE $ CRANK STRONGER THAN TODAYS ?

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

On the Reds and Blues, it took me a year of running an ad to find some, but there is a supply I can help you with.   I gave around 250.

For guys who don't know, the rod bearings came in std, and plus 0004.....or 4 tenths.   That was the wear limit, then you slid in a new crank and rods.

We were very fussy about counting the number of races and hours or passes parts made.  It all went on the build sheet, and the tear down sheets.   A tear down analysis can be crucial to reliability.  That includes break away torque values for the intake, crank, rods, and more

We relied on the Snap On Dial a meters.    I still use mine.

If you missed those, they were Snap Ons Best in the 50s and 60s.  They read the torque in pounds on a big Dial

If you need SK bearings email me.

And to the new guys, listen to Mr Conley, I(we) do, he is a genius who simulates valvetrain dynamics with his own spin tron.  I have enjoyed every post he has ever done. He is a credit to the FORD family and a stand up bitchin' dude.

[HolmanMoodyStroppeGang]

Thanks to 427 H and Greg and other friends for the nice emails.  Yes, we can set a time and talk. Email me a good time, the time change and let's 'con fab'.

The last 4 days I worked about 50 hours.   We have 2 Fuel cars getting ready for 'a record run'.  Like the old song, some times you are lucky enough to maybe have a shot at a record.  More later.

I have an FE on the stand that some Chevy guy built wrong.....for a new thread.....2 pistons in backward !

You guys GOTTA see the videos of the Super Snake, my word, at 10 PM at night the flames rising up to heaven, so very very high ..it.was simply mesmerizing.  They put you right back to the Finals in the 60s.  The sound was just...beyond bitchin'.  You can see the zoomies light one by one.....only a FORD blasts flames like that due to the firing order. We woke the dead

I have watched it over and over, because I know friends upstairs were smiling down..

I don't have the publicity rights and need help compressing these samples.   My chick is on strike so maybe some cool cat can lend a hand some day.   

That car runs Flucking Fierce man......just capable of 'turnin' the earth'.


OK....you guys are all great.

And as always, JAY, thanks for having such a productive work place, and a place many write me to say,,,quoting...'Jays is where the fast guys hang out'.    Not my words, theirs,

I am 'kind-a-slow'....you know,,,'a bit of a dim bulb'... so please forgive me ....now now now.....


PS; If you want bitchin H beam 392 rods, 7/16 ARP bolts, and almost 7 inches long   heee heeee

I got ya covered bro.

On the widening,I would have Henry Velasco do it.  Few have re done more SK Cranks then him.   He was the 'go to' grinder at REATH and then VELASCOS, during the days when Cammers killed them all.  You seem like a cool dude so, email me, and I will get you 'my price' which is an old guy deal. 

Quoting Snake after he ran the car...'We beat them all''.  I said to Long....'She was the class of the field'

NICE

Shore nuf did

BUT....and this is fair to say,,,,,Pete Robinson and Kalitta raced out of our shop.  Pete's car was built 1 block down the street, by a legend, WOODY GILMORE.   To those who claimed I didn't work at HMS, ask Woody?  Later, he was in our shop in the 80s, for later.

Kalitta used our guys for his crew when he spent about half his year out here.  We tested and raced all Fall and Winter and Spring here and had 7 tracks always open.

When Connie changed out his Logghe chassis, it was worn out,,,,,they cut it up and made go karts...Stroppe Jr used to terrorize the shop with one....come blasting through....hilarious !

We did those gear drives for several serious SOHC guys.    My Boss did prototype Gear Drive for everything, on FORDS dime.  I finished 2 for a hard core SOHC guy as late as 72-3.  There are tricks to making gear drives but we had huge machining capacity. We hobbed gears and more.  The trick is the changes after heat treat...and......

Lastly....I invested about 10 years of my life to work race by race to come up with the guys, the tune up that finally took out the Wiebe Record that stood for over 30 years. It was a bitchin day, only I have that tune up sheet.

I think before I pull the chutes we gotta take out the Bach and Gould record for a FORD.   6.32

What bitchin' guys. Man, the are full blown awesome. 

I see no problem at all, none, why we cant stuff an FE in the 5s......no reason at all.   

Also,,,,I invited 2 of the Ford Boys,,,,from, The Bakersfield Bunch, to the debut of that fierce nitro cammer,,,,both slid in,,,,to a Top Secret Deal.  I invited them because they are stand up cool FORD guys.  I have invited several blog pals to races in the past.  That is how we roll.   If you are real good, and hard core, we need your help.  Hope to draft more of you soon.

Thanks

[Drew Pojedinec]

My chick is on strike so maybe some cool cat can lend a hand some day.   

We all have that problem once in awhile.....  I normally just do it myself and don't bother asking any other dude to help......

 

[mike7570]

Hopefully, my 2 legitimate questions aren't construed as trying to start an argument. I am genuinely interested in the answers, as I'm sure others are.

I'm not sure, however, why the conversation always turns to blown nitro cammers. I don't think the OP is planning on this sort of thing, or anybody else here for that matter. Using the NASCAR crank is just a bad idea for any type of street or typical drag scene. Heavy hard-to-find rods, non-existent bearing suppliers are 2 major reasons why. You can find the occasional set of bearings on Ebay, but if the crank ever needs turned or even dressed, it's done.

"just a bad idea"  -  I disagree.
I ran a NASCAR crank for over 15yrs in my drag cars. Same main bearings as regular crank. Turned the journals to 2.20 and used BBC rods. No problems.
The BBC rods are slightly wider than NASCAR rods so you have to machine a little off the width for them to fit.  Another benefit going to 2.20 journal was having the journals offset ground
creating a stoker and I used 6.800 long BBC rods (easy to get)

[Posi67]

It may have not been a bad idea back in the 60's and 70's when there wasn't a ready supply of aftermarket cranks but why in the world would someone nowadays buy a 50 year old crank and go to all that trouble and expense. That's assuming you could find a usable one to start with. Even if I had one I'd sell it in a heartbeat to finance a good Scat.

I don't have an answer to the original question of which is stronger however I think new anything is almost always a better investment.   

[mike7570]

Already had the crank, needed to grind anyway because of a spun bearing using the heavy (968 grams) NASCAR rods. changed to the BBC lighter rods and easy to get bearing.

[Gregwill16]

Thanks for the info and confirmation Mike. I had read about this option from John V. and wondered how much strength was sacrificed, but you answered that by racing it for 15 years.

[mike7570]

My $ crank was still able to go 3.99 stroke at 2.20 (standard size BBC) with 4.250 bore came out to 452ci.
Used new Arias pistons for the 4.250 bore and had standard BBC pin size so off the shelf BBC rods (narrowed a little) bearings and rings all fit. (Less expensive than Ford)
Ran in 9 sec car shifted at 7000.  Through the lights off the throttle stop about 7400.

[turbohunter]

Ran in 9 sec car shifted at 7000.  Through the lights off the throttle stop about 7400.

Impressive.
How long did you run that? Are you still?

[mike7570]

Ran in 9 sec car shifted at 7000.  Through the lights off the throttle stop about 7400.

Impressive.
How long did you run that? Are you still?

Ran Super Gas about 6 or 7 years, before that super street. Crank was reground and nitrided at Castillos in La Mirada, CA.
6.700 H beam rods and a short (don't remember measurements) piston. Light weight assembly probably was a big benefit along with slower bearing speeds,
Actually went 8000 rpm a few times on the burn out. Engine was still in great shape when I sold it. Guy found me through the FE forum and had me ship it to Florida for a
T-bolt clone street car.