Caught a Bug Last Night Sort of

[chilly460]

Interesting topic.  I always wonder what it will take to make our old stuff run with newer cars, a pet peeve of mine is the realization that my Marauder could barely run with new Honda Pilots

First of all, have you actually weighed the Tbird?  A 64 galaxie is 209" on a 119" wheelbase, those cars seem to always come in 4100-4200lbs.  Realizing a Tbird is always going to be fairly loaded and whatnot, but Galaxies at that weight generally are PS/PB cars.  A 65 Tbird is 205" on a 205" wheelbase so physically a smaller car.  Just can't see how they'd have that much more sound deadener and such, as a "luxury" car, to weigh that much more? 

SRTs are 12.0-12.3 at 112-114mph on street tires, ballpark.  Definitely scooting considering they're a 4200-4300lb car as well.  Have to believe a well tuned 445 with a stall and low ratio C6 would at least be able to keep up

Your combo seems pretty well matched, although I'm confused how you're running Holleys on the RPM Air Gap?  All info I've seen says the Holleys are just too far offset to run adapters.  I picked up one of those intakes so interested to hear. 

[Thumperbird]

Picture shows carb. offset and setup, when one looks at the flow path down the 4 holes it is not ideal but not that bad in my opinion, this setup is a wild card and still unproven.

Not done tuning yet but I think I can get there, idle is rich, tip in is smooth, cruise to 50 is good A/F, cruise at 70 is getting lean, all in is ok to light lean after initial lean spot.  So far it loves 3500 to 5000 rpm's.  Overall I am struggling a bit to get good behavior at all RPM's, dialing in one area seems to impact the other, don't know the thing that well yet and been a long time since I played with Holley's and never worked a dual setup.

Have not weighed, just guesstimated from published data.  PS/PB/AC, the uni-body frame is incredibly stiff, bumpers are massive, and yes, lots of trim, brackets, doohickeys, etc..

[chilly460]

OK, had to switch to different browser to see the pic.  I'd get rid of the scoop for now just as a quick check, plenty of evidence that a lid too close to the air entry can cause issues, along with the small cleaners.  See if it cleans up over 5500. 

[blykins]

If they are my Morel lifters, make sure you're not running a high viscosity oil. 

[Thumperbird]

Yes, have done most but not all tuning with the scoop off, will get back to that.
Yes, Morel, using 10w-30, but I am wondering if things are already starting to float at 5500.
Stock Edelbrock beehive dual springs.

[blykins]

Well, Edelbrocks don't come with beehives. 

Depending on the heads, the valve spring pressures could be anything.  You need to be around 150/350 for that camshaft. 

[Thumperbird]

Ok, well tells you how much I know.
Machine shop said pressure was good, around 350 or just shy after the valve job.
May need to take a closer look at this as well.

[blykins]

If it's valve float, you will be able to hear it.  Sounds like a rev limiter/stutter box and power falls off greatly.

[Thumperbird]

Brent:

The 6AL limit is set at 6000, I'm feeling this at 5300 to 5500, not sure how to debug this piece.
To a point, the feeling is similar to a shudder I had when getting on it at lower rpm's and it was starved for gas but I have no clue really what is going on up there.

Thanks.

[jayb]

Set your rev limiter up higher.  MSD rev limiters are notorious for coming on 400-500 RPM below where you set them.

[Thumperbird]

Well that's good to know, thanks Jay.  Have not played around at the higher rpm's, wanted to make sure everything was good up to 5k first but will do this of course and run it up there once and see.

[WerbyFord]

Fuel:
* Do you run a fuel pressure gage?
Ive run all 3 kinds -
* In-car mechanical with isolator
* In-car electric w sender
* External routed to outside the hood

Any of em will tell you the story. Aim a videocam at the pressure gage (and the others!) and see what's going on while your mind is on the road rushing by.

If you still have the tiny 5/16" frame fuel line then yes its running out of gas.
Not sure how hard that is to change on the Bird but on the 64 Gal it means pulling the body. So instead I just put a carter electric pusher pump back at the tank, to help the mech pump up front. At 400hp that solved it, fuel pressure stays right on 6psi.

* What size are those air filters? I just did an air filter study so have a better idea whats-what.

* Agree w Chilly, try it without the scoop, easy to try and you never know. Then you could also try stacking 2 elements to see if that makes a diff.

BTW- yes, the Gonkulator does say you can keep up with the kids - but note the first thing I did was "magically" the car hooks, even with 5.14 gears and NOSS. Not so easy in reality!

Birds in my experience are indeed heavier than Gals. Not sure why. Probably the same reason all today's cars are so heavy for their size.

[Dumpling]

Can't you just mount an electric motor on each side of the rear axle, or a single motor just ahead of the differential?

Wasn't there a 60s Galaxie with an actual jet mounted to the differential?  Sold as a kit?

Edit:
https://jalopnik.com/5481005/video-the-demented-rocket-propelled-genius-of-turbonique

[TomP]

I changed the fuel line on my 61 Meteor, no pulling the body but it wasn't easy. I fed the straight tube through the tiny gap under the gas pedal area and bent the line in place. I'm sure a TBird is easier and a 3/8" tube would help.

I kind of think that doesn't fit under a low TBird hood so perhaps a 14-71 blower is still the answer, 

[Heo]

The bird is a unibody if i remember things correctly
and the fuel line is just clamped to the floor