Nice write and and result Jay. Should make the big car move out. I know what you mean about coolant leaks with the Hilborn manifold, took a couple of attempts to get mine water tight.
Any idea when your rocker arms will be available for sale?
I remember you mentioned the issue you had with the Hilborn manifold, and it didn't surprise me LOL! Every time with those I've had some kind of a minor water leak issue; I thought I had it licked with this one, but it ended up dripping just a little. I think it has to do with how they slot the bolt holes in the manifold; the slot comes very close to the water jacket hole in the head and the manifold and it's tough for the sealer to hold. What I've done, in this case and with my own engines, is make a steel or aluminum plate with a hole in it for the front bolt. I cut a bevel into that hole, and put an O-ring around the bolt, so that when the bolt tightens up the O-ring seals around the bolt head and the bevel in the plate. The plate covers up the entire slot in the manifold, so that if water does leak into that bolt slot, it has to try to go up the hole, where it is stopped by the O-ring. Seems to be an effective fix.
I actually have five more sets of my rockers in process but they are all spoken for. I think I will make up more early next year, but before I do I will get a list together of people who want them. Watch the Vendor Classifieds section for that.
