Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

I won't be doing anything until the end of the season most likely. Come next spring I hope to have something befitting the car...plan is in motion. ;)

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

I really hate to tear into my car...but,that tenth that i shoulda gained is driving me nuts! hehe

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Brent, did you take a cranking compression test? Can you advance your cam any more? If you can take a test before and after you move the cam. You are blessed with torque so I guess go with it... I really like the build you have done it looks great and is running really well.

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

no, Robert, i didnt.... I'm at .080 piston/valve clearance now... Im in at 104ICL... Im gonna go back to the small cam, and when i feel like it, im gonna check flow on current heads, vs some other castings...

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Hi Brent, is the .080" V to P clearance on the intake or exhaust, it's rare that they both come even close to the same number.

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Hi Brent After reading this, I agree with you trying the smaller cam is worth it. I dont think that a lot of stocker cams are super big in duration or as tight a lobe separation as one would think. Also there are alot of gains in tuning such as plug heatrange ,type of plug (iridium,ground strap,projection) which Billy Nees pointed out .If you think about it there's probably 20 different things to try before major surgery. Keep trying, you will get where you want to be.
Joe

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Intake was .080.. exhaust showed over .100 i stopped checking after that...hehe

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IF it rains out Saturday, im pretty sure im gonna start ripping down , to put smaller cam back in... No matter what i do, otherwise, the engine liked the other cam better... i dont know if the heads are a factor, or what, but, i show absolutely no gain in HP, actually, i probably lost 10-15 and gained it back with trans swap and 30# weight loss...

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Brent, have you had the car out again?

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Well, its rained out the last 3 weekends... last weekend, i decided to change back to the old cam(smaller), and car is ready to test Wednesday and race on July 4th... hoping for some good #'s! Car sounds better than i remembered...so we shall see...

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Good deal Brent...we've had our share of rain this year as well.

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Brent, the alternator you were asking about is for an '88 Chev Sprint. Good luck with the Firebird.

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Thanks Bob!

Made it down to 4 cars last night, at Bunker Hill... went -.006 red and ring and pinion let go just past 60 ft mark, as my 60ft was the best all day... those gears have 150 passes on them, in this car, and i ran them quite a bit in another car... so i guess they earned their keep... I am going back to the 4.33 set, since i already have them. Gonna try to get them swapped out this week...If i dont get them done by this weekend, i will take the '62 Catalina this weekend...but, it will be out by the following weekend, no doubt. I ordered new ring bolts and pinion nut today... I hope the 4.33s dont kill the launch too much...It was really liking the 4.56s...atleast in the 1st 60ft, anyway...hehe

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Brent what times was the car running ?

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Ran 7.19/93.3x in good air, and has been running low 7.20s/93 in crap air, since i changed cam back... 1.495 60fts
11.46/115 and change in the 1/4 in nasty air, as well... should break into the 11.30s in Fall air, but now, im goin back to 4.33s, so
that may keep it from doing so...not sure.

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It might just like the 4.33s.

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I ran them last year, with the tall tires... I think it will like them better, with the shorter tires and 350 trans... It'll be interesting...

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Did you ever get out after changing to the 4.33s ?

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Sure did.. so far, in the Summer heat, at Norwalk last weekend, it went 11.54, a couple times, a .55 and a .57 at 114.6 It doesnt leave quite as good, but runs well...and i had to put the 400 trans back in , due to 2nd gear being destroyed, and the case busted, as a result of the 4.56s getting chewed up. Trans is getting fixed, and hope to get a set of Pro gears in it, before season is over...

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Do you feel its running where it should be after the gear trans change? Sorry to hear about the trans. I dont know about stockers but ive seen a big block chevelle bracket car not have any et diff. between a th400 and th350.

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Well, i'd say its running a tad better than it did last year, with the same setup...only difference is i have short radials vs tall radials i was running last year, with the same cam, gear and trans... my best pass last year, with this setup was 11.59 and it went 11.54s in way worse conditions... i think the trans is a tad faster, and its a tad lighter... and it LOVES the 4.56s, especially 1/8 mile... pulls good up to the 1000' ft mark, then sorta settles, but tach keeps goin up to 6400, at the finish. Im goin to run the 350 trans before i switch gears again, to see if it shows anything at all...

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Update... been running the crap out of this thing... Decided the 4.30 gear wasnt making me or the car happy, so i installed some new Pro 4.56s and stud kid on the mains. Solid crush sleeve, as well. Taking it out for the 1st time tomorrow, with new gears. Main thing was , the 4.30 softened up the launch too much, and slowed me down on the tree. It did run 11.43/116.50 a couple weeks ago in decent air, though. I have my 350 trans back, and its ready to go in the car, but, gonna run the 400 trans a couple more weeks, with new gears, to make sure all is well before i go tearing into it again... its gonna be hot tomorrow, so doubt we will see good #'s of any kind...hehe

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

brent I hope the 56s work better. I know sometimes the best runs dont feel as good and the ones that feel the best arent. I dont think the reaction times should be dictated by the gears but by the chassis/ driver.

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Brent how did it do with the 56s?.

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It ran 11.46/115 in 70 degree 100% humidity...literally looked like there was a fire somewhere, and everything was soaked...my phone said 100% by the weather app. The car reacts better with the 4.56 and that helps my averages on the tree... it pulls better with 4.30, but ETs suffer... even in BAD air, it responds well...

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Well, the air was awesome yesterday ... driver still finding his way back , but i believe i know whats up... need to kill 150-200 starting line rpm...as i was .013 and .023 red at night, when i would hit the tree comfortably. Runs in order were 11.396/11.401/11.393/11.391/11.386 ... the 11.401 was in left lane. I did, however, win a reaction time contest, on 1st time shot... 9 drivers entered, $5 to get in. I got it with a .020 , during the day... at night, i tend to be quicker. Car was deadly. Gonna put car in garage after while, and get ready to get trans swapped this week, but no racing this weekend, as i have a gig in Mason Ohio, with REO. Here is the last pass of the night...
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...21&oe=56A4526F

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Good driving there Brent! I pulled the engine out of ours again...weary of beating a dead horse lol. :o

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I feel your pain... im pretty much ready to put my 462 bracket engine back in , for next season, and run some 10.70s...:D

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Ready to hang up the stocker title? had enough?

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yeah, and no... by season's end, the engine will have 300 passes, or thereabouts...it has 217 on it, as of last night... still goin strong...but, i'd like to do something with the heads... and thinking about pulling it, taking head off, and taking some other castings that i have, and doing some flow tests on them, and maybe doing some headwork on it. And, it might not be a bad idea to look it over... and if i do all that, it would probably be easier to put bracket engine in, for awhile and do some sorting out, and look for power, on the engine stand... i do have access to a dyno, but no reason to go through all that, unless i have something significant to change. Thought maybe i could do a base pull with my current heads, and if i find something on flow bench, and/or can have someone do me up a better set of heads, then i could switch them out on the dyno and see what i come up with...
May, or may not ring it just yet, its not slowing down any...but could inspect some bearings, and see what things look like... it all depends on the $... hehe

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Ran a 6.62 @ nearly 102mph in the eighth last nite Brent with a 383. What do you figure it would go in a quarter? New engine with only 5 passes thus far.

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thats easy 10.60s/124+

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So just making sure I'm following the story correctly. The 11.38's, were they run with the small cam, the 4.56 gear & the TH400 ? AND was the small cam the winner in the small vs. big cam deal ?

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yep... small cam is the winner... It was a cookin and bookin the other night...hehe... just got 350 turbo back in, almost done...will Test on Wednesday of next week...

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Brent, hate to miss your gig in Mason; it's only 10 miles from the house but I'm going to Columbus. Hope you see some low 11's next week! Bob M.

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Enjoy Columbus... '62? or Lemans? I have no idea what to expect from trans... hoping near a tenth... I dont know if i will make Fall Classic or not...depends on how im doing on the points at Muncie...trying to stay in the top 5, and im in 4th right now... was 3rd a couple weekends ago...but having the 1st round blues. Whats the date on the INDY Fall Classic?

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Indy Classic is Oct. 10-11. Hope to see you there. I'll bring the '62 if all goes well

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Dang, wish it was the following weekend... im trying to stay in top 5 in Muncie points..im tied for 4th right now...that is the last weekend of track points... its gonna kill me, but im probably gonna miss the Fall Classic...

:eek:


Gonna test 350 trans this Wednesday..hope all goes well!

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THis is how the Mason, Ohio show ended up , this last Saturday...
We got to help pay tribute to Gary Richrath, on the last song "last song, people" hehe...

This is cell phone footage, but still cool... i get to lay it down, about the 4:50 minute mark... :)
click below...


https://www.youtube.com/attribution_...eature%3Dshare


another perspective... https://www.facebook.com/gina.buskir...4122630952511/

Re: Update E-F/SA Bird Build...
 

Awesome Brett! Very Cool!