Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

I have done the EFI versus carburetor deal numerous times. I once did it AT the EMC competition during competition pulls. Always with port systems at the EMC deal. With a well developed carb and a well tuned EFI system we ended up being really, really close to each other. So much so that I ended up ...

In with the 410 Mercury

Need to get a set of "Mercury" valve covers...

What if my chosen entry is not on the NHRA list? I selected a 410 Mercury engine - mainly because I could use up some inexpensive parts I have laying around. And because it was kinda weird.... It has a 390 block and a 428 crank. Built in volume in model years 1966 and 1967 for full size Mercury cars...

Its a truck engine. Pretty obvious that Ford (finally) realized that the expense and complexity of their existing OHC engines was neither advantageous, nor necessary in a truck application. Heavier Duty trucks pretty much spend their lives at torque peak or below, and airflow needs in that range can...

Holley (and other carb manufacturers) have known about pullover for decades. Look at it as an additional tuning tool rather than as an uncontrolled event. The squirters with the brass tubes will have more pullover than the ones with the simple drilled holes. The anti-pullover ones will significantly...

We had five guys drop out in total out of twenty-one total accepted entries. That seems to be pretty typical as life and last minute engine damage during testing happens. Since this was a first time effort for the venue at JE, I do not think they would have wanted too many more entries in any case. ...

About 400 feet.
Of course my bowling skills are essentially zero - but they did have both beer and pizza, and I am a trained professional in those...

Well - - they got it done! I know its a big surprise, but Kaase won Vintage and MPG won Traditional. Not gonna be a big payout at the betting window, but they got some decent money out of the deal. Mine was a back of the pack sorta deal, but I knew that going in. I just had to "be there". ...

Walter R. Malik wrote: ↑Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:54 am WoW, that's about a 200 mile evening trip just for bowling with pizza. There has to be SOMETHING nearer.

I am certain that it was just a carryover typo from the prior year - just thought it was funny....

Got an email asking about T shirt sizes and bowling/banquet attendance. Got a quick response to an oil pan question. Looked over the event documents they emailed and noticed the bowling event is listed on Cable Road in Lima. Gonna be a long drive.... :D Probably should start putting the engine toget...

Maybe it doesnt work for all engines but when we ran NHRA stock eliminator with 428 Ford Cobrajets if you didnt do the valve job with a block plate bolted to the head the 2 end exhaust valves would leak. We found this by bolting the plates on a fresh valve job just to see what would happen. We then...

Do the 45 degree seat Go ahead and do the 2.15 and 1.65 - they will clear on a .030 over 390 Or do the 2.090 and keep your existing (free...) parts... You can buzz the exhaust down a little to +/- 1.620 on the OD if you wish to play safer. 500 cfm Edelbrocks are terrible, miserable, rotten, no good ...

Last I heard they wanted two or three more vintage entries

Seems like we have this come up every couple of years. I scrub the snot out of the bores using a variety of solvents WD40, paint thinner - then just use plain old oil. A real thin layer, and massage a little on rigs and skirts. Don't have the testing and verification technology some folks do - - but...

I will probably do the Engine Masters deal. I looked at the Race Engine contest rules and it looks like it would be nearly impossible for a FE based entry to be competitive on my budget. I don't mind "not winning" but need to be at least in the hunt for it to look like an honest effort. Th...