Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

No, I didn't make that trip. In '62, Bobby was still coming up and couldn't pay even expenses for more than one crewman. In the early '60s, Bobby raced Thursday night at Huntsville, AL, Friday night at Midfield, AL, Saturday night at Montgomery, AL and Sunday afternoon at Birmingham, AL. That made f...

Hi, Ed, Guys here should know if this is the Ed Nix of Tennessee racing legend, he is one who has forgotten more than most will ever know about building engines. Great to hear you are still in town, still around and still building engines. Are you still at the shop (Ed Nix Balance & Machine, 117...

Hyper pistons do not have any advantage over forgings in wall clearance or ring seal. Marketing myth. Maybe it is getting pretty much equal today. A few years back, John Erb, then chief engineer at K-B, was one of the best and he said: We like hypereutectics for most applications because a close fi...

Not only lighter, but hypereutetics can be run tighter than many forgings. The tighter wall clearance with less rock in the bore seals thin rings better, more power, less blowby; less piston rock in the bore means better control of piston to head clearance. Better skirt to wall control means less fr...

Those who balance for a living may have a secret formula, but here's what I've found. If you've substantially lowered the bob weight total to which the crank was factory-balanced. as a result of aluminum rods and light-weight pistons/pins, you may also have to lighten the counterweights. Those who k...

How 'restrictive' is that?

Estimates are the restrictor plate reduces by: 400 horsepower, 1,200 RPMs and 25-30 MPH.

thnx, jack vines

Will it be a hudson or packard this year Jon?

Hudson/Packard V8s aren't allowed. It would be an unfair advantage.

thnx,

Was watching the NASCAR Budwieser race just now. They did one of those "Crank It Up" deals and I did. Don't know if it bothers anyone else but the sound of those poor strangled restrictor plate engines just hurts. Yep, the insurance companies and yes, the show. Back in the '30s through the...

http://www.alberg30.org/maintenance/Mec ... n/Atomic4/

http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/Atomic_4_En ... any_1.html

http://www.atomic-4.com/

hope this helps

Two thoughts: 1. You're overthinking this application. Good quality aluminum rods are used successfully on the street every day. Some few are used in cold weather. Here's what Bill Miller says: You do a couple of things differently when setting-up an engine for BME Rods. Minimum bearing clearance at...

Agree X5. No one can see what cam you're running. Buy some current best science horsepower and then tell everyone it is an old secret Herbert grind. Chet's rollers were the hot setup in 1963. I once spoke with Chet to ask for another cam for Bobby Allison. Chet used Bobby's photo in his ads and gave...

First, you did a good job of defining your problem and giving the good guys here enough info to suggest solutions. In general, if an engine gets strip time, more valve spring is always a good thing. However, from the great advice you've gotten above, you are probably running out of spring and breath...

How much boost were you getting on the 350"?

thnx, jack vines

Greetings, Speedtalkers,

Interested in any and all Packard V8 speed equipment:

Flywheels, manual shift bellhousings
Camshafts, lifters, rockers, adjustable pushrods
Forged pistons.
Superchargers
Intake manifolds, WCFB carburetors

thnx, jack vines

Hi, Mike, the added spring pressure required to keep the valvetrain stable at those rates will cause the hydraulic system in the lifter to fail. Will the lifter actually mechanically fail or just fail to follow the cam lobe 1:1? In my limited experience with them, the hydraulic rollers fall off at t...