bantambunny

Disaster, (well not really) the clearance as with most strokers was impaired by the cast block and the bolt in the end of the con rod :( Out comes the grinding stone.... Ooh it fits! Just! Still a bit of grinding to do but just about there:

Next job was check the oil pan fitted: Next job was to assemble a piston with rod and fit the spyro-locks then get it in the cylinder to test for clearance as the crank rotated:

Santa's little helpers Rudy and my dad Chris (soon to be a zedder) ARP studs installed and torqued down with bearings and assembly lube: Windage tray and oil pump fitted to test fitment and clearances:

Well after all the waiting and saving we finally got started on the engine build yesterday morning. First job before rudy got there was to get the freeze plugs in place and just finish painting the front face. When he did arrive we started by putting in the shell bearings and testing the clearance of the crank shaft Next job was crank down the caps and using plastigauge (which squishes out to a certain width) inbetween the shell bearing and the crank you can work out the clearances at the top which were absolutely spot on from front to back:

You have to drop the window, pop the black cap off on the outside where the glass normally covers. There's a gold screw underneath (try and keep it on the screwdriver rather than dropping it in the door cavity (bluetack works well) When you get that out, remove the top of the seat belt from the door pillar then pop the capping off. There's 2 big screws at the top of the door card to remove and hey presto off it comes! Just make sure you get the two hidden under the carpet in the door handle first.

It's very very tight, you wait till you see how close the connecting rod gets to the block! :D All the bearing tolerances are absolutely spot on, about 1 thou as they should be. Once i've finished grinding everything out i'll pull it all apart and give it a good clean before i start to reassemble with the correct assembly lube and torque. Due to the fact it's a stroker and the amount that it's had skimmed off the heads/block using the 50thou gasket we worked out that I should be running about 10.3:1 so i'll need to run it on super unleaded. It's aimed at being a fast road car rather than a top fuel dragster so hopefully if everything works out i should get a good return on the power and torque but i've used a stock flywheel and 8 inch damper to try and rain it in at low revs. Rudy who's instructing me is a stickler for detail so everything has to be cleaned and measured to within an inch of its life! :rofl: A rough grind to get the con rod to go through (needs to be tidied up) and how close it actually is!

Yep still got the NA one buddy :D My dad's having it off me so it's staying in the family :) Yep building the whole engine myself, a massive learning curve but Rudy the guy who started the project in the first place is teaching me every step of the way. I'm doing 90% of it but he's there for guidance on certain bits. I've got the crank measured and it's perfect in terms of clearance on the bearings, i've assembled the first rod and piston and matched and numbered the pairs. The bolt heads hit the block as it rotates so i've got to grind back a recess for them to rotate, lots of meat on the block so not too bad but scary to do. The one i have done i need to smooth and widen out but after that it's just repeat for the next 7 cylinders. Loads of pics with details on my facebook album here, i'll do a full write up with pics tomorrow guys i'm knackered! One hell of a day in terms of work. Did 300 miles journey yesterday to get the bits to start work and most of today prepping and measuring. Had a very scary moment where we found the cam interfered with the connecting rod but fingers crossed when we hooked up timing chain we found at 0 degrees the cam misses the rod on both passes. Fingers crossed when i degree it properly i'll find it fits fine and i don't need to have a custom grind small base diameter cam made up. The fitment is TIGHT to say the least of everything, it's basically Big block internals in a small block so a massive stroke, lots of torque. A quick sample below but step by step photos to come:

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Go for the rings!

Think i might take the time to download the high def version :D

Can't wait, beers will be coming out tonight and a ruby murry and soke it up while i can! :D

Ey up Bri, have a great day mate - HAPPY BIRTHDAY :dance: :hyper: :duffer:

Wasn't me buddy as far as i remember - i wouldn't know where to start! :rofl: Cheers folks :D Engine block's ready for the build this weekend. I've sprayed it gunmetal grey metallic so when all the chrome and polished metal's on it it should look awesome :D

pmsl :rofl:

Oh I tell you I can't wait to get that one step closer, patience is a virtue and all :rofl: lol SOon as it gets on that dyno i'll be whipping the video out for its first start up :hyper: I'll be popping up for a bit on saturday but not stopping over buddy, it's my mate's 40th so can't really miss that :( I'll be bringing the V8 to zedfest in september though and i'll be in the silver zed for this weekend :)

Well today starts the final push to finish! :dance: I've ordered the first of two shipments for the final parts i need. This sunday Rudi's coming down to my parents house where the block is and we'll get stuck in on the bottom half of the engine. We'll be: gapping the piston rings fitting the pistons to the con rods fitting the bearings for the crank fitting the crank/pistons/conrods fitting the oil pump fitting the windage tray fitting and sealing the oil sump fitting the cam timing chain and gears, harmonic damper etc flywheel timing cover pumps and ancillaries By the end of sunday we hope to have the bottom half block finished ready to take the final measurements and order in the final parts with need to complete the build. I'll order the final parts from the states next week including the head gaskets andcomplete the build. Then it's off to peter knight engineering in daventry where the engine will be strapped ot the test bed, jetted and dyno'd and i'll finally get to hear it fire up and run for the first time and we'll see just how much power/torque we get out of her :D Ideally i'm hoping for 400+bhp and close to 500 ft/lb of torque but anything over 350bhp will be good enough :) I'll keep you all updated on this thread as we progress on Sunday/I get back from picking up everything on saturday from real steel.

Same story with mine unfortunately, it had had a "manwell" conversion, was missing loads of bolts, a few had been snapped off, the subframe worked it's way loose on the M1 and half the engine dropped out. Wasn't until I got it back i realised the whole front subframe was being held on by 1 nut and the pressure of the car on the springs otherwise it would have just dropped under the car. If it hadn't have been the bang and the fact the steering wheel pulled clean through the dash I wouldn't have known. I've had to wait till now to get it sorted out when the clutch goes in so you might be getting a call jeff, it'll be my dad who'll be in touch as it'll be his car by then :D

Sorry buddy, would have messaged sooner but was in Bath. Hope you had a goodun :duffer: :hyper: :dance:

Oh damn and blast, i've just paid my 900 quid overdraft off today with the hope of not having to use it again! :headvswal Now this!!! :rofl:

I wouldn't go any harsher than 800 grit, it will take time but it at least it won't take much to remove the scratches

Very very nice stock example, my advice is to keep it exactly the way it is. That will be worth a mint in 10 years time :D

When i had mine polished the metal polisher had to send them off to have them shot blasted first to get the paint off. It does pit the surface and you will have to polish it properly afterwards

Nope we compete at santa pod buddy, i fancy going to york at some point though

Not bad at all fella, well done :D

Great work buddy, you'll have to come and join the zclub so you can compete in the drag race championships with us all :D COME JOIN US!!!!! lol