521ci BBF

dysan

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Sorry that I didn't really document the build I did over the winter but since I only drag race the car now and it's no longer street legal it was time to switch over to a carburated push rod engine for ease of repairs in the future.

The engine is a stock 460 block, bored 30 over with a 4.300 stroke forged Eagle crank with their ESP armor, Eagle H-beam rods with the high strength L19 cap bolts, Icon forged flat top pistons, Trick Flow 325 cnc heads, Trick Flow Mafia intake manifold, Custom Mark Sullens E85 dominator carburator, hooker fox body long tube headers and the engine is mounted using front and mid motor plates so it's attacked directly to the frame of the car.

Only made one un-restricted run at the track with it and the new MSD ignition box went bad about 3/4 the way into the run. The car ran 9.69 @ 140mph and I figure it weighs 3700 lbs with me in it. I have since run it a few more times but I have a restrictor plate under the carburator to keep it above 10.0 since I only have a roll bar in the car. I'm guessing it will go 9.5's or possibly even 9.4's if I ran it all out again with the working MSD ignition box.

I need to figure out what I'm going to do for a cowl at this point. I really don't like the look of VFN's 5" cowl hood and the 3" won't be tall enough. The only 4" cowl I know of is Cervini's and that is too damn heavy. My last cervini hood weighed 47 lbs and the stock style VFN hood I have now weighs 9.

Below are a few pictures but I didn't take that many during the build.

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stkjock

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LOL at the air cleaner sticking out of the hood!

Good luck running it this year James
 

dysan

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Hey...gotta do what I've gotta do to run it. When I get a cowl for it I won't have the air filter on it any longer, it's just there to prevent crap from flying in since it's totally exposed.
 

stkjock

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Hey...gotta do what I've gotta do to run it. When I get a cowl for it I won't have the air filter on it any longer, it's just there to prevent crap from flying in since it's totally exposed.

prostock scoop!!

maxresdefault.jpg
 

dysan

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Can't have one of those since I still run 10.0 index. They are cry babies in the index classes so I'll need a more "normal" scoop or a cowl. I also want to be able to see the other lane when I have to be in the left lane.

:lmaf:
 

stkjock

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Can't have one of those since I still run 10.0 index. They are cry babies in the index classes so I'll need a more "normal" scoop or a cowl. I also want to be able to see the other lane when I have to be in the left lane.

:lmaf:

booo!!
 

dysan

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It would also look retarded on a car only going 10.0. If I was running in the 8's then maybe. It's actually really difficult finding a scoop to work on our hoods since they start sloping down quickly. Most scoops & cowls are flat for a longer length than our hoods are.
 

dysan

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I've looked into the bug catcher intake but a good one for a dominator carburetor is around $1500 if I remember correctly. I also can't use that harwood scoop for the same reason that it won't be allowed in 10.0 index.

I think the only scoop I could possibly get away with is one like the Harwood Aero III scoop. Should be low enough and not too long.

https://www.eharwood.com/catalog/SCOOPS/Aero-Scoops/AERO-III-SCOOP-(CLOSED-BACK)/347

As for the "bug catcher" intake...here is the only place I can find so far that makes them for the 4500 series dominator carburetors. In the middle of the page, part# SC510Dpr

http://www.alsblowers.com/pricing/pricesunitedstates.html
 
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dysan

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So I contacted Cervinis today and apparently they can make a lighter 20lb lift off 4" cowl hood for $360. Custom made and 3 week lead time. Looks like that will be the direction I go.
 

MGT2009

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Have you looked at Trufiber yet? My a43 hood has tons of clearance. Right around 4" tall at the back of the cowl.
 

dream07

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Awesome build!

You have picked some quality parts and your results prove the BBF is a tough customer. Also, carbs are for men.

Keep us informed on updates (like getting the cage upgraded).
 

dysan

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Can you get away with a VFN lift off? Probably lighter than cervinis


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I think the 3" VFN cowl would be a bit too close to the vents on the carburator and I can't stand the look of the 5" VFN hood so that's why I think I'm going to go with the Cervinis 4" lift off.

And the hood on my car now is a VFN lift off hood(stock style) but I glassed on some support blocks that bolt to the hinges so I can prop the hood up.

Have you looked at Trufiber yet? My a43 hood has tons of clearance. Right around 4" tall at the back of the cowl.

TruFiber's fiberglass hoods are just as heavy as the bolt on Cervinis hoods and there is no way I'm paying for a carbon fiber hood. I have probably over $18k in this build so every dollar counts. I got a 24 month 0% credit card just for this build and it hurts every time I look at the amount I still owe.

Awesome build!

You have picked some quality parts and your results prove the BBF is a tough customer. Also, carbs are for men.

Keep us informed on updates (like getting the cage upgraded).

Haven't decided if/when I will go with a full cage. It gets very hot in a black car racing in the summer now and if I have to have a full 3-layer SFI suit and gloves I don't think I would be too happy. I may just keep it in the 10.0 range.

Also, the stock 2-bolt 460 block isn't too reliable once it's above roughly 825hp and if I run this engine un-restricted I have a feeling it would be 850+ hp so it would be a ticking time bomb.

Eventually I will do a 4-bolt ford sportsman block which may end up being the last block I'll ever need. Then maybe I'll let her eat all the time. :clap:
 
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MGT2009

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I think the 3" VFN cowl would be a bit too close to the vents on the carburator and I can't stand the look of the 5" VFN hood so that's why I think I'm going to go with the Cervinis 4" lift off.

And the hood on my car now is a VFN lift off hood(stock style) but I glassed on some support blocks that bolt to the hinges so I can prop the hood up.



TruFiber's fiberglass hoods are just as heavy as the bolt on Cervinis hoods and there is no way I'm paying for a carbon fiber hood. I have probably over $18k in this build so every dollar counts. I got a 24 month 0% credit card just for this build and it hurts every time I look at the amount I still owe.



Haven't decided if/when I will go with a full cage. It gets very hot in a black car racing in the summer now and if I have to have a full 3-layer SFI suit and gloves I don't think I would be too happy. I may just keep it in the 10.0 range.

Also, the stock 2-bolt 460 block isn't too reliable once it's above roughly 825hp and if I run this engine un-restricted I have a feeling it would be 850+ hp so it would be a ticking time bomb.

Eventually I will do a 4-bolt ford sportsman block which may end up being the last block I'll ever need. Then maybe I'll let her eat all the time. :clap:

Its too bad. My CF a49-3 is considerably lighter than stock. I was pleasantly surprised as most of the CF hoods are same as or heavier than stock.
 

05moneypit

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Cool build James, I'm really interested in what you do for a hood. I started my new build over the winter and I've been looking at the VFN, the Harwood is only 2.5 cowl and won't work for me and I'm not even sure the VFN 3" will clear and like you I'm not all that crazy about the VFN 5"

I got to start my own thread here at some point, here is a pic of what I got to clear. Sorry to jack your thread....lol

 

dysan

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Hey Lee, I am most likely going to go with Cervinis' 4" cowl hood now that I found out they can custom make it in a "lift off" version that only weighs 20lbs. I will most likely try to adapt it to the hood hinges like I did with my lift off VFN stock style hood. I then just use a level to hold up the hood when I need it propped up.

Good to see someone else is going with a motor plate mounted engine. I was pleasantly surprised that the motor plates didn't seem to add much vibration to the car. I'm not too knowledgeable but is that an LS based engine or a small block ford? With the open bottom on the intake manifold that's why I ask. Looks like a hell of a transformation to the car with the cage going through and tying into modified strut towers like that. Hard to really tell but that's a 7.50 cert cage going in right?
 

05moneypit

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Hey Lee, I am most likely going to go with Cervinis' 4" cowl hood now that I found out they can custom make it in a "lift off" version that only weighs 20lbs. I will most likely try to adapt it to the hood hinges like I did with my lift off VFN stock style hood. I then just use a level to hold up the hood when I need it propped up.

Good to see someone else is going with a motor plate mounted engine. I was pleasantly surprised that the motor plates didn't seem to add much vibration to the car. I'm not too knowledgeable but is that an LS based engine or a small block ford? With the open bottom on the intake manifold that's why I ask. Looks like a hell of a transformation to the car with the cage going through and tying into modified strut towers like that. Hard to really tell but that's a 7.50 cert cage going in right?

SBF with Yates heads 427cu or so. Cage will be 7.50 cert (25.5)

Like to see what the Cervini hood looks like when you get it, 20lb is more weight than we really want to put up there but from experience the Cervini quality is very nice.

I talked with TuCarbon and they make a lift off version on the A49-3 they said it would be around 17lb but the real kicker was the $1700 price tag.

Trying to get some actual measurements from people that have the hoods is where I'm at now. The throttle body is just slightly forward of the center of the strut towers and I need 4" from top of fenders to clear it.

You can run IHRA 9.90 events with just the roll bar but you need a competition licence to go quicker than 10.00, never really understood that.

What trans did you but behind the BB?
 

dysan

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I've had a trans specialties powerglide 2500 series trans with their "super 8" converter in my car for a year or 2 now. I did have to upgrade the input shaft through after breaking their 300M one. I put the top of the line one they offer, the NASA shaft, and haven't had an issue since. You'll most likely need a stronger trans than mine since you will be making quite a bit more power I'm guessing. I'm very happy I made the change to the powerglide...it works great, it's simple and I didn't lose any ET going to it.

For your car with how far you're going with it I'm surprised you don't just get the VFN pin on front end and have everything dzus fastened up there.

I'll try to take some side shots with the hood up to give you an idea of the location of my carburator and the height compared to the vfn stock style hood I have on there. I could possibly get away with a 3" cowl but I think it would be too close to the carburator and have some ill effect on the airflow into it.
 

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