Cool buildup stories.

I don't know Dave Hensch by name. What does he drive? I met a guy at Radford dragstrip (motormiledragway.com) with an old Fiat body on a box frame with a tunnel ram 440 on it. Cool guy around 60 and very cool car.

From Blacksburg...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

It's not a major deal and I know it was unintentional. Just file it away for future reference and thanks for your participation.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Yup probably would be a very good working set up

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Don

could you post a couple of engine pictures, like the induction system.
thanks

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I cant figure out how. I click on image but it just goes to the box and says image. What am i doing wrong?

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Don

You have to put the URL of the image in between the image tags. If you have pictures on your web site, or a picture hosting site such as Flickr or Photobucket all you have to do is "[img]"URL"[/img]". Just take out the quotation marks. The pictures on your web site are too small to make out details.

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Joshua

I took a bunch more photos. I think i will just pop them on my website since the link is already here.
I made the manifold from exhaust tubing with 1/8 steel flat flanges. I tacked it together and then welded it with my mig. Te headers sneek down between and are modified Cliffords.
The tuned length is figured using an old formula i have used for years. 90 divided by the RPM in thousands = inches of tuned length from the back of the intake valve to open air (Or plenum if it happened to be a tunnel ram)
I used steel because I am comfortable working with it. Carb were mounted on their sides for clearance reasons and since they are floatless one can do this. The newer mikunis which use a rubber clamped mount could be mounted normally . I did these because this was the original idea and i wanted to see of it would work. Biggest problem i have is traction. The thing spins the tires with ease on shift and full throttle . I did not expect that. The tires I have are an old set of 29.5 X9 X15 Firestone slicks. After the first tire blistering pass a close inspection revealed they had some questionable spots in them so i am afraid to chance it again on them since they cant hang on to the motor anyway and i dont want an accident if the funny looking one blows. I am looking for a cheap set of 10.5 X 29,5 15s or even 30 inch tall. We run next week again and if I can find a set I will go if not I will wait till i can spring for new ones. Silly as it sounds i am satisfied inside because it worked far better than i had hoped. Life rarely goes that way. I have worked at checking everything and making sure everything is right. Made some slight modes including a full size rad and electric fan (3.0 litre Caravan) checked all the engine bolts for tightness . I am replacing the fuel regulator as well as this one is not totally reliable or steady.
Re Dave Hench a 63 Ply Max Wedge so you would know if you had met him Not to worry. It was just the same town and mopar so i took a chance
Don

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Don

I'll look for Dave and the 63 Max at cruises and the dragstrip.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I have upoaded a bunch of induction system photos to my webste. Second page . the link is above (senior dragster ----)
My camera doesnt do well inside but I think they wll give a good idea anyway.
Don

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Don

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Don

I know you built it to go fast, but your induction system looks INCREDIBLY cool! Nice work!

Wanna build and tune one for my daily driver?

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vm

Thank you.
Ir systems are incredably streetable.
Mukunis would probably be a better choice so i will tell how I got here.
Since 1970 I have been actively involved in racing in one form or another and have built a lot of motors locally and even one far away (France Lemans Project) I also did a lot of snowmobiling in the 70s and these little simple carbs with nothing but a big hole and a low mounted venturi intriqued me. I had tried a couple of times to get someone else interested in using them but it never happened. After I finished the driver training/practice engine for the Lemans project in France I decided that was the high point of my carrer and would be a real good place to stop. I listed all my machine shop equipment for sale and it went in a flash. The one project in all my years i never got to do was the Tillotson carbs on a six cylinder and preferably a slant six . I decided to do that next and began collecting carbs. Soon i had 9 and 9 kits. i sorted through to find as matching as possible, discarded a couple of bummers and modified them for sideways mounting and car engine operation. Using an intake gasket I began making the manifold from steel since I work reasonably well with steel as opposed to aluminum. I located a slant 6 I had built 12 years before and the owner had never used it. He GAVE it back to me if I would buy his new clifford headers at his cost pirce. I did. i took the motor apart and gave the cylinder head a serious going through again and checked it over. It was ok. From the steel in the manifold it morphed into a dragster. I made as much of it as one could possibly make including the shifter etc.
IR setups despite cam and such idle well because the cylinders and carbs are independant and dont affect each other at all. It intakes, compresses, fires and exhausts and doesn't give a hoot what the next cylinder is doing nor does it share its poluted backwash from high cam overlap. The cam is just barely audible in this car and it idles merrily at 700 RPM in neutral..
To be honest i didnt go nuts on this motor. I just wanted to do this one project life had denied me and used what became availble. I am shocked at the power. Had not an inkling it would make as much as it does. Today a fellow racer gave me a set of used licks to use this weekend. They are wider and safer so i hope to see if we can go even quicker. I have not yet made a full throttle banzi pass but I think i feel one coming on. I do though have a very satisfied feeling now that my suspicions that it would be a good combo have been validated all be it some 34 years late.
Tis a lot of fun to drive, to work on and to own for an old geezer like me.
Don

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Don

Don,

I can't wait to see what this thing runs with the hammer down on a full pass. If you have your helper with the video camera again that would be great. Thanks for sharing this with everyone!

Joshua

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Joshua

You are welcome.
I am somewhat apprehensive about this weekend. I know how the best laid plans can oft go wrong. The slicks although I saw them this morning never made it here today. We shall see what the morning brings

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Don

The slicks showed uo today but were not as advertised. Theu are only 9 inch which i already had and are hoosier 29s which are 1 1/4 inches shorter than my current 29.5 set. in fact only just over 28 inches tall. So this weekend short of a miracle is a wash. I am not going half prepared so i may just have to save up for a new set for next year. Quote was $660 bucks OUCH!!!!! Not in this months budget.

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Don