Slant Six Forum
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Front Engine Dragster
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38092
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Author:  MikeChilando [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 7:04 am ]
Post subject:  Front Engine Dragster

I am beginning the construction of a Front Engine Dragster to run in the Nostalgia Pro Comp Association. It will be a 225 iron block, sleeved out to about 240 inches, Mechanical port injection on Alcohol and about 30% nitro. My objective is to get it in the 1100 lb area without driver. I am using a lightweight Strange Top Loader 9" Rear all aluminum housing with gun drilled axles and aluminum calipers, with drilled rotors.

The trans will be a powerglide with a 1.80 gear set, a 5500 RPM Converter with a trans brake.

I've got a couple of heads and two forged cranks. It appears that I can take 15 lbs off the cranks without hurting anything, and I will use aluminum rods with either J&E , Ross, or Weisco pistons, probably about 13-1 .

I would like to find a couple of 225 junk heads to cut up so I can evaluate both how much weight I can remove , and of course to look at the port profile . I will probably be milling quite a bit off of the port side of the head anyway, maybe even eliminating the spark plug tubes since I'm building the Hilborn Injection from a cut up 302 Ford unit .

I can't even get anyone to answer me about who in the Tennessee area might have some 225 blocks. Maybe I'm not using the forum correctly.. I just make posts, but nothing seems to happen. I have a Vertex magneto and it has the nylon gear on it . I would like to find an aluma-bronze gear if you know of one. I plan to use a steel billet roller cam: Either Ultradyne, Bullett, or Erson . Is the lifter dia .994 like other Chrysler's ?

I may also cut the entire rocker shaft mounting off the head and make a billet mounting rail that will allow me to use a more common rocker like a Jesel or T and D for a Chevy or some other engine which may share the same length.

Any experience with oil pumps ? Will a 340 pump fit ? Since it's a low chassis dragster frame, I'll be making the pan as well.

Do you think that if I could build a cast billet head and sell it for $3500 there would be any market for it ? The ports would be on different sides which might limit a lot of less serious folks due to manifold fabrication etc. A good breathing head could be designed that keeps the ports on the same side for a lot less research and development I suppose.

Is there any interchangeability with timing gears from a B block or early 318 or anything ? I was hoping to run an external dry belt drive like a Jesel ..

I don't know your name, but do you know how to get in touch with Doug Dutra ? Any of you guys that have been in for a long time might pile on and help me get the ball rolling. I have a background in running Early Hemi's in Top Alcohol Dragster, blown and on both gas and alcohol, as well as a bunch of injected 331 and 354 hemi's .
I wanted a car that will be light, fast, funny, different, and a conversation piece.

Thanks for any help you can give me .

Mike Chilando 615-483-6830 Nashville TN

Author:  emptypockett [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:36 pm ]
Post subject: 

T &D will make you a set of roller roclers that'll fit the Slant head.I have a set of them and they were built just fine.Good fit and proper geometry.Some of your other questions I just can't answer.I have a blueprinted factory high volume oil pump and that has proven good also.Good luck.

Author:  darrt wells [ Wed Nov 25, 2009 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Front Engine Dragster

Quote:
I would like to find a couple of 225 junk heads to cut up so I can evaluate both how much weight I can remove , and of course to look at the port profile .


In the engine section, there is a sticky at the top of the page showing many different sections of a sliced up head showing port wall thickness, deck thickness...ect.
Quote:
I will probably be milling quite a bit off of the port side of the head anyway, maybe even eliminating the spark plug tubes since I'm building the Hilborn Injection from a cut up 302 Ford unit.


? not sure what you mean here, but the spark plug tubes are not on the same side as the ports. But if you dont want spark plug tubes, you could use a cylinder head from a 75? and up engine, which has no tubes and uses a taper seat spark plug.
Quote:
I can't even get anyone to answer me about who in the Tennessee area might have some 225 blocks..


I would start by calling around to various junkyards in the area. I pick up /6 cores from a local junkyard for $10 a piece. Or you could even try asking around, lots of guys yank running slants for small blocks.
Quote:
Is the lifter dia .994 like other Chrysler's ?
IIRC, the lifter dia of the slant six is .904, same as a chrylser big block?
Quote:
Any experience with oil pumps ? Will a 340 pump fit ? Since it's a low chassis dragster frame, I'll be making the pan as well. ?


I dont think a 340 pump will fit. Doug Dutra ( or Doc or Doctor Dodge on the forum) blueprints a stock pump and adds a hardened gear, which has been race proven by many guys on this forum. Some racers have used dry sump.
Quote:
Is there any interchangeability with timing gears from a B block or early 318 or anything ? I was hoping to run an external dry belt drive like a Jesel ..


The bottom gear from a BB dodge will work, but you will need a different top gear. I bought my JP double roller from a vendor on ebay, so far so good, but the slotted bottom gear is a pain. At this time i dont think anyone makes a timing cover or top gear to accept a jesel belt drive, I guess you could use the bottom gear from a mopar BB set.



Owen

Author:  Dart270 [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:19 am ]
Post subject: 

I have a junk '61 head you can have if you pick up - 24060 zip. Or, I can bring to a TN Slant race this year. You might talk me out of a second one.

This sounds like a very cool project! Can't wait to see it run. I'd be into a head if it's really done well.

Why sleeve the block to get (I assume) 0.100" over? This is a pretty routine overbore on stock blocks.

Meril Bruner in Maynardville (N of Knoxville) has engines, but is not on the internet - call 865-992-4430.

Keep us up on the buildup!

Lou

Author:  Team Green [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:03 am ]
Post subject: 

Great project and it could be really quick. The crankshaft to camshaft centerline is the same with the big block MoPar and the slant six. You have to machine the front of the crank to get the crank gear back so it will line up with the cam gear. We ran a gear drive on the Lancer and also had to take a little off the block for the bar that holds the center gears on the gear drive. The Jesel belt drive looks like a great way to go. We also ran Crower roller lifters for a V8 MoPar. I would suggest a single stage belt drive oil pump and a crank trigger ignition that way your cam does not have to have a gear and you don't have to mess with the frame rail clearance problem of the stock location oil pump. We built our own intake and had Hilborn put throttle bodies on it for our injection which might be an option if the 302 won't work out. Good luck on your project.

Mark

Author:  james longhurst [ Thu Nov 26, 2009 6:08 am ]
Post subject: 

I may have a couple of heads for ya. I need to clear some old junk out to make way for some fresh junk! Old bikes seem to be taking up more and more space in the shop these days.

-James

Author:  Guest [ Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:53 am ]
Post subject:  Front Engine Dragster

Mike,
Just incase you are interested in a very nice modern super duty piston, please call or email me.

Mike @ CP pistons

Author:  adiffrentcity [ Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:49 am ]
Post subject: 

Just a heads up, Mike has abandoned his slant six idea and liquidated all slant six parts from his store inventory. According to the last email I received from him, he was switching to a Jeep six;
:roll: for displacement :roll:.

Author:  slantzilla [ Sun Jan 10, 2010 7:49 am ]
Post subject: 

Just to let everyone know, if you exchanged e-mails with CP-Mike, you are now on his spam list for his E-bay store.
I got one today.

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