Friday, January 28, 2011

We Bad!!!

Evidently the published formulae for supercharger boost are summarized with "assemble and instrument the unit, then test and change pulleys as necessary" ???
Installed a smaller 3.4" pulley (2.9 lbs.??-1.69 pulley ratio) and tested. Now reading 1.7lbs. and WOW!! This is a definite power boost.
While I don't feel that that a change from Radial TA's to BFG drag radials is necessary at this time, I was impressed with the power increase.
The MP90 is flowing about 260 cfm at 6760 rpm and is now starving above 3000 engine rpm due to my expert surgical mod's to the junk Edelbrock 500. This seems to be quite evident as the boost drops off above 3000 rpm. We need a Holley 0-8007 390 cfm with vacuum secondaries.

Just click the image for full sized view.

Now with 1000 miles on the installation, a few clutch bugs have shown up and the Saginaw transmission ratios are no fun to drive. With the 3.11 low and 4.10 rear axle gearing, I need to shift before crossing an intersection and can start in 2nd gear with better results. I am going to change to the single ring Saginaw gear set with the 2.54 low gear. I will rip it all apart in a couple weeks and take care if all of this at one time.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Revisions

After 6 years of an occasionally stressful education by Dad (Boss-metal man), Ray and Alfonso (4EVER FOUR), Gary and Larry (street rods), my past is evidently in control. I just cannot continue the concept!
Growing up with Dick and Tom didn't help!
It would require $2K to have the wires cleaned, powdercoated, new tires-tubes-liners-hubcaps and I just don't like the look, period. Whitewalls...ugh!

The supercharged 235 fits nicely under the hood, the saginaw is invisible except for the shift knob, but this cannot go on.

I ordered a set of special smoothies from Gary McLean
in Fresno, Ca. (15", 6 lug, 4 1/2" fronts, 5 1/2" rears, 3 1/4" max back space) that bolt right on the '34. BFG Radial TA's large and small. Reasonable pricing, long wait, but they fit!
Just the change of wheels results in that street look that I had to have. The brakes are
working better and better and the smaller tires improve them even more.
The car steers and drives so much better with fresh rubber on the ground.

Now if I just knew how to paint...I'm going to learn!

Concepts

The original concept on this project was based on Larry's 1931 Model A coupe (at 15, I was more than impressed) in 1960, in East L.A. His Model A was all black, stock height, with 16" black Kelsy Hayes wires and 600.16 blackwalls. Appearing like a stock Model A, under the hood was a trick flat head V8 with aluminum heads and an aluminum single 4 barrel intake. Very clean sleeper. At 15 years, I was in love with those polished aluminum heads and chrome acorn caps. I was NOT impressed with the orange, used 265 Chevy V8 in my Model A.
A few years later, I visited Larry at home where he was involved in installing a Chevy small block with dual quads in the A.
Last summer, I visited Larry again during a trip through the Northwest. In his garage sits the Model A (a garage find!!!). After 50 years, he still has the car. Even though the car has not been run in 30+ years, I think he may put it back on the road.
Absolutely AMAZING!