Post up your winter upgrades!

Well, its been very windy, but mild temperature wise. Due to a small mishap where my flex plate bolts to the crank came loose, I pulled the 512 two races earlier than I wanted. It was due for a freshen, but it ate the thrust bearing. Engine was prestine looking inside other than the thrust face...+300 passes and piston, rods, cylinders, head gaskets, etc all look new. The oil pan, not so much. That hit the track surface at least twice before I used a jack under it to assist with engine removal...

My plan is already well under way. I switched from Felpro .041" gaskets to Cometec .027" gasket, a light weight damper, and I am taking the intake porting to the next level. Today I will pick up the heads and see what porting I can do there as well. The car was solidly in the 6.1's and I am shooting for a 5.99 this coming season...I still need tires, and any light weight ideas I can accomplish...

I only have plans for one winter upgrade and that is to put skinny radial tires on the front. Other than that I'm counting the days til spring!

I wouldn't use a lightweight dampener again after testing a stock internal balanced stock 340 balancer against a aluminum hub with thier aluminum outer ring BHJ on the dyno, zero changes, ZERO! Since then talking to ATI for a part number of one of their dampeners for one of my BB stroker motors that will RPM above 6000 they recommended against using the aluminum hub and shell instead of the heavier steel shell and hub. The heavier outer shell and hubs helps absorb any crankshaft harmonics better then the aluminum ones do according to him
As far as winter upgrades on my Cuda I may swap motors from the current 505 C.I. 400 stroker motor with non ported Eddy Victor M.W. heads to a 518 C.I. 400 stroker with a set of ported 440-1 heads and Jesel paired shaft rockers and a new cam with the same intake and E85 carb. that is on the car now Not sure yet, see how things go between now and the spring.

The one I picked up is an ATI, similar to the one on my Hemi...We will see I guess.

Pulling the 440 out of dads car to fix the leaking rear main seal, while its out I'm going to advance the cam, port the victor intake, and switch from .039 felpros to .027 cosmetic head gaskets.

Going to freshen up the 572

Minor upgrades for the wagon. Fix the fuel delivery issue. Get the rollbar installed and switching over the e85.
If all that goes well I will then finish the interior(carpet and headline)

http://imageshack.com/a/img905/7086/Tc2Vtp.jpg
Going from a 474 iron block to 540 Indy block. May try and take a few pounds off here and there also. Birdtracker

Got a heads up race Thanksgiving weekend at Barona.... then we'll punt the 4.30 gear and set up my 4.56 and possibly the 5.13 gear sets. Also going to try our other intake that's been crudely modified for a dominator..... and start checking track schedules for some February hits prior to a busy March with March Meet at Famoso, and MaTS in Vegas.

My summer upgrade(repair) has become my fall/winter project. I hurt a rod bearing in the Dart's Indy headed smallblock at MATS.

Thought I would just park the car until after my Demon project with a new hemi was done. But life/work/house stuff has made progess slow on that project. I found out I need my racing therapy and my Wife is encouraging me to get back racing soon.

The Darts 427" ring and bearing freshen up has become a new crank, rods, pistons, valves, guides, springs, retainers, lifters and machine work redo. Keeping the same baby cam and tail pipes, so the haters have something to talk about. Along with a trans freshen up.

Upgrades to combo are a increase to 434" from a 4.125" bore to a 4.155", a little lighter rotating assembly,.043 ring pack, knife edged crank and with the help of Superformance gaskets hopefully a few less leaks and the ability to pump a little more crankcase vacuum.

Parts are back home now, trans is done. Time to let the Demon and the house projects sit. Then put the engine and the car back together, so I can wear it out next year

The 605 is coming out for a gear drive and to freshen the heads. Randy what's the word on your 605? Dave

Finish up the fuel system. Go through the 850's and then plum everything. Already picked up an Enderle dual quad linkage kit from a member. Picked up a set of Manley aluminum rods from another member. Will offset grind crank, slight mill piston tops and rebalance. Finish clutch, trans work and front end. Redo frame connectors and trans crossmember to be level with rocker sills and lower car. Put in 4:30 gears I got from another member. Paint, add fuel and race. Piece of cake!

My 605 is comming out for an issue...PM'd you..In the Mean time the Cuda is getting upgraded Viking double adjustable front coil overs I had laying around from the Duster, and the Aldan's will be up for sale shortly.

Duster 512 is quickly comming around to being put back togather..Waiting on the crank to be turned, and we should be set other than the heads I want to port.

Mines done. Lost 12 lbs out of front suspension. May get apaches on my motor by spring

I might make a few fiberglass parts for my heep

I have everything to do and am still wondering where the time and money will come from.
Dad bought this 72 Gold Duster about a month or so back...225/904/7 1/4.
I have the rear end housing...gears and backing plates to convert to an 8 3/4.
Found a 416 short block that needs freshened.
Need to tie the frame rails together.
Before any of that I need to get the 69 Dart put away somewhere.
Best thing is I don't have to do any patching or panel replacement...interior or paint work...
I need my head examined...

Just dropped the dart off today to get a chromolly cage. While it's there, he is going to drill the Indy intake for fuel injection. Going with a Holley setup. I'm very excited to get the cage in it!!

Hopefully the paint done and motor dynode. Then we will see about hitting the track.

Already started, spent last Sunday taking the 363 out of 11secdart as my new pump gas 408 Stroker ( R3 block, Indy 360-1 heads ) just came off the dyno, I picked it up last night and am putting it in this week. I am trying to get it finished to be ready for the final test and tune on Black Friday to get a few runs in to see how the car reacts with 50 ft lbs more of torque, and to see if I have to change anything like gears or convertor.

Racing has kinda been on hold for this. It will end up being a chopped and channeled 33 Plymouth coupe in the end. It's been a little over 1 year to this point. Body should be back from paint and interior in a few more weeks. Looking to end up with a fun driver that should run mid 12's with a mild, very streetable 360 LA motor.