Great start to the story, Jeff. One thing you forgot is that after DW2018, when I finally got around to checking out the Hemi, I found it had lost a piston pin circlip, and the pin had carved a fascimile of the Grand Canyon into the cylinder wall. So I had to have the block sleeved. That took a while too. Every motor I build in the future will have pin buttons!

The new valve springs I used are the Comp conicals. They use a tiny retainer, too small for 10 degree locks. So I had to find some 7 degree locks for my .312 beadlock valves. Comp doesn't make them, but pac does, but they were out of stock indefinetly. Eventually, I located what was apparently the only existing set on the planet.

While it was apart, I also switched to a Milodon gear drive.

On the t56 Magnum transmission, I installed a pump on the front cover that sucks lube from the rear of the trans, and sprays it out in the front. This is because there have been some great failures reported drag racing these transmissions when all the lube sloshes to the rear, and the front gears starve. It's all about reliability. This plays into the DW21 story on Monday of the event.