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Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

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  • Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

    I was inspired to post this by Brian's blog today.
    I love to see pictures of great old race parts, so let's all add what we can here with a little information on its history.

    As an AMC guy, I'll start with this. Here is a cool old Traco built AMC intake created for the 69 Trans-Am series when dual carbs were legal. I believe there are two or three of these floating around yet? Hell, they may have only built two or three in the first place?


    This intake required a special hood which had questionable legality based on homologation rules. From what I hear all these parts had a part number assigned by the manufacturer which made it legal(ish) for the series.
    There are tons of crazy late 60?s Trans Am/Can Am parts from all the manufactures floating around. I have also seen some great early Super Stock/Pro Stock pieces floating around too.
    Next?

  • #2
    Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

    I am not even an AMC guy and that intake has me drooling. Badass!

    I am a Mopar guy and this is what I want to stumble across some day:

    Edelbrock STR-14-6




    I have yet to find one at a swap meet...


    Ron
    It's really no different than trying to glue them back on after she has her way.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

      Latham axial flow supercharger....

      That which you manifest is before you.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

        One from the Ford Trans Am days...

        Cross-Boss intake with an inline Autolite Carb!



        Time Wasters...
        http://public.fotki.com/JoeGrippo/
        http://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_grippo/sets/
        http://www.youtube.com/user/JoeGrippo?feature=mhum

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        • #5
          Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

          I'm reviving this, I have been curious about these things since I took this picture.
          Nowa days you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an aftermarket cylinder head, not so back in the late 60's!

          I then read something about them recently which peaked my intrest furether.
          Gurney-Weslake SB Ford Cylinder heads.

          These heads were used in a few cars including this Honker Can Am

          Here's some additional information I found on the web...
          1967 Gurney-Weslake 305
          The new heads, cast of aluminum alloy by Alcoa, did evolve. The intake ports were a short shot, leading directly from the carburetors and aimed straight at the combustion chamber. No intake manifold is used. The Webers bolt directly to the cylinder heads. Steel valve seats were used on the 2-1/32" intakes, and bronze on the 1-5/8" exhaust. Normal 45 degree seat angles were used. Rockers are shaft mounted with removable stands. Three different heads designs were developed, including one to fit under the stock hood of a Mustang.

          "Actually, we began our inquest with extensive rework of the existing 271 hp heads.", said Dan Gurney holding back a smile.

          "At the peak of our testing with the 271 hp cast iron heads on a 325-inch block, we were pulling as much as 448 hp on gasoline. It was about this time we figured a few improvements along the lines of a new head design might give us even more power, so we got after it."

          Camshaft development was handed off to Jack Engle, ultimately settling on a relatively short-lift long-duration camshaft. Rev kit springs were placed between the lifter valley and the underside of the cylinder heads to extend the RPM range of the valve train.

          Both 289 and 305 CID versions were dyno tested. On gasoline, the 289s developed as much as 506 hp @ 7800 rpm. The 305s pushed 520 hp.

          Not much remains of the stock 289 HP bottom end. The crankshafts were custom made by Dearborn Crankshaft Company. Bearing inserts were taken from the Ford DOHC Indy engine. Carrillo rods, super finished and shot peened were fitted. Stock 289 oil pans were chopped up and baffled for each particular type of track. Probably the most interesting modification was the addition of a main cap girdle. Even so, main bearing saddle cracks were common. Stock 289 head gaskets were found to work reliably.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

            As I remember Mario Andretti was one of the pilots who drive the Honker during its short life in the Can-Am Series.
            Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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            • #7
              Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

              OK, I have a couple of photos from my Cougar days ...

              A "Cougar" lettered SB Ford Weber intake:



              The matching fibreglass hood with scoop:



              And a "Cougar" lettered SB Ford bellhousing:




              cheers
              Ed N.
              Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
              07 Mustang GT with some stuff
              88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                OHC Corvair engine anyone?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                  The OHC 'Vair is yummy. I wonder if that still lives somewhere?

                  On the Latham axial flow - I had a model kit of a "T" with a Lincoln engine (IIRC - MEL?) and several intakes including a Latham. I just thought it was the COOLEST thing and have been fond of 'em ever since. I don't know much about them except that they were originally developed for aircraft use. Any more pics, info on availability, etc?

                  Dan

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                  • #10
                    Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                    Dan, I think only 50 of them were ever originally produced. I think they look bitchin' with the carbs sticking off the sides.
                    That which you manifest is before you.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                      Originally posted by Brian Lohnes
                      Latham axial flow supercharger....

                      As I do have boxer engine on the brain, I wonder what this would do for it.
                      call it the double decker burger, or some other silliness. ;D
                      Previously boxer3main
                      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                        Here's a bit more info on the Latham. I thought I had copied a pic too but 'twas not to be. You can check their site for the pic, which seems to be of an aircraft configuration judging by the inlet and outlet configs.

                        Dan

                        Copyright AA1Car



                        Latham axial flow supercharger

                        One unusual design is Latham's "Axial Flow" supercharger that resembles a fan compressor from a jet engine. A cylindrical rotor with dozens of little blades spins inside a bladed housing to compress the incoming air in stages. Like a centrifugal supercharger, it runs at high speed (470 percent overdrive) and is not a positive displacement pump but more of a high volume fan with an operating speed around 20,000 rpm! One of it's claimed advantages was a much lower outlet air temperature than a Roots type blower. The Latham supercharger was produced briefly from about 1955 to 1965, but never gained widespread acceptance.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                          I'm REALLY like'n the O.H.C. Corvair Six. ~J/W.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                            I think the killer on the Latham was the price vs. other forms of supercharging. Very expensive to machine the rotor for one of those. Wasn't there someone in the late 80s / early 90s doing something with Latham compressors again? I seem to remember something in one of the magazines.


                            cheers
                            Ed N.
                            Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
                            07 Mustang GT with some stuff
                            88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Unobtanium and cool old race stuff

                              The Gurney-Weslake heads also move air for the 68-69 24hr. of Lemans JWA Ford GT-40's.

                              The Honker was also run with a FE 427 for a few races.

                              I have googled my fingers raw looking for the 2-speed rear axle that Dana built for Ford, that fit into a 9" axle housing, 2.75/4.88 Lo-Hi, only a hand full were made, and tested in Cougar Eliminators. One was in the lobby of Dana HQ years back.

                              Grippo beat me to the CrossBoss, bastard :P
                              Jeremy George in Windsor NY

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