Technical section T/A details

[pbf777]

As I recall the Ford Power Parts program was referring to the 69-70 351W 4v heads as "similar to GT40 heads".

     I suppose if one were referring to solely to port "flow capacities" then O.K., though the head castings are quite different in many respects; but the greater combustion chamber volume of the 351W casting makes for challenges in compression ratio equivalencies particularly in applications of lesser cubic inch capacities.    

In discussions of SB Ford heads with Randy, he remarked that the 289hp type head COULD be ported to about 220. The GT40 heads about 240.

     Seems about right, though we have actually achieved something in the 230's of C.F.M. on the 289 type heads that I've done in the past.   

IF Weiss' flow numbers on the Gurney heads are accurate, at around 300cfm, I question if a 289 has the ability to actually use that anyway?

     Just "turn it" harder!   

     And even with 300 C.F.M. capabilities you'll find this limiting!      

Some where in the past, it was remarked that 48 IDA Webers with 42mm "auxiliary venturi" became "restrictive" at around 6,000 rpm on the 289's.

I do know that the total flow numbers on that carb set up is right around 2400cfm, so divided by 8, would be a 300cfm per cylinder, so where is the restriction in the carb. I doubt even the GT40 heads of the time could flow that to begin with.

     I've been somewhat under the impression (as I haven't flow-benched a Weber.......yet   ) that, and of course depending on the chokes installed, each individual throat was good for something around 240-260 C.F.M.?  And yes, that will prove a hindrance in the effort of, though not absolutely preventing, significant power production beyond something of say 400-425 H.P.   

     It's a "time, space & distance" dynamic thing that doesn't add up simply on paper, so it is quite often as you previously pointed out:

............. this type of "engineering" in the day might have been more of a figurative alchemy then and out and out science. Somewhat of an empirical thing of "build it first, then figure out the math later"?

     And, this is still quite often how the performance industry acquires new found horse power, admittedly or not!   

     Scott.

[TA Coupe]

In the photo above, it is interesting that it appears the engine is not using the factory TA 2x4 intake but instead the over-the-counter 2x4 one.

       Roy

[propayne]

Which photo are you referring to Roy - one of the BME Cougar photos I posted?

- Phillip

[gt350shelb]

Bud took his well sorted racing Cougars into the new NASCAR GT series and cleaned house, winning the '68 Championship with "Tiny" Lund driving.

Here is a shot of the engine bay of Wayne Andrews' ex-BME Cougar.

- Phillip

Notice the slightly bent Monte Carlo bar. This is the type is what I have seen on many historically correct 67  68 vintage TA cars and not the silly one with the big hoop in the front of the distributor. That hoop compromises the structural integrity of the bar in a way that renders it a little better then being totally cosmetic. The straight bar is of course structurally the best but the slight bend minimizes any adverse structural effects of a less then straight bar.

This is likely the restored gurney  car that ross myers has . when it was found it had been reskinned as a 69 and had nascar style jack screws in front towers

[gt350shelb]

BME TA Cougar engine shot scanned from one of my magazines.

- Phillip

This is the daytona test car  that was rolled /  then sold for parts and was cut up to build the paul pettey  car .

[JohnSlack]

There is some beautiful metal fabrication right there.

John

[gt350shelb]

I have those click pins  from the monte carlo bar

[TA Coupe]

Bud took his well sorted racing Cougars into the new NASCAR GT series and cleaned house, winning the '68 Championship with "Tiny" Lund driving.

Here is a shot of the engine bay of Wayne Andrews' ex-BME Cougar.

- Phillip

Notice the slightly bent Monte Carlo bar. This is the type is what I have seen on many historically correct 67  68 vintage TA cars and not the silly one with the big hoop in the front of the distributor. That hoop compromises the structural integrity of the bar in a way that renders it a little better then being totally cosmetic. The straight bar is of course structurally the best but the slight bend minimizes any adverse structural effects of a less then straight bar.

This is likely the restored gurney  car that ross myers has . when it was found it had been reskinned as a 69 and had nascar style jack screws in front towers

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Boss 302 engine that the car has in it. Unless I missed that comment.

      Roy

[gt350shelb]

by that time it was likely a nascar engine

[TA Coupe]

Which photo are you referring to Roy - one of the BME Cougar photos I posted?

- Phillip

Yes. It is an over the counter 2x4 intake because runners 2 and 3 are tall like the street one. I'm looking at the pictures on my phone so they may look different on a computer screen. Here's a picture of my street intake showing what I'm talking about. Also a picture of one of my TA intakes to show the difference.

       Roy

[98SVT - was 06GT]

by that time it was likely a nascar engine

NASCAR GT another name for TransAm - https://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?41-Nascar-Grand-Touring
In an effort to ride the pony car wave of success, and having seen the rapid growth in the Trans-Am series, in 1967, Nascar decided to form its own version of the Trans-Am. Run alongside its Grand National (now Sprint Cup) series for full and medium size stock cars, Nascar named its new pony car series Grand Touring, and organized 19 events for the 1968 season, run on both paved and dirt ovals of varying lengths.
The rules bore many similarities with those of the Trans-Am, including a 305ci engine size limit, and maximum wheelbase of 112 inches, and indeed, several teams ran the same cars in both. Outwardly, the full-time Grand Touring cars were notable for their stock car steel wheels, and large racing numbers, as opposed to the popular American Racing wheels and roundals that were predominant in the '68 Trans-Am. Like the Trans-Am, the series was split into over and under 2.0L cars. There would be Driver, Team Owner, and Manufacturer points to play for.
Stock car legend, and '63 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund won the '68 Grand Touring Championship, driving a Bud Moore prepared Mercury Cougar, ahead of Buck Baker in a Camaro, and Jack Ryan, in a Porsche 911. Baker won the Team Owners Championship, and Mercury the Manufacturers.

[gt350shelb]

not sure if its real or memorex

[gt350shelb]

No factory parts to see here  lower control arms are boxed for strength  adjustable ball joints / inner bushings are replaced with spherical bearings / sway bar links are rod ends to control arm. center link was kk part that came with no holes drilled for inner tie rod ends /also that area was larger than a stock unit  , this provided more of an area to located the inner tie rod to accommodate what ever the chassis design needed.

The inner control arm mounting bolt are about 8 inches long . they tied the control arm  mount to the center cross member  that had be  fabricated to clear the oil pan . 

tie rods have solid tube  connecting them

Idler arm is ball bearing pivots and a tab welded to frame rail to keep it perfectly located ( you can see this in photo )

sway bar mount is a delrin plastic ball mounted in a alum pillow block

idler arm and steering box had locating tabs welded next to hem so they would not move in the least amount / they did not rely on the bolts to locate them in place  ........too much slop  that way 

[gt350shelb]

How can we get around the fuel tank size limit .... lets make the filler neck the size of a 5 gallon bucket  and ad a pair of "drain" tubes  to "aid" fueling.

[1109RWHP]

It's not easy to make one of them, that's for sure.