Formula For Big-Inch Success (Cont'd)
Note how Edelbrock puts the...
Note how Edelbrock puts the spark-plug firing tip deep into the chamber. Examine the chamber's edges closely. Marvin removed all sharp edges, which reduces the risk of detonation and hot spots.
This isn't the cam Marvin...
This isn't the cam Marvin had in mind for this application. Blair brought him a Schneider Racing hydraulic roller cam, grind number 284-RH. What this means in actual numbers is 284/284 running duration, a lobe lift of .340/.340 inch, and valve lift of .544/.544 inch with lobe centers at 112 degrees. This is an aggressive camshaft designed to do its best work at 3,500-5,000 rpm, where peak torque is expected to occur. While this makes sense on a racetrack, it doesn't hold much weight on the street. Idle quality and driveability will be compromised. At high rpm, get out of the way!
High-performance engines need...
High-performance engines need hot ignition systems and healthy charging systems to keep a battery ready. Race-proven MSD systems, especially when enhanced with the 6AL box, light a volatile mixture under the toughest circumstances. Powermaster's 120-amp single-wire alternator not only keeps a high-energy ignition system fed, but also all those power accessories Blair may be thinking of installing. Old-fashioned 45-, 55-, and 65-amp externally regulated alternators just don't cut it when you're running a high-amp sound system and power windows.
As mentioned earlier, Blair...
As mentioned earlier, Blair opted for Weber induction available from Inglese. These are 48mm throttle bores, which flow 635 cfm each for a total of 2,540 cfm. This level of carburetion is more attuned to the racetrack than street. "I would never recommend these 48mm throttle bores for street use," Marvin says. Webers must be synchronized using a unison, which measures manifold vacuum. This gets all eight carburetors to exactly the same idle mixture. When you run Webers, you must think of your V-8 engine as eight individual engines sharing four float bowls.
California Pony Cars set us...
California Pony Cars set us up with a cast-aluminum timing cover, which has been blueprinted to MCE specs. (Blueprinting means going over the top with your engine build.) Marvin radiused all of the passages for smooth coolant flow and oil return. Blair brought Marvin this Edelbrock water pump, which was also blueprinted to MCE specs. Marvin got rid of the edges to improve coolant flow and to minimize fluid turbulence.
This is a Weaver Brothers...
This is a Weaver Brothers dry-sump oiling system. It consists of a three-stage pump, hoses, and a custom-made Canton dry-sump pan, which we will discuss later. What makes this oiling system different than your Mustang's is its dry-sump design. Dry-sump oiling ensures positive oil supply under just about any condition imaginable. It provides oil from an oil tank, and it scavenges the return oil for constant uninterrupted flow.
Race Attitude - Street Demeanor
When Blair brought his 427W to MCE Engines, he learned quickly he made the same mistake as a lot of us: He didn't properly plan his engine project, and he ordered parts that don't always work well together.
Blair wanted the awesome look of Weber carburetors, but he didn't consider the sacrifices that must be made to have them. He opted for a radical high-rpm roller camshaft without considering what he would be giving up on the street. Blair chose the Edelbrock Victor cylinder head, which is an excellent head for high-displacement 351 Windsor strokers. Even at low rpm, the Victor works well when you're huffing lots of displacement. Victors were a good choice.
Marvin scolded Blair for his part selection, pointing out that too many of us package big-inch small-blocks like they're still small-blocks. Martin stressed that when you stroke a 351ci small-block to 427 ci, you no longer have a small-block, displacement-wise. You have a big-block, with much greater displacement and power than you had at 351 ci. That means you must feed the hungry small-block like a big-block with larger fuel lines, bigger ports and runners, a larger carburetor or throttle body, and so on. You also need to have a driveline that will stand up to the horsepower and torque a big-block makes. When you increase displacement, you must raise the bar in every way.