Other Important Engine-Blueprinting Issues
Engine building is an art to be learned and perfected over a lifetime. This is what makes MCE Engines exceptional in a trade full of professed engine builders. Marvin will tell you "there are engine builders and there are engine assemblers." Engine builders think beyond the surface. Good engine builders examine every detail, especially the stuff most of us never see. Here are a few examples.
Cylinder-wall boring and honing is a science unto itself. Doing it well takes an understanding of what happens to a block during operation. Pistons are not round when the engine is cold. They become round as it arrives at operating temperature. | 
Water-pump passages, not to mention oiling-system passages, should be worked smooth to reduce or eliminate fluid turbulence. All rough edges need to be massaged smooth everywhere you can feel them to even out both fluid and airflow. | 
Safety wire is a racing thing as well as an aviation thing because you can't just pull off to the side of the road when a bolt falls out at 35,000 feet. Safety wire is a good thing if you're going to spin it hard. Check out MCE's handiwork with Blair's water-pump pulley. All fasteners are present and accounted for. |
MSD is the choice of better racers everywhere. Blair chose MSD to light his fire. Marvin dialed in the MSD ignition with a good curving and blueprint job. This MSD billet distributor will follow the 427W's power curve without interruption. Note Marvin marks the No. 1 cylinder on the cap for easy tuning. | 
This is a racing power-steering pump designed for high-rpm use. Blair brought it to Marvin, who set up the front dress. | 
"Trust-but verify..." Marvin tells us. Here, MCE Engines has written detailed information for the installer. Marvin does this with every engine he and Team MCE build. |
Lubricate And Secure
When Marvin was building Blair's 427W, he gave us a crash course in thread lubrication and security. We want bolts to remain secure, and we want them to glide smoothly into place to achieve accurate torque readings. Never install and torque fasteners while dry. Always lubricate threads. When you are using a thread locker such as Loctite, the thread locker acts as a lubricant during tightening. Then, it cures and secures.
Loctite 7649 primer prepares surfaces for thread lockers. Loctite 271 is high-strength, good to 579 degrees F. It's good for components handling gasoline, petroleum, and natural gas. Pressures should never exceed 300 psi. Do not use with plastics. | 
These custom long-tube, 300-series stainless steel headers were fabricated by Butler & Sons of Santa Barbara, California. They have 1-3/4-inch primaries at 27 inches long, terminating at 3 inches at the collectors. | 
Marvin (left) and Blair watch and listen closely during the 427's initial run-up. These gentlemen quickly learned they had carburetor problems that would involve Inglese's help. Inglese replaced the carburetors and set up Blair with what he needed. MCE Engines will super-tune Blair's 427W when the car is complete. |
How Much Grunt
Marvin used Desktop Dyno PC simulation software for a look at how much power Blair's 427W should make:
| RPM | HP | Torque |
| 2,000 | 188 | 495 |
| 2,500 | 254 | 533 |
| 3,000 | 320 | 560 |
| 3,500 | 396 | 593 |
| 4,000 | 470 | 617 |
| 4,500 | 534 | 622 |
| 5,000 | 576 | 605 |
| 5,500 | 590 | 563 |
| 6,000 | 601 | 523 |
| 6,500 | 577 | 466 |
Read Part 1 Of This Build