Thread: My new baby arrived today

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As you know I'm 60 and single, so it isn't that kind of baby. I believe this will be the final engine and most anything else done to the Track-T. As much as I enjoyed the torque at low rpm of the 383 sbc, I did miss the high rpm zing of the 355 circle track engine. The 355 had a nasty exhaust bark, radical idle, and the street manners of a gang banger. The 383 had a sweet idle and impeccable street manners plus great mpg. I'm hoping to have a good mix of the attributes of both of those engines for the 427.

On the engine dyno;

526.3 HP @ 5700 rpm

556.2 lb/ft @ 4400 rpm

Sweet! !!!!!

That's some strong numbers on the dyno sheet, should be a blast on the street!!!!

Very Impressive! We'll be looking for updates once it's installed. Thanks for the pics too.

Haven't seen you around the place.

Very cool for an engine with the distributor in the back!

Awesome but a wee bit of a shame that it will be hidden away under the bonnet and side panels but I know that is what you like about your little sleeper. I hope we see photos of you polishing that block after every trip down to the shops too mate.

Been in this state a few times.




The 383 sbc out


Dart 427 in




Now have to buy new front tires that are 2" larger in diameter to make up for the loss of 1" of ground clearance due to the depth of the oil pan needing to be an 1" deeper to accommodate the longer stroke of the 427. The modified oil pan for the 383 was flush with the bell housing.

Don't need holes in pan

deckofficer Sir!

Congratulations! I can imagine how that can make you feel.

Maybe it's because it was just Valentine's Day but my 427 also arrived today!!! Mine's going in my '32 Brookville asap. Sorry for cluttering your thread with my b.s. but I think I'm as excited as you are.

Plus, I'm sort of half jealous about this since I'm married with too many children:

Originally Posted by deckofficer

As you know I'm 60 and single...

my baby:


PS: wanna race!

Nick,

I've never worried about thread drift on any thread I start. Keep me posted on your progress and first driving impressions and I'll do the same. For an old fart like me, the displacement of "427" has always been the number, even though mine isn't a big block. Tell me about your 427 engine build, HP @ what rpm, max torque @ what rpm.

Bob,

If I started a few years earlier you'd be "old enough" to be my son ...I'm 64 in June, young buddy. So your "427" love is deep in my heart.

Mine is also a SBC based setup since I didn't want to do what's needed to cram a big block between '32 rails. Sure I've seen it done, but that wasn't what I want for this one. Mine is a Dart iron block/Dart Pro1 heads, Scat forged crank, forged pistons, hyd roller cam not too wild, roller rockers...I'll get details and keep you posted. It just came so I haven't even opened the dyno info but it's north of 550 and torque is higher so my adrenaline is pumped!

Btw, thank you for being so courteous and sharing of your thread and personal excitment. I'm happy we can share such a similar experience right now.

Yep, sharing from opposite sides of the pond and hemisphere. I'm using a Dart 4 bolt (splayed) block also. Went with the smallest recommended carb at 780 CFM and vacuum secondaries because I prefer to under carb as it gives better off idle performance and the vacuum secondaries because I've always believed your engine knows better than your right foot when it can accept secondary opening.

The engine that came out was built for torque low in the rpm band. On a typical 383 build you would expect 400~450 HP at around 5800 rpm and same numbers for torque around 4200~4500, I did things different where it only produced 320 HP at a low 4050 rpm, but torque was 516 @ 2800. Needless to say, short shifting (manual 5 speed OD Tremec) was the norm, running to 1800 rpm, shift, drops to 1200 rpm and do it again. This picture is on a steep grade, check speed vs rpm.



The 383 was amazing on fuel mileage with the tall gearing I'm running, breaking 30 MPG at 65 mph on a flat highway. This shows how tall it is geared.

How I'm going to do the cool air intake is now a moot point. Got to the point of wrapping up to find the forward air sense tube on top of the carb hits the hood. So now I have no choice but to cut the hood for a scoop, damn there goes the sweet lines of the Track-T. It does kill two birds with one stone, needed under hood clearance for the carb and air cleaner and cool intake air. I'm going to take my time to design something that has decent aesthetics so will go hoodless for awhile.


Now on to oil pan clearance or lack there of. This picture is at the crown of the shop entrance where the rear wheels are lower by about 3" over this crown.


Here are the new M/T tires next to the Lotus tires. Mounted and aired up should give a larger diameter but for me not high enough. I don't want my drain plug to be loosened every time I cross over a speed bump or a tall roadway apron, so will be fabricating a skid plate.


This is what I've been waiting to hear, the firing of the 427. Because of the clearance issues to the road, have not driven it yet, but with the new tires mounted and skid plate installed I will find out what 3.4 lbs per HP is all about.


This is the 2nd firing.

Nice stuff there! Sounds great.

Does your temperature gauge not work or do you run it cold?

Originally Posted by 34_40

Nice stuff there! Sounds great.

Does your temperature gauge not work or do you run it cold?

That was the 383 in cool weather and no t-stat. I haven't driven it yet with the 427.