This is long and may beg for the delete key so be warned..
I have another great idea.. I know oh crap not this guy
again.. But for those who like to race within a reasonable
budget this will make sense although may be a nightmare for
the rules guys..
let me start with a couple of assumptions and yes i know how
to parse the word into it's potential meaning.. seeing how
this is a coed list will save the definition for another
time for those that don't know or can e-mail me off list.
1. LSR racing is for the most part a hobby that is done for
the love of it.
2. if you can find something inexpensive that is fun to
drive and racey it has potential.
3. better if you can find engines that actually came out of
something and don't cost a kings ransom then they might
have some potential even better if many are around in
salvage yards or they just made a zillion of them and don't
cost a lot for what you might be able to turn them into. Oh
this is an engine thing as i am an engine guy and want to
know little about fenders and such as that is a whole other
issue.
So here goes with the great idea..
The problem..
Many of the engine size breaks are right on the same size of
most commonly produced engines before they become 'used and
cheap'. the bores are worn out they need pistons crank
ground etc..
The current solution..
If you want to build a D engine for instance. 2 engines show
great promise. A 320 chevy or a 302 FORD( I used caps
because I like FORDS).. Most of these engines need an
overbore of .030 or more to clean up the bore and pistons
are available to .060 over as the blocks for the most part
have a lot of iron in the walls. It is a cheap fix as
pistons cost the same from stock to +.060 over.. BUT the
gottcha is now the engine is too big. The current solution
is to do 1 of 2 things. Look for a used block that will
clean with a .010 or 0.020 overbore , buy a new block for
1000+ or buy a custom crank with a shorter stroke for 2000+
These solutions are either incredibly time consuming or
expensive. They also apply to most of the small inch stuff
that is always viewed as 'cheap to race'. Most 2000 cc
engines are around 1990 cc stock same with 3000cc I am sure
there are a zillion 1498 cc engines too there are i sure too
others that are larger that are right on the edge of the
next class.
A different solution...
Allow an overbore not to exceed .060 ( that ought to fix the
worst of the worst engines) so you can run a stock crank and
save the 2000 or so bucks. For most engines this amounts to
a few cubic inches. Some one with a calculator handy might
and i am sure will add to this.
This is personal for me and I won't hide that fact. I have
no vested interest in the rotary deal i brought up but this
i do. Keith just mentioned his crank is coming in from
Bryant. It will be a nice piece i am sure, but an expensive
one. If he could have bored out the 302 might have not
needed the crank in the first place or at least not a custom
stroke one to get under the size limit. I have been looking
for a 3 liter engine for 2002. None to be found in my book
because you can't freshen one up for a reasonable cost as
they are for the most part 2990+ cc stock. If I do no more
than a service station rebuild i am illegal.. I will grant
you that most try a little harder than that but the concept
is the same. There ought to be a way to allow so many cc's
per cylinder for normal engine rebuilding. I have a 2000 cc
ford block that is .002 over.. have a lot of time in it and
it is junk.. just does not seem like it is a reasonable deal
same with most of the small chevy and FORD guys out there.
So the question is .. Is there anyway top have a bit of a
window in engine size that precludes spending a ton of money
to not be a few cubic inches over a set limit????
Doing a little quick math with a 302 FORD as a starting
point..
stock is 301.44 with a 4 inch bore 3 inch stroke.
D class limit is 305
302 with a .030 overbore .. real common is 306 oops no
good.. 0.03% over
302 with a .040 overbore less common but safe is 307.5 1.5
inches 0.09% over
302 with a .060 overbore and probably out of iron in the
walls..310.55
So the worst case is less than 2% .. and less than 6
inches..
The other question is there is 1 cubic inch between classes
who owns that inch??
a good example is G class.. up to 2.00 liter F is 2.01 liter
to 3.0 Where are the 10cc's. I have a FORD 2 liter block
that will clean at 2008 cc so it is not G or F..
I was looking at an F engine from another car it is 3 cc
under 3.0 liter it will clean at 3019 cc another 'black
hole'.. would clean better at .020 over but that is too big
for sure but never the less well under the range of FACTORY
pistons..
Anyone have any great ideas to fix this and help keep the
cost of racing down??
Just so no one feels left out the FORD examples work for a
chevy 302 also... :>)
Dave Dahlgren
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