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Ardun Blown Gas Roadster: Best Flywheel Weight for Maxton

To: bigsid@webtv.net, bk185@lafn.org (marco), bjgayle@aol.com,
Subject: Ardun Blown Gas Roadster: Best Flywheel Weight for Maxton
From: ardunbill@webtv.net
Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 12:31:24 -0400 (EDT)
Hi Folks, wanted to get some informed opinion about the choice of
flywheel weight to give the best results on the standing mile at Maxton.
I know there are plenty on this list that KNOW.

The script is this, '32 Ford HiBoy roadster with stripped stock body and
(low-bucks) blown gas Ardun, 2680 lbs at the starting line at Maxton.
The car's done 136 unblown gas there, and I figure with blower it can
produce any power figure up to the mechanical limits by changing the
manifold pressure.  Starting conservatively, my initial target is a
modest 150 mph at the end of the standing mile.  I would rather do it
with torque and muscle than revs, since the greatest stress on the
bottom end comes from rpm even with the blower.  I want to gear it to
5000 rpm at 150 mph with the 28" tires and my Isky dreamwheel shows the
2.75 rear gear I have is right for this.

I already found out with the unblown gas encine that first gear is
useless in the BW Super T-10 four speed with the 2.75, the locked rear
wheels spun madly at full throttle.  So with the advice of one of my
Ardun coaches my plan will be to start in second gear, take it easy off
the line, then apply full throttle to 5000 revs, then stick it in 4th
gear.  This makes the car easier to drive, reduces wear on the engine
and gearbox, and gives the same or better results in the standing mile
than going through all the gears.  

Production Super T-10 four-speeds came with four different sets of
ratios, mine has a 1.75 second gear, this means a 4.8 overall ratio in
second.  Disregarding tire "fling" this means 87 mph in second gear at
5000 revs, and 2900 rpm in top gear, where the blown engine should have
plenty of torque to pull the car on up to max. speed.

Now the question presently under review is, which of a choice of two
flywheels I have will give the best results in this application, or will
there BE a difference?

Flywheel #1 is a 60 lb steel flywheel Lloyd Capanna made for me.
Flywheel #2 is a trusty 12 or 15 lb original Schiefer forged aluminum
with a bronze insert that I've been using thus far.

I can visualize that the car will jump harder from rest at the line with
the steel flywheel, and jump harder when top gear gets hit at 5000 revs,
and this will punish the gearbox more, depending on how hard I let the
clutch come in.  But these gearboxes are very tough, built for big-inch
engines and heavy sedans driven by red-blooded demons back in the '70s.

The steel wheel will abuse the clutch more, it is a 10-1/2" Ram B & B
with 3200 lbs of spring pressure, and it either will hold, or I'll get a
better one.

Come on fellas, don't ignore this, I'm hoping for about $10K worth of
consultancy here, for free!!  Thanks for your thoughts,  Ardun Bill

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