In a message dated 12/2/2004 3:59:18 AM Pacific Standard Time, kturk@ala.net
writes:
> I know Doug provides some one off bits for flat heads
Keith,
When I started my Ardun project in the early 80's nobody was making heavy
"foundation necessities" for the flatty, so I commissioned a local machinist
to replicate a well used Wil-Cap front and center main cap for the Ardun.
I then came up with a design for a center main support girdle and had the
same shop make 5 of them. Before I even got to install one my Flatty racer
friends had talked me out of a couple of them.
I then had a few sets of caps and a dozen girdles made, and the rest is
history.
I had always said that the rear main cap of a Flatty would take
any punishment we could dish out. Besides, the pre-1949 Flatty rear
main cap would be very expensive to replicate.
In 1997 we had a 2-out of-3 match race against the Glass Slipper
at Redding (CA) raceway. We had raced the Slipper several times
previously at the Bakersfield (CA) Hot Rod Reunion, my 25 year old son
Brian usually leaving well but being passed in the lights.
This time we had progressed from straight alky to 75% in the NA Ardun and
the ET's had dropped from the high 9's to the low 8's. Needless to say, the
Ardun won handily, covering the fuel burning SBC by nearly 1 1/2 seconds.
Anyway, back to the main cap and girdle story. When I returned home from
that match race I pulled the pan to check the bearings and found the middle
1/3 of the rear main cap laying in the oil pan. Needless to say I started
making
and marketing the 49-53 8-BA rear steel caps.
My other product is a 70 page soft cover booklet on Ardun history
that includes the original Ardun instructions, parts list, sales
brochure, Tom Senter's Street Rodder Ardun White Papers from the 70's,
and a host of other material. After a selling out a couple of
printings I turned the project over to my son Brian who markets them
now.
My latest project is an OHV converted V8-60 to run in the M/VOT
class at SCTA events as well as nostalgia circle track
meets..................Ardun Doug King
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