Tech Talk

SS3 Race Team Spring Report.....April 2010

The new engine is in. We fired it in the shop to make sure it starts then shut it right off. It fills the shop with lots of fumes in a very short time. Less than 1 minute.

Next we get it into the trailer for a Saturday trip to Buffalo for an NHRA chassis recertification. This should be a breeze – it has passed twice before. But NO – this inspector doesn’t like where the main roll bar loop is located on the chassis. I review the SFI spec with him and plead my case, but no go. So I call Randy Jewel @ RJ ProFab and inform him of the problem. I stop at Randy’s on the way home and he said to leave the car with him. It is done by Wednesday. I pick it up on Thursday and take it to Bob Jaus for an IHRA chassis certification. It passes with the changes. Now I’m ok to test at Empire Dragway – it is an IHRA track. I still need to get it NHRA tagged before our race May 21-22 at Muncie Dragway.

While all this is going on, I decide to buy a new to us trailer with Living Quarters. This was after I just spent a week rearranging our old trailer to better suit us. I go to New Jersey to pick up the trailer and bring it home and then spend another week getting it set-up. It will be nice to have the living space and car space separate. Plus it has a furnace for those cold spring and fall days and a REAL shower!

Now we are ready to go to Empire Dragway to test. Read about that in the 2010 Recent Event section.

SS3 Race Team Winter Report….January, 2010

2009 Problems: Early in the year the car just would not run fast and it took us 2 races to find the magneto had gone bad. That is fixed. The other nagging problem was the 3 torque converter bolts to the flywheel would need retightening every 2 passes. We went thru 2 flywheels because the holes would get damaged. The rear end housing cracked and was temporarily welded. The third member pinion nut came loose. After 1 ½ years of running. So I have some issues to fix.

Repairs to housing: The rear housing is chrome moly fabricated steel. I split a weld seam, from tire shake, at the bottom of the 3^rd member mount. Now I removed the housing from the chassis for a permanent repair. When I removed the 3^rd member I noticed the bottom section of the mounting flange was distorted. So I removed the studs, straightened the flange and welded a support inside. Now it is all together with a new 3^rd member and back in the chassis.

Transmission: The transmission has been in the car since I switched to the supercharged BBC engine. (3 years). The case and bell have built in safety shields and are SFI approved. The SFI approval is good for 3 years so ours is due. The trans. has to be disassembled to send the case and bell back to the manufacturer for re-inspection and re-certification. I was worried the bell wouldn’t pass re-certification because of three cracks (next part of report). So the trans went to Lyndon Rutland Transmissions in Houston Texas for rebuilding and he sends the parts out for re-certification and I was right the bell failed…..time for a new one. The trans. Is now back.

Torque converter and flywheel: All year we had trouble keeping the 3 torque converter bolts tight for more than 2 runs. The last race of the year I broke one bolt and it damaged the bell housing. Cracking it in 3 places. To solve that issue we are going to a 6 bolt/pad converter and a billet steel flywheel. The pads are threaded so the bolts now go thru the flywheel into the threaded pads on the converter, loctited & tightened, and a nut is threaded on the bolt as a jam nut to keep everything tight.

Chassis: The chassis will get checked front to back, top to bottom. Every weld, tube, bracket and bolt looked at. It is also due for SFI re-cert.

Engine: Now for the big change! I’m a racer and can’t leave anything alone. The 540 cu.in. has 119 runs on the aluminum rods. The rods are good for 120-130 runs, so it is time to stop running them. The engine will get new rods and then be the back up to the new 572 cu.in. Keith Black Aluminum engine. It has new Venolia rods and pistons. I’m degreeing the cam now and then checking piston to valve clearance with the cam “straight up” and at 8 degrees advanced and 8 degrees retarded. That data will allow me to make cam timing changes, if needed, after testing. Cam timing changes where the engine makes power during the run.

When that is done the focus will be on getting the 540 out and the 572 in. Then the trans and drive. Then the plumbing, wiring and hardware…..then fuel and FIRE !!!!

SS3 Tech Talk Update

April 2009

Over the long winter months Steve made a few changes to the 32 Bantam – nothing major just a few new things and regular maintenance.

The Altronics data recorder has been replaced with a “new to us” RPM Data Logger. The fire system was upgraded to a 20# system. Steve replaced the Main & Rod bearings, moved the oil pressure gauge, made the fuel tank larger by 1 ½ gallons, got rid of those pesky relays for the trans brake and shift, installed a new mag shutoff, and put on new front tires.

We went back to a 14/71 Littlefield hi helix supercharger, (this one has been freshened and re stripped) so we are ready to go back to Pro Comp I.

Now we just need a couple of test sessions before heading to Gateway International Raceway in Madison IL for our first race.

SS3 Tech Talk Update

April 2008

Over the winter Steve made some changes to the Bantam. These were not necessary changes – nothing was broken or worn, but we all know that Steve just can’t leave it alone.

The Bantam looks a little different with new 16” diameter Beadlock rear wheels and new Hoosier slicks. It also has an Enderle Birdcatcher style injector instead of the Enderle Upright style we have had the past two years.

Steve also moved the Supercharger back 2” to try to balance the air to each cylinder.

He probably would have made more changes but I kept him pretty busy working on my 1966 Mustang. After driving it for 15 summers the car was ready for an overhaul. Chip Foose hadn’t called, so Steve got the job. The Mustang got new rear quarter panels, headers and exhaust system, new chrome pieces and new paint. It will be going to Brian “The Brush” Briskie in a few weeks for some pinstripe flames. When that is complete I will post pictures on the “Other Cars” section of this site – so check back mid May or so.


After breaking #7 connecting rod and damaging the block, cam & lifters, we are on our way to reassambling the engine. We had a brass bushing installed in the one damaged lifter bore. We "magged" the crank to make sure it wasn't cracked. The damage to the block won't effect it's use, as the cylinder damage was right in the area where material had to be removed for rod clearance. We installed new Engle roller cam and Comp Cams pressure oiled roller lifters, Venolia "Hemi" HD Alumimun rods and 11-1 pistons with total seal rings. The whole rotating assembly was rebalanced, and the heads were taken apart to check valves, springs and seats. The engine came home from Pro-Formance Specialties Wednesday evening, August 8th. Steve started putting it back in the car Thrusday morning, and with the help of Bill Gagnier and Bill VanNoy, it was ready to start @ 4:30 that day. Thanks Guys! We couldn't have done it without you. Just in time!! We are leaving for the Niagara Reunion in Lancaster at 9:30 am - in just 17 hours.