Thought I would do a little update on what's happening to the Bantam this winter.  Our best run last summer was 80 MPH @ 16 sec in the quarter.  The car handled perfectly which is what we really wanted to find out.  Now it was time to increase performance a little.  The car has been quite dismantled and the remantling has begun.  The ibeam had a little slop so I had that fixed.  

These engines realy don't like to breathe so I have done everything I can to alleviate that.  I have built an integrated intake exhaust manifold to get long runners for the intake.  I now realize they are not long enough, so I am adding &" to the length.  The headers are 44} running into 2 into 1 collectors.  The collectors in the pictures are for alignment purposes only until the real units are ready.  These 4 into 1 collectors are free to any one who can use them along with the 4 pipes for the other side of the V8.  The header pipes will be shortened about 8" to fit between the frame and the steering arm once the engine has been installed.

Last year I ran 3 x Stromberg 97s but have decided to try the Rochesters as originally came on the engine.  I had Lightspeed Mike plasma cut adapter plates that turned the carbs 90 degrees and built a linkage that emulated the 97 linkage.  I never liked the pull down linkage that originally came on the motor.  I have now mounted the carbs so the linkage is on the motor side and the fuel line is outside.  Sorry the pics are a little out of date but you can get the idea.

I installed new axles and big brakes from Quick Performance on the Ford 9".  We were creeping at the line but really I want to have plenty of braking at the far end.  Shannonville is a pretty short track for a 1/4 mile.

I drilled and tapped the crank snout and install a damper with a retainer bolt and I installed a 3000 stall torque converter from Frank Lupo @ Dynamic Converters.

Last year the battery was first mounted under the frame at the rear and then inside behind the seat.  Both locations gave us accessibility problems so we made a new enclosed battery box that is easily accessible and will have a shut off switch mounted on the lid so the system can be killed either from in the cab or from outside by the switches mounted on the rear of the car.

The front axle is now installed along with all suspension parts.  New battery cables have been run, Stewart Warner oil and water gauges installed.

The head is currently being done , removing .125 from the face, recessing the larger intake valves, valve seat facings recut,  the shrouding around the exhaust valve opened up, intake valve guide removed inside the intake runner, new valve springs and CCd chambers.

The ultimate goal here is to run 105 MPH @ 13 sec.

Still a long way to go this winter and I am also prepping Dog Spit to take to Deuce Days in Victoria BC.

Warren

it's coming along good warren, gfu. where are you hoping to have your spring shake down runs at, if it is local i would like to see this.

Things have come to a standstill with the Bantam. We haven't been able to race this year because of a damaged head. A new one is being built and hopefully will be ready in the next week. We want to go racing, especially at the ELTA summer bash and then head over to the HAMB drags in Missouri. The car has been featured on two posters of which we are proud.

Warren

Well, since the last post, I have decided to skip the HAMB drags.  Just too expensive for a one day event.  I was supposed to be at Deuce Days this past weekend, but my wife broke both wrists and other complications compounded life, so I stayed home.  Thank goodness she is well on the way to the mend.  I got my head back last Friday and have been working non stop on the Bantam.  Installed the head which allowed me to mount the intake and exhaust, hook up oil lines, relocate the oil filter, install new trans cooler lines and get all the wires etc. sorted and installed.  I had previously shown a picture of the new battery box.  It is now wired with a safety shut off switch and hasp.  All the remains is setting valve lash, installing the new distributor and bolting the seat back in.  OH! and maybe getting it to run. I want to hopefully get some runs in up at Shannonville before the ELTA.

Warren

I have finished building the intake/header setup.  The intake runner is 18" from the base of the carb to the intake valve.  According to Smokey Yunick, this is the perfect length for this engine.  The exhaust runners are 42" running into two dual collectors.  The carbs are Carter YH off a 1954 Corvette.  They are rebuilt, I am looking for screens for them, but Carter filters etc are hard to find.  I fabbed up the linkage to fit the gas pedal cable.  I have since installed a proper return spring back to the mounting plate.  Because of the length of the intake runners, I installed squirters to start the engine.  Will probably run Methane for that.  There is a small fuel cell connected to an electric fuel pump which is activated by a momentary switch in the dash panel.

Warren