Hilborn on my MEL 430

[mrevildoer]

Sorry about the delay, been working on getting my '63 Galaxie on the road again for the trip down to Bonneville this year. Brakes and distibutor/carb tuning mostly...been lucky I guess.

As promised, I've found a few pics I've taken in the last few months so you guys can see just how big the hole I've dug for myself is!

My grungy 430 'sorta' mocked up

Next to the Comet

The old 170ci inline 6

Here they are, next to one another

And, from behind

I've got the Econoline axle apart and ready to be shortened, with everything I need to rebuild it. Got my hands on a set of drag slicks, too. The Comet is gonna get it's sub-frame later this summer after I track down a rear end.

Still worried about the tranny I'm gonna run...*really* want to do a 4-speed. It only seems right to me. Gotta figure something out soon.

Brian

p.s. I really like the photo upload situation here, super snazzy and really easy!

[Treinarts]

A trans suggestion would be to scour the wrecking yards for a Ford Econoline Toploader. Early 90's. It is a four speed overdrive trans that will take readily use available clutch assembies and handle the power. The overdrive is about 22%. They are cheap and not rare. The shifter linkage needs some TLC to get it tight, but it is not too problomatic. Standard clutch pedals linkage should line up. No rocket science here. TJR

[mrevildoer]

Haven't been on the forum in a pretty long time. This is a pretty weak Hilborn thread given there's no pics of my setup yet! It's still very much a work in progress but I've made some headway. As soon as I have a way to upload photos I'll make a proper build thread. Building a period correct vintage drag car is a rather expensive hobby.

[Theo]

I like when people keep up w. their threads. Welcome back Brian. Here's a link on how to post photos. Hope it helps. Check it out and let me know if you encounter problems or if s.th. is unclear to you. I'll be happy to help you.
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=342

What happened w. your Avatar? I could help you on this too. Ya know, I like Avatars.

[Chris Craft crazy]

Building a period correct vintage drag car is a rather expensive hobby.

Truer words were never spoken In fact just building a period correct rod of any kind is fairly expensive... then add the MEL wrinkle, and here we are. BUT two things are constant. First, your gearhead friends have no idea what you're talking about when you speak MEL, and second, they nod their head in respect when you're done telling them.

I have had a lot of people who are greaseballs that have been impressed since I drank the MEL koolaid

[mrevildoer]

I don't even remember what my avatar was any more. I'm doing this all via my phone right now so I can't really upload any photos right now. That'll change once I get the laptop functional again.

I have a buddy who plays with old cadillac motors too; also an expensive hobby. They had a better aftermarket following so he has a little easier time with it though. MELs are cooler for sure I am a little jealous of his set of magnesium rocker arms however...

[Theo]

................ I am a little jealous of his set of magnesium rocker arms however...

C'mon there ia a variety of FE/MEL alum roller rockers tha took and work great too. Who needs Titanium?

[mrevildoer]

I should have clarified-- I'm jealous because my NOS Isky adjustables are steel. I have a NOS Isky 505 roller cam that matches them. I haven't decided if I'm going to use the set though...seems like a pretty rare set of NOS parts that should maybe be preserved instead of possibly destroyed in a race motor. The cam still has the card attached to it with Ed Iskendarian's signature on it! I may find a blank and have it ground to the specs on the 505 card and use a more modern set of roller rockers.

Does anyone know if Slover still makes those snazzy custom valve covers? I'm thinking about sending my heads down to him for a port and polish along with hardened seats and new valve guides. I can't remember if his contact information is on the forum here somewhere.

And on a side note, I finally found another 430. It's out of a '59 Merc, but has been sitting in a shop for years. Running 430s pop up in cars from time to time but I refuse to pull a good engine out of any of these wonderful cars because then some redneck will bolt in a 350 and make a demo derby car out of it. I've seen it so many times and it just breaks my heart. Hopefully I'll get lucky and I can get by with a quick and dirty refresh to make it run again. Not as a race motor but as a functional placeholder to keep the car moving under it's own power while the the other is being built.

[Chris Craft crazy]

As far as I know Slovers is still selling those valve covers, although I bought MOON products valve covers which a bunch of us got when MOON agreed to make a limited run of them. I believe MOON is committed to producing these valve covers whenever they get a group of ten together. Good to see you back here.... post your progress.