[Jack Gifford]

Eric, Mike, Don, and everyone who stopped by- thanks for your interest in my off-beat project.

I especially appreciate the openness of the Boss Bird crew- such a methodical approach to stretching the Pontiac performance window! Meeting tuner Jerry Newman and getting a beginner's 2-day tutorial on nitromethane was priceless!

I can't adequately describe how happy I am for the success of the whole Boss Bird crew.

Don- I'm aware of the thrashing you did- sorry you didn't get to where you had hoped, but I look forward to lots of DCI RA-V success stories.

[johnta1]

Some pics of Jack's engine:

[Skip Fix]

Jack that is really bad a$$!!

[tom s]

Just WOW!Tom

[Jack Gifford]

Thanks John! Great to talk with you again.

[GTO Dan]

That engine is a work of art, a very interesting build.

Nice meeting and speaking with you Jack. Cool tow vehicle too!

Dan

[Dave M]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Some pics of Jack's engine:

I saw your Suburban and your engine. But never did meet you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jack Gifford]

I would have enjoyed meeting you Dave. I was probably over by the Boss Bird operation, absorbing all I could of their "methods".

[Jack Gifford]

Crank scrapers done. Still need to fabricate a windage screen, then engine can be totally buttoned up.

This photo also shows how I re-positioned the passenger-side outer row of main studs further outboard. They now tap into the more massive spots where the reinforcing rib intersects each of the main webs (3/4" long HeliCoils).

Drysump pump now being built by Dailey Engineering- 2 pressure stages, 2 scavenge stages, a centrifugal air separator stage, and provision to mount a Hilborn fuel pump on the rear. Mount for it at the rear of the intake cam is done, just need to machine a short drive stub to go between the cam and the pump.

Joe Anderson (who inherited Don Zig Magnetos) is looking for an appropriate magneto. It wouldn't be a problem, except my desire for the vintage look of a Vertex mag.

[mgarblik]

Looking great. The main cap movement of the fasteners shows once again, how far ahead the factory engineers were in their thinking of making the block strong. The engines were making barely 200 HP stock when the strengthening rib was designed and cast into the early blocks! You have taken what was already there and now utilized it way way beyond any Pontiac engineers wildest expectations.

[Jack Gifford]

Windage screen done- neat directionally-perforated material from Moroso (thanks Mike!).
Engine all buttoned up. A bunch of plumbing ordered; still need to source a Hilborn 4-port.

[BruceWilkie]

Nice work Jack.

Without rereading the whole thread any reason you didn't splay the outer main cap studs? Was block originally a straight 4 bolt drilling? If so what did you do to address the unused hole?

[sdbob]

Stopped by at Norwalk. Impressive. At the time you were in conversation with someone. May you be successful.

[Jack Gifford]

Bruce- no need to splay the studs. My V8 hemi with this style main caps never experienced any cap walk. Funny you should ask "what about the old holes"- truth is, the first reason for moving that row of studs was because the massive block crack repair left those holes totally filled with TIG rod! So moving the holes to the more substantial spots was a no-brainer.

sdbob- sorry I didn't get to talk with you.

[BruceWilkie]

Thanks for the info Jack. Mounting the crank scraper on the reinforcement rib was a bit of Genius too.

Pontiac pieces, aftermarket pieces intended for Pontiacs, Pontiac inspired concepts(OHC6), and Pontiac enthusiast ingenuity are well represented here.

IMO this build is just as "Traditional" as Tripower,droop snoot exhaust, 4 bolt valve covers, and the Pontiac timing cover.

Many thanks for daring to be different. I hope this build inspires others.

[taff2]

Inspirational Jack,fair play.

[mgarblik]

For those who haven't seen this engine in person. Take my word for it, pictures don't do it justice. Jack said I could post these anyway. Look at the details in the camshafts, oiling circuit and lash adjusters. It's simple and brilliant . The full circle counterweights are really cool too. Can't wait to hear it under power.

[Jack Gifford]

Thanks Mike for photo posting- I never think to bring a camera.
Dailey drysump pump received, looks good. Pump mounting and drive stub finished. Got a good start on plumbing.
As usual, time spent where not expected. Put a little air pressure to the coolant system and there's a tiny leak somewhere that I'm still chasing. Head and block both checked okay after all machining was finished. Leak cannot be at the deck, since both head and block are dry-decked. I need a better leak detection scheme than watching the bending of a match flame...

[mgarblik]

Jack, if you know someone who works at a new car dealership of a good full service garage, they may have an EVAP leak test smoke machine you can borrow. With the smoke machine, you can fill the cooling system with smoke and the tiniest leak will show up. Great for oil leaks and coolant leaks on an empty system. Good luck.

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

.....
As usual, time spent where not expected. Put a little air pressure to the coolant system and there's a tiny leak somewhere that I'm still chasing. Head and block both checked okay after all machining was finished. Leak cannot be at the deck, since both head and block are dry-decked. I need a better leak detection scheme than watching the bending of a match flame...

What a coincidence: this appears to be exactly the leak I'm chasing right now. My engine is dry-decked with coolant only in the heads, but I'm getting some drops of coolant blowing out the vent on my puke tank during the burnout and the pass. I haven't checked compression (haven't got the car back to Tucson yet), but in talking to Paul Carter, my engine builder, we think it could be a leak from the head directly into the lifter area. That would not be surprising since the casting quality of the Wenzler's has been called into question a lot over the years and these heads have been worked and re-worked a ton. Let us know what you find.

Mike, that smoke machine sounds like the real deal. Thanks for the useful info, as always.

Jim