Hi.

[t walgamuth]

Today my K and N filters came in for the four webers. Wrong parts again....my third shipment. Drat!

I've been going through Summit. I think I'll try to talk directly to K and N in order to get the right part.

[t walgamuth]

Looks like I can run in XP class scca and minimum weight is 2300# so not too much ballast needed.

[t walgamuth]

Today we checked the new power rack for fitment. It will bolt in where the old manual one was. We also looked around under the car since it was on a lift and admired the many unique and well thought out parts and pieces. We also got the size of the master cylinders...7/8". I called Tilton and they are sending me a sheet of facts and figures to send them for a calculation.

I looked up the Don Olson Racing oil pan that is on the engine and found it is baffled with a scraper and holds 10 quarts.

Yikes!

[t walgamuth]

Tilton did not send me the sheets but I looked up some calculations on the internet and made he decision to order 3/4" d. MC. It should increase my power about 35%. Hope that's not too much!

The calipers on it are Sierra brand. Looks like the company is out of business and or bought by Joe's racing parts. I worried a bit about what to do when I need pads but probably I'll never need any due to limited usage.

[t walgamuth]

I've been thinking about the big picture on my Cobra. I have owned two pure race cars, a 1985 Formula Ford and a 2002 built Lotus 7 replica with 16 years of continuous autocrossing with multiple drivers, often three drivers at an event. This cobra has 3000 miles on it so mechanically it is like new.

I am having to sort things but its like working on a new car. So far nothing is worn out. I am changing things to suite my purpose mostly and or sort the engine drivability.

I hope to have it ready to autocross on the 7th.

[t walgamuth]

Today I got the calculation sheets from Tilton. I pulled the wheels on the right side to inventory what I have for brakes inside the wheels.
1. Sierra calipers with four 1.75" pucks per calipers....same front and rear.
2. 12" ventilated rotor in front, 11.5" in back, the rotors are bolted to the hat and all bolts are safety wired.
3. It has 1" lug nuts as required for some forms of racing.

I am hoping to get the car back together this week so I can sort more details next week and autocross on the 7th.

[t walgamuth]

The cam is in the engine today. The Tilton Engineer got back with me yesterday and said to put a 3/4" master in place of the 7/8 for the front brakes and put the balance bar in the center between the front and back brakes. Unfortunately the front master is behind the rear mc and so the rear will have to be removed to change the front mc. So that's what we are going to do.

[t walgamuth]

He was working to time the cam today and was having trouble getting the dots to match up. I suggested an offset key. We are ordering one today.

[t walgamuth]

The offset key came in and the intake gaskets with accommodation for small intake runners from the manifold and big ones in the heads.

Today I ordered a pulley for the PS pump, bracket and belt. Chris at Jones racing products in PA knew what belt I would need for the setup after I told him all the sizes. Its a 1" toothed belt. I was impressed.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

He was working to time the cam today and was having trouble getting the dots to match up. I suggested an offset key. We are ordering one today.

What camshaft timing set are you using?

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

What camshaft timing set are you using?

Sorry I am not familiar with a cam timing set. Can you elaborate please? The cam is driven by a cogged belt...is that what you mean?

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Sorry I am not familiar with a cam timing set. Can you elaborate please? The cam is driven by a cogged belt...is that what you mean?

Ok, so you have a Jesel belt drive to the camshaft like this?:

Belt Drives

If you have something like this, I cannot see why you need an offset keyway.
Your mechanic might not know what he is doing.

[t walgamuth]

Well, he showed me that yes, he could slide the main pulley enough to line up the dots but it did not leave enough leeway to degree the cam. He aslo flipped the belt over and it made no difference. My mechanic is about 45 and has been working on cars all his life after taking over his dad's shop. His uncle who is my age 69 runs the best automotive machine shop for a long way around here. I have confidence that they will get it right for me.

The uncle has been building chevy race motors for decades. The Jesel equipment looks very high quality.

If you have further comments please fire away, you won't hurt my feelings. If not thanks for your comments.

[Gaz64]

Can you post some photos of your belt drive setup?

The cam pulley should have some form of adjustment like most V8 belt drives do.

Gary

[t walgamuth]

Yes, it appears to be a Jesel and the cam pully has ten degrees of movement total. As noted above he did not want to start with five degrees used up by the tooth anomoly.

[Gaz64]

It would be interesting to see how your mechanic has come to this conclusion.

I haven't had a case where using an adjustable cam wheel has not needed more than 2-4 degrees advance. Most of the time I set them up as Zero.

But if he feels he needs to get an offset keyway, he is confident in true TDC etc, then we'll go with that.

Gary

[t walgamuth]

He checked TDC with a (Dial indicator?) device which is quite precise.

Thank you for your thoughts and comments.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

He checked TDC with a (Dial indicator?) device which is quite precise.

Thank you for your thoughts and comments.

Yes, it is ok, but not as accurate as the positive stop method.

[t walgamuth]

Thanks Gaz!

[t walgamuth]

Today we got the pulley, bracket, belt and pulley for the power steering pump from Jones racing. Their parts are spectacular in their quality and lightness! Excellent service too!