My goal for the '65 Elky 496 is to have a pump gas n/a car that I can drive to the track, peel off a high 10 second run, and then drive away in it at the end of the day.

Today I drove the '65 ~ 30 miles to the Irwindale 1/8th mile dragstrip and laid down a 7.029 e.t., which should be an 11.0x pass in the 1/4 mile.

Full numbers:
R/T .559
60' 1.571
330 4.521
1/8 7.029
MPH 97.10

That was only the fourth pass ever for this combo, so I believe that my goal will soon happen.

I still have some cooling issues to address. I had about a 45 minute cooldown before the next run but the engine was up ~ 20 degrees to 200 degrees at the starting line, and up to 220 after the shutdown area. Of course I was happy that I didn't put a fan through the radiator like I did the last time at the track.

I am very curious about the cooling systems everyone is using on their street/drag big blocks: type and size of radiator, fan, etc.

Thomas

all i can say is weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee graemlins/waving.gif

I don't have a big block but have a electric fan out of a 1998 mark VIII I know it's ford but there are a lot of guys runnung these. Very strong fan. You'll probably need an aluminum radiator too.

Mike

I run a Be Cool aluminum radiator, It was pricey but I didnt want any fitment problems. I also have a Summit High Flow pump and Flex-a-Lite fan with stock shroud. The cooling system works very well. I also run a large tranny cooler as well. Last summer in 90* heat and humidity and in stop and go traffic, it never got above 190* I run about a 70/30 mix of water(70) and coolant. I have a Milodan high flow 180* Thermostat in there as well.

congrats Thomas!!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

What do you gonna change on your El camino......If you want to "break" in the "tens"?

"The bomber" is back!!!! graemlins/beers.gif :D

See you later!!

EDDY(riedijk)merlin,
The Netherlands

Tom, get your 60' down and you will go high 6's easy.

Congrats on the pass, you are getting close

I run a stock copper-brass-lead 4 core from my 70' with the windstar fans and a I think (the company) painless wiring 185 off 200 on switch. I wired it with a three way switch for auto, on, and off.
The fans usually have to be on all the time in anything above 70 degree weather, but they work fine.
If I was to do a new cooling system and would just lay down the cash (and alot of it) I'd get one of those complete be-cool systems with the dual plastic fans and shroud, mounting kit, and temp sensor. Plus the alum radiatiors are a bit thinner than my 4 core and I have some clearance (actuall rubbing) between the motor housing on the "big" windstart motor and my power steering pump pulley nut. Its chewed up but nothing I can do about it so I just let it chew.

With a copper-brass-lead (I think thats what the metals are anyway) 4 core and a stock clutch fan I ran at about 210 degrees no matter what temp it was outside.
With the windstar setup, I notice no change in temp during a 1/4 mile run.
I am sure I could get it to run cooler and shut off more often with a different thermostat, but I think 185 is a fine temp, and if I have to buy a new boneyard winsdstar fan if one of the motors dies from running alot (which I doubt, 3-5k miles a year out of my car) no big deal.
My only complaint is that it is impossible to hide the wiring for the windstar so there is no way to make it look "clean" which for my car is something of an issue because I do show it, and I haven't been able to find a suitable material to make a cover for my relay and electrical panel that is mounted just above my heater core.
It works fine, and this cam in my engine makes more heat than the hyd roller did, my temp is up 5 degrees and/or the fan is on more, and the amount of heat a higher hp BB like yours would make would tax any system.
But if you have a copper-brass-lead 4 core and can find a windstar unit, they fit in pretty easy and the wiring isn't too challenging because if you search on TC people have already done diagrams for us, and I just took the best ideas from two diagrams and made a new one.

matt

Keep pluging away Thomas, you'll get there, and soon graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Rob

Thanks guys, mostly I am happy to be driving and dragging the '65 again.

With some more passes and suspension adjustment I hope to get consistent high 1.4x to low 1.5x 60' times. I've already ordered a 1-3/8" rear sway bar to replace my current 1" rear sway bar. There is no front sway bar. The Elky definitely twists on a good launch. I'll try the larger sway bar first, then I'll try a low psi right rear air bag to even out the launch. After that, I'm not sure.

The cooling issue is #1 on my list of things to figure out - I need quick cool downs to run rounds at the drags. It almost seems as though there is a heat sink in the engine somewhere that retains heat for an extra long time. Really, when doing this engine I should have acid dipped the old '74 truck block to clear out all the rust stallegites.

I had a 4 core brass/copper vertical radiator and matching fan shroud - both of which became parts carnage on my second pass two weeks ago when the hub came off(!) the Weiand water pump shaft and sent the fan through the radiator. Currently it now has a BeCool radiator - one that was cribbed from my '67 for the time being. Not an exact fit, and it required the '67 BeCool side brackets to be hammered flat to fit the '65. Also in place are a new fan clutch and six blade 18" fan. At this point I do not have a fan shroud, which I know hurts efficiency. The water pump is now just an old standard short big block pump that I had sitting on a shelf - I have no idea if it has good (read low) impeller to backing plate clearance.

Oh yeah, the temp sender is in the intake manifold rather than in the cylinder head - which means that the indicated temps are lower than the hottest place in the cooling system.

One piece at a time, I'll figure this "hot" rod puzzle out.

Thanks, and keep those ideas coming!

Thomas