1978 Pontiac Firebird Week 2009 07 29

Click the picture for a larger image

Lots of parts have been purchased.

1 set KRE heads 74CC chambers CMC ported to flow 310 CFM
1 Set Titanium Valve Spring Retainers
1 Set Comp 930-16 Springs
1 Set long stem valves
1 Torker II intake port matched
1 Set TIP Billet-tek valve covers
1 Set oil restrictors drilled to .043
1 Set ARP 190-3605 E&K Head Bolts
1 Ohio Crank Forged (stroked)
8 KB Pistons 941-30 – 4.155 bore
8 pro-warrior 6.8 H-Beam rods
1 Total Seal CR0690 35
8 Rod Bearings 8-720ch
4 Main Bearings 4040 M
1 Balance assembly
1 Moroso 20500 7 qt. Oil Pan
1 Moroso 24482 Pickup
1 SFI Flex Plate
1 Gasket Set

Jeff has supplied me with the following suggestions.

Time frame on the rest of the parts should be later this week or maybe the beginning of next, but I doubt that (Kauffman heads 74 cc chamber cnc ported to 310 CFM, and RPM intake ported to match the heads). No clearance problems on the block and crank. Just one spot you have to check in the front counterweight where it comes close to the block oil pan rail. You may have to do a slight amount of clearancing. Which usually takes about 1-2 minutes to do. Piston to wall is usually .003-.005.

We shoot for .002-.0025 on the clearance. Torque on the rods is 75 lbs. The timing on the engine will be 30-32 degrees total.

We now have close to enough parts to build an engine!

Not much progress made on the car, but we will be moving it back into the garage this weekend, that is if anyone is around as the Nostalic Races are in Lancaster this weekend

	This is the cam card for the new cam to go into the engine.
	Work has started on the engine. The rough surfaces inside have been smooth out. The oil ports in the lifter galleries have been taped for the oil restricters. New cam bearings will be install once everything has been mocked up and test fitted, and the engine has gone through finial clean up.
The crank, one rod, and one piston has been mocked into place, all appears well.
	Although it clears, we will do some clearancing here, as Jeff suggested. It is great to have work moving forward again. There for awhile I did not think I would be back in the car this year. I was really moping around.
	The KRE heads 74CC chambers CMC ported to flow 310 CFM
Port work on the Intake. We will have to build up some thickness in some areas to get a good seal
One of the highlights this week was I made a trip to Kauffman Racing Equipment in Ohio to pick up the heads and intake which Jeff was finishing up the machine work on. While I was there I was able to talk with Jeff Kauffman and what a world of knowledge I picked up. Also there by chance was Ken Criss ofCriss Pontiac Parts and Kevin Swaney of Tin Indian Performance and owner of the record holder of the fastest Naturally Aspirated Pontiac at 7.37 @ 179.The trip itself was interesting. I was told that my TomTom brought me in the “back way”. The last half hour of the trip was down single lane dirt/gravel roads. Really beautifl country, but not what you would expect to travel on the way to a machine shop. I pulled up to this building out in the middle of no where and inside are all these CNC machines, a full engine shop and all these Pontiac guys. What a treat!
	Over view of one area of the shop. Below are some of the CNC machines (not all of them)
Another area of the shop with new heads all over the place.
	Another area of the shop contains the Dyno.
In yet another area of the shop I found Jeff and his dragster.
	Kevin Swaney of Tin Indian Performance and owner of the record holder of the fastest Naturally Aspirated Pontiac at 7.37 @ 179.
	I really missed the boat here Jeff is facing us and the only shot I go of Ken Criss of Criss Pontiac Parts and it is his back. Some of you know him as Ken C on http://www.pontiaczone.com/forum/index.php

 So now we are pretty much up to date again.