If I was at work I'd call this project creep and get all upset but as this is my thing then I get to bend the rules and decide that instead of sticking to a fairly basic spec I'll look at pushing the boat out a little on the motor rebuild ;-)
To figure out what to do, I looked on a lot of web sites and re-read the FIA Appendix K to ensure I knew what I was allowed to do. The main limiting factor for historic racing of an American V8 is that you have to keep with the original pressed steel rocker design and can't fit roller rockers etc.
The upshot of that is that engine rpm has to be fairly safe and so wild cams are not going to work.
I find a useful programme on the Comp Cams web site called CamQuest LINK 2 CamQuest.
With the help of this and a couple of books and catalogues I pulled together a spec of 327 motor that should give very good power at 6,000rpm and not need to go much higher before I change gear.
I could have ordered the parts from the US on import but instead I decided it would be just the same after shipping and tax to buy them from Real Steel in the UK.
And here are at least some of those parts are on the shelf ready for the rebuild :-)
I wasn't (too) idle whilst waiting for these parts and stripped out the pistons and cleaned up the block ready for a repaint.
But now it was time to go and collect the car from the Cage Manufacturer which will be the subject of my next blog...
