I'm deep into improvements to a '99 AJ27 engine for the purpose of having a powerplant that's robust enough to enable me to change classes and set more records at the ECTA facility at Maxton, NC

First an abbreviated background:

After a brief stint as a spectator, I decided to enter competition in class 'E' Fuel Competition Coupe/Sedan. I had most of the hardware necessary to modify my '02 Lincoln 3.9 V-8 setting around in my garage.

I installed a complete stand-alone fuel-delivery system to supply methanol as the fuel half of a 'NX Pro 400' nitrous oxide spray system. (The '400' designation signifies that the flow available will provide in excess of 400 horsepower depending on jet sizes---a '150' system will actually make about 165 horsepower when using pump gasoline---so the '400' system when supplied with methanol could conceivably go north of 450.) And understand that we are talking about capacity now, not what we've actually utilized.

It is my present intention to utilize a pair of custom turbos of the general configuration 'T04E' to provide boost for the fresh engine and go into the equivalent blown fuel class. Methanol is an exceptional component for the planned combination.

Some questions were asked over in the 4.0 thread. Perhaps I can offer some light. I am extremely blessed by the technical input offered for my endeavour by Tony Gentilozzi and crew; he's the head of engine development at RSR, the group who field the Jaguars in big-time road racing.

It has been my intention to 'beef-up' the strength of the main bearing girdle/ base plate by using a set of hi-strength steel straps to help support the mains, and utilizing ARP studs as fasteners. The block design is excellent, making use of water jackets that, although surrounding the cylinders only extend down less than 2 inches. The factory ferrous sleeves are of dry design and rigidity is ensured by having the majority of the cylinders' length supported without the voids that water jackets offer. Both head studs and main studs, coming from opposite directions, go deep into the core of the block.

Although I've been made privy to details of the RSR engines, I'll not discuss details without permission. Their engines ARE mechanically stronger than production pieces, even to the extent of billet pieces in some cases. But endurance road racing is a substantially different animal than the thirty second or less blasts that one mile land speed racing consists of.

I'd also be wary of designating Maxton as 'one mile drag racing'. Slicks are frowned on as un-necessary and dangerous. High RPM launches are not necessary. (I brake-torque to 1500 or so.) Traction is not more than a very peripheral problem. We have license reciprocity with the SCTA/Bonneville and run to substantially the same rules, although we have much better traction on our concrete than on the salt.

I'll be able to make further comments within the next few days. Questions are very welcome.

KS

 

HI, cammer, best of luck with your project!

would be nice to bring it to texas mile, nice track, and it seems as tho they are movin the race to another location, an airstrip in Beeville TX. close to Goliad tx. its slightly closer your location.

we could meet up! Good luck.

 

Texas is certainly on my list, and the change likely in the ECTA format away from Maxton-only will only make such a trip more probable.

KS

 

i have never been into an AJ27 3.9L V8.
but sounds interesting.

at texas there has never been any real fast Jags, like over 200mph.

oddly two fastest type cars are lambogihini Garrdos and Toyota Supras 93-97.

we kinda expect the Lambos to be fast 5.2L V10 twin turbo, good aero. 250+

but the toyotas at only 3.4L in-line 6, single turbo and old body aero, at 235-245+.
surprises everyone.

i bet even toyota was surprised. i guess we see what happens.

 

Boost does wondrous things. The 'Toys' are probably running fifty pounds. And that sort of speed is undoubtedly not achieved with one mile of acceleration. The plus/minus 225 speed is held, for one mile at Maxton, by the likes of a blown lakester and an unlimited turbo'd Hennessy Viper.
Both California dry lakes venues have speeds slightly greater than the ECTA, but both are run on 1.1 mile lay-outs. The sort of speeds you mention will require the fresh engine I'm working on and the 3 mile layout of the short courses at Bonneville. And since I also have a more serious land speed car 'on the drawing board' I'm not sure that the LS will be run that way.

The stated goal with the LS is to see how fast it'll go while remaining in daily driver format.

KS

 

As mentioned above, I am involved in an ongoing dialogue with the guys at RSR regarding the necessities when upping horsepower/torque.

One of the things they found to be necessary for their sort of racing was to have a more robust block cast. Aside from minor water and oil re-routing, they made their new block with slightly heavier decks and thicker cross-sections around the (dry) cylinders.

Knowing this makes me a little itchy. Time will tell...

KS

 

You should buy one on Tony's custom engine blocks, then you will have a dry sump setup as well, all you need to do is fabricate some sort of engine mount as his blocks have no provision for this. You should also look into the extensive cylinder head work he has done, it is a work of art.

 

Actually, I've spent extensive time in the RSR shop and am already in possession of one of his dry-sump set-ups.

I have a tendency to get carried away with this sort of project, but the reason for doing as I have, has been to use it as a learning experience. We're already at work on a much more aggressive program---3K worth of power---built around a modernized version of the SOHC FE Engine from Jim Dove, and a fabricated car/chassis with basic design from the '60s.

KS

 

i do like the idea of a fast street car, always something to pass!

race cars are great but they seem to always be sittin around the shop waiting on the next improvement!

you are serious tho, using a custom cast block!

something i have been studying, is CGI blocks and heads,Compacted Graphite iron,

only slightly heavier than Aluminum,10-15%, but 100% stronger, cyl. bores are compatibile with mosr rings and pistons, reduced friction drag, good thermal balances.

plus some other advantages, that slip my thinking.

speaking of block casting foundrys, do you know where the RSR aluminum blks are actually cast?

there seems to be not much info on the CGI blocks about location of casting foundrys.

all i get is Brazil and India, maybe TATA knows something we dont!

Good luck ,, Ron

 

We'll see about the block. At this juncture I have a production block already prepped, and have in hand such additions as a complete set of studs and steel main straps. Since I intend to build up to both serious boost and the upper limits of the spray system now installed, I hope we're good enough. If not, I'll have to importune Tony...

 

They are going that fast in a standing mile. These are 1500+hp cars though.

 

this topic has been asleep for about a year!
dont know the progress!

yes,, standing mile top speed runs have become all the rage, like anything EVER related to speed ,money guys come along,and take over,after the hot-rodders got things up and running.

to me a hot-rodder builds his own car, money guys just buy everything, part of the time they dont really know whats going on, AHH, maybe a little harsh!

 

The guys buidling them are certainly hot rodders. They are just getting paid to do it. And the guys paying them are certainly car fanatics. They just prefer spending their time treating cancer with radiation. They'll let the gurus build the cars. It's called specialization, it's what has allowed our society to advance so much

 

I agree!!!!! money talks BS walks.

no one has ever beat cubic money!! (or more than once)

 

AFAIK cammerfe is still going forward with this project. He's just more active on the LVC LS forum. Just look for the thread "Land Speed LS".

 

just got some results of the Beeville TX Land speed runs.

a Ford GT40 , replica, went 257mph in just one mile,standing start.

and a Camaro went 252mph. thats nuts.

of interest/comparision a Top Fuel car goes 250mph in 1/8 mile,, 320mph in 1/4 mile.

not bad for a two wheel drive car, course jet cars dont drive the wheels!

 

just read that Maxton LS track has been closed!

where will cammerfe run now?? anybody?

it would be nice to have a 200mph jag in the standing mile!!!

 

The ECTA has moved to what was a DHL base establishment in southern Ohio---not too far east of Columbus. You can get all the details by going to the ECTA website.

A major difference between the ECTA and the Texas contingent is that ECTA uses the rules developed by the Bonneville guys and we have license reciprocity. The GT-40 mentioned at Texas could have gone faster, so they say. But they only had a four-point roll bar. They are developing a comprehensive roll-cage package before they go back. (The 5.4 litre engine used in the GT-40 can quite reliably be made to produce significantly above two thousand horsepower so going faster is a distinct possibility.)

ECTA requires a cage starting at 150, I believe. And it must have the close-fitting 'Funny-car' configuration starting at 175. Safety seems to be an afterthought at Texas.

I thought I was ready to retire from having to chase money several years ago. But the real estate market did some very not-good things to me and I now have other things that are even more front-'n'-center than trying to get four litres to higher speed. The result is, inevitably, a degree of slow-down to the racing activities.

But the question remains the same. Can I get a four-litre daily driver to 200+ MPH? Time will tell!!

KS

 

sounds like a PLAN,, we will be waiting!!

Ron

 

I was in Beeville last May and took my 03 STR with only intake and cat back exhaust to 144.5mph.