308 V12 conversion begins

It might...but it might not, it's hard to know before doing it. It will at compresive loads at the surface but whether or not it will have enough energy to do anything deeper I don't know......but I suspect not.

 

I don't mean to make it sound trivial, it's a lot of work but it's straight forward work.

First I cut the ends or the top surface parallel to the crank. The block has a little twist to it on the bottom surface so I shimmed opposite corners to split the difference so when the bottom is cut it will clean up with a minimum of material removed. I didn’t cut the entire top surface because the serial numbers would be removed if I did.

Next I flipped the block over on to the top surface and indicated in the crank journals within a couple 10 thousandths of an inch end to end and cut the outside flange surfaces parallel with the crank centerline exactly centered between the 2 side. This will let me know exactly where the crank belongs after I weld the journals and can no long use them as a reference.

Step 3 is weld the journals. I welded ¾-1 inch down the sides to be sure I had enough material. I also removed the cap alignment bushings while it was hot and welded up the top front surface that pulled when I welded the bores.

Tomorrow I’ll start re-machining. I need to cut the bottom of the block flat, rough cut the journals, machine the bushing hole for oversize bushings (I’ll machine the caps the same way so the caps will fit properly again, the don’t now as the bush locations are sprung out in the block), re-cut the front face. Rough in the cylinder bores. I’ll probably be machining on the block all week and maybe into next week. Then block will be ready to go for finish line bore and decking.
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Yeah....force fitting the TR heads was probably not one of my better ideas and not far behind re-positioning the engine. The original plan to just put a really big supercharger on a hopped up V8 would have been much easier it turns out, it wouldn't sound as good as this is going to, but it would have been a lot easier.

 

Juha,
Thanks.

I'm using 4043 welding rod and 6061 billet

Mark

 

I got the block up on the mill and indictated straight, cut the bottom of the block flat and made he first pass roughing in the journals. I'm doing the journals with a ball mill and trig to get the right radius....kind of a manual CNC. I should have that part finished up tomorrow and then on the cap bushings.
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I decided that one corner really should have a couple more thousandths removed so I did that...which only let me time to get about 3/4 of the way though the journals. One more night I guess. They're looking good again though. I'm cutting them .005" undersize so the there will be no question that the finish line bore and hone will clean them up nice and straight and round. This kind of stuff is just slow and I'm really wishing I had a power feed so I didn't need to do so much cranking.

 

If I can't get this crazy engine to run the fall back plan is a pretty stock 400 or 412 engine with a big blower.....but I think this one will work, I just not sue I'll get 700 hp out of it

 

I finished up the main journals. They are now straight and .005" undersize ready for line bore.

Next is to bore the bushing hole oversize and in a better location. I'll slip the error between the block and the caps to minimize how far oversize I need to go with the bushings, it looks like +.010" will do it.

On a couple of the journals the little cut that indexes the bearing got welded in a bit and I need to figure out how to recut it.....I'll need to think about that as my rigth angle head is too big to fit in and I don't want to buy a smaller one, if there is such a thing. Tomorrow I'll check with the shop who will be doing the line bore to see if they can get it easily on there machine before I jump thru any hoops here.
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I was actually just talking about a TR powertrain a couple days ago and saying I’ll bet I could have had that bolted in the car in about 3-4 weekends. It would still need headers, electrical and all that, but it would be in the car…..much easier than this foolishness. I guess the TR powertrain will be the back-up plan if the transaxles go terribly wrong in the coming steps.

To finish up the timing chain stuff I need to make the new cams I guess…which means I need to decide what I want to do with lift and duration. I’m thinking I’ll have something very similar to the stock intake profile ground on the exhaust and something just plain stupid ground on the intake with .400-.420 lift and whatever duration I need to make the lift work…..260-280 at .050” I’m thinking , but hopefully closer to 260 than 280 since 230 is about the theoretical optimal for 8500 rpm

I’ll probably work on the cams blanks in the 3-4 weeks the block is away for the finish line bore and deck work, but I’ll have to sell more parts and show Lana the money before she will let me send them out to be ground...she keeps avery close eye on the spending

 

I took some machining classes at the local community college years ago becasue I wanted to make parts for my race motorcycle and didn't know how. Then after I learned how to make stuff I realized I didn't know what to make and had to go to engineering school

 

We've already got a new patio, ss grill, shrubs, plants in real vases not the cheap plastic ones and a pool to go with it....but she tells me that stuff was all for me, so now I owe her new furniture for inside....which as soon as we buy it becomes "for us" and I still owe her

 

That's what I'm talking about

"and note that I only use genuine WD-40 brand oil for this operation......"

 

I was thinking I'd have to call in a favor to make the cam blanks since they really would fit on my lather and with no digital readout it would be a real pain anyway....but I just realized I can make them on the mill with the rotary head and a center. Except for the cam sprocket flange all the diameters are just rough cuts that will be finished by the cam grinder. That will save me a favor in the shop