Not Ranked
I'm not familiar with everyone's handle, yet. Is this Stretch?
If it is, then you might remember me when we met at Corpus a year ago.
Anyway, drivetrain -
I stroked to JUST a 533. Got the stroker from the Turner Bros. in Burnett - same ones who did Bob Fullen's engine. (I just bought the stoker parts from them, though). I built the engine with reliability first in mind, and optimizing torque after that. The Turners felt that the 545 was pushing the engine geometry beyond the "practical" limits, so I backed off one notch. Currently, I have a 'family sedan' intake system. I wanted injected Webers, but 3 companies only had that system in R&D at the time I had to get something. I have heard that one of them has it in production, now. I'll wait 2-3 years and see if I want to go with the originally intended system. I think it will look "killer" and give me the 700 ft-lbs. that I would be looking for. Right now, the engine is 'seriously' underforming (although everything is relative). Engine is coupled with a C6.
Yes, the valve covers are custom. I wanted to use the large oval air cleaner, and, I wanted to have matching valve covers. Trouble is, no one makes the tall, black krinkle, 460 cover. George Anderson put me on to a guy in Witchita (Innovators West) that does custom valve cover tops, cuts the top off of the original cover and puts the new plate on. To get this custom cover (the only ones of their kind in the entire world), cost me only $25 more than if I bought a plain polished aluminum 460 cover and added the one inch spacer (for the roller rockers). If you want to have a "Cobra 545" made by this guy, I give you some more info so you can contact him.
I felt bad that I had to miss last year's meeting. I had been planning on it for months, but I had a family emergency. I plan to be there this year - only with a car this time (and what a car!).
Can't wait to drive the canyon road from Cedar Park west to ??? (forgot the name) in the Cobra. I drove it in a Tacoma and had a blast!
Be seein' ya.
Regards,
Frank Newman
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