New interesting Kirkham/ Keith Craft build beginning

Keithc8 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2010, 09:52 PM

Well we have just started a new project with the Kirkham's on a new customers engine and car build. This new Kirkham will be getting a 527C.I. all aluminum SOHC Cammer engine with 2 4bls carbs with twin Paxton Superchargers.
This will be an interesting and very special car and engine build for sure. I know that Dave and Tom can make what it will take to get it into their car. I am sure it will have some trick parts as far as headers and brackets when all done. The engine will be based of a large bore Shelby aluminum block with 4340 steel crank and rods with about 8.5 to 1 compression. Completely ported aluminum SOHC heads that will flow about 420 cfms at .600 lift. Figure that the engine should make in the 1000HP range with about 8 PSI of boost.
Will post some pictures as the build comes along for you guys to see. Just sold the 482C.I. SOHC Cammer engine we had and it is going in a 35 Ford Coupe. Looking at buidling another one for a customer that wants pretty much every thing fully polished. It seems like the SOHC program is coming around a little.

Thanks, Keith Craft

209 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-16-2010, 10:17 PM

That's awesome Keith! 1000 hp? Geez, 750 wasn't enough? I'm sure we all are happy the SOHC program is starting to look up. 1000 hp Kirkham Cobra! Just saying it takes the breath away. Looking forward to the build. 209

cobrashoch · #3 (**permalink**) 11-16-2010, 10:34 PM

Keith - werd'ya get the big long chain from? Interesting that the FE/SOHC still lives. For a cobra dream engine I think I would like to try a Kaase Boss head setup though,,,,,,,,,,,

rodneym · #4 (**permalink**) 11-16-2010, 10:50 PM

Holy Cr@p!

This is one for the books.

tkb289 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-16-2010, 11:00 PM

Keith / Kirkham Brothers ...

This sounds like an impressive project!

Probably the (3) biggest challenges are: making the power, getting the motor to fit into the car and getting the power to the ground. I'll bet when it's all said and done, you guys will meet or exceed your design goals.

It will be very cool to see how the project comes together.

Please keep us posted!!!

David Biele · #6 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 06:39 AM

How in the heck is he going to hook up that much HP to the road. Drag Racing Maybe?

jdean · #7 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 06:58 AM

With 8lbs of boost on a well built 527 ci. like that....I think 1,000 HP is a very conservative number. Please post dyno numbers when it is finished.

N2VENOM · #8 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 07:54 AM

I'm the customer that ordered the polished cammer. Mine will be mated with a fuel injection system. I'm sure both projects will be amazing. Get those parts ordered Keith. The audience awaits... Peace, Darren.

rodneym · #9 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N2VENOM

I'm the customer that ordered the polished cammer. Mine will be mated with a fuel injection system. I'm sure both projects will be amazing. Get those parts ordered Keith. The audience awaits... Peace, Darren.

Should have known it was you, Darren.
For those of you who don't know, Darren has owned some of the sickest Cobras out there!
Keep us posted!!!

rodneym · #10 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 10:32 AM

BTW, Darren,
We all saw that video you posted when you spun out on the course.
With 1,000 HP, you might spin your way to China!

RodKnock · #11 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodneym

BTW, Darren,
We all saw that video you posted when you spun out on the course.
With 1,000 HP, you might spin your way to China!

So, you're saying that he can spin and float on water?

While I want to hear about everything, Cobra and engine, I want details on what fuel injection you'll be using as well as the tuning.

RodKnock · #12 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithc8

Well we have just started a new project with the Kirkham's on a new customers engine and car build. This new Kirkham will be getting a 527C.I. all aluminum SOHC Cammer engine with 2 4bls carbs with twin Paxton Superchargers.
This will be an interesting and very special car and engine build for sure. I know that Dave and Tom can make what it will take to get it into their car. I am sure it will have some trick parts as far as headers and brackets when all done. The engine will be based of a large bore Shelby aluminum block with 4340 steel crank and rods with about 8.5 to 1 compression. Completely ported aluminum SOHC heads that will flow about 420 cfms at .600 lift. Figure that the engine should make in the 1000HP range with about 8 PSI of boost.
Will post some pictures as the build comes along for you guys to see. Just sold the 482C.I. SOHC Cammer engine we had and it is going in a 35 Ford Coupe. Looking at buidling another one for a customer that wants pretty much every thing fully polished. It seems like the SOHC program is coming around a little.

Thanks, Keith Craft

First, hopefully this is a sign that the economy is turning around. Customers spending $38,000 for the 482 and "who knows what" on the 527ci Twin Paxton Cammer engine aren't floating around too much out there.

Second, this Twin Paxton Cammer engine will be AWESOME and you know the Kirkhams can pull stuff like this off. This is the kind of engine the Billet Kirkham should have had.

Can't wait to read about it.

dcdoug · #13 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 08:19 AM

Love it! Glad to hear the SOHC program has life.

Paul F · #14 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 08:26 AM

3 cammers! Ahh, life is good for 3 people.

Cool Keith. Nice to hear this news. Thanks for sharing.

Hexnut72 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 09:27 AM

Someone call Bill Cosby, because if he thought that other twin supercharged car was fast...

Kirkham Bros, Keith Craft and a great customer are taking it to a whole other level!

PS. What transmission?

PPS.. Darren you have a sick affliction with shiny metal!

FFR428 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 09:35 AM

That's pretty much my dream car right there!! Sounds like a really cool build and can't wait to see it.

RodKnock · #17 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 10:14 AM

N2VENOM · #18 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 09:03 PM

I hope the owner of the Paxton cammer joins in. I am sure he will have many challenges to contend with. I'm sure this thread will be informative for all.

Keithc8 · #19 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 09:24 PM

These project do require some time, engineering, money and a lot of patience. Some of this has not been done before ina Cobra. Yes the SOHC engine has been put in a few but know we have all aluminum new SOHC engines that make 760 to 800HP on pump gas. It is all over kill and I would have not done the two Paxton package but our customer wants something over the top. He knows that nhe will not be able to use all the power but it is his car and we will build him what ever he wants. It will be an in line 2X4 set up since this is an eaqsy intake for us to get on the engine and one is made. If we did a cross ram style we would have had to done a sheet metal and that would have added even more money and time. The in line intake that we will us will make more power anyway. The trick will be to get the blowers mounted in the car on the front of the SOHC Cammer engine with that front cover that it has. There is going to be some engineering that will need to be done here and I know that Dave and Tom can handle it. Once it is done it can be repeated in the future.
The polished Cammer that was spoke of earlier is still in the early stages and hope that we get to start on it soon. It will require some extra work with the polishing and maybe a custom fab intake as well for the stack injection that is wanted on that engine. Maybe we can find an intake already done but not sure. I will have to get with the customer and Lance and go over the exact size we want to do and the power are looking for.
The 496C.I. SOHC we just sold had small camshafts in it and was dyno on pump gas and made 760HP by 7100 rpms and 630 ft/lbs odf torque at about 5000 rpms. It was a very smooth street engine that idled at 700 rpms and should drive great. It worked out very well. I can see with a little bigger camshaft along with a little tweeking on the heads and intake along with a little more compression or cubic inches that this would be a true 800HP pump gas engine that can be driven.
I am always a waite and see type of guy. When the parts became available we stepped up and did our own engine to see what could be done and how all of the stuff that was out there would work together. With the parts that we selected it all went pretty well. There will be a few things that we will tweak to make it a little better. We do not want to any engine that we think is going to be a problem down the road and this is why we waited a while till all of the parts were in place to do one right. So let the fun begin and we will try and take this stuff to the same level that we were told we could not do with a 427 SO FE engine just a few years ago by some of the FE know it alls. Like I have said many times before this is not your Daddy's FE engine any more.

Thanks and good luck, Keith Craft

Keithc8 · #20 (**permalink**) 11-17-2010, 09:30 PM

On another note let me know what you would like to see picture wise of these builds. There are a lot of pictures of the first SOHC build on our website at www.keithcraft.com if you want to check them out. We will post some more in the future. The heads do require quite a bit of work out of the box which is what has not been told. They flow about 330 to 340 on the intake and we take them up almost 400 cfm at .500 lift and 420 cfms@ .600 and this is how we make a lot of power with a .570 to .600 lift camshaft and this does not kill the valve train. Same thing with the exhaust we improve it quite a bit as well. If the engine was a full race deal where we raised the ports and used sheet metal intake and all the flow would get close to 480 cfm on the intake and we could make 1000HP normaly aspirated but not many of them needed right now at about 50,000.00.

Thanks, Keith