445ci Windsor Assembly Pictures

[blykins]

Well, this past Saturday was assembly day for my 445W. I haven't received my custom length pushrods yet, so I stopped right before I bolted the intake manifold on. I went ahead and sat the intake, carb, valve covers, etc. on the engine just to keep dust out and to snap a few pictures.

My dyno session is scheduled for March 8th.

[Sminor]

Looks good Brent........Whats your HP goal for this one?
steve

[blykins]

Hey Steve, how's it going? You about done with that Cobra?

This one will be around 625hp/600lb-ft.

[Sminor]

Getting there. I've got the soft top and tonneau cover on order. Installed the heater/defroster and windshield wipers yesterday. I plan to finish up the details on that installation today. The halon system should be delivered this afternoon for installation tomorrow. Odds and ends stuff left to do. Still have to wire up the tail-lights & signals. Should be ready for paint soon.

What is YOUR new project?

[blykins]

Now just because you have a halon system, don't be catchin that thing on fire... ;-)

I really don't have a new project yet. I've got the cart way before the horse on this one. I'm building this engine with anticipation of finding a '94-'95 Mustang this spring to put it in.

Send pics when you get a chance.

[Sminor]

Will do. I'll probably give you a call later this week.
steve

[Clois Harlan]

That is really purdy Brent! Looks like you should be able to "Cherp" the tires early in the morning when there is a little dew on the ground!

Clois

[550FLYER]

Garage Porn!!! Thanks for the pics.

[LMH]

Looks great Brent! Where did you get those valve covers? Those are really sharp!
Larry

[blykins]

Thanks guys. The only thing I don't like about the engine is that bright orange oil pan gasket. I bought an SCE 1-piece gasket and the picture showed a black gasket. It's not worth boxing back up and sending it back but it sure makes the engine look ugly on the stand.

The valve covers are Blue Thunder pieces. $230 for the covers + $60 for the accessory kit. All that you see on top of the valve covers are specially made for them and screw into the valve cover. They are huge underneath. I think you could parallel park a Yugo under there. They are so wide that the top bolts go through the middle of the valve covers.

[WildBill3]

Looks like a good runner to me,those splayed caps are nice those will do a great job on the bottom end,what will the C.R. end up with the dished pistons ?Keep up the good work...WB3

[blykins]

WB, static compression is 10.5:1.

These are Probe pistons. Their catalog lists these pistons as fitting both inline and twisted wedge valves and having a 25cc dish. When I got them, I cc'd them and they were exactly 25cc's. However, after more inspection, I realized that they forgot to mill the eyebrow for the twisted intake valve. So I had to box them all back up and send them back.

At first I was planning to hit 10.7:1. The new eyebrow added a tad more volume, so my calculator shows I'm at 10.5.

These were the only pistons I could find off the shelf that would work with the 4.155" bore and the 4.100" stroke.

[RACER X #99]

I gotta agree with that orange oil pan gasket. Everytime you blow by somebody the first thing they are gonna do is laugh at your pan gasket.

BTW, I got the orange gasket on mine and people have been laughing at me for years. I can only assume it's the gasket.

[blykins]

I just don't want people to think it's a Chebby gasket because it's orange.

It's already got SBC rods in it...I don't need any more bad luck.

[4RE KLR]

Looks good Brent.

[RedBarchetta]

Impressive! Maybe I missed some earlier posts on this build-up, but can you tell me a little more about the block used and the amount of machining/massaging that was required to get you to 445 cubes? I'm also curious what the piston diameter is relative, to say, a 427/428/429 BB motor? Lastly, the stroke and whether the stress from that is going to be the one area of concern for longevity's sake?

Thanks and I'm marking my calendar for the 7th so I can remind myself to read up on the dyno results and where the torque curve flows.

-Dean

[blykins]

Dean, this post is pretty old. It's already been dyno'd.

The block is a Dart Sportsman block. It has 4-bolt splayed caps on the middle caps. 4.155" bore, able to handle up to 4.25" stroke. The block was already clearanced and even with my 4.100" crank, it had a mile of clearance. The block itself is rated for 1200hp. It's very beefy.

The bore is 4.155". A 427FE is 4.230". A 428FE is 4.128". A 460 is 4.360".

As with all strokers, side load at the bottom of the stroke is a concern, but it's no more concern on this engine than it is on a 347SBF.

This engine made 584hp at a low 5900rpm. 555lb-ft of torque with 486lb-ft available at 3900rpm. For 445ci, the camshaft was the weak link. A solid roller with about 260 degree duration at .050" would really liven this thing up. The heads flow 343cfm, which is about as much as you can get out of a smaller port SBF head without sacrificing port velocity.

As I mentioned in the other thread, my hobby is planning/assembling engines and seeing what they do on the dyno. Kinda of a plan/experiment type deal. I'm through with this one and I'm on to the next.

[RedBarchetta]

Thanks, Brent. That 445 must have sounded really good on the dyno stand.

[blykins]

It did....wanna hear?

This first one is the very first time it was started. Distributor was set on 20 degrees intial, fuel bowls were full...started on first crank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3LUrXkNhSE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFEE-FBsbWU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9cG3qXw0IM