What I am wandering is what are people doing about a timing chain/timing belt with a raised cam design?
We obviously are not using a "water" block for what we are doing:grin:. We are running an RCD dual drive off the Cam. We will be running a 20 gallon a minute fuel pump and either the 12 amp or 44 amp mag. we will see what we need. Ken is getting close with the new heads and will be sending them out soon for the rocker arms to be fit. Life is starting to be exciting again:TU: Mike I believe Ken used the 460 ford timing assembly on this combo
I understood that no one was making was/is making a longer length timing chain for the Buick. Where did your gear-drive piece come from?
Mike ken is looking to see what the brand and part numbers are. It was either a Pete Jackson Gear Drive or a Milodon we can't remember. I will let you know as soon as he lets me know. We are looking into having more of our timing covers made if there is a need for the raised cam block guys..
I might get some backlash for this but I haven't been able to understand the way the raised cam version has been offered. Why weren't there parts made available to fit the raised cam version when the block was introduced? I realize that some people have the means to make one off parts but for the rest of us this is not an option. I do appreciate what has been done by TA to supply us with a new block, don't get me wrong. But as time goes on and we don't cylinder heads to compliment this block or some of the other parts needed to really get this thing off the ground. kinda makes me scratch my head.
Todd, The simple answer is money. All that development costs, and the economy went in the tank while the block was in development. There were plans for everything your asking about, but all had to go on hold until things pick back up, the lackluster economy here in the last several years has most of us in the business just hanging on, waiting for it to turn around again. And the block itself has made a big difference, you heard from Rod already, and the first 750 HP Bracket motor that I built in 2010 is on it's way back to me... after 479 runs.. Still runs perfect, but the customer damaged the car it's in, so it's just a good time for a checkup.. JW
I think it was a milodon gear drive for a 460 ford. Everything fits, the plate has to be trimmed. I was going to have TA digitize the cover and the gear plate so anyone could use it. I have been so tied up with a move and remodel plus the heads I can't hardly find time to breathe. Not everyone wants a gear drive but we have to use one. We are making tooling so we can do all head work in house. When I say we, I mean my Nephew Jordan. He is tired of waiting for people who can't come thru. We hope to get all these pieces including the heads to where they can be duplicated. If Mike didn't make a block there would not be a reason to have better heads etc. This has opened up the sky for Buick possibilities! Our cam is in the .900 lift category and our heads keep flowing. We decided to go all out for power than flow #'s. Believe me there is a big difference, but we are hoping to keep having improvements to 1" lift, we will see. When these heads are done we will be working on 350 head flow and a special head from Mike and then our own mega head if we can't get over 500cfm from Mikes. CFM #'s on our first head are coming soon.
Ken, What did you do for a cam gear? Is the crank-to-cam center line the same with the raised cam design of the Buick? After I read you post I begain to wonder how you bolted the gear to the cam. By looking at the 460 gear, it has nothing like a buick bolt-up design. A ford 460 gear A 455 buick gear
If you mean a distributor drive gear we are running a mag outside the cover in line with the fuel pump (you can buy the mag drive). The timing gear is part of the Milodon gear drive. Did everyone see the pics that JESUPERCAT posted showing this set up???? If you PM me I will get all the part numbers as soon as I get a chance and post them. In answer to the question, yes same center line. This block is very well thought out. I have been told by a Blown Chrysler engine builder who did some of this work for me and some of his racing buddies!!! Thanks TA Mike!
Mike your going to ruin that Suncoupe with that much HP lets get you into a Buick race car . I have access to a regal set up for BBC but would be easy to switch to BBB.
Mike the cams overall specs are that of the Ford, I think. That is why the gear bolts to the cam. The cam is huge compared to the Buick profile.
The change would not be easy, tell me more. ---------- Post added at 04:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:58 PM ---------- John, Is that why TA also offers a ford bearing diameter? 54mm diameter, if I rememer corrctly. Does TA offer either a cam or cam blank for this option? Does anybody know the cam-to-crank center lines for the buick and the ford? ---------- Post added at 04:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:07 PM ---------- After some poking around I found this: http://www.romac.com.au/pdf/Centre Distances.pdf I count five canidates that have the same the same center spacing as the BBB anyone every tried to convert one of these?
Mike The cam-to-crank centerline is higher in the Ford (6.078"). As compared to the Buick being about 5.045.
Looking at the list on the link, it shows 5 possibles that have about the same spacing as a BBB (5.045 inches (standard, not raised cam location)). Not sure on the crank snout diameter though. Before I did much looking into it, I thought I would ask on here first.
I have a local guy with a 80 something regal set up for BBC back half at least but it might have a full frame. I can get you pics car is very clean black lots of hood clearance He would sell it as a roller at least he was last I spoke to him.
Glad to see the blocks going well. I was hot to get one at the beginning but held up after pricing the rest of the parts. Still concerned over heads to make the most of big cubic inches, but will be getting one in the future. Jim N.
