MICK’S WORKSHOPFIVE STAR
Got a problem?
SEND YOUR EMAILS TO: uniquecars@bauertrader.com.au or via snail mail at Unique Cars, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, 3166. Yep, he’s gonna fix you up in no time…
CRANKS & GLITCHES
You might have been following our progress on Tom’s very special HG GTS Monaro project. We’re starting on the engine, which is a 400 Chev that we’ve stroked to 427.
This reminded me to offer a bit of advice on stroked engines. When you’re assembling the bottom end, there are two critical checks: clearance without the cam and then with it in. Keep in mind the bigger stroke literally takes up more room, so you need to be sure there is actually enough clearance to allow for heat expansion and the movement involved in a running engine.
In any case it’s a check you do both visually and by gently turning the assembly.
Something I recommend to most people is that, when it comes to building the short engine, it can be smart to hand it over to a professional. There are some subtleties that only experience teaches and that way you have some fallback if something goes wrong.
MINOR GLITCHES
At the other end of the build, when everything seems done, people are often frustrated when there are teething troubles. I don’t care how good or experienced you are, this will always happen. It can be something as simple as a component working loose, or more subtle like an electrical component struggling under load.
