Open Track Day Session 4
It felt like our dog died. It still does. We put this motor together in 2007-2008, and have run the living snot out of it ever since. It's been freshened up a few times, but other than the valve springs it's all the same assembly we put together then. And just like that..
None of that paint is gloss..fortunately it didn't catch on fire
About a second and 3 mph away from my braking point on the big back straight, a rod reached what is commonly referred to as 'End of Life'.
Got towed back in (it hit me when the truck pulled up that we never put a tow hook on the front). Fortunately no oil was down on the track. We loaded up and headed home scratching our heads at what had happened, but knowing pretty well that the little 377 had screamed its last scream.
Happy Father's Day
Sunday brought Father's Day lunch, but Dad and I both were itching to get back home and tear into it. Pulling the spark plugs had us encouraged, as none showed damage. Pulling the drain plug was a different story, when around a gallon of water ran out before any oil did.
With the timeline until August on our minds, we started pulling parts off and within a few hours had the engine and trans out (a bit slower than our record time, but not a bad thing to get out of the habit of). Gotta love racecars.
Probably a bad sign..
With some persuasion from a hammer and chisel, we were able to get the pan bolts out and see what had taken place. All tolled, 3 broken rods, but 3 in tact pistons that protected the heads from the chaos below.
Note the angle of the piston..
This thing has always been exceptionally good to us. It's given us warning signs when things have been a little off, and taken good care of us through way more than it's share of abuse. Between 450 and 500 passes at the drag strip, and more time above 6000 rpm in the last two years at autocrosses and track events than should be legal.
Its final act of kindness was blowing up
now instead of
day 1 in Austin, and sparing the heads which are the one thing we were missing for the new build.
The Thrash Begins
Good news is that we were already assembling the pieces for a bigger, meatier small block. The plan was to pull the 377 and mothball it as a spare..best laid plans.
And yes, I said small block. We've weighed the LS swap over and over, but for us it just makes more sense to stick with what we know. We have built too many of them to count, plus it's fun being 'those guys' still playing with the oddball junk nobody wants anymore.
This one will come out to 420 ci and hopefully provide a good amount more torque through the middle, while still screaming like a banshee at 7,000+.
But more on that later. I'll leave this post with the fast lap of the day from the 3rd session. Godspeed, little mouse motor.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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