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This is a "must read" piece for the ZR-1 community especially, on the production of the LT5. Written by Hib Halverson (thank-you Hib!) detailing the techniques and tolerances employed, and some of the precision measuring and machining techniques developed specifically for the LT5 project that carried over to GM's LS and new LT motors.
Interesting article. It's good to keep seeing new articles about this engine/car...but man, if you're going to bring up something unique....tell us more about it! The tool that line bored the cam bores? The tool that installed 16 valves, springs retainers at one time? Let's see pics or some kind of more detail about those very items that made the assembly so unique and ground breaking.
It reminds me of the book "All Corvettes are Red"; at one point, the author "goes off" about how doors were made. There was a department that all they did was design and make the doors -or something like that. I thought, this must be going somewhere. Later on in the book, that will be tied together with the story about the rest of the car -it didn't work b/c of poor communication w/other depts...or maybe it worked really well and resulted in a better quality car (than the previous C4?) But no. It was never mentioned again. Years later, I'm still wondering; what was the point about the F'n "doors" department??
Same here w/the ground breaking assembly and machining processes and tools. Lets SEE 'em! Or hear/read more about them.
In this really nice article by Hib, he mentions a company called RK Machine. I noticed that the dyno cabinet in the picture is colored blue. I can recall an interesting story that Rick Kirk of RK Machine tells. RK Machine is a small machine shop located about 20 minutes outside of Stillwater in Ripley. They were engaged in a contract to make engine assembly carts for the LT5 manufacturing area. The carts were used to hold and organize parts for the assembly of a particular engine. They constructed a number of carts. Rick decided to paint the carts with paint that he already had plenty of, his favorite color, Ford Blue.
Some time after the carts were delivered to MerCruiser. Rick received a phone call. It was about the color of the carts. Rick say’s that he thought to himself, “Utoh… they are on to me, I’m in trouble now.” Then he was asked, “What is the paint code for that color? We want to follow that color theme for some other manufacturing equipment.”
That’s how the MerCruiser LT5 manufacturing area became decked in Ford Blue.
In this really nice article by Hib, he mentions a company called RK Machine. I noticed that the dyno cabinet in the picture is colored blue. I can recall an interesting story that Rick Kirk of RK Machine tells. RK Machine is a small machine shop located about 20 minutes outside of Stillwater in Ripley. They were engaged in a contract to make engine assembly carts for the LT5 manufacturing area. The carts were used to hold and organize parts for the assembly of a particular engine. They constructed a number of carts. Rick decided to paint the carts with paint that he already had plenty of, his favorite color, Ford Blue.
Some time after the carts were delivered to MerCruiser. Rick received a phone call. It was about the color of the carts. Rick say’s that he thought to himself, “Utoh… they are on to me, I’m in trouble now.” Then he was asked, “What is the paint code for that color? We want to follow that color theme for some other manufacturing equipment.”
That’s how the MerCruiser LT5 manufacturing area became decked in Ford Blue.
I met Rick Kirk back a few years ago at The Gathering. He wore a Ford cap all of the time while at the NCM. He had a great sense of humor and very informational about the LT5 project.
10-06-2016, 10:32 AM
Building the BEAST, by Hib Halverson
