I keep watching for an update on how the car runs Monty. Hope everything is working great but I for one would like to hear some details? Your impressions of driving a turbo car?
Everyone knows I sure give my opinion on blower cars. I would like to hear your opinion.
Have a great day
Norval

 

Patience Norval. Remember, Monty has a baby in the house. :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:

Monty, when you wake up . . . letn us know the latest. :cheers:

 

I think he has been playing with his new boat ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

gman

 

Thanks for the interest. I didn't think anyone was really interested, because I've made some posts lately and no one responded or seemed to care about what I had to say.

The car runs great, there's definitely no shortage of power. I need to put together another .jpeg video, it's out of control. As mentioned, with a 4 month year old baby, and the recent purchase of a beach house and boat, I haven't been able to drive the car as often as I used to. I've actually thought about selling it, but after driving it again this past weekend, I've decided to hang on to it. It's just too much fun.

I just put the sencond tank of gas in it this past weekend, 93 octane as usual. Based up the mileage I've put on it, and the amount of gas I put into it, I'm getting about 21 mpg. Not bad for a 427ci engine. And not bad considering when ever I do drive it, I usually get on it a little. Most of my driving is suburb type driving, mostly 45mph or less, with quite a bit of stop/go traffic. At first I didn't like the 3000 rpm stall Vigelante converter I got from Precision, but I've gotten used to it. The lockup is nice, it's neat to be able to cruise at 45-50 mph and barely turn 1500 rpm. I'm sure that's the main reason my fuel economy has been pretty decent. I've got it tuned to idle and run at light load/part throttle cruise at 14.3 A/F. But the throttle response is immediate and there is no turbo lag. NONE. I'm sure there is some mechanical turbo lag, but due to the inherent torque of the engine, and the converter, you cannot detect it whatsoever.

My only annoyance is that I have a slight amount of piston slap for about the first 30 seconds or so when I start it for the first time. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as JE specified a .005" piston/cylinder clearance for these forged, forced induction pistons. I think I'm going to try some Valvoline VR1 20w-50 racing motor oil on my next oil change to see if that might help. The guys at Fast Times have berated me on my use of Mobil1 of the same grade. Admittedly, the VR1 does have a higher zinc content which is helpful in high performance engines.

Otherwise, everything is working out well. I've got a couple of minor enhancements I've been working on when I've had the time. I'm redoing the guage panels, using a thicker aluminum plate, which I'm getting powdercoated blck. The polished aluminum guage panels look trick, but with the sun behind me, the glare make the Autometer Ultralight guages difficult to read. I also swapped out the 6# wastegate springs for 10# springs. Besides raising the base boost pressure, they also allow the boost to come on harder, since the wastegates don't crack open as soon. I've still yet to actually use the boost controller. When I can spin the tires at any rpm or any speed, I haven't needed it yet. Also, I've got all the parts and harnesses for the distributorless, coil per plug ignition. I just need to take the time to remove the distributor and MSD box and install the LS1/LS6 coils and harnesses.

Unfortunately, no one has been willing to race me. I don't street race per se, but there's usally soemone willing to have a little a from a red light. My car doens't sound like a turbo car from an idle, since the mech roller cam has a nice lope to it. Whenever I freshen the motor up, I'm going to put a milder cam in it that isn't as intimidating. The loping idle, and the sound of the exhaust throught the Borla XR1 racing mufflers is kinda defeating my stealth approach I think.

To sum it up, I will never own a non-turbocharged hot rod again. the combination of normal driving and streetability characteristics, combined with the tremendous amount of power available at will is very impressive. Alot of people like to over emphasize turbo lag or the heat issue related to turbos, but I have not had any negative experience with either. In my opinion, a properly designed and build system, emphasizing efficiency, will minimize both to the extent that they are not an issue.


[Modified by Monty, 7:23 PM 6/17/2003]

 

Cool. Glad to hear you are happy with the results. :cheers:

AC

 

Cool. Sounds like you're having fun with it.

 

Monty
we could talk for hours, as i had a stealth turbo 63 valiant slant 6 in 72-74. Had no boost lag, got 14 psi right when i popped the clutch, and 22 psi in 2nd. Awesome power at the time, but it was hard to find a race! Did win 16 of 17 races in 2 years. One guy thought it was an air conditioner LOL
i do read your posts :cheers:
stop over if you are ever in FL.

 

Thanks for the reply Monty and it isn't true that we ignore your posts. I kept looking for something from you and if I saw your name on anything I read it.
Hope the new baby is doing fine.
I am glad to hear that things worked out for you with the car. It is interesting to hear you say you will never have a non turbo charged hot rod again. That is exactly how I feel about my blown car. Anything before this car was nothing in comparison.
I hope you do not loose interest and sell your car. I was out cruising the freeway tonight and it sure put a smile on my face.
Have a nice evening and hope the wife is back into dressage.

 

lets see some videos monty

 

Thanks again for the interest. I should be able to take the car out this weekend and I'll take some videos. I just need to find a secluded spot so I can open it up without endangering anyone or risking garnering the attention of johnny-law.

Norval, actually my wife has mentioned selling her horse. As with me and the car, between the baby and going to the beach house most weekends, she hardly has time to ride. As you are aware, horses continue to cost money for feed/boarding/training even if you're not riding. At least with the car, if I don't drive it, it doesn't continue to cost me anything, except for insurance. I am leaning against her selling it though becuase everyone needs a hobby of their own, as well as the free time/personal time associated with it. As our daughter gets a little older, and doesn't require the constant attention, her time will free up some and I wouldn't wnat her to regret selling it. It's the same as with the Corvette though, ifg you haven't riden/driven it in a while, it's easy to say or think about parting with it. But after she comes back from the barn, she's re-enthused, just as I am with the car.

Matt, actually I grew up not too far from you. I went to Mainland High School in Daytona, and my dad still lived in Port Orange. I was just down there a couple of weeks ago on my way to the Keys. Maybe next time....


[Modified by Monty, 10:17 AM 6/18/2003]

 

Sounds awsome Monty :eek: When I worked in Nassau not too far from where you are the guys used to say that the best 2 days of owning a boat were the day you bought it and the day you sold it :lol: Keep the vette ditch the boat :thumbs: :lolg: :lolg:

 

Monty, you are a stitch....cammed up 1000 hp or so vette, and poor baby can't get a street match going....gee, wonder WHY???

only time I get ragged on is driving a truck or something....never the vette....
so join the club....

I need another project....

GENE

 

Monty I don't know how attached she is to her horse but Strider and I have been together for 13 years and I have logged over 25,000 miles of cross country running on him. I could not part with him. I would rather put him down then sell him. For a while she will not have time for a horse so maybe if she is will let it go for now with a promise that anytime she wants to get back in the sport she is free to do so.
I have over $40,000 in Strider with board, vet bills and equipment. My vette just about cost less, well a little anyway.
I hope you do not sell. I do think you are one of the hardest working guys on the forum when it comes to his car.
Drive it, enjoy it. Dan my little yorkie and I went for a drive this morning and it all seems worth the expense once you are out there.
Have a nice day
Norval

 

Where are you at with your conversion to individual coils per cylinder?

 

Monty, I can speak for everyone in this matter, I don't think there is a single person on this board that would not be intrested, in your work of art. Aside from the finished product, just your knowlege and the how you have pored so much time and effort into doing it your self, that if there were a way for you to hear my applaud over the net, I would be doing that. My hats off to you. And don't sell it, just give me time, somday when I finish mine, get a hood paying job that doesn't require me to work, I will haul my vett over there to face off :)

on a side note, I was reading the recent Chevy mag, which features yet another artical about John's Meaney's vett. I think you have John Meaney's build beat hands down. Your presentation far exceeds his.. But thats just my thoughts, Someone needs to tip off some Mag companys about Monty's wannabe stealth fighter here ;)

 

Sounds great Monty......don't forget 'bout us with those videos man !!!

 

I've accumulated all the parts for the coil per cylinder project, I just need the time to replace the exisiting conventional distributor/coil/MSD ignition system with the new distributorless system components. I'm using all OEM harness and stuff, so it's about as "bolt on" as it could be. Basically, it's in the same state as my Racepak data acquistion system install - sitting in their boxes in the garage for months....

Wahingtonracer, thanks for the kind words. I read the new CHP article on Meaney's Vette as well. Most of it was simply a rewrite of the articles that have already appeared. Not much new, but I did notice that it finally mentioned that his claimed 1300hp was on race gas, not pump gas. That made me feel better because given the similarities between our setups, I couldn't imagine how he was getting an extra 100hp out of his, especially considering I've got a little larger displacement and more cam. Obviosuly with 20 more octane you can raise the boost higher, but even on 93 octane I've had it up to 22# on the dyno. I'd say he must be pushing almost 30?! My heads/block aren't o-ringed so I would try that.

 

Take it to Joliet, bolt on some BFG's,(I think ET streets might cause you some problems during hard launches, but with the tt's, who knows) and make some blasts!!! Not to sound demanding, but it would be great to see a drag strip video. You know, like the one's of those fairly stock looking C5's ripping off 10 second passes.
It would be :cool: to see a stock looking C3 do that.
Thanks for the update, and it's good to hear your newborn and family is doing well. That Fountain sounds pretty phat too. Twin BBCs? I'm a APBA fan!!
take care,