57 Pontiac "Zero Fox"

[tRustyK5]

Hood and trunk lid for a 55-57 Chev will bolt right up to my car. I could still run the Pontiac front fenders. The rest...I have some time to see what we can see as far as bumpers etc goes.

Frieburger got the '56 down to 2865 lbs, with a four point roll bar and the only glass was the hood. I would like to end up somewhere around 3000 lbs with a more complete looking car if possible.

 

[tRustyK5]

Any fiberglass available?
And what happened to the 396?
I’m glad to see the oem type suspension up front!

Glass stuff is available, but only for the Chevy. We'll see if we go down that road or not.

The 396 is on it's way. Mark and I call it a 389 because mathematically it is a 389. 4.00" x 3.875". If it was .030" over it would actually be a 396, which is why Blueprint calls it a 396 I guess? At any rate, I kinda like that it is a 389, seeing as that was a Pontiac displacement back in the day and it should really confuse people.

Yeah, it's a 389. Pops hood and shows a sbc...

 

[Bent77]

6-8 points will add another hundred, plus stuff. 3100 I think

 

[76zimmer]

I was thinking the old 389 too Rene’ … I like the retro displacement confusion….make em ask questions!
i looked at a gto in 74 for my first car, had the 389 in it, but way to much for a high schooler with a dishwasher job.

 

[tRustyK5]

Canadian Pontiacs are already confusing AF, especially on your side of the border. Personally I like all the weird Canadian built cars of the 50's and 60's.

 

[tRustyK5]

Well, more parts have showed up.

Billet ready to run Distributor. Should work fine with the MSD 6AL I have.



Holley high performance mechanical fuel pump. 110 GPH



ATI super Damper, SFI stuff.



Chinesium Tilton style mini starter.



Electric water pump, Summit brand, appears to be made by "Frostbite".



Edelbrock performer RPM Air Gap



Went with these valve covers...cool but not too blingy.



Also got a few other smalls, and some CPP side engine mount brackets for tri-fives that move the engine 3/4" forward for better firewall clearance. Those can be installed right now...

The 389 left Heath's place on Wednesday, so hopefully it arrives here next week sometime? I'm pretty excited!

 

[Bent77]

Getting serious…

 

[ZooMad75]

Fox yeah!

Call the engine what ever you want. Shoot. Call it a 326 and really make them question reality. Use Zimm’s creative stamping on the block if they start getting nosey.

Getting back to Freiburger’s 56 I think that weight was with only having the windshield in place and no other glass.

I think Finnegan has proven plexiglass for the rear window is good for getting blown out north of 100 mph. The side glass on a tri-five is all flat so it’s not hard to replicate in plexiglass if you wanted to shave a little weight and still be able to close the car off. The main issue is how easy plexiglass scratches even with fresh window fuzzies.

 

[76zimmer]

I really like the RPM air gap on my engine. I went from the oem 365 hp manifold to the rpm airgap and got almost .3 then played w jetting and got a bit more.
nice pieces Rene’!

 

[folkenheath]

Nice super damper, top notch!

On that fuel pump, I hope that's enough. I would watch your fuel pressure during the runs, I used to have a fuel pressure gauge mounted under my cowl hood so I could see it from inside the cab but not from outside the car.

The free flow is a lot different than when it has to suck the fuel 15 feet from the back and then pump it to the carb during the G forces.

 

[mrk5]

Nice looking valve covers!

 

[max 02]

Wicked Rene!

 

[tRustyK5]

Nice super damper, top notch!

On that fuel pump, I hope that's enough. I would watch your fuel pressure during the runs, I used to have a fuel pressure gauge mounted under my cowl hood so I could see it from inside the cab but not from outside the car.

The free flow is a lot different than when it has to suck the fuel 15 feet from the back and then pump it to the carb during the G forces.

I guess we'll see but it is the same pump Frieburger used on the '56 field car. He is running a 505 hp 350, solid roller, that he is shifting at 7000 rpm. I never saw them have fueling issues. If it does become a problem I can always replace it with a blue pump.

 

[tRustyK5]

Fox yeah!

Call the engine what ever you want. Shoot. Call it a 326 and really make them question reality. Use Zimm’s creative stamping on the block if they start getting nosey.

Getting back to Freiburger’s 56 I think that weight was with only having the windshield in place and no other glass.

I think Finnegan has proven plexiglass for the rear window is good for getting blown out north of 100 mph. The side glass on a tri-five is all flat so it’s not hard to replicate in plexiglass if you wanted to shave a little weight and still be able to close the car off. The main issue is how easy plexiglass scratches even with fresh window fuzzies.

I will have to get some entry level scales instead of guessing. I know the Roadkill crew tends to cheat by running no glass...I think I could save as much by keeping the glass and getting rid of the rear regulators. Ain't nobody gonna be sitting back there anyways.

As for what I call the engine, it's not going to be a big thing like it can be with Zim's car. Chevy power in a Canadian Pontiac is normal, the engine will look quite different than stock, as will the rest of the car and I don't intend to try to pass it off as anything that it's not. I guess last is the Car show thing...isn't my thing.

So, it's a 389. lol

 

[tRustyK5]

I really like the RPM air gap on my engine. I went from the oem 365 hp manifold to the rpm airgap and got almost .3 then played w jetting and got a bit more.
nice pieces Rene’!

For the rpm range of this engine it's the best choice I think, and gives up very little at the top end. I may add a Wilson spacer at some point...

 

[82355]

Why an electric water pump?

Martin

 

[tRustyK5]

Mostly because it can be run with the engine off to help cool it down between passes, same with the electric fans I'll be running. It's a little less parasitic loss, although the mech pump really doesn't draw much. The only accessory belt will be the alternator...

 

[imiceman44]

Mostly because it can be run with the engine off to help cool it down between passes, same with the electric fans I'll be running. It's a little less parasitic loss, although the mech pump really doesn't draw much. The only accessory belt will be the alternator...

That's a good reason for it.
The parasitic losses as you mentioned are negligible but being able to cool off after a hard pass is nice and electric fans only is not a good as keeping the coolant circulating for an even cooling.
The only thing that you want to check is how much current will they pull and if the battery will hold that much.
Assuming you will keep an alternator since you plan on also driving it.

 

[76zimmer]

Seems like engine masters did a test on water pumps and fans, and as you mentioned water pumps were a minor parasitic loss, and fans could be a considerable loss depending on type of fan used.

 

[tRustyK5]

I've definitely been binging and rewatching episodes of engine masters...

Fans were worst, Alt is a necessary evil, and the mechanical water pump was the least hp loss. Also, coolant temp had more of an affect of power than the water pump did.