64 Vette….Rebuild 2.0

[76zimmer]

I squared up the housing mount with a flapwheel, cut some spacers out of some .375 DOM. Perfect tight fit for the bolts. But the alternator was still loose feeling on the mount. Further inspection noticed the mounting hole on the case was slightly enlarged allowing for more movement than it should have. I used a small tin brush handle cut to length of the mounting hole and sleeved the hole so the bolt was a snug fit, and now alignment is good enough for 7000rpm!
Need to clean up the brackets, weld it all up and slap some paint on it.

 

[AgDieseler]

Nice bracket work.

David

 

[76zimmer]

Its kinda basic lame, but functional. My inspiration is in the pic. I wanted to sandwich the alternator between the brackets for more rigid mounting. The adjustment will be secured with a top mounted adjustable heim joint rod.
It would be cool if there was a nice cast aluminum piece out there, but for a low mount to fit the corvette chassis, there isn’t available what I want. I didnt want to high mount it, and with the short waterpump, the alternator has to be set back to align the pulleys. I like it down low, less clutter around the top of the engine, and easy access to the plugs on that side. I wanted a one wire 100 amp, and had to get a small case unit to fit in the small space available, and it works out pretty good there.

 

[76zimmer]

Smoothed, welded, sanded, primered, painted.
I think I need an adjustabile rod with two bolt on ends instead of the stud on one end for better alignmnet…the offset angle has always bugged me!

 

[folkenheath]

Looks good!

I agree, get rid of the stud and use a regular rod end for better alignment. Then you can use different spacers if you need, or one more spacer, to get it perfect.

I use the same method in my custom brackets, made a few like that over the years, makes it very easy to dial in the proper belt tension and snug it down, vs using a pry bar and trying to tighten it down only to realize you need to tweak it and do it again.

McMaster sells aluminum threaded hex tubes in various lengths, and you can use a jam nut on both ends if you want.

If you get a rod end with a 3/8 hole you could eliminate the upper bracket and just use the lower water pump bolt and a spacer with a slightly longer turnbuckle.

 

[76zimmer]

But I like my anchor point bracket…

I got a couple friends coming over soon and we’ll be stabbing the 427 in the car in the next couple days and checking intake manifold heights.

 

[shady]

I like your idea Dave.
The bolt on both ends thing would be about perfect.

 

[folkenheath]

But I like my anchor point bracket…

I got a couple friends coming over soon and we’ll be stabbing the 427 in the car in the next couple days and checking intake manifold heights.

 

[76zimmer]

I looked for a 5/16-24 male end w a 3/8” bolt through and couldn’t find any.
Also the head of a 3/8 capable bolt measured to be about .020 to big for the surrounding area of the water pump casting. Sure it could be ground down for clearance but a 5/16 bolt through head will work fine.

 

[76zimmer]

Couple buds came over and we got a lot accomplished.
Hardest part of the removal was getting a POS China engine cart to fit the 355 block. Bolted the back of the block and put a piece of plywood under the pan.
Took a bit but we got the 427 setting in place. Hooked up transmission and resting on cross member so engine was sitting as final install to check hood clearance.
The Victor Jr with FI unit and air cleaner in place pictured.
Victor Jr was about 1/4” shorter than the RPM airgap.
@folkenheath It looks like I’m about 1-1/8” clearance with existing air cleaner topped w a regular nut.
I believe that’s barely enough room to run the Super Victor?

 

[Babaganoosh]

Looks great, can't wait to hear it start up and run down the track!

 

[folkenheath]

Looks bad@$$ Dave!

So how much drop is in that air cleaner? What's the height difference from the carb pad to the bottom of the air cleaner ring?

That a 14 x 3" air cleaner?

Below is what I said before, but we have to account for the angle change, you will lose a little bit to that.

That Vic Jr is 4.58" tall, shorter than the RPM air gap you have on the old engine at 4.72" tall, the SV is 5.50", and the SV2 is 6.56" So you would need ~3/4" for the SV and 1.84" for the SV2.

So yeah thus far its leaning toward the Super Victor unless you can get more room with the air cleaner for the SV2.

 

[76zimmer]

Looks great, can't wait to hear it start up and run down the track!

appreciate that, but dont hold your breath! I’m leaving for a 4 week Canada MT, WY, SD, ND, adventure on 8/26! When I get home from that, the following weekend, I’m going to St. Louis (Madison, ILL) for the NHRA race w my kids! So prob end of Sept./1st of Oct. before I get back in the groove.

 

[76zimmer]

Looks bad@$$ Dave!

So how much drop is in that air cleaner? 1.250

What's the height difference from the carb pad to the bottom of the air cleaner ring? Don’t know? Height of the fi body minus 1.250?

That a 14 x 3" air cleaner? Yes

Below is what I said before, but we have to account for the angle change, you will lose a little bit to that. I think the center of the air cleaner (stud) is the highest point by a small amount. The front measurement @ the air cleaner (see lid measurements in pic) is about 1/4” less clearance than the rear.

So yeah thus far its leaning toward the Super Victor unless you can get more room with the air cleaner for the SV2. SV2 is definitely out.

That was a big checkmark, getting the engine and trans sitting in the frame!
Body lift is the next big checkmark!

 

[shady]

Body lift?
I missed something somewhere lol.

 

[folkenheath]

Rick, he is lifting the body off the frame to upgrade some parts, it will go back on at stock height, no lifted 4x4 Vette for Zim!

Dave, the front air cleaner height has the same clearance now, because the Vic Jr carb pad is angled down 3 degrees, the SV is not, it is level with the engine. 3 degrees at 7" air cleaner radius is about 3/8".

There are some aluminum air cleaners that are 1 1/2" drop I believe that woudl give you some extra clearance. I have also angled my air cleaner to clear in the front.

Another option is we take a SV2 and mill the top off 3/4" or so and re drill and tap the holes. You would get the benefit of the larger longer runners but obviously not the height, although it would still have higher plenum volume and pickup power nearly everywhere because of the runners.

 

[shady]

Do they have enough meat to take that much off and redrill?
If so you could mill it at an angle too, to get that much more clearance couldn't you?

 

[folkenheath]

I looked at one here in stock and they do, depending on how far you go it may require some welding material be added and blended to maintain the sealing surface around the butterflies. You could angle it some yes, but then you need to leave more material in the back, though it does pivot down the front of the air cleaner, it also angles the air fuel mixture back. I think I would rather tilt the air cleaner, especially with throttle body injection.

This is the SV2 vs the Vic Jr

The height is exaggerated a little because the bottom is lower into the valley a little. Also, you can see the ports on the SV2 are basically the port size on Dave's heads, so to port the Vic Jr to that would be a lot of porting and you still have the drastic turn into the head.

I don't currently have a SV to put in between them.

 

[folkenheath]

Here is the Super Victor...

 

[76zimmer]

I realize the plenum area is better designed on the SV2 for all out race performance, but with the possible complications of everything you mentioned, I don’t want to get into all of that for who knows how much difference in overall engine behaviors and measurable performance and fitment issues.
Edelbrocks info is a bit wonky, as they list the port dimensions of the Super Victor and the SV2 the same on one page, but the spec page comparison shows different…I used the spec page for comparison as it seemed more accurate…
The exit port shape on the Victor Jr. is 1.10x1.90 (2.09 sq in), the Super Victor is 1.20x2.00 [2.40 sq in), and the SV2 is 1.21x2.10 (2.54 sq in). On the Dart 215 head I’m using, the intake port opening at the mating surface as cast is 1.18x2.18 (2.57 sq in), 1/4” into the port its down to 1.08x2.18 (2.35 sq in). The height of the port is consistent into the depth of the port for at least 1/2”. The FelPro 1206 gasket measures 1.31x2.21 (2.90 sq in)….
Now if it was a particular class of racing I was looking for, it may be a worthwhile sacrifice to pursue the extra plenum volume of the SV2, but still no guarantee it would fit without the hassle of a bunch of additional work, or a new hood >$2000, and a lot of work.
Just try to remember THIS IS A STREET CAR, with an occasional trip to the strip! Lets not lose focus here! There will be a pretty good learning curve to harness the output of the car with the new combination of parts. The step up from the Victor Jr. to the Super Victor is a great improvement, just by looking at the port matchup….(just look at that wide open port!)

Heath order me up a Super Victor and I’ll pick it up on my way back to MI. in mid Sept.