Re: 400 motor - scrap it?
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Re: 400 motor - scrap it?




Maurice Petty has been quoted as saying that they used the same practice at Petty Enterprises back in the years that they ran Mopars exclusively. From a technician/builder I spoke with at Hensley Racing; when I asked at what point a block was considered a "junk core", said unless it's structurally broken in the casting, never. As he put it, the supply of Mopar cores is always in the balance even with new replacements available...you never know when production of new might cease unexpectly. There may be a day when something with eight sleeves becomes commonplace and acceptable. But you still gotta have a solid chunk of cast iron to stick them in. I asked just how bad of a starting place would they rule out as a beginning. To which he responded, that if they can get the pistons out, clean it to useable tolerances via overbore, and it passes sonic crack and durability testings they would use it. Why wouldn't anybody if it had been given a clean bill of health. As someone else said, considering the metalurgy of today, I think I'd rather trust the half century old iron in terms of strength and molecular structure. So, don't scrap anything that looks hopeless, people build cars from stuff that used to be
considered used up parts donors today.

John Hammond



----- Original Message ----- From: "Tony Mokomoko" <anthony.mokomoko@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 6:52 PM
Subject: RE: 400 motor - scrap it?



I'd keep it. Many years ago when I did my aircraft engineering courses - we
spent a lot of time learning about metals. One part of the subject that
interested me was on "weathering". Apparently it was well known that the
British and European race car teams on the 50's & 60's would leave the
engine blocks outside in the elements so that an engine block was exposed to
constant, slow temperature changes to align the crystaline structure for
increased strength and durability. As a result they ended up with an engine on race day that would be slightly harder and less flexible over time. As a
result it would make for a "stiff" block for a tuned engine.

So maybe there is some advantages to this ...as Gary said it could be the
block to make a killer engine.

Tony Mokomoko
Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Pavlovich [mailto:glpavlovich@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Sunday, 8 May 2011 8:30 AM
To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: 400 motor - scrap it?


Gary,

The first 318 Poly that I turned into a 402" Stroker motor was given to me
for "free," in the worst of condition. It looked like it was dregded out of

a swamp as every piston was lodged/cemented in the bores and each piston top

had a rusted hole the size of a silver dollar.  I had to use a 2x4 and an
8lb. sledge hammer to dislodge the pistons.

Needless to say, this became the genesis for the "Rodney Dangerfield"
article I wrote on the Poly motor.

If it were mine, I would tank/clean/mag and if it is not cracked, make a
killer engine out of it.

Gary Pavlovich
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Schanz Jr" <dcs426@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: 400 motor - scrap it?



This is the question I always ask myself when junking something like that.

Do they still make these? Answer yes, junk it, answer no, put it
somewhere. Any real engine is getting harder and harder to find, and the
"junk chinese" aftermarket parts dont make the repop or new forged items
any better. Keep it. Take it apart and put the block, crank, rods
somewhere and junk the rest.

Donnie
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary H." <62to65mopar@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 5:02 PM
Subject: 400 motor - scrap it?



http://www.picupine.com/3263346x shows some pictures of a 1976 400
motor. Nature has taken a toil, though. Any opinions as to if it should
head to the local "we buy steel at 90 cents a pound" establishment?

Thanks,
Gary H.


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person --
directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and
negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended
recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will
protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the
content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.



----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person --
directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and
negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended
recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect

your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content
signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and




----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person --
directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations
as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to
the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy,
reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar
topic.  Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person. I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic. Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.






----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

1962 to 1965 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html and http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/general_disclaimer.html.













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