Pretty much idle, maybe 800rpm. We did it just for the hell of it, since it was getting trashed. No water. No oil.
How many engines have you exploded or hurt really bad????
- Thread starter Cranky
- Start date
Now, THAT's a way to prove a point !!
Only one RB. 512, forged crank, six pack rods and Venolia pistons. Purple cam, Stage iV heads and six pack on a Weiand tunnel ram and 250 nitrous. Chewed up the bearings but thankfully the motor held together.
Why would you run stock 6 pack rods with a stroked crank?
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Only 1, a Ford 302 in a 1970 Falcon. Oil pump seized on my way to high school. Drove it to school and back with no oil pressure, about 35 miles roundtrip. It was getting sluggish, but still running when I pulled back in the driveway.
All the bearings were trashed and the motor was full of shavings. Replaced the short block and drove the car another 5 years.
All the bearings were trashed and the motor was full of shavings. Replaced the short block and drove the car another 5 years.
Good question
Dang. The FORD reminded me of one that I did kill.
1975 Maverick.
I was given the car when the owner tried to tune it up and screwed up the firing order.
I had no intention of keeping it. I just wanted a car to bang around off road.
It lasted less than three hours.
Going down a hill, I bottomed out and split the radiator.
So what? FREE car so I keep driving.
Soon the oil light flickered. Then it stayed on.
I pulled over. It had oil but the oil pan was pushed in.
Free car.
I filled the radiator and drove on.
Over a busy bridge, I had it pegged and it went from 55 to 25 in a short time. It was fading away. It conked out, coasted off the bridge and I was able to coast into a gas station.
I called a “we tow away cars for free” business and got a ride home from the wife.
1975 Maverick.
I was given the car when the owner tried to tune it up and screwed up the firing order.
I had no intention of keeping it. I just wanted a car to bang around off road.
It lasted less than three hours.
Going down a hill, I bottomed out and split the radiator.
So what? FREE car so I keep driving.
Soon the oil light flickered. Then it stayed on.
I pulled over. It had oil but the oil pan was pushed in.
Free car.
I filled the radiator and drove on.
Over a busy bridge, I had it pegged and it went from 55 to 25 in a short time. It was fading away. It conked out, coasted off the bridge and I was able to coast into a gas station.
I called a “we tow away cars for free” business and got a ride home from the wife.
What year did that happen? Did the Mav have a decent body? I'm not a big fan of Ferds but had 5 Mudstains in the 70's. The ugly 65 Fastback 289 didn't break but the 66 much nicer Fastback broke stuff that shouldn't have! Anyway, I'm still driving a 95 Dakota that I got for free (but at the expense of my dad) in 98 and that thing is like an old Dart....just won't quit running! And the AC still works lol
That Maverick was a 4 door with a straight six. It was so plain, it looked like a taxi except for being white. It had those huge bumpers they had in the 70s. Before going off road, it ran and drove fine but it was an appliance car like we have everywhere now.
Do you remember the Gap & Roush Pro Stock car when the Mav came out? It was a 4 dr because it met the wheel base rule. The 2dr was just a tad too short so they ran the 4dr and it was named the Tijuana Taxi and iirc, it was painted yellow? Anyways, it ran pretty good but I remember when they came to the old Houston track (HIS for Houston International Speedway.....but it was pretty much a hic track by then but it was the only one that was close by) their radiator took a dump on the line during a qualifying pass and got waved off. Again, iirc, they were in the show already from a previous QP and it ran pretty good and again iirc, the placed 2nd. Man, that was a long time ago! And I remember those huge bumpers of 75.....ugly stuff!!
One 440 in the mid 70s. No pics but we saved the top end.
Now my nephew, he's a chevy round and round in the dirt guy.
Here is his latest Scat lower assembly.
Now my nephew, he's a chevy round and round in the dirt guy.
Here is his latest Scat lower assembly.
So to set the scene, this was in 1985 and in the UK. The six pack rods are significantly stronger than the stock 440 rods. They were crack tested, shot peened and had ARP hardware. Did not have the same choices of parts back then. The crank was a 440 crank, metal sprayed and then offset ground. It was in a street car and had made plenty of 10 second passes before the failure. It failed because of a new type of oil filter I was experimenting with.
Shorty Thompson
Well-Known Member
From being a teenager to adult to married life More than what you'd ever conceivably want to know. From mini bike motors to slant 6's to lo-block 383's ( 5 ), 305 & 350 Chevy motors, 318's, 360's, 351 ford. Now then during my demolition derby era best motors to go the distance 318 & 360 . Get hot as heck and start right back up.
Curiousyellow71
Well-Known Member
Years ago watched a demo derby w a early 70s fury. It was entered in the main feature, made it to the last couple cars till it got stuck and dq'ed.
Then they entered it in the pouder puffs. The girls did a good job beating each up. Fury's radiator started steaming..till there was no more coolant. 20 minutes later she took a hard hit and it died..the crowd roared when it fired right back up!
She won the event. Got out of the car and walked away! The Fury was still sitting their idling. Probably had no coolant for nearly an hr!! That was near 40 years ago..and still left an impression on me!
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Hey Shorty! Been awhile since seeing you on here......hope you're doing well.
Thunderdan
Well-Known Member
Ahh yes, the ol' California "J" move.
Thunderdan
Well-Known Member
Never blew one up myself (not any tranny's or diffs), however as a crew member on a number of Demo derby cars in the early 90's I was astounded to see how much absolute wonton abuse those stock engines could take. Sloppy and worn out 318's, 383's, 403 olds, 400 pontiacs, 440's, 305's, 350's, 302's, 360's, inline 6's from every manufacturer would take 20 minutes of brutal full throttle valve floating-action going from reverse to drive back reverse and do that in 2-3 heats a night for a better part of a season. Sure, they would often blow radiators and overheat, but they would cool down enough to run again 45 minutes later. I think i only saw 2-3 engines truly grenade over 3-4 years and while they weren't built-up engines at the track, I was seriously impressed at what those things could withstand and keep going.
Speaking of destroyed engines, it's fun to watch the weekly engine teardown YouTube vids from Eric at "I Do Cars" channel where he gets core returns and other destroyed engines and does an autopsy on them with great commentary.
Speaking of destroyed engines, it's fun to watch the weekly engine teardown YouTube vids from Eric at "I Do Cars" channel where he gets core returns and other destroyed engines and does an autopsy on them with great commentary.
1 440 due to a failed oil pump, ate up the bearings, still ran just knocked, I shut it down quick... thank God!
1 5.8 Ferd due to being sludged up and oil not getting back into the pan. I was rolling down the road I seen the gauge dip and then and a ding. I pulled over while coasting with the engine off and pulled the stick and it was full, I said wtf? I hit the key and all was well, got rolling a little bit then I heard the musical lifters and knew it was done, coasted off and called a hook, tore it down and it was trashed bearings had seized to crank and rods were now color coded from heat... one full rebuild and away it went .. I’ve seen many fords with sludge issues and never knew exactly why? Lack of maintenance or poor ventilation and flow?
1 5.8 Ferd due to being sludged up and oil not getting back into the pan. I was rolling down the road I seen the gauge dip and then and a ding. I pulled over while coasting with the engine off and pulled the stick and it was full, I said wtf? I hit the key and all was well, got rolling a little bit then I heard the musical lifters and knew it was done, coasted off and called a hook, tore it down and it was trashed bearings had seized to crank and rods were now color coded from heat... one full rebuild and away it went .. I’ve seen many fords with sludge issues and never knew exactly why? Lack of maintenance or poor ventilation and flow?
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