"Ultimate" LT1 build up?

[unstable bob gable]

I figured some of ya'll might be interested in my 'lil project:
There is a guy in California named Russ Arao who created a 32V head for pushrod engines. Basically the system works by using a shaft rocker system with "forked" rockers. Each pushrod that would normally actuate 1 valve is now able to actuate 2 valves. Here is the website for the heads:
www.araoengineering.com
And here are some links to picts of my heads:
http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin01.jpg http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin02.jpg http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin03.jpg http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin04.jpg http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin05.jpg http://members.aol.com/Fredrick518/Photos/Domin06.jpg

Anywho, I bought a completely disassembled engine from a guy who needed to sell a few toys. The engine consisted of a .030 over LT1 block converted over to 4 bolt splayed main caps, a Lunati 3.875 stroke crank, Lunati 5.875 rods, and Lunati pistons. I also got a custom ground Cam Dynamics roller cam speced to work w/ the 32V heads, and of course I got the heads. My orig intention was to build this engine for a 94 Trans Am I had at the time. But as time went by I changed cars quite a few times, and the engine parts basically sat around. I did have quite a bit of work done to the block, such as adding a piston oiling system, a main stud girdle, having the block fully detailed, adding deck plugs, then having the block decked and squared, etc. I also sold the Lunati rods, and replaceed them with a set of Carrillo rods. In any high end project I do I always use Carrillos.
So...the engine parts are sitting around, and little by little the 32V heads become somewhat of an internet legend. There are "supposed" to be other sets of them around, and I def know of one other set in Texas. But to this day they are an unproven item. Now, ownership of these heads has allowed me to have some pretty interesting conversations with some pretty awesome automotive types. I became pretty good friends with a world class engine building team in New York, and they showed heavy interest in the heads. The team is Bauer Racing, a father and son duo. The father {Jon} is a mechanical engineer who worked for GM and was involved with the orig. GTO, and the son {Brett} is an absolute genius with every aspect of engine building. Plus he is whacked in the head enough to want to take on a project like mine! So, a couple of weeks ago I packed up my stuff and drove out to their shop. Well, needless to say I was very impressed. They have a full line machine shop, and they do everything from knocking out a gear for farmer Brown's tractor, to mega high tech military and racing stuff. So, if anything is deemed "not up to spec" with these heads, the machine shop will be utalized to created whatever is needed to bring them up to spec.
The current plan is to do some mega R&D on the heads, to formulate an engine configuration. Right now Brett is on a bit of a vacation, but his vacation is consisting of visiting some high line shops he deals with for head porting. He is going to look for the max flow numbers that can be extracted from the heads {right now the intakes are flowing .343 CFM @ .500 lift}, and what will need to be done to get the big numbers. He did a computer sim of the engine and he got over 800 HP w/o any power adders. So, the potential is def there, it just needs a plan to bring that potential out!
I'm def looking toward having 1000 HP, prolly with a Procharger supercharger as the power adder. This project is going to def be off the charts, but it is aways what I wanted. Â*8)

[j0n]

bob you're my hero!!!!!!!

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by j0n

Â*bob you're my hero!!!!!!!

Thanx. But lemme say ya have poor taste in heroes! lol You should pick somebody other that a broke azz, big dreamin', wanna be race car driver like me! Oh, I should also add I'm a "dead man walkin'" if my wife finds out how much $ I have invested in this.

[Ian]

so whats the ETC (estimated time of completion) on that bad boy?

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by Ian

so whats the ETC (estimated time of completion) on that bad boy?

Ya know, I really don't have an ETC, nor do I care to have one. I'm just glad that I finally found someone who I can trust for this build, plus I am able to be involved every step of the way. I've had these parts for almost 5 years, so I've learned patience. I just need to get my azz back into some part time work so I can keep my bank account up for this $ pit.

[Fastbird]

Wow Bob, I thought you sold the setup!! Good to hear that it's in the works, and working with Brett and his dad you can't go wrong. Keep us posted on how it ends up.

What are you using for an intake manifold on those heads??? I've talked with Arao before as a couple years back the thought crossed my mind and was informed that they're a "direct bolt on" to the LT1. I am extremely skeptical as to that claim, and decided no to pursue that route because of the fact that NO ONE seems to have gotten a motor running with the 32V heads yet.

[Squirrel]

well, Brett and his pops are good at that sheet metal manifold type of stuff 8)

[Fasterthanyou]

Bob, how important is this R&D work for you? I can say without a doubt that the best engine simulation software on the market is "Virtual 4-stroke" by Optimum Power. As the shop if they've used it and to give you a little overview of the software, it's basically a rip off of Ford's "Mandy" simulation software. In other words, it's darn near perfect for simulating. It puts desktop dyno stuff to shame. You specify the exact shape of the runners, length, taper, the plenum volume, shape, port flow tables, cam lift/duration, exhaust, power adders (compressor efficiency maps need to be entered), etc. It's very detailed but very accurate. We got it to within 2% of our actual engine horsepower on a restricted 600cc Honda F4i motorcycle engine!
Let me know if you're interested and I'll see if I can price out a license for you.
Again, that's just for getting things perfect! If you're aiming for a horsepower goal and won't settle for 980hp then this is the software to use. It even lets you simulate nitrous or various gases and component temperatures! It's **** in the automotive engineering world.

As for your rod selection, is there a better rod out there? I doubt it. What are you doing for pistons and static compression? Depending on your cam you really want to get that dynamic compression ratio set right so that you can get the most low speed torque out of this thing... you know, for that 1000hp truely streetable feel. I think it's possible to get 1000hp n/a but it won't be at all streetable in a typical weight street machine. Sub 3000lbs and it might be streetable or if you told me what transmission you were using again, very possible... but all those variables need to be weighed. You can make anything streetable with enough gearing . It's how those crotch rockets make it off the starting line with only 40 ft-lbs of peak engine torque! So please, give me the details and let me work with you on this. If Friday evening is good for you I'd like to hit up Somerville's cruise. We could shoot the **** there if you're game, if not, some other time.

[Squirrel]

buy.........software..............people do that?











8)

[Fasterthanyou]

Originally Posted by Squirrel

buy.........software..............people do that?











8)

Yeah, it's something you do when you might get caught and loose all your assets. I can't remember the last time I paid for software. I think it was Quake III back in 2000 where my room-mate and I split the cost for like $40. Then I had my dad buy a Windows XP license for his computer upgrade...
This Virtual 4-stroke is top notch stuff. You tell it exactly what's going onto this engine and it does all the engineering calculations for you.

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by Fastbird

Wow Bob, I thought you sold the setup!! Â*Good to hear that it's in the works, and working with Brett and his dad you can't go wrong. Â*Keep us posted on how it ends up.

What are you using for an intake manifold on those heads??? Â*I've talked with Arao before as a couple years back the thought crossed my mind and was informed that they're a "direct bolt on" to the LT1. Â*I am extremely skeptical as to that claim, and decided no to pursue that route because of the fact that NO ONE seems to have gotten a motor running with the 32V heads yet.

Fast,
I was entertaining a few "offers" for the stuff, but really couldn't nail the right price to let it go. And it turns out that Brett is pretty much a "vampire" like me, and a few late night IMs turned into a few phone calls, and yada, yada, yada, hopefully the rest is horsepower history!
As far as an intake choice, that is still to be determined. The heads are drilled for a "standard" LTx bolt pattern, and the former owner was using a ported LT4 intake. Brett is a fan of converting single plane intakes for use on his high end LTx builds, so this may be a route we choose. But right now the intake port design is still on the table, as Brett will determine what needs to be done as far as porting, welding, raising, etc to optimise the port.
Setting up a block for these heads isn't extremely difficult, but some work is necessary. And I hear ya about your view of not going the Arao route due to its lack of a track record. But as I stated above; I've had these heads for over 5 years now, so it is time to PUT UP, or SHUT UP! And as everyone who knows unstable bob gable knows that unstable bob gable has a hard time SHUTTING UP!

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by Squirrel

well, Brett and his pops are good at that sheet metal manifold type of stuff 8)

MMMMMMMMMMM, SHEET METAL INTAKES!!!! *DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL*
Or mebbe a carbon fiber one?

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by Fasterthanyou

So please, give me the details and let me work with you on this. If Friday evening is good for you I'd like to hit up Somerville's cruise. We could shoot the **** there if you're game, if not, some other time.

Tell ya what...I'm gonna IM joo my cell #. I'll leave it up to joo to drop the dime to the unstable one. The S'ville cruise is always a possibility, weather permitting. I'm pretty much game for talking cars anytime, any where. And I've discovered a yuppie scum spoiled rich kid infested Dunkin' Donuts in Warren that is just begging for an invasion of AMERICAN muscle! Git my drift, Cowboy?