: How do you feel about the change of ownership at the NHRA? Will HD Partners make drag racing better or worse?
I really have no comment on this question. I don’t know anything about HD Partners.
: What is your favorite engine to build?
An IHRA Pro Stock or any large grudge race GM engine.
: What’s going on with the Coughlin-Leonard-Meaney turbo engine project?
They’ve not been consistent. They’ve been having trouble with ignition, boost control, and tires. At present, a larger engine is being built. Their existing engine is 524 cubic inches. The new one will be 600 cubic inches.
: Boxers or briefs?
Boxers
: Music: Rock n’ Roll, Country or Bluegrass?
Rock n’ roll and country
Questions from Ro McGonegal
: Do you still have your 555 BB ’57 Chevy? If not, what’s your street squirrel now? And don’t tell me no damn Caddy or Mercedes.
Yes, I still have my ’57 Chevy. It has a 605 cubic inch all-aluminum engine.
: What do you do to get away from it? Do you still have the cabin near Buena Vista or did the old Indian woman burn it down?
I like playing golf. I don’t get to play that much, but I really enjoy it. It’s a stress reliever for me and you meet a lot of really good people on a golf course.
No, don’t have the cabin any more. I sold it to my brother-in-law years ago and, no, the old Indian woman didn’t burn it down (laughing). I do miss it, though. It was a good place to get away from everything for sure.
ADVERTISEMENT: What changes in the mountain motor world have concerned you the most?
Today, we spend a lot of time in the areas of cylinder head, manifold development, and camshaft design. With the large journal diameter on the camshaft, it gives us a lot of lobe lift. You have to change rocker geometry to accommodate the camshaft.
Getting the springs to keep up with the technology is a challenge. Whenever you get satisfied, you get a little more aggressive camshaft and then there go your valve springs again until you work with a company to design something to accommodate that change.
As far as what concerns me the most . . . I don’t know exactly how to answer that other than what I just told you.
: What is the peak RPM of your BIG motors?
RPM on the big engines now is 7,900 to 8,100. I’m looking to maybe get it to peak at 8,200. It’s hard on some of the components but it’s really tough on the reciprocating assembly. Because of the larger crankshaft, the piston speed is phenomenal. To run the same piston speed as we run with the 5.700 stroke at 8,200 rpm, the NHRA [500ci] engines would have to run about 12,500.
: Do these monsters require extra or more frequent maintenance because of their size?
We only get thirty passes on aluminum rods while NHRA Pro Stock engines are getting forty. Valve spring life requires a little more maintenance, but that’s the norm. For maintenance, rods, valve springs. Lifters aren’t too bad. You change them twice a year. There just limited to a certain number of runs because of the stress put on them.