Well, there's been a lot of discussion about the lack of performance parts for the 300. It's really no wonder given the limited focus and relatively short production run of the engines. So, I'm biting the bullet on a set of SCAT forged I-beam rods for the SBC and will have them machined according to the directions in the D&D Fabrications manual. Actually, the prices for SCAT's 6"x 2.0" rods are very reasonable. I'll submit a new thread as things continue along. In addition to this, pistons will be arriving from Venolia and I've talked to Dave at D&D about his single plane race manifolds for the 215. Not a lot of porting will be needed to match the intake to iron-head port size. But just in case, I have epoxy on hand! Also, Sean Etson emailed his drawings of the adapter plates that he made to mate the 215 intake to his 300 engine. Once again, thank you Sean. Your pioneer work on the 300 is helping us all. I've talked with a company in Ohio that can laser cut the adapters from high grade stainless steel at a very reasonable price. When it's all said and done, it will cost about $800 to create this fully prepared race-level manifold for the 300. My guess is that the cost will be similar even if starting with an Edelbrock Rover intake or an Offenhauser single plane 215. Dave at TA Performance has odd-fire 231 exhaust valves still available. These are stock replacements not a stainless race valve, but is 1.425" size is a step in the right direction. Judging from the information I've seen, this may be the cheapest route to getting better high end flow from these small heads. Obviously, there's a ton of time involved here, just in online searches and phone calls. I figure that the engine project will be ready for the test stand sometime in the fall. A lot has to do with the dollars involved to buy parts and pieces that will be adapted to the "wee-B bomber." More later.
I like your choice of parts, although i want a dual-plane intake instead of the single Let us know how it goes, and if you find a cheaper way to come by those intake adaptors !
Thanks for the encouragement. If I can find a local company with a plasma cutter, I'll see if I can get the adapters made from mill end aluminum plate. I'd love to be working in stainless steel, but the cost and the weight are my concerns. More the former than the later.
Aluminum definitely the way to go. Cheaper, easier to machine, easier to weld to the intake, lighter. It is even possible to fabricate parts from aluminum plate in a poorly equipped home workshop like mine, given the right thickness of plate, or two plates that add up to the right thickness, epoxied together Sketch out your plate, an intake gasket makes a good template. Use a compass to mark circles whose circumferences nearly intersect the edges of your pattern, and dig the compass point in to give you a drill center. Mark all your bolt holes, too. Fire up your $75 drill press, cut lotsa holes. Bandsaw or hacksaw or hand file or rotary file remaining material away. Voila! intake adaptor plates! Yes, it takes some elbow grease, but I have made many simple parts from aluminum or mild steel with a drill press, hacksaw, and good assortment of files.
