My AK Build

[GTR_Garner]

So I got some time on the car these last few days, made some decent progress.

Installed and torqued the clutch and flywheel now all the dowels turned up.
Re measured for the throw out bearing, spec should be between .100-.200" air gap.  I had .730 
My bellhousing seems far too deep for what it should be.  So after some discussions and measuring I am having 7mm lathed off the rear and making up the rest with shims.

Whilst waiting to get that back I mocked up dry sump pump.  Original idea was to have it on the drivers side but there simply just wasn't space.  So I swapped the brackets round and found it fits on the passenger side.  Now I need to custom make a hanger and bracket.

Testing how it sits for hose routing:


The pulley clears on this side due to orientation of the main shaft.


Basic V1 of the new hanger:


Also mocked up my alternator bracket design. 


Although now switched to the other side as pump has changed to passenger side.
Can also see my water manifold which arrived.


Mocked up coolant return lines from the heads:



V2 of the inlet manifold fits perfectly.  Taper changed to 7.5° which now allows the rails to clear.
Also raised mounts for the intake studs.


Secured the front brake and clutch lines now am happy how everything is being fitted in the engine bay:


Terminated the feed and return lines.  All PTFE, AN8 for feed and AN6 for return.
Flex fuel mounted in the return:


Fuel filter located in the feed:


FPR and sensor mounted (have since modified for more clearance for the sensor)


Lines connected up to tank.  Will make a cover for this at a later date:


Ordered up most of the fittings for the dry sump system.  Booked the car in for custom manifolds and to have my side pipes fitted and welded.
Full set of ETB instruments ordered and also all the bits needed from S&J.

Plan is to have the gearbox mounted next week and prop measured and ordered.  Drawings should be sent off for production for my intake and alternator bracket in a day or two.

Am happy with the progress have made over the last 3 days!  Amazing what you can get done when the family are away 

[GTR_Garner]

Also ordered this water crossover which will allow me to cut down from two water inputs to one because of the belt drive im running vs the normal timing chain and cover.



Will also be able to mount the cam trigger off of it.

[GTR_Garner]

So some progress has been made regarding my intake manifold.  Test print done and mocked up.  Jenvey also delivered my ITB's, no air horns yet as waiting until fitted so can work out what height I can use.





Port alignment is good, going to add .5mm extra material on the inside so I can remove any printing roughness.






I have to reduce the angle to 7.5° from 10° as the fuel rails unfortunately hit in the middle.








Test fitting the water outlets from the heads:


Electric Water pump mounted:




Dry sump pump rebuilt and customised for my location and fittings.


Started mocking up alternator so can make a tensioning bracket.


Should have the adjusted runners and valley plate mock up soon and can then send off for the plates to be CNC cut and the runners 3d printed in aluminium.

By then the alternator bracket mock up should be done and last few bits should be on their way to me from the US.  Then the real work can be done finishing off the gearbox install, as the starter block plate and flywheel dowels were missing from my crate delivery.  Once that's in the fuel system can be capped off and prop measured for.

I need to remake the forward clutch and brake lines to move them onto the top of the subframe rather than being mounted on the side.  This will give me more room for the lower water pipe as space is at a premium with the dry sump pump being there too.

[GTR_Garner]

Things are progressing with the manifold design.
Bore spacing decided and Jenvey individual SF ITBs ordered with measurements given for custom rails etc.













Will be doing a test print next for fitment and then can finalise on the final design and get printed/cut!

[GTR_Garner]

Had an intake manifold and my heads scanned today so we can design an 8 stack intake setup for my engine.

Clever how this all works, looking forward to seeing it coming along!

(Excuse the current state of the garage, am mid way through multiple things on the car as am missing little dowels or bolts which is holding me up 🤦🏼�♂️ so stuff is everywhere).

[GTR_Garner]

Few more bits arrived and made a bit of progress with some other bits and pieces:

Pedal box, steering rack extension and bush arrived.  Will be removing the accelerator pedal and fitting the drive by wire version:


Ran the clutch hard line and had a custom braided line made by HEL to connect to the throw out bearing:


Checked the clutch and flywheel out and ordered some flywheel dowels, flywheel bolts and clutch mounting bolts:





Measured uo the throw out bearing and ordered some shims:



Working out brackets to mount the dry sump pump as it needs to sit as close as possible to the block for clearance:





Tried to see fitment for the tank that came when I bought the engine . . . Not sure it's going to work too well




So I mocked up a tank that will fit in the space I have.  Early design for the moment, cylinder to de aerate the oil then drain down through baffles to the sump at the bottom.  There will be a floor design to channel oil towards the drain plug also.
Small cylinder is for a remote breather/catch can if needed.







Phase 1 of my alternator bracket design.  Good old CAD (cardboard aided design).  I'm going to slim the bracket down from this first style.





Received the cooler that I'm going to use for power steering as I won't need one for the oil.



Once I get all the dowels and mounting hardware I need the gearbox can go on for good, then measure up for the prop.  Can then finalise the locations for the flex fuel sensor, filter and regulator and install them.
Chap should be coming to 3d scan my engine any day now to design the intake manifold so can get a test print done.

Then once dry sump pump arrives and alternator/electric water pump bracket made can bend the water pipes.  Then can test fit the body and send the car for wiring and exhaust making.

It'll come along quickly once I get through the tedious bracketry.

[GTR_Garner]

Coming along very nicely and a very nice looking engine. Any ideas what sort of noise levels those exhausts will put out? The certainly look the part.

A lot 😂
110-115 at 4-5k rpm and likely 125db+ at 7k.

Will need some serious noise reduction for IVA

[Flykilla]

Coming along very nicely and a very nice looking engine. Any ideas what sort of noise levels those exhausts will put out? The certainly look the part.

[GTR_Garner]

Well it's about time I updated this now I had a fun delivery the other day and finally got to open it yesterday!



Whilst waiting for a time to open it I added some last minute things to the chassis:

Engine mounts:


Steering rack extenders:


My fuel tank I had made arrived, internally baffled, sumped, internal fuel pump (Walbro GST 450 E85 ready) and installed the level sensor from ETB gauges:


My PDM arrived also, managed to get a very good deal on a brand new Hardwire PDM25+, no fuses or relays for me. Can see wirelessly through an app if any overcurrents or trips detected and where.  The whole car will be run through this.



The money shot!  What I've been waiting a long time for:


Random collection of parts along with it:



Gas-N high flow side pipes with 1 7/8" to 3" collector






High flow 3" internals


McLeod RST twin plate organic clutch and RAM aluminium flywheel already attached


Started lifting it out to remove the engine stand



Engine in and sat on its mounts, need to cut some brackets off the gearbox before I can install that yet.


Using CAD (cardboard aided design) to mock up some bracket/mount ideas for the ancillaries


This looks like the best locations for my setup at the moment, Davies Craig electric water pump low drivers side, dry sump pump low pax side


Then alternator high drivers side
K


Test fitted the starter, loads of clearance



So I have a lot to get on with now, I have all the pieces for the fuel system so I can decide locations of everything 100%.  Fuel filter, regulator and flex fuel sensor.  Can drill the mounting holes for the tank and get all that finished.
I'm teaching myself CAD so I can model up some brackets once I've finalised the design for the ancillaries.  Once they are in I can mock up a dry sump tank (the one I have is HUGE and will never fit) and then route all the oil and cooking lines accordingly.

Intake manifold has been roughly designed, some changes to make then can have 3d printed for fitment before being machined and printed for real.

[GTR_Garner]

re: Galaxies: That is true, not sure why a 295 tyre, unless authenticity is key....275s are the best compromise.

Surprised you are planning on 600 horses from a small block - that's going to be one special engine working on the limit.

It doesnt matter, as you've made your choice, just curious.

It's not a stock block, it started as a Ford motorsports ex nascar engine and it's built nowhere near it's limits now
It's totally too much but it'll be fun haha.
I got a deal too good to turn down really and it just expanded from there . . . 

[KevinW]

It's the cost, sizes and speed ratings unfortunately.
Avons would be great but ££££ and uncertain future after this winter. I can get hold of part worns cheaply at the moment . . But part worns . . .

Galaxy R1's are only H rated in the 295/50's which won't pass IVA for our kind of car.

The rest of the 15" tyres aren't worth mentioning for a normal build let alone 650ish hp.

re: Galaxies: That is true, not sure why a 295 tyre, unless authenticity is key....275s are the best compromise.

Surprised you are planning on 600 horses from a small block - that's going to be one special engine working on the limit.

It doesnt matter, as you've made your choice, just curious.

[Chris]

My thoughts on tyres from my experience.

15 inch Avons best track and dry( Higher wear rate). Cost might put you off at £2k a set.
15 inch Vitour Galaxy R1 ( Great tyre wet and dry. I have done 5,000 miles on these with no moments and great in the wet) V-rated . Great service and value from North Hants tyres.

15 inch BF Goodrich T/A .These were always tracking in wet and white line tracking. Terrible in the wet. They aged and went very hard in short time. Not a tyre I would recommend

I will second that about the Galaxy R1's.
For my cob they are 245 60r15's rear and had to settle for 215 60 15's front, would have liked 225's but we're not
available at the time .
These tyres are v rated and they drive nice for road conditions, original tyres that I had were P600 Pirellies
with believe it or not a Z rating and the handling was nowhere near as good as my Galaxies .
The tread pattern was good and in keeping but would not trust them in the wet !
The other thing is that I am not putting 600 horses on the floor, so don't need as much rubber on the
ground .
Chris.

[johnnycobra]

My mounting bracket is fitted on the passenger side front by the factory ....

[GTR_Garner]

Soft fitted the power steering mount today.  Need to remove bits I don't need, tidy it up and paint.
Then will fab up one more side mount for the pump and two brackets for the cooler.



Also mocked up lines, now I know the lengths will take them back to be crimped.

[GTR_Garner]

Nice work, and good to see a Ford engine going in.

[btw who ever told you there is a problem with 15" tyres doesn't know what they are talking about, plenty of choice ]

It's the cost, sizes and speed ratings unfortunately.
Avons would be great but ££££ and uncertain future after this winter. I can get hold of part worns cheaply at the moment . . But part worns . . .

Galaxy R1's are only H rated in the 295/50's which won't pass IVA for our kind of car.

The rest of the 15" tyres aren't worth mentioning for a normal build let alone 650ish hp.