A random high of 64 here today, so what else to do but go for a drive!



This is the first chance I've had to really take the car out for an extended drive since I bought it. It performed amazingly! Head temps typically stayed between 320-340 on #3, with a couple spikes a little over 350 on hills and when I'd dig into it!
We'll see if it stays there when summer comes around.

Oil pressure was excellent.
Oil temps stayed pretty low, not really getting much higher than 140-160.

This is my first experience with DRLA's. On hard acceleration, it sounds like there's a bunch of angry birds in my engine compartment. I'm guessing this is the "DRLA whistle" I've read about??

I think I might need to adjust the shifter plate. 1st was occasionally a little more difficult to get into than on my old '72. Also, sometimes coming out of 2nd and 4th it would feel like there was resistance, but not always.
But overall, an epic drive!

Anyway...a few shots of the car at the NC fairgrounds!!!

Looks great! Love that Laguna Blue. What exhaust are you running?

Thanks!
Tangerine headers and EVO II silencer. It sounds pretty mean...deep and throaty at idle, up to a scream at high rpm. It's pretty loud too. If you're trying to talk to someone near the car while it's idling you have to shout. I love it!

LOL! Yeah man! Thought that's what it was. I bet that setup is a little loud but who cares right? Those are nice systems. Love the sound of a big 4 at WOT scream.

Great looking car! Epoxy the groove in the bottom of the carbs to choke the bird.

Yeah dude! Hey if it's too loud that's everyone else's problem, right? He he he!
I'm really happy with it though. I've got the Tangerine heat exchanger on there too, which to my complete surprise actually keeps the inside of the car comfortable in 40 degree weather.



Thanks man! I've read about doing that. I'm a little nervous about the epoxy coming loose and getting sucked into the engine though. I'll probably try to find some of those NLA whistle stop gaskets. If I can't find any, I'll just live with it. It only happens when I gun it, and it kind of adds to the absurdity of it all. I just picture some minivan driver being like, "what the hell is that?" as this blue go cart shoots past with screaming exhaust and an overtone of ferocious birds

NACA duct in the rocker panel goes to what? Oil cooler under the car? If so, block it off--160F oil temp is definitely too low. You want at least 180F, possibly as much as 210F.

--DD

The duct does go to an oil cooler, however there's a 180 degree inline bypass switch, so if temps don't reach 180 then nothing's flowing to the oil cooler....supposedly!

Honestly I think the gauge might be showing incorrectly, because there's also a pair of 5" puller fans on the oil cooler that also are activated by a 180 degree switch, and I've definitely heard them running while the gauge reads less than 180.

Also, idle oil pressure when completely cold is ~60psi. Idle pressure after driving for a while is ~20psi and stays around there for as long as I continue driving. (Idle is currently b/w 1200-1400 from PO, btw. Haven't started messing with the Dells yet.). That would indicate the oil is heating up, but I don't know if there's a direct correlation with temp and pressure, as far as X pressure indicates X temp.
But I am skeptical of the readings on that temp gauge. But I could be wrong.

It is something I need to investigate.

So I did some experimenting. I blocked off the NACA air duct so no air was getting to the oil cooler, and went for a long drive. On this drive my head temps were about 30 degrees higher, but the oil temp gauge was still only registering about 140. Ambient temp was about 20 degrees colder than my last drive, so you'd think the cooler outdoor air would keep head temps down, right...or not?

Would higher oil temps increase head temps that dramatically?
Once again I heard the puller fans on the oil cooler turning on via their 180 degree switch.

Would it be safe to say based on this that my oil temps are probably ok, and that I have an issue either with the oil temp gauge or with the oil temp sender?

Very nice looking car

And

I am jealous that you get to drive it these days

We have a lot of salt on the roads.

John

Thanks man! Yeah I don't know how you guys up north do it. I'd go nuts if I couldn't drive year round!