One of my drawing projects, just dreaming.

As some of you know I like to spend my spare time drawing, especially in the evening watching my favorite prime time shows. Actually it’s probably more like listening. This is a project I’ll never get to build unless I get real lucky and hit the Lottery, LOL!

About five years ago Joe Mayabb put up a post of a build he did for a round track racer utilizing a Mercrusier 4 cylinder engine block that uses the Ford 460 cylinder head. For some reason this had intrigued me of which I can’t really explain. It’s my understanding that it also uses the pistons and rods and probably a few other parts. But during my research and what Joe posted the block is a little on the weak side. Joe did a partial fill to help beef it up.

So one day I sat down at my computer and started drawing using Fords blueprints of the 460 block as a reference on pertinent dimensions. I don’t work on this every day, so probably about 10 or 12 hours a month, and I am by no means an Engineer plus I make plenty of mistakes which I find along the way. Anyway I thought I would post up what I have done so far just for fun.

My version is an open deck design like the original Mercrusier to make machining more simplified to create coolant passages, but I did add extra bosses so and 18 bolt head could be used if one wanted to. I also drew it up so more off the shelf 460 parts could be used, oil pans, timing chain sets, lifters, distributors, etc., it would also use and external drive oil pump and an external electric water pump plus a SB Ford bellhousing. If I were to ever be build it, I think I would probably delete using a distributor and go with a modern distributorless system using 4 coil packs. That would probably also help decrease the machining cost.

Anyway, to have a company like LSM take my drawings as a reference and draw it in their CAD system and correct my mistakes plus machine the thing would cost a crap load of money. But it is fun to draw whatever is buzzing around in my head, hahaha! Here’s a screen shot of what I have so far showing different cross sections and it is by no means finished.

Doug love the drawing! You do the same thing I do. I guess it is an old man thing. Got to do something to pass the time and keep the brain whirling. While you do mechanical drawings watching tv, I do electrical and electronic design projects just to pass the time.

I know you are doing this just for fun and not really expecting to develop it into an actual product, but if you ever desire to, there is a possibility of using crowdfunded sources. Things like "KickStarter and "Indiegogo" allow users to actually fund your project like an investor, but with only a small reward, usually the final product. While I have never seen a product that has a cost per as high as this block, I have seen millions of dollars raised for a product. There is also grants awarded to exceptional products sometimes full funding. There is an option to be a small investor with no real reward other than a t-shirt or their name in a hall of fame of product investors. It is easier to get more people to invest 5-50 dollars to see a finished product than to get 1000 dollar investors. You will get a combination of investors.

I have invested in a few products and had good success.
https://www.kickstarter.com/
https://www.google.com/search?q=kickstarter+alternatives

I was also very interested in Joe Mayabb's work with the Merc 4 cylinder engine and I commend you on thinking into the future regarding that engine. However, I was very interested in the work you were actually doing on the car hauler/tow vehicle you were building. What is the status on that project?

Respectively, Dan

DanE wrote:I was also very interested in Joe Mayabb's work with the Merc 4 cylinder engine and I commend you on thinking into the future regarding that engine. However, I was very interested in the work you were actually doing on the car hauler/tow vehicle you were building. What is the status on that project?

Respectively, Dan

It's still a work in progress, I just don't get to spend as much time on it as I did before. With other projects going on at the same time it will just take longer to build. Between that project, my boat, the '90 Mustang I bought from my nephew, and some much needed work that needs to be done on my property my time is pretty much taken up, plus money slows things down too.

That's really cool Doug!! Were you thinking of an aluminum billet with iron sleeves? It would be much cheaper to cnc it than to try and cast it!!

Bill

billandlori wrote:That's really cool Doug!! Were you thinking of an aluminum billet with iron sleeves? It would be much cheaper to cnc it than to try and cast it!!

Bill

Thanks! Definitely CNC done by LSM Systems Engineering with Darton liners.

Doug Rahn wrote:

billandlori wrote:That's really cool Doug!! Were you thinking of an aluminum billet with iron sleeves? It would be much cheaper to cnc it than to try and cast it!!

Bill

Thanks! Definitely CNC done by LSM Systems Engineering with Darton liners.

I can't imagine what it would sound like!!

A big cube 4 banger would be ridiculous with some boost!!

That's quite a "hobby", well done, keep going!!

Bill

I stay up late over the weekend and fiddled with my drawings some more. Worked on an intake manifold design using two Holley 2 barrels mounted on a common plenum. This allowed me to make all the intake runners the exact same, 6.082" centerline length and the throttle bores directly inline with the runners. I could make the intake runners shorter or longer, but I figured this was a good starting point. Designing intakes is not my forte but if it was to ever to be built I would definitely seek some professional help on that. I also drew one view showing where accessories like oil pump, water pump and alternator could be placed, I deleted the motorplate for clarity.