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Author Topic: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..  (Read 1732 times)

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aaronjb

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CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« on: 11 February 2011, 10:47:11 »

Why certainly Sir, we can do that:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLNJ8d8Vqc[/media]

I know you can CNC machine just about anything.. but that's still impressive (to me, anyway!)
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Kevin Wood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #1 on: 11 February 2011, 11:00:21 »

Very impressive bit of machining. I daren't ask the price. (I assume the currency would be body organs).

kevin
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aaronjb

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #2 on: 11 February 2011, 11:04:35 »

 ;D Probably not far off! Though they were predicting around $5000 for the block alone which, actually, is the same price as a new cast aluminium FE block.. 'course they've apparently been saying that for a few years now, and haven't actually offered one for sale yet.

That's entirely by the by, I can't buy a new cast block and run it without also running EFI and CATs for the IVA, and I really don't want to.

Turns out the price of an original 427SO block is even more eye watering, though, since they're so rare (or, rather, good blocks are so rare apparently) :(

I think it'll have to be a 390 unless I sell a kidney or stumble across a good provenance block somehow.
« Last Edit: 11 February 2011, 11:05:06 by aaronjb »
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Entwood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #3 on: 11 February 2011, 11:11:05 »

Very clever ... I wonder just how long the routines took to write ... and how many they screwed up before that one emerged !!
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Kevin Wood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #4 on: 11 February 2011, 11:11:06 »

Quote
That's entirely by the by, I can't buy a new cast block and run it without also running EFI and CATs for the IVA, and I really don't want to.

.. but you can slap in a £50 Pinto from the scrap yard for the IVA then ditch it in favour of a V8. ;)

Fuel injection is a no brainer these days, though, surely? Chuck a Megasquirt on it. I'm with you on the cats, though. :y

Kevin
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Kevin Wood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #5 on: 11 February 2011, 11:14:22 »

Quote
Very clever ... I wonder just how long the routines took to write ... and how many they screwed up before that one emerged !!

Reminds me of the CNC lathe we had at school, driven by a BBC micro. Nobody, teachers included, used it. One lunch time I talked them into letting me have a go. All went well until it came to selecting the depth of cut. Wasn't sure what to select. Hmm. 1mm? That's not much, surely?

Wrong! as the cutting tip goes blue then orange while I frantically fumble for the Stop button. ::)

Kevin
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aaronjb

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #6 on: 11 February 2011, 11:23:04 »

Ahh the venerable BBC Micro! A friend of mine was actually posh enough to have a BBC Master (with disk drives) at home.. I had to make do with a Spectrum 48K and a tape player :'( (such a hard childhood ;D)

School transitioned to Acorn Archimedes after I'd been there a couple of years; they had some really nice CAD stuff in the Tech department on those. No CNC machine, though, we weren't posh enough for that ;)

Quote
.. but you can slap in a £50 Pinto from the scrap yard for the IVA then ditch it in favour of a V8. ;)

That is a good point, to be fair :)

Quote
Fuel injection is a no brainer these days, though, surely? Chuck a Megasquirt on it. I'm with you on the cats, though. :y

True - I'm torn between originality (hence the 427SO with accompanying price tag!) and just going for the big block Ford sound (which is quite distinct) and a 390 with throttle bodies and injection; because I have seen some very, very nice throttle body injection systems..

Like this one: (linking because the picture is huge) http://www.cobraclub.com/gallery/data/500/IMG_01051.JPG (and before anyone points it out; I know that's a Chevvy engine, not a Ford)
« Last Edit: 11 February 2011, 11:23:26 by aaronjb »
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Kevin Wood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #7 on: 11 February 2011, 11:32:11 »

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Ahh the venerable BBC Micro! A friend of mine was actually posh enough to have a BBC Master (with disk drives) at home.. I had to make do with a Spectrum 48K and a tape player :'( (such a hard childhood ;D)

School transitioned to Acorn Archimedes after I'd been there a couple of years; they had some really nice CAD stuff in the Tech department on those. No CNC machine, though, we weren't posh enough for that ;)

I must be an old fart. I was at university before I got my hands on an Archimedes. ;D

Still have my trusty Model B. After all the abuse it got, it still works, too. I seem to have gained a Master 128 and an Electron as well.

Every so often they get dragged out for a play.

Quote
True - I'm torn between originality (hence the 427SO with accompanying price tag!) and just going for the big block Ford sound (which is quite distinct) and a 390 with throttle bodies and injection; because I have seen some very, very nice throttle body injection systems..

I see what you're saying. Then again, it isn't ever going to be 100% original, so is there any point in throwing money at it for such sentimental reasons?

I wouldn't fancy running one on carbs with today's fuel prices. The range of my Westfield on a tank of fuel went from 110 miles to 170 miles when I 'squirted it.

Quote
Like this one: (linking because the picture is huge) http://www.cobraclub.com/gallery/data/500/IMG_01051.JPG (and before anyone points it out; I know that's a Chevvy engine, not a Ford)

 :-* That ought to bark quite nicely. 8-)

Kevin
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aaronjb

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #8 on: 11 February 2011, 11:38:19 »

Quote
Still have my trusty Model B. After all the abuse it got, it still works, too. I seem to have gained a Master 128 and an Electron as well.

Ooh I had an Electron as well - when the Spectrum +3 packed up (well, the disk drive did) and was going to cost a fortune to get fixed.. I picked up an Electron. It even survived me accidentally bridging the +12v line to one of the audio channels.. graduated to the Amiga after that and then downgraded to PCs.

Quote
I see what you're saying. Then again, it isn't ever going to be 100% original, so is there any point in throwing money at it for such sentimental reasons?

I wouldn't fancy running one on carbs with today's fuel prices. The range of my Westfield on a tank of fuel went from 110 miles to 170 miles when I 'squirted it.

You raise a good point and there is, most likely, no point throwing money at it to put a 427SO in when a 390 would get me all of the sound and looks of the 427, and with todays technology, all of the power I need (and more!)..

And I've been tempted to play with the MegaSquirt for a couple of years, so this would make a good opportunity.

With some throttle bodies, of course ;)

Quote
:-* That ought to bark quite nicely. 8-)

Oh yes, I bet it does! The bloke isn't far from me either, so I'm going round in a week or so to have a look & listen ;) and off to see a bloke even closer to me this weekend who has a Ford FE428 on carbs & side pipes.

I suspect I may wet myself if he starts it up.  ;D
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2woody

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #9 on: 11 February 2011, 12:21:54 »

just got the exhaust off the Holden at the moment - couldn't help but drive it round the block
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aaronjb

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #10 on: 11 February 2011, 12:46:07 »

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just got the exhaust off the Holden at the moment - couldn't help but drive it round the block

I did that with the Nissan when it just had manifolds & turbos attached with no exhausts..  :y
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Kevin Wood

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #11 on: 11 February 2011, 13:22:45 »

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just got the exhaust off the Holden at the moment - couldn't help but drive it round the block

Now, where did that thread on tinnitus get to? ;D

Kevin
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Andy B

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #12 on: 11 February 2011, 13:25:55 »

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just got the exhaust off the Holden at the moment - couldn't help but drive it round the block

That's the law isn't it?  :y  :y  :y  :y

I started both my Senator & Omega with just the downpipes. They're LOUD!!!  :y  :y ;)
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omegabsw

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Re: CNC machined billet aluminium engine block..
« Reply #13 on: 11 February 2011, 17:10:49 »

Quote
Quote
just got the exhaust off the Holden at the moment - couldn't help but drive it round the block

That's the law isn't it?  :y  :y  :y  :y

I started both my Senator & Omega with just the downpipes. They're LOUD!!!  :y  :y ;)


The lump thats going into my Corsa track car
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWasicbgUrc[/media]
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