Dry Lakes Racers Australia

The Arrow has landed!
I just got a call today from Sam at Westend Performance to tell me the the brand new Ford Cleveland Arrow block has arrived.
Now the discussion starts on rods, stroke, new pistons and bore size.
I feel like I am in my 20's again!
GAZ

Well given its going in a Jag will the motor be called Robin Hood?

I feel like I am in my 20's again!
GAZ

That's funny, the bloke who sits next to me at work has a copy of Street Machine on his desk and I was flicking through it......

September issue (that's funny it's only August) - Page 130 - Dirty Stuff

A picture of Big Gaz in his 20's sitting in front of his 2 door Falcon "Ovakil"

Yep - our Gary - media tart!

yeah, If I had a dollar for every time they used that photo....

Here's some imagery from Gaz, his new Australian Arrow Cleveland block. Text to follow from Gaz.

Well that certainly gets me 'happy in the pants', as the term goes.
We are shorting out whether we should/can stroke it slightly and the new rod length that will ensue. It looks like new pistons as well to bring the comp up to methanol requirements as the original comp was 7.1:1 when I ran it on petrol on the street. With more comp, at about 9 or 10:1 and at 10% overdrive on the pump more HP is inevitable. A man's got to do what a man's got to do!
GAZ

And NO, it is not going to be quad engined!

But just think of the fun you could have trying to fit 4 of them and then theres the HP lol how about just 2 of them.?

Hmmm ZF transaxle in the rear with one engine in the back seat and a driveshaft joining that engine to another up front - there's no way that would fit!!!

sorta makes one Quivver seein a bunch off arrows , ,,,

And I thought there was only one in every crowd...
Still trying to work out rods and piston combo's. Not as easy as I thought..
Surprise, surprise.
Gaz

Gaz sent out an email this morning. The new engine build is underway and will hopefully be complete by end Feb. New block, higher compression, new CHI alloy heads, new 6" rods. So there are improvements to the original 80s/90s tech engine. Should be some more HP as well. Cross your fingers that it all comes together with no issues!!!!

CHI are 'the heads', World leading Aussies. Go Gaz.

Spent the weekend at the Casa De Satara with Gaz and his mate Dave.

Saturday went fairly well and we had the engine and box in by somewhere around 9pm.

First a little history, this is the rear cam bore of the old block as viewed from below. Not pretty and hence the new block.



The new donk fresh off the back of the ute, Arrow block and CHI heads as previously mentioned. It's already been run on an engine dyno with 4bbl carby and distributor.



First thing we did was put the front wheels back on the body and flip it around to face the door. It goes to the chassis dyno Thursday and this will make putting it on the trailer far easier. It also made for a lot of natural light in the work space. The belly pans are off here too, the sides for the stainless sills.



Wipe over of the engine bay, clean all wiring harness terminals and put them up out of the way.



New Ford meets old(ish) Jag.



Gaz sorting some loose ends. Flywheel, clutch, box, alternator and pulleys are on here.



We're a bit tired here, Dave had to go but we were staying to see the engine in it's home.



Left side just because it hasn't been shown prior.



Somewhere approaching 9pm I think, engine in and Gaz is sort of smiling.



We thought we were over the hump here.



The next day Gaz realised we should have had the gearbox mount on before it went finally home so the engine came forward some to fit that. I was a late arrival and missed that process. It was time for the exhaust which turned into a real SOB, new heads meant the manifolds were on a slightly different angle. The original holes in the inner and outer guards were a fairly neat fit. It took 2 people almost 5 1/2 hours of fit, mark, unfit and relieve, refit and repeat but in the end you wouldn't know there were any changes if you weren't in attendance. I was committed at home for the evening so only got the one shot as I was about to leave. I'm sure Gaz will add more words later.