Re: [Amc-list] Performance 196

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

That would work, could use some high heat silicone to seal the ports if needed, but it sure would be a LOT of work! There are four ports inside the "trough" intake -- one for each end cylinder with siamesed ports for 2-3 and 4-5. That's what makes dual carbs rather inefficient -- it really needs something in the middle. 

The best bet is still to use a low boost turbo or centrifugal super charger. Simple but effective! The gyrations the charge has to take would be offset by a couple more psi. Would be perfect for a rear-mount setup in a 58-63 American! Not much room under the hood, and you don't want much boost anyway. 

I have an article stashed away somewhere about a guy who drag raced a 54 or 55 Nash Rambler Country Club Hardtop. It originally had a 196 L-head, but he destroked it using a 184 crank (4.00" stroke vs. 4.25") and bored the block something like 0.080" over (may have been as much as 0.125" over, the block will take it if you can find pistons). The shorter stroke/bigger bore combo made it a bit better on acceleration. The article was in an early 60s (60-64) hot rod type magazine (may have been HR!). The guy wasn't exactly burning up the strip, but he was running respectable 15s and was consistent! He was tearing up his size/displacement class. The car had a three speed OD trans converted to floor shift and 4.40 gears (4.40 was used in 50-55 Ramblers with OD). 

Size would be 199 w/0.125" overbore (3.25" bore) and 4" stroke, 193.6 w/ 0.060" overbore (3.20" bore). You could do this to the 196 OHV since the cranks and rods interchange with the older L-heads (I've swapped 196 cranks between L-head and OHV), but finding domed pistons would be a problem. Heck, finding ANY pistons would be! Without the dome compression would be 6:1 or so, maybe it CAN use 6-10 psi boost (use flat top pistons, crank up boost to make up for lack of compression)! Getting flatops made wouldn't be too costly, but having domed ones made would be! 

-----------------
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 11:16:27 -0500 (EST)
From: adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)

my crazy idea --

keep the plate.  use it as a mounting bracket.  i don't think you have
to cut anything off the head to get a straight shot into the ports.

machine a little step in each intake port.  stick tubes right through
the plate so that their ends rest in the step.  how you shape them
above the plate is wide open.  you could do a ram's horn setup like
the ford 300...

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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