HEAR! HEAR! Very well said Peter. I emphatically agree! The rocker
gear on a pushrod engine is one of the limiting factors of the design. If
an engine is breaking rocker arms, it is most likely because the cam profile
is to radical for the configuation of the parts. That is how the engine was
and should be! if we are Vintage racing. We build lots of race TR-4
engines in my shop. The rocker arm , the cam lobe size and the valve sizes
are all limiting factors in these engines. Sofar the most power we have
been able to obtain from a LEGAL engine; std valve size,bore and stroke,
etc. has been about 190 bhp. I have no doubt that using oversize valves
with roller rockers, a roller cam and added displacement we would have no
problem getting in excess of 240bhp. Would that be VINTAGE car
preparation? I don't think so.
Regards, Greg Solow
The Engine Room
Santa Cruz, Calif.
room
S
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter L. Krause <pkrause@ibm.net>
To: owner-vintage-race@autox.team.net <owner-vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Cc: vintage-race-digest@autox.team.net <vintage-race-digest@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, January 18, 1999 6:35 AM
Subject: Re: vintage-race-digest V1 #208 Roler rockers...
>Howard,
> I'm not speaking in any official capacity, but in SVRA small bore
>production, we've been debating this for years...My opinion (from
>someone who routinely builds and brings half a dozen to a dozen cars to
>each event in a professional capacity) is that roller rockers should not
>be allowed. SVRA has had it in the small bore rules for twenty years a
>prohibition against roller rockers except for some fancy American V8's.
>In the last five or six years, in order to accomodate other less rigid
>VMC member club cars, the scrutineers have been told that the roller
>rocker prohibition should not be enforced. It is not currently enforced.
>Do I agree? No! But I don't write the rules...or have to enforce them.
>The reason why I am so vehemently opposed is because a properly designed
>and assembled competition engine, used within it's designed rpm range,
>should operate properly without roller rockers. Vintage for me means
>building these cars to a specification that WAS, not IS. The other point
>is that (all you VMC club rules people listening?) if you have a rule
>in print, enforce it! Do NOT continually "make exceptions" to be
>friendly, accomodating or because you don't care to make a fuss that
>day. This is supposed to be lowest common denominator, not "run what you
>brung" unless it's CHR or HSR (and Joe's new rules do better in that
>regard, let's hope he enforces them..) Additionally, after roller
>rockers and engines well in excess of "as delivered" displacement, what
>next? Crank fire, dry sumps? Production means production, pick a cut off
>and stick with it. I am firm in my belief that good people will conform
>to what is asked of them, what pains me is seeing all organizations
>"just let the guy run". In my business, my priority is to have in front
>of me rules from a sanctioning body that I can build a customers car to
>and believe that it will be reasonably competitive while being totally
>faithful to the period specifications. A couple of years ago, I built a
>beautiful Datsun 240Z C Production (1972 car and SCCA PCS) for a guy
>after a tremendous row about whether we should put in a well built L24
>or do what Mike Cammarata and Jay Hughes and Rick Clay were doing and
>running an L28 (2.8 liters, legal by 1975). The car came out well and
>did well, but it was a constant battle to get the car recognized for
>what it was, an icon in time, an accurate representatin of what was...
> I apologize to those who think I've gone on too long, but quite
>frankly I'm tired of those who say that quibling with their
>non-conforming car is taking the fun out of it. The fact is that there
>are so many places to race, VMC clubs who give a damn about authenticity
>should legislate it, enforce it and stand by the tenets of vintage in
>the first place, that the car is what is important, not the driver...
>Roller rockers are only the start, what about big-block YB Ford engines
>in two-liter sports racers? Formula Ford cams? etc. etc. It's getting
>very hard to tell my customers that vintage is not just SCCA Club Racing
>with pretty cars, that they can't have the latest Hoosier Radials just
>because so-and-so runs them (and the greater issue, was allowed or not
>caught), that they can't run big motors, alternate material body
>panels,roller rockers. Rules folks, I think you'll find the core group
>of your club will support you if you take a stand! Flame On! -Peter
>Krause
>
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