The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-03
LARRY'S LESSONS.
Annlif><inu Sneed.

those who drive comes so frequently in
inquiries how TO make racer from
Ford that I believe / am justified in
giving some data. The principal things
to 20 after in making a Ford fast are
these: Reduce the weight as low as
possible, as low as 900 pounds, they
may be less than that but / doubt ~.
Next, to swing them low enough so
they will hold the road or tracks under
the additional speed you are going TO
give them and last but not least to in
crease the revolutions of the motor so
you will get the speed. What l believe
to be the best underslung fixtures on
the market are made by the Roof COM
pany, address them Laurel Engineer
ing company, Anderson, Ind In in
stalling these you will undoubtedly
find you viii gain about two inches
in wheel base. / prefer TO leave this
as II will make about 102 inches and
/ do not think this is too long, you
may wish II shorter and If so 1t is an
easy matter to take more out of the
frame when you cut 1t, but 1t will also
necessitate your cutting the drive shaft
and housing. / would take out the two
small leaves in both front and rear
springs. Lower the steering gear by
making wedge to fit between IL and
the frame, this to correspond to the
angle you set It. A steering gear fas-
tened so and anchored to your body
well where 1t leaves the dash will
stand all the strain you will put on II.
In wheels my choice Is a % inch wheel,
2Sx3 tires; they are small and hold the
car from skiding in the turns while
they help get the car lower to the
ground. These up to lately had to be
made special but now can be had on
order at the Dayton Wire Wheel COM
pany, Dayton, Ohio. Specify for Ford.
DO not expect to get all your speed
by the gearing in the rear axle If you
get the weight down TO one thousand
pounds you will not be able to pull
a higher gear on a half mile track
or on the road than three to one. You
can get these at Anderson, Indiana
also. Your body you can build your
self lighter than you can buy one but
should you wish, the Laurel company
sells a very good looking one fairly !
reasonable including hood and radia-
tor. l prefer to get loaded iron or
aluminium and make my own.
You are finished up to the motor.
this. BY using the regular Ford head I
milled off. one-eighth of an inch and |
roaming out the valve ports till you |
can use a Dodge or Harley Davidson |
valve. the next is the Rajo head, which |
has eight large valves and is not so |
expensive as the last one 1 will name: !
1t is fast and will be probably less
trouble for you If you are not a me4
,,F at,ia rfr,or
valve area. The last named | think is /
the best, a speedway head made by the
Speedway Engineering company. of In
dianapolis, Ind. This has an over head
shaft with a shaft drive and is the lat
est thing in speed heads. With the
others you will have to have speed
cam shaft, you can make this by grind
ing off the heels Of stock cam but /
prefer one made by company that
make a speciality of this as it is a par
ticular job. Both the Speedway Engi-
neering and the Roof company of An
derson make these. For carburetor
can only name the Master built by
the Master Carburetor company of
Los Angeles, Calf. They will send
complete equipment, manifold and all,
IL you will describe your job. would
suggest a magnetic, either Dixie or
Bosch are good. Both faster than the
ignition and win help by letting you
remove all the magnets and coils from
the fly wheel leaving only the bare
wheel Be sure and leave one OF the
screws In the fly wheel that holds on
the magnets to throw oil for 1 have
had very good luck with the Ford oil
ing system. Amy of the above named
build oil pumps for the car
but so far I have success with but one.
do not believe you will find coun- {
ter balance for the crankshaft neces- G
sary. but can be added If desired. They {
are made by the Dunn company and c
can be had at any large supply COM {
pany. Your aluminium pistons you will '
lind best II gotten from the Green En- t
cheering company, Dayton, Ohio. They a
4 lso make n light rod but 1 have had I
good luck by simply milling off the
sides OF the stock rod and polishing (
L. Try that. You can make a very I
pretty rod out Of them with a little 4
line and trouble. The only other thing T
YOU could use would be a water cir v
,ulator. / have never used one and n
nave gotten along well. You could I
wait 10 see II the motor heated before a
adding this and IL 1t didn't you are
hat much better off. DO not set your t
magnetic timing away ahead, this is, a n
idea of many A spark 4
breaking at the top center when fully a
is fast enough and will not be 4
iearly so apt TO break an arm. You Z
will have little trouble in putting in c
| three and one-half to one pinion, in C
act, you can't assemble in the regular n
way but leave out the studs that go n
nto the drive shaft and assemble one
lalf OF the axle with the shaft first II
'efore adding the other half and you
will come out o. X.
You might help your oiling system
" adding a small tank say holding
ouple gallons and feeding it with
and pump TO the front of the motor IS
rom time 10 time as YOU think it need o.
d on hard runs where the motor is II
eld wide open. don't think policy g
b ut your pistons tighter than ten ~
II you are going to 81
rive them hard from the start II VIM W