In a message dated 11/19/1999 8:50:23 AM Pacific Standard Time, V4GR writes:
<< Don Orasco made a short run of new Ardun heads to spread the cost of the
ones he wanted. I understand the selling price of these heads was VERY high.
A set showed up at El Mirage in a 37 Ford slant back sedan street rod and
pounded ground. I was amazed at how fast and how good it sounded. I believe
he got the record at 135 or so. My understanding is that Don Ferguson of
Paramount Forge and XXO/FMR and XXO/FL fame has the patterns now. Rich Fox in
San Mateo at 8:48 am on Nov.19 >>
Group,
Rich is correct. The 37 "slant-back" that turned 142 at the Muroc Reunion
was owned by Monte Osborn from Coloma, CA (where the 1849 Ca Gold Rush
started) and was built by San Jose, CA Flatty wizard Rod Furtado. It had a
SCAT crank that I sold Monte, Cunningham rods, a Hilborn injection and all
the current stuff. Displacement was 284" (3 5/16" X 4 1/8") and it had a
pretty tall DeLong cam.
When John DeLong passed on in 1997 Furtado (who worked for him years ago)
inherited his cam grinder and all his patterns. DeLong was a genuine
old-school cam grinder of the Ed Winfield caliber.
After turning the 142 at Muroc, Monte ran the July El Mirage and tagged
some valves when the thrrottle linkage failed. He repaired the damage and
went to Speed Week where he qualified at close to 140 and scattered the
engine on the return-run, spinning through the 3rd mile lights with an
average 2-way speed of 137+.
We don't know what started the carnage, but the engine is being rebuilt
for next years LSR events................Ardun Doug in CA
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