cacklefest engine

[225digger]

what all should be done to an engine to have it setup for cackle ?  can you get away with stock rods / pistons ?  what about cam ?    i have a 331 hemi and thinking about building something .... cant find anything out there on the net any advice would be great

[Frontenginedragsters]

A camshaft with lots of overlap / narrow lobe separation. It lets the blower push air/fuel out the exhaust side during the overlap cycle.
Stock rods should be ok but I would still use a forged piston. Your only idling and throttle wacking but you still need the piston to hold its shape.
Very rich mixture but still put some timing in it to keep it cool as long as possible.
It will be interesting to see if we have any other thoughts.

Matt

[dusterdave173]

Herbert Cams puts the cams in a Large % of the cackle cars--The old "70" grind is the one that they all go for
$419 AND they have a drop in solid roller USA made lifter that works very well in the old Hemis
Call 800 444 7373 and get one ground--they are awesome!
 Cackle is fun--I have entertained as many folks doing that- as actually running
You can do it at the cruise in on regular basis --don't have to be at a true cacklefest
Good Luck

[Draw 3D]

A friend of mine has a cackle car and he's had to upgrade his valvetrain and rotating assembly but he runs 98% and has probably the largest flames of all the cackle cars I've seen.

[JrFuel Hayden]

I just got off the phone with Ron Johnson, the guy that built/ owns Ivo's "Barnstormer, Herbert/Shubert SBC TF, and the Greeks "Chizler". This year Ron and his daughter are going to help organize the Cackle cars at the Reunions, to help Steve Gibbs with all he does at the reunions. I called him to get the guideline on cackle cars. The guidelines are on-line at Cacklefest.com.
It is not recommended to use steel rods, matter-a-fact they are working on motor guidelines and will post them when they are done. What your goal should be is build a race motor, with some mods to keep it from blowing up, and hurting crew or spectators . What Ron is doing now and suggesting is alum rods, NO head gasket O rings and even OEM head bolts, so you have a safety valve to let the fluid [ nitro] out with out blowing the side of block out.
Another thing to keep in mind they will not allow a period correct car that was never raced. If you can get pictures and a Family OK to build a car that did race in the 60's and early 70's, then build away. The reason for some of these guidelines is some motor have broke and even sent parts into the stands on push starts, and the cars invited need to be restored race cars because it was getting out of hand. One year at the Reunion at Bakersfield they had over 100 cars, talk about a cluster, and traffic issues.
So check-out the the cacklefest site for guidelines and have fun !     

Jon Hansen, Hayden Wheels

[225digger]

i did check out the cacklefest website . be great if some rules or guidelines where added .   i was thinking of at least the forged pistons and aluminum rods, just didnt know what was ok and not .also going to filling the block .



i have no intentions on actually going to a cackle fest, if i proceed with the project its not going to be a replica or anything , just something for fun and maybe take to local car shows .