The Ford Barn

Chris in CT · 12-25-2014, 07:04 PM

Hi Hardtimes,

Until I made the decision to leave the business, I was toying with making a 3/5 main bearing crank with 1.750 in. mains and rodpins. The crank was to be set up in such a way that it could be used both in 3 main setups and 5 main setups (provided the engine builder was willing to fabricate bridges to support mains 2 and 4) the web would be expanded so that the slings would be 3/4 in thick instead of 5/8 s, and the new slim profile rods would be made of 7075 aluminum. The front main would remain at 1 5/8 inch so that the oil pan would not have to be modified...

Here's the deal: You would probably have to prove to Mr. Allison that there was a market for such a crank. Don't forget that he would have to have engineering drawings made, and then a foundry mold. This is a costly business, and anyone embarking on it would have to know how quickly he could amortize his costs and expect a return on his investment. Best way to begin would be to fabricate a one-off crank from 4340 billet, and de-bug it before going anywhere else with the idea. Is it do-able? Sure. Does it make commercial sense? I do not know.

It kinda fun to play with all these ideas, isn't it? Some are good, some are crazy, and some just might work! Have fun!

Oh, to answer your question, I would think that the actual costs of making such a crank would be directly comparable to the cost of making the current crankshaft.

12-25-2014, 07:04 PM	#19
Chris in CT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 272	Re: burlington crank Hi Hardtimes, Until I made the decision to leave the business, I was toying with making a 3/5 main bearing crank with 1.750 in. mains and rodpins. The crank was to be set up in such a way that it could be used both in 3 main setups and 5 main setups (provided the engine builder was willing to fabricate bridges to support mains 2 and 4) the web would be expanded so that the slings would be 3/4 in thick instead of 5/8 s, and the new slim profile rods would be made of 7075 aluminum. The front main would remain at 1 5/8 inch so that the oil pan would not have to be modified... Here's the deal: You would probably have to prove to Mr. Allison that there was a market for such a crank. Don't forget that he would have to have engineering drawings made, and then a foundry mold. This is a costly business, and anyone embarking on it would have to know how quickly he could amortize his costs and expect a return on his investment. Best way to begin would be to fabricate a one-off crank from 4340 billet, and de-bug it before going anywhere else with the idea. Is it do-able? Sure. Does it make commercial sense? I do not know. It kinda fun to play with all these ideas, isn't it? Some are good, some are crazy, and some just might work! Have fun! Oh, to answer your question, I would think that the actual costs of making such a crank would be directly comparable to the cost of making the current crankshaft. Last edited by Chris in CT; 12-25-2014 at 07:12 PM.