pumping up the horsepower on an R1

[stroker70]

Just wondering If if anyone out there has done any hidden modifications to the R1 engine to pump up the power. Ive not seen any performance intake manifolds avaliable from the aftermarket,so i think I will find another set of heads, do a home port job on them and stuff the largest valves that will fit in them. After that the exhaust system looks like the next bottleneck in performance. I just love the Idea of looking stock under the hood and sounding mean as hell. Does anyone make a slightly stronger cam then the R1? This car is an automatic so I dont want to lose any torque on an engine that has very little to begin with.

[gadd zooks]

can you say nitrous, all leed to more air or more fuel . more $

[SBCA96]

Well, the R1 heads suffer from the same drawbacks as the standard Studebaker

heads, so much so that there really isnt much different between a standard 289

and an R1. Your engine will benefit greatly from porting and larger valves. You

can get larger intake valves from many of the parts distributors, and the porting

can be done by someone local to you thats TRUSTED. There is a lot of metal in

the combustion chamber that can be removed, along with up into the runners. I

went with 2.02 stainless steel narrowed neck extended Chevy "NASCAR" valves

turned down to 1.94. The exhaust valve I also went with stainless, and they are

1.6 inch head. The combustion chambers were cleaned up and the "shrouding"

was removed. This was good for some SERIOUS power gains, and not noticeable

under the hood. I also went with a 276 duration R3 cam, chrysler solid lifters and

then shortened pushrods. I never got a chance to get the engine on a dyno B4

I totalled the car in a stupid accident. The engine waits in my garage to end up

in my 63 Avanti. I can not use the whole engine (it was from a 60 Hawk), but

the 'guts' will live on ... along with the above mentioned heads.

Tom

[stroker70]

Well, the R1 heads suffer from the same drawbacks as the standard Studebaker

heads, so much so that there really isnt much different between a standard 289

and an R1.  Your engine will benefit greatly from porting and larger valves.  You

can get larger intake valves from many of the parts distributors, and the porting

can be done by someone local to you thats TRUSTED.  There is a lot of metal in

the combustion chamber that can be removed, along with up into the runners. I

went with 2.02 stainless steel narrowed neck extended Chevy "NASCAR" valves

turned down to 1.94.  The exhaust valve I also went with stainless, and they are

1.6 inch head.  The combustion chambers were cleaned up and the "shrouding"

was removed.  This was good for some SERIOUS power gains, and not noticeable

under the hood.  I also went with a 276 duration R3 cam, chrysler solid lifters and

then shortened pushrods.  I never got a chance to get the engine on a dyno B4

I totalled the car in a stupid accident.  The engine waits in my garage to end up

in my 63 Avanti.  I can not use the whole engine (it was from a 60 Hawk), but

the 'guts' will live on ... along with the above mentioned heads.

Tom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>