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Nice to be here. I am looking forward to gathering knowledge on the car I recently acquired.
I am also hoping to get in touch with Jim Lockwood. He has come recommended as someone who can assist me in tuning/calibrating my Ramjet unit.
I recently acquired a Woodill Wildfire Roadster that in 1957 received a crated 1957 Corvette Fuel Injected motor. Im told the engine came to the owner by way of Mauri Rose/Chevy Racing. The Serial number is odd "F50IEL" does anyone know of number series on alleged Chevy Racing Division Engines? I'd love to verify if this is true or not. Did Chevy Racing keep records of their engines? Ive attached a photo of the stamping. Many thanks in advance. F50IEL Stamping on block allegedly crate engine from Chevrolet Racing/Mauri Rose at the time.
EEEK! okay il make sure to clean the rest of the pad with paint thinner. The car is a 1954 Woodill Wildfire Series II Roadster. I purchased the car from the original owner/builders's son. The gentleman who built the car was a lifelong resident of the Lansing area. He built the car with a Ford flathead originally then in 1957 he heard of the FI 283 and thought that would be great in his Wildfire. He reportedly got an engine through a small Shepard MI Chevrolet dealer who reportedly had a relationship with Mauri Rose at Chevrolet Racing. After the transplant occurred, the man went on to drag race the car in the late 50s. Im told he did very well against the Thunderbirds and Corvettes haha. I don't know how true it all is but it worth pursuing for my Geekiness sake. I have photo of the engine still strapped to the crate.
Anyway's Jim has been hailed as an hero for the early FI units. While the car was completely restored about 10 years ago, it is not running properly. Jim, it would seem I'm not able to message you as I'm a new member and don't have those permissions. I sent a friend request. Id like to connect and chat with you about looking at my car.
Okay, it's not a corvette but here are some photos of the car for reference. Enjoy!
It looks like you used mechanical means to remove the paint from the engine pad. DON'T! Use chemicals, such as lacquer thinner only! Mechanical paint removal will destroy factory broach marks which help establish the authenticity of that pad stamping.
Now, after that excessively harsh admonishment, that pad looks really good to me. That's a Flint-assembled engine, assembled on May 1. And if memory serves "EL" is the 283 HP version.
I'll be glad to help if I can. I'm an hour east of you in Pollock.
It looks like you used mechanical means to remove the paint from the engine pad. DON'T! Use chemicals, such as lacquer thinner only! Mechanical paint removal will destroy factory broach marks which help establish the authenticity of that pad stamping.
Now, after that excessively harsh admonishment, that pad looks really good to me. That's a Flint-assembled engine, assembled on May 1. And if memory serves "EL" is the 283 HP version.
I'll be glad to help if I can. I'm an hour east of you in Pollock.
Post more pictures!!!
Your memory serves you well...why am I not the least bit surprised. From the Lime Book...
EEEK! okay il make sure to clean the rest of the pad with paint thinner. The car is a 1954 Woodill Wildfire Series II Roadster. I purchased the car from the original owner/builders's son. The gentleman who built the car was a lifelong resident of the Lansing area. He built the car with a Ford flathead originally then in 1957 he heard of the FI 283 and thought that would be great in his Wildfire. He reportedly got an engine through a small Shepard MI Chevrolet dealer who reportedly had a relationship with Mauri Rose at Chevrolet Racing. After the transplant occurred, the man went on to drag race the car in the late 50s. Im told he did very well against the Thunderbirds and Corvettes haha. I don't know how true it all is but it worth pursuing for my Geekiness sake. I have photo of the engine still strapped to the crate.
Anyway's Jim has been hailed as an hero for the early FI units. While the car was completely restored about 10 years ago, it is not running properly. Jim, it would seem I'm not able to message you as I'm a new member and don't have those permissions. I sent a friend request. Id like to connect and chat with you about looking at my car.
Okay, it's not a corvette but here are some photos of the car for reference. Enjoy!
I'm not much of a historian but every once in a while a little bit of history trivia sticks to my brain. And one of those bits is screaming at me right now. I'm going to let others who dive more deeply into history chime in..... if they see what I see.
OK, history types, here's the hint: There is an inconsistency in how this engine was built. It flies in the face of all conventional wisdom about '57 fuel injected engines. Do you see it? What is it?
I'm not much of a historian but every once in a while a little bit of history trivia sticks to my brain. And one of those bits is screaming at me right now. I'm going to let others who dive more deeply into history chime in..... if they see what I see.
OK, history types, here's the hint: There is an inconsistency in how this engine was built. It flies in the face of all conventional wisdom about '57 fuel injected engines. Do you see it? What is it?
I know NOTHING about early C1 fuel injected Corvettes. What jumps out at me, though, is the generator on the driver's side. Am I even close??
The few things I see is the oil pressure switches, the "bell" one is for the gauge and the two prong one, I assume, is for an electric fuel pump shut off when oil pressure drops off. Also, I don't remember "corbin" type clamps used on GM cars?
One other thing, what is that bell crank and hoses behind the generator underneath the tach cable?
PS Welcome to the forum. Beautiful car. Search past posts for a wealth of Jim’s FI knowledge.. He is truly a fountain of information. I will suggest reading and becoming familiar with the. SAE paper authored by Keogh, Duntov and Dolza, thanks to Jim suggesting it I read it and have a greater appreciation for the remarkable work these men accomplished back in 57. I have it but don’t know how to attach it.
I should add that the car has a Ford three speed gear box with beefy Zephyr gears and a beefed up Columbia two speed rear axel essentially giving the car six speeds. Perhaps what some have noticed are the vacuum lines and module that actuate the rear end to go into high range.
Im loving the comments on the car and seeing what people are noticing. I can tell this forum is going to help me a lot to getting to know my new car. Ive always loved the Wildfire and the story of how it came to be. The unique engine has me jonesing to learn more and drive the heck out of it.
I'm not much of a historian but every once in a while a little bit of history trivia sticks to my brain. And one of those bits is screaming at me right now. I'm going to let others who dive more deeply into history chime in..... if they see what I see.
OK, history types, here's the hint: There is an inconsistency in how this engine was built. It flies in the face of all conventional wisdom about '57 fuel injected engines. Do you see it? What is it?
It has a C1 Corvette front cross member across the front of the engine, but they have not used the C1 Corvette's front motor mounts (notice the empty hole). The generator on the driver's side, the generator brace through the cross member slot and the generator tach drive is pretty typical of a 56 & 57 Corvette.
59 245hp
waving in San Diego
10-30-2023, 03:15 PM
New Member Intro - 1957 Ramjet - Sacramento
