Artificial Intelligence, Update on the 342 c.i. Build, and 3 Deuce Intake Setup!

A few weeks back, the C2AE block's cylinders were bored to 3.875 inches.

342 c.i. Y Block Build

It is already the middle of summer and we are busy! How about a quick update on the 342 c.i. Y Block build? Tim McMaster was able to bore out the block a couple weeks after my last visit, and after boring the cylinders to 3.875 inches he also put the honing machine to work. Things have slowed down a little bit on the build as Tim prepares for a record run at Bonneville and as I have been busy with a schedule that includes junior camp and summer church ministry all the way out in Pennsylvania. However, we are getting closer to bringing the block, heads, and rotating assembly back to the garage to begin putting it all back together. Long time readers of the blog acknowledge that I have been able to get more done on this build in the last two months than I have in the last several years.

Each cylinder was also honed in preparation for modern metric rings.

3 Deuces for the 292

Most people who are new to the blog or unfamiliar with the YouTube channel probably wonder what in the world is wrong with me. I had a good Holley 1850 600CFM carburetor on an ECZ 9425 B intake running just fine, but then went to a Mummert intake and a Summit 500CFM carb (which was great by the way), then rebuilt a Holley 4000, modified an original oil bath air cleaner, used an ECZ 9425 A intake, and have it all running just great... but wait there's more!

Now I have this bright idea to get a 3 deuce setup together and attempt to get that running on my 292, all while I have a 342 c.i. build in the works.

The intake, carburetors, and linkage all come together to form a work of art!

There is so much that goes into one of these setups that I believe I will have to write up a couple of special blog posts solely dedicated to the details and results. Plenty of photos, videos, and documentation are being archived to the YouTube channel (and will be available later here on the website) and on various social media outlets. I am finding that as the baby boomer generation continues to age and younger generations take the inheritance of family vehicles there is a growing group of people that lean toward modern induction systems that do not require much adjustment. While I certainly understand why, I have to say that I really like both the old school look and the challenge of syncing three carburetors roughly 70 years old. This setup just screams nostalgia. As an aside, I keep hearing from gearheads who say things like, "I could never get mine to run right" or "Charlie Price from Vintage Speed set all this up, but these carbs still don't work." The closer I get to putting it all together and turning the key to fire it up I wonder how I will fare. This could be either the greatest success on the blog here to date or it could just be a flat-out failure and the setup turn out to be a paper weight for me. I plan to show it all, rain or shine, victory or loss.

Porting an Aluminum Intake Manifold

There are a variety of videos for the 3 deuce setup that I have placed on the YouTube channel. I have been surprised at the many hurdles I have had to overcome along the way. However, I was pretty happy with the port work that I performed on the Offenhauser intake manifold and have put the link to the video above. This was also my first time using carbide burrs designed for aluminum. Included in the video is my review of the quality of the burrs and how they cut the aluminum and held their sharpness during the process.

Report on the Holley 4000

All summer long I have been running the Holley 4000 "teapot" carburetor on my 292 that is in my 1955 Ford Fairlane. It is going rather well. And while the weather is certainly hot here in the Antelope Valley of California, I find that I do not have any vapor lock issues. My guess is that running fuel with no ethanol makes a dramatic difference. The engine starts up just fine and fires off with just the touch of the key. Like the orignal technical service bulletin (TSB) for 1956 recommended, when re-starting a "hot" Holley 4000 the operator needs to hold the accelerator pedal halfway while cranking. The old 292 starts up just fine with this method whenever I have driven the car to temperature and need to restart it quickly. The video below is just a collection of a few quick clips of how the engine is running this summer with "original equipment" so to speak. And, that three speed with overdrive makes cruising very nice. Day or night, this 1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan is a real joy to drive!

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and the Automotive Hobby

Whether we like it or not, artificial intelligence is here and is affecting most facets of life. In a recent YouTube video upload I cover the impact that AI is having on our hobby. Suffice to say, most of it is not good.

There are a few things that are neat to see. For instance, through an app called "ChatGPT" you can make cartoon images automatically by uploading a photo and just asking artificial intelligence to turn your photo into a cartoon. Take a look at these examples.

And look at how AI can generate the transformation of people...

While the cartoon images are not perfect examples of the real thing, they are pretty close. However, things can get off the rails rather quickly! Watch the video below to see the good, the bad, and the downright ugly when it comes to artificial intelligence.

Can You Support the Effort?

For years, I have been providing the website, blog articles, and quite a bit of help and advice to thousands of people for free. I would like to continue doing so. The website costs me several hundred dollars a year to maintain. There is an option to use advertisements on each page because we have thousands visit the site each month. This would pay for the expenses I am sure but it would "dirty" the pages and in my opinion just be annoying to visitors. Listed below are the best ways for you to help.

YouTube Channel

My channel on YouTube took a turn for the better last year with great improvements and has now come close to 3,000 subscribers. You can help by subscribing, watching the videos, and making comments. Since YouTube does run video ads this is a means of financial support each month. The view counts really need to be high for there to be any real benefit, so let me encourage you to share the channel with other enthusiasts and get them to watch. You can click the photo below, and it will take you straight to my channel.

Website Store

Right here on the HotRodReverend.com website I have an online store where you can purchase apparel such as t-shirts, hats, and even onesies for the grandkids! We also have mugs, shop aprons, and logo clocks to hang in the garage. Each purchase you make sends a small percentage back to me to help support the website. The t-shirts tend to be the most popular and come in a variety colors for both the shirt and the logo.

The best deal going in the website store is the download of the digital version of the 1949-59 FoMoCo parts manuals. These files are a tremendous help to any work you are doing on a car within the model year range, as the books have thousands of part numbers and diagrams that will help you both locate and understand the arrangement of where particular pieces and parts go. Even such things as sizes of hardware and rear end ratios are given in the manuals as well.

Let me end this post with a heartfelt "thank you" to all of you that have been so supportive over the years and have reached out to me by email, social media, or by phone. I am an ordained minister full time, and most often my schedule is not my own since I have much to "say grace" over. However, I am always encouraged by the comments, suggestions, and support provided by those of you that subscribe to the website. May the Lord bless you over these summer months!

The Hot Rod Reverend