[ihc] Comerized engine

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ryan Moore wrote:

> > > Duh... what means "Comer-ized"?
> > > John A.
> > John,
> > Worked over by the wizard of IH motors, John Comer.  (Perhaps Pansy
> > works on them, too?)
> There was a guy on the BB a month or so ago who said he had just finished
> putting TPI on a 392 in a travelall....
Jim Blackwood aka Caveman was the TPI 392 guy.  The same man that 
engineered the TH700R4 adapter for an SV.

I have (I think) the first 304 to earn the "Comer-ized" moniker.  The 
304 came in my first (1972) Scout II.  I cooked it to death at RMIHR '99 
and left it in Denver before coming home.  In 2000, like a phoenix from 
the ashes, it was reborn as the "304C" and installed in my race Scout 
("Little Devil").

It's the little 304 that could.  Est. 375+hp and 375+lbs-ft.  There 
isn't another 304 like it anywhere - and that's just based on the 
modifications I *know of*.

I know the 304 pulls harder and spins faster than the 345 I built for my 
trail rig.

In many ways, it's superior to the Mandera built 392 in my Travelette.

Update on that 392.

A buddy rode with me to Billings, MT this past weekend.  We were headed 
to a new race course near Acton, pulling my race Scout on Comer's old 
16' car trailer.

This friend of mine has an 80s F250 with a built 460, and a 4x4 racer 
and trailer of his own.  He's currently "between racers", so he just 
rode along with me, in my '74 Travelette, with my fresh 406cid 392.

Based on Blair's evaluation of our trip, it would seem my T'ette pulls 
better than his F250.

I'm sure gearing plays a part to some degree.. but I never downshifted 
during the entire drive there and back.  We pulled every hill/pass in 
top gear at 65mph (might've been one long hill we topped at 55).  Faster 
in "high" gear than his Ford would do even after dropping a gear.

I guess the moral here is I'm pretty happy with the way the 392 runs, 
now. :D

6.75mpg.. but 75mph on the flats and most hills.  *I* set my speed.

I still don't really know what this level of performance has cost me, 
though... and I don't really want to know. :D

Stroked, bored, polished rods, ported heads, 0-deck, hotter cam, heavier 
springs, headers, balanced, blah blah.

I can't think of any hot-rod modification I *didn't* make, aside from 
punching it out MORE and milling the pistons to a dome, like Dave Sr. 
did... and I didn't want 11+:1 in my tow rig.

Oh yeah.. I'm getting this level of performance running 12BTDC and 85 
octane.

:D :D

Oh yeah.. had a respectable showing at the race, too.. managed to hold 
off a 700hp "Pro" CORR race truck for a while, too.. with my little 
dump-truck engine..

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/postnuke