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  • Steel billet flywheel

    I am investigating have some Steel billet V8 flywheels manufactured. Is anyone else interested in one??
    james r pepper

  • #2
    Jim, if you haven't already........also post this info over at Sonny's Studebaker Racing site.
    Paul
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Visit The Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: www.studebakerskytop.com

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    • #3
      How much? How soon? How heavy?

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      • #4
        The stock flywheel is about 37#'s. I am aiming for a few pounds lighter. In the 30 -32 range.I received one quote from a major manufacturer that was around $850. Working with a local machine shop, I think I can get the price down in the $500 neighborhood. There will be about a six week lead time once the order is placed. I posted this to see if there is any interest other than mine. Let me know.
        james r pepper

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        • #5
          Interesting...I have not given this subject any thought. But like a lot of stuff blown by the winds of intellect. Some of the tumbling debris catches my attention. Here, the words flywheel, and steel billet, caused me to stop and ponder. First of all, until now, I've always thought of flywheels as being one of the easiest to take for granted parts of an engine. They are tough, heavy chunks of metal. Except for the very involved extreme horsepower all out racing folks...who ever thinks of a flywheel??? Next, steel billet? For me, having a Motorcycle, I most often see billet joined with aluminum...not steel.

          Then, I launched into a little "google" session about the word "billet." Good grief! First I had to wade through, and ignore, all the stuff about ancient military uses of the word. But, in short order, I found references as related to metal working and machining. It was not a futile exercise in that I was able to validate that I had a fair grasp of the term. In addition, I was also able to expand my basic knowledge of the process, and the extent of its current use.

          As for the price "down" to $500...not too unrealistic, since I saw ebay listings for Chevy's for around $349. But for those with enough curiosity, take a moment and do a search on ebay for billet, aluminum billet, and steel billet. If you want a real eye opener, go to the "sort" feature and click on [price + shipping:highest first]. It is amazing at what is available as "BILLET."

          As for price, I suppose as in all machined metal products, the machinery, programming/setup, tooling, quantity, and all the "unseen" steps by those not involved...must be factored in. For me, a back-yard tinkerer with more flywheels than running engines, I'll stay on the sidelines and watch. I'll only ask why anyone would want to pay $500 for a new billet flywheel, when there are old ones lying around? Are we talking about for high performance racing? Will the savings in power to get a seven pound lighter flywheel in motion result in enough performance against the competition?
          John Clary
          Greer, SC

          SDC member since 1975

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          • #6
            I would think there are good reasons that for his considerable Drag Racing, Ted Harbit went with Aluminum.

            The difference between stock Cast Iron and "Billet" Steel seems quite small.
            StudeRich
            Second Generation Stude Driver,
            Proud '54 Starliner Owner
            SDC Member Since 1967

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            • #7
              Seems about the same as Wilcap's pricing, do you have enough starter rings to actually make a run of new ones?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by karterfred88 View Post
                Seems about the same as Wilcap's pricing, do you have enough starter rings to actually make a run of new ones?
                Really? Wilcap Engineering is still around? I went to them in Torrance, CA on Sepulveda Blvd. in 1964 to have my Ring Gear Oven heated and installed on my NOS Flywheel.
                StudeRich
                Second Generation Stude Driver,
                Proud '54 Starliner Owner
                SDC Member Since 1967

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                • #9
                  The difference between stock Cast Iron and "Billet" Steel seems quite small.


                  it is until you get a clutch hot and the cast iron flywheel explodes. A real mess, if you live thru it.
                  101st Airborne Div. 326 Engineers Ft Campbell Ky.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by StudeRich View Post
                    Really? Wilcap Engineering is still around? I went to them in Torrance, CA on Sepulveda Blvd. in 1964 to have my Ring Gear Oven heated and installed on my NOS Flywheel.
                    Yep, still make custom flywheels in steel and aluminum-need to supply a new ring gear for a Stude though see note with *
                    Wilcap Flywheels are precision made from the best materials

                    price list:http://www.wilcap.com/FW.PDF
                    Last edited by karterfred88; 04-15-2016, 07:01 PM.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by jpepper View Post
                      I am investigating have some Steel billet V8 flywheels manufactured. Is anyone else interested in one??
                      Yes we would be.

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                      • #12
                        As mentioned, the issue is safety. When I was 16 I had a clutch come apart on a 259 at about 6,000 RPM. Fortunately the flywheel did not fail or I might not be here to talk about it. It was not pretty. An aluminum flywheel does not have much stored energy so launching a car is tricky. There is a fine line between a bog or smoking the tires. In fact as tires got better it was advantageous to use a heavier flywheel. Small displacement smallblock Chevy's especially. Launch at 6,500 and shift at 7,500 to 8,000 RPM. A 45# steel flywheel was the norm. An aluminum flywheel is a pain to drive on the street so I want a near stock weight flywheel but want a safe steel one. Wilcap was not who I contacted. I did not know they were still around. I will try them next week. Thanks.
                        james r pepper

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                        • #13
                          Fidanza?

                          10,000rpm?

                          McCLeod?

                          I'm thinking it would be cheaper to modify an aftermarket flywheel than make one.

                          Alter centering hole and bolt pattern as needed & set backspacing on a wheel with the right ring gear.

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                          • #14
                            Companies like McLeod do mass production well. They want to be compensated handsomely for special one of items.
                            james r pepper

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