Hi, this is the main page for a site that splits cleanly into two halves (see menu buttons below) - one dedicated to the Honda VFR750R RC30 motorcycle, the other to Ford V8 engines, particularly the overlooked but potentially formidable 400 (or 400M as many people incorrectly refer to it).
On the bike side of things I'm still rebuilding the RC30's motor after many years off the road, and am finally within weeks of getting it together. I'm really looking forward to riding it again, because with only a few kit bits and lower gearing, and 270lbs of rider wimping out and backing off with every wheelstand (me!) it ran a standing 400m in 11.45secs at 132mph (211kph). All you really need to do to an RC30 is fit a decent pipe and jet it accordingly. |
| On the car side, I've spent many months making a manifold to port inject the 400 motor, which has large-port 4V heads making it necessary to start with a 351C-4V intake and spacers. It's a great project but I'm stuck for a good aluminium welder at the moment, with 8 kinsler injector bungs tack welded in place and a lot of filling to do. I have vortech fuel rails and 30lb/hr SVO injectors ready to go in once this is done. The motor has a mild crane roller cam and should perform well. Carburetted it's been impossible to tune so far and has delivered miserable power, thanks to a pair of choked mufflers. It's common to exceed 400 streetable horsepower at the wheels with an inexpensive 400.
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My RC30 is a 1988 model, one of the first 250 made. New Zealand was one of the first markets to receive the bike, with a retail price of NZ$16,000 (at the time equivalent to around US$9,000). Only 25 were imported, and after overseas buyers took some home with them, mine is one of a handful left in NZ. Two years later the second run of RC30s took the worldwide total to around 3,500 and for the first time the US market received a limited number of them. This retailed for around NZ$24,500. |
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| The middle picture is the 408cid V8 in my 1977 XC Ford Falcon, an Australian sedan originally equipped with the Aussie-only 302 Cleveland (351C with local 3.00' stroke crank). The 400 represents quite an improvement over the 302 though, and I'll bring you dyno results as soon as I get it tuned up and running nice. I also plan to sequentially port inject it, and am keen to share everything I learn in the process. |
| The bottom picture shows my RC30 naked and race kitted with Marvic magnesium rims, ready for it's only outing. With the smaller 17' rear and lower gearing, it still runs a calculated 117kph in the first of it's 6 gears. The speedo runs off the countershaft sprocket, so is oblivious to gearing and rim changes. Perfect for recording really impressive cockpit videos... |
