The "Official " Can-Am engine thread.

**smallblockhero** · #1 01-19-2012, 10:05 AM

a lot of interest and banter has been around regarding the can-am engines and primarily the blocks. i figured a more dedicated thread may be useful to expand the knowledge and engine building of these techniques.

i run the UOP Shadow Racing facebook fan page and currently developing a team blog site. I have talked to Doug Meyers the engine builder for shadow and he has shared intimateknowledge of the subject with me publicly. id like to share what he has spoken about and post up some of his own pics he took himself back in the day as well as his words regarding the subject.

Doug Meyers quote
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> You must remember that it is not just the iron plated pistons that made the Reynolds 390 block possible. It's a system wherein the very high silicon content in the block is exposed as the running surface in the bore by using a special acid etching compound when honing the bore. You have to to prep the block with this specific honing process. You could get the pistons plated but then you'd have to find all the right stuff to hone the block.
The plating on the pistons, as shown in John's graphic, is very specific. It is the iron (dissimilar from the aluminum) that keeps the piston from galling on the block. Moly or some other low-friction coating is not the same.
Nikasil is not the same either. Nikasil (nickle-silicon)is a very hard plating process performed on an aluminum block and works with standard aluminum pistons. The Japanese, especially Honda brought that to a fine art and used it extensively. In the Early 90's Kawasaki developed what they called "Electrofusion" bores which were aluminum bores plated with chrome and nickle with an "exploding wire" process.
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here's a picture (taken in late 1972 probably) for Y'all. This is a development engine (495 inch Reynolds, 1200 hp) for the 1973 Shadow Turbo car on the dyno. Keep in mind this was all mechanical, no electronics, modified Hilborn injsction, Bendix aircraft air metering units, Switzer pneumatic wastegates. What a nightmare to work on. I'll bet I changed 50 head gaskets on this beast </div></div>

**smallblockhero** · #2 01-19-2012, 10:08 AM

information from a previous thread i posted in and another one of dougs photos

Doug Meyer Shadow team engine builder
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I was an engine builder for the UOP Shadow Team from 72 through 75 and built these engines almost exclusively. Engines I assembled were driven by Jackie Oliver, George Follmer, Vic Elford, James Hunt and Peter Revson. I was trained on them by Lee Muir who came to Shadow directly from McLaren. I've got loads of photos and, if I dig deep enough I can probably dig up my track/tuning notes.
In the early Can Am years only three teams had the Reynolds "390" Aluminum blocks. McLAren, Shadow, and Chapparral. Later they became more common, but most of the "lesser" teams didn't use the all-aluminum 390 blocks, but iron sleeved castings. All were Lucas injected.
McLAren did their own porting, as did we. The usual well known California head guys did most of the rest.
We rarely built 510's, almost always 495's. Race trim hp was about 735with flat tappets. We bult some roller tappet "Qualifyers" that did about 775 hp. In '73 we built a 1200 hp turbo 495 (I could change those head gaskets in my sleep!) to compete with the 917K. We were faster at Laguna Seca but ran out of brakes. Vic Elford was driving- Donohue came over to Lee and I after the race and told us "he'd NEVER seen anything accelerate up the hill like that beast". THe tires on that car were 24 inches wide and it would leave giant blackies all the way up the hill. I've built lots of engines but those are still my favorite. Nothing in motorsports sounds like 20 of those things at the green. I'll never forget it.

We got our parts directly from GM racing. The sleeveless blocks were all Reynolds since Reynolds was the developer of the high Silicon 390 alloy/iron plated piston technology. Could be that the sleeved blocks the "regular people" got were Alcoa castings.

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GM #'s
3992038..Block, 4.44" bore AL W/Liners

3993803..C/Shaft, 3.47" stroke

3963642..Rod, connecting 6.405" C/C

3992042..Sleeve, cyl liner (for 430" AL)

**smallblockhero** · #3 01-19-2012, 10:15 AM

more of dougs work from back then. from his own photo collection.

and doug with the "infamous" DN4

**smallblockhero** · #4 01-19-2012, 10:32 AM

dynoing the nasty Turbo 1200hp Can-Am monster!

photo courtesy of Doug Meyers.

**69SSZL1** · #5 01-19-2012, 03:40 PM

GM #'s
3992038..Block, 4.44" bore AL W/Liners

3993803..C/Shaft, 3.47" stroke

3963642..Rod, connecting 6.405" C/C

3992042..Sleeve, cyl liner (for 430" AL)

I would like to add Camshaft 3994094 to the list. The "399" part numbers must be for the Can-Am program at GM

**Dicky** · #6 01-20-2012, 08:40 PM

I seem to recall that Bill Jenkins favored that block to GM's Zl-1 block....

DH [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

**smallblockhero** · #7 01-21-2012, 01:10 AM

ive read that too dicky. the 430 canam block had a lot more strength in them from what ive read. as far as i know none of the pro stock guys ran REAL deal ZL1 blocks after the first few spit their guts out.

evo · #8 01-24-2012, 03:17 AM

Hello Fellas,
Doug Meyer (no S) here. Those are my pics. I'm a "Corvette guy" now and I originally posted those on Corvette Forum.com.
smallblockhero tracked me down and I gave him permission to use them.
A couple of corrections:
I was not THE engine builder but AN engine builder for the team (no "I" in team ya' know). As I mentioned I was mentored by the great Lee Muir (ex McLaren) who taught me a great deal (and I wasn't too shabby a wrench when he hired me). There were three of us; Lee, Me, and "Stump" Davis.
The picture of the running engine on the dyno is not a Can Am engine,but is a 390 block aircraft engine that Lee and I worked on for about 7 years. It was successful (technically if not financially) and is currently sold as the Trace Engine. (look it up).
The reason Lee and I were chosen to develop that engine was that when Reynold was contacted for engineering they sent the developer to us because only a very few builders had as much knowledge on working with the 390 as we did (and I was a pilot and could fly on the test flights).
Lee Muir know lives in Germany and has done big V-8s over there for the last 35 years.

BTW I need some help- I'm trying to help a friend and I need to get an accurate appraisal on a 2002 GMMG ZL-1 Camaro for a legal matter. Anybody have a suggestion on where to go for that?

**Charley Lillard** · #9 01-24-2012, 04:07 AM

Evo welcome to the site.

**smallblockhero** · #10 01-24-2012, 06:14 AM

awesome doug! glad you stopped by and posted. i know the boys here will field a bunch of questions about your experiences. i know i have enjoyed reading your posts and pics immensely. its priceless information my friend. especially since you were part of my own personal favorite racing team of all time. it must have been amazing to be part of that time. like the saying goes... " When Excess Was Barely Adequate ".

as for the appraisel.. try here: http://www.ls1tech.com