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After teething troubles with valvetrain parts
sourced from third party suppliers were resolved (by redesigning
and manufacturing those components themselves, of course)
the team started reliably running into the 5.1 zone with
a 5.161 at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland in January of
2004, then a 5.112 in February at the opening of Western
Sydney International Dragway, all in a car 300 lbs overweight.
Of great assistance was Gulf Western Oils coming onboard
as a major sponsor providing necessary funds for the team
to continue the rapid development, as well as ongoing support
from existing sponsor Speed Flow.
With the move to a lighter chassis a 5.054/293.35
at Willowbank on January 1, 2005 showed the team was on the
right path. The big step up came later the same month at
Quit Motorplex in Western Australia, a track renowned for
world record performances. With
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some further refinements
in the tune-up area their second qualifier saw the Sainty
team smash into the 4-second zone with a 4.873/298.01 blast
that left no doubt in anyone’s mind that the BTV had
arrived as a serious nitro power plant. The fastest hemi
at the meet was Darren Morgan in an ex Alan Johnson car with
a 4.804/314.68.
The Sainty motor itself is very economical
to run compared to a hemi. Manifold to pan they cost a customer
around the A$50,000 mark (around US$38,500) and they survive
the rigours of nitro racing with ease. In fact, neither Top
Fuel team running a Sainty motor in Australia has lot a bottom
end, and the Sainty team still has every major component
ever made in serviceable condition which is quite a feat
in today’s era of disposable engine nitro racing. Stan
is proud to say they have never even torn a main out, a common
hemi problem. Consumables such as pistons and rings last
similar rates to a hemi, but rods will take 20-30 passes
a set with relative ease. For good measure the entire
motor is O-ringed thereby eliminating gaskets altogether. Stan
Sainty is quick to point out, though, that they are not really
setup to mass-produce motors and can only really supply a
handful of other teams.
 Progress has been very rapid in recent years,
and the third generation motor is already on the drawing
board. This features a stronger one piece block with revised
oiling, revised port profiles and smaller 12mm plugs along
with numerous other detail changes to improve reliability
and performance. The Sainty team is also soon to debut an
Alcohol Funny Car running a PSI topped Sainty motor in order
to “have a good go” at running one on alcohol,
where it should survive the high-rpm usage with little trouble.
With the near ubiquitous use of BAE Hemi’s in the Australian
Top Alcohol and Top Doorslammer ranks, once sorted the Sainty
engine could prove a popular choice given the high cost of
importing components on a regular basis from the USA.
| Sainty
Speed Works can be contacted at: |
14 Hill Street
Wentworthville NSW 2145 Australia
Ph +61 2 9636 4822
Email: saintyspeedworks@bigpond.com |
Recently some NHRA tour regulars visiting Australia
for the Australian Nationals commented that the Sainty engine
would be running 4.4’s within 40 laps in the hands
of a top US tuner. Although the current 4.8 mark might seem
slow compared to the 4.4’s regularly seen on the NHRA
trail, you really have to compare it to the ANDRA TF records
which stand at 4.75/321.96, held by none other than Andrew
and John Cowin. Further hampering performances are the lack
of racing opportunities (the 2004-2005 ANDRA season has only
eight Top Fuel rounds with an eight-car field), limited sponsorship
and the high cost of imported components and consumables
(like nitro, tires etc). No doubt though the Sainty’s
ongoing development will see them run into the mid to high
4’s on a regular basis in the not too distant future.
And doing so far more economically and reliably than following
the well-worn path NHRA has chosen.
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