The program was determined, complete with limitations and specific parameters, and a good deal of enthusiasm grew from everyone at Edelbrock-even Vic Jr. got excited. The specific rules were as follows: There'd be no hidden tricks or special parts created only for expensive racing engines. All performance parts had to be available to the general public. Engine machining would be limited to what's attainable by the average enthusiast; no superchargers or turbochargers. And, most importantly, the engine would operate on pump gas (91-octane, no racing fuels). The goal would be to assemble an off-the-shelf parts engine-blending the experience of two pioneers in the business of high performance with the skill of the Edelbrock crew-capable of at least 600 hp. There were those who doubted the possibility of reaching this significantly high amount of horsepower. Despite those skeptics, the project was given a green light.
Robert Jung, a member of the R&D crew at Edelbrock, soon joined Meeks and Joehnck. Jung is also an experienced engine builder in the company's product testing shop. As all three individuals were named Robert, the program's code name soon became "Triple-R," treating all three members equally. Project responsibilities were divided; Meeks and Joehnck would select parts and machine procedures and offer input into the proper combinations, while Jung would perform the necessary assembly. Project Triple-R began with a used cast-iron Chevy block.
The success of any high-performance engine project is critically founded in basic machine work. The engine block, where power is created, provides a sealed container for the crankshaft, pistons, rods, camshaft, valves, and valve lifters. The block must deliver lubrication and coolant through passageways to prevent friction and runaway heat. And the block must withstand millions of powerful explosions. It's obvious why engine builders stress the most accurate machine work on the engine block. Otherwise, the installation of expensive parts and hours of labor could be wasted.
The basic tasks for Triple-R began with an overall inspection for damage. Most engine builders recommend the block be magnafluxed to detect hidden flaws or very fine cracks. Meeks and Joehnck have learned from experience to perform a rather nasty task of ridding the block of casting flash, rough edges, burrs, and sharp projections (which might tear up knuckles); this process also serves to prevent sharp edges from becoming future cracks. These are but a few of the many tricks that even a novice can accomplish; tricks like checking threaded bolt holes in the block to ensure the threads are undamaged. Most thorough engine builders chamfer every hole with a counterbore to help prevent threads from distorting when bolts are tightened.
Another common practice is painting the valley area (below the intake manifold) after the de-burring process to improve oil flow. When these preliminaries were completed the crew moved on to blueprinting the block. The word "blueprinting" is much overused. It implies the builder is machining the engine block surfaces as near-perfect as possible. Blueprinting employs terms like align-boring, honing, deck height, and cylinder boring. Before align-boring the Triple-R block, the stock main bearings were replaced with four-bolt mains from Program Engineering. After align-boring the mains, the camshaft-bearing journals were also align-bored. Next, the team set the block's deck height. The stock 9.025 inches was machined to 9.006 inches, typical for a race- or high-performance engine. To deck a block means that all four corners of the block are measured to the centerline of the mains to determine if the block is square. In the case of the Triple-R block, the head surface was machined for the correct reading. A fixture is used to make certain the block is decked exactly 90 degrees to the centerline of the crankshaft.