THE COMBO
As originally built back in 2006, this 1969 Plymouth Road Runner clone was powered by a thumping 11.3:1, Chrysler 440-based engine, bored 0.040-over, and equipped with a 4.15-inch-stroke crank to yield 496 ci. Since then, the engine had been refreshed at least once before present owner Ray Lane got his hands on it in 2012. The Plymouth had laid dormant for several years with a reputation for breaking rocker arms, an annoyance that persisted under Lane’s stewardship.
Enter Chicago-area rescuer, Westech Automotive’s Norm Brandes. Initially, Brandes thought it was a random, old-age-related problem: Like highly stressed aluminum connecting rods, aluminum rockers have a finite fatigue life. Explains Brandes, “I thought the rockers were just cycled out.” He replaced the original shaft-mount valvetrain with Dave Hughes shafts, rockers, spacers…