Dyno Video: Nelson Racing Makes Power & Beauty With 428ci Windsor

Twin-turbo bullets from Nelson Racing Engines are best known for tearing up dynos and outrageous horsepower, but this sweet Ford 428ci Windsor small-block had to look good, as well.

“Aesthetics were just as important to this owner,” says NRE boss Tom Nelson.

It’s based on a Dart block and features internals familiar to Nelson, such as Callies crank, Oliver rods and custom JE pistons. AFR supplied the CNC-ported cylinder heads. The unique Alien intake with an anteater snout designed by NRE was modified by sandwiching an air-to-water intercooler between the plenum and runners.

“It’s going into a ’32 roadster and there’s just no room for any kind of intercooler,” says . “So that’s why we put the intercooler in the intake. Now there’s nothing blocking the radiator.”

The intake also features twin injectors per cylinder with NRE’s octane-on-demand feature. That fuel system sports twin fuel fuel tanks, one with 91 octane and the other filled with 116 race gas. An Electromotive ECU handles the fuel metering.

“It has a second table set up for the secondary injectors. It reads the same MAP signal, rpm and other inputs,” says Nelson. “The second it starts to get into boost, it turns on another fuel pump and transitions the second injector.”

Boost is generated by a pair of NRE’s unique 72mm mirror-image turbos. The mirror-image turbos are complimented by headers and exhaust pipes that are symmetrical right down to the welds.

“Chad Waite did the exhaust, and his work is really trick. We spent a lot of time laying out the tubes to get that look,” says Nelson, noting there is a plug in the exhaust that allows open headers when desired. “Rudy Martinez also fabricated all the hard lines on the engine out of stainless. He’s real particular about how they look on the engine.”

With 10 pounds of boost the engine pulled 818 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. Add another nine pounds of boost and the Ford responded with 1,142 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and it was still climbing.

“That turbo combination with that motor can go to the 36 pounds, if you want to go nuts,” adds Nelson. “In that car, however, it’s not going to matter to go more.”

About the author

Mike Magda

Mike Magda is a veteran automotive writer with credits in publications such as Racecar Engineering, Hot Rod, Engine Technology International, Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive Testing Technology and Professional Motorsport World.
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