Product Review

V8 Rail

Likes:

• Very stable. Car feels very balanced. Car is almost exactly 50% front to 50 % rear weight (I have weighed it). Most of the weight (3100 lbs.) is in between the axles.

• Feel very safe (cross bracing, etc.)

• Manumatic setup for the transmission is very easy and fun. Don't have to worry about a weak transaxle.

• Cornering - Turn the wheel and hit the gas.  It goes where you point. Power slide turns are fun too.

Dislikes:

• Customer support from V8 Rail is almost non-existent.  They never answer their phone.  Rarely answer emails. Won't help solve legitimate problems with their product.

• Wait time for delivery was ridiculous. Quoted 6 months by V8 Rail.  Build took 18 months. They habitually over-promise.

• Radiator is undersized for application - Afco 80127ND – 19” x 24” x 2" thick. It was delivered with a single 16" 2360 CFM fan - it was supposed to be delivered with a 4000 CFM fan from a Mark VII. I upgraded to a 3000 CFM fan made by Spal (at my expense). I talked to Afco and Ron Davis about options for more cooling capacity.  Both said that the radiator I had was not sufficient to cool a 500 HP V8. Neither could offer suggestions given the space constraint. 

Undersized 19" x 24" Afco Radiator

• Transmission cooler and engine oil coolers as delivered were undersized. As the sole source of cooling for a heavy sand car with a TH400, the 11 1/2" x 11 1/2 inch Long cooler is too small. I upgraded to a PWR oil cooler with integrated shroud and fan (at my expense).

Original Long transmission cooler on left.  Upgraded PWR cooler on right.

Original cooler installed in car.

• Shock valving is not set up to handle whoops. I paid King Shocks to revalve them.

• No fuel gauge and you can't see how much fuel is in the cell.

• Car was supposed to be delivered with a TH350.  I got a TH400.

• Car delivered without Park working in transmission.

• CV's bind at full droop, and there is no provision for limit straps.

Car jacked up to check CVs at full droop. Too much CV angle causes CV to bind.

• Rear suspension/driveline needs help.  Stub axle can easily work it's way loose.  CV flanges don't allow for enough axle plunge. 

CV Flange doesn't allow for enough axle plunge.  Even though the axle still has plunge at all times, it beats on the head of the bolt holding the CV flange in place.  The flange is not designed with enough clearance.  

Old vs. new - bolt holding CV flange in place is mushroomed by axle plunge. The bolt on the outside CV flange broke off in the middle of Glamis and took out my CV. The top bolt shown in the picture is probably in the best condition of all the rest.

Washer used to hold CV flange to stub axle or differential output shaft.  Material is too thin and bends under torque. In my case, this bolt was loose once I got the CV off.  No evidence of Loctite. The loose bolt was causing the CV flange to move which in turn caused the brake caliper to drag on the rotor.

V8 Rail Rear hub assembly showing set screw used to "hold" stub axle in place.

V8 Rail Rear upright. Stub axle slides in here and is "held" in place by set screw shown above.

V8 Rail Stub axle. Parts are all designed for circle track racing with very little travel.

More typical off-road micro-stub axles have a much deeper dish, and are all one piece so there isn't a bolt to get hammered by the axle.

CV Flange is made of lightweight aluminum that is easily damaged when a CV breaks.

More

• More details and responses from V8 Rail

• Pulling The Engine

• Overheating

• Diary of a V8 Rail Order - 19 months of excuses

Chassis Specs:

• Built & assembled by V8 Rail

• 2 1/2"  King Bypass shocks & two tube bypass on each corner

• Rear inboard brakes

• Sweet Power Steering with Coleman rack

• Full Floater IRS rear end

• Speedway Engineering IRS Quick Change Rear End 

• ATL Racing fuel cell with internal surge tank

• 934 CVs

• Tilton pedal assembly with AFCO master cylinder

• Front sway bar

• AFCO aluminum radiator

• PWR oil coolers - transmission & engine (came originally with Long coolers)

• PRP Seats

• Crow seat belts

Engine Specs:

• Built by Top of the Hill Performance Center in Livermore, CA 

• Dart aluminum race block with 4.168" bore (410 cid)

• 3.875 stroke 4130 Eagle forged steel crank

• 6" 4340 Eagle rods and forged JE pistons (10.16:1 Final Compression Ratio)

• Dart Pro-1 Aluminum Heads (ported) - 66cc final chamber volume

• Stainless roller rockers

• Manley 4130 heat treated pushrods

• Fuel Injection - Accel DFI Gen. VII (dyno tuned by Autotrend)

• 91 octane

Transmission:

• Full manual Turbo 400 Transmission w/ 10" race convertor - FB Performance 

Conclusion:

Stay away from V8 Rail.  They have a decent concept, but fail miserably when it comes to customer service and product delivery. Expect grossly underestimated delivery schedule and excuses about customers who drive bad or don't pay their bills.  Be wary of their lies and do your homework.

Manufacturer Contact Info:

V8Rail
PO Box 1601
Ash Fork, AZ 86320

Email: info@v8rail.com
Phone: 877-318-1416

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