Well I know this is a hard question to answer I am mainly trying to get on the right track.I sent a email to the holley/lunati tech people and all they said was it was going to be hard and they really couldnt tell me what combo to go with.So far I have a 72mdl 454 .030 over with keith black 257 pistons they are suppose to get 10.5to 1 with 118cc heads.And and it has the stock crank.All the machine work has been done,and I also had it balanced.My question is what heads, cam,intake,carb etc.should I go with.Oh I am running a 4speed tranny,and I would like to run no lower than a 3:55 gear since it is going to be drove alot.I am thinking about getting a 9"rear so I can change the gears from hwy,to strip gears pretty easy.Any and all advice will be appreciated. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Nate,
I'd do a search.
There are quite a few 454 combos around here running at or below your target.

Went 11.20 with a 2500 stall auto and 4.56 rear (28" tires)

11.30 with less gear 4.11

I used 781 heads with mild pocket porting and 2.19/1.88 valves.

Dominator Oval port Viktor 1050 Dominator. 2" Headers. 11.2 comp. 238 Streetroller from Crane.

In a stock 69 velle.

I dont Recommend the Dominator though. A performer RPM with a 750/850 will do the job.

11's wont be to hard....it really depends on how much you can afford.......be honest with yourself if moneys not a problem then you can just buy what you want .....but if money is limited then it can be done on a budget using stock heads,used holley and what not....

if money is not a problem then just buy the edelbrock package,alum. heads, cam, intake, carb. and a set of super comp headers 2 1/8" tubes...........now a friend /boss of mine did this same set up.since he didnt have the know how i help put the engine together and do the break in work.....and even recomended the package...lol because i always wanted to buy it and see what it would really do......

he had a 454....(.030) short block rebuilt to stock specs and the replacement pistons(trw) gave him just shy of 10 to 1 with the eldebrock package.now he had money to burn and not alot of knowledge with motors so he just bought the package out of summit.........everything was straight out of the box and bolted on his 454 and he place the motor in a nova (72) with a th400 and 3500 stall and 4.56 gears with the hooker headers and he flat out ran 11.80's then with some timming set up he knocked it down to 11.65 first day out at the track at 116-118 mph. with open headers and 30" slicks..

i myself had to go the poor way .......so i got to see what money could buy(thru my boss)....but i also know how much cheaper my combo was to build verses his and i was only behind 2 tenths and a few mph and i was working with less cubic inches at the time ...i was running a 396 bbc running well into the 11's


i could go more detail on what you need........but i think the basics will get your there.....

-at least 850 double pumper
-victor jr intake..oval
-stock heads 110 cc with 2.19/1.88 valves, porting needs to be done...oval
-roller rockers
-cam in the 250-260 @ .050 range solid
- 2 inch headers

if you can afford a 9" with 2 center sections, then money can't be an issue ;) so getting into the 11s will be easy!

I'd get a set af 049 or 781 heads, a little porting and bigger valves; RPM intake; 750, 850, or 950HP; 1-3/4 headers is all you'd need; and one of Harold's cam's. 288/296 is good to 11.3s in a few vehicles here. Not sure what gears they run, though. Most likely more than 3.55 and if you don't want to be that deep into the 11s you've got room to change things. I think even the cam Gene runs should put a 454 into the high 11s. That's a few steps lower than the 288/296.

If money is no object then there are probably some really nice after market heads out there to get. Not necessary, though.

That's my inexperienced suggestion.

Adendum: The 4 speed and 3.55 gears will be your biggest obstacle. If you've got the money to spend on the Ford 9 and 2 gear sets, do it. Otherwise spend it on a tranny with better gear ratios (or overdrive and a steeper rear gear).

Tim.

With a 4 speed and 3.55's its going to be tough, I'd also use the Edelbrock Perf.RPM air gap intake. I'm running high 11's with a Lunati solid .540/.550 lift range,and stock oval ports with afore mentioned Perf.RPM and 3.73's. I'm going with more cam,more stall,and mild portwork next year,hoping to beat the 11.78 @114.59

I'm running K/B 257s with 781 heads. I have 2.19/1.88 valves and a Crane hyd. roller cam. I have my heads milled to 116cc with zero deck. My cam is 296/304, 234/242@ .050, .610/.632 lift on a 112 lsa. Engine has rpm airgap with an 850 dp. I run 1&3/4 in. headers and 355 gears with a 3000 stall.Engine runs good on pump gas, great power and very streetable. Don't have any time slips though.I think those pistons are rated 10.3:1 in a zero deck 454.

Thanks for the help guys,I dont have alot of money but the way I've been doing it so far is buying one part at a time.I aint rich buy no means,so I do have a budget that will probablly limit me to cast heads with bigger valves and ort work,unless I sell alot af hotchkis parts this winter then maybe I can step up to the aluminum heads.I am going to do a search also to see what I find out,so far though oval port heads seam to be the way to go.Thanks agian,and anymore ideas would be helpfull also. graemlins/beers.gif

Get some 049 or 781 heads put 2.19 1.88 valves in,clean up the ports under the valves just a little bit.Put a good solid cam in somthing like 242/250 with a 108 lsa. Keep the headers under 2inch. My 80 malibu with this combo ran 11.20s at 118 with 4.10 gears and a 3000 stall. I even had a hydraulic cam witch i hate.

Robert is closest to the truth here. It just isn't going to happen without a lot of torque multiplication. A 4 speed and 3.55s wont do it. I'd say you'd be stuck in the 12's at best. Not being rude here, just realistic. IMHO you need something close to 10:1 1st gear ratio or a heckuva lot more cubic inches, i.e. a minimum of a 4.11 gearset, preferably 4.30+.

With a gearbox the only torque multiplication you have is gearing. You have to gear it, again, IMHO.

I agree with L88, I have seen alot of friends pick up by switching to a auto trans. My 70 had a 454 with 219/188 valved 049 heads/3.73gear/air gap/3 inch exh/turbo 400/street fighter and 252/254 solid roller that went 11.59 @115.5mph weighing 3880lbs with driver. I think a smaller solid flat tappet would still be easy to get into the high 11s (probably with a 3.55 gear). I think the converter is more important than the gear.

I am glad you posted this question. I was glad just to get my Chevelle into the 12s. Now, I too am wondering if I could see 11s. There are only a few daily driven street cars that are in the 11s at the track I run at. Based on my limited experience (and budget), It was tough just to break into the 12s. I believe that if I upgrade a few components(bigger carb, larger valves, a real cam) I would definately be close to 11s. If I did some suspension work then to mid 11s. I have a great deal of respect for a low 12 second (highway cruisable) daily driver. But, again I am not a racer.
Best wishes
Milan

I know it will be very hard to do,and I wont get it my first few runs,or probablly even the first season but I am going to keep experimenting till I get it,I think it will be a good goal to set for my self to get it in the 11's with a 4 apeed and 355 gears,The tranny I got was built to handle atleast 500lbs of torque,It was built by the best 4 speed man in east TN.The advntage I do have though is a 3:42 first gear.If it will hold up is my only concern though.Id like to have the cash for a jerico,(maybe next year) :D I know it is going to be very hard,but its not imposible,if the guys on the combo's that work thread isnt lying about there time slips it shouldnt,reall thats what got me to wanting to hit the 11's is seeing the E.T.'s that was in that thread,Before that I was hoping for mid to low 12's.I appreciate all the help and comments even the negative ones,its negativity that makes me reall want to pull it off,I know you all wasnt being rude just honest,and its true It is close to imposible.but if there is any way in the world Im going to do it no matter what.Any more comments will be appeciated also. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I believe it is possible as well. I think the answer will lie in the tuning of the rear suspension setup.
Milan

Nitrous Oxide, best bang for the buck, a 125-150hp shot should put it in the low ellevens with ease I would think.

A 3.42 first gear and 3.55 rear gear is a quite a launch ratio. What are the ratios of the other gears? I thought you were running Muncie ratios.

I've got a 3.04 first gear and 3.42 gears in the rear and I'm going to try for 11s. It's a 5 speed though, so I'll probably have lower ratios in each gear than you would with a 4 speed if your final gear is 1:1.

Tim.

The 3.42 1st is key, crow, I missed that. Look guys, I have a rect port 439 ci tripower motor running 12.20s in cold air, and I havent dropped the clutch at higher than 3200 rpm yet. scared to blow something I guess. But I have NO DOUBT that a 4500+ step off ( assuming it doesnt blow the tires away) will yield 11.99. Now, with an oval port motor, you likely won't see the 118+ mph trap speeds I see, but you should ET better.

Again, missed the VERY important fact that you are using a very low 1st gear. Now you know why the guys in the 60's who were quick ( stick cars)all had ridiculous rear gears 4.56s and HIGHER. Give that 454 10:1 or more and you should 60' and HP enough to dip into the 11s.

They actually know how to tune a chassis too, you'll never get alot of gear and a stick to hook if you dont know how to tune a chassis.

The gears are 342,228,146,100.I wish it was'nt so wid betwen first and second though.I was going to go with rectangle port heads at first but I have ajust about been convinced to go with oval,between reading this thread and other things I've read hear about oval port.% years ago hear everybody in town was giving away oval ports and going to rect.But fo some reason its its the other way around,you still cant get the rect port heads are about the same price but the ovals are just about as high now.I'm going to do some more research on the heads.But I like what Im hearing about the cams,and carbs. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

11 second true street stick cars are just too cool!

Tim, your ride should rock. I can't wait to see it. If not Nashville, then during one of our summer excursions to MA or Lebanon valley.

Crowenate, from memory, Tim and I have something like 3.04, 2.18, 1.65, 1.33, 1.00. Again, from rough memory.

Tim,what's so cool about the gearing is that with 3.31s and the 25.5" BFG DRs, I'm crossing the 1320 stripe at 6600-6700 rpm which is EXACTLY where the motor is ripping tail!

With your 3.42s I would encourage you to use the 275/60/15 size BFG DRF or equivalent, i.e. 27.75" tall tire. But dont be afraid to rpm it a bit. Oh, I can't powershift 5th well, so be mindful of that.

I'm stepping off the clutch and have no spin , YET.( with soft launches and 60' times) This is with a modestly prepped rear suspension, solid Hotchkis uppers, boxed lowers ( from racer1320), sway bar, KYBs , one airbag, and relatively stiff springs. Only running 15 or so psi in them DRs and they seem to be holding the power, although powershifting the 1/2 shift will often break them loose for a few turns.

I should think well prepped ovals will outperform my heads, which are not the best design ( but SHINY!). The 276/84 UD/Lunati cam is PERFECT for this lil 439ci. If it was a 454 with ovals, I *might* bump it up just a bit though.

Yeah, y'all know that I'm not a big ego guy, I just as soon see all you all get your 11s before me, and HOPE I can join the club soon too!( think its only a few HARD launches away).

Curious to see how the oval heads work in this application. Launching a stick car seems a bit diffrerent than an auto, the torque heavy oval port type combination may or may not be optimal. I don't know. Heck, haven't even launhed the car "properly" yet , i.e., 4700 rpm and DROP. So far, the stick cars built that way here are mid 12's. I ran 12.7 with 2/3 throttle. Kenny Jett ran a full second faster with his Canfields ( and a full second faster yet with an auto and solid roller!)

Simply put, dont be afraid of some rpms.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, GET YOUR 11's GENTLEMEN! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Buy a budget set of new Canfields {make sure you check ebay for some very good deals on new}. Go to www.canfieldheads.com (http://www.canfieldheads.com) to have a look, and then to www.competitionproducts.com (http://www.competitionproducts.com) for a competitive price, then to ebay to beat the price. If you find yourself faltering, email me for inspiration.

If you are going to use the 4spd stick with big port heads. I am assuming you are using a 3.42 low ST-10 unless it has some sort of an aftermarket gear set it will die sooner or later. It can be done with a 4spd but breakage gets to be a real problem. Years ago I put a 4000lb 55 Chev in the tens at 128 and some change with not much of a 427 but the breakage got so bad that I built a 3000lb car with a 400 turbo because it was so much easier.

Don't get your hopes up for me yet, Gene. It's not an 11 second car by any means. smile.gif

That's my goal. The motor isn't set up for it yet, let alone the suspension (or my ability, for that matter).

Our Richmond's gears are 3.04, 2.13, 1.57, 1.23, and 1.

I have a set of Hoosiers that are 29" tall. Don't know if I want 'em shorter or not but I'll find out next season. Gotta start the testing with something. Next year I'll get as much track time in as I can then decide on a cam. After that, tune towards the 11s and see what happens.

Tim.