I'm just curious how fast I could expect my SS to run when I get it done. The engine is what I got with my wagon, and going in the SS as is except the intake.

'69 Chevelle SS, all steel

427 cu. in. (454 block, forged 396 crank)
Solid lifter cam (unknown size, supposed to be radical I guess)
L78/L72 Rectangle port closed chamber heads (unknown valve sizes, possibly stock)
L72 replacement TRW forged pistons 11+ :1 compression
Performer RPM air gap intake (this is what I'm putting on)
Holley 850 double-pumper (came with engine)

Headers (ones I got were 2 1/8" tubes for '55-57 chevy... way huge, so I'll go with smaller ones, open to suggestions

Flowmaster 2.5" "american thunder" system

4-speed... havent decided close ratio or wide yet... probably wide because of my rear-gear.

12-bolt 3.31 gear with aftermarket posi

SSM lift bars, rear sway bar, shocks open to suggestion

275-60-15 BFG Drag Radials

I'm hoping for mid 12s assuming I can drive the thing. Does that sound possible? I think the high-rpm power band and my highway gears make for a very limiting combo but I don't have a lot of money to throw at this thing, so I'm just going to put a posi in the rear I have.

Just want to know if I'm living in a dream-world hoping to be solidly into the 12s graemlins/clonk.gif Looking forward to hearing from those who know way more than I do smile.gif

Get a Mean Gene "little red car" cam,and 3" exhaust, 1 3/4-1 7/8's headers.

I would look for a T10 4 speed with a 2.88 1st gear if you're going to run 3.31's (1st gear would be the same an an M20/4.10 combo) and forget about using street tires too (at least at the track)
Gene's solid cam or the 288/296 UD/Lunati hydraulic would work well.
Its difficult to predict what your combo would ET at,especially without knowing the cam specs.Mid/high 13's with traction issues..who knows?

I'm going to guess a low 13 high 12.
Its gonna be tough to get those highway gears and tall tires, off the line without a bog, or spin.

If you had lower gears I'd say easy into the mid 12s.

I'd expect you to be faster than my 68 due to more power than my 396 but that sounds like a harder combination, to launch than mine.
And my 60 foot times are 2.2 sec. redface.gif

But then, I've got the Super T-10 and 4.10 gears so I might be shifting before the 60 ft light.

Gotta agree with Bob, with that setup you don't want a big cam. Have the pistons flycut down to lower compression to 10:1 ( they'll have to measure your cylinder chambers AND I do think the heavy TRWs will allow a little dome cutting - they shouldn't be hollow dome ), choose the deepest 1st gear you can ( ST10 is an excellent recomendation, but an M20 would be OK), and pick a 'smallish' cam.

Even my 'small' cam ( 243/251@.050/.600 lift)is too big for that setup unless you'll be running much more gear.

I'd say 10:1 compression and a milder hydraulic cam ( the Lunati 302A7 comes to mind )smaller headers, would make a world of difference in the driveability, and would most likely ET much faster.

IMHo, the worst thing is to have a rumpity-rump cam and barely run a 13, which is what a mismatched combo will do. All 'show' and no go.

Spend the $99 on the small Summit headers if money is tight. Those 2.125" are way too big, even 2" in a 427 is only good for 5000-8000 rpm.

Lastly, you want to get the right cam in there, and degree it well advanced to keep the intake velocities as high as you can with the big port heads. Again the 302A7 or old Ultradyne 280/88 would be a fine choice.

IF you;re stuck on 11:1, I do have an old Crane solid cam, their commander 304F which is in good shape, but needs lifters. The reason I bring it up is that this cam will control 11:1 to some extent, reason being is the 114 lsa. I think I would still like to see you cut , oh, .050" off those domes.

Do you have access to a Bridgeport? Would you be willing to spend $200 on balancing?

I do have a pair of Open chamber "049" ovals which I believe will drop my compression to 10.5 or so :confused: but I don't want to spend the $800+ to have them rebuilt just yet. graemlins/clonk.gif Of course, it'd probably save me that much in race-gas the first summer smile.gif

I don't have very deep pockets, and have 2 other cars that need some things too, so this is the last on the list of where my very limited extra funds will go.

It may be a couple years before I get the body-work done (doing that first, I can do most of it without spending much money).

I'm now considering the Super T-10. It would be a lower cost alternative to the new super-case Muncie I've been wanting.

Thanks guys! Maybe a pair of 26" slicks would be a good idea for at the track.

Bought the BFG 275/50/15 slicks, they're about 9.5" and 25.5" high, specifically for use with an M20 and 3.31s.

I am running a similar set-up. 1969 full steel car. 454 with a 288 Comp hydraulic, 9.6:1, oval port head w/2:19 valves, 1-7/8 headers, RPM intake (no Air Gap), Holley 850 DP, TH400 with 3:31 gears and 28" MT Streets. I made 3 passes last Fall into the wind with a best of 11.95 at 113. Just swapped in a TH350 with the same combo and have yet to see the difference. I would think you'd run similar depending on cam.