Well guys, enough screwing around. Dumping the "beef up the smaller motor and run it home idea". Just ordered an all forged 496 assembly from Mike. Can't wait to get this together. This will be what you call a clean off the shelf of accumulated parts, put it together and size up a cam to make it work.

496 - 10.0/1 CR
Merlin 310 Rec ports 2.19/1.88
Vintage C427X int w/ open plenum
Holley 770 Vac Sec or 850DP (needs going over)
1.75 Hedmans
3.73's
T400 w/ 3000 Stall
Major upgrade to some real tires!

For simplicity and maintenance going to stay hydraulic - probably flat tappet. Looking at a couple of larger Isky grinds. 292/298, 242/252, .573/.573 on 112LSA or the larger 296/304, 246/248, .602/.595 on 112LSA. I do still have the Comp 854 Hyd rollers, so a Hyd roller cam is not out of the question, but I kind of like the idea of being able to spin the 496 on occasion and having a lite wt, low spring pressure valvetrain.

Oh and by the way - if anyone can use them, I have the TRW L2399-060's hung on truck rods w/ ARP Wavelock Pro bolts that I will not be using now - $250.00 for the set.

smile.gif graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Got a rollcage??????

( watch that C427X, might want to fit a Weiand divider plate in - made a HUGE diff in the L88)

427L88,

Did you start your 496 build yet?

I was looking at every possible option including the a ZZ502 shortblock just so I could use the parts I have accumulated. After a couple of half hearted attempts to sell off what I had, I have realized it is far easier, quicker and cheaper to get a short block assembled to work with the parts I have. A couple of conversations and some emails with Mike (Wolfplace) and we are well on the way.

One big advantage that I had not payed attention to before is just how light the rotating assembly becomes on the stroker motor. I know we have all discussed piston speed with the longer stroke before. But the pistons are close to 200 grams lighter each. Rods are H-Beam, 7/16" cap screw rods. Only real issue left to decide is "how much cam". Ideally I would like the motor to have no more than what I would call "fair idle" - which to me means idles at 850 with about 11 - 12" Hg. w/ just enough lope to know that there's something other than stock under the hood and what I assume (wrong thing to do I know) will be an RPM range up to 6K or better.

And no - there is no rollcage in the plans. Driveshaft loop definitely, suspension mods definitely, but no cage.

He, He!!

Look's like a great motor coming your way shortly..

How much power is it gonna make guy's?? 600hp??

pdq67

I wasn't shooting for anything even close to 600. I just figured I would do the bigger inch motor and run it easy, keep it to around 500HP and be real streetable. It was Mike's idea to go the extra and do it the right way "just in case" as he said. That's one of the reasons I am considering staying with the flat tappet hydraulic. Unforetunately, I am one of those people that is often not content just knowing the power is right there, sometimes I am inclined to have to make sure!

We'll see, we have a month or so before I have to make the decision on the cam.

Originally posted by GRN69CHV:
I wasn't shooting for anything even close to 600. I just figured I would do the bigger inch motor and run it easy, keep it to around 500HP and be real streetable. It was Mike's idea to go the extra and do it the right way "just in case" as he said. That's one of the reasons I am considering staying with the flat tappet hydraulic. Unforetunately, I am one of those people that is often not content just knowing the power is right there, sometimes I am inclined to have to make sure!

We'll see, we have a month or so before I have to make the decision on the cam. Hey Joe,,,,,,
Which plug wires are you going to leave off to keep it at 500HP :D

Did you recieve my email today?

Put a similar sized solid lifter cam in it and bet over 600 hp will come easy to you..

What do you think Mike, 640hp or so??

pdq67

Hope your gonna pull some drag radials off that shelf!

What are L2399's for those of us who don't store hundreds of Federal Mogul part numbers in our heads? See, I'm 49, and anything new I have to learn, and something old leaks out of my brain. Very messy.

Originally posted by pdq67:
Put a similar sized solid lifter cam in it and bet over 600 hp will come easy to you..

What do you think Mike, 640hp or so??

pdq67 With a reasonable cam like the 242/252 hyd or an equivalent solid I'd think an honest 550-575 at about 5800 & a torque curve of over 500 from somewhere around 26-2800 to 550+ at about 4500 depending on intake & carb.

GRN, you have email.

TRW L2399 -060 for 454 : 4.310 Bore, stock 6.135 rod, .095 Dome (13.8CC) forged piston. Stock replacement for '71 LS6 motor 9.0/1 with 118 CC head, but also fits closed chamber heads (10.25/1 w/ 104CC head).

PS : Don't sweat the numbers thing. I'm 47, can remember numbers, parts, specs, names and faces like no one else. Just don't ask me what I had for breakfast!

pdq, 640 horse with those merlin heads and a hydraulic cam aint happenin, i expect about 550hp with 600tq, very nice street motor. i assume you already have the heads, if not consider going with different aftermarkets, or some GM ovals. but if you already have them, go for it!

Already have the Merlin Recs. Bought them last year - new in the boxes for $800.00/set complete. Hydraulic cam is by choice. Want to run the factory AC and it is almost impossible to work on the valvetrain on the number 6&8 cylinders with the factory Evaporator housing. I could go hyd. roller for a little HP but a lot of torque gain, but think I will already have more than enough torque. We will see how it runs. Doing the smart thing though and taking Mike's advice to build a stout lower end "just in case". But considering I am going from a 400HP/440FT-LB torque 408 motor to something around 550HP/550 - 600FT LB torque, that is a huge jump.

Thought I would share an update with everyone and one heck of a lesson. I had went ahead and was acquiring a rotating assembly from Wolfplace - that's the easy and reliable part. The block I had stored in the garage from last year looked good and was supposed to have been mag'd when I got it. Being a somewhat anal retentive individual, I had the machine shop here in West Chester do a thorough mag - interior and exterior. This block is a '78 289 casting, std deck and std bore with no signs of any abuse or excess wear. Hairline crack about 3" long discovered at the middle freeze plug running towards the engine mount pad. This was completely invisible and would have gone undetected except for the mag particle inspection. The question is would it leak or not, I am not one to take a chance, my luck it would have. Foretunately, I founf out there is a company here in West Chester that does specialized welding including cast iron, and hardfacing and should be able to perform the repair. Hopefully it will get done before the owner closes up for 2 weeks for vac..

Moral - mag particle inspection for the entire block was around 100.00. I can just imagine building this, having it running well and the chassis all tuned in just to have the undetected crack grow until it lets loose - my luck, right at the line!

So for now, the 496 is on hold - this sucks big time!

:(

A good friend of mine had a similar crack in his Mopar 440 block, the crack was in the center of the water jacket on the outside of the block. He brazed it up about 6 years ago, he pounds the livin hell out of it and it's still going strong!