I thought it was maybe a time for an update on the lil rats replacement. A factory 454 4 bolt block was found as well as a factory steel 454 crank. Both are now at the machine shop and have been cleaned. They will be magnafluxed next week and the block will be sonic checked.

Most of the parts have finally been chosen and the calculated compression ratio determined.

One of the most challenging decisions was the cam choice. It will remain a solid roller. After speaking with several sources for cam choices, I was not satisfied with their recomendations. I took it upon myself to choose the grind this time, one which I think fits the bill pretty well. We'll have to wait and see.

My machinist tells me I'm looking at about two months to get the parts all machined and ready for pickup. Once that happens, I can begin the assembly process.

Still a few small decisions to be made, but it looks like the pieces of the puzzle are coming together combination wise.

Stay tuned and I'll post more in the next few weeks as the machine work progresses.

Todd, which rods did you decide to use? Nice to hear its coming together.

Hey John,

I'll post all the chosen components.

- GM 454 4 bolt block, 1990 date code.
- GM LS7 454 steel crank std/std
- Eagle H-beam rods, 6.535" long, L19 bolt upgrade
- JE (not the SRP's) dome pistons, 50cc dome, skirts to be friction coated and the domes coated with a nitrous thermal coating
- Speed-Pro plasma moly file fit rings (not sure if we'll use low tension or now with the vacuum pump setup)
- Clevite 77 "H" series bearings
- bock will be decked with the pistons .010" down in the hole
- final compression ratio calculated out to be 13.24 to 1
- cam specs top secret :D
- Isky Red Zone roller lifters
- valve springs to be upgraded as well...may send out for Cryogenic treatment
- new ATI external balance dampner
- new sfi external balance flexplate...brand to be determined

Don't know just yet how far down in the low 10's this will get me, but a conservative number for the new bullet is 650 hp & 600 ft/lb of torque. Sure is gonna be a big difference from the previous "low torque" 414 lil rat.

graemlins/thumbsup.gif Looks like about a .4/4mph improvement over the old setup to me. Keep us posted as it comes together.

Todd,

I am surprised you didn't go 475CI with a real large bore and stay with the short 3.76 stroke to work with chassis setup, coming off the 414CI. Aren't you running one of the later model Malibu's? Have you considered going to a Glide with the new motor?

Originally posted by JOHN WILSON:
Todd, which rods did you decide to use? That was the first thing I thought too.
No Aluminum this time....

Todd,

Good to hear you are making some progress on the new combo. I think 650HP/600 lb-ft should be a pretty realistic goal. Are you planning on running your current heads as is, or are you having some additional port work done (or looking at something else)?

Just a quick update.

I heard back from the machine shop this morning and the block & crank cleaned up real nice and both magnafluxed fine. That was a relief. Now we just have to get the machining process started. He's telling me it could be almost two months with the amount of work he has in the shop.

I also dropped off the converter to ATI this past Monday. It needed tightening up and reconfigured to match the larger cubes, longer stroke and more compression of the new engine combination. Should be able to pick the converter up next week.

Really looking forward to getting the assembly process started. I'm gonna have my dad over (he's now retired) and have him work with me on assembling the engine. He's never done this kind of thing and I thought it would be neat to spend time together and also teach him a little of what I know about race engine assembly as he sure has taught me alot over my 35 years;)

Plus it'll give me an idea of what I'm in for as were gonna work together on restoring his '63 Impala SS sometime in the near future. He's the original owner and there's alot of good memories as a boy riding in that car. He's also got two other cars he wants me to restore, but were gonna have to limit it to one at a time :eek:

Keep us posted, Todd. In a round-about way our combos are similar. I just couldn't fork over the big dollars for a roller cam...

I noticed that too Sean...very close indeed.

Let's see whos is quicker come spring ;) :D

Happy New Year everyone!

I'll take second place. Life's short. smile.gif

Todd, can you comment on what it's gonna cost to have your converter redone? My 8" is flashing to ~5300 from a 20mph roll in 3rd right now. With the new combo I'm sure I'm gonna need somewhere around 58-6000. The new combo should push the stall up some but I'm not sure how much.

John,

I just don't know right now. I was told a while back it was "around $300" depending on if any internal parts were worn or needed replacing.

A good friend called last night an informed me ATI had an ad on the back of National Dragster advertising converter freshening for $100 plus $50 for a stall change. Will hopefully know the price sometime this week and will gladly pass that info along and also what they felt needed replacing. Charlie was planning on keeping the current stator and simply changing the stall by altering the fin angle and the stacking internal clearance dimensions. If that hold true, then the cost should be a bit less as the stator shouldn't add into the cost of the re-stall.

John/Todd,

When I trashed my transmission back in 2002, I sent my converter in to ATI to be inspected and the stall changed. From what I remember, it was that "around $300" figure.

Todd, why the L19's? I know they are strong, but don't you have to wear gloves when handling those things? Something about skin oil and corrosion if I remember correctly.
Other than that,...sounds like a fun/interesting project. Glad you found a block. 2 months isn't bad around these parts. I'd take that. My block has been at the machinist since May! :mad:
He has my crank/pistons/rods and is supposedly doing the finish hone to size each cylinder this week so I bring the darn thing home. I need some more of this unusal mild weather. Can't be hosing off a fresh block in the driveway when it's 10 degress out. I hope he gets it done.
Good luck with your new build! Maybe you will change your name to 9secBu. :D

Tis nice to be in Missouri,drop the block,crank and heads off end of oct,first of nov.,less than tow months and she'll fire up today as soon as I get motivated :D

Sure Bob,....rub it in a little more ;)
Get your headers to fit yet? tongue.gif :D

Just another quick update.

I dropped the heads off to the machine shop yesterday. They will be cleaned, have the guides checked for any wear, valve job touched up if needed, and new seals and roller springs installed. I also am having 2.25" intake valves installed which my machinist was a bit apprehensive about. I'm looking at is as an experiment and suggested we flow one cylinder with the current valves and again once the larger intakes were installed.

Oh yea, some minor chamber unshrouding may be done as well once the valves are in and the pistons are here to fit the domes (large 50cc dome).

The reason he's apprehensive is a friend runs a FE Ford and he had our machinist install large valves and it actually slowed the car down. He's had that happen on a couple occassions which makes him leary of putting too large of a valve in.

Will post the results once the heads are done.

One last note...I called ATI and the converter is done and ready for pickup. I'll be dropping by this afternoon to bring it home. The cost for the stall change/freshening was $149. I had a good friend tell me that ATI ran an ad in National Dragster with a winter converter freshening special of $99, plus $50 for a minor stall change. Good deal graemlins/thumbsup.gif .

Probably will be a little slow for a while till the machine shop gets the parts ordered in and gets going with the machine work.

It would be interesting to see what the difference in flow would be, based on the size difference in the valves.

The Ford is very bore limited. Even the 427 only has a 4.23" bore and the 428 is 4.13", about the size of a big small block Chevy. Anyone who is contemplating boring out a 390 cubic inch FE from 4.05 to 4.13, forget it. I had one that i never ran which was done by a local "Ford FE" specialist that was bored using a supposedly thicker block and the fella i sold it to for half of what i had in had two cylinders collapsed after a few races. About 12-15 runs. I'm staying away from them altogether.