Hi everyone. I took my el camino to the track a few weeks ago and was very dissapointed with my times. I dont have my slips with me, but my best run was approximately as follows:

RT: 5.7x
60': 2.3xx
1/8th: 9.63
MPH: 76
That's with a cast dish piston 355 that has not been decked, PAW 224 duration/465 lift cam, 882 heads, performer rpm intake, 750 edelbrock, 255/60 bfg's, and 3:73's.

I took the engine out and I'm currently in the process of making the following changes:

-461 1.94/1.50 heads w/guide plates & screw in studs. Resurfaced - .010
-Isky Z25 solid cam
-TCI streetfighter 10 inch converter 3000 rpm stall
-MSD 6a box
-Mickey Thompson street radials 275/50

I know the set up is not properly matched and I need more compression to run the Z25 cam. Does it sound like this setup is capable of running a flat 9 or faster?

Thanks,
Francisco

while you have it apart stick some new flat tops in it. I dont have the specs on the isky cam, but an overcammed low compression engine is not the way to go..IMO cam it for the compression ratio you have. I might have a set of old fltatops lyin around...whats the bore?

It's .030 over. I have a set of speed pro L2256 forged pistons but I chose not to install them because I would have to get my assembly balanced. You think I can get away with not balancing it?

You'd need to balance it. The TRW likely weigh a lot different than the cast pistons. Surfacing the heads .010" will reduce the chambers about 1-2/3cc.

The cast pistons most likely have a short pin height which reduces compression and increases quench quite a bit. The forged pistons should help up the CR and improve the quench.