Hey,
Just wanted to see what people think about my first, built from scratch engine. Im only 20 years old, go to school full-time and work part-time, so this is a real budget engine build.

My dad and I did all the parts selection, tear down, clearancing, assm...everything, except the machine work.

here is what im running:

72' 350 block
.020 over-honed for moly rings
Zero decked W/ .028" head gasket(nice tight quench)
11-1 static 8.3-1 dynamic
Scat 9000 3.75" crank
G.M. 5.7" rods
K/B sil-o-lite F/T single vlave relief
Dart iron eagle-180 cc runners, 64 cc chambers 2.02/1.60...bowl port, radius valve job, valve profile.
Howards custom ground solid roller- 260/264 @.050, .620/.630 lift, 109 L/C W/ 6* adv.(int. 103*) small base circle, 2 piece core
crane solid roller lifters
Comp pro series pushrods
1.5-1 roller rockers
Victor Jr.
750 double pumper(milled choke horn, usual tricks)
MSD 6A HEI system
1 5/8" headers, 2.5" exh. Flowmaster 40 series
clutch fan(for now)


Th350
TCI Reverse pattern valve body
TCI Streetfighter 10" converter

12 bolt with G.M. 3 series posi carrier
Strange posi gears
Mosier axles
Richmond 4.10 r/p
ssm Lowers- boxed uppers with poly bushings
KYB gas shocks
M/T e.t. streets 26x10.5x15

72' chevelle, all steel, full weight, full interior.
Never trailord and dont plan on it. I love winnning some races, and seeing people pulling their cars back onto the trailors and I just stick my air cleaner on and drive home.

so far, I have had it running for about 5 weeks or so, and we just started tuning some stuff and the track closed for the winter...so right now my best time is a

7.67 @ 89 mph with a 1.74 60'(about 11.93 1/4)

I am looking for some wider slicks right now, so we can work on my 60'. It still spinning off the line.
I know it will do at least a 1.65 60' if I could get a good hook.

The engine revs up soooo fast compared to my old flat tappet hyd. 350!

I have alot of things I want to try for instance...
4.56 gear
aluminum wheels
electric fans
wider slicks
alot more enigne tuning
better converter

and thats just a few big things off the top of my head!haha

were just waiting for the track to open back up so I can go run some more.

I dont see any reason I wont be able to get some 7.5's...if not better!

What do yall think?????

it is my humble opinion that your cam is pretty radical and could use some bigger,better breathing heads,but the gurus of custom cam-grinding know a heckuvalot more than me.some of your present and future combo upgrades are similar to what i have but i went with the iron eagle 215's,super victor intake and a 4000 stall.i'm sure you will get plenty of good advice on this board.

is that a typo?? .028 quench?

Mark,

On a similar combo, in a similar car ;) I picked up 3 MPH in the 1/8th switching from 2-1/2" exhaust with Flowmasters to 3" exhaust with Flowmasters. However I did have a little bigger heads and 4.56 gears which may have contributed a little bit.

Other than the items you already mentioned, you may consider having the heads ported. While the Dart Iron Eagles are a good head, there is a lot of room for improvement from out of the box form. Should be an easy 30+ HP there. I'd make all of your other changes and get the car to hook first though.

hey,
No, the .028" is not a typo.
I thought "well, im pushing it on everything else, might as well build it the way I want it"
I talked to Pat kelley, and decieded I would at least give it a try.
almost everybody I talked to said it wouldnt work, but I had to atleast try.
The temp doesnt go over 180* and I have cranked the timing up and drove it around and cant get it to ping. Im not running any vac. adv.

The cam, which at first sounds too big, really isnt. With my compression, it is perfect. It pulls great from 3300-6500(higher if I had money for bigger heads), and the lift minus the valve lash is around .600"(the heads dont flow any better at that lift than .500", but I have room for growth, exactly what I need)

As far as heads go, I had them from my 350. I couldnt afford a full port job, or a different set. But when I start running some 7.5's on "small, unported" heads, I'll be sorta proud, haha.


I could use some more stall, but I dont have 700$ for a better converter. So, right now, i'll have to stick with my 10" streetfighter, that flashes to about 3600 with this engine in this heavy car, and my engine really starts making power about 3300.

I sure could use some more opinions/thoughts of how to get it fast. thanks for the replies so far, THANKS
talk to ya later, mark

.028....thats way cool. Did you have any problems with piston to valve clearance?

Valve clearance isn't usually a problem with a very tight quench. After all that only .007" tighter than the normally recommended .035" min (and KBs have big pockets). I inadvertantly ran .021" quench and found out that is too close. The pistons kissed the heads by about .002. I feel an engine could be run at .024-.025" and not have a collision, P/H wise. But in reality, I'd only do it on an engine that is regulary torn down. .028" should be OK with a tight fitting piston like the KB. A looser piston with more rock could require more.

I agree the heads are limiting the engine. I run 200cc heads on my 350, but I take it to 7000. IMHO, a 380 should have, at least, 200cc ports and with the cam in this engine, maybe more.

Glad to see the motor is working well. There may be some more tuning in the chassis that will help the launch before going to bigger tires. It's always best the use the smallest tire that will do the job. Big tires add more drag down the track and could slow you down (they're pretty much only along for the ride once you launch). I'd think 10.5" tires are wide enough to get 1.6, or better, 60's. More converter would help the 60's and save on drag down the track.

Hey Mark,

Glad to hear the motor is working out better this time around. I felt bad for you with all the trouble you had with the 350. Sounds like it's making some good power - congrats! What are you running for octane and timing?

My first thought was a better set of heads also.
I'm running a similar combination. With a 4.56 gear and a 10" wide 28" tall slick I go thru the traps at 7,000 RPM. The times in my sig are with a 3.90 gear and a 10 " slick that hooks the car.
I'm also running a 4800 stall Coan 8" convertor. Foot brake and launch off idle.
Sounds like your havin some fun, :cool: Nice that your dad's involved.

Hey,
I had no problems with piston to valve clearance.
I also made sure the piston was not too loose in the bore, to make sure it didnt rock too much and hit the head.

I have had the 180's for about 2 years now, and can not afford another set of heads. Hell, it took me a year to save for those when I was 17-18.
If I had the money, yeah, a bigger set would help, but we'll see what I can do with these. They still blow away any G.M. head, and most aftermarket heads in the 180 cc runner range.

I run 93 octane, and have the timing at about 12-14. Like I said, I have just started tuning it, so havent had much time to experiment.

And on the tires, the 26x10.5x15 are ONLY 8.3" wide. they just buckle and try to rip apart under this heavy car! I am going with a tire has tread width of 10".

I know there is alot more to be found in the launch.
the 7.67 was on a 1.74 60', and I have gotten a 1.701 60' but, the top end wasnt there.

I have only been able to go to the track on street car night(since winter was comming on), so on a good night, they have put down vht at least one time, and there is only about a gallon of water at the starting line. Its terrible, but thats all I had to work with

when they open back up in the spring, I'll be able to go on test and tune night, and get a good track prep. that alone will get me in the 1.6's.

Talk to yall later, mark

hey knappenberger,you might wanna ask some opinions on the Torco stall converters when you get ready for an upgrade. ;) i have heard a coupla guys say they were real happy with theirs.i dont have one and i'm not trying to promote'em, but their prices are fantastic.

Torco huh?
I have heard of them, and I think thats what my neighbor is using.
ok, thanks for the tip.

oh yeah, I built this engine to handle a small shot of Nitrous oxide. Around a 100 shot, to help it get up and go!

but thats way down the road, I still tons of other things to make it run faster, haha.

talk to yall later, mark