Thinking about installing it in my '72. I was wondering if anyone has it, and what your thoughts are.
Thank you

ditto!!!

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Rich
Cocoa Beach, Fla
Team Chevelle #380
46 but feeling like 20 when i'm in my 70 SS 454
wa3men@aol.com
www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg)

I'd like to hear too. As most of you guys know, a good friend of mine built one from scratch using marine block, dart heads, etc. Doing it "on the cheap" by horse trading, etc, he spent nearly $6000 ( not including the tripower setup) and by his own admission, he would've gone the Merlin route if he was to do it again. Fun to "roll your own", but for a $1000, the package is the way to go. The only dif is he runs a solid roller, rect port heads, and slightly more CR that the Merlin crate but develops over 600HP and 600 lbs ft. 540, 600 it's all big to me!

Somebody has to have one here!

Can't afford one here in CANADA " moan moan!" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif...FRED

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I'm with Gene. I'm building a bored/stroked 540 BowTie engine starting from scratch. When I'm done, I'll have invested a little more than if I had just bought a Merlin crate motor. Maybe a little more HP. All-in-all, not a lot of difference between the two and if you choose the Merlin, you haven't made a mistake.

Hey Fred and all you other PAYING members of TC up north,

I don;t know if you mean it's the exchange and maybe you do,,,

BUT, if there's a part you need, it can easily find it's way into Gene Chaas's garage. About 15 minutes from the peace bridge. Serious, you and Steve ( Canuck64SS)and outr other Canadian bros. No prob.

I haven't dealt with monster big-blocks, but it was certainly alot less expensive to go with a crate engine. I used to build 'em myself, but by the time I figured in the cost of parts plus machine work it just didn't make sense. Especially when the crate engine was guaranteed. Of course I still had to pull the pan and check torques on the bottom end just for peace of mind.

By the way, a Merlin 509 ci crate runs $6,900 (Bill Mitchell's prices)

doc...do you have a link to that Bill Mitchell?

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Rich
Cocoa Beach, Fla
Team Chevelle #380
46 but feeling like 20 when i'm in my 70 SS 454
wa3men@aol.com
www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg)

http://www.bmitchell.com/

If the crate motor comes from a reliable source, whether it is a Merlin,Ligenfelter etc.you can't go wrong.Especially if time is a factor.But personally I like the feeling of firing off or tripping the lights with a monster rat motor that I know I built,even when the$$is all tallied up and I could have purchased the same motor for about the same $$ without the work.

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There is no replacement for displacement.
72 SS W/ls6,4-SPD. 68 Malibu 396,4-spd.

Well now Morris that's the real deal. But it's becoming more uncommon. Man no 509's out there yet???


[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 02-07-2000).]

Well I guess there is a big difference in the way age affects us here. Everytime someone mentions Merlin, it takes a couple of seconds for my brain register a Chevrolet engine. To me, Merlin only registers one thing, A Rolls Royce supercharged V-12 Merlin, commonly used in the P-51 Mustang. (made in the USA under contract as the Packard Merlin during WWII)

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Tom Parsons

Gene,
it looks like no 509s out there yet! I am looking in to having it within the next 3 months. I will give some feedback then!

Yanniz, I say jump. You know it's a quality piece ( Mitchell is HQ right??) and as I mentioned it's hard to duplicate it for the same $$.

DZ still have that sound bite of the Merlin. Like to play it whenever the stock market dives!!(not much lately)

Take care all, and yanniz, please report back you Guinea pig! I have no doubt in my military mind you'll love it. If it's real good, please don;t tell me. Could be big trouble for my pocketbook!

Anybody have a '68 roller??



[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 02-08-2000).]

Hey thanks for the offer Gene I may take you up on the offer sometime in the future.Tom do you think I could get one of those Big Merlins under the hood of my 72 http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif...FRED

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Wheres the pride of saying "I did it all myself" than say "yeah I got it from Merlin, you can get one too, It'll be just like mines" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif (sarcastic)

i understand the pride of building it yourself....

but..

if it kicks a$$ i dont care who built it as long as it under my hood...

one of these days boys....

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Rich
Cocoa Beach, Fla
Team Chevelle #380
46 but feeling like 20 when i'm in my 70 SS 454
wa3men@aol.com
www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/70_SS_454.jpg)

Rich, I've said it in another post, don't think you're not a real man if you don't rebuild your own mill or tranny. I do want to do my own mill, but I"M SCARED!!The last time I did it ( 20 yrs ago) I had a fully equipped shop and three very smart machinsts at my disposal. Now I have a garage, my laptop( for TC help) and a fridge full of beer. But I'm starting to scrounge for measuring tools. And I might just try to rebuild my M21 if it isn;t too whacked.(Plus, work has me spread quite thin)

Oh and if I went the monster route, I might have to roll my own, becuase I'd jump right to the 540 like Doc has. Gotta stay one step ahead of you 502/509 boys you know!

Fred. No prob. It was either you or Steve ( Canuck64SS) that mentioend something about a Torque Tech exhuast. As long as I'm not at major financial risk, I'll help anyway I can. Brador, Molson Stock, and the cheap Nicorette gum is all I ask in return!

[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 02-10-2000).]

i had my local speed shop build me a 509 with dart alm. heads,isky hyd. cam, wiend intake,hei,850 dbl pumper.I have a richmond 5spd tranny,and 12 bolt with 308 gears.I didn't dyno it,but on street tires{no traction in 1st and 2nd},I ran 13.00 at 111mph.On pump gas.P S the merlin motor does not have alum. heads.

jpeter, your time is actually quicker than my friends 509 with a Gtech. God, what a set of BFG Drags would do for you guys!

jpeter66, with traction and that mph you should run 12 teens to 12 0's.

Jpeter, your time is way off. May need to check your motor or your driving, no disrespect intended. My 468 w/ oval ports, Mcreary cheaters, TH 400, 850cfm, roller cam ran 12.40's easy. And I'm no great driver. It ran 11.52 on slicks.

I no it is kind of slow,but it was with no traction in 1st and 2nd gear.Hoping to have slicks or drag radials this spring.

I have had a 502 in my 67 SS for a month and so far have went 12.23 at 123 mph spinning in first and second.

I just installed a Merlin 509 and it is great!! It was aready timed and broke in on the dyno and even still had gas in the carb bowls!! All I did was connect fuel lines and power and it came to life. Buy one w/confidence. Good luck!