hey, got some cash to spend this year. here's what i have. i'm looking to spend about 3k.
454 from 1976 caprice, 781 heads, edelbrock carb 750 and performer 2.0 intake, headers. i also have a mild street cam thats still in the box comp cam extreme energy 268.
overall engine in ok shape, heads don't look very good. compression is maybe 8:1.
please take into consideration labour too, thx
Rebuild the shortblock, get some good pistons and throw a set of Brodix race rite oval heads on it. All engines are strictly air pumps. To make power, the heads are where it's at. Summit Racing has them for ~$850/ea and WOLFPLACE here on the forum once stated he will match it. Give him a shot.
I would dump the cam on ebay. It's a good cam - for a pickup truck. I would use a perf rpm intake if you're still bucks up. If not, keep what you've got. Install a good set of rod bolts or upgrade your rods and you're golden.
I would use everything you have on hand. The 781 heads can make gobs of power, look to a good valve job and maybe bigger valves depending on cost. Try to get around 9:1 compression and with that intake, cam and headers you'll have a stump puller that's easy and fun to drive.
70 chevelle, has 2.73 posi 12-bolt rear, th400 trans, stock converter, headers, dual exhaust. i like the car as a daily driver, but i like to go to the drags 4-5 times a year. if i could get it into high 12's id be happy. right now it runs 14.6 best quarter mile. 2.0 60 ft. times. also i am running 18" rims all around. i know they are not good for drags, but they are staying i love em'
i did, just one was like 49 pages, geez.
i have done a lot of research on here, this site rocks!
here's my plan, tell me what you think.
1. install my cam: extreme energy xe268
2. 0.021 thickness head gaskets
3. new 3 series carrier with 3.55 gears
if i can get my bro to help, we might even re-ring new domed pistons
seems i have to get compression up from the current 8:1
ALSO if again i can get some help, a cheapo stall converter.
sound good?
i'd get some closed chamber ovals on it. be it a factory set redone, or even the brodixs as mentioned are about 10 cc's less than yours. try to get the comp up to 9 to 9.5 to 1 so you can throw some cam at it. a 750 dp carb, an off the shelf 10" 3000 ish stall converter . more gear like a set of 3.42's or 3.55's would definitly help too. you'd have to spend some money on the rear to get there unless you bandaid it with a spacer. i'd think about buying a set of 15" rims to mount a set of drag radials out back for the strip time. swap the intake to and rpm airgap, or atleast a spacer on top of what you have. lots of ways to get there, and in the end it's your decision.
IIRC the FM H426CP's should get you into a real world 8.5:1, H518CP's will get you into the mid 9:1 range, and might be close enough in weights with your original pistons to not require a balance job. The ICON 9919's are a buget forged piston that would be in the 9ish:1 range, and again the weights are pretty close to stock, and priced not too far off of the FM pistons. (which are hypereutectic) All the pistons I listed used "jobber" thick ring sets. (naturally, confirm the PN's before ordering, I'm relying on my memory)
if your tearing it down. new rings,bearings,timing chain. i'd also deck the block to get it trued up. get a set of scat rods, and some hyper. or budget forged pistons as mentioned to net you 9.5 or so comp. a balance job on it, add a bigger cam than your xe 268. keep the split duration to help the exhaust out. i'd run a hyd cam in the 235 to 240 range @50 and mid 500's lift. with the gear change and a new converter you should be able to melt those 18" condoms at will.
Actually that 268H-10 Cam is about ideal for an 8:1 Static Compression 454. If you Rebuild the heads with New Guides, 2.16/1.88 Valves and say CC-924 Springs with a Set of Harland sharp or Pro Mag Rockers you can shift over 6000rpm with out things breaking - The 268H-10 cam is a Torque Monster in an 8.1 454 ;o)
However as mentioned, you could rebuild a set of 98cc Closed Chamber 396 heads to get the compression up and run something like a 274H-10 Cam.
Take into consideration the Quench keep it between .034" and .044"; meaning you use a .018" Steel gasket if you don't Deck and the pistons are .025 down in the bore and if you 0-Deck use a composite .038" Gasket - Handy if you ever plan on Alu-Heads in the future.
And if you want to goose her cheap - Spray with a 100Hp shot - But I think you will be more then happy just on gas and your intake and carb are just fine.
If you a HWY Cruiser keep the 2.73's as that 268 Cam will torque them gears just fine. For Street/Strip you will have to change out them gears out for 3.31 to 3.73's Posi 3 Series Carrier pending what you want to do (Not 4:10's with anything under a 10:1 454)
Is a LS motor an option? How about a 6.0, and change the intake over to Camaro/Firebird style. Cam and springs if desired. Now you will have a modern, EFI'd motor that should get excellent MPG AND will likely outrun the 454. I think it can be done within the 3000.00 budget - at least around here anyway.
this sounds like a good option for him too. sounds like he likes the pro touring " theme ". reg gas is $3.77 per gallon around here. what kinda mileage can a warmed up 6.0 get in our cars with say.... 355's out back and no overdrive ?
One of the newer motors is not an option.
sure the motors you can get cheap, but it's all the little things and the labour that would kill the budget.
I would LOVE one, but i'm just not rich enough!
Actually it sounds to me like you don't want to touch the shortblock. Is that the case? If so, have you checked out the physical condition of the shortblock?
hmmm... just found a block bored 30 over and 781 heads. they were machined, but then sat for a couple of years. there's rust on them now, but not on the machined area. he wants $400. what do you all think?
nah, i mean this plan.
here's my plan, tell me what you think.
1. install my cam: extreme energy xe268
2. 0.021 thickness head gaskets
3. new 3 series carrier with 3.55 gears
if i can get my bro to help, we might even re-ring new domed pistons
seems i have to get compression up from the current 8:1
ALSO if again i can get some help, a cheapo stall converter.
sound good?
400 for a 454 block and heads is a good price, even if you need to get it rehoned. Watch the "budget" high stall torque converters, they can cost you a transmission or even a crankshaft if they fail. My first experience (after successfully using a Vega converter for a season) with a $99 special, it failed within a week, filling the trans with material.
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