[Skeeveman]

...that I finally get the car to the strip. It hasn't been there with the new motor, trans, or suspension. So I have no idea what it's going to do, but I'm excited. It's taken a long time to get it where it is, but hopefully it will be worth it. I'm just waiting on my seat belts to arrive so I can put them in, then after that, all I got to do is pick up the trailer (thanks, Bill), and see how it does.

If anybody has any thoughts on what I might have forgotten, should maybe change, or even just a guess as to what it might run, feel free to chime in! I plan on making a number of outings to get it running it's best, so it's going to be an ongoing project.

Anyways, here's the car as it sits.

1971 Chevelle, no idea on the weight. A lot has changed since the last time it's been on the scales, but I'm guessing around 3800 with me in it, give or take a bit. I myself weigh in at 220, and the car is all steel, full bench seat interior (minus headliner for now), plastic inner fenders, no A/C, but does have a heater core.

Engine:
World 540.
Merlin III Iron block
Aluminum 350 CC Merlin III heads. (119cc chambers, 2.300x1.880 valves)
9.5:1
Cam is a HYD FT, 236/246 @ .050, .553/.571 lift, but I'm running 1.8 rockers, so the lift is more like .586/.605
Rockers, are 1.8 scorpions
Dual Plane
850 AED 4150 DP
K&N x-stream air filter
HEI - MSD

Transmission/Driveline:
TH400 - Nothing special about it other than a few build tricks. (thanks jakeshoe for all the help on that)
Manual/Auto valvebody
10" 3500 Hughes converter
Deep pan, running Allison TES-295 fluid.
3.5" driveshaft w/ Strange 1350 series pinion and slip yokes, and brute force solid 1350 u-joints.
12 bolt Rear
Eaton Posi
Richmond 3.55 gears
Moser axles (c-clip style)
Moser cast alum. rear end cover.

Exhaust:
Hooker Headers 2" Primaries, 3.5" collectors.
Torque Tech 3.5" full mandrel bent exhaust w/ x-pipe.
Spintech Sportsman Street XL mufflers.

Fuel system:
Stock Tank with sump.
Racepumps fuel pump and regulator.
-8 AN from sump to pump, and pump to regulator.
-6 AN from regulator to each bowl.
2 Russell 40 micron fuel filters, one by the sump, and one right before the pump.

Wheels/Tires/Brakes:
Holeshot wheels.

Front
15"x6" w/ 2-7/8" BS
Bridgestone Pontenza 215/65-15's

Rear
15"x10" w/ 5.5" BS
Nitto 555R 275/50-15's. (eventually plan to get some good 28" slicks)

Stock drum/disc setup, but all gone though and functioning well.
9" booster

Suspension: (gotta thank bob west for all of the one on one help with this stuff, he's got a lot to learn ya if you so desire, lol)

Front
Stock control arms
AFCO Low Friction upper and lower ball joints
Global West Del-A-Lum upper and lower bushings
Global West offset upper control arm cross shafts for all the pos caster I could get.
All other hard parts, tie rods, idle arm, etc are Spicer professional parts.
Moog 5392 coil springs
Koni Street Shocks, set to full loose.
It seems to be pretty loose up front. I can pick up on the bumper and raise the car 3 inches with ease, after that point, I'm too weak to try and break my back. But, if I jack the car up under the crossmember, and measure at the center of the fender lip, going across the spindles, it has exactly 6" of travel before the tires just barely come off of the pavement (24.75" - 30.75 to be exact).

Rear
Stock Springs
QA1 Single Adjutable shocks (set to 3/12 clicks for street cruising, but plan to start at 9/12 clicks when I get to the track)
SSM Lower control arms, with LCA relocator brackets to move the IC back.
DM double adjustable Upper control arms. Rod end bushings on the front, rubber in the rear.
Pinion angle is currently just at or above neg 3º, but plan on moving it to about neg 2-2.5º.

Well, I think that's about it for now, here are a couple of pics. I look forward to all of your opinions. If it wasn't for TC and all of the great members here and their vast knowledge and experience, I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now with this car.

Thanks,
Jake

[SS_Sean]

Good luck!

[GRN69CHV]

Should be interesting. Regardless of the gearing or what you've done to the suspension, I think you will be traction limited to anything lower than 11.20-11.30. With more cam, a little more gear and a lot more tire, I can see low 10's. Just curious, how far does that motor rev with that small of a cam. Even staying flat tappet hydraulic, would bet that motor would want at least 20* more cam timing.

[Skeeveman]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, the cam does appear to be awful small compared to other 540 builds, lol. But, it runs great and has yet to fail to impress anybody I've given a ride, even other friends that have had comparable cars. With that said, when I do change cams, I'm going to jump straight a healthy solid roller. When I started this project, I went with the hydraulic for all the wrong reasons, haha. But, you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20. For now, I'm going to run it as it is, maybe it will impress some folks. haha

As far as the revs, it gets up to about 62-6300 in a hurry, and never stops pulling, that's about where I shift. I've never taken it further then that, or at least not intentionally.

[540Hotrod]

It's all going to come down to the hook, but first I want to say what a great looking car you've got! WOW!

That 540, dual plane, small carb and cam is going to want to smoke some tires. If you can get it to hook...it all might work well with the 3.55's.

Eventually I see a much bigger cam and carb to really make it fly. Which dual plane is it? Everything else looks great.

Keep us informed!

JIM

[Skeeveman]

Thanks Jim... like the rest of the motor, it's a world intake.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku

Not only planning on making it to the track to see how it all works out, but this Sunday I plan on going to a dyno meet. I'm interested in what it puts down to the wheels.

[andrew T]

looks awesome!

would look even awesomER with fatter tires

[Zach's Chevelle]

Keep us posted on the results!

[curley8788]

yeah get a different tire when you can afford it, those nitto 555s suck.

[davis95]

I think right now you're looking at high 10's. With a little more gear and a ladder bar set-up with some wider stickys in the rear you could be looking at 10 flats or possibly very high 9's.

[SS_Sean]

Oh, FYI...a friend of mine on a bone stock suspension with a shafiroff 555 ran an 11.30 in the quarter. His 60' was terrible at a 2.1'...I'd say you'll be right around in that ball park without tuning, unless you happen to get your initial suspension tune just right...again...VERY nice velle!

[Skeeveman]

Great, It looks like it's going to rain for the next 40 days and 40 nights here... I sure hope it slacks up.

[Skeeveman]

Well, now the seat belts have arrived... but they sent the WRONG ones! grrr, let's just hope I get the correct ones come Tuesday.

It's always something, lol.

[wills65]

I see some bottom 11's in your future without a tire change. Get some stickies out back and bottom 10's shouldnt be too hard to get. Gotta get that suspension dialed in just right. With some good air and the enough bite I could see a 9.9X out of it. I agree that with more cam and carb you could have a 9 second car no problem. It looks great and good luck with it.

[300hp]

please do me a favor. take the nuts that come with the SSM bars and throw them away and put nylocs on it. one of my nuts fell off and i totaled my car. and i realize that i said one of my nuts fell off