[Squeernemergo]

To quote The Fixx. "One Thing Leads to Another".

Yep, thats me.

Check, Super pimp ported heads for my LT1 capapble of 290cfm per intake port. A ported intake matched to those ports. And a cam thats sized to keep the powerband in the safe region for my stock bottom end.

But after sitting here waiting for things to be finished, I've come to realise that I'm just not happy with settling for a stock short block. So I've decided to have the bottom end built. The new short block isn't super expensive, but it should be good enough for 7500rpm or so safely. Which is well beyond my powerband with the camshaft choice I made. And my heads will easily flow enough to meet that. My heads can support about 8500rpm on a 350ci short-block.

As an example, if I actually BUILT a short block that could support these heads and the cam profile I'd need I'd be looking at the 700hp n/a engine that liked to sit in the 8000rpm area. To go with that, I'd need at least 4.10's in back to keep the engine in its power band and there is NO WAY the cops would like to see it rolling down the street thumpin' like a NASCAR at idle.

I'm glad I still have about $2300 left for this project. Gonna need it for a 12-bolt or 9" rear end to handle the power.

[Pinkman]

OHV running at 7500rpm?

[Squeernemergo]

OHV running at 7500rpm?

Its possible. My short-block will be built and balanced to survive it. But my current cam will mean I'd want to shift about 6500rpm, and allow me to go with a more aggressive camshaft later if I want to spin it higher for more power. Basically a cam change will allow me to increase my power as easily as a turbo charged car does with increased boost. My current cam leaves power on the table because I don't have the rest of the car built for the power the heads will support. I'll take a year or so for me to get the rest of the parts needed to handle the power a bigger cam will make.

The guy I had do the porting went WAY above because he was doing the work on teh side for me. These are FULLY ported heads, taken as FAR as this casting is capable of going. In fact, the intake side of the heads actually had to be welded for more porting room.

The end result of a work is more like a circle track head using a smaller valve.

Here is an example of one of my heads in the porting process showing an unported intake runner vs a ported runner. Notice just how much wider it is, as well as the differences in the valve stem area. Its much smoother in that area. Fully Gallery: http://gallery.me.com/thirdgen89gta#...r=black&sel=10

[monologue]

OHV running at 7500rpm?

Main problem is valve springs - NASCAR engines were getting very close to 10k for 500 mile races!
Don't know what they're currently running in drag engines, but 25 years ago they were using 9k rpm for even the big engines - 8+ litres!

Fruity, if you do build a new short block, have you thought about basing it on the 400 block and crank?

[eXC3Kvnn]

Wouldn't it just be easier to buy a crate motor?

[Squeernemergo]

Main problem is valve springs - NASCAR engines were getting very close to 10k for 500 mile races!
Don't know what they're currently running in drag engines, but 25 years ago they were using 9k rpm for even the big engines - 8+ litres!

Fruity, if you do build a new short block, have you thought about basing it on the 400 block and crank?

Very expensive. They do make stroker kits to bring the LT1 to 383, but I'd likely leave the bore alone and go with just the larger crank to make a 378. But still, since i don't want this project to wait another 2 years for me to build that kind of cash I'll live with the smaller displacement.

[Squeernemergo]

Wouldn't it just be easier to buy a crate motor?

Not as cheap as simply rebuilding my current engine to handle a little more RPM safely.

This rebuild is basically pistons/rods, and balancing, and much better fasteners to hold it all together combined with a better oil pump. Much cheaper. Strength wise the crank is good for that RPM when balanced. Its the rod bolts, rods, and oiling system that can worry me.

I do know guys who consistantly turn 6700 shift points with their stock short-blocks. But I don't want to throw a rod at that speed and destroy this engine that I've worked so hard to put together. Not to mention it would put the car into hibernation for at least a year or two while I built the funds up again.

Current option fits in my budget, and will keep it alive since I won't be turning that kind of RPM for a while. My current valve spring package can't handle 7000rpm anyways. The rev limiter will likely be set about 6500-6700 depending on where this engine peaks out on they dyno. I won't know till its all together and tuned.

[monologue]

I guess useable 400 blocks and cranks are getting VERY scarce now, anyway.
Do you have a 4 bolt block? The two bolt seem to be pretty stout, anyway, with mains' studs - certainly good for 7-7.5k if the rest is up to spec'.

At least you don't have too many cowboys over there - not like the guys who tried charging my for a "professional" deck and rebore with deck plates - I'd driven 300 miles, one each way, because they were among the first doing that down here - the f***ers were so incompetent, and the bores were machined so far off centre, that the ridge marks were left on one side of most of the cylinders - just to add insult to injury, it was a 4 bolt!

[taesrom]

My car has big shiny wheels! It goes Brmmmm! Yes, yes it does. [yes]

[dwestemesse]

Fruity, out of interest where do you do all your mechanical work ?
Do you have your own garage with tools/machines etc ?

[twinaircant]

Fruity, out of interest where do you do all your mechanical work ?
Do you have your own garage with tools/machines etc ?

I thought he lived in suburbia but from his posts it shows that he lives in an apartment ?

Maybe he rents a garage.

[Squeernemergo]

My car has big shiny wheels! It goes Brmmmm! Yes, yes it does. [yes]

Wow, that was helpful. I'll be sure to find a PC thread where you talk about your upgrades and make an inane comment like yours.

Fruity, out of interest where do you do all your mechanical work ?
Do you have your own garage with tools/machines etc ?

I thought he lived in suburbia but from his posts it shows that he lives in an apartment ?

Maybe he rents a garage.

As for the garage? I work out of other peopls garages, the term "shade tree mechanic" applies as I usually have to work outside with no garage.

As for tools, I have a basic socket set, some specialty tools I've acquired and a torque wrench. No air tools whatsoever.

I used to have a garage when my mom owned a house. But no longer.

[twinaircant]

Wow, that was helpful. I'll be sure to find a PC thread where you talk about your upgrades and make an inane comment like yours.





As for the garage? I work out of other peopls garages, the term "shade tree mechanic" applies as I usually have to work outside with no garage.

As for tools, I have a basic socket set, some specialty tools I've acquired and a torque wrench. No air tools whatsoever.

I used to have a garage when my mom owned a house. But no longer.

The kitchen table must see quite some nuts.

[Squeernemergo]

The kitchen table must see quite some nuts.

Not really, but the bedroom has several parts in it.

2 cylinder heads, 1 intake, spherical rod-end suspension parts that have yet to go on the car, brake upgrade parts (incomplete), clutch, pressure plate, master/slave cylinder, T56 transmission (yes, its actually IN the bedroom), along with chassis sub-frames.

I have no place to store it, and ONLY a 1 bedroom apartment. So it all stays in the bedroom in a corner.