Crash Dummy

As in.... you put together an engine based on what you wanted and not what might have already been semi-proved out. I know this board is full of those experiences, so now I'm curious if they actually worked out or was it a mistake. Most of you by now know that I bought my new engine out of Virginia and it was my only problem to find parts that would work with that long block. It took me months to rake up the money to buy the carb, intake, water pump, headers, ignition, distributor... the list goes on... and I followed just about every recommended thoughts from Dart, Comp Cams & Weiand to make sure I had a match. I got seriously shot down(nicely) by the engine builder tonight for my choice of a MSD Billet Corvette vaccum advance tach drive distributor that I thought would work. I know a bit about engines, but obviously the curve goes away when 400-500HP goes into play.

What about you all?


[Modified by bgrice, 5:06 AM 2/28/2003]

BeachinVette

That is a bummer to hear Barry, I am compiling my list now. Not sure if I will go with the AR engine yet?? I will take the 355@427 hp for a spin first. It will have to be very streetable for the wife to drive. Here is my other thoughts: I am still working on the list and will revise some of it. Like I will probably go with the 625 Demon carburator. Using the original block:

Bore it .30 over, 10:3 compression

383 stroker kit : $924.95
Speed-Pro Hypereutectic Pistons
Sealed Power Moly Ring set
Federal Mogu Bearing set
Fully Balanced Assembly
Brass freeze plugs
High Volume Oil Pump
Fel-Pro Gasket Kit
New 4340 I-beam rods floating pin ends with H/D bronze bushings.

Edelbrock Performer E6089 64cc aluminum heads: $919.95

Harland Sharp 1.5 3/8 Roller Rockers: $168.95


Comp Magnum Cam 270H (CC12-211-2): $84.95

Comp Lifters: (CC812-16): $64.95

Miloden Alum Water Pump (Vette): $99.98


Demon 750 Mighty Demon Carb: $499.95


Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake: $124.95

Cloyes Double Roller Timing Chain: $58.95

Total = $2947.68



Additional Stuff needed



Weather-stripping: $210.00 @ TLD

Tires Yokahomas: $180.00 @ Tire Rack

Lokar Carb linkage: $40.00 @ Pro Auto

Edelbrock Aluminum Valve covers/Air Cleaner $ 100.00

Miloden 7qt oil pan: $127.00

Dual fuel line adaptor/pressure gauge: $37.00

Holley Electric fuel pump $74.95


[Modified by BeachinVette, 12:19 AM 2/28/2003]


[Modified by BeachinVette, 12:20 AM 2/28/2003]

Crash Dummy

BeachinVette.... (Bob)

How do you change your username so easy? By the way... to everyone... the problem was not the MSD distributor as a name. It was my choice of a *vacuum advance* version with this engine. It is going back to Summit and a mechanical version will replace it.

bence13_33

I got my motor combination off of the Chevelle forum. A (former) member of the board racer_1320 had a very well developed blue print for a nice running street big block. I changed a few of his suggestions. Instead of a hydraulic cam I went with a solid flat tappet that was about one size bigger than he suggested. I also went with a Strip Dominator intake and Holley 850 double pumper, instead of a dual plane and Quadra-Jet.

All in all the combination has proven to be a producer running 12.40 @ 116mph. This spring I am shooting for mid 11s and MPH around 118-119.

BeachinVette

I emailed George (GDaina), He did it for me. We are going to put the original ignition system in Craigs car for now. He is wanting to really pretty up the engine bay then we will tune to car to get maximun performance out of it this summer. We pretty much have the car in pieces right now. I am going to try to shoot the sealer and primer on the car this weekend. Then in a couple weeks we will take it to the booth and I will shoot the color. Craig has not decided on a color yet :rolleyes: We will probably not pull the motor till after the paint so you may have yours in and running before we get his going. He is worried about pulling the engine after it is painted and dropping the beast in. I am opposite I am worried about getting overspray on everything. Either way we need to get going on it.I have to get the 79 on the road. New owner is coming on the 24th of Mar to pick up the 76.

Crash Dummy

Bob,

I might have to hit up GDaina(e-mail) to change my username to "74Hybrid". Darn well fits better with all of the stuff this vette has been through with the hard-top to vert conversion and now this engine. I really don't think this motor is probably for your wife. Just my thoughts. Mark gave me starting points to crank it up with 16 degrees advance at 900 RPM and 38 degrees full advance at 2400 PRM. Muscle car lope cam is what was advertised and I believe it. At $1.80/gallon for premium this might be the first time in history that it might just be as cheap to be on the drag strip ripping up the hides as it is idling on the streets. :cheers:

BeachinVette

I hear you on the gas :eek:

The engine I am thinking of building may end up not far off what you and Craig have. Some of the same parts. He got the Edelbrock heads. Did you go with the Canfields? I am still considering the same engine. But I cannot get the urge to build one out of my system. :lol:

SmokedTires

As far as I know, my future engine has not been done many people. I'm going with a 4.125 (400 sbc) bore with a 3.625 stroke & 6" rods to come up with a 388 instead of the more common 377/406/421 etc....

I'm building this engine with the help of DD2000. I should be around 600hp according to DD. To help this engine be street friendly (starting, idle, cruising) I'm going with EFI which again I'm piecing together :D . I hope to have this installed around May/ June :) .

mpro71vette

Hey Barry, I was just about to order the same distributer you got from Summit! Could you explain more what is wrong with the vacuum advance? Does summit have a mechanical with the tach drive, which one are you getting? :crazy: I hopr I am picking everything else OK! :confused:

MotorHead

Generally not a good idea to throw a motor together with parts that you think might work. Some on the forum here have enough experience to do this, however they have probably laid a few eggs on the way.

Best way is to get a engine builder to suggest a total combination of all parts from carb to pan, he knows what works and what doesn't.

Racer16k

Why doesn't your engine builder like the vacuum advance? That's just crazy. It still has mechanical advance too. The vacuum advance would sure be nice when your cruising. Maybe you could hook it up to a vette headlight vacuum switch and just use it when you want to. He probably doesn't like injection or computers either. :D

Crash Dummy

Racer16k...

I agree that the MSD 8572 distributor does include the mechanical advance option and Mark(AR) did suggest that if I kept it then plug off the vacuum advance. Like you said maybe doing that might be the best of both worlds and I will think over it this weekend. Here's his logic behind it that Mark gave though. I don't like paraphrasing anyone, but here it is:

"The vac advance option invites detonation. Myself, I would plug off and run 16 degrees initial at 900rpm and delete the vac advance. Most msd dist have 20 degrees mech adv. The principle reason for delete on vac adv is that with this cam and at mid to low rpm the vac will drift in and out and cause surges and then when vac hi pulls in too much adv and cause pinging, so it's easier to control with just centrifugal adv and base timing."

mpro27vette...

The MSD 8571 is mechanical with tach drive and that is the option I am looking at. E-mail Mark and see what he tells you. I even wrote him back that maybe we had a misunderstanding about what I was going to do with this vette. 50% on the streets and 50% on the drag strip. I still got back the same answer... dump the vacuum advance distributor. Maybe it's just the racer mentality in Mark. He builds the engines, so I have no thoughts of deciding what I think is the right thing to do. I haven't shortchanged anything on this transformation, so there's no reason to do it now. I am considering plugging the vacuum advance off as he did leave that option open.

ZL1powr

I winged my engine combo after a lot of research. I've been very pleased with the results. Most of the info is in my sig.

mpro71vette

Thanks Barry, You are correct. We both are going all the way so why short change it now! :smash: I still have a lot to learn and this is good info! I will be talking to Mark when I am ready to fire her up too! :cheers: