first hotrod build

most of a day spent breaking down my roller lifters cleaning and reassembling, would not have thought that all that crud would be there if I had not seen it when I took it apart. don't see any way to disassemble the needle rollers, am I missing something. 302- thanks will be getting a block there.
 
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need a reality check on this project. so far I have one set of cleaned tappets and one vortec head, the other is cracked, and maybe the oil pump that I have yet to clean and inspect. should I go with gm 880 block 350/383 dart 377/400 buy one vortec head or a set of afr. every time I think I have a plan it blows up. still want to keep my goal of a lower rpm 1000-5500 motor with lots of torque through a 700r4 to an 8.8 with 3.23 might fit 245s in the fenders I have 215s now. your advice would be valued. after all I've read here my mind is running in a hundred different directions. if I went with afr should I use 65 or 75cc chambers for pump gas.
 
When it comes down to the basics is , that,we ALL tend to run into the same basic issue,
and thats the fact that we don,t have enough of the ready cash to dump into a project,
to just buy a complete engine. SO, we have to carefully plan how to allocate our limited finances.
now for a few basics.
your going to find your engines DISPLACEMENT , the CAM and CYLINDER HEADS ability to flow air,
the exhaust scavenging efficiency,the vehicles WEIGHT, and the DRIVE TRAIN GEARING,
has a good deal of effect on the car/truck performance.
the larger the displacement and the higher the compression ratio
do all the calculations and math you'll need to do,as to compression, port flow, cam timing etc.
WELL BEFORE you purchase components
(as long as the fuel octane will allow you too without running into detonation)
generally the LEAST expensive compromise, you may make, when you compare total cost vs available power,
will depend on what you have available ,
step back take a deep breath, and think logically, your not locked into using the current parts you have!
you might want to visit several local salvage yards and look for a deal on a complete basic engine,
if for example you could find a 396 BBC, a 383 mopar , a 460 ford or a 472 CADDY , in running and re-buildable condition,
for $500-$600 (which is not that hard in some areas)
yes we can easily show you how to build a kick ass 383, or 406,
but both options would cost more that rebuilding one of those,
if you bought the engine for under $600 and rebuilt it as your starting out with,
almost all the major components that might be re-usable
 
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depends on the combo what chamber you would use but a flat top 355 with a tight quench a 65cc would be ok. I really like the AFRs and do feel they are a great value for the money it will truly wake the engine up. Lets start with your goal 1000-5500 screaming street engine. Now we need a realistic budget me personally would refresh the engine you own put the AFR's on it and change the cam. Hydraulic Roller would be my choice or a solid flat tappet. Solid flat tappet cost you around $400 out the door with good lifters but break in will be more work and you need to pay attention to the oil you use. Hydraulic Roller Cam and lifter around can be had around $700 retro or $500 if it is roller block. I would have this ground on a 108 LSA though http://howardscams.com/i-24078744-h...-roller-1000-to-5000-camshaft-lifter-kit.html
Grumpy is correct also but if change platforms any parts you already have such as headers, intake, any dress up part would probably also need replacing. There are many ways to skin a cat.
 
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got my block from comp products fully machined in mexico , don't want to but thinking I should pull the oil plugs and cam bearings from what I have read. your opinions please. have decided on a 350 build, balanced rotating assembly 5cc flat top pistons-any benefits to floater over press fit wrist pins in a street motor that's not being torn down like race motors-porting vortec heads,know I will loose power but will make it up on next one, isky 264 or 270 hy roller on 108 lsa, weiand air gap, 600 performer carb, 1.625 primary 3". collector sprint style headers. from my reading this should match up well with the intake being only slightly out with a higher rpm band.
 
sounds like you got a pretty solid plan going now should be a good engine not over the top but perform well and have really nice street manners
 
You certainly can't go wrong by double checking another person's work. At the least pull
the oil plugs and clean the oil passages. They should be easy enough to get out since
everything is new. If you find any dirt, then pull the cam bearing also.
 
now that the rain has stopped I pulled the block out of the crate and un bagged it. low and behold the people who machined the block clearance for a 383 stroker assy. a balanced scat rotating assy with 6" rods and hypereutectic pistons 19cc d-dish is less than $100 more. you where saying dish pistons are bad but I don't see how to get a working compression with flat tops on a 383. 1-91250bl scat rotating assy.
 
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strictly attitude, what cam are you using. I am using vortec heads that I am polishing the combustion chamber, carbureted without any computer to control knock. I am building this engine to see what I can do, I have already priced that it costs the same to buy aftermarket heads with better results and I may get some later. pulled and tapped the rocker studs and machined a 1/4" off the pillar, clean up porting.
 
Many "similar" camshafts can have very different IVC points, which is what directly affects your DCR.
Pay more attention to the DCR than the SCR. 8 - 8.5 to 1 is the sweet spot.
 
hotrod coupe said:
strictly attitude, what cam are you using. I am using vortec heads that I am polishing the combustion chamber, carbureted without any computer to control knock. I am building this engine to see what I can do, I have already priced that it costs the same to buy aftermarket heads with better results and I may get some later. pulled and tapped the rocker studs and machined a 1/4" off the pillar, clean up porting.
Click to expand...

Am going to be running a custom grind it is coming from the same spot my heads are coming from. You will see soon enough.
 
a bit discouraged with my research for a 383, my machinist and many others are saying I will toast flat top pistons with detonation using vortec heads and a shorter duration cam 272 to 282 advertised. my options seem to be build a 350 or fork out the dough for 75cc afr heads. compression has me down.
 
Running a higher compression on pump gas you need a few things to help you out accurate timing, a good aluminum head (aluminum transfers heat out of the combustion chamber, and a cam to bleed off cylinder pressure. Port fuel injection can help also if you use the right strategies such as spraying the back of the valve before it opens. This does 2 things cools the intake valve and atomizes the fuel. My cam is a solid roller large compared to most street grinds. if I was going the 383 mild street bruiser cruiser I would keep the flat tops but run a larger 72cc chamber head. Save the money put a set of AFR 195 or AFR 210 street heads on a 383 with 72cc chamber and a mild roller you will be in the 500hp 500tq zone all day long might fall a little above or short depending on the rest of your setup. I spent countless hours figuring my combo out and it is more rowdy then most guys like on the street. Grumpy is the king of the happy hotrodder combos. Things to remember with a sbc good heads make your combo!!!! If you are gonna spend money that is where you want to. AFR is bang for the buck as far as a street use head in my opinion and many out there. If you have to save for a month or 2 it will be worth it. I would have sold you the 210s I had for $900 they were a 72cc chamber but they were the older casting also so they flowed the same as my 195s and had a bigger chamber so they went for what I paid for them. I would not suggest the older casting they flow significantly less compared to the new ones. All the new castings have AFR cast on the side the older ones have just an A. If you do get AFRs you are all set for a hydraulic roller cam up to .600 lift as far as springs. 383 AFR 72cc heads 195/210 and mild hydraulic roller would make a sweet maintenance free cruiser. Gobbs of tq. and plenty of hp it all comes down to how far you want to go. I saved for 2 months and sold my old heads to get my new ones you get over 500hp prices for parts that work in SBC get expensive which is where as Grumpy would advise you start getting into BBC land for the reason of durability and cost they go hand in hand.
 
ok will this run on pump gas, 91 octane is the best we gar around here. 65cc afr-5cc speed pro hyper pistons-howards 282 advertised straight up with 108 lsa. Wallace racing says 10.96 stat. comp. and 8.46 dynamic 171.89 cranking psi. and why does everyone I talk to despise keith black pistons, all say they are cheep junk.
 
or 75cc afr 3.7cc icon pistons 272 on 106 lsa with 4 degrees advance for 9.97 stat. 8.37 dynamic
 
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