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Great engine, but the "rickety-rickety-rickety-rickety" idle about wore me out. I emailed Blueprint and asked them about different roller hydraulic options that would allow it to maintain the HP numbers but tame the idle lope and they recommended a whole different engine...their cast iron headed version. No thanks. And for now I'm in no mood to chase parts and machine work to build my own, so I suggested to Blueprint that I would buy the same engine and swap the cam for a hydraulic roller that was a little more user friendly. No recommendations from them. They actually said the cam was pretty mild, but if I recall they made a statement about how the cam profile in my '62 was designed to have a lope at idle.
So, it got me thinking. Maybe an LS version GM crate engine, fuel injection, etc. More power, etc. I'd like 450-500 hp. Am I opening a can of worms getting away from a small block Gen 1 version? I want to be able to use the factory air, factory power steering, ignition shielding, and other bolt-ons to keep it looking stock. I don't want to hack the car up, either. It's very original, and the engine I'll be pulling out is the engine that came in the car when it was new (300hp, 327). We believe it's never been apart.
I'm also looking to put an overdrive automatic transmission in it as I suggested in other threads. It's an original powerglide car.
I am really pleased with my GMPP 385/405 aluminum headed motor (GM # 19333157) I put in my '66 this spring. I have a 4 speed car, but the motor came set up with the flex plate for auto.
LS motors are awesome (my 2SS/RS Camaro has one with full bolt ons), but will require more attention to mounting, wiring, electrical, etc., where as a Gen I SBC will plop right in.
I don't think you can go wrong either way, but IMHO the LS will be much more of a commitment of time and $...But really easy to get 500 HP out of
Leave it alone. If you don't like the car as is sell it and buy what you want.
NWM, I did buy what I wanted. A fully loaded, no hit, no rust, C2. My wife picked the color. Not necessarily on my bucket list, but it makes her happy.
NWM, I did buy what I wanted. A fully loaded, no hit, no rust, C2. My wife picked the color. Not necessarily on my bucket list, but it makes her happy.
So why the hell would you screw it up. Keep the hood shut and drive it. If your going cross crounty with pull the powerslide and put in a OD unit and enjoy. For a all around enjoyable car I will take a 327/300 over anything.
Last edited by Nowhere Man; 09-19-2017 at 09:39 PM.
I've been fighting this issue for a several years.
Nothing will beat the all around hp and driveability these LS engine/trans. kits have.
I prefer the lower hp. LS 3 engine with 4L65 E kit, because I like the idle sound better than the LS's with the bigger hp engines. Sounds just right imho...
I'm told its harder to hide the ecms than it is to wire it up(4 wires I think).
For now, I'm still old school. But if my currently planned upgrades don't fix my low power and drive issues...then it may be an "L"agg,err,choke"S", for me too I guess...lol!
Cost about 17K in parts, including a Rick's Tank and pump, Be Kool or Dewitts radiator and Spal fan, upgraded exhaust and misc, when I was putting a pencil to it a few weeks back.
"Plus" your labor or someone elses...
Stan
Last edited by Stan's Customs; 09-19-2017 at 10:38 PM.
So why the hell would you screw it up. Keep the hood shut and drive it. If your going cross crounty with pull the powerslide and put in a OD unit and enjoy. For a all around enjoyable car I will take a 327/300 over anything.
I have this annoying tick in my right foot, I guess. LOL. But the 327/300 hp is pretty surprising even with a powerglide.
We do a fair amount of freeway driving here to get to the NHRA museum, Seal Beach, etc. Traffic flows at 70-75 unless you want to stay in the right two lanes and follow a ConRock truck and watch your windshield and paint get destroyed. With the stock tranny at 1:1 in high gear, at 70 mph it's humming along north of 3,000 RPM and I find myself pushing the shifter forward to get it into the next (nonexistent) gear.
I've been fighting this issue for a several years.
Nothing will beat the all around hp and driveability these LS engine/trans. kits have.
I prefer the lower hp. LS 3 engine with 4L65 E kit, because I like the idle sound better than the with the bigger hp engines. Sounds just right imho...
I'm told its harder to hide the ecms than it is to wire it up(4 wires I think).
For now, I'm still old school. But if my currently planned up grades don't fix my low power and drive issues...then it may be an "L"agg,err,choke"S", for me too I guess...lol!
Cost about 17K in parts, including a Rick's Tank and pump, Be Kool or Dewitts radiator and Spal fan, upgraded exhaust and misc, when I was putting a pencil to it a few weeks back.
Yes, even though the road is well travelled you are opening a can of worms putting an LS in a car that you plan on keeping so many stock accessories with. The answers to making it all work are there but they aren't cheap and they aren't all stock appearing either.
Soinds like you should go with the gen 1.
I bet the AOD is going to make a bigger pleasure difference than the engine for your purposes.
Yes, even though the road is well travelled you are opening a can of worms putting an LS in a car that you plan on keeping so many stock accessories with. The answers to making it all work are there but they aren't cheap and they aren't all stock appearing either.
Soinds like you should go with the gen 1.
I bet the AOD is going to make a bigger pleasure difference than the engine for your purposes.
Just switching to the 700R4 or 4L60/65 would be a game changer. First gear launch would be far more powerful than the power glide. The .72 overdrive would get you close to 2,000 RPM at 70 mph. It is your car so no right or wrong way.
Just switching to the 700R4 or 4L60/65 would be a game changer. First gear launch would be far more powerful than the power glide. The .72 overdrive would get you close to 2,000 RPM at 70 mph. It is your car so no right or wrong way.
Took this while driving my '62 with a 700R4, lock-up converter, 3.36 rear gear, 65 miles per hour. 1,990 RPM.
Just switching to the 700R4 or 4L60/65 would be a game changer. First gear launch would be far more powerful than the power glide. The .72 overdrive would get you close to 2,000 RPM at 70 mph. It is your car so no right or wrong way.
What rear gear are you running? If you swap to an OD trans, I'd look at rear gear you have now and see if there is room to go with a lower gear (3:73 or 4:11) and not hurt your cruising rpms.
A new OD trans with the right rear gear will make that car a whole different animal.
From there you can decide if you want to go through all the *** pain of swapping in an LS3.
A 700R4 has a 3.06 low gear. With a 3.36 rear end gear mine's going into second before you clear the intersection. It's almost too much low gear. The drop to second snaps your neck if your on the throttle. 3.06 1st gear to 1.62 2nd gear is a heck of a dump.
The 2004R has a 2.74 1st and a 1.57 2nd gear so the drop is NOT as severe.
So why is Bowtie's 400+ HP 200-4R $1,6XX and the converters are on sale for free, and Art Carr's are $2,1XX and the converter is north of $580? For starters, it could be because the industrial building rent between Hesperia, CA and Huntington Beach, CA, is triple in HB.
09-19-2017, 09:21 PM
Crate motor options as I rethink all this.
Stan
