Engine Rebuild Opinions
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Belton Texas
Engine Rebuild Opinions
Need some opinions. Im buying a 77' and it has a new crate motor w/290 hp to get me by until I rebuild the original engine.
I want to build the original to be as solid as possible, so if it was yours and you had a decent budget BUT make it streetable, what would you do.
Unfortunately I dont know much about these older cars, I just sold my 98 camaro, I can tune and work on them no prob, but carbs are not in my vocabulary
but I want to learn.
Any help in the direction I should go would be great, somewhere following the build up I would like to add forced induction as well.
Thanks guys.
Jerry
I want to build the original to be as solid as possible, so if it was yours and you had a decent budget BUT make it streetable, what would you do.
Unfortunately I dont know much about these older cars, I just sold my 98 camaro, I can tune and work on them no prob, but carbs are not in my vocabulary
but I want to learn. Any help in the direction I should go would be great, somewhere following the build up I would like to add forced induction as well.
Thanks guys.
Jerry
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
Some things you just can't cut corners on. Use only ARP bolts for the internals...well, everywhere in the engine. If you plan on going forced induction it's money well spent.
Don't go wild with the compression ratio...especially since you plan on forced induction.
Basically, take your time and make a plan on what you want and how you're going to drive it. Don't make it a race only engine and drive it on the street where you won't get the best out of it.
Don't go wild with the compression ratio...especially since you plan on forced induction.
Basically, take your time and make a plan on what you want and how you're going to drive it. Don't make it a race only engine and drive it on the street where you won't get the best out of it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,347
Likes: 418
From: Seattle Area WA
IMHO, you are talking about two totally different build apporaches, one being a budget performance motor and one being a higher dollar forced induction motor.
The budget performance can be obtained with a cast crank, hyper pistons, decent set of heads, a compression ratio of approx 9.5:1 and short duration, high lift cam.
The forced induction motor would be best built with a forged crank, and forged dished pistons to obtain a 8:1 or less compression ratio and a cam designed for the application.
The budget performance can be obtained with a cast crank, hyper pistons, decent set of heads, a compression ratio of approx 9.5:1 and short duration, high lift cam.
The forced induction motor would be best built with a forged crank, and forged dished pistons to obtain a 8:1 or less compression ratio and a cam designed for the application.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: San Diego California
IMHO, you are talking about two totally different build apporaches, one being a budget performance motor and one being a higher dollar forced induction motor.
The budget performance can be obtained with a cast crank, hyper pistons, decent set of heads, a compression ratio of approx 9.5:1 and short duration, high lift cam.
The forced induction motor would be best built with a forged crank, and forged dished pistons to obtain a 8:1 or less compression ratio and a cam designed for the application.
The budget performance can be obtained with a cast crank, hyper pistons, decent set of heads, a compression ratio of approx 9.5:1 and short duration, high lift cam.
The forced induction motor would be best built with a forged crank, and forged dished pistons to obtain a 8:1 or less compression ratio and a cam designed for the application.
You should get a Summit catalog, and John Lingenfelter's book on Rebuilding Chevy Small Blocks. The first will give you lots of available parts,and the second will provide the advice about how to select parts for the build you want.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Belton Texas
I want it to be as stout as possible but still run on pump gas and not have to many issues of running rough and what not. My last was getting ridiculous so I dont want to go to overboard this time.
Can anyone point me to where I could buy the manual for tearing down and rebuilding a 77?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: San Diego California
Most book stores- or amazon on line- stock or can order the books: John Lingenfelter's book is excellent; Chevy High Performance has another; and you can also get the corvette Shop Manual. Good Luck.
