So I've been looking up parts and prices and trying to decide what exactly to do with my engine. It is going to be a daily driver, so I'm not going to go all out... but I know I'm getting a cam, intake, carb, and a set of headers. I am also considering heads, maybe aluminum Holley's (P/N 300-503) or Trick Flow (P/N TFS-30400001). Then I was looking at the basic rebuild kits offered by certain companies in Chevy High Performance, and I don't know what to get. There are a million different companies offering sets that include all the bearings, rings, gaskets, etc. Is there a difference in what these companies are offering? All the prices tend to be the same. Are there any brands of gaskets, pistons/rings, bearings, etc. that you guys recommend?

My next question is about headers. I have been looking at them on Ebay, and again don't know what I should be looking for. I found P/N 2134, and also 2453. Anyone who runs something similar to the Holley SysteMAX package (cam, lifters, dual plane intake), what headers to you suggest?

Lastly, where do you get that Desktop Dyno program, and how much does it cost? It sounds pretty useful, especially for someone who's never done this stuff before like me. :rolleyes:

Thanks a lot for any help you guys can give me!

Jerry

PS
I'll have to scan a picture of my Vette when I got it, and put it in my Sig. See you guys later!

 

Not too sure about the other stuff but you can get Desktop Dyno from jegs summitracing and I think even Auto Zone. Summit sells it for $39.95.


[Modified by Cookwithvette, 6:21 PM 3/26/2002]

 

I'll try to tell you a little that I have learned over the years. I've gone both ways as far as the kits you mentioned. On one, all I wanted, was for it to run after I finished. Nothing special....the kit worked fine. There are many kits out there and you have no way of knowing what you are getting. The best thing to do in this case is to know and trust the supplier. Someone like Summit is not going to wreck their reputation trying to sale you inferior parts. Some other places don't have anything to loose.
On my most recent engine I had specific goals to shoot for and I wanted specific pistons and rings. A kit was out. I picked the bearings, rings, pistons etc. to meet my goals and had my forged crank ground .010/.010 .
I looked at head options for months. I finally decided that, though more expensive, Aluminum heads had the advantage of handling higher combustion ratio's without knock (That matched my goals). I selected Trickflow 23Degree heads, but paid a few more bucks for larger (1.47) springs. I had heard of problems with the standard size springs failing (not just on Trickflow, but in general). One of the best purchases I think I made was the Comp Cam Roller tip Rocker arms. These are Heavy stamped steel and half the price of good aluminum roller rockers. A recent magazine artical did dyno tests on factory stamped rockers, the high buck alunimum roller rockers and the Comp steel roller tip rockers. The Comp roller tips out performed the others in RPM ranges you will encounter in every-day driving. I used all Comp-Cam components in my entire timing train all the way down to the bump-stick. I decided what gear changes I would make to the car (differential/transmission) and used this info to convert performance to the RPM curve for picking the right cam.
I had Lars rebuild my 793 CFM Quadrojet and have all the MSD components inside my distributer and an adjustable vacuum advance, all professionally set up and recurved.
My advice, Figure out how much you want to spend, take a long hard look at what you really will enjoy when finished, and dont just through parts at a block. Plan it out before you spend any money and assemble a system that works for you.

 

Jerry,
First question is: What's your budget?

Pick up a Summit Racing catalog, or one from Jegs. They'll have engine rebuild kits that include pistons, rings, gaskets, bearings, etc... they have others that include rods and/or a crank... others that include more than that (balanced rotating assemblies, forged crank, etc). All of it is good quality stuff and with a small block, you have LOTS of options.

Decide what you budget is, and what you'd hope to get out of the engine and go from there.

Dave

 

Well, I'm not sure what my budget is. I have about $400 cash right now, but I'm working more hours, and also have some investments (which are going nowhere, so I'd be HAPPY to put them into something worthwhile). I ordered a Jegs catalogue yesterday, they have much better prices than the local store I usually go to.

Does anyone know if the Weiand Stealth intake manifold (P/N 8000) will fit under the hood of my 79' L48? I don't want to get a different hood, or cut it out. It says it's a medium rise, but I know things under the hood are pretty tight as it is.

Thanks!
Jerry

 

Hey Jerry,
A lot of it is going to depend on what you find when you take your engne apart. Are the bores smooth? will you need to overbore the cylinders? Are you even looking to do any bottom end work (new pistons & rings)?

You'll probably want to replace the camshaft & lifters, definitey the timing chain. A valve job is probably in order too, if for nothing else than to make sure the valve guides and seals are in good shape.

You need to be budget conscious if you're on a budget. The more you find to do, the more parts you need and the more labor/machining you'll need.