I finally got my heads back from being ported last Friday. The shortblock has been together for a couple of months waiting. I spent Saturday degreeing in cam and checking everything like P/V clearance (new cam, milling etc), piston to head clearance, rocker arm geometry etc. Got everything together late Saturday night.

Spent Sunday finishing up porting the new intake to match heads. I had it mainly done already,but had to wait on heads to finish it. That took most of Sunday!

Finally got it all installed on test stand (pretty crude, but it works!) and fired it up about 10:30 PM last night. I bet the neighbors loved me! I did have the full undercar exhaust system attached to the headers though. Looked kind of funny stretching out of the garage door!

Anyway, I only ran it about 10 minutes or so considering the time, but it did sound healthy! It acts like it will idle pretty decent, but I may have to do a little accelerator pump work. I think the new cavernous intake is going to need a little more pump shot.

I'll run it again this evening and make sure I don't have any leaks etc and run the valves.

My only problem is that my machine shop has their dyno tied up literally for the next two weeks. I won't be able to get on and make any pulls there. But they have called another shop for me and I'm going to try to get it to them if I can.


Here's the new combo:


540 "

Merlin II block
4.500 x 4.250
Eagle Crank
SCAT 6.385 rods
JE/SRP pistons
11.0 compression (*)
Brodix 2xtra heads. Seriously ported (*)
2.300/1.88 valves
K-motion springs (*)
Titanium retainers (*)
Engle Custom solid roller (*)
273/278@.050 .731/.731 on 110 LSA
Edelbrock Super Victor Intake-ported (*)
Holley 1050 Dominator

(*) Denotes new stuff

So far this winter has seen the car get:

The Dana 60 IRS setup w/ 3.5" halfshafts and 1480 u-joints
Custom rear strut rods
Frame reinforcing/welding fully
New fuel system. Aeromotive A1000 pump with 2 x -10 lines feeding from fuel tank sump to pump, and -10 to regulator with -8 return line to tank.
Battery moved behind passenger in storage compartment
Line lock
New carpet
Restored console etc ( I swear this stuff takes longer than anything)
New polished TTII's 15x8 and 15x7's 215/6R15's and 275/60R15's
New mufflers to come.


I'm ready to drive...this is going to be fun!!


JIM

 

Congrats! Awesome car BTW (I saw your sig.).

Man, I'm so far away from being finished with my ride (not lucky enough to have a 'Vette :rolleyes: ). It seems like I'm still on that never-ending up-hill side of things.

Ah, well (sigh...), "a journey of a thousand miles must begin with the first step".

Congrats, again!

Jeff
:flag

 

I am almost as excited as you are to see what it does on the dyno and at the track. I hope someday I can find an excuss to come to Houston and see the car for my self.

Congrats Jim

:party:


[Modified by 69 N.O.X. RATT, 4:29 PM 6/23/2003]

 

You have got to be excited! Wow, looking over your list has made me realize just how much you have accomplished. Incredible!

It really sounds like you are anxious to have your motor put on the dyno. It is too bad that SAM is so busy. I am quite curious to see what you will end up making. Do you still plan on running your points distributor?

I am going to be real jealous if you are still going to be able to putt around town with that motor and have no ill effects.

Steve

 

Jim - your going to have to change your name from 427. Is your motor simular to the other 540 vette up north that you took a ride in? I've always been thinking about upgrading my SBC. :( The sad thing is, it would still be over 100 ci smaller than yours.

I don't think thar your rear tires will live very long.

 

Actually I've had the motor in the car for the last couple of years. This is the second incarnation of it with the intent of making a few more ponies.

The last version was pretty strong, and it was very tame to ride around in. I figured I could notch it up a little this time around.

Mark (ML67) and I had very similar combinations last time around. Both 540's. both 5 speeds, his with 3.08 gears, mine with 3.36's. This time I'll have 3.07's.

Both had Brodix heads. Mine were out of the box as cast but larger, his were smaller originally but seriously professionally ported.

I had a Small Team G intake, he had a similar sized Holley Strip Dominator but it was also ported and welded to fit his heads.

I had a larger cam.

I had a 1050 Dominator, he had a 1020 cfm trick 4150 Holley.

I had 2" headers with 3" exhaust, he had 2 1/8" headers with 3.5" sidepipes.

It's amazing how close our combinations were on HP. Capped up we were almost identical(within 1 hp!). Uncapped mine picked up 50 RWHP, but we never saw how much his would increase by uncapping it. We both assume a good bit, but not sure if it would be that much!

So it proves that as long as you stay reasonably close, similar results can be achieved different ways.

This time around, he will have new CNC heads, I will have professionally ported ones. I will have a huge intake (ported) and he will have a mildly ported new intake that should be much better than his old one. I will have slightly larger cam again, but he will have much better exhaust. Both will have about the same compression.

It will be interesting to see how it all comes out!


JIM

 

It was really surprising how close our combinations ended up. I think this time you'll comfortably pull away from me -- it was fun while it lasted!

What was your idle rpm? Did you have an opportunity to time it? How much total timing?

You have done a LOT of work. I bet you can't wait to get this back installed and drive the wheels off it. Hell, *I* can't wait for you to get it back installed and running! Looks like Rita and I will have to start seriously shopping for low airfares to Houston.

Great job!

Mark