I've been planning my combo off and on over the last year and a half. My goal is 10.80's on race mix or race fuel, but pump gas for street driving. So far, this is my combo. Some things haven't been acquired yet where noted. You 10 second guys, give me your advice. Here's my combo at the present: '72 GS original 350/4 spd car that had been converted to BB/4spd at one time. -Non a/c car -Moroso front springs (190's) with QA1 Stocker Star shocks, travel limiters. -Original 8.5 10 bolt 3.42 (will be Strange 3.73 or 4.10), Detroit Locker 30 spline, Moser 30 spline axles(to be ordered), Metco rear sway bar(to be ordered) -Manual disc/drum -'75 455 block with oil mods to front, mains not drilled -'73 timing cover ported with new melling gear kit, booster plate and TA pressure booster. -Holley HP 950(may order HP1000) -New KB Wildcat -TA Stg2 SE's Int 321@600, Exh 228@600 complete -MSD distributor (haven't decided on with vac adv or without) -MSD Digital 6 (to be ordered) -Eagle ESP 6.635 rods -BHJ INTERNAL balancer -JW INTERNAL balance flexplate -TA double grooved cam bearings -TA deep pan -TA girdle (to be ordered) -TA 1.60 roller rockers -TA JE SRP Conical dish pistons -Childs/Albert Plasma rings -Orange Crush head gaskets -TA Stg 2 full length headers coated -Hoosier 29x10 -TH400, Ultra Bell, deep finned pan, 9" 3800 convertor Now for the math. No machine work done yet, but this is the plan: -Zero deck -.0025 rods/.0025 mains -bore with deck plate -coated BBC rod bearings .038 over 4.350 bore .040 head gasket .000 deck 4.400 gasket bore 20cc piston dish 64cc combustion chamber Using the Kelly DCR calculator, I came up with 11.10:1 static compression. Listed below are some of the cams I've cams I've given heavy consideration to but have narrowed it down to maybe 2. I wanted to see what your thoughts were. TA 294-98F I260-E266 I584 E611 LC 110 DCR @ 110 7.910/@ 106 8.224 TA 294-04F I258-E273 I584 E596 LC 108 DCR @ 108 8.069/@ 104 8.376 TA 308s I268-E274 I598 E584 LC 108 DCR @ 108 7.667/@104 7.990 TA 510 I255-E265 I576 E576 LC 110 DCR @ 110 7.459/@ 106 7.790 Poston 110 I252-E252 I542 E542 LC 110 DCR @ 110 7.162/@106 7.501 I'm leaning hard to the 308s, then the 294-98(since it has only 6* separation like the 308s). I'd like to keep it around 6200-6400.
From my limited experience, it looks like a good recipe. I would have to say that your weak link is the rearend, 30 spline axles or not. And make sure that your fuel delivery system is up to the task. I have a 950HP carb, and my car really starts to lay down at the top end, but all I have is a totally stock fuel system. I've always wondered if the car would go faster with an electric fuel pump back by the tank pushing more fuel. You may just want to get the 1000HP if you haven't purchased a carb yet. The 308 is a real bread and butter cam for going fast. It looks like you've already done a lot of things to keep the car light, so you shouldn't have much trouble meeting your goal. You shouldn't need a rear sway bar if this is a track only car.
I say go for the 308S cam as well. I've seen the 8.5" rear ends go tens quite a bit, but usually in lighter cars. More experienced folks should chime in too. Devon
Looking like a good start. You will need to up grade the fuel delivery system. So many people spend big bucks on go fast parts and neglect the fuel system. That includes pickup, line, filter and pump. There is 3 areas that I like to over kill when I build a new car. 1. is fuel system, 2. is the rear end and traction setup and 3. is SAFETY. Now maybe that should be reversed and safety first. But you get the idea. You have to have traction or it is a waste to build big HP. And if you don't have a good fuel system it will lay down on you down track and you will be disappointed with your build. Safety means every thing is tight and in good condition and I like to tie it together with a good cage. You don't realize how flexible these cars are until you have the frame out of one. That's why they pick up the left wheel a foot or two and the right one is still nearly on the ground and they want to turn right. You build a car with these 3 in mind and make sure all wiring is done correctly and you will have a car that you can spend your time increasing HP and not fighting traction and fuel problems and trying to keep it off the wall. A couple of years ago, I broke a lifter boss in my race engine and built a quick replacement with unported Stage 1 heads, hydraulic street cam(460 lift) and dual plane intake with 750 AFB and first time out it went 11.06. I changed to cam to a KB Maxi 4 and went 10.70s. Point being I was using every hp the engine made to go down the track. Hope you get to feeling better and get this project going. JIm N.
I would think that with the above mentioned suggestions and your planned build, 10.80's shouldn't be a problem at all! My old drag car was more drag race then street, but............'71 skylark (3,200lbs.)had some fiberglass (hood, decklid, ft. bumper) 455(.030), 10.25comp(pump gas), 306 camshaft, ported stg-1 heads, SP1 intake, Holley 850, Hooker super comp headers(open)EVERTHING else on the engine was stock! turbo-400 w/coan 8" conv., 12-bolt chevy(4.10gear) 30X10.5 slicks. This was 15 years ago so there is newer technology especialy in converters. It ran 10:70's consistantly, it did travel a few miles on the street, but I wouldn't call it a street car. GOOD LUCK! P.S. I had a fuel cell, 1/2" line, Holley "Blue" pump.
I have a pair of BG 220's left from another car with the regulators, but I'm strongly considering MagnaFuel Quick Star 275 or 300 and regulator. The tank is brand new with a sump in the rear. I had air bags in my Regal, I knew that was a band aid fix so this time I'm going with a Metco rear sway bar or H.R. Parts & Stuff sway bar.
Reynold, You know how I feel about the 308s.... One thing I would say is to open up your main clearances a little. I know you've seen some of the threads about longevity,I believe in the looser clearances. My mains are over .003 and the rods are just under .003 Another thing I believe in,Make the car as light as possible w/o taking away from the "look",Lightweight stuff is not cheap but it's a better investment than making more power.
Gary, you're the one that made me decide to stick with the 308. I didn't think that I had the compression to make it work, but after looking at the DCR #'s, I felt there was just enough. There are a few things that I'm doing already to help keep the weight down. I know that I'll be adding a lot with a roll bar, but there are a few things that I can do to help compensate. Stupid stuff that adds up like, leave the heater core and the blower out, I dumped the power brakes, etc. I even cut the extra bosses off the block which gave a couple of pounds. I'm trying to get the mechanical part done, then I'll start on the cage and lightening. There was no motor in the car when I bought it, so I have no idea what it weighs. It's a no option car(except p/b and p/s, but both have since converted to manual)so I assume it to be in the 3700# range when all is said and done.
I was able to take several lbs off my car by going with Aerospace brakes front and rear. Look at everything, it adds up, and Gary is sure correct about the weight and it will help with breaking parts and traction as well. jim N.
I'll guess you'll be down around 3500 when it's all said and done. Another thing I was thinking of was your car's rearend. You have drum brakes in the plan now, but wouldn't it be better in the long run to put discs out back. I think they're lighter, offer more stopping power and since you haven't bought the axles or anything yet, shouldn't cost that much more to convert to.
That was something that I considered. There's a bracket kit on ebay that uses Seville calipers. Right now I'm more concerned with the engine/trans combo.
Reynold, I had Jim M (Monzaz) build me a 10 bolt rear that I plan to take into the 10's. I have 30 spline Moser axles,Eaton Posi and 3.90 gears.When I was picking it up,he mentioned the fact that he can do the rear disc setup price better than most of the places you see. I think I am sorta going down the same path,but in the other direction. I thought it would be easier to lose weight,than pay for more HP. I went to a 12 point cage and am building the car first. Then if I get a good motor,it will be even faster in my opinion since I will have a light weight car. I did re-do my fuel system and have been seriously thinking of putting a fuel cell in it and removing the stock tank with the sump. Is the car you are building the weed car??
That is my plan for my rear axle. Moser 30 spline, Detroit Locker 30 spline, 3.73-4.10 Strange gear with 1350 yoke and H.R. Parts & Stuff anti roll bar. Yes, this will be the 3rd incarnation of the weed machine! This is how it's been sitting(on jack stands) in the garage since April. Well, I can't figure out how to repost these photos. It keeps telling me that I've posted them once before. I've even tried renaming them but it won't let me upload them again. Here's the link where I posted them before. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=126871&page=2
Welcome... You are now an official member of my Raceteam..."Jackstand racing"...:laugh: I now went from jackstands to dolly wheels so I can get the cage installed...
just to make it faster to see the pictures, they are on the third page not the second one. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=126871&page=3
Thanks Mike. I appreciate any comments you guys have on the engine combo. There's only a few Buicks here so I'd like to make a mean statement at the track and at cruise nights! I'm in a sea of Chevy's so anything that can break 10s gets attention. Plus maybe a little squeeze could easily drop into the high 9's.:Brow:
One thing that I haven't decided on yet is which distributor. My car will see street time, but strip time as well. Should I run the MSD dizzy with the vacuum advance or without?
With the loose converter you probably won't need the vac advance. I use it to help tame my idle a bit, that's all it's really good for. It probably helps the power brakes a bit, too...there ain't much there, for sure! Devon
